Next Level Christmas (3)
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What Are You Believing God For? Part Two
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.
I. The PERIOD that is mentioned!
Luke 1:5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea!
II. The PEOPLE who are mentioned!
Luke 1:5 there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth!
They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.
What does it mean to be Righteous? It means to be in right standing with God; sins forgiven, guilt cancelled, condemnation erased, shame removed, peace within and peace without, nothing broken, nothing missing, made whole and complete!
III. The PAIN that is NOT mentioned!
Luke 1:7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.
IV. The PRIVILEGE that is mentioned!
Luke 1:8 Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division.
*What does the appointed order of his division mean?
King David, Zadok and Ahimelech, organized the Priests into 24 divisions from the descendants of Aaron:
1 Chronicles 24:3 David, with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their offices for their ministry.
These men and the descendants of these men were responsible for performing all of the priestly duties in the Temple.
according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
It is estimated that during the period of time Zacharias was a priest, there were as many as 20,000 priests!
What do you think the “chances” were that Zacharias would be “chosen” by “lot” to serve when he did and where he did in the Temple on this particular day?
Zacharias was chosen by “lot” to enter the Temple of the Lord and burn incense.
Proverbs 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.
God is the God of details and God is in the details of our life! Things that seem to have little or no significance can be the very thing God uses to accomplish His purposes on the earth!
V. The PRESENCE that is mentioned!
Luke 1:11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.
How did Zacharias respond to the Angel?
Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him.
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
VI. The PRAYER that is mentioned!
Luke 1:13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.
*What “Petition” is the angel referring to? The prayer for a son!
VII. The PROPHECY that is mentioned!
Luke 1:13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.
*The angel (God’s divine messenger), delivers at least five specific prophecies to Zacharias:
Luke 1:13 . . . your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John!
“You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
“For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb.
“And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God.
“It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
VIII. The PROBLEM that is mentioned!
Luke 1:18 Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.
*How did the Angel answer the question?
The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
What should we NOT do when God sends an angel, a divine messenger to deliver GOOD NEWS to us?
It might not be the best idea to ask the angel HOW can God answer our prayer or fulfill His promise through our limitations!
IX. The PROOF that is mentioned!
Luke 1:20 And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.
What was the PROOF Gabriel told Zacharias he would receive that would convince him the Good News is the Good News?
You will be silent and unable to speak UNTIL the day these things take place!
What was the REASON Zacharias needed such PROOF in his life? Because you did not BELIEVE my words, which will be fulfilled, in their proper TIME!
X. The PROMISE that is mentioned!
Luke 1:20 And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak UNTIL the day when these things take place . . . in their proper time!
*Faith is the Amen to God’s Promises and to His Power to perform His promises through our limitations!
*When did Gabriel say his words would be fulfilled? In their proper TIME!
*What is the word for TIME in Luke 1:20 ? It is the word KAIROS!
There are three aspects of TIME we need to be familiar with:
A. HORIZONTAL time is CHRONOS time!
Ecclesiastes 7:1 A good name is better than a good ointment, And the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.
Chronos is measured in seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks and years but Chronos is moving toward something!
*All humans are moving toward ETERNITY which is where TIME or CHRONOS ends!
B. VERTICAL time is KAIROS time!
Genesis 28:12 He (Jacob) had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
C. CYCLICALtime is PROPHETIC time!
Leviticus 23:2 Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, “The Lord’s appointed TIMES which you shall proclaim as holy CONVOCATIONS—My appointed times are these . . .
What are CONVOCATIONS? Divine rehearsals designed by God to give us a preview of future events!
Luke 1:20 “And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”