OBSERVING GOD At WORK-III—Luke 1:57-80
While the brokers were busily calling potential customers to drum up business, the president of the firm stopped to eavesdrop on a new employee. He listened as the young man talked eight consecutive contacts into moving their stock portfolios to him.
The boss approached the young man & said, "I’ve been listening in, & I must say I’m impressed with your ability.
Where did you learn so much about talking to investors?"
"Yale, sir," the young man answered.
Impressed, the boss said, "Oh, that’s fine, just fine.
And what’s your name?"
"Yackson," he replied.
Observing someone at work can reveal some interesting things...
Likewise, Observing God at work reveals the needs in our own lives.
John the Baptist’s parents knew with certainty the implications of their son’s birth.
The events surrounding the birth of John the Baptist have implications for God’s people.
What is implied from observing God at work?
Implications drawn from seeing God at work.
Previously we have seen that Observing God at work implies a need for Expanded...
1. SATISFACTIONs(:57-59)
2. BOUNDARIES(:59-63)
3. CONVERSATIONs(:64-65)
4. EXPECTATIONs(:66)
5. REDEMPTIONs(:67-71)
6— Observing God at work implies a need for...
Expanded FULFILLMENTs(:70, 72-75)
Explanation:(:70, 72-75)
OBJECTIVE/DEFINITIVE TRUTH:
:70—“As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets Who have been since the world began,”
“As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets...”
What did God speak?...That He would visit & redeem them by a strong Savior thru the house of David.
Lk. 1:68-69—““Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited & redeemed His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David,”
The promise had come thru the prophets of the Old Testament. The nature of the salvation would be expressed as salvation from Israel’s enemies. However the enemies which Israel acquires are enemies against God...i.e., when Israel is truly living according to God’s perfect will. Israel’s sin would acquire for them many more enemies opposing Israel’s fleshly pursuits.
We can’t rightly read the NT divorced from the OT, nor the OT apart from its fulfillment in the NT.
God has not left Himself without witness. We may not witness Him directly with our eyes but He is nonetheless there.
PROMISE:
:72—“To perform[show] the mercy promised to our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant,...”
‘The promise of mercy presupposes the presence of sin & the sentence of judgment’
“Mercy”— ‘Not giving what is deserved’—
“Covenant”=Promise
The salvation will be an act of mercy on God’s part exacted for the sake of God’s own holy covenant, as well as for the sake of the spiritual ancestors.
:73—“The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,...”
The holy covenant in question is that which God enacted with Abraham by his oath. Abraham is the ‘father’ of the nation of Israel(God’s people. by Abraham came Isaac & by Isaac came Jacob, & by Jacob came the 12 tribes of Israel.
Universal blessing—Gen. 22:16-18— :18—“And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."
At this time, Abraham had no knowledge of N. & S. American continents. The mass of people therein was non-existent to him, yet they too are his legacy.
Who are God’s people?—Israel —Gentiles—All mankind
ANSWERS:
COMPLETION
&
PURPOSE:
:74—“To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear,
The stipulation of the holy covenant was for the deliverance of Israel from her enemies.
The purpose of Israel’s deliverance is that she would “serve” God. Which service is to be done “without fear.” Fear originating from those who would oppose God’s true service.
:75—“In holiness & righteousness before Him all our days.”
Israel’s service is to be accomplished “in holiness.”
The service of God’s people can only rightly be done within the confines of God’s Holiness. Holy living—Separation from that which is base/common/human/purely natural.
The service of God’s people can only rightly be done within the confines of God’s Righteousness. Righteous living—Living by that which God deems pleasing & acceptable to Him.
Argumentation:
Jn. 16:7-15—““Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, & of righteousness, & of judgment: “of sin, because they do not believe in Me; “of righteousness, because I go to My Father & you see Me no more; “of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; & He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine & declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine & declare it to you.”
Illustration:
There are certain ‘unexplained’ anomalies to our understanding/Things that haven’t crossed our radar before/Before a full moon, Lakes Malawi, Victoria, & Nyasa in SE Africa(opposite Madagascar) occasionally look as if there are plumes of smoke rising 100‘s of ft. straight up into the sky/Actually huge swarms of a particular species of fly(Lake fly) which emerge synchronously from the water at once/Mix flies w-tomato, onion & salt pressed into a patty makes a good burger!/Expanded FULFILLMENT
People caught in a homosexual lifestyle/Cannot see the need to leave it/It has all the trappings of any natural desire/We must expand that into something beyond our innate ability/The Holy Spirit must convict & the offender must commit to His leadership/He will never be led into that choice by God/How can he possibly be free to serve God fully? Cannot see the details of how/Human explanation—‘God is happy with my being homosexual’/BUT you must Expand FULFILLMENT
God will Fulfill His word, truth, way, direction, goal in you!
Aug. 21, 1986, shortly after 9:30pm, 1700 people, living in 4 villages near Lake Nyos in Cameroon, Africa suddenly unexplainably died along with thousands of cattle plus birds & wild animals/Lake Nyos sits on a volcanic source regularly releasing CO2 which dissolves into the lower layers of the 600 ft. deep lake water, kept there by the sheer pressure—in much the same way that the cap on a carbonated beverage prevents CO2 from bubbling out of its container/It is estimated that recent heavy rains were blown to one side of the lake by heavy winds where this colder denser rainwater effectively displaced the warmer less dense lake water, effectively opened the bottle cap & allowing the CO2 to expand violently engulfing everything in the crater up to 400 feet above lake level/So much gas escaped that the entire lake dropped 3 ft./CO2 is denser than air so it pushed all O2 out suffocating everything/Expanded FULFILLMENT
How could God use me...you...us...Christians?!
Application:
?How does/do your ‘FULFILLMENTs’ effect your celebration of God’s Work?
?How does/do your ‘FULFILLMENTs’ effect this Worship Service?... This Day’s events?
The events surrounding John the Baptist’s birth show us that Our Despiritualized FULFILLMENTs severely restrict our celebration of God’s work, our work & our worship.
The events surrounding John the Baptist’s birth show us that Real Fulfillment is needed to Restore our lives.
7— Observing God at work implies a need for...
Expanded FOUNDATIONs(:76-77)
Explanation:(:76-77)Accommodation
:76—"And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS;”
The focus now shifts to John(Elijah) rather than Jesus(Messiah).
John, the newly circumcised & named one, will be known abroad as “the prophet of the Most High.” John’s purpose & giftedness in God is that He prophesy concerning Jesus(Messiah).John’s destiny is to go before/prior to/under the watchful eye of/ the Lord. He is to prepare the way/path Messiah will take.
How will the path be readied?—Population, Govt....
:77—“To give to His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins,...”
John will remove the walls/hindrances to God’s salvation so He is able to reveal a knowledge of that salvation thru Messiah. The key to unlocking the knowledge of this salvation is forgiveness of sins committed (against God & man). God will initiate the forgiveness of sins. It(forgiveness) will come directly thru Messiah.
The forgiveness of sins will come due to the sheer mercy(grace) of God. His mercy is tender(Compassionate/Fatherly/Originates from Love).
“His people”—the Lord God of Israel is a personal God...A knowledge granting God...A saving God...A forgiving God....& A
*Foundation capable of accommodating God’s work.
Argumentation:
1Chron. 4:9-10—“Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, & his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, & enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, & that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.”
Lk. 6:47-49— “ "Everyone who comes to Me, & hears My words, & acts upon them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep & laid a foundation upon the rock; & when a flood rose, the torrent burst against that house & could not shake it, because it had been well built. "But the one who has heard, & has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house upon the ground without any foundation; & the torrent burst against it & immediately it collapsed, & the ruin of that house was great."”
Eph. 2:19-20— “So then you are no longer strangers & aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, & are of God’s household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles & prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”
Jn. 3:26-31—“And they came to John & said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified--behold, He is baptizing, & all are coming to Him!” John answered & said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands & hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. “He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly & speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.”
Illustration:
Bass Pro Shops beginnings & expansion/1971, Johnny Morris, frustrated by the lack of tackle in local stores, rented a U-Haul trailer & took off from Springfield, Missouri across the country filling it with the newest premium fishing tackle he could find/He started in the fishing business with 8ft. of space in his dad’s liquor store/Incorporated in 1972/Became a popular stopping-off place for fishermen on the way to the Ozark’s famous bass lakes/Johnny maintained a mail-order following & in 1974, he printed & mailed his first Bass Pro Shops catalog/It became the ‘world’s largest mail order sporting goods store”/In 1978, Johnny introduced the first professionally rigged boat, motor & trailer ‘fish-ready’ package(Bass Tracker Boats/BPS expanded outwardly with its first store outside the state of Missouri—Bass Pro Shops Sportsman’s Warehouse opened in Atlanta in 1995/Now 50 retail stores in 26 states & Canada/150 million catalogs & circulars are mailed out each year/Expanded FOUNDATIONS
Application:
How do your ‘FOUNDATIONs’ effect your celebration of God’s Work?
How do your ‘FOUNDATIONs’ effect this Worship Service?... This Day’s events?
The events surrounding John the Baptist’s birth show us that Our Despiritualized FOUNDATIONs severely restrict our celebration of God’s work & our worship.
The events surrounding John the Baptist’s birth show us that Real Foundations are needed to Restore our lives.
8— Implied from seeing God at work is a need for...
Expanded LOVEs(:78-79)
Explanation:(:78-79)
:78—“Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high shall visit us,”
Due to God’s “tender mercy” the Sunrise/Dayspring from Him/on high will accomplish its/His intentions upon us(Israel/mankind/God’s people).
God’s mercy drives Him, in love, to be take concern for His people.
:79—“To give light to those who sit in darkness & the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace."”
The Sunrise/Dayspring will come upon God’s people in order that those who are now in darkness may be flooded with light. Those who are in darkness are simultaneously living in the shadow of death itself. Death is close yet is not terminal for them because the Sunrise is there.
Ps. 107:10-12—“Those who sat in darkness & in the shadow of death, Bound in affliction & irons-- Because they rebelled against the words of God, And despised the counsel of the Most High, Therefore He brought down their heart with labor; They fell down, & there was none to help.”
Death gives those living within its confines/bounds a perspective which leads away from true/real peace.
Death defines our limits steering us around true peace.
The Sunrise/Dayspring will come to guide our feet toward true peace.
This is a call to examine Isa. 9:2—“The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.”
“Give light/Shine/”—epifainw—V.—1) To show to or upon—1a) To bring to light; 2) To appear, become visible—2a) of stars; 3) To become clearly known, to show one’s self. Strong—To shine upon, i.e. Become (literally) visible or (figuratively) Known:-- Appear, give light. Used 4X.
“Sit”—kayhmai—Strong—To sit down; figuratively, to Remain, reside:-- Dwell, sit (by, down).
“Darkness”—skotov—1) Darkness—1a) Of night darkness, 1b) Of darkened eyesight or blindness; 2) metaph.—2a) Of ignorance respecting divine things & human duties, & the accompanying ungodliness & immorality, together with their consequent misery in hell, 2b) Persons in whom darkness becomes visible & holds sway. Strong—Shadiness, i.e. Obscurity (literally or figuratively):-- Darkness.
“Shadow”—skia—Strong—apparently a primary word; "Shade" or a shadow (literally or figuratively [Darkness of error or an adumbration]):-- Shadow.
“Guide”—kateuyunw—1) To make straight, guide, direct—1a) Of the removal of the hindrances to coming to one. Strong—To straighten fully, i.e. (figuratively) Direct:-- Guide, direct. Used 3X.
“Way”—odov—1) properly—1a) A way—1a1) A traveled way, road, 1b) A travelers way, journey, traveling; 2) metaph.—2a) A course of conduct, 2b) A way (i.e. manner) of thinking, feeling, deciding.
“Peace”—eirhnh—Strong—probably from a primary verb eirw(to join); Peace (literally or figuratively); by implication, Prosperity:-- One, peace, quietness, rest, + set at one again.
Argumentation:
Eph. 2:4-5— “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),...”
Eph. 5:1-2— “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; & walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, & gave Himself up for us, an offering & a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”
Jn. 3:16-17— “ "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.”
Mat. 5:43-48—““You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor & hate your enemy.’ “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, & pray for those who spitefully use you & persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil & on the good, & sends rain on the just & on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Illustration:
Divorced Father/Mom has kids/Separated by miles/Expression of Love consists of expensive presents/A deep heartfelt need to show that child that they are indeed loved, even though absent/Expanded LOVE
College Roommate/Reputation for dating many girls—Proud of it/Knew the Acts of romantic love but never finds true love/Expanded LOVE
Application:
How do your ‘LOVEs’ effect your celebration of God’s Work?
How do your ‘LOVEs’ effect this Worship Service?... This Day’s events?
The events surrounding John the Baptist’s birth show us that Our Despiritualized LOVEs severely restricts our celebration of God’s work & our worship.
The events surrounding John the Baptist’s birth show us that Real Love(s) is/are needed to Restore our lives.
9— Implied from seeing God at work is a need for...
Expanded GROWTH(:80)
Explanation:(:80)
:80—“So the child grew & became strong in spirit, & was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.”
John grew to become strong in spirit. His spirit was strongly affected toward the Lord’s work & destiny for him. See 2:40 of Jesus:
Lk. 2:40—“And the Child[Jesus] grew & became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; & the grace of God was upon Him.”
John lived in the deserts prior to his public appearance to Israel. John underwent a time of preparation for his entrance to public ministry. John’s ministry would one day become public. His words & actions would become public knowledge. John would speak & act with the full knowledge of God’s people. Any public ministry must speak boldly & truthfully in regard to the Lord.
“Grew/Continued to grow”—auxanw—1) To cause to grow, augment; 2) To increase, become greater; 3) To grow, increase—3a) Of plants, 3b) Of infants, 3c) Of a multitude of people, 3d) Of inward Christian growth.
“Became Strong/Waxed strong”—krataiow—1) To strengthen, make strong; 2) To be made strong, to increase in strength, to grow strong. Strong—To empower, i.e. (passively) Increase in vigor:-- Be strengthened, be (wax) strong.
“Manifestation/Shewing/Public appearance/Appeared publicly”—anadeixiv—1) A pointing out, a public showing fort; 2) A proclaiming, announcing, inaugurating of such as are elected to office. Strong—(the act of) Exhibition:-- Showing. Used 1X.
Argumentation:
Eph. 4:11-16—“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, & some pastors & teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith & of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to & fro & carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- from whom the whole body, joined & knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
Acts 9:13-16—“Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. “And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, & the children of Israel. “For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.””
We must expand our spiritual GROWTH to include giving everything, including suffering, for Christ!
Illustration:
I know someone who was out on a date with his girlfriend/Had his mobile phone/Forgot to turn it off/Enjoying a relaxing, peaceful meal together/Focusing on each other/The phone rings!!/Rather than mute the call & turn off the phone, he instead, gets mad at the phone & literally breaks it!/Expanded GROWTH!
Life is a journey & during the journey, we will stumble but, in Christ, will regain our foothold!....We learn our purpose....
Application:
How does your ‘GROWTH’ effect your celebration of God’s Work?
How does your ‘GROWTH’ effect this Worship Service?... This Day’s events?
The events surrounding John the Baptist’s birth show us that Our Despiritualized GROWTH severely restricts our celebration of God’s work & our worship.
The events surrounding John the Baptist’s birth show us that Real Growth is needed to Restore our lives.
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Where did you learn so much about talking to investors?"
“Yale, sir,” the young man answered.
Impressed, the boss said, "Oh, that’s fine, just fine.
And what’s your name?"
“Yackson,” he replied.
Action:
Observing God at work implies a need for Expanded...
6. FULFILLMENTs(:70, 72-75)
7. FOUNDATIONs(:76-77)
8. LOVEs(:78-79)
9. GROWTH(:80)
1. SATISFACTIONs(:57-59)
2. BOUNDARIES(:59-63)
3. CONVERSATIONs(:64-65)
4. EXPECTATIONs(:66)
5. REDEMPTIONs(:67-71)
6-9 Presented 04/03/2011pm to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
Presented 12/10/00pm to:
Providence Baptist Church
975 Providence Road
Whigham, GA 31797
