Falling in love with Jesus
Luke 1:1-4
Part II
Based on the book by the same name by: Rubel Shelly
The nature of the Gospels is summed up best by John;
“Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”(NIV John 20:30-31)
This question is asked: Could Jesus really have done all this for me?
From the roof tops the answer is shouted----YES!!!!!
From the mountain tops------YES!!!!!
And from the very gates of Heaven------YES!!!!
And we shall see this in our study of this wonderful book of Luke.
Lets us look at the first 4 verses again today!!
Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. (NIV)
Tested and scrutinized:
The opening verses of the Gospel of Luke affirm the confident historical base on which Christian faith rest.
We do not embrace myths and fables hoping against hope there is some value to these tales.
WE EMBRACE ONLY THOSE DOCUMENTED FACTS OF HISTORY that students such as Luke have “carefully investigated” and preserved in writing for us. Eyewitnesses who had contact with Jesus and he was guided by the Holy Spirit.
We see Luke calling Theophilus Most Excellent; have you ever what that meant?
Most Excellent means = person of Influence
But it is rather to be understood of some particular person, probably a magistrate; because Luke gives him here the same title of respect which St. Paul gave to Festus the governor, kratiste (Acts 26:25), which we there translate most noble Festus, and here most excellent Theophilus.
We also must look at what Theophilus means,
It means = God lover or lover of God.
Wow what a name to have, to be called a lover of God.
ILL:
Names that showed up recently on police blotters: Sentenced for assault in St. Joseph, MO, Jesse James; cited for speeding in Parma, Ohio, Maelia A. Earhart; and jailed in Des Moines, Iowa, was Shannon Cooper, who police said went out bar-hopping, temporarily abandoning her children, Champaigne, 2, Chardonay, 1, and Chablea, 3 months.
Notable announcements in the news recently included the hiring by a medical clinic in Koloa, Hawaii, of Dr. Michael Cholera; and the appointment as county coroner in Spokane, Wash., of Pat Mummey.
-- Forbes Magazine, February 12, 1996, p. 28.
The Bible is full of names that have a greater meaning then we realize.
Lets look at two Luke is now brining in to his story of the message of Jesus the Christ, first lets look at the two great announcements.
Two surprising announcements 1:5-2:52
Through out the Gospel of Luke, there are scenes of unexpected events that bring great delight to the participants. The first two are particularly surprising and joyous. One has to do with the possibility of an aged but childless couple having a baby in there “sunset years”.
The other announces the Impending birth of a child to a woman who is a virgin. Both are by divine intervention and focus on the coming of the long awaited redeemer of humanity.
A. To Zachariah and Elizabeth 1:5-25
This evangelist, designing to give a more particular account, determines to do so of John Baptist, who in both was His (JESUS) harbinger and forerunner, the morning-star to the Sun of righteousness... In these verses our inspired historian begins as early as the conception of John Baptist. Let’s read Luke 1:5-25
In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.
Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
When his time of service was completed, he returned home. After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”(NIV)
The Personal character and religious devotion were above reproach. But there was a major sadness that had been with them during their adult years. They had been unable to have children. While we sometimes associate life’s disappointments (IE… handicaps, bankruptcy, childlessness) with God’s displeasure or punishment, the history of this couple proves conclusively that is too glib (spoken to easily of) an assumption. Wile some human suffering is certainly traceable to sin in the sufferer’s past, not all cases can be accounted for that way.
1. Zechariah was told that his wife would have a son and to name him John!
NO ONE IN THE FAMILY WAS NAMED JOHN! See vs.61
WHAT!! JOHN!!! WHAT A NAME!!!
Yes what a name, you know what it means?
John means YAHWEH (God) has been gracious.
An old couple getting a long prayed for, long wanted, long yearned for child, and a son at that, an heir to there family.
God was gracious, and still is!!!
John was to be a prophet of the Most High (vs. 76)
Not only a son, but a son who was going to be following God, and be one of His prophets. You know what that would mean to Zachariah?
Such news was both personally and theologically (to good to be true).
It was more than he could have prayed or hoped for.
2. Did Zachariah have trouble with this great revelation?
Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” vs. 18
Well the answer is obvious, don’t you think?
How would you react to news life this?
Rejoice, cry and say why me, faint, just stand there dumb-founded,
Maybe just say WHAT!!!!
Joseph Plata
Three men waiting in the room for expectant fathers waited for word on the arrival of their infants.
Some while later a nurse comes in and announces to one of the men that his wife had just given birth to twins.
’That’s amazing he said - I play for the Minnesota Twins’!
About twenty minutes later another nurse comes in and announces to the second gentleman that his wife had given birth to triplets. ’WOW’ - he stated,’ I work for the 3M company’!
Upon hearing that the third man fell off his chair and fainted - after those who were present were able to revive him, they all inquired as to why he had fainted. He said’ I work for the 7-UP company!
How about if you and your spouse are older? What then?
Zachariah was just asking how can I be sure.
The angel said that he would not speak until this all took place.
And when it did he spoke and rejoiced see vs. 64 his tongue was loosed. He spoke and praised God.
B. To Mary 1:26-38
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, Gabriel brought a second birth announcement; this time to a young virgin in Nazareth named Mary. At least there was variety in his assignments: an old man, a young woman; a priest, a descendent of David, the king; the temple, a common home; Jerusalem, Nazareth; unbelief, faith.
In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her. (NIV)
What do we know about Mary? She was a Jewess of the tribe of Judah, a descendant of David, and a virgin (Isa. 7:14). She was engaged to a carpenter in Nazareth named Joseph (Matt. 13:55), and apparently both of them were poor (Lev. 12:8; Luke 2:24). Among the Jews at that time, engagement was almost as binding as marriage and could be broken only by divorce. In fact, the man and the woman were called “husband” and “wife” even before the marriage took place (compare Matt. 1:19 and Luke 2:5). Since Jewish girls married young, it is likely that Mary was a teenager when the angel appeared to her.
1. Mary your going to have a son and His name would be Jesus
She was not yet married.
She was a virgin.
Gabriel then gave her the good news: she would become the mother of the promised Messiah whom she would name Jesus (“Jehovah is salvation”; see Matt. 1:21). Note that Gabriel affirmed both the deity and the humanity of Jesus. As Mary’s son, He would be human; as Son of the Highest (Luke 1:32), He would be the Son of God (Luke 1:35). “For unto us a Child is born [His humanity], unto us a Son is given [His deity]” (Isa. 9:6). The emphasis is on the greatness of the Son (cf. Luke 1:15), not the greatness of the mother.
Mary was favored, highly favored and God was with her.
Mary was the Lords servant.
A. His name would be Jesus!
B. Jesus means, Jehovah is salvation
He will be great
And will be called the Son of the Most High.
The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever;
His kingdom will never end.”
This is the third time Luke brings in the name and title or position
Of a person, this is THE ONE; every one has been waiting for, praying for, hoping for, and yearning for. The salvation of mankind. Jesus what a wonderful name. His name says who he is! JESUS, God saves.
Graffiti found on a wall of St. John’s University:
Jesus said unto them: "Who do you say that I am?"
And they replied: "You are the eschatological manifestation of the ground of our being, the kerugma in which we find the ultimate meaning of our interpersonal relationships."
And Jesus said: "What?" (BI index 3632)
Topic: Names
Subtopic: Of Christ
Index: 3632
Date:
Title:
To the artist He is the One Altogether Lovely.
To the architect He is the Chief Cornerstone.
To the astronomer He is the Sun of Righteousness.
To the baker He is the Living Bread.
To the banker He is the Hidden Treasure.
To the biologist He is the Life.
To the carpenter He is the Sure Foundation.
To the doctor He is the Great Physician.
To the educator He is the Great Teacher.
To the farmer He is the Sower and Lord of the Harvest.
To the florist He is the Lily of the Valley and the Rose of Sharon.
To the geologist He is the Rock of Ages.
To the horticulturist He is the True Vine.
To the judge He is the Righteous Judge.
To the juror He is the True Witness.
To the jeweler He is the Pearl of Great Price.
To the editor He is the Good Tidings of Great Joy.
To the oculist He is the Light of the Eyes.
To the philosopher He is the Wisdom of God.
To the Printer He is the True Type.
To the servant He is the Good Master.
To the student He is the Incarnate Truth.
To the toiler He is the Giver of Rest.
To the Sinner He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.
To the Christian, He is the Son of the Living God, the Savior, the Redeemer and Lord!
(BI-Christ/677-723)
As you read the wonderful titles of our Savior in Isaiah 9:1-7, did you ever wonder why our Lord is described by so many names? So did the African people of Zaire. After E. A. Ruskin referred to Jesus by his various names and titles, the people asked, "Why did Jesus have so many names?" The missionary replied, "The beauty, the fullness, and the magnificence of His matchless person cannot be expressed by just one name." But Jesus still says it all!!! God saves!!!
3. Mary’s response.
Fact or fiction, true or false, NO she said….
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.”
WOW what faith. She was ready for what ever God wanted to do.
Can we say the same thing?
We are ready God for what ever you want, how ever you want to bring it about.
CONCLUSION: God wants all to come to Him on His terms, His word, His teachings, and His love. Can you say today I’m ready for what ever you want and how you want it brought about?
DO it now before it’s to late!!!
