Light in the Darkness

Outline

Intro

favorite gifts

Jesus picture

train set

gifts I snooped at

Transformer slot cars

Zechariah snoops at the GIFTS coming through Christmas

read text

Salvation 1:67-71

Luke 1:67–71 ESV

And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;

Redemption

debt to be paid

Horn of salvation

victory

from our enemies

there is a real enemy with intentions

the debt was not to him

the victory is beyond him

Mercy 1:72-75

Luke 1:72–75 ESV

to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

Promised

this gift has been promised

That we might serve without fear

mercy allows us serve the one we should fear without it

In holiness and righteousness (sanctifying process and positional truth)

We are being made holy

we are already declared righteous

Light 1:76-80

Luke 1:76–80 ESV

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

Prophet going before

John will be a guide leading us toward the light

Not the light, but shining it

John, like us become conduits of that light to lead others

Conclusion 1:80 Birthday is coming...

In February I celebrate my birthday. Christmas comes, but it’s always right around the corner with more gifts to come. Though we celebrate the advent of Jesus Christ at Christmas, the gifts are yet to come.

Embrace the anticipation of Christmas. Keep your eyes on the gift of salvation and mercy

Luke 1:

Luke 1:57–66 ESV

Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.