A Fresh Touch For You

We will find in the story of Luke 1:5-25 five stages that show God’s desire to touch us. The stages are: I. SETTING (5-7) II. SELECTION (8-10) III. SCOOP (11-17) IV. SKEPTICISM (18) V. SENTENCE (19-25)

Confession Of Faith: I am not moved by what I see or by what I feel. I am moved by what I believe. I believe the WORD of God The victory is mine! - I have it Now!I can see it through the eyes of my faith

I. The SETTING

Luke 1:5–7 NKJV

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

Zechariah and Elizabeth knew disappointment.

Zechariah and Elizabeth knew the pain of infertility.

Here was a couple that was well into their sixties. And for years, they went crazy hearing all the lines… “Just relax.” “Don’t try so hard.” “Take an extended vacation.” “Why don’t you adopt a child?” “Have faith.” “Just trust God.” “There isn’t any unconfessed sin in your life, is there?”

I am sure that they went through all the stages that infertile couples go through. At first, they deny that it is happening to them. But, then it becomes evident that children aren’t coming and so they attempt to avoid children altogether. Then, there is the anger. At this point, all they really want to do is hide. Because they are just plain mad. It just seems so unfair. Then, somewhere along the line, acceptance sets in. They come to the conclusion that this is their lot in life.

The text here reveals, the fertility issue, that they are faithful. Zechariah and Elizabeth were upright in God’s eyes. You see, the infertility is not the end of the story. For God delights in working through people who listen and seek to follow Him. This leads us to…

2. The Selection

Luke 1:8–10 NKJV

So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.

Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. Zechariah , he was one of out of 20,000 priests in Israel. He served at the temple in Jerusalem for two one-week periods each year. Now…when it came to offering the incense at the daily sacrifice, a priest could only do this once in his lifetime. It was an honored ministry, for the priest stood in the Holy Place alone. And as the worshippers prayed outside, the priest offered the incense inside, symbolically offering the prayers of the people to God. This was a task of prestige because there were some that would never have the opportunity to enjoy this privilege. So…

Zechariah experiences a coincidence that is not one.

On this day, it finally happens to Zechariah. He was so lucky!

Has that ever happened to you? Something really unexpected happens, and you say, “I am so lucky!” And then you realize that luck had nothing to do with it. You know that you have been amazingly touched by God’s intervention in your life.

And this is what has happened to Zechariah. The lot has finally fallen on him. But it is a whole lot more than conincidence. This brings us to…

3. Scoop

Luke 1:11–17 NKJV

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And 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 shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

It is at this point that Zechariah’s life takes on new meaning.

You know, Zechariah and Elizabeth had probably prayed for a long time for children. The answer, though, had always seemed to be “no.” Was it that God didn’t care? The truth is…God cared more than they ever possibly thought. He was preparing a surprise for them all along. But, the time had to be right (and God always get the timing right!). So…

Zechariah gets some unexpected news.

Can you imagine this scene for Zechariah? He gets all the proper priestly garb on. He works to remember all the steps he must follow (because he never has done this before). He is probably a bit nervous. And being a faithful man, he was very much humbled by the whole process. Just as he is in the routine, there is an angel who must have startled the daylights out of him, for the angel says, “Don’t be afraid!” You know why he says that? He says it because Zechariah was really scared. This is not what he expected to face when he entered.

And then, the angel gives the gracious part of this message, “Your prayer has been heard.” There is going to be a child after all! Yes, it had looked hopeless, but this is the very thing that God specializes in.

Zechariah and Elizabeth would have a son. And he was to name him John. John was shorter form of the Hebrew name, Joch-a-nan. Jochanan means “God is gracious.” It was a name full of meaning, for God was not only being gracious to Zechariah and Elizabeth, God was being gracious to all the people of the world. For this son, John, was going to be a prophet in the spirit and power of Elijah. He was going to prepare the way for the Messiah.

For Zechariah, this was the dawn of a new day. For 400 years God has been silent, and on this day, he is the first to hear from God. But now comes…

4. Skepticism

Luke 1:18 NKJV

And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”

Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

You know, this is probably not the smartest thing that Zechariah has ever said. For…

Zechariah gets stuck in the routine.

He’s in a rut. “How can I be sure?” He is experiencing the supernatural, but he is stuck in the natural. So while he is saying, “You can’t really be serious,” the angel is reassuring him that he is. And while he is saying, “I know biology and we are a wee bit old for this,” the angel is reassuring him that he too has the facts straight.

Perhaps you are here this morning saying, “Hey, I don’t know if I would have said anything different,” that is okay. Remember this…Zechariah has been faithful. And faithful people sometimes make mistakes! But for Zechariah, there is more learning that must be done. For God teaches us that He often wants us to believe in order to see. Which leads us to…

5. The Sentence

Luke 1:19–25 NKJV

And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.” And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless. So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

When his time of service was completed, he returned home. After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

Zechariah is given the gift of silence.

Yes, it was a gift. It was exactly what Zechariah needed.

Zechariah had been in the temple a long time. It becomes evident quickly when he comes out that he could not speak, but the people got the message that something had happened. There is a sparkle in his eye, but he is quiet as a mouse. For there is refreshment from being in the Lord’s presence.

Soon the evidence will be there. Elizabeth will begin to show and the old gossips are going to be at work. They will have a hey-day at Zechariah’s expense, laughing at his new-found virility. But he will offer no answers…just a smile. For humbly, silently, he is learning about God’s awesome and mighty works His speech is no longer going to get in the way! And he will celebrate quietly God’s touch on his life.

GOD DESIRES TO TOUCH US.

God wants to make an appointment with you about your disappointment. I don’t know what lays heavy on your heart today. But I assure you that God does know and that God cares. And I know that He desires to touch you with His grace.

Perhaps you feel worthless and useless. Perhaps you feel barren and lifeless. There is a spiritual emptiness in your life and you need a rejuvenated spirit. Perhaps you are weighed down by sin in your life and you need release. All that you have experienced has not given you satisfaction. But there is a touch that will make a difference in your life. It is the touch of the Master’s hand.

God breathes hope into the stale air of impossible solutions.

There is hope for you and me today. The hope lies in the touch of God that He desires for each of us. It is a simple matter of receiving it. Come to Him quietly, humbly, and see what He wants to do in your life today.