He Must Increase 2

Where The Decreased Life Begins

Text: Luke 1:5-25

Introduction

A foundational part of what a parent will pass on to their children or what others will glean from when spending time in your home has to do with their own personal development!

Illustration: Students in a classroom will only benefit from a teacher to the extent of the teacher’s training and the quality of those who trained them.

The saying remains true to every generation: We all are standing on the shoulders of those who have went before us. (this could be a good thing or bad depending on personal development of those who went before us)

Illustration: We have all heard this said, have said it, or it has been said about you, “He/she is just like their daddy/mama.

The decreased life that John the Baptist embraced had it’s roots in previous generations. Not having the time to go too far back into their family tree, we gain the understanding through Zacharias and Elisabeth that the decreased life John embraced was first learned and embraced by his parents.

1) Decreasing Through Impossibilities For Your Family

Before God ever led John into the wilderness, He placed him in a particular family, at a particular time, for a divine purpose.

APP — Just a sec…God still works that way with every one of us.

It would be through his birth that the increase/decrease journey would be further refined in the lives of his parents.

Thoughts of doubt and disbelief were the only things that filled the mind of Zacharias.

The last thing the “forerunner” of Christ needed was a father’s example of doubting the God who has the ability to destroy every human impossibility!

I believe Zacharias was probably shocked at how much doubt still remained in his own heart of who the God he served really was.

If you wanted to learn all the OT stories about God’s power and providence, Zacharias would be the guy you would want to ask.

LISTEN…the true accounts of God working in the lives of others only goes so far in removing doubt in your own heart…you need to face your won set of “impossibilities” so you can feel first hand the power and love of God.

The greatest story of God’s power and providence for you to tell is what God writes on the pages of your own life story!!!

God wants you to tell the truth about Him with the greatest belief, energy, joy, and faith.

The best way to do that is to allow the natural flow of this broken world to directly impact your life (sickness, death, betrayal, debt, disaster, trauma, etc).

God is not some kind of careless passive sovereign who allows things to slip through into your life.

God’s children must reach a reoccurring perspective in order for God’s purposes to flourish in your life.

Perspective — Believe that God’s power thrives in the impossibilities!

Example: Abraham, Moses, children of Israel, King Saul, Nehemiah, Jesus disciples, many who were healed by Christ, Peter, Paul, etc…

APP — God is going to bring you to a variety of impossible moments. It will be in that moment your children will learn the value of God increasing and not one’s self, or how to doubt God and live in fear.

2 Corinthians 12:9 “9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

2) Decreasing Through God’s Plans For Your Family

It is important to understand how family’s worked back in the first century, especially in a family that comes from the lineage of Aaron.

Where did priests come from and how did they continue up until Jesus Christ?

In general terms, only the sons of Aaron were to assume the role of priests; all other Levites would have religious functions, though technically they would not be priests. Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, “Priests and Levites,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 1754.

Priests took office not as the result of a particular vocation, but by virtue of priestly descent. Thus the first priests were the four sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar; these four were ordained at the same time that Aaron was ordained high priest (Ex 28:1). Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, “Priests and Levites,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 1756.

Exodus 28:1 “1 And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.”

The priesthood was maintained through the passing down to their sons.

The sanctity of the priestly office was such that it was preserved from degeneration through specific laws. A man must be a descendant of Aaron to be a priest, but he was also required to meet a variety of other qualifications. Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, “Priests and Levites,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 1757.

The principle involved was similar to that applying to animals used in sacrifice—only those free from defect or blemish were suitable for divine service. Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, “Priests and Levites,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 1757.

Think with me about the different ways Zacharias’ silence was more of a blessing than a curse...

He needed to grow out of his doubt while John knew nothing about it.

He possibly needed a way to not fall to the pressure of fabricating a false direction for his son due to pier pressure from his colleagues.

It possibly kept him from loosing respect in the eyes of his wife.

Notice the disbelief in verses 58-62.

LISTEN…If God followed every detail of your plans for your life, what kind of person do you think you would actually become?

Faith would be at best weak.

Fear would rule your heart.

Trusting God would be always be conditional.

You would become a pagan incognito under the guise of Christianity.

3) Decreasing Through Identifying With God’s Plan (v63-66, 76-80)

With the only means he had to communicate, he identified with God’s will for his child!

Once Zacharias spoke the truth without doubt, fear, or embarrassment, God granted him a much louder means of communication; his voice.

It was important that Zacharias learned what he did during his time of decrease. Notice the impact he made.

What he spoke pierced people’s hearts (v66).

His announcement spread across the hill country of Judaea.

Everyone who heard this, directed their hearts toward God.

Zacharias had anything but doubt or embarrassment about identifying with God’s plan for his family.

He prophesied with clarity and joy about God’s divine plans for John (v76-79)

The only thing we know about John’s childhood are a couple of things:

First, He grew stronger in spirit (character) n. — a fundamental emotional and activating principle determining one’s character. (show slide)

Second, he went to live in the desert until it was time to start preaching repentance and preparing a people for Jesus Christ.

Q — Who’s decrease life led to some else decreasing their life that led to the increasing of the most important person; Jesus Christ?

It started with dad and mom!!!

Conclusion

Let me encourage you today, the journey of decrease you are currently on has nothing to do with God not wanting you to be comfortable, liked, healed, successful, etc. It has everything to do with the name of the one sent to save the world from future wrath; JESUS CHRIST!

The question is this…will you lead your family to live with this purpose in mind; HE MUST INCREASE?