Sermon Tone Analysis

Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Are you ready to roll?

United Airlines Flight 93, Sept 11, 2001, fourth of quartet of planes - Are you ready OK let’s roll.

Last words to Jefferson.

Disucssed plan, veered south, descending 9 minutes from whitehouse… If you heard those words - respond?

Well if oblivious, or knew a scufle or paralyzed with fear - probably not.

But if like Todd Beamer - full knowledge of what’s goinog on, not only that discussed with crew and some other passengers .

If just spent 15 mintutes on phone - reciting , in prayer, Lords Prsyer - if made arrangments tealk to my pregant wife - if knwoledge of carnage and dark valley - and then voted - heard the signal Let’s roll.

So it is with those ciritical moments of God’s greatest actions in our lives and in our world, especially of His greatest visitation of sending His Son into our lives!

Event might be planned ready to put in action, it may be that Jesus has come, has performed great actof salvation; but listen, if you don’t have the signal, if you haven’t been tipped off to when and why its going to happen, what is the battle who is the enemey, what needs to be done, what’s my role - the great events may happen but it won’t have changed us, we won’t be involved in it.

And so it is with thousands of those every Christmas - maybe know there was some commotion 2000 years ago, yah Xns bleive Son of God came to earth, how hum - no idea of the plan , the work sent to do, no idea of the imminent danger they are in the enemies that have control of the shipof their plane that’s goign down.

And totday the jetliner of your life my life, cabin lights are ogiong to go off, goign to be chaos and darkness ultimately death, often in this world tragedy.

But unlike Flight 93 and those who heroically gave themselves to prvent further carnage, God has a plan for this tworld through Jesus - going into that tragedy,darkness, and sin suffering and death - to bring us through.

He has not a little salvation here and there workered indesperate situations,but He has the big salvation - eternal salvation - no question that he worked that events - but there remains the question whether you and I are roling with it!

What do I mean?

All through history - God at work - reversing the darkness, death, sin - in relatively speaking little events, even the greaetest of them Exodus, relatively little, local - and with each of those actof salvation - he always sent not jsut the acts of salvation , but also a preparing word, a set of instruction, a game-plan - so that you and I would be ready to role in His great acts of redemption.

So to Israel he says in

That is Word-Act revelation and redemption, Not just the Act but the interpreting Word of God that must go with and explain and invite us into the act.

Astoudning statement - never does naything without the WORD.

Our celebration of the Son of God coming to us, are you just celebrating the act, or do you have the WORD, the prophesy that God uses to prepare you, to enable you to roll with God’s greatest acts?

What would that mean for you and me 2000 years after Jesus came - how have you received God’s signal about Christ, do you know what it means, are you rolling with it?

Key Truth: The Lord gives us time and preparation so we can roll with His greatest visitation!

Key Truth: The Lord grants time and preparation so that we will be prepared to roll with His greatest visitation!

A) Take Time for God to Prepare (Your Hearts for His Personal Entrance into our Lives) - You by the prophetic word

Do you remember taht feeling?

CAn’t wait until it gets here - - aching in heart until its here - big game.

Antsy.

Kid at Christams time - that time of wiaiting, anticipation of the joy - actaully makes the moment that much more sweet.

When I was a kid, downstairs after candlelight service, sunday School children get hot chocoliat and book - peit prins scout - harldly wait - and the achingo f story didn’t have, a gift not yet received - made me want it all the more!

Well, that is the context of our passage - the people of Israel were waiting.

And their was a dark rotten absence in their lives.

God had visited - a number of times Exodus - big word used, , ,

And they remembered that - held dear his miracle salvation sin the past, and the words, the covenant relationships words taht explained his action,

but not permanent, little visits and never fullness of God with them.

And so end of the OT - 400 years of silence, God’s glory left temple, and he was silent.

So many not really rolling with it.

Compared to Mary - Zechariah too at first not really - believing and remembering and having the picture idea - His turn to burn incense - little bit like Eli - sure do the temple rituals, sure throw up prayers to Go, but not really expecting an answer.

Sure he knew that God had promises a future visit, when He himself come down from heaven work a real and full atonement, sure knew promises that Suffering Saviour who would be Son of God Himself.

But unlike Mary who asks not how will this be, how are you going to do, and who responds I am the Lord's maidservant, let it be according to your what WORD!

How did Zechariah reply - not how will do it?

But How shall I know this.

I can’t belive it, holy man, believer, yet unbelief had gripped his heart, and he gives the reason - I’m old and barren and no life, jsut the curse… everything stays the same and I am trapped in this world of suffering.

And God says - Zerchariah for your unbeilef - I am going to do something for you - why don’t you go over there - sit down - but God …no zip it - Zechariah, who has so much to sya in ubleief, who leads the people with words, no more of your talk - Zechariaih you who know the Sicrpture, yet haven’t seen my announcement yet, stop and think.

What would happen to you if tomorrow lost your voice - how would work change, yoru relationships, your prayer life?

It is very interesting that Elizabeth also has this time of reflection on what God is doing giving aged woman a baby who will go before teh Messiah preparing hearts of people for His salvation.

Look what happens to Elizabeth:

And its interesting that Mary who knows she is pregnant by the Holy Spirit with teh very Son of God - what does she do for three months, she leaves home in Nazareth, and she goes with haste - very specific town in the hill country of Judea - no small 100 mile journey.

Not with Joseph, not with immdeidate family, not cointnuing doing work of young Jewish woman.

She takes a time out.

The angel told her Elizabeth herrelative also miraculous important baby.

mary walks through her door, and the baby John leapt for joy in his proximity to the Messiah, And Elizabeth full o the Holy Spiriit - gives Mary a word - mother of my LORD has comeinto my house Blessed are you who blieves the popehtic word and that fulfillment is uopio you!

ANd that’s when Mary proclaims more of God’s paln for tyhe child her song of praise!

Do you see the time to mull over God’s visitation - Son of god in my womb, Elizabeth hidden away mulling it voer - my Son giong to go before the Messiah in teh spiirit of Elijah.

And for Zecharaiah who though an expert in God’s Wrod plagued with this unbelief - what do you think he was thinking of for 9 moths.

What weas he praying?

And then it happens, there’s this exceptional miracles - of the tablet - imagine not even texting - write on little chalk board, Don’t call him family name - John - gift of grace.

And all the neighbours hear of the rumour of angel visits, of two miracle pregancies, the priest struck dumb , the teenage girl and aged mother-to-be prophesying - and now this naming of child -

If that happened next door to you, in the apartment of senior citizen home, that was the talk, or a new girl from up north at school and she’s pregant but… all these otherthings beign said.

Look at the repsonse:

God sends his interpreting word before he acts in your life and in our world.

And witha reverent fear, an awe not that drives us aaway, but fasicnation that draws us closer, lay these words of of god’s signal his plan - where in their hearts.

Literally not side your hearst, but to set upon, Rabbi - why place on heart, not in heart = when hearts breaks these sink into your heart!

And what is it that their hearts and minds are focused on - this child - one born already John, or the one about to be born from Mary?

What is God going to do with this child?

And teh answer that Zechariah gives as the last OT prophesy before the birth of Jesus tells us what Zechariah has been doing the last 9 months off duty as a mute preisn ow at home on disability.

He isn’t thinking about his miracles child, often what parents big concern is.

But pouring over the Scritpures for 9 months, wit these little heads ups - his focus and heart and the first and lion share’s part of this prophesy is about what God in Christ will do, not John!

Dear freinds, five months hidden long time, three months away from home away from fiancee giong to need to lean on long time away.

9 months cut off from conversation - long time.

But 400 years God didn’t converse - and before His gereatest event ever!

But God had said: .

Do you hear taht teh days of Messiah, of the kingdom of rightesounes, are \giong to be kicked off by the Spirit reutning.

You are more familiar with .

Wasn’t jsut fulfilled at Petnecost that was for new believers asa sign that the new kingdom comes to all new believers in Christ, and even ot the nations.

But already here, the age of the Messiah announced to world, with these words that God spoke again - now porphesysing througha teenage girl, aged barren woman and a pirest seeing and hearing the appearanceof an angel and now prophesying in full out OT fulfillment, somoen counted 200.

THis was teh signal that the big new END TIMES had come, God’s people begin to experience the opwer of teh prophets in new ay , when God would do His most powerful acts.

Why Peter says - in this new age of the Messiah, when God’s come in most personal way into our lives, all NT believers are what?

Now of course the Scirputres are full of prophesy and various types of God’s revelation.

But these prohecies not just law, not just small acts of salvation picture gbigger future one, not just words of comfort, but therese are ike that Todd Beamer’s words assessing the big situation, devising a plan, and saying to those around him - ready to roll.

Does God need to strike us dumb, to receive thsee instruction, description, the game plan with Jeuss.

Do ywe need 3 or 5 months of seclusion to quiet ourselves and ready ourselves.

What we use this church season of advent - - may as welll not celebrate Christmas at all if not - receive the prophetic plan that explains, and even releases Christ's kingdom in our lives and prepares us to roll with him.

Holy awe and holy anticipation - who is this child?

and drawn to I wnat to roll with Him!

Zech cound’t have done that without this.

Can tell Mary Eliz a teenageer whose heart cpatured by Hannah’s song -Elizabeth like Corrie Ten Booom life of service - aged woman with Scirutres in her hart.

Neeed Holy Spirit Words - now we have those made more certain inscriputurea\ted, but still Holy Spirit breathed.

Begin this season - would you join with me in reading every week before church.

Would you join with me in memorzing this song Benedictus - words of this prophesy?

Simply ask show me the program!

The next 4 weeks that plan unfolded before us through Zechariah’s song.

But for the conclusion of this introduction into God’s promgram with sending jesus to us, just this one verse that gives us the reason why.

The rest of the verse the how with Christ with john.

But if you have dedcided to give the time fortheHoly SPiriti to speak thiese words, what is the reason for jesus plan!

You can know this by three keys words, Bless, Visit, Redeem!

And we will tackle thjopse in reverse order - why jesus coming to redeem, visit, and restoring our blessing is what the Christmas program, the comiong of Christ is all about!

B.

B. Christmas is All About Redeeming, Visiting, and Blessing!

Now hear is good news.

This world and our lives are really incomplete aren’t they - piant them up nice and rosy - but nothing golden here stays - if we saw the world and our lives the way God does - recognize how broken and full of sin and suffering.