Gabriel’s Good News

Gabriel’s Good News

Text: Luke 1: 5-13; 18-20

5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.

7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,

9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. [1]

18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”

19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” [2]

Luke reminds us that the birth of Jesus doesn’t begin in Bethlehem, nor does it begin with Mary.

The events of the birth of Jesus begins in Jerusalem with Mary’s cousin named Elizabeth.

You may remember Elizabeth from Sunday school she’s been barren she’s never conceived she’s struggled with fertility.

And when you meet her in Luke 1, she’s post menopause

· Child barring is way behind her

· Yet the Lord decides in Luke 1, that He is going to take this barren post-menopausal barren woman and open her womb to have a child.

And the Lord decides to allow Elizabeth to get pregnant for one reason

· Make sure you don't miss this... God answers Elizabeth's prayer for a child for one reason

Because the Lord knows in a few months He’s going to show up to Mary and Mary is going to hear the will of God and she's going to struggle with it.

· He going to tell Mary something that her mind cannot understand or accept and seems impossible and unreasonable

· How can a virgin have a child, so the Lord moves in Elizabet's life

Because He knows sooner or later that Mary's going to struggle and she's going to need a living example to testify that God can do anything God wants to do

Make sure you catch this:

· The Lord takes a seasoned saint barren woman and gives her a child so a virgin who will be conceived by the Holy Spirit can look at her and know

· That if God can do it with her, then God must be able to do it with me.

· Elizabeth's pregnancy served one purpose... Mary's encouragement

Watch how the pregnancy goes down: God sends Gabriel an angel to go tell Zacharias that they are going to have a baby

Zacharias is Elizabeth's husband the angel shows up and says:

· I've got some good news for you the Lord has answered your prayers

· You are going to have a son, his name will be John

· And he will be great

Notice how Zacharias responds: verse 18

18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”[3]

· How!

· I am old... And watch him throw his wife under the bus... And so is she

· There is no way that me at my age and her at her age are going to have a baby

And when Gabriel hears Zacharias asks how... Gabriel goes off!

Vs 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. [4]

In Street language: Gabriel hears Zacharias asks how and this is how he responds: What did you say to me? Do you know who I'm my name is Gabriel put some respect on it when you’re speaking to me

I stand in the presence of the Lord and the Lord sent me here to tell you that God has heard your prayer and God’s going to give you a child and you ask me how?

Vs 19: Gabriel says because you ask me how I’m going to shut your mouth for nine months you can’t say anything for punishment for doubting the Word of God

Six months later the same Angel sent to Nazareth tapped Mary on the shoulder and said, Mary, I've got some good news for you

· The Lord has favored you

· You are going to have a son, his name will be Jesus and he will be great

· Doesn't that sound familiar

· I got some good news Mary God has chosen you

You are going to have a son… His name will be Jesus... And he will be great!

Watch this: Vs 28-34

28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”

29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.

30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.

32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most - High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,

33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” [5]

Mary responds: How?

I'm a virgin... The same angel who went off on Gabriel says... Don't worry about all that Mary, God got you... You don't have to sweat all the details... Come here see the Holy Spirit is going to come upon you and Gods going to do what God says… just pack your bag and go on over to Elizabeth’s house and see what God is able to do.

Vs 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” [6]

Did you catch it… the same angel gives the same message both respond the same way asking how?

· And Zacharia gets punished, and Mary gets comforted

· How can they both be guilty of the same question, and one gets punished and the other comforted

· Why is God more upset with Zacharias' question than he is with Mary's question

What is it about Zacharias' doubt than it is about Mary's doubt

· Part of the answer you must remember why Elizabeth is pregnant... Elizabeth is pregnant for one reason

· To encourage Mary

So, in Elizabeth God is trying to create an encouraging environment so that when Mary shows up

· She'll be in an environment that helps her when she is struggling

· That encouraged her when she is confused

· That gives her aid when she doesn’t know what God is doing

· God says I am trying to surround Mary with people who reminds her that… God is able!

And in the midst of God creating an encouraging environment here comes Zachariah

· Doubting

· Speaking negativity

· Saying what it cannot be…

· And the angel silences him as if to say Mary is on her way and when she gets here, she doesn’t need to hear all that negativity!

But what really puzzles me is that God sends Gabriel to Zachariah anyway?

STAY WITH ME:

When the announcement of Jesus comes, the angel is sent to Mary the mother saying I need to let you know what God is doing!... But when the announcement about the birth of John, the angel is sent to Elizabeth the mother, the angel is sent to Zachariah the father.

The reason it doesn’t make since to me because if the angel is sent to Mary, why not send the angel to Elizabeth? Or if the angel is to speak to Zachariah, why not send the angel to Joseph?

And when you really think about it, if I was Joseph, I would have preferred that if you were going to tell me that this was by the Holy Spirit, God would have told me first!

Because in Matthew 1:18, it says: 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. [7]

· Now she didn’t tell him, she went away to Elizabeth’s house and came back 3 months later showing and he finds out and she comes talking about it’s the Lord!

· It just seems to me if you had Gabriel tell Zachariah, then why not send Gabriel to tell Joseph? Why does the Lord not tell Joseph, why does the Lord choose Mary in one instance and Zachariah in another? Why does he choose a father in one and a mother in another?

Mary pregnancy is supernatural and of the Holy Spirit and so Gabriel doesn’t go to Joseph… because Joseph ain’t got much to do with it. All Joseph has to do is set and watch God work.

But Elizabeth pregnancy isn’t supernatural, her pregnancy will happen the old fashion way.

· Elizabeth pregnancy will happen because God will open her womb, but Zachariah has to make a move… they prayed for a child… Mary and Joseph never prayed for a child.

· Zachariah just couldn’t put this in God’s hand… he has to do something!

· God created the possibility, but Zak has to act on it

God is displeased because, when Zachariah says I am old he is excusing himself from the responsibility that God has giving him to make part of the answer to the prayer a reality.

· Zachariah this just isn’t God you have to do something

Here it is: Because God answer to your prayers, require you to do something

· Because when you have been praying for it, God then turns around and says what are you going to do as a result of your prayer, because my answer demands your action!

When the children of Israel left Egypt and got to the Red Sea, God told Moses I’ll open the Red Sea, but you have to stretch out your arm over it first.

· God tells Joshua, I’ll bring down the walls of Jericho, but you have to walk around a few times first

· Jesus tells the man at the pool of Bethesda I’ll heal you, but you got to pick up your bed and walk

· Jesus says I’ll raise Lazarus from the dead, but you got to show me where you laid him and move the stone out the way

· You got to do something! And God is disappointed with saint who put it in God’s hand and don’t want to do nothing with your own.

In Joshua 7… the Children of Israel had lost to a little city call AI, and after they lose Joshua is on the ground praying and whaleling and asking God how did it happen? and God shows up and tell Joshua stop praying and start fighting.

· Get off your knees, stand on your feet and get some back in your backbone, some strength in your hands and do what I have enabled you to do!

· I come to tell you this morning, that God’s answer deserves some action!

· God says I’ll create the possibility, but you have to fill out the application

· I’ll put your name on the promotion list, but you have to start showing up for work on time

· I’ll heal your body, but you have to start changing your eating habits… you can’t go to Five Guys and Sonics you have to eat better you have to do what I have enabled you to do

· Could it be God is disappointed when we pray, but we don’t want to be part of the answer

· God is disappointed when we mess up the encouragement environment

But watch this third thing:

There is a difference between Zachariah and Mary, the angel shows up to Zachariah and says your prayers has been heard

· The angel shows up to Mary and says God choose you

· God tells Zachariah your prayers have been answered, and tell Mary God has chosen you

Hears the deference… Mary wasn’t praying for the pregnancy the Lord just chose Mary… somethings God does you don’t even pray for the Lord just does it!

· Here’s the problem with Zachariah you have been praying for God to grant you a child and when the Lord says you can have it you doubt the Lord.

· How can you pray and not expect God to do what you been asking God to do for so long now?

· If you don’t expect or believe God to do what you have been praying about why waist your time asking?

What God was showing Zachariah, I heard your prayers, and I am going to answer your prayer, but its not going to happen all at once, it’s not going to happen in a month, it’s not going to happen in 3 months, but overtime Elizabeth will begin to show signs that your prayers have been answered.

But here’s the problem Zachariah waits till John is born to start praising Good in verse 64 And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.[8]

· Because Zachariah like many of us cannot handle progressive answers

· We can only shout when it’s fully developed

· And some people need every prayer to be answered

· Every way to be made

· Every storm to be delivered before they know how to give thanks

But then there are some saints who don’t need it all the way I can see the signs and I can praise God that I can see it’s on the way!

· I just need a few people who can tell God I don’t need complete deliverance; all I need is a sign

Give me a sign I’ll bless your name

· Is there anybody here that can say I might be healed yet, but I feel better and that’s a sign

· May not have all I want yet, but I got what I need and that’s a sign

· I thank God for the sign!

· I still don’t like her, but she spoke to me today, that’s a sign

· I am not all the way out of it yet, but I am one day closer and that’s a sign

· I still wrestle with the issue in my body, but today is a good day and that’s a sign

Are there a few people this morning who can say I don’t need all of it

· It doesn’t have to be complete and done

· When I see what God has put together and how God is working it out that’s enough

· Somebody say: Thank God for the sign!

There is one more reason why I think God is upset with Zachariah, Mary is a young woman, Zachariah is an old man. Zachariah has lived a long time, Mary is just getting started… Mary is a young teenaged girl… she ain’t seen nothing… ain’t been through nothing… ain’t never been sick… never had a storm… never had some enemies… never had a closed door… never been rejected… never gone through hell. So, I can understand why she has questions.

But when God punishes Zachariah God is saying the same thing He is saying to us: you too old to doubt God right now… you too old not to trust God right now with all the hell you have been through… you too old not to trust God right now… with all the storms you have been through… with every diagnoses you went through… with every enemy you have out lived… with every storm you have endured… how dare you not trust God after everything God has shown you in your life

You know what I have come to the conclusion that I like getting older

· I can get in the movies at a senior discount

· The older I get, I careless about what people think

· The older I get I am going to tell you what’s on my mind

· And the older I get, what I know is what I know that I know what I know what God has done for me and is saying to me and I know that God is able!

You to old not to trust God…

· You’ve seen God do too much

· You seen God answer to many prayers

· He has moved to many mountains

· He’s ways to many ways

· I am too old not to trust God

Is there anybody who’s willing to praise God for what He has done!

You have grown to old not to trust God… you made it through sickness… and you have never seen the righteous forsaken.

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Lk 1:5–13. [2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Lk 1:18–20. [3] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Lk 1:18. [4] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Lk 1:19. [5] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Lk 1:28–34. [6] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Lk 1:34. [7] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mt 1:18. [8] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Lk 1:64.