Zechariah and Elizabeth had no children and were well beyond child-bearing age. But the Bible tells us that once, when Zechariah was taking his turn as part of the priestly tribe of Levi, serving in the temple, that the angel Gabriel appeared and told him they he and
Elizabeth would have a son who would be named John (John the Baptist). When Zechariah expressed doubts about this coming to pass, the angels told him he would be struck mute until the day that this came to pass.
When they named their child “John,” the Holy Spirit came upon Zechariah and he was once again able to speak. He was moved to prophecy about the Messiah who was to come. In Zechariah’s song, we learn something about the purpose of Christ’s coming. Let’s see what we can learn from Zechariah’s prophecy about the purpose of Christ’s coming (focusing on the four “to’s” in vs. 72-75).
1. Christ came to show God’s mercy – v. 72a
Although we are deserving of wrath, through Christ, we have been shown mercy. Jesus gave up His place to take ours.
One year, when a government surplus commodity program was being phased out, a man went early to the last distribution to
secure a place in line before the food ran out.
A few hours later, he was near the door where the cheese, butter, dry milk and peanut butter were being handed out. He saw a friend walking by and called him by name. He knew the man.
Neither his wife not he had any work for some time. They had four children. The man confirmed that his prospects were poor.
The man in line knew the food would run our soon, but he told the unemployed family man to take his place in line. The poor man did so and the other man went to the end of the line. Within a short time, the distribution ended and the one who gave up his place had also given up his food.
This is like what Jesus did for us. He drew us into His place of favor and blessing, while taking upon Himself all the consequences of our sin and failure.
Through His mercy (our not receiving what we deserve) He has bestowed on us His grace (our receiving what we don’t deserve).
“You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. You know that he gave up his heavenly riches for you. He gave up everything so that you could be richly blessed.” - 2 Corinthians 8:9 (Easy to Read)
2. Christ came to fulfill God’s promises – vs. 72b-73
God never forgets His promises.
“God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” - Numbers 23:19 (NLT)
Jesus was the fulfillment of God’s promises He had made to in the Old Testament.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” - Matthew 5:17 (NIV)
“I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve.” - 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 (NLT)
354 Old Testament promises were fulfilled by the coming of Christ (According to the Scriptures ministries).
Christ is also the fulfillment of God’s promises in the New Testament.
“But [as surely as] God is faithful and means what He says, our message to you is not ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ [at the same time]. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me, Silvanus, and Timothy, was not ‘Yes’ and ‘No,’ but has proved to be ‘Yes’ in Him [true and faithful, the divine ‘Yes’ affirming God’s promises]. For as many as are the promises of God, in Christ they are [all answered] ‘Yes.’ So through Him we say our ‘Amen’ to the glory of God.” - 2 Corinthians 1:18-20 (Amplified)
His coming assures us that all of God’s promises will come to pass.
An elderly Christian was in much distress as he lay dying. “Oh Pastor,” he said, “for years I have relied on the promises of God, but now in this hour of death I can’t remember a single one to comfort me.” Knowing that Satan was disturbing him, the preacher said, “brother, do you think that God will forget any of His promises?
A smile came to the man’s face as he exclaimed, “No, no, He won’t! Praise the Lord, I can now fall asleep in Jesus and trust Him to
remember them all and bring me safely to heaven.” Peace flooded his soul, and within a short time, he was ushered into the presence of his Lord.
“Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.” - Joshua 23:14 (NIV)
3. Christ came to bring God’s deliverance – v. 74a
Born physically normal in Tuscumbia, Alabama, Helen Keller lost her sight and hearing at the age of nineteen months to scarlet fever. Five years later, on the advice of Alexander Graham Bell, her parents hired a teacher, Anne Sullivan. Through Sullivan’s instruction, Helen learned to communicate with the world around her. She went on to acquire an excellent education and to become an important influence on the treatment of the blind and deaf.
In addition to her many appearances on the lecture circuit, in 1918, she made a movie in Hollywood, called Deliverance, to dramatize the plight of the blind. Why did she give the film that name?
“Once I knew the depth where no hope was and darkness lay on the face of all things. Then love came and set my soul free. Once I fretted and beat myself against the wall that shut me in. My life was without a past or future, and death a consummation devoutly to be wished. But a little word from the fingers of another fell into my hands that clutched at emptiness, and my heart leaped up with the rapture of living. I do not know the meaning of the darkness, but I have learned the overcoming of it.” - Helen Keller
Even as Helen Keller was delivered from the power of darkness; in Christ, we have been delivered from the power of sin and Satan; and through Christ, we also learn how to overcome.
4. Christ came to fit us for God’s service – vs. 74b-75
God created man to serve Him; but through sin and rebellion, man chooses to serve himself, thus destroying himself - for that is not what he was made for. But in Christ, things are corrected; and we are saved to serve God as He originally intended.
“And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.’” - Revelation 5:9-10 (NIV)
“The apostle John taught that our loving service to others shows that we are truly saved. He said, ‘Our love for each other proves that we have gone from death to life,’ (1 John 3:14, CEV). If I have no love for others, no desire to serve others, and I’m only concerned about my needs, I should question whether Christ is really in my life. A saved heart is one that wants to serve.” - Rick Warren
You and I aren’t saved by service, but we are saved for service. In God’s kingdom, we have a place, a purpose, a role, and a function to fulfill. This gives our lives great significance and value. This is why Christ came. It cost Jesus his own life to purchase our salvation and fit us for His service.
“God paid a very high price to make you his. So honor God with your body.” - 1 Corinthians 6:20 (Easy to Read)
Conclusion: Sir James Young Simpson, (1811 – 1870) was a
Scottish obstetrician and an important figure in the history of medicine. Among his discoveries was the anesthetic properties of chloroform, which he successfully introduced for general medical use. When he was once asked which of his discoveries he considered to be his greatest, his reply was not what people expected. He said, “My greatest discovery is that I am a great sinner and that Jesus is a great Savior.”
Indeed, we have a great Savior, who, through His coming . . .
1) Has shown God’s mercy - so let’s avail ourselves of His forgiveness;
2) Has fulfilled God’s promises - so let’s claim them as our own;
3) Has brought God’s deliverance - so let’s walk in His victory; and
4) Has fit us for God’s service - so let’s get busy for Jesus!
