(ME)
Good morning Odessa First – Hope you had a great a Thanksgiving!
– MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
– INTRO MYSELF
This morning we are beginning a sermon series called THE BIG STORY. Over the next 4 weeks we will be taking a unique look at the entire Christmas story. Specifically we are going to focus on 4 songs found in the Gospel of Luke that really sum up The Big Story – you know – the one about Jesus being born in a manger
Usually at this time of year we focus in on Mary and Joseph as well as the Bethlehem scene. But I want to look at The Big Story this year through Luke’s eyes. Luke is the only gospel writer to record the first “Christmas Carols.”
(TRANSITION) All of the 4 songs found in Luke’s Big Story follow a similar pattern. The singer first sings about a PROMISE – then sings about its FULFILLMENT and the ends with PRAISE unto God.
(WE)
What is your favorite Christmas Carol? (GET RESPONSES)
My favorite Carol is “Silent Night.” I don’t know why but it just isn’t Christmas until I have sung or heard this great old carol.
I think it would be good if we could sing it together this morning – you up for that? Well, let’s at least sing the first verse – the one most everyone knows.
SING
The words to this song are filled with such great expectation. Just before the crying of the newborn Jesus in Bethlehem’s manger there was silence. But then the promise was fulfilled and angels sing and shepherds quake. Beautiful
(TRANSITION) I want to look at one of the events that happened BEFORE the birth of Christ – during the silence. Before Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and Jesus was conceived in her womb another family was visited by an angel and told they too would have child. A promise leads to fulfillment resulting in praise to God.
(GOD)
This story is found in Luke 1:1-25; 57-73
This story is about a childless couple: Zechariah & Elizabeth.
OUTLINE OF THE STORY
1. Zechariah is chosen by lot to go into the Temple and offer incense to the Lord (a once in a lifetime opportunity).
a. While in the Temple the angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah.
b. Zechariah is scared.
c. The angel tells him to not be afraid.
d. THE PROMISE – angel tells him Elizabeth will conceive and give birth to a child
e. This child would be a JOY & DELIGHT to them (not necessarily to others)
f. This child would be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth
2. Zechariah doubts the angel
a. He is old and his wife is old.
b. They are past the time when people have children. (How old???)
c. How could they have a child
d. Gabriel causes Zechariah to be unable to speak until the time when the promise of this child was fulfilled
3. MEANWHILE People who had come to pray
a. It was custom that people would gather to pray in the morning and evening when the incense was offered to God. (SYMBOL of prayer going up to God – Tabernacle days)
b. Most people knew about how long it took the priests to do the job BUT something was messing up the custom.
c. Zechariah did not come out when he was supposed to – people thought something was wrong.
4. Zechariah appears before the people.
a. Unable to speak
b. They think he has had some kind of vision
c. He tried to make SIGNS to them but no one understood what had just happened within the Temple.
5. Zechariah completes his service at the Temple
a. Goes home to Elizabeth and she became pregnant.
b. She goes into seclusion for five months
6. Elizabeth gives birth to a son
a. When news of Elizabeth’s son being born hit the streets everyone rejoiced: her neighbors and relatives rejoiced in God’s mercy in giving her a son (cultural relevance).
b. After 8 days Zechariah & Elizabeth take their son to the Temple to be circumcised.
c. It was at this time that a boy child was given a name.
d. Normally the first born son would take the name of the father.
e. BUT ELIZABETH SPOKE UP AND SAID NO – HE WILL BE CALLED JOHN (Jehovah is a gracious giver)
f. The family wondered if Elizabeth had lost it….they look to Zechariah but he cannot speak.
g. He asks for a writing tablet and writes: HIS NAME IS JOHN.
i. At that moment Zechariah’s mouth opens and he regains the ability to speak
ii. Everyone was filled with AWE
iii. The news of this event spread throughout the land of Judea and the Hill Country
WHEN PEOPLE HEARD OF THIS THEY ASKED THE QUESTION, “WHAT THEN IS THIS CHILD GOING TO BE?”
People knew that the Lord’s hand was upon this boy named John and that he had been born for a special purpose.
But when Zechariah heard this question he becomes overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit and beigns to prophecy through song…
REJOICING IN GOD’S PROMISE OF MESSIAH
68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David 70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us— 72 to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
• The timing of this could not be more perfect.
• Elizabeth’s cousin MARY was pregnant with Jesus – Immanuel (God With Us)
• Jesus would be born 3 months later
• But JOHN had been brought into the world for a special purpose and Zechariah knew this purpose immediately…
HOW GOD WILL US JOHN TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE MESSIAH
76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
• Notice those first words…YOU…MY CHILD – so personal.
• Image of a father holding his son and singing to him.
• He is prophesying over his son – He would point people to the Messiah – He would be God’s messenger preparing the way for the one who would be the savior of the world.
Zechariah’s Song proclaims a vision of a God who has never forgotten the people, who has promised to Abraham and to the forebears a consummation of a worship-filled peace, untroubled by enemies and without fear. (Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, p. 896).
(YOU)
There are many applications we could draw out of Zechariah’s Song but I think one thing comes through loud and clear – GOD’S STORY IS OUR STORY.
The first part of his song speaks to hundreds of years of God’s working among His people. He speaks of those promises given by God to a WHOLE people. Promises given to a nation concerning God’s protection and care for them because they are His people.
But the second part of the song shifts gears. Zechariah moves from the national/broad promises of God to a personal (and tender) application of those promises to himself and his son, John.
I ask you this morning – what promises have you received from God? What are the promises that fuel your passion for work, for family – for ministry?
Do you never cease to pray for a sick family member or a lost loved one because you are reminded every day of the promises of God?
Zechariah reminds us that God fulfills His promises! Zechariah reminds us that through that fulfillment we can catch a glimpse of God’s BIG STORY – because God dwells in the middle of that story.
Sure, you may be misunderstood or you may have to endure some personal discomfort before the promise comes to pass.
• Do you think it was fun being a priest that could not talk? You could not use your voice to express what had happened in the Temple – to declare the magnificent promise of God!
But God is involved in the story of your life! Even when that story takes a detour down a road that moves you away from His promises – He is still there. He is still bringing that promise to pass.
(WE)
What kind of song of praise would rise from our hearts today if we could see how God the Father is at work in our lives?
I know in my life I am often guilty of not recognizing God at work.
I think and
I worry and
I try to fix things
All the while God is at work orchestrating the fulfillment of His promise to restore and revitalize His church – His people – His vision.
• This does not mean we sit by passively waiting for God to His thing.
• Passivity weakens the eyes.
• No! We pray. We engage. We join the mission. We go about the business of the kingdom knowing that as we do God will guide our every footstep – whether it is by affirmation or correction.
As we catch a glimpse of God at work in our lives we will become those who have no concern about how or when we PRAISE GOD.
We will not care who hears our song of praise when we finally see what we have waited to see for so many years. (There will no longer be a silent night!)
