God on Display (The Birth of JTB)
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· 26 viewsJohn's birth sparks excitement and awe that crecendos into Zacharias' praise and prophecy
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Introduction
Well I would like to welcome you back to our Sunday morning fellowship.
I’d like to say to all you new comers…and I think I can speak for all of us, especially Nadine…we’re are glad you are here. In fact we are privileged to see fresh new examples of folks stepping out in faith and obedience to join in the work God has prepared here.
Thank you for joining the team.
Let’s Pray
It is my great joy to worship with all of you in song.
I am thankful to for technology that creates an artificial worship band...but it isn’t quite the same as a live music...is it?
Many many years ago Jacqueline and I went to a concert where we sat in VIP seating away from the general crowd.
It was kinda cool because we had fancy food and actually were provided with the band’s song list.
The music was great, but we missed out on the energy of the rest of the crowd…the crescendos just fell flat. UNLIKE
...a Chris Tomlin concert we attended in 2014.
At that concert the seating was on this huge lawn that slopes down towards the stage.
There we were with the rest of the crowd and could totally feel the energy.
We could feel every crescendo BUILD up BUILD up and BUILD up until every hand was raised and mouths were singing in joy and praise to our Lord and King.
This word crescendo is primarily a musical term that is used to describe a gradual increase in loudness of a piece of music. Its design is to increase excitement in a musical passage...until that passage reaches its climactic point.
If you’re not sure what I mean by this crescendo, I’ve prepared a little sample from one of my current favorite worship bands.
If you’re not sure what I mean by this crescendo, I’ve prepared a little sample from one of my current favorite worship bands.
SLIDE
VIDEO Jesus I Come Elevation Worship***
Crescendo can also be used in a non-musical sense. It can be used to describe a steady increase of excitement, danger or action.
In our text today we will experience a crescendo…building until it reaches its climatic point which is Zacharias’ song of praise.
Please open your Bibles to starting at verse 57.
While you’re turning I will recap because its been a while since we studied Luke.
Mary has just been visited by Gabriel and set off to see what God has done for her cousin Elizabeth and to tell of what God has done for her.
Upon her arrival, we are told that both Elizabeth and the child growing inside her are filled with the Holy Spirit.
Then all kinds of Joy broke out.
Joy of the unborn JTB. We’re told that he leaped in his mother’s womb but not a little kick here or there but SKIRTAZO a continuous leaping for joy as you might see at a futbal match.
The Joy of Elizabeth. We saw how Elizabeth was crying out with great volume with blessing to Mary and her Messiah child that just arrived. This great joy was not for Mary, but for the Messiah.
The Joy of Mary. Mary’s joy was so great it compelled her to break out into singing a song of praise because of:
What God did for her. For saving her and choosing her to bear the Messiah.
What God did for us. He was pouring out his grace on us by sending the Messiah.
What God did for Israel. Because God was keeping His promises through this Child and showing His great mercy to them.
Lastly, we learned 3 ways we could and should demonstrate joy.
Joy of the believer’s faith and obedience.
Joy of the believer’s love and concern.
Joy of the believer’s partnership in the gospel.
Now to the crescendo. Starting off low…lets start at verse 57.
SLIDE
Luke 1:57-58
57 Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.
Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.
This is where the excitement begins.
The statement Her neighbors and her relatives heard implies that Elizabeth remained in seclusion throughout her pregnancy.
So let’s paint the picture of this scene. Last thing anyone heard of Zacharias and Elizabeth is Zacharias went to Jerusalem 9 months ago to perform his duties at the temple and came back unable to speak or hear.
Could you imagine? Ok, so let’s paint the picture here for a minute. Last thing anyone heard of Zacharias and Elizabeth is Zacharias went to Jerusalem 9 months ago to perform his duties at the temple and came back unable to speak or hear.
In their minds, Zacharias must have done something to make God mad to have such a judgement placed on him. On top of that, they were both well passed childbearing years and everyone knew Elizabeth was barren.
ANYONE else would also have kept themselves in seclusion to escape the shame they must be feeling.
So they haven’t seen Zacharias and Elizabeth for 9 months and then out of the blue there’s the sound of a new born baby.
Could you imagine? What a GREAT SURPRISE for the neighbors.
What a MIRACLE! Zacharias and Elizabeth knew it, but now everyone else knew it too and they came to rejoice with her.
But we can’t assume that they were rejoicing with her JUST because she finally had a baby.
No, verse 58 says:
Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her...
This word displayed in my translation...Yours might render it the Lord had shown great mercy to her or shewed great mercy upon her.
In the Greek this word is Magalyno.
Your translation might render it the Lord had shown great mercy to her or shewed great mercy upon her.
Because if we’re not careful we might be read into this that we should celebrate Elizabeth.
This word displayed in my translation...Yours might render it the Lord had shown great mercy to her or shewed great mercy upon her…these English words are just not sufficient to describe what is going on here.
This words is Magalyno.
Which brings me to my first point!
to increase honor ⇔ magnify v. — to cause something to be held in greater esteem (with oneself or others); conceived of as physically enlarging it.
Are they celebrating with her because God performed a miracle in her?
Is she being held in greater esteem because of this?
A resounding NO for both questions which brings me to my first point.
SLIDE
1. We have a tendency to read passages about God as if it is primarily about us.
I’m going through this devotional called Behold Your God: Rethinking God Biblically by John Snyder and it is opening my eyes to a lot of ways I fail when I comes to seeing God in the Scriptures.
This point I made didn’t just prick my heart it drove a dagger into my heart!
Snyder says:
So much of what God the Father and God the Son has done for us is not primarily a picture of salvation as much as it is at its heart a revealing of God’s glory.
to increase honor ⇔ magnify v. — to cause something to be held in greater esteem (with oneself or others); conceived of as physically enlarging it.
to increase honor ⇔ magnify v. — to cause something to be held in greater esteem (with oneself or others); conceived of as physically enlarging it.
He says:
When we read Scriptures, we must constantly ask ourselves the question:
What do I see God revealing about Himself here?
Conversely, if we begin with asking the question:
What do I see God doing for me....OR in this passage What is God doing for Elizabeth?
Snyder says
If we begin reading Scripture with this question, than we may very well live our whole life without knowing God.
This Jewish community has read all about the mercy of God in the Law and the Prophets.
SLIDE
8 The Lord is gracious and merciful; Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.
7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
Is
9 The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer.
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
God has shown not just His mercy, but He has shown HIMSELF!
God has shown not just His mercy, but He has shown HIMSELF!
Because God IS mercy.
So Elizabeth, her neighbors and relatives are celebrating with her that God has chosen to show Himself to them.
SLIDE
The Crescendo continues to build.
59 And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father.
Luke 1:59-
59 And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father. 60 But his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but he shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.” 62 And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63 And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished.
Luke 1:59-6
This is John’s big day. The eighth day.
Our text is certainly increasing with excitement.
This is John’s big day. The eighth day.
One commentator describes this event well:
The Pulpit Commentary: St. Luke (Vol. I) Chapter 1
This was always, among the Hebrew people, a solemn day of rejoicing it resembled in some particulars our baptismal gatherings. Relatives were invited to be present. as witnesses that the child had been formally incorporated into the covenant.
The Pulpit Commentary: St. Luke (Vol. I) Chapter 1
This was always, among the Hebrew people, a solemn day of rejoicing it resembled in some particulars our baptismal gatherings. Relatives were invited to be present. as witnesses that the child had been formally incorporated into the covenant. It was, too, the time when the name which the newly born was to bear through life was given him.
Circumcision was so important that it could b
The Gospel according to Luke Word and Phrase Study
It was so important that even if the eighth day occurred on the Sabbath the ritual was still performed.
Another commentator says that it was so important that:
Another commentator says that it was so important that:
The Gospel according to Luke Word and Phrase Study
even if the eighth day occurred on the Sabbath the ritual was still performed.
It was also the time for the baby to receive a name. The name the baby would carry their whole life.
The Pulpit Commentary: St. Luke (Vol. I) Chapter 1
It was, too, the time when the name which the newly born was to bear through life was given him
The Pulpit Commentary: St. Luke (Vol. I) Chapter 1
This was always, among the Hebrew people, a solemn day of rejoicing it resembled in some particulars our baptismal gatherings. Relatives were invited to be present. as witnesses that the child had been formally incorporated into the covenant. It was, too, the time when the name which the newly born was to bear through life was given him.
And whoever was performing this ceremony had naturally assumed the baby would be named after his father.
SLIDE
But Elizabeth says OH NO YOU DON’T!!!!
60 But his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but he shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.”
60 But his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but he shall be called John.”
LUKE 1:60-61
LUKE 1:60
Now this further proves the idea that Zacharias and Elizabeth stayed in seclusion for the entire pregnancy.
It also implies that nobody knew about Gabriel's visit.
This goes to show that everyone did not know about Gabriel's visit. First they would not have attempted to name him after his father. Second they would not have been confused when she said to name him John.
First because they would NOT have attempted to name him after his father.
Second, because they would NOT have been confused when she said to name him John.
Can you just feel the crescendo building???
Despite that they were shocked.
First, by Elizabeth’s outburst in the middle of the ceremony.
Typically, this ceremony was performed by the patriarch of the family or tribe.
One commentator states:
The Gospel according to Luke Word and Phrase Study
Each Patriarch circumcised his own sons (i.e. acted as priest for his own family)
Since Zacharias was both unable to speak and deaf, it would be difficult for him to perform it.
First, by Elizabeth’s outburst in the middle of the ceremony.
Since Zacharias was both deaf and unable to speak, it would be difficult for him to perform it.
Since Zacharias was both deaf and unable to speak, it would be difficult for him to perform it.
Therefore, its probable that they called in another priest from their tribe…the tribe of Abijah. Someone probably with authority.
So
And so when Elizabeth spoke out and demanded he be named John, they were probably thinking she was out of line.
But God’s messenger told her husband to name their child John and God has more authority than some priest.
The Gospel according to Luke Word and Phrase Study
Each Patriarch circumcised his own sons (i.e. acted as priest for his own family)
First, by Elizabeth’s outburst in the middle of the ceremony.
Second reason they were shocked, by the oddity of her name choice.
But they didn’t know that.
And a name like John, which was not found in either of their lineage, was very odd to them.
Back in the 60’s and 70’s there was an American Rock star named Frank Zappa. A few of you may recognize the name.
Well HE named his children Moon, Dweezil and Diva.
Most people were like huh? That just doesn’t make any sense.
This is the same reaction with everyone who has assembled for John’s circumcision.
So they turn to Zacharias for some clarification because surely Elizabeth has lost her mind.
SLIDE
Remember, he can’t speak or hear. Verse 62 eludes to this:
62 And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63 And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished.
62 And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called.
Luke 1:62-
lu
If he could hear, there would be no reason for them to make signs to him.
And when he scribbled His name is John on the tablet, they were astonished.
Now I want to give you a better idea of the sense of this word astonished. Because it adds to the building crescendo.
But before I do…let me unpack this reaction a little.
The Greek word thaumazō is used by times.
It has the sense to MARVEL, to be amazed at an event or occurence.
Why was the naming of the child so important, and so emotional?
And why was naming the child John such a bone of contention?
Some commentators say these folks were astonished because though he heard none of the conversation, Zacharias chose the name John also.
But I agree with pastor and teacher Bob Deffinbaugh that there is something else going on here.
He says:
And why was naming the child John such a bone of contention?
The naming of the son after his father implied that this child would “walk in the steps of his father,” that he would carry on the father’s name, and thus his work as well. Had John been named “Little Zach,” he would have been expected to grow up as a priest, just like his father.
As Zacharias did with his father. As did his father’s father and so on and so on.
Pastor Bob continues
To be named by any other name would have implied just the opposite. John would not follow in his father’s steps. He would not learn to do what his father did. He would not be a priest. This, of course, was precisely the case, and thus the reason for the name John.
It isn’t the meaning of the name “John” which is so important, then, but the message implied by having any name other than Zacharias which is such an emotional issue.
The word translated astonished is the Greek word thaumazō and it is used by by Luke fourteen (14) times.
It has the sense to MARVEL, to be amazed at an event or occurence.
I know that a few of you here are not basketball fans, but there are several of us that just love it. Especially college basketball. I remember exactly where I was during the 2016 NCAA Championship game. Carolina vs. Vilonova. We just woke up to see Carolina down by 10 or 12 points with about 2 or 3 minutes left. We had resigned ourselves to the fact that this just wasn’t going to be our year. Then Carolina began to fight back…a crescendo was building and we started to get our hopes up that it just might happen. And then, with 4.7 seconds left on the clock Marcus Paige hits a double pump three point shot that will go down in history as one of the most God-guided shots in March Madness history to tie the game. We thought we’d reached the climax because all we had to do is hold them to the tie and we could beat them in overtime because we had the momentum. After all, there was only 4.7 seconds left. Surely, the Hall of fame coach Roy Williams can engineer that? and then Vilanova inbounds the ball, they rush the ball down the court, get the ball into the hands of their best 3 point shooter and he hits a game winner at the buzzer. All you could do is sit there and say…
What just happened!!!!?” THAT DID NOT JUST HAPPEN!!!
WE were amazed at that event that just happened.
This is a picture of the response of their relatives gathered at John’s circumcision.
Zacharias was a descendant of a long list of priests. Elizabeth’s father came from a long list of priests.
Priesting…is what was expected out of any child that came from these two people.
When they both Zacharias and Elizabeth said their child would be named John, Pastor Bob says:
To those relatives gathered there, Elizabeth’s insistence that the boy be named John was to renounce the family, its work, and the carrying on of the priesthood through the next generation.
They were saying to themselves...
What just happened!!!!?” THAT DID NOT JUST HAPPEN!!!
But Zacharias was commanded by God that they name their son John and he wasn’t about to slip up with God again.
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Which brings me to my second point.
2. Obedience to God is superior to obedience to tradition.
There’s nothing wrong with tradition…tradition is not sin.
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In fact, Paul says:
15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.
2 thess 2
1 Cor
2 Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you.
12 For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God.
But no tradition should cause us to disobey the commands of God no matter what the consequences of man are.
But no tradition should cause us to disobey the commands of God no matter what the consequences of man are.
In the pharisees are grumbling at Jesus because His disciples did not follow tradition and Jesus rebukes them saying:
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3 And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
No doubt Zacharias and Elizabeth were holding on to God’s promises when faced with the pressures of man.
SLIDE
Promises like:
6 The Lord is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?
11 In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?
Ps 56:11
Let’s continue to let the crescendo rise.
SLIDE
64 And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God. 65 Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.
63 And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished. 64 And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God. 65 Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him. 67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: 68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, 69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant— 70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old— 71 Salvation from our enemies, And from the hand of all who hate us; 72 To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant, 73 The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, 74 To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days. 76 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways; 77 To give to His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins, 78 Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, 79 To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.” 80 And the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
Luke 1:
64 And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God.
Luke 1:
Ok…I get anxious if I’m kept quiet for 9 minutes much less 9 months.
Ok…I get anxious if I’m kept quiet for 9 minutes much less 9 months.
64 And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God. 65 Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.
Ok…I get anxious if I’m kept quiet for 9 minutes much less 9 months.
Luke 1:65
****START HERE****
Although I don’t have loss of speech, I am familiar with not being able to communicate. There are times that I know I’m speaking Albanian words correctly...but the person just doesn’t understand me.
Sometimes it makes me want to stay locked up in the house.
You don’t even want to try.
Although I don’t have loss of speech, I am familiar with not being able to communicate. There are times that I know I’m speaking the words correctly but the person just doesn’t understand me. Sometimes it makes you want to stay locked up in the house. You don’t even want to try.
Same goes for somebody with no hearing.
I read a comment from somebody that was born deaf who said:
Being deaf is lonely. If your reflex is "everyone feels lonely sometimes," you would be right. But you would also be understating the loneliness we feel.
Deafness means I don't understand anyone. When someone talks at lunch, I want to know what they say. I miss out on the daily conversation, the back-and-forth, the friendships. And the worst part is that I don't have a choice in the matter.
But I couldn’t really grasp this concept of having no hearing what so ever.
But I couldn’t really grasp this concept of having no hearing what so ever. And so it was a little difficult to grasp this moment for Zacharias.
But I couldn’t really grasp this concept of having no hearing what so ever. And so it was a little difficult to grasp this moment for Zacharias.
So I did a search for videos of deaf people hearing for the first time. I found videos of people that have been fitted with Cochlear Implants.
These are devices that are implanted in the head which process sound and send it into the brain. Basically bypassing the dead hearing nerves in the ear.
There’s more to it than that…but let me stay on track.
Every video I watched, whether it was an older adult, young adult or child…almost every person immediately broke down into weeping.
This weeping was out of joy and I can almost picture how many tears Zacharias and Elizabeth were shedding at this moment.
But unlike people born with hearing and speech disabilities, Zacharias’ disability was placed on him as a sign.
And unlike the people born with hearing and speech disabilities, Zacharias began to praise God NOT specifically because the ability to speak and hear returned.
He began to praise God because the returning of those abilities was the fulfillment of what Gabriel prophesied 9 months before.
SLIDE
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.”
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. 14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 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. 16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 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.”
Zac
Everything that Gabriel told him in the Holy Place, Zacharias wasn’t sure could happen…so essentially he said to God’s messenger PROVE IT! Give me a sign!
So Gabriel said…Okayyy suite yourself…you will be unable to speak until this happens. It will be a sign to you when your can talk again that all this is coming true.
Luke 1:13
So now Zacharias can speak again. What does that mean???
It’s happened!!! Its coming true!!!
If we’re not careful, we might think what is coming true is simply a birth of a son.
He would bring
If we’re not careful, we might think the fear and the the talk that spread throughout the Hill Country…look at vss. 65-66
65 Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.
luke 1:
If we’re not careful we might think that this building crescendo is because Zacharias and Elizabeth are having a baby.
Yes…I know this is not the GOOD STUFF that Gabriel told Zacharias in the Holy Place.
If we’re not careful we might think that this building crescendo
Gabriel also told Zacharias he and Elizabeth would finally have a son after 30-40 years of trying, and describes how wonderful he will be.
But it’s not about John.
BUT...Verse 17 is the most important attribute about of this son:
Yes…I know this is not the GOOD STUFF that Gabriel told Zacharias in the Holy Place.
Gabriel also told Zacharias he and Elizabeth would finally have a son after 30-40 years of trying, and describes how wonderful he will be.
BUT...Verse 17 is the most important attribute about of this son:
****this is announcing the Messiah. This is what he’s praising God about. This is what caused the Fear in v. 65 which is actually Awe.
But walk with me for just a moment back to the creation story.
SLIDE
Look back at verse 17
17 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.”
What’s happening here is…
What’s coming true here is the Messiah is coming!
This is why Zacharias began to praise God!
I don’t know about you, but its kinda its hard to really grasp this moment because we have the full canon of God’s word.
We have the full perspective of the entire history of mankind from creation until now…PRAISE GOD for that!!!
But…if we’re not careful…this crescendo will fall flat because we weren’t there.
In fact, one commentator puts it excellently like this:
Whenever we think of Israel's anticipation of the coming Messiah, we do so with about as much zeal and excitement as we would after watching Duke beat Carolina at the buzzer in the Dean Dome.
OK…I changed the quote a little bit for Joan’s sake, but he says
We know who the Israel Messiah is, and thus there is no mystery or suspense about the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy regarding Messiah.
We can just read in the Scriptures and find the answer.
It’s like seeing the score of the Super Bowl 5 minutes before you watch the recording which.....actually happened to me this year but I digress.
Because we have the Scriptures, and already see all the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament, Pastor Bob says:
we fail to appreciate what it must have been like to be an Israelite looking forward to the arrival of Messiah.
He says we were not around to see How, for example, every pregnant Israelite woman would wonder whether or not the child in her womb was a son, and if a son, if he might be the Messiah.
But walk with me for just a moment back to the creation story.
Immediate after the fall God promises the Messiah.
SLIDE
15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”
God promised the Messiah would come through the “seed” of Abraham in .
The sacrificial system in Exodus provides another picture of the Messiah as the Lamb of God.
One commentator says:
SLIDE
Moses was referred to as a prototype of the Messiah:
18 ‘I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.
In the book of Ruth Boaz is understood to be a picture or a type of Messiah in his role as kinsmen redeemer.
In God makes a covenant with David saying that his throne would be an eternal one through the eternal king Messiah.
Another commentator says:
Some of the most beautiful Messianic promises are found in the Psalms.
tells of the Messiah suffering on the Cross.
And that Elijah, Elisha, and Jonah were prophets to the northern kingdom of Israel. In their persons and work, each of these prophets anticipated the coming Messiah.
The coming of the Messiah is the prominent theme throughout the book of Isaiah.
Isaiah tells of how Israel played a harlot towards God and that He will use the nations to punish Israel, but at the end of the day He will send the Messiah and through His suffering He will finally restore them.
While in exile encouraged the nation by speaking comforting words about the Messiah.
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23 “Then I will set over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them; he will feed them himself and be their shepherd. 24 And I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant David will be prince among them; I the Lord have spoken.
Ezek 2
Daniel speaks of the second coming of the Messiah when He will establish His everlasting kingdom.
After the exile, still the Messiah was a prominent theme among the prophets.
SLIDE
Particularly Zechariah:
9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
And last but not least. The last prophet and the last word anyone has heard from God came from the prophet Malachi.
SLIDE
1 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the Lord of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.” 2 “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.
1 “Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of hosts.
1 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the Lord of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.”
This messenger is John
Mal
5 “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. 6 He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.”
;
Malachi 4:
These are the last words of God to anyone for 400 years. The very last words of God was I am going to send you John the Baptist and he will clear the way for the Messiah.
I believe it is interesting that Malachi ends the Old Testament and Matthew begins the New.
****Say a little more about Isaiah and something small about the other prophets and move on.
Because Matthew’s gospel begins with a record of genealogy of the Messiah.
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verse 17 gives us an idea of how long Israel has been anticipating the arrival of Messiah.
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.
That’s 72 generations.
I’m not about to go into a lesson on how many years there are in one generation. I did the research on it and my head was about to explode.
The bottom line, the Bible does not pinpoint a specific number of years for one generation.
So I just thought I’d use my own life to help in factoring the number of years. My son was born when I was 23. He will be married next spring and most likely won’t have a child before he is 27.
That is 2 generations in 50 years. Then 72 generations would be approximately 1800 year.
16 After this, Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons and his grandsons, four generations.
That is a long time Israel has been waiting for the Messiah.
It has been approximately 4000 years since when God promised the Messiah.
It has been approximately 2000 years since God formed the nation of Israel through His covenant with Abraham.
Every father since Abraham has passed down to the next generation the promise of the Messiah.
Zacha
Every generation has been anticipating the Messiah.
Are you beginning to be able to feel what Zacharias is feeling?
If you are, than you are definitely more spiritual than I am. Because its a little hard for me to get my heart around it.
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Which leads me to my final point. One I also discovered in my devotional Behold My God: Rethinking God Biblically
3. A Casual Familiarity with the Scriptures causes us to lose a sense of wonder in God’s word.
Author John Snyder writes:
Imagine a man whose job moves him to one of the most beautiful locations in the country. Each day he wakes up, drives to work and is amazed at the beauty of what he sees. But as the weeks pass into months and years, familiarity with these scenes causes him to lose that sense of wonder. He has become blinded to the beauty that surrounds him.
He says this casual familiarity can
Cause you to miss what God is saying because you mistake a shallow acquaintance with the passages you read for a real knowledge of Jesus.
This
****this is announcing the Messiah. This is what he’s praising God about. This is what caused the Fear in v. 65 which is actually Awe.
This reminds me of the quote I used by pastor J.D. Greear in our very first Sunday together:
it is a felt knowledge of the love of God that we experience deep within our soul. When God grants spiritual sight to us, he takes the doctrines of the gospel we understand with our mind and makes them burst alive with sweetness in our hearts; we come to know them as real, and personal, and felt. You see, IT IS possible, to be around Jesus for a long period of time— maybe a lifetime—and never really know him.”
and the climax of this whole passage starts in verse 67.
The type of knowledge pastor Greear is talking about here is Ginosko.
SLIDE
The exact purpose Luke even wrote this Gospel remember.
4 so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.
Well, I hope that Luke has been able to build up the excitement in you through this passage and you are ready to burst into a study of Zacharias’ song of praise.
Because we have reached the Climatic Point which begins in our next verse.
But just like a good thriller…we will have to wait until next week.
I confess…that it seems like every time I stand before you is confession time for me.
But I confess, that I need to heed these three points that Luke has taught us in this passage.
Intellectually I can see the crescendo building and building and building here in this passage, but my spiritual sight is weakened because
But before we go, I want issue a challenge.
and the climax of this whole passage starts in verse 67.
As you open God’s word this week, constantly consider the following question with every verse you read:
What do I see God revealing of Himself?
And guard yourself from asking:
What do I see Him doing here for me?
****need a final point here…maybe that no matter how low you get, God doesn’t change…God doesn’t break his promises…something like that.
And like a good thriller show…we will have to continue next week.
This whole time, he’s going along with the party. He knows by tradition what is going on. Its the 8th day, family is gathering around,
***PRAY***
How unchangeable is the name agreed given to a child at circumcision? Also notice how they wouldn't accept the name John until Zach said so.