The REALIZATION Of GOD’s GUIDANCE-II—Luke 1:60-64(:57-80)
Attention:
1:76-79—““And you, child[John], will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord[Jesus] to prepare His ways, To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; To give light to those who sit in darkness & the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.””(cf.-Isa. 9:6-7; Isa. 40:3-5;)
The people & nation of Israel, have only sporadically been able to experience political peace since they’ve been in existence. And so, as a nation, they have only rarely been able to be ‘full & free’ partakers of God’s perfect GUIDANCE. Thru the years, decades, & centuries, the Jews have continued to wait for the fulfillment of God’s promise to bring their Messiah.
And God ensured that His people would be aware of the arrival of His GUIDANCE, which would come thru His promised Messiah, thru the One Who would be the actual EMBODIMENT of God’s GUIDANCE, Peace, Goodness, & Grace.
*BUT the ‘touchstone’ for the GUIDANCE promised to God’s people, came to them thru the birth of John the Baptist. With his birth, God’s promise began to be realized with that generation & so, for all generations beyond, including ours.
All people stand in need of realizing that God has made His ‘GUIDANCE’ AVAILABLE, not just for the Jews only, but THRU the Jews, for anyone & everyone, of every land & every era!
God’s ‘GUIDANCE’ ultimately comes to a person thru their personal trust in Jesus, recognizing Him as their personal Savior & Lord of their life. And God’s ‘GUIDANCE’ manifests itself thru our ministering to one another, & to those lost from Christ, as well as to those saved in Christ.
Need:
To really KNOW the direction you should go, in any endeavor you undertake, is something you can WILLINGLY DISCOVER. And that discovery will give a beautiful clarity to your life!
On the other hand, to really KNOW the direction you should go, in any endeavor you undertake, is something you can WILLINGLY AVOID altogether! Willingly avoiding God’s Guidance & direction, leaves your life devoid of real answers to the daily quandaries of life.
GOD’s ‘on-board’ & direct ‘GUIDANCE’ is really & readily available for & to everyone! But it is up to every individual as to whether they will accept what God has done thru Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, the Messiah, the Shalom/Peace of God!
Luke records prophetic events surrounding the birth of John the Baptist.
The means towards God’s ‘guidance’(1:79) was realized thru the birth of John the Baptist.
God’s ‘guidance’(in the way of peace) has been realized.
But:
?How is God’s guidance realized?
6 Realizations bringing God’s Guidance to fruition.
Last time, we found that God’s Guidance is realized thru a:
1—Prophetic BIRTH(:57-58)
& a:
2—Prophetic RITUAL/CUSTOM(:59)
And TODAY we’ll find that:
3—God’s guidance is ALSO realized thru a Prophetic...
ENCOUNTER(1:60-64)
Explanation:(:60-64)Face-to-face/Fulfillment witnessed
Bkgd.—:59b—“...and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias.”
:60—“His mother answered & said, “No; he shall be called John.””
It can rightly be said that Elizabeth ‘hotly protested’ the assumptions made by those present, in the naming of her & Zacharias’ child!
•Elizabeth was adamant that their child was NOT to be named anything other than “John”!
•Luke reminds us of that emphasis, thru the particular word Elizabeth used in her reply to the group present for the circumcision(:59b).
•There are at least three Greek words that can be translated into English as “No”(mh, ou, & ouci). Elizabeth uses the word ouci.
•“No”—ouci—Particle—1) Not, by no means, not at all. Strong—Not indeed; intensive of ou, ouk, or ouc. Used 56X.
•Elizabeth was adamant about the name, BECAUSE in the temple, the angel Gabriel had specifically instructed Zacharias(1:13) to name their son, “John.”
•“John” = ‘YaHWeH has been gracious’ OR--‘YaHWeH is a gracious giver.’—Thayer/ECNT
Simply because Zacharias could not speak, does not mean he could not or did not communicate, particularly with his wife!
:61—“But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.””
The people present for the circumcision, called Elizabeth’s comment into question. They questioned her decision, on the grounds that John was not a ‘family name.’
?I wonder how far back in Z & E’s family history, the people witnessed? Both of them were from the priestly line thru Levi. And it’s stated that Elizabeth herself was directly related to Aaron(1:5).
We can sometimes get ourselves in a real bind, when we address the Real/True/Actual reasons for doing what we do!
Elizabeth allowed those who had gathered for the circumcision, to draw their own conclusions from her faithfulness & boldness in the Lord.
• ‘Empty Tradition’ builds walls & limits boundaries that separate people from God’s desire for them.
:62—“So they made signs to his father--what he would have him called.”
Discounting Elizabeth’s authority, the group then asked Zacharias for final approval. They got his attention(“made signs”), inviting him into their quandary.
•I don’t believe this means Zacharias could not hear(although that is possible—ECNT). But from verses :20 & :64, there is no hint that Zacharias experienced deafness along with being mute.
I believe they rather wanted Zacharias’ direct input, even though it was impossible for him to respond verbally.
•The group ‘may have’ looked on Zacharias’ malady of muteness, as evidence of sin in his life, much like Job’s three friends wrongly did. And so, ‘it seems’ they did not seriously consider his input. In Jewish society, the father would normally have been approached first in the naming of the child. Furthermore, some of them, not understanding that they were dealing with a miraculous event from God, the crowd ‘could have’ written-off Zacharias as mentally deficient.
It is also ‘possible’ that their ‘naming tradition’ required a verbal pronouncement!
•Only when their expectation/custom was threatened, do the witnesses immediately go to the child’s “father”! Even though in their opinion, Zacharias’ input ‘MAY have been’ considered unworthy, prior Elizabeth’s firm, “No; he shall be called John”!
:63—“And he asked for a writing tablet, & wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled.”
*Zacharias “asked for a writing tablet” so he could write the name to be given his son. Surely, there was “a writing tablet” handy for Zacharias given the circumstance of Gabriel’s visit.
•Some scholars say that: the “writing tablet” would have been a hand-held, small, thin wooden plank that would have been covered with a thin layer of wax. A stylus would have been used to scratch words into the wax layer, so that others could read it.(EBC/MNTC/)
•Zacharias then wrote on the “writing tablet”, “His name is John.”
*When Zacharias also stated, with Elizabeth, that their child be named “John”, everyone present, “marveled.” That is, they were surprised, astonished, taken aback, or shocked.
•But WHY?
(1)It went against accepted tradition;
(2)They had ‘probably’ ‘written off’ Zacharias as ‘mentally deficient’, because they did not accept that Zacharias’ inability to speak was of God.
Since the crowd “marveled” that both Z & E would name their son “John”, the crowd either:
(1)Was UNAWARE of Gabriel’s revelation to Zacharias.
--OR--
(2)Did NOT BELIEVE Gabriel’s revelation to Zacharias.
:64—“Immediately his mouth was opened & his tongue loosed, & he spoke, praising God.”
"Immediately" upon his writing the words, declaring his son’s name, Zacharias’ tongue was “loosed”, or ‘enabled’ to function normally!....
•And that was in direct fulfillment of what Gabriel had earlier prophesied would happen to Zacharias(cf.-:18-20)!
Lk. 1:18-20—“And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, & my wife is well advanced in years.” And the angel answered & said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, & was sent to speak to you & bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute & not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.””
Upon having his “mouth” “opened & his tongue loosed”, Zacharias began “praising God” before all those present for the circumcision!
•Please notice that Zacharias “praised God”, even though he had been mute for 9-months!
•Consider Joseph’s life(Gen. 37, 39-45+)!
*************
*Some of God’s people should take that lesson to heart!
•Have you ever met a whining Christian(BMW Christians--Belly-ache, Moan, & Whine)?
•A BMW Christian is someone associated with the church, who is SO DOWN on the circumstances they’ve been granted, that they are KNOWN FOR or recognized by a character trait of: constantly complaining about the miseries in their life.
•It is impossible to “praise God”, while simultaneously running “God” down because of your difficulties!
•Js. 3:8, 11-12—“But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”.....“Does a spring send forth fresh water & bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water & fresh.”
*The only One who can tame that kind of internal ‘bitterness’, is God Himself. He can only do it thru the person’s choosing to surrender their heart, & so their thoughts & actions, including their tongue, to the Holy Spirit thru the Lord Jesus Christ!
*!When we’re ‘in the valley’ physically, we should still be ‘on the mountain top’ spiritually!
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Argumentation:
Mark 8:14-21—“Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, & they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat. Then He charged them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees & the leaven of Herod.” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have no bread.” But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?” They said to Him, “Twelve.” “Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?” And they said, “Seven.” So He said to them, “How is it you do not understand?””
•Three lessons here are that:
(1)God has power to do anything!;
(2)God has perfect power to operate within His perfect character, attributes, & sovereign will;
--&--
(3)that even a Prophetic Encounter with God, may leave the spiritually ignorant, focusing on the wrong thing!
2Cor. 13:5—“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you are disqualified.”
Jonah 3:1-10—“Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, & preach to it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose & went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent. And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out & said, “Yet forty days, & Nineveh shall be overthrown!” So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, & put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Then word came to the king of Nineveh; & he arose from his throne & laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth & sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed & published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king & his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. But let man & beast be covered with sackcloth, & cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way & from the violence that is in his hands. Who can tell if God will turn & relent, & turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish? Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; & God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, & He did not do it.”
Lk. 19:41-46—“Now as He[Jesus] drew near, He saw the cityJerusalem] & wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you & close you in on every side, & level you, & your children within you, to the ground; & they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” Then He went into the temple & began to drive out those who bought & sold in it, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”
Undeniable/Unquestionable work of God!
Face-to-face
Illustration:
There is a particular show on TV that I’ve watched for some years now. The show documents the work of a particular high-end garage. The focus of the particular group is toward a customization & ‘modernized-restoration’ of cars & trucks. They also do hot-rod work from scratch. The garage provides services at the behest of people who love cars & trucks(& who also have the funds to have the work done). The garage also produces their own speculative vehicles for sale at high-end auctions.
The garage’s commitment to the highest-quality, to innovation, & to minutely detailed work, has made a name for themselves that most all ‘car aficionados’ know!
When a person purchases a finished vehicle from that garage, they buy it unhesitatingly, because they know, without a shadow of a doubt, that no shortcuts were taken in producing the vehicle!
*When someone in any setting, observes the work done by that particular garage, the work is recognizable as having been done by them only!
*Likewise, when God works His work, even thru fallible people, His hand in the work is instantly recognized! It CANNOT BE DENIED by those who belong to Him! And it is only with much consternation that anyone who attempts to deny God’s work has put themselves in a difficult situation, basically trying to prove the impossible!
A Prophetic ENCOUNTER
Application:
?Are YOU a recipient of God’s guidance thru YOUR Prophetic ENCOUNTER with Him?
?Is God’s guidance realized in YOU?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
The ‘touchstone’ for the GUIDANCE promised to God’s people, came to them thru the birth of John the Baptist. With his birth, God’s promise began to be realized.
Action:
God’s guidance is realized thru a Prophetic...
3. ENCOUNTER(:60-64)
1. BIRTH(:57-58)
2. RITUAL/CUSTOM(:59)
Pnt# 3 only! presented 10/26/2025am to:
Salem Baptist Church
1618 Salem Rd.
Bennettsville, SC 29512
