The Mercy of God in the Birth of the Prophet - Luke 1:57-80

As we celebrate this week of advent we turn to the joy of Christmas. But that may not be where we are at this morning. Or maybe this week wasn’t marked by joy.

Are our lives characterized by joy in Christ or is something else filling our minds and hearts?

10 months before these verses we find barren Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah.

Luke began in Chapter 1 verse 6 that they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all God’s commandments!

But Elizabeth was barren and on top of that, they were old!

We all know it get’s a lot harder to have kids when you’re old! Not speaking from experience.

They had no reason to expect God to answer their prayer and turn around their circumstances.

Perhaps that’s where you find yourself this morning. The trials of life have bogged you down, your life’s circumstances is not where you thought you would be right now

Perhaps the holidays bring about challenges in your family or friends, perhaps the sting of death or sin or conflict is far more common than joy.

Perhaps some of us are struggling with our mental health or others with our physical health.

Perhaps our struggle with sin hasn’t gone well this week and we’re discouraged and unnecessarily staying under the guilt that Christ has already taken on.

Perhaps our parenting failures or insecurities are causing us to wonder where we’ve gone wrong. Perhaps we’re at a loss for how to help those who are close to us and are experiencing suffering.

This morning, Luke provides a solution to our discouragement, to our questioning.

He points us to the Faithful, Tender Mercy of God in the birth narrative of John!

So I have titled this message: The Mercy of God in the Birth of the Prophet.

We’ll walk through the verses together and see 2 important aspects of God’s mercy.

First that his mercy is personal verses 57 - 66

Second, that his mercy is Promised is verses 67 - 80

You’ll see these two main movements in this section, first the birth narrative of John and Second the song of response from Zechariah. Each section ends with a meditation on the child being born.

The first section with the question: Who will this child be?

And the second section answers that question beginning in vs. 76

Throughout these 2 movements the theme of God’s Mercy is brought up again and again.

My hope this morning is that we would all walk away with a renewed confidence in God’s Mercy and rejoice at the work he has done, the work he is doing and the work he has promised he will do!

As I went outside early this morning, I couldn’t help but feel the peace of a fresh snow fall. Just a thin layer of Snow with large snow flakes slowly falling and yet the busyness and chaos of normal life fell silent and things were still.

As see see the nature of God’s mercy and take our eyes off of the temporary circumstance to focus on the eternal work of God, our hearts can experience that peace, that calm and quiet and we can rest in God’s faithful mercy!

The first thing we see about God’s mercy is that it is…

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1. God’s Mercy is Personal, Trust That it is Purposeful (vs. 57-66)

The Passage begins rather mercilessly, the time comes for Elizabeth to give birth and to no surprise she gives birth to a son.

The neighbours and relatives gather around and rejoice with Elizabeth. God had heard their prayer and answered their heart’s longing and given them a baby boy.

Elizabeth and John and their community are rejoicing together.

Notice what Luke highlights as what God was doing in vs. 58.

Luke says they heard that God had shown her great mercy!

It’s God’s mercy that their desires would be fulfilled. a Personal mercy that God has shown to Zechariah and Elisabeth

as part of God’s plan of mercy to the whole world he’s showing mercy to an individual couple.

It was typical of the time to name the child when they are born but Luke notes that the baby isn’t named until the 8th day when he was circumcised.

This later became a common Jewish practice but John and Jesus are the first recorded example of this happening in this era.

Luke is showing and emphasizing their link to the work God was doing at another significant point in Israel’s History.

Abraham was given his name at the timing of his circumcision and so Luke is highlighting their link to the promises and covenant with Abraham which he’ll explicitly mention later.

The friends and families gather around and they want to name him Zechariah after his dad!

Have you ever had family interfere with personal decisions like this before?

Obviously their well-meaning and good intentioned but still you can imagine Elisabeth, not being too impressed and speaking up…

That’s my kid, i birthed him, not you… His name is going to be JOHN…

This comes as a shock so natualy they push back, but none of your relatives are called John!

They turn to Zechariah to see what he thinks of this crazy idea..

To their amaznement Zechariah grabs the writing tablet and decisively writes “His Name is John”

At this point, Zechariah and Elisabeth affirm their faith in God’s words to them earlier in Chapter 1 and they obey the commands of Gabreil to name the baby John.

DA Carson reminds us that the name John means the Lord is Merciful.

This baby now is a personal mercy to Elizabeth and Zechariah and is a greater sign of the mercy of God in bringing about the redemption of his people through his plan.

All the relatives and neighbours wonder at his name!

But all of the sudden before they’re even able to discuss it among themselves John’s mouth is immediately opened.

And he speaks!

Now fear comes on all the neighbours and everyone shares this new and exciting information around town.

This isn’t all that different from Exeter…

We learned fairly quickly upon moving here that when something big happens in Exeter it’s similarly talked about though the hill country of south huron! Human’s always love to share exciting news With those around them!

In vs. 66 Luke return to the common language he uses throughout his gospel as all the people lay these things up in their hearts.

They wonder: “What then will this child be?”

And luke tells us the reason for their wonder - it’s because the Lord was with him!

It’s been hundreds of years since God was with one of his people in a unique way and working among Israel.

They realise the signficance of this new thing that God is doing and they have hope and joy in God’s mercy to Elizabeth and Zechariah.

This is where we find the words of our theme for advent. What Child is This .. THe ESV has it as What then will this child be?

Obiously here the question is about John as the beginning of a new work of God and his Spirit uniquely working amidst His people.

But if the people wonder at the birth of John how much more should we ask What child is this in reference to God himself being born as a infant!

God becoming man, to save us from our sin in the greatest display of His mercy! The sovereign king breaks into our lives to take us from death to eternal joy and life!

God’s mercy is expressed in these unique acts in the history of salvation but it is also at work in the day to day lives of his people.

As we reflect on God’s mercy let’s remmeber that his mercy is personal And tender!

God is not far off, removed, or distant from his people.

He cares for each one of us, in fact he knows us in a detailed and intimate way. There is no running from his knowledge or presence we must accept the fact that he is accutely aware of us, our sin, our suffering, our needs.

And his heart isn’t hard toward us, he doesn’t behold our sin and wish he never created us like in the days of Noah. Rather he see’s our rebeliion, our sin, and he longs to forgive us and reconcile us, Like Jesus expressed with Jerusalem.

Friend’s God is not absent from your life, he is not unaware of your longings that remain unmet.

He know’s your deepest cares, your deepest concerns and he cares!

We often don’t know why some prayers remain unanswered but we do know what God’s primary purpose is.

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God’s primary goal is that you would know Christ and forsake all other loves in your pursuit of Him.

He wants this for us because it’s in that pursuit that we will find life!

It’s not in a spouse, not in the perfect family, not in a better job, not in relieving the trials and suffering of this world.

So this morning as we look for joy, rejoice in the mercy of God that just like Elizabeth’s barrenness was purposeful so your suffering is accomplishing an eternally significant purpose.

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As Rom. 8:28 reminds us:

Romans 8:28 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Freinds, God is mercifully working for your good in all things!

In These verses we also saw Zecharaih and Elisabeth resist the influence of the customs of their time in the naming of John.

Luke presents them as an example, defying the cultural norms, in order to be faithful to God’s call.

Likewise, Luke will call us to count the cost and to walk faithfully to God and his calling amidst opposition and suffering that will oppose us.

Elizabeth and Zechariah, beleive God and act it in faith. Faith that God is doing something significant.

God shows personal mercy to them while he is at work doing something marvelous for all people.

One scholar writes:

“Though these events are cosmic in their reach, they involve the divinity’s personal touch. God has shown his mercy and magnified it to Elizabeth. Those who had shared her pain now rejoice with her. God’s mercy expresses itself in concrete loving action.”

Your life, despite how it feels, similarly has God’s personal divine touch all over it. God may not answer your prayers in resolving the longing you’re feeling in this world, but those unmet longings are not meaningless, they’re not devoid of God’s mercy!

We can have joy this advent season because God’s mercy is personal so let’s trust that it is purposeful.

In the second movement of this Psalm Zechariah turns to that cosmic plan of God And we see that:

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2. God’s Mercy is Promised, Remember His Plan (vs. 67 - 80)

In vs. 67 Luke mentions that Zechariah is filled with the Holy Spirit,

In Chapter 1 verse 15 the angel said that John would be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth!

And in vs. 35 it’s the Holy Spirit who will come to Mary

and in vs. 41 Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit

Now, Zechariah is filled with the Holy Spirit

I don’t think Luke is trying to show us how great this spirit filled family is.

Rahter He’s emphasizing the significance of something New God is doing.

In Luke’s 2nd book - Acts

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He begins with the outpouring of the Spirit on the discples and links the movement of the Spirit with the Old Testmanet Prophesy in Joel 2:28

Joel 2:28–29 ESV

28 “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. 29 Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.

Luke’s showing the certainty of the New Covenant Breaking into the world through the Holy Spirit’s work!

He continues to show this through Zechariah’s prophesy!

This prohpecy or song is called the benedictus! It’s Zechairah’s song similar to Mary’s but he it’s in response to the birth of John not the announcement of his birth as John couldn’t sing after that.

The name Benedictus comes from the latin translation of the first words of the song “blessing be”

It’s a praise and blessing song to God.

Unlike Mary’s song which emphasized the great things God has done for an unworthy people.

This Song emphasizes the mercy of God in fulfilling his promises, in remembering his covenant.

Zechairah begins by praising God for visintg his people and redeeming them! He speaks in the past tense about a present activity of God.

God has simply begun this redemption plan but it’s future is rock solid so Zechairah speaks confidently that it is as good as complete!

He points us to the house of David in vs. 69 and says God has raised up a horn of salvation.

The word picture horn of slvation is a bit of an odd one for us.

My first thought is a horn that you blow into like the Horn of Gondor!

Or perhaps some think of Susan’s horn from the Chronicles of Narnia which if she blows into it she knows help will always come!

Unfortunately I don’t think Zechairah had seen Lord of the Rings or Narnia so his meaning is a little more jurassic park and a little less adventure fantasy.

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Psalm 18 verse 2 says:

Psalm 18:2 ESV

2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

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and 2 Sam. 22:3 Says

2 Samuel 22:3 ESV

3 my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.

The idea of the horn of my salvation is surrounded with words describing strength.

They would have used this word like the horn on a bull, it’s a weapon of strength and victory for defeating one’s enemies.

In our house the most common horns are that of a triceratops or maybe a unicorn. Those of us with young kids can’t seem to get out of the world of dinosaurs and unicorns..

So as Zechariahs prohpesying, Luke is showing us that this work that God is doing is a fulfillment of God’s promises to David.

The eternal King who is to sit on David’s throne is coming and is going to be the strong one to rule over God’s people.

in vs. 70 he rmeinds us this is a fulfillment of what the prohpets had spoken hundreds of years earlier.

in vs. 71 and 74 he emphasizes the victory over their enemies.

vs. 72 returns to the theme of mercy but now he refer’s to the promised mercy of the old covenant.

The second half ov vs. 72 is the center of this song and the primary emphasis Luke has for us.

That here, now, in the birth of John. God is remembering his Holy Covenant.

God’s promised mercy is finally here and he is going to fulfill what he said to Abraham, what he said to David, What he said to the prophets,

Look at all that fulfillment!

Luke is emphasizing how this new work that God is doing isn’t just another step in the redemptive plan, this is THE STEP!

God is finally and forever redeeming his people through the promised Messiah and his forebearer the second Elijah!

You can imagine the confidence and joy Zechariah would have knowing God’s promises and mercy!

Imagining watching a scary movie that jus came out.

Personally, I don’t have a lot of experience with this as I walked out of the theatre the only time I went with friends to see a scary movie. But I imagine it goes like this:

The first time you see it, you don’t know what’s going to happen. You don’t know when you’ll be scared and what’s coming. You’re on the edge of your seat.

So they get you, you jump, you scream, who know’s maybe you even cry.

But the second time, you’re ready! You know waht they’re doing, how they’ll try and scare you and it’s not going to work.

This is what it’s like to live in light of God’s promised Mercy!

Zechariah and Elizabeth had known God’s promises and plan, they knew what he was going to do. So when God began this work they had confidence and hope that no matter how things seemed God was going to accomplish his purposes!

Does this mean that life went on picture perfect and they never struggled?

Certainly not!

John is going to have a signficant and meaningful ministry but then He‘ll be impriosned and eventually beheaded because of his righteous prohpesies!

Simply because God has a promised plan doesn’t mean that it will be easy or pleasant!

God may call us to embrace extremely difficult suffering and situations and yet his promises and plan remain steadfast!

As we face opposition in the world we must remember God’s merciful plan to redeem his people!

Friend’s our eternal redemption is secure as the past has already happened!

God will redeem us, nothing can keep us from that!

But how are we to trust God’s promises amidst such disconcerting circumstances?

The only way to stand firm is to know and believe the promises that God has made to us.

This is why we must be people of the Word, filling our hearts and minds with the unchanging eternal truths of God. Not the constant flow of information around us.

We must know the purposes and plan of God as he has revealed in his word. May we make it our aim to prioritize keeping up with God and his word instead of our social media feeds or news channels.

This doesn’t mean we should be ignorant or careless but it should bring us to a point of peace, where we can know the joy of this advent season because we’re not troubled by the temporary circumstances, we’re excited about the eternal work of God in Jesus Christ!

Zechariah reminds us of the purpose of God’s redemption in vs. 74 and 75.

He says that the deliverance is so that we may serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness.

As this new kingdom is ushered in and Jesus comes to defeat our enemies and deliver us from sin we are free to serve and enjoy him!

So, what’s keeping you from rejoicing in Christ this morning? Let’s turn to the promised mercy of God and remember his plan to save all who would come to Him in faith!

This life is but a breath, our eternal hope stands secure on the finished work of Christ!

Matt Boswell and Matt Papa capture this idea in a new hymn entitled Almost Home. They sing:

“Don't drop a single anchor, we're almost home Through every toil and danger, we're almost home How many pilgrim saints have before us gone? No stopping now, we're almost home That promised land is callin', we're almost home And not a tear shall fall then, we're almost home Make ready now your souls for that Kingdom come No turning back, we're almost home”

They wrote this song based on Hebrews 11:16 which says

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Hebrews 11:16 ESV

16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Freinds, we await a new city, a new heaven and a new earth. One that is sure to come and where there will be eternal joy and comfort!

God has promised a kingdom free from the sting of death, free from the pains of suffering, free from the consequences of sin, free from all death and hardship and that home is eternal!

Remember where we are in God’s plan, if you are in Christ, your suffering is not eternal, but God’s mercy is! So find hope in the future redemption that is almost here!

In this first half of the song, we see God’s promised mercy but in vs. 76 Zechariah turns to the child.

Vs. 76 turns the attentions from praising God to answering the crowds question: What child is this?

Zechariah says he will be called prophet of the most high!

because he will go before the Lord to prepare his ways.

It’s worth noting the difference in what we’re told about Jesus and John here.

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Look back at Chapter 1 vs. 31 and 32.

It Says:

Luke 1:31–32 ESV

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,

Jesus will be called the SON of THE MOST HIGHT

But John is the PROPHET OF THE MOST HIGH>

So John comes to prophesy and call the people to repentance and forvieness of their sins but Jesus comes to bring about that promised salvation!

This is like at the begining of a wedding. You have the family and the wedding party enter and then the ring bearer comes in.

And just before the grand entrance of the bride you have the cutest little flower girl come waltzing in, throwing down pedals and preparing the way for the bride!

It almost feels wrong to compare the wilderness prophet of John to a pretty little flower girl, but you get the Idea.

John is the prophet to the son who is the focal point, the primary player, the most significant child ever to be born who is going to single handedly fulfill all of God’s promises and commands and accomplish the great eternal redepmtion of God’s people!

Luke picks up Old Testament language of Isaiah,

Isaiah 40 verses 3 tell us:

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Isaiah 40:3-7 “3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Isaiah 40:3 ESV

3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

John has come to prepare the way for the Lord as a sign of the Messiah’s coming and as a prophet calling the people to repentance.

Luke vs. 77 tell us that he prepare’s Jesus way by giving knowledge of salvation. And that salvation is found in the forgiveness of sins!

What secures this forgiveness is seen in vs. 78, it’s the tender mercy of God!

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The second half of vs. 78 and vs 79 give us a picture of what this mercy accomplishes. It brings light to the darkness in order to bring us to preace.

Luke 1:78–79 ESV

78 because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

The tender mercy of God leads his people through the forgiveness of sins to the place of peace.

You can imagine sitting in darkness and watching the sunrise, everything around you becomes visible and it’s beutiful. It lights your way and shows you where to go.

You can stand up and walk, follow the path and get to your destination because the light has come!

This is the role of John and the work that God is doing now.

He open’s our eyes and tells us the truth so we can follow the path of peace to our eternal home.

This song reminds us of the great promises that God is fulfilling and yet strikes a chord with our present situation as we try and follow Jesus and yet struggle to know the way.

We need the knowledge of salvation in the forgiveness of sins that John has been raised up to spread!

We haven’t arrived at the place of perfect peace yet but we are in the process, we are on the way to peace.

As we see the way for the light to shine in darkness is through the knowledge of salvation in the forgiveness of sins we need to keep our hope oriented there!

It’s through the knowledge of the gospel that John is supposed to prepare Jesus’ way and it’s our call to fulfill Jesus’ mission by spreading that knowledge to the world!

God’s mercy, expressed in the forgiveness of sin, is the only hope of joy for our own souls as well those around us!

We don’t simply need a change in circumstance! We need a saviour who is able to deal with our sins in a real and final sense and to bring us to a kingdom free from sin and suffering where we will know true peace.

Friends the way to have joy this Christmas is to take our eyes off of our present circumstances and fix them on the eternal, personal and promised mercy of God!

Mercy Tenderly expressed to each of is in unique and personal ways!

Mercy faithfully promised and planned from eternity past to eternity future!

and Mercy that is most clearly displayed in the forgiveness of sins brought about through the birth of God’s son.

BUILD!

The most important child that this story anticpates!

The foundation of our hope and confidence!

And the clearest demonstration of God’s tender mercy toward sinners like us!

Oh that God’s mercy would grip our hearts and fill our minds so that we could have joy in Christ this christmas season!

But even as we face difficult circumstances and struggles we know that God is faithful to his promises and we are almost home!

“That promised land is callin', we're almost home And not a tear shall fall then, we're almost home Make ready now your souls for that Kingdom come No turning back, we're almost home”