Characters of Christmas 1 Zacharias and Elizabeth
This morning I would like to see what the Bible says about some of the characters involved with Christmas. We are going to read a bit more of scripture than we usually do, so let me encourage you to grab a Bible from the back, if you don’t have one.
Welcome, greeting, etc.
This morning I would like to see what the Bible says about a couple of characters involved in the Christmas account, so open your Bibles and turn with me please to the book of Luke. Luke chapter 1. Luke chapter 1 and we will begin in verse 1.
- Read Luke 1:1-4
As we begin our study of Christmas, I want you to notice first, who God choose to give us the greatest record of the birth of His Son.
The Gospel of Luke and the record of the Acts were both written by Luke. According to Colossians 4:14 Luke was trained as a medical doctor. He was not trained as a preacher. He was not an eyewitness to the life of Jesus, but he was a companion of Paul, and is often referred to as Luke the Evangelist.
Even though he was not an eyewitness to the events of Jesus’ life, like Matthew, Mark, and John were, God used him to write more of the New Testament than anyone else, because of his careful study, and because of his concern and passion for telling people about Jesus. God inspired Luke to write about 27.5% of the New Testament. He tells us facts about the birth of Jesus that none of the others Gospel writers do. He includes parables of Jesus that none of the other writers share.
In Luke alone we find the parables of the Good Samaritan, the Publican and the Pharisee who went to the Temple to pray, the rich man and Lazarus, the lost coin, the prodigal son, the unjust steward, the rich fool, and the story of Zacchaeus.
My point? God can use you to tell His story, even if you never planned or wanted to be a preacher. All of us are called to be evangelists, ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Whoever you are, wherever you are, wherever you go, you are called to represent the Lord Jesus Christ. You are called to be students of scripture, and then are called to share with others what you have seen. heard, and experienced yourself.
Gary was telling me this week about a Camper on Mission, they had hoped would be able to join them here this year. He’s having some medical issues so he was unable to come, but the other day while he was at the doctor’s office he led his doctor to the Lord!
Turn to someone near you and tell them, “God has called you to tell people about Him.”
What an honor, what a privilege, to be a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ!
So God used an ordinary man, to tell us a miraculous account about His Son.
Now, look there with me again please at verse 5.
- Read Luke 1:5-25, 38-45, 57-66
In this passage, we are introduced to 2 people, Zechariah and Elizabeth. Zechariah and Elizabeth were minding their self-same own business. They weren’t trying to be famous. They had no idea they would be recorded in the Bible. They were a simple couple, minding their own business.
But notice what the Bible tells us about this couple.
1. They were righteous. - v6
Verse 6 tells us that they were righteous, and then it goes on to define for us what that word means. It means, “living without blame according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord.”
In other words, they did what they knew was right. It amazes me the number of people who are looking for some secret knowledge, or secret twist to the Bible that will make their walk or their experience with the Lord better. You know the greatest key to walking with the Lord and being filled with the Holy Spirit? The greatest key is to do what you already know to do.
They were living without blame according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord.
There is no magic key. There is no secret handshake you have to unlock. Do what you already know to do.
I grew up in the church. I’ve been a Christian since I was 6 years old. For much of my early years, I did church on Sunday, and lived like the world the rest of the week. But, I remember when I went away to college and had to make a conscious decision whether or not to attend church. I thank the Lord that He introduced me to a good church where I began to grow.
But I remember in that process that I took a time and looked back on the congregation of the church I attended growing up, and I talked to the Lord about it. I said, “Lord, there are some people in the church who seem to have something I don’t. You’ve met one of them, Mrs. Crippen, my 2nd and 3rd grade Sunday School teacher who has visited here.
I said, “Lord, there are some people in the church that seem to have a joy that others don’t have. There are some people who seem to have a peace that I don’t have. Lord, I don’t want to play around anymore. Lord, I don’t know what it is that’s different about them, but I want what they have.”
Do you know what it is? Some people refer to it as the “Lordship of Jesus Christ.” In other words, those folks have made a conscious decision to make Jesus the Lord of their lives. They made a conscious decision to live out what they already know to do. They made a decision that they didn’t want to play church anymore. They didn’t want to try and walk with the Lord part of the time and walk in the world the rest of the time. They decided that they were throwing in the whole kit and caboodle. It’s Jesus or nothing for them.
We are asked so many times in the Bible to choose one or the other and to quit playing games.
In Joshua 24, Joshua has led the people into the Promised Land, the land where the Jewish people still reside today. He led the people into the promised land, and as he did he told the people, beginning in verse 14;
> Joshua 24:14-15 “Therefore, fear the Lord and worship him in sincerity and truth. Get rid of the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and worship the Lord. But if it doesn’t please you to worship the Lord, choose for yourselves today: Which will you worship—the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living? As for me and my family, we will worship the Lord.”
Joshua says, “My family and I, we have made our decision. We’re not going to play games. We’re not going to be wishy washy. We’re not gonna be kinda church folks and kinda not. As for me and my house, as far as I have anything to say about it, and as far as I can do anything about it, we are going to serve the Lord.
Did you know that if a child is the first person in a household to become a Christian, there is a 3.5 percent probability everyone else in the household will follow? If the mother is the first to become a Christian, there is a 17 percent probability everyone else in the household will follow. But if the father is first, there is a 93 percent probability everyone else in the household will follow.*
Ladies, I in no way want to down play your impact or your importance. Heaven knows most churches would shut down if it were not for you and what you do, and we remember that Timothy became a Christian because of the teachings of his mother and grandmother when his dad was an unbeliever.
In 2 Timothy 1:5 we read;
> 2 Timothy 1:5 I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and now, I am convinced, is in you also.”
Ladies, I will never downplay your importance or your impact, but Men, listen to me. Are you listening? You have a responsibility to set the spiritual tone in your home. If your wife walks closer to the Lord than you do, then you are a fortunate and blessed man, but you should also be embarrassed because you are called to be the spiritual leader in your home. Make a decision and quit playing games.
Well Gene, my wife is a better reader than I am. She can read the Bible more easily than I can. Then get a translation you can read and understand for crying out loud. Not all of them are great, but all of them are better than nothing. My word, I knew a man in Arkansas who got saved reading the Living Bible.
When I pastored in Mississippi, one of the deacons in that church only had a 4th grade education, and couldn’t read worth spit. But when he got saved, he had his wife and sons teach him to read because he wanted to read the Bible for himself. And I can tell you, he was the spiritual leader of that house.
You make a decision.
In 1 Kings 18, we are told.
> 1 Kings 18:20-21 So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and gathered the prophets at Mount Carmel. Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him. But if Baal, follow him.” But the people didn’t answer him a word.
Elijah asked the folks to make a decision. Quit playing footsie with the Lord and get real.
Save your places and turn with me to Luke chapter 6.
- Read Luke 6:46-49
Practicing the Lordship of Jesus means you make Him the Lord of your life and do what you already know to do.
Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous. They were also disappointed.
2. They were disappointed - v7
- Read Luke 1:7
The Bible tells us they were righteous, but they were disappointed verse 7 tells us, “but they had no children.”
Many of us know people who have struggled to have children but who have been unable to. For many folks, that can be heartbreaking and very disappointing. While that’s true in our day, it was even mores in those days.
A son was needed to carry on the family name and to carry on the lineage. In those days, people were often looked down on folks if they they were unable to have children. Some even considered them cursed by God. Makes it kinda difficult to serve as a priest if people consider you cursed.
So they were disappointed.
Let me tell you, there are few people who get through life without being disappointed. You don’t end up with the job you want, or the promotion you’ve worked for. Interest rates go up, so you’re unable to afford the house you had hoped for.
You see a sign at the end of the road, advertising 5 acres for sale. That property is on Old Titusville Road, right across the street from the church’s driveway. It’s owned by the son of a guy I grew up with and who spent many days out here on this property. They bought the property hoping to build a house on it, but one thing after another has happened, so now they are living with the in-laws, waiting for the housing market to change so they can get into a house.
Disappointments.
You do your best to rear your children in a God-fearing home, setting an example for them, and they end up living in or like the world, completely rejecting your God and your values.
Disappointments. In spite off their disappointments, they were faithful.
3. They were faithful - vvs 5, 8-9
- Read Luke 1:5, 8-9
Zechariah was a priest. He did what he was supposed to, when he was supposed to. He wasn’t looking to jump ahead to become the high priest. He wasn’t puling strings and trying to work the politics to get himself in favor with anyone or to get a promotion, or anything. He kept on doing what he was called by God to do, when he was supposed to do it.
It says he was chosen by lot to go in and burn the incense. “Because some parts of the sacred service were more honourable than others, both the priests and Levites divided the whole among them by lot. We are told, that there were three priests employed about the service of the incense; one who carried away the ashes left on the altar at the preceding service; another who brought a pan of burning coals from the altar of sacrifice, and, having placed it on the golden altar, departed; a third, who went in with the incense, sprinkled it on the burning coals, and, while the smoke ascended, made intercession for the people. This was the part that fell to Zacharias, and the most honourable in the whole service.” — Macknight
Zechariah and Elizabeth did what they were supposed to do, when they were supposed to do it, and trusted the outcome to God.
It is amazing what God does when people are where they are supposed to be doing what they are supposed to be doing.
It is amazing how God works through ordinary people when they are doing ordinary things, when they are faithful and continue doing what’s right, even when they have been disappointed.
They were faithful.
4. They were excited - v39-45
- Read Luke 1:39-45
Elizabeth got pregnant. Mary came to visit with her, both of them expectant mothers, and Elizabeth was excited! Excited to be a mother yes, but even more excited to be a part of God’s plan.
Gladys and I married late, so we are older parents. Because of Gladys’ prematurely graying hair, we were sometimes confused with Drew’s grandparents.
I remember when Gladys went to the maternity shop for the first time to buy her first maternity clothes, the little girl behind the counter asked if those were for our daughter. Gladys answered, “No, they are for me.” The little girl spit and sputtered and didn’t know what to say. She said, “Ah, I was just asking because you aren’t showing.” Yeah, right.
By the way, when you put your foot in your mouth, don’t compound the mistake by adding the other foot also.
There are certain things that come with being an older parent.
Elizabeth was excited about finally becoming a parent, but when Mary came to visit, Elizabeth didn’t go on and on about them both being parents. She talked about the baby jumping in her womb when she heard Mary approach.
Elizabeth was excited about being part of God’s plan and part of God’s work.
She didn’t look down on Mary’s youth. She didn’t trumpet her own pregnancy in her old age. She talked about the Savior’s mother coming to visit her.
She was excited to play the part God had given her in His unfolding work, in His unfolding plan.
Lord, give us more people who are excited about playing the part, playing the role the Lord has given us in Your unfolding plan. I don’t have to be the soloist where everyone can see me, but Lord let me prayerfully worship You.
I don’t have to serve communion so everyone can see how important I am in the church, but Lord, let me split the wood for the bonfires, let me serve in the kitchen, let me pull a trailer or build a shelf, or fluff a tree, or string some lights. Lord, it’s not about me, it’s about You, and I am excited to be a part of what You are doing. Thank You for letting me be part of Your family, and part of Your team, serving in Your kingdom.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3;
> 1 Corinthians 3:5-9a What then is Apollos? What is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So, then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s coworkers.”
Zechariah and Elizabeth were excited to be a part of the work God was doing. They didn’t care about their place. They were unconcerned about others’ opinions, they were excited to be part of what God was doing.
Isn’t it great being on the winning team? Isn’t it great knowing that God trusts you enough to use you as well? Isn’t it an honor to be called an ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ?
5. They were obedient - vvs 57-66
In verse 13, the angel told Zechariah to name his son John. Now, when the son was born, he had the opportunity to give him a name that would carry on the family lineage. He had the opportunity to give him a name that would honor his dad, but no, the Lord said name him John, and they did. They were obedient.
6. They were expectant - vvs 76-79
The angel told Zechariah that his son was going to prepare the way for the arrival of the Messiah, and poor old Zechariah didn’t have any better sense than to believe him.
Well my friends, the Lord has given us an assignment as well. He has given you an I a job as well. We have been told to go into all the world and make disciples of every nation.
You and I have been called to be ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We don’t have the honor of announcing HIs first arrival, but we have the honor and opportunity to be filled by the Holy Spirit, and used by God to announce to a lost and dying world that Jesus is coming again.
Zechariah and Elizabeth. Ordinary people living obedient lives and used by God to change the world.
And my friend, there is no you can know the impact your life will have for the kingdom of God if you just do what you know to do.
This morning Gladys shared with you about the lady who Ron got to lead to the Lord in the prayer tent Friday night. The lady was witnessed to by some folks at the fair. Because of their witness, because of the seeds they sowed into her life, she followed up with Ron and came to saving faith in Jesus Christ.
And we are given a promise.
> Psalm 126:5-6 Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy. Though one goes along weeping, carrying the bag of seed, he will surely come back with shouts of joy, carrying his sheaves.
