Luke 1:57-2:20

Nathan Klier

Who is the Real Jesus? • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago • Presented 3 years ago

Luke 1:57–2:20

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What is Mercy?

Mercy: Love, kindness, compassion, empathy, and care without qualification

“Not giving you what you deserve”

The Bible over and over describes God as a god of Mercy

Psalm 103:8–14 (ESV)

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

Have you ever been in a situation where you needed mercy? rocking chair and the window

We stand before God as guilty sinners

We need mercy.

God’s mercy is seen in many ways but His greatest act of mercy is in sending Jesus

Lets look at the theme of God’s mercy as it unfolds here in the first two chapters of Luke

Review

I. God’s Mercy Leads to Joy and Praise Even in the Midst of Struggle

A. Mercy brings joy to Elizabeth (Luke 1:57–58).

Luke 1:57–58 (ESV)

Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

“All children are gifts of God’s mercy—no matter the circumstance.”

Psalm 127:3 (ESV)

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,

the fruit of the womb a reward.

We believe this whole heartedly. We value children, we celebrate children, We value families and celebrate families. We value parents and celebrate parents.

Children are a challenge but they are a blessing

B. Mercy leads to praise for Zechariah (Luke 1:59–66).

Luke 1:59–66 (ESV)

And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.”

And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.

And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.

Its obvious that God’s judgement changed Zecariah for the better

sometimes its jusdement and sometimes it is to teach us, grow us, be an example to others or to achieve God’s good purpose we cant see or understand

C. Suffering and enduring God’s chastisement

Exalting Jesus in Luke Luke 1:59–66

Our suffering will either make us bitter or make us better

D. Lessons to parents and children (Luke 1:66, 80)

Luke 1:66 (ESV)

and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.

Luke 1:80 (ESV)

And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

“The child grew up and became spiritually strong.” When God’s hand is on our children, they grow and become strong—not just in body but, more importantly, in spirit. Their whole being matures into spiritual strength before the Lord as he guides and protects them.

Are you as a parent concerned with your childs spiritual growth?

Are you as a child concerned about your spiritual health?

II. God’s Mercy Leads to the Promise of Salvation

A. The plan of salvation (Luke 1:68–73)

Luke 1:68–73 (ESV)

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,

as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us

God would send a savior through the house of David

B. The purpose of salvation (Luke 1:72–75)

Luke 1:72–75 (ESV)

to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

What is the purpose of salvation? Keeping our butts out of the fire? Freeing us to live our “best Life”?

To SERVE

To be Righteous. (saved to be righteous not saved because you are righteous)

C. A hard message which brings peace (Luke 1:76–79)

Luke 1:76–77 (ESV)

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,

Luke 1:78–79 (ESV)

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

III. God’s Mercy Provides a Savior

A. A lowly birth (Luke 2:1–7)

Luke 2:1–7 (ESV)

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

How is God’s mercy seen in sending his son like this?

What did we deserve?

Duet 31:15-18

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. 16 If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 17 But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess

Rev 19:11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

B. Humility before glory

Before there can be glory there must be humility

We spend a lot of time worrying about our pride, our hurt feelings, who respects us, weather we are getting the credit we deserve etc.

When we are humble we are christ-like

When we are proud, we are anti-christ

God’s word says he opposes the proud but exalts the humble

C. Glory in the highest (Luke 2:8–20)

Luke 2:8–20 (ESV)

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.

And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

God continues the theme of humility by announcing the coming of the savior to lower class men

(there is evidence that Luke interviewed Mary directly for writing this account.)

What happens when you encounter Jesus? You tell people about it