‘INITIATING The TURN’-X—Luke 1:23(:5-25)
Attention:
My wife & I have ‘key fobs’ for use of one of our cars. We have to have it close to the car in order to open the car door. The fob not only allows us to open the door but also allows us to start the car.
And starting the car is something that is pertinent to our examination of the passage we’re looking at.
*In order to use our car, there are all manner of things that have to work in sequence &/or simultaneously. A process has to begin!
The key fob communicates to our vehicle, activating the electrical system. Power to the electrical system is continually available & engaged by the battery.
The ignition switch sends a signal to the starter motor. The starter motor engages with the engine's flywheel to turn over or crank the engine.
When I press the ignition switch, the ignition coil, & spark plugs are engaged. This system generates a high-voltage spark required to ignite the air-fuel mixture that runs to the engine cylinders, so the pistons will move.
But in order to do that, the fuel pump has to become activated, drawing fuel from the tank & delivering it to the engine. The fuel injectors spray the fuel directly into the combustion chamber of the cylinder.
As the engine turns, some pistons move up, compressing the air-fuel mixture in the cylinders. When the piston reaches the top of its stroke, the ignition system fires the spark plugs, that ignite the now compressed mixture.
That ‘contained explosion’ creates a rapid expansion of gases, that pushes the piston down & creates power by moving the crankshaft that multiple pistons are connected to. The starter motor then disengages.
As the engine runs, the alternator physically begins to generate electricity to recharge the battery & power the vehicle's electrical systems, so the battery is no longer drained of electricity....
*All of this dance is choreographed by the crankshaft & camshaft. They are geared together to precisely time the position of the pistons in the cylinders with the proper positioning of intake & exhaust valves, to create the compressive strokes, so that fuel & spark can be delivered at the precise time, a thousand-+ times a minute, so that your car runs smoothly.—from an internet Q&A response
*And I said all that, to say this:
*There are a lot of interconnection & involvement in any process. But the process must be ‘INITIATED’ at some point!
Likewise, God accomplished the promised ‘turning of people’ to Himself, by INITIATING the actions that were necessary to bring about mankind’s eventual salvation & glorification in Christ Jesus(Eph. 1:6-8, 13-14; Rom. 8:17-21, 30; Heb. 2:9).
*The title of this sermon series ‘turns’ on Lk. 1:16-17.
Need:
Whether they admit it or not, every person has a deep-seated need for certainty, settled peace, & confidence in their lives. And many if not most never experience those things in this life....However...that peace, certainty, & confidence can indeed be yours! But ONLY IF you willingly & unconditionally TURN to God, by trusting Christ Jesus as Savior & Lord.
Luke informed his audience of the initial steps that God took to turn His people toward Himself.
God began the process of turning of His people toward Himself.
And we are answering the question...
...?What principles does God use to begin turning people toward Himself?
12 principles God used & uses to begin turning people toward Himself.
So far in Luke’s Gospel, we have found that:
In initiating the Turn to Himself, God uses...
1. RIGHTEOUS FAITHFULNESS(:5-7)
2. PRIVILEGED DUTY(:8-9)
3. CONCERTED & DUTIFUL PRAYER(:10)
4. HEALTHY FEAR(:11-12)
5. DIVINE COMFORT(:13a)
6. DIVINE PARTNERSHIP(:13b-17)
7. DIVINE CHASTISEMENT(:18-20)
8. An ENHANCED PERSPECTIVE(:21)
9. An ENHANCED Or SPIRITUAL SENSITIVITY(:22)
Today we’ll find that:
10—In Initiating the Turn to Himself, God ALSO uses...
An ENHANCED CONTINUANCE(:23)
Explanation:(:23)
:23—“And so it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.”
This verse assures us that after Gabriel’s appearance to him, Zacharias still fulfilled his priestly duties for the remainder of the week.
*Zacharias completed his priestly duties, & continued his life, having experienced a prophetic encounter with Gabriel, an angel whose very purpose requires that he stands in the very presence of God(:19-20)!
Following the completion of his temple duties, Zacharias then “departed” from it to return to “his own house.”
It is not known WHERE Zacharias made his home, other than it being in or near an unnamed “city of Judah” in “the hill country of Judea”(Lk. 1:39-40).
Lk. 1:39-40—“Now Mary arose in those days & went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, & entered the house of Zacharias & greeted Elizabeth.”
Zacharias went about his regular ‘priestly business’ at home, that did not involve his direct service in the temple in Jerusalem. He continued to do what was expected of anyone in the priestly line. However, Zacharias now conducted his ‘priestly business’ at home, with ‘enhanced’ insight.
As a priest, Zacharias would officially represent God to his fellow man, those he lived among, in whatever city, town, or village he lived. Priests lived thruout Israel & not just at the temple.
•Priests taught & interpreted Scripture wherever they lived.
•Priests officiated biblical judgments for the people wherever they lived.
•Priests would travel to & ‘temporarily’ live in Jerusalem during the course of their service in the temple.
Biannually(2X per year), for 1 week at a time, priests would serve in the temple.
*?What is the course of your life AFTER you’ve had an obvious(miraculous) encounter with God?
•Do you‘GLOAT’ supposing you are better than others?
•Do you WASTE your days waiting for another ‘miraculous’ encounter to happen?
•Do you‘GLOAT’ over your experience with God, hoping others will take notice of YOU,....& to draw attention to YOURSELF, rather than to God?
OR...
*?Do you instead, by saving faith, humbly REJOICE inwardly that you have been undeservedly blessed, in that God chose YOU for His specific purpose?...And are you ELATED/Thrilled/Delighted that God chose you, despite your failings, temptation, & sin?
*Do you immediately set your hand to the work that God has laid out for you to do?
*Do you SHARE the personal experience(s) that you’ve had with God, so that others can be built-up in their faith by Christ Jesus?
Argumentation:
Once we encounter God personally, our lives are changed for the remainder of our lives. We are ‘Born-Again’(Jn. 3:3-8)
Mat. 10:22—“And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.”
Luke 21:19—On another occasion, Jesus said it this way,—“By your patience possess your souls.”
Rom. 6:5-7—“For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.”
Rom. 5:1-5—“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, & rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; & perseverance, character; & character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” ?What is your hope?
•Eph. 1:13-14—“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”
•Rom. 8:9—“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”
Rom. 8:23-25—“Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”
?Do you ‘pin your hopes’ on the promises of God?
Heb. 3:14—“For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,”
Php. 2:12-16—“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear & trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will & to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining & disputing, that you may become blameless & harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked & perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.”
Illustration:
People who dearly loved their spouse, but have lost their spouse to death. Yet the remaining person still draws breath, & God has not allowed the one remaining to taste death, even though they may belong to God thru faith in Christ Jesus.
•Many of those, give up on life, & pine away, languish, & eventually die of a broken heart.
•Others summon the strength to ‘move-on’ with their life. They become further informed by the ramifications of death, from their encounter with God....And they ‘move-on’ by FAITH in Christ Jesus, KNOWING that whenever, wherever, & however God leads, He also equips!...Even until they draw their last breath.
An ENHANCED CONTINUANCE
*God never intends for His people to remain motionless or ‘un-instrumental’ AFTER we have received a CLEAR directive from God. Simply because we may not hear from God with the same certainty & clarity later on, does not mean that we should ‘give up’ on what He has plainly shown us already.
Yes, Life is to be lived, but it is to be lived with each of us doing our part in fulfilling God’s revealed directive in heart, mind, & action. An ENHANCED CONTINUANCE
Application:
?Can God depend on YOUR ENHANCED CONTINUANCE to Turn people to Himself?
?Will YOU serve God in ‘initiating the turn?’
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
When we use our ‘key fob’ to start our vehicle, a complicated & involved process is set in motion.
Likewise, God has initiated His perfect & divinely conceived process of turning people to Himself.
Action:
In Initiating the Turning of people to Himself, God uses...
10. ENHANCED CONTINUANCE(:23)
1. RIGHTEOUS FAITHFULNESS(:5-7)
2. PRIVILEGED DUTY(:8-9)
3. CONCERTED & DUTIFUL PRAYER(:10)
4. HEALTHY FEAR(:11-12)
5. DIVINE COMFORT(:13a)
6. DIVINE PARTNERSHIP(:13b-17)
7. DIVINE CHASTISEMENT(:18-20)
8. An ENHANCED PERSPECTIVE(:21)
9. ENHANCED Or SPIRITUAL SENSITIVITY(:22)
Pt# 10 only! presented 09/29/2024am to:
Salem Baptist Church
1618 Salem Rd.
Bennettsville, SC 29512
