A Priest, A Prayer, and a Promise
Notes
Transcript
A Priest, A Prayer, and a Promise
A Priest, A Prayer, and a Promise
This morning we are going to be looking at Luke 1:5-25.
I know that if you have one of the bookmarks I made that this isn’t what is listed on there.
We were supposed to get through verse 38 this morning, but both of these sections are jam pack full of beautiful nuggets that we would be here all morning if I tried to preach all those verses.
So I made the executive decision to shorten the sermon to just these 20 verses this morning.
Last week we examined Luke’s Introduction and one of the things that he wanted to do while presenting this account of Jesus was dive into the history of Jesus.
He wanted to throughly examine the eyewitness accounts.
Which is interesting, b/c he chooses not to start his gospel with Jesus’ baptism like Mark, or even the genealogy and birth narrative of Jesus like Matthew.
Instead, Luke goes back even before Jesus’ conception to the conception of his cousin, John the Baptist.
Why would Luke chose to start with the announcement of John the Baptist and not Jesus himself?
Why does John have such a prominent position in Luke’s Gospel?
This is a good question to ask.
Let’s start with understanding that up til the interaction we are about to read God hasn’t spoken to his people through angels, prophets, or visions in some 400 years.
So God has been silent up to the announcement of John the Baptist.
And right here, God has chosen to break his silence with Zechariah, John’s Father.
John is the link between the OT and the NT
He is the last prophet before Jesus begins his earthly ministry.
So John’s ministry is rightfully, as we will read later, to prepare the people for Jesus’ arrival.
That’s no small part to play.
Though Jesus is the centerpiece of the Gospel, John has an important part to play as well.
Just file that away as we journey through the next few weeks looking at the announcement and birth of both John and Jesus.
This morning’s sermon is going to focus on the announcement of John to his parents.
One thing I want us to see is that the details of this event recall events of the Old Testament.
Again this will help us to see the bridge between the OT prophet John and the Messiah Jesus.
But before we look at that, let’s pray and ask for the Lord’s guidance.
5 In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest of Abijah’s division named Zechariah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6 Both were righteous in God’s sight, living without blame according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord.
7 But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years.
A Righteous Couple
A Righteous Couple
Luke begins by telling us when this story is taking place.
As a historian, Luke cares a lot about dates, times, people, and places.
And here we read about King Herod of Judea.
This is the same King Herod that we read about in Matthew’s Gospel that wanted to kill all Jewish Boys under the age of 2.
So we see that the timelines of both Luke and Matthew are lining up here, but the focus is different.
There is little time spent on Herod other than the fact that he was reigning at the time.
Instead the focus is on a Jewish Priest named Zechariah.
We are also introduced to his wife, Elizabeth.
Elizabeth is a descendent of Aaron.
This is no small detail.
In fact, it shows us that any offspring this husband and wife had would be tied to the priesthood.
Not only were they both descendents of the priesthood, but we also learn that they were both blameless and righteous in God’s Sight.
This doesn’t mean that they were sinless.
They weren’t perfect.
What it means is that they upheld the teachings and beliefs of the Scriptures.
They kept the commandments of God.
They followed God’s instruction as closely as they could with devotion and zeal.
This goes to show us that even though we will read about some opposition to Jesus in the NT, not all who were the religious elite were opposed to God’s mission and message.
Z and E were not hypocritical when it came to following God, rather they walked the walk and talked the talk.
Why would Luke want us to know that Zechariah and Elizabeth were devout followers of God?
It’s b/c of the next verse.
7 But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years.
For many of the Jewish people during the first century, not being able to conceive meant that God was judging you.
Or that you had some hidden sin that was hindering your ability to have a child.
And this had gone on for a while cause both Z and E were well along in years.
They were older.
They knew biology and knew that there chance of having a child was out of question.
And yet we know, as did they, that our God is the God of the impossible.
There were plenty of OT examples of barren wombs being opened.
Most specifically for both Z and E, the story of Abraham and Sarah.
This is verse uses the same language as
11 Abraham and Sarah were old and getting on in years. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
This is the imagery that Luke wants to stir up within our hearts and minds.
He wants us to know that both Z and E are upright, blameless, and old so that when the miracle occurs it reminds us of the promises of God.
So the fact that Luke leads with this pictures would cause the reader and should cause us to anticipate something great.
Why?
B/c God is always working.
Even when we can’t see it.
Even when we don’t feel it.
Even when it seems as all hope is gone, God is working.
And what is he working toward?
His own glory.
He is working toward his own purposes.
He is working towards his own ultimate good.
Which we get to be beneficiaries of.
Here Z and E are the beneficiaries of God’s goodness and his plan.
But I’m getting a bit ahead of myself.
Let’s see what else is happening before the amazing announcement.
8 When his division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
9 it happened that he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.
10 At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside.
A Chosen Time
A Chosen Time
So we see here that Zechariah is serving as part of his priestly duty.
It is stated here that Zech. division was serving the temple.
The priesthood was divided up into 24 divisions.
During Zech. service there were roughly 18,000 priests serving.
And each day they would cast lots for who would go into the sanctuary to burn incense.
B/c of the amount of priest in each division this was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
There were many priest who could serve their whole lives and never get the chance to do this.
Zech. had served his whole life up to this point and hadn’t been chosen.
But this day would be different.
Today, Zech. was chosen by lot to burn incense before the Lord.
I can only imagine how excited Zech. was to be able serve the Lord in this way.
Now, we have to understand that this isn’t by chance.
Zech didn’t just happen to get lucky.
No, God had orchestrated this whole thing.
God had appointed the time for Zech to serve in the temple at this time and in this way.
33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.
It may look like luck.
Coincidence or serendipity.
But God appointed this time for Zech.
Why?
B/c it was time for Jesus.
And John had to be born before Jesus.
So this time for Zech. happened exactly when it needed to under the providence and sovereignty of God.
How amazing is our God who times out everything so perfectly.
So what is Zech going to do in the sanctuary?
He’s going to offer up incense.
According to one theologian, this would have been Zech’s “greatest ministry of his priestly career”
So for Zech, this would have been a big deal.
It would have been an amazing blessing and opportunity for him to go into the sanctuary to worship and serve the Lord in this way.
There were two times during the day when the offering of incense would take place.
Once in the morning and once in the evening.
Most scholars believe that this offering of Incense took place during the evening.
And here’s an opportunity to talk about one of the key themes and phrases in Luke’s gospel.
And that theme is prayer.
Before just about every major event in Luke’s gospel.
Prayer is mentioned.
Prayer is kind of like the seams that tie the book together.
And we see that here.
Incense was understood as a picture of prayers rising to heaven.
Not only that, but Luke also includes that which on the surface seems to be insignificant.
He says Luke 1:10 “10 At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside.”
Now we know this to be significant 1) b/c prayer is important and 2) b/c we now know that Luke uses prayer as a key theme throughout his book.
There is an aspect of corporate worship and longing going on at this time.
So we know that something is going to happen.
As good bible readers and scholars this is what we should be anticipating.
Especially if we take the time to add up all that has happened up to this point.
Zech has been chosen for a divine and exclusive task late in his life.
He and his wife are old and childless.
And then prayer is mentioned both in the incense and in the assembly.
So what is about to happen in the sanctuary with Zech?
11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.
12 When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified and overcome with fear.
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.
14 There will be joy and delight for you, and many will rejoice at his birth.
15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or beer. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb.
16 He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
17 And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.”
A Divine Announcement
A Divine Announcement
Zech is in the sanctuary and an angel appears before him.
This angel is standing at the right side of the altar of incense
A place of honor and authority.
These type of divine announcements are common with birth announcements in the OT.
Genesis 16:10–11 “10 The angel of the Lord said to her, “I will greatly multiply your offspring, and they will be too many to count.” 11 The angel of the Lord said to her, “You have conceived and will have a son. You will name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your cry of affliction.”
God also appeared to Abraham and Sarah to announce their son in Gen 17 and 18.
In Gen 25, we also read about Isaac and Rebekah having Jacob and Esau.
There is also a divine announcement about Samson in Judges 13.
This is important b/c with the exception of Hagar, all of these couples were having trouble conceiving children.
But the Lord has a different plan.
He is going to cause those who were barren to now be fruitful.
And the announcement to Zech is going to be no different.
And like most people when confronted with an angel, we see Zech reaction is terror and fear.
He didn’t expect anything in the sanctuary except the altar.
Yet he gets there and there’s an angelic figure standing there.
The angel responds to his fear with the phrase don’t be afraid.
But then the angel says something that has caused a lot of confusion for theologians.
“your prayer has been heard”
What prayer is he talking about?
There are a couple of options.
The prayer offered is for a child.
This would have been a prayer that had been prayed long ago by Z and E, but would have probably been given up on since they have advanced in age.
This was a prayer for the Messiah.
A prayer for the one who would come to free Israel and bring redemption.
This would have been the prayer for the national hope of as savior
Now why is this such a difficult thing to figure out?
Right after the angel says that his prayer had been answered the angel says that they will have a son.
That seems pretty straight forward that this is the prayer answered, however, much of the information given after the announcement of John is focused on the calling of the child.
That he would be the one to prepare the way for the messiah.
This is the focus of the message of the Son that will be given.
To add some extra complexity to understanding the prayer referred to by the angel.
The purpose of the evening offering, this offering of Zech, was to pray for the nation.
So the question then is where should we land?
How should we interpret this complex passage.
I’m going to quote a commentary that sums up my view pretty succinctly.
Luke 1:1–9:50 (ii. Event: Angelic Announcement, Doubt, and Judgment (1:11–20))
In fact, God was tackling two problems at once. He was dealing with something absent from Zechariah’s personal life, while dealing with Israel’s prayer and plea. God’s answers sometimes come at a surprising time, in a surprising place, and in a surprising way.
So God is meeting the needs of Z and E, but he is also fulfilling his promise to send one to pave the way of the Lord.
This is similar to those birth announcements of the OT.
God fulfills a need while simultaneously moving his mission forward.
This isn’t the only similarity to the birth announcements of the OT found here in Luke.
Notice that the angel also tells Z what the name of the son will be.
His name will be John.
Usually, as we will see in a few weeks, the father gets to name the child, but here, like with Isaac,
“God’s naming a child shows that the child is important to his work”
Luke isn’t concerned with the meaning of John’s name, but it’s important to point out that it means “YHWY has been gracious”
So it’s easy to see and know how important this child is going to be.
He is going to come through a miraculous birth.
He is named by God.
and the story of his birth will parallel those of some prominent OT figures.
And that’s not all.
There are promises made about who this child will be and what this child will do.
The first thing we see is that John will bring joy.
He will first and foremost bring personal joy to the lives of both Z and E.
The child they thought they would never have has been given to them.
And it’s not just joy b/c they have a son, but also joy b/c of the work John will do.
Z and E will know that there promised child will have a larger role to play in the the redemption of humanity.
That he will be a child that will provide preparation for the Messiah.
The birth of John sets in motion the realized salvation of humanity
John’s birth means that salvation is near.
Though Z and E will rejoice, many others will rejoice too.
Notice not every one will rejoice.
There will still be those opposed to John and the message that he brings, but others will rejoice b/c of his message and mission.
But his birth brings Joy b/c it signals the Lord’s work of salvation.
The angel describes John’s character and ministry in the next few verses.
John is going to be great in the sight of the Lord.
The reason is b/c of his character and mission.
He is going to be great in the sight of the Lord, b/c John’s life is going to be devoted to serving the Lord.
Til the day he dies he is going to proclaim the prophetic message of God’s salvation.
He’s going to prepare the way of the Lord.
He is going to declare that Jesus is the lamb who takes away the sins of the World.
In fact, when Jesus steps on the scene to begin his earthly ministry, John will rightly take a back seat and continually point to the person and work of Jesus.
John will recognize his role to play in redemptive history.
He isn’t going to try to hijack the glory rather he his going to point people to the right place.
Jesus.
This is why Jesus can proclaim about John in Luke 7:28
Luke 7:28 (CSB)
28 I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John...
John is going to be set apart and different from the world around him, which is what the angel describes next.
John is going to live under strict discipline.
He isn’t ever going to drink beer or wine.
This type of restriction represents a special consecration.
The priest who served at the temple were supposed to refrain from beer and wine while serving at the temple.
And yet this is more of a permanent restriction.
Which leads most scholars to believe that this is a Nazirite vow.
Which is a special vow a person makes to abstain from alcohol, not cut their hair, and not touch dead bodies.
Regardless, the point was to make sure that John stands out in his service to the Lord.
From his conception in the womb, he will be filled with the HS.
This truth underscores his prophetic role.
He will speak the truth conveyed to him by the power of the HS
God has chosen John to serve in this role and he proves is by indwelling him for the mission he is called to.
John has been created, called, and chosen for this specific purpose.
To proclaim repentance.
To prepare the way of Jesus.
And to point people to salvation.
John’s life and calling represents a bridge between God’s Promised Savior and the fulfillment of that promise
Luke 1:16 “16 He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.”
b/c of John’s ministry many will repent and seek the Lord.
Not all, but many.
Pointing out the reality that there are those who don’t know, love, or serve God living among the children of Israel and that they must be called back into right standing with God.
John’s call to repentance means that he is calling people to a life change.
A call for the nation to reform.
This is not much different than the prophets of the OT.
They preached a repentance back to the Lord.
Proclaiming that people must turn back and serve God on his terms not their own.
Turning to God, loving and serving him is the only way that they will experience Salvation.
Reorienting themselves to God’s way of life.
This is not much different than the call of repentance that Christ proclaims.
We are to trust in his finished work on the cross.
His bodily resurrection from the grave.
And follow after him.
Living life God’s way.
Denying ourselves and pursuing Christ.
Trusting in Christ, repenting of our sins, is a lifestyle change.
It is a transformation from being dead in our sins and trespasses to being made alive in Christ.
This isn’t done by simply saying a prayer or walking an aisle.
This is done when we completely submit our lives to Christ.
When we truly believe in the work he’s done.
This was the message that Jesus came to fulfill.
And the message that John prepared for Jesus to teach.
And John’s ministry is going to have an impact.
He is going to prepare and make way.
Going out in the spirit of Elijah.
Elijah was one of the great prophets of the OT.
He did mighty works in the name of the Lord.
And it was prophised that one like him would come.
In fact, that prophesy is what the angel declares in v17.
The prophesy is found in Mal 4:5-6
5 Look, I am going to send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.
6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.”
Now, Malachi is the last prophet before God goes silent for 400 years.
And these are the last words of Malachi at the end of his prophecy.
And I find it interesting that these are the first words spoken to Zech about his son.
The last words of the OT are the first words from God in the NT.
What a beautiful picture of God’s faithfulness.
It’s almost as if he is saying, Let’s get this thing going.
It’s time to move.
It’s time to fulfil my promise.
And you Zech, you and Elizabeth are going to be the instruments I use to start drawing my people back to me.
It will be through your miracle child that the way will be prepared from my Son.
It almost gives me the goosebumps just thinking about it.
What Great news Zech receives, but his response is less than stellar
18 “How can I know this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”
19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news.
20 Now listen. You will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary.
22 When he did come out, he could not speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was making signs to them and remained speechless.
A Bout of Unbelief
A Bout of Unbelief
Zech doesn’t believe the message or the messenger.
He can’t conceive of the fact that he and his wife are going to have a child.
Not only have a child, but that this child would play such a profound role in the history of redemption.
When he asks “how can I know this?” he is essentially asking for the angel to prove it to him.
Show me a sign would be a good understanding of what he’s saying.
And we can understand this by the angel’s response.
The angel responds by giving his name and his authority.
He is Gabriel who stands in the presence of God.
The name Gabriel would have immediately triggered something in Zech mind.
Gabriel is the one who gave Daniel the prophecy about the 70 weeks in Daniel 8 and 9.
This is a prophecy about the last days.
Gabriel is also one of the only 2 angels given a name in the OT.
Meaning that his showing up to Zech was a profound event.
Zech wants to believe the message, but he has his doubts, that’s why he asks for a sign.
And Gabriel gives him a sign.
Both to remind him about his lack of faith and to prove Gabriel’s authority and truthfulness of the message.
This sign is only temporary.
It will end once John is born.
The inability to speak also has another function.
It doesn’t allow Zech to tell the crowds about the revelation he has received.
They won’t know about this wonderful gift until the proper time.
This incident shows us that the message of God is trustworthy.
and that there is punishment or discipline for not believing what God says.
The message that he gives.
This is true of the message to Zech.
And it is also true through the message of the Gospel.
We need to take it at God’s word that we are broken and sinful people.
Who are separated from him and need the sacrifice of Jesus to bring us back into relationship with him.
We need to trust that if we believe then we will be saved.
We need to trust that God is working all things out for our good and his glory.
We need to trust that when God speaks, we need to listen.
Trusting God is good, right, and important for us as his creation.
Luke shifts scenes quickly from Gabriel and Zech to the people outside the temple.
Zech was in the sanctuary a little too long and the people started to worry and get curious as to what was taking so long.
When he finally exits he can’t speak.
Required by Jewish Practice the priest who leaves the sanctuary would say some sort of blessing upon exiting to the congregation present something like the Aaronic Blessing in Numbers.
24 “May the Lord bless you and protect you;
25 may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
26 may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.” ’
So it was odd that he was silent.
But the crowd realized that he had seen a vision b/c he was making signs at them and couldn’t talk.
They made this assumption based on the Scriptures.
Both Ezekiel and Daniel were mute when they had a vision from the Lord.
What a miraculous event.
And I don’t know about you, but I probably would have rushed home to see my wife, yet Zech. didn’t.
He completed his priestly duties.
And then went home.
23 When the days of his ministry were completed, he went back home.
24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months. She said,
25 “The Lord has done this for me. He has looked with favor in these days to take away my disgrace among the people.”
A Response of Praise
A Response of Praise
Elizabeth’s response couldn’t be any better.
She simply offers up praise to the Lord.
He has done a good thing for her.
She is excited about the opportunity she gets to play in God’s grand story.
The years of shame and disgrace she has carried with her b/c of not having children has been wiped away b/c of God’s goodness and grace toward her.
Much like Gabriel had said, there is going to be much joy at John’s birth.
God was good to Z and E.
But I want us to also see their faithfulness.
Even though we know that they prayed and prayed for a child and for many years was told no.
They continued to serve the Lord faithfully.
They didn’t get bitter.
They didn’t get angry.
They didn’t turn away from God and spit in his face.
They recognized that God is in control.
That God sits in the heavens and does what he pleases.
And they trusted that he would do what he meant to do how he meant to do it.
And I am confident that they would have faithfully served the Lord til the day they died, b/c their fulfilment wasn’t in the gifts God gave, but in who God is.
We cannot forget that even when God doesn’t give us the things that we desire the most it doesn’t mean that he is any less worthy of our praise, worship, and devotion.
If God doesn’t ever give you anything else, the fact that he gave his son is more than enough.
Our calling is to praise God for who he is, not what he gives.
Worship him.
Praise him.
B/c of who he is.
Knowing ultimately everything he does is moving toward the greatest good.