18_12_16 - 11_00 am Service - EN

Let's open up Revival's to the Book of Psalms.

Will be reading from Psalm 139 verses 13 through 16. We could please stand for the

Once again, we will be reading from Psalm 139. verses 13 through 16

for you formed my inward Parts. You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvelous are your works and that my soul knows very well. My friend was not hidden from you when I was made in secret and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth. Your I saw myself since being yet informed and in your book, they are all they all were written. The day's fashioned for me. When is yet? There was none of them. Great Is The Word of Our Lord may be seated.

Alright, so we are. Going through the Life of Christ.

and

so I'm going to take us on a tangent. We're going to talk about somebody else. Let's go ahead and talk about John. You see John many know many of us knowing that is John the Baptist John. Is an intriguing character an intriguing person and very important in our study of the Life of Christ because he is a major character in The Life of Christ. But I want to take a look at his birth. It's it's an amazing story today. So it's a little bit of a tangent from The Life of Christ considering we have just started studying about the Life of Christ last week, but let's go ahead and take a tangent. And let's go ahead and talk about his cousin John. Alright, so this morning we're going to be working mostly out of the Book of Luke and I hope you'll forgive me. I I I kind of like the way that the the Bible tells the story. So a lot of our morning is going to be spent reading the story itself from The Book of Luke. Alright, Luke chapter 1 go ahead and turn their with me and you can just take a look at this story along with me. Luke chapter and I'm we're going to be starting in verse 5 there was in the days of Herod the King of Judea certain priest named Zacharias. Now, I'm sure a lot of you guys know the story of Zacharias, but please read it with me. It's an amazing story as we look at it. But there was a priest named Zacharias of the division of abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Erin and her name was Elizabeth and they were both righteous before God. Walking in all the Commandments in ordinances of the Lord blameless, but they had no child because Elizabeth was Barren and they were both well advanced in years. Keep in mind in that time in that time. Culturally it was a bad thing to be Barren as a married woman. If you were not able to have children you were considered cursed by God or at least not blessed will put it that way by God. And so the idea of a woman who is well-documented and considered righteous before God and yet Barron was very hard on these people culturally this couple Zacharias and Elizabeth. And yet they continue to serve God in the in the family in the order of abijah in the division of abijah Zacharias served within the priesthood in Israel. All right, you guys are on board with me. You know how we're going so far? Okay verse 8. So it was that while Zacharias 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. In the whole multitude of the people with praying outside at the hour of incense. Now keep in mind what happens when priests go into the Temple of the Lord the presence of the Lord now, they were held to a very specific standard and traditionally God's method of punishing going outside of the traditions of how do the incense of how to do the sacrifices was to kill the priest. Now that's that's pretty terrible. As in very strong method of punishment, I would say. But the purpose was that God wanted to make sure that these that the Israelites understood the severity and the preciousness of entering into the Lord's Prayer presence and it was Zacharias is turn to go into God's presence into the into the Temple of the Lord to burn incense for him. And now he went in to burn incense at the temple next to the Altar and all the people were outside waiting now, they all stay outside waiting and praying. prostrating themselves before God while he's in the temple while the priest is in the temple offering incense for them and when Zacharias He was inside the temple. And whole multitude of the people was praying outside of the hour of incense verse 11. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him. To Zacharias standing on the right side of the altar of incense now, I don't know about you. But Zacharias was pretty surprised at this particular moment that an angel would appear inside the temple at the right hand of the altar of incense at the altar. And it says so and when Zechariah son he was he was troubled it says now that's a really soft way of putting it was freaked out would be my translation Zacharias was troubled and fear fell upon him. Zacharias was a little bit freaked out by this Angel appearing in the temple when he's supposed to be alone offering incense to God. But the angel said to him don't be afraid Zacharias. Now. Why do they always start with that?

Don't don't don't be afraid. Okay. Well too late.

Yeah. Don't Be Afraid Zacharias For your prayer is hurt. That's interesting. You see Zacharias was going in to offer incense to God and that that part. Of the sacrificial system was he was offering a sweet-smelling Aroma before God to help cover for the stench of the sinfulness of the people. That's that's the the picture that is being painted by the sacrificial system at this point. And Zacharias goes in helping to cover the stench of the sinfulness of the people and God says, don't worry. I'm answering your prayer. Don't Be Afraid Zacharias, I'm entering your prayer that prayer of your heart is being answered. I've heard your prayer and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you shall call his name John.

Okay. Couple things first off God is telling him an awesome and amazing bit of news. He's telling him you're going to have a baby boy. It's going to be your first born a culturally speaking for you is the most important kid in the world. First born son you're getting him. Congratulations. God has heard your prayer. Isn't that awesome by the way, you're going to have to name him John. Okay, first off, it's really plain name. My middle name is John now you guys know my secret but

it's a really plain name, but culturally all all once again culturally speaking. To name your son your especially your first born son something other than your own name or the name of your father or your grandfather. Was as though you were kicking him out of the lineage of your family.

You're taking away the heritage of the names of the most important people in your family when you name your son something outside of your family name. Saudi regular expectation would be the decorous would name his son Zacharias why to give him the heritage of his father? To bestow on him as first born son. the heritage of his family and the responsibility of burying his family into the future generation. And God said I am going to give you a first born son, but we're not even going to consider him a part of your family with his name. His name is going to be John something that nobody in your family has as we'll find out later in the story.

Now this is very abnormal, but it's also interesting to note. The amazing way that God works. The amazing way that God.

shows himself to be faithful You see the the name John?

As you guys can see on the screen means Jehovah is a gracious Giver.

Jehovah God is a gracious Giver.

a consistent Giver

God is faithful in other words. He gives Faithfully he gives continuously he gives graciously. He gives without thought of recompense.

He's faithful in and of himself. and John not even having been conceived yet. Is already being given a name which tells people right away what his message is what is messages for the rest of his life. But let's go ahead and take a look at what the angel says Don't Be Afraid Zacharias your prayers heard your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you shall call his name John and you you're going to have joy and gladness. And many are going to Rejoice at his birth for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He'll drink neither wine nor strong drink. He'll also be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb and he will turn away and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. You also go before him in the spirit and the 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. Now that is amazing to me.

That God would take a person before they were even conceived and set them aside for such an amazing task.

He says that these people. KUSI John who listen to his message who see his life who even hear his name? Are going to be turned back to God.

That they are going to be made ready, but they are going to be prepared for God now that is an amazing purpose for John. He is supposed to come into the world and become this guy who's going to prepare the way for the coming Messiah. Now that is a very important piece of history. That is a very important role in the coming of the Messiah wouldn't you say?

And John was given this task before he was even conceived and Zacharias said to the angel. Are you sure?

He said how shall I know this?

I'm an old man my wife while she's well advanced in years to. You know cuz they weren't allowed to say the age of the women then either, right? I'm old she's well-advanced.

How is this going to happen God?

And the angel answered and said to him I am Gabriel. Who stands in the presence of God and I was sent to you to bring you these Glad Tidings, but behold you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place. Why because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.

People we're outside waiting for Zacharias. And he was in there a long time.

Now going back. Remember how God kills off the ones who don't please him. Well, they started to wonder what's going on in there. Do we have to get a new priest? What did Zacharias do wrong? and he was in there a long time in the people waited outside for zachariason Marvel that he lingered so long in the temple, but when he came out He couldn't speak to them. You cannot speak to them and I perceive that he had seen a vision in the temple for he back into them and he remained speechless and so it was as soon as the days of his service were completed that he departed to his own house not after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived and she hid herself 5 months saying bless. The Lord has dealt with me in the days when you looked on me to take away my reproach among the people.

And once again, we have an amazing story. And by the way, if you're reading this story with me, you might notice a few parallels between zacharias's story and Abraham story. Even in the way he responded.

It's interesting to me.

The God would work.

In these people's lives in such an amazing way.

Jehovah is a gracious Giver. we have

we have a problem.

All of us that I want to talk about this morning.

You see we tend to have fear in our hearts. I fear.

I fear about myself I fear about. What I'm going to do in the future, I fear about what I have how I'm going to provide for my family. I fear about how to do things, right?

and so do you

these are normal fears that we just have in our hearts as human beings.

so I want to remind you.

God Is faithful to provide for us. Have you have you seen in the Bible how God takes care of the people? How God provides for people how not only does he provide for people he plans for people's future. You see John wasn't even conceived. He was only promised and God had already planned out his life.

Got it already planned out and told other people what John was going to do with his life. Now that tells me that God sure knows a whole lot more than I do. It tells me that God knows a whole lot more about me than I do and about my future. He knows a whole lot more about my family than I do. He knows a whole lot more about my job and my own well-being than I know. In fact, not only does he know about our future he knows so much about us. It's such a deep and intense level.

That he plans out our paths.

Keep plans for us.

And we seen in the Bible also that that God knew us before we even knew ourselves. There's several verses that talk about this. Let's go ahead and take a look. Once again, it's Psalm 139 you remember we just read this sum 139 talks about this and it says in verse 13 for you formed my inward Parts. You covered me in my mother's womb. and skipping forward

2 vs 16 your eyes saw my substance. Being informed and in your book they were all written the day's fashioned for me. When is yet there were none of them.

That is amazing to me. You mean that God before I was born. He already had written out everything in my life.

Well, that is amazing to me. the gods with no me and know everything about me so much that he knows everything that I will do.

and yet

God also gave us. This wonderful and amazing responsibility.

And we often call it free will.

See God also gave us the ability to make our own decisions the responsibility to make our own decisions. And we bear the consequences of our own decisions keep the first people who got that whole wonderful gift and responsibilities were Adam and Eve in the garden when God made them. He created them with the ability to make their own decisions and to choose their own way whether it was for him or against him.

And by the way, in case you forgot the story they chose against God. and they bore the consequences of their decision as do we all we all bear the consequences of the decisions that we make why because God gave us the responsibility and the ability to make our own decisions. Now it twists my head around to think that somehow God knows everything about me and yet I'm still the one making the decisions. He knows everything that I ever will do and yet somehow it's still me making the decisions. in my head That's all topsy-turvy flipped around doesn't make sense and yet it's true. That it is my responsibility. It is your responsibility to make decisions. To choose what you will do with your life and God will bear you responsible for those decisions and give you the consequences or allow you to experience the consequences of those decisions.

And yet he knows everything about you.

God also promises that his ways are higher since his ways are higher than our ways his thoughts are higher than our thoughts. he has plans for us. He also promises that his plans will never fail.

if God's plans never fail

Then how is it?

But he can allow me to choose against him.

If he tells me to do something. If he tells me to serve him in a particular way, how is it that his plans can be accomplished. Even if I disobey him.

In fact, why did he even ask me if you knew I was going to disobey.

There's so many questions. And yet when we look back at the Bible we see not only has God made promises about being faithful to complete his promises to see his promises through to the end and to see that they are accomplished he not only gives that promise to us he also gives and demonstrates that he is faithful do you guys remember how the Israelites when God took them out of the land of Egypt he took them safely across the desert and the whole way he promised them I will bring you to a Promised Land I promise you this land and it will be amazing and I will provide for you in every way to get you there. And once you get there, I will provide for you in every way and you will be a blessed people serving me and you will be an amazing Beacon of truth and light to the world about me and God told them come come to the promised land and they followed him all the way to the border of the promised land they followed in. and then they got there to the border the promised land and if they looked over the land they said he looks great but There's some scary people over there. I don't want to go. There's Giants over there that's dangerous land over there. We're not going. Sorry. God promised us this land, but now we're not going sorry. Is that mean that God's promise failed at that moment?

Because God turned them around and back into the desert and he said okay go die in the desert then and they did.

They went out into the desert and they died. And he brought their children to the promised land and he brought him to the bordering said this is the land of promise you. And they said, okay. We'll go. We remember what's what happened to our parents will go. You see God's trumpets.

was fulfilled and if a person you or me fails to obey his voice

His promise we'll still be fulfilled.

He gave you the responsibility he gave me the responsibility. To choose to obey his voice.

If we fail in that responsibility God will still be faithful. Why because God is always faithful. He is a gracious Giver.

He used in such amazing ways. Many people don't follow God's will for their lives what God asks them to do. They won't do because they say well, that's just not me God. That's not what I do. That's not my thing.

You see I'm good at doing this God. I'm not good at doing that. That's not my gift. Don't don't tell me to do that. Why because I know and I can do this.

So don't tell me about that.

And as Christians all too often, this is the scenario of our life. Is that God confronts us with a situation and we say I'm sorry, but I can't do that. I'll go back and find somebody else who's willing. I'll help you out. I'll do some of the legwork and help you find somebody who is willing to do that, but I'm not I'm not your guy God.

Will God still accomplish his purposes? Yes.

But what about you?

As a Christian as a Believer as a follower and disciple of Christ. What about you?

Our purpose in this world is to follow the will of God to accomplish his goals in the world to bring the gospel to All Nations.

And yet when we refuse

Or when we are confronted.

With God telling us here's something that needs done.

We step back and say well. I'll pray that somebody does it.

I'm sorry that this message is so confrontational guys.

But we need to step forward. Zacharias

When he was confronted by God. And he was told this person is going to come from you this this this person who is supposed to deliver this message. It's going to come from you you and your wife are going to conceive a child and Zacharias.

Don't you know anything about biology God does just doesn't work that way. How is that going to happen?

And God's response was I guess you're just not going to have anything to say about anything then are you cuz I'm going to do it whether you like it or not. Whether you are capable to accomplish the task or not. I am going to accomplish it anyways. why because the power behind God accomplishing his will does not lie in you and it lie in me. My abilities are not what makes God's will happen. Neither are yours?

God gives you a task and he is the one who is faithful to accomplish that task through you. It's his capable will and nature that works through you and accomplishes his purposes. Doesn't matter whether you have the gift of accomplishing that task doesn't matter if you have that that skill set. Why because God is the one Faithfully working through you, but it's him. Not you. Just as Zechariah and Elizabeth were unable in their own strength and in their own capability, they were completely unable.

produce a child

God stepped in and he said well because I am going to accomplish my purposes. I am going to provide you with a child.

Doesn't matter that you are incapable of it.

If he can produce a child a person. To accomplish his will don't you think that he could give you a skill? to accomplish his will

Don't you think that you could give you the words to speak? if you needs you to

don't you think that he could provide you with the patients that you need? If he needs it from you.

God is the one working through us just as you worked through Zacharias just as he worked through Abraham just as he worked through Isaac and Jacob and all their children. Just as he worked in all history time and time again. He provided why because humans were unable to accomplish his purposes. We are not able to do what he needs done not in our own strength not in our own power and so he empowers us is the one who gives us strength patients power. Joy graciousness

He is the one who gives us the ability to accomplish his purposes. And yet he asks one thing from you. Is he he gave you the free will to choose to obey him?

And he says here's the situation. Will you do it? Will you trust me enough? To let me do this through you.

Now this point the question comes into mine will when do I know that God is asking me to do something.

It starts with Prayer by the way.

Most amazing prayer that you can offer to God is please show me how I can serve you.

God I put my faith in you would you show me how I can help show me where I need to be? If I can't go there, can you bring it to me so that I can help?

There's a fun kids song. I Wish Lana was in here cuz she's she knows the words a whole lot better than I do.

but the song has a chorus in it that says just let me serve you. And I'll be happy.

Just let me serve you.

The song goes on but it is an amazing reminder to me. Are you a servant?

And I know we hate the phrase, but do you have a servant's heart?

Is your heart broken?

for the desires of God

Are you willing to put yourself into the line of fire? Are you willing? Subject yourself to whatever God has in store for you.

There is a good verse that I want us to take a look at that two of them to go first to Romans 12.

Romans in chapter 12 verse 2 In fact, I'm going to read verses 1 and 2. I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God. That you present your bodies a Living Sacrifice.

Holy acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

And don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove. What is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. And again in 1st Peter.

in 1st Peter chapter one

1st Peter chapter 1

versus XIII + 14

therefore gird up the loins of your mind be sober and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ as obedient children. Not conforming yourselves to the former lusts is in your ignorance. But as he who called you is Holy you also be holy in all your contact cuz it's written be holy for I am Holy.

Would you submit yourselves to God this morning, please?

Set yourselves.

Towards the will of God.

He's already shown himself to be faithful and he will show himself again to be faithful. through your life

Let's go ahead and pray. Dear Lord, I Thank you so much for the morning beautiful and amazing way that you gave yourself for our sake.

Thank you for the wonderful promises that you've given us that we can look at your word and know that you are faithful to give everything that we need everything that we've ever needed. You can provide.

Lord I pray that our hearts and our minds would be set on eternal life with you. these things that we experience from