The Birth of John the Baptist

Luke 1:57-66

L/W—We learned of Mary’s Song—the Magnificant; Mary’s praise of God, of God’s nature/characteristics, and of what God was/would accomplish through the Messiah, whom was conceived via the Holy Spirit in her womb.

Up to this point in our time in Luke, if we slow Scripture down—amidst the context, culture, and events, we can see the undercurrent of Luke’s gospel—God’s compassionate mercy in sending His only begotten Son into this world to save man from their sins. The “remembrance” God—His acting upon His divine mercy towards man, can be read/seen/understood in each of the past accounts we’ve discussed…and this message isn’t deviated from in today’s.

T/W—We will read and learn of the following:

The birth of JTB—his name and it’s significance

What the birth of JTB’s birth confirmed

What the birth of JTB’s birth resulted in.

(READ Luke 1:57-66)

The birth of a child is both a joyous and significant event in the life of every parent. The conception and incubation of that child is nothing short of a miracle. At the culmination of all that takes place, are the cries of a little child wrapped and placed in the arms of mom and dad

The birth of a child brings tears, laughter, hugs, and joy. Birth also brings promise. A blank slate exists for who a child will be and what a child will do.

What must be known and remembered is this: God has fearfully and wonderfully created each and every one of us in His Triune image and as His unique and consecrated part of creation, we were made for a relationship with Him—a relationship of fellowship and service to Him. In short we are created with a divine purpose—to know Him, to be known by Him, and to tell others of Him.

The birth of a child also brings the joy of names. As we’ve mentioned before, the Hebrew people took great care in recognizing the value of names. In our Scripture today we see, in the naming of John, this truth play out again.

John’s name carries the meaning, “the Lord has been gracious.” In the life of Zacharias and Elizabeth, this for sure rang true—as God’s graciously provided a child for them, despite the barrenness of Elizabeth’s womb and the elder age of them both.

Yet within God’s economy—His will and purpose, the meaning of John’s name, “the Lord has been gracious,” once again carries this undercurrent of God’s grace and mercy. How? Buried not so deep in John’s name we see “the Lord”— the Lord—Yahweh and Jehovah--which we know to mean Deliverer/Redeemer/Savior—so in essence John’s name carries this message with it: The Deliverer/Redeemer/Savior (Yahweh/Jehovah) has been gracious (charis)

The birth of John the Baptist was significant, for his parents, for those living during this time, and it was/is significant for every generation—b/c of what it says to every man and about Who man was preparing meet…Jesus Christ.

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I. (v.57-58). JTB birth was miraculous

Luke 1:57–58 “Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.”

(CONTEXT)

JTB’s birth confirmed God’s power

Elizabeth, who by all accounts was (1) beyond her years of child-bearing and (2) unable to bear a child (barren)—conceived a child

This relieved a cultural prejudice/partiality

This demonstrated God’s power and merciful hand on a godly and faithful family

Zacharias himself had been visited by Gabriel and told exactly what would happen

Zacharias and Elizabeth lived to see God’s promised play out and be fulfilled in their lives

JTB’s birth confirmed God’s mercy

That JTB was born as a baby of promise—is demonstrative of God’s mercy upon people—even those who the world or themselves label as insignificant/lowly/cast out/or too far gone and have such a desperate need

2 Peter 3:8–9 “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

That JTB was to be used in God’s plan of salvation—is demonstrative of God’s mercy

JTB was to be greatly involved with the Messiah

JTB was given the priviledge of being involved, preparing the way, and being the last great prophet of man

JTB’s birth stirred the people’s rejoicing

As certain as Zacharias and Elizabeth rejoiced at the birth of and purpose surrounding JTB—others were sure to rejoice as well

Neighbors and cousins

All believers who knew of them and what God had accomplished

(BIBLICAL APPLICATION—You and Me)

God’s power

God’s power has the ability to save and sanctify you:

In salvation, God’s power can reconcile/redeem/restore a person’s heart, regardless if their the prodigal on the barstool or the pretender in the church pew—no matter

How prodigal they’ve become

How deep their sin has taken them

How far their sin has driven them

How religion has deceived them

Romans 8:10–11 “And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

In sanctification, God’s power can and will

Conform you more and more into the image of Jesus Christ

2 Corinthians 3:17–18 “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

Romans 8:29 “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

1 Thessalonians 4:3 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification....”

Conform you more and more into your life as a new creation with new life and further from you old self and corruptible life

Romans 8:13 “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

Romans 13:14 “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”

God’s power has the ability to overcome the most dire and impossible of circumstances in you life

Note the Bible does not promise you’ll AVOID all these circumstances, rather the Bible promises that “in Christ” you can overcome and endure these circumstances.

Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.””

Hebrews 2:18 “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.”

1 John 4:3–4 “and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

God’s mercy

God’s mercy is greatly described in Psalm 103:1-8, 11, 17 (TURN and READ)—In this verses we get a glimpse of God’s mercy. God’s mercy:

Is beneficial (v.2)

Forgives our iniquities (v.3)

Heals our sickness/diseases (v.3)

Redeems our lives from death/destruction (v.4)

Crowns us with His HESED love (lovingkindness) and tender mercies (v.4)

Satisfies us with good things (v.5)

Renews our youth like the eagles (v.5)

Executes righteousness and justice for those oppressed by sin (v.6)

Makes known His ways—His Word and will (v.7)

Acts towards those who belong to Him (v.7)

His nature and disposes His grace towards us (v.8)

Is slow to anger and abounds (v.8)

Removes our sin as far as the east is from the west (v.12)

Everlasting to everlasting (v.17)

God’s mercy extends to any person who might confess His Son as Lord and Savior

Regardless of their heritage or background

Regardless of how insignificant the world has made them feel or how insignificant they feel themselves

Regardless of how lowly/cast out/lonely/prejudiced and marginalized the box the world has placed them in

God’s mercy is seen in the message He priviledges believers to carry

2 Corinthians 4:1 “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.”

Our rejoicing:

The news of God’s mercy on our lives should stir and illicit hearts that rejoice and worship

Those, who have been lost in sin, when they realize the magnitude of God’s mercy, in their surrender unto salvation ought to mimic the praise Peter speaks of in 1 Peter 2:9–10

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”

The news of other’s realizing and accepting God’s mercy upon their lives should stir and illicit believer’s hearts to rejoice and worship

We know that heaven rejoices

Luke 15:7 “I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.”

We must also rejoice—taking the example of Paul

1 Corinthians 1:4 “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus,”

Ephesians 1:15–16 “Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:”

Philippians 1:3–6 “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”

II. (v.59-63) JTB’ name comfirmed a prophetic witness

Luke 1:59–63 “So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.” But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” So they made signs to his father—what he would have him called. And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled.”

(CONTEXT)

To begin, let’s go back to Genesis and learn (briefly) of what circumcision was and was supposed to mean in the O/T

(TURN & READ)

Genesis 17:10–14 “This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.””

Circumcision

Was a covenant establish by God---not man (“This is My covenant...”)

Was a covenant which God expected Abraham and his descendants to keep (“which you shall keep”)

Was a covenant which was to be observed for every male child (“Every male child among you...”)

Was a covenant to be observed on the 8th day after the male child was born (“He who is eight days old...”)

Was a covenant for ANY child who wished to become part of God’s people (“he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant”)

Was an everlasting covenant—meaning God would not go back on His covenant (My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant)

Circumcision for Jewish families

Was a ceremony where a child was offered up or dedicated to God

Was the rite or sign a child was to be a follower of God—a true Jew

Circumcision, however, was merely to be the physical sign of a man’s belief and righteousness, a “physical sign” (Go back to Genesis 17:11)

“and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.”

Circumcision was never intended to have any value other than “sign;” a sign a man

Believed God,

Believed in the promises of God, and

Believed in God’s righteousness

Circumcision, in the context of God’s Word and within the culture of the Hebrew people (1) was not a substitute for true righteousness and (2) was not a substitute for a man’s belief in God and therefore could not bring about salvation.

God’s standard for salvation, has and will always entail heart change—and this was no different for the Israelite people:

From His Word

Deuteronomy 10:16 “Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer.”

Jeremiah 4:4 “Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, And take away the foreskins of your hearts, You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Lest My fury come forth like fire, And burn so that no one can quench it, Because of the evil of your doings.””

In the example of Abraham

Genesis 15:6 “And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.”

Jewish children were also to be named on the 8th day after birth

Jewish culture (in those days) said, typically, the first-born son was to be named after his father and the neighbors and relatives appeared to have expected as much

Elizabeth however objected to the cultural standards in light of obedience to God’s Word and His standard, stating the boy’s name was to be John

In their own objection, culture turned to Zacharias, asking him to write the name of the child down—thinking, “surely Zacharias, the priest of such reputation, a descendant of Aaron, would straighten this up, would right the “cultural ship” so-to-speak.” But let’s remember what we learned about Zacharias and his meeting with Gabriel:

Zacharias has doubted and distrusted in God’s message and was in the midst of God’s chastening—and he knew it and dared not do it again

Zacharias had spent the last 9 months unable to speak, hear, or communicate outside of writing his words down

Zacharias had just witnessed the culmination of what God had promised him and Elizabeth—the birth of his son

Zacharias shocked them and confirmed his son’s name was to be John—thus sealing the prophetic witness

(BIBLICAL APPLICATION—You and Me)

(FIRST TO CIRCUMCISION)

In the context of the O/T and in the culture of the Israelites, God’s covenant of circumcision became abused and many used this “physical sign” of circumcision to manipulate God’s acceptance and approval

It was so heavily thought a requirement for salvation, Acts 15 records Paul and Barnabas’ going before the Jewish Council.

And while we can look at Scripture and see where the Israelites misapplied and misused God’s covenant of circumcision…what must we recognize about ourselves and mankind today?

We must not be callous of the “physical signs” we adopt, we use, to manipulate and

Justify God’s acceptance/approval,

Justify our salvation

justify and define our righteousness

Justift our sanctification

Justify our sin

We must know and recognize what these “outward signs” may include:

Baptism

Church attendance

Church “serving”

Self-promotion

Look what I’ve created or myself

Look how successful my children have become

Look at the size of my house/bank account

I haven’t been to jail—I’ve never been an addict—I’ve never cheated on my spouse

Comparisons

We must know & recognize these (and other) “outward signs,” this mindset in our religiosity & religious activity, in the thinking that can (1) bring about the Lord’s salvation, redemption, and righteousness and (2) sustain us…cause a number of things:

Caused people to fall miserable short, creating life of self-righteousness and piousness.

Caused people to create nothing more than a life of white-washed tombs

Caused people to create nothing more than a good person going to hell

What we must see, understand, and believe what Scripture say

True salvation--true righteousness is not based on:

Church membership

Baptismal records, or

Denominational affiliation,

Rituals, rules, or regulations,

The letter of the law,

The truely saved the truely righteous person, is the person who is

God’s inwardly, whose

Spirit has been recreated into the very nature of God, whose

Been imputed (given) God’s very own righteousness, the man/person who has been

Been born again

Romans 2:29 “but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.”

Colossians 2:11 “In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,”

The truely saved and the truely righteous person, is the person who recognizes God’s standard for sin’s atonement and remission of sins:

God’s standard for atonement and remission of sins is NOT

Subjective, nor open for interpretation, there are NO

Work-arounds, ad-ons, caveats

Alternate routes or detours

God’s standard for atonement and remission of sins is blood—but it’s the blood of

Perfect righteousness

Perfect holiness

Perfect obedience

Perfection itself

Perfect and acceptable sacrifice

God’s standard for atonement dates back to the Old Testament and directs us to reckon with Jesus Christ and the cross He bore for us:

Leviticus 17:11 “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’”

God’s standard contains two (of many) beautiful truths

In Christ becoming sin for us, in exchanging His righteousness for our sin, He received what each of us really deserve—death on a cross; and by faith sinners receive what He deserved—God’s acceptance and eternal life with Him

In Christ becoming sin for us, He took the tiniest of sins to the most grievous of sins, so that in remitting our sins, nothing would be left unforgiven

2 Corinthians 5:19 “that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

The truely saved—the truely righteous, as the grasp and believe in this truth, in the miracle of their heart change of become new creations and begin living lives that

See religious activity become spiritual discipline

See outward ceremonial acts become devoted acts of obedience

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

III. (v.64-66) JTB’s birth caused several important results

Luke 1:64–66 “Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God. Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea. And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.”

(CONTEXT)

Zacharias was miraculously healed (v.64)

Think of the context here: For nine (9) months, he was

Deaf and dumb

Mute, unable to speak

Stuck in and shut up with his own thoughts

Think of what happened here: In the moment of Zacharias’ obedience;

God’s punishment relented (his ears were opened, his tongue was loosed)

Think of Zacharias’ first response:

Praise, b/c the restraint of his punishment was removed

Praise b/c he believed in what was represented in John’s name: “the Lord is gracious.”

Awe-stricken response of the people (v.65)--“Fear” is reverentail awe/reverential fear of God

It was evident—to those standing around—what was happening, that God was working—His hand was evident

It was evident—that for those who had witnessed this, there was a wonder/curiousity about what else would happen

The events spread around the country-side

There was a sense of destiny around JTB

The people kept the things they witnessed, “in their hearts,” meaning

They didn’t forget what they were hearing

They didn’t forget there was something unusual surrounding the message of JTB.

They held high expectations—they held in their memory these things that happened, waiting for JTB to grown up

(BIBLICAL APPLICATION—You and Me)

Godly discipline is known as chastening—which in Greek means

To train, to educate, to cause one to learn

Chastening can and does involve:

Some sort of punishment or discipline

Chastening does have a purpose:

To correct, prune, and develop righteousness

Chastening, properly applied, requires the believer to endure it

Believers and the discipline of the Lord (TURN and READ Hebrews 12:5-11)

We should know not despise nor be discouraged by God’s chastening (v.5)

We should know what His chastisment on our lives proves (v.6)

We are loved by Him

We are His Sons (we belong to Him—we are His children)

We should know to endure His chastisment, b/c of what a lack of it proves: (v.7-8)

(David Jeremiah) “A lack of suffering in this life is not a sign of favor but of illegitimacy. God does not allow His children to go about their business unchanged. Like a good parent, He disciplines His sons and daughters because He loves them deeply.”

We should, if we were subject and respected our earthly fathers’ discipline, that much more respect and be subject to God’s chastisement (v.9)

We should know the goal/aim of God’s discipline—despite it’s unpleasantness (v.11)

Develops more and more righteousness in our lives (“…peaceable fruit of righteousness...”)

We should know that chastening is godly training (v.11)

We should, as Zacharias, praise God; (Luke 1:64)

Centering our praise on the Lord’s salvation

Centering our praise on the Lord’s relenting of His chastisement

Note a few more things on this

God knows exactly what we need—what’s best for us—and that includes the best type of correction we need

God, even amidst our discipline—never stops walking alongside us. God doesn’t cease to walk with us or beside us, He doesn’t abandon us and EVEN IN THE MIDST of our discipline, He says (through His Word and in His nature): “I know I have to chasten you, correct you, and conform you, but I’ve promised that “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” and in My nature I will be with you even as I chasten you.

Don’t fall into the deception that in God’s discipline He’s turned His back on you…He hasn’t…He turned His back on His Son—so that again, in remissions of sins, He’s surrendered His right to turn His back on you.

(DAVID JEREMIAH, relating back to Luke 1) “God does not chasten His people any longer than is necessary.”

CLOSING/WORSHIP

At the forefront of JTB’s birth is the message he was called to carry. So many t

The message John the Baptist would carry with him, for the those living in that era, was a message of the coming Messiah, the Messiah he would describe as the “Lamb of God who comes to take away the sins of the world.”

And we should rejoice in JTB’s message, b/c it directs us to the message we hold onto today—a message of the seated Messiah—the message of the Messiah who was born, who did live amongst humanity as the Incarnate Word of God, who did willingly endure the shame and suffering of the cross, who did in fact raise from the dead, giving us victory over death, and the One who now sits at the right hand of God the Father, preparing a place for those who are His children

We should be as this message teaches us:

Praising God

Be awe-struck at what God has accomplished for us

Be joyful to share what God has accomplished abroad

Be mindful of the destiny of JTB—that we have the privilege of knowing JTB, his message, and his role as the forerunner for the Messiah Himself.

1 Peter 1:17–20 “And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you”

Psalm 111:9–10 “He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: Holy and awesome is His name. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.”

Psalm 89:7 “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him.”