1.5-80 Holiness

 Introduction:  Everything surrounding the Birth of Jesus speaks of holiness.  Luke, the only non-Jewish writer of the NT, must have read the OT and understood God’s emphasis on Holiness.  The word appears over 500 times in the OT, Luke uses it 22 times.  This holiness starts with the parents of John the Baptist.

I. Family of priests

    A. Zechariah   

1. Vs. 5

         2. The priests were divided into twenty-four courses, each of which provided in turn priestly service in the temple for one week, twice in the year. … The division of Abijah is the eighth of the courses [1]  

    B. Elizabeth

         1. Vs. 5

         2. A priest could marry any pure Israelite, but a marriage within the priestly stock was to be preferred. [2]

    C. Leviticus 21:1-8

II. Righteous    vs. 6

    A. δίκαιος: pertaining to being in accordance with what God requires; righteous, just.  Morally correct:  done, pursued, or given in accordance with what is morally right.

    B. ἄμεμπτος: pertaining to being without fault or blame; blameless, without blame, innocent, guiltless.

    C. 1 Thessalonians 3:13

III. The angel and HS instructed them on some parenting ideas for holiness

    A. No strong drink    vs. 12

    B. Told Zechariah to name him “John,” God-given or God has been gracious.

    C. Vs. 74-76

IV. Lessons for us

    A. God uses people who follow his Word

    B. God wants us to live holy lives

         1. 1 Peter 1:15-16 (Leviticus 11:44, 45; 19:2)

         2. ἅγιος: pertaining to being holy in the sense of superior moral qualities and possessing certain essentially divine qualities in contrast with what is human; holy, pure, divine.  One able to approach deity.  Dedicated to God.

    C. Holiness does not involve “greatness” in the worldly sense.

Conclusion:  Assignment for this week.  Make a short list of actions you can take or avoid that would make you more holy, more like Zechariah and Elizabeth, more like God.

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[1]Nolland, J. (2002). Vol. 35A: Word Biblical Commentary : Luke 1:1-9:20. Word Biblical Commentary (26). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.

[2]Nolland, J. (2002). Vol. 35A: Word Biblical Commentary : Luke 1:1-9:20. Word Biblical Commentary (26). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.