Advent Characters Elizabeth Luke 1

Luke 1:23-25; 39-45; 57-66

Secular:

Great Expectations

Lady with Cancer
Prayed in her new faith

God would use her
God did

Man with spots on his liver

Tests all said cancer…
Went in for imagining… spots 2x
Came for prayer…
Expected God

Donna Lamont… 1st female graduate of Royal Roads

1st female in a combat role
Severe back pain… many years… bad prognosis
Mary Lance Sisk… came to teach us on prayer
Prayed with Great Expectations

We are supposed to live lives of Great Expectations… God is powerful, merciful…. We need to live a life expecting God to do great things in our midst

Biblical:

Luke 1:23 When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home. 24 After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, 25 "This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favour upon me, to take away my disgrace among men."

Luke 1:39 Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 "And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 44 "For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45 "And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord."

Luke 1:57 Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbours and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her. 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. 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.

Personal:

We often live life as if God were Dead
In our own strength…. According to our own plan
Come on… haven’t we made our faith about us…

How we feel… what we want….
What we can do…. What we need…

Do we live supernaturally?

Do we seek happiness?
Or do we seek joy?
One is pleasure driven…
One is driven by the person, power and presence of God.
Can you imagine a life seeking after God?

Lisa and her “salt” cookies…
Ask the Kids about Great Expectations… (this time of year esp.)

Bridge:

In your life where have you forgotten to expect God?
Often we forget in suffering….
Often in business… or finance…
Often in burdens we carry….
Not easy… it takes faith and trust
God doesn’t always give us “our best”…. What we want…
Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
God always gives us His best…
We need to live a life prepared for God… to receive his truth, his blessing, his strength… his miracles… his power
He is active and involved in the lives of those he loves!!
WE NEED TO LIVE LIVES of GREAT EXPECTATION!
Know… a Life of Praise
Know… Faith
Know… How to live it…

Body:

Great Expectations… Great Praise

Zacharias was serving in the temple…. An angel foretold the birth of his son… a little unprepared he questioned… (not unlike Abraham at the promise of Isaac). He hesitated… God took his voice….
Luke 1:23 When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home. 24 After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, 25 "This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favour upon me, to take away my disgrace among men."
Trusting in God set up the praise…

Not karma
Good fortune
How….”This is how God has dealt with me”
Respond in humility…
Didn’t make it a purely selfish public event…
Waited… went public after there was good evidence (started to show)…. Not her word God’s faithfulness

Great Praise…

In all trials
In all blessing
We can praise…
Remember how this childless couple was described… “They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.”
They lived the reality of God in their lives… expecting God to intervene…. Expecting God to be faithful… God to loving... God to Holy….

This wasn’t one off…. Be nice to God and he’ll be nice to you…. Favour seeking

It was a big deal to be childless

Just like Sarah… long after childbearing years….
God demonstrates his love and power…. (sure she was expecting this earlier… didn’t waiver)
They lived for God… waiting for his answer

Great Expectations…. Life of Praise

Great Expectations…. She Had Faith

Luke 1:39 Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 "And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 44 "For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45 "And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord."
Knew the Word…
Isaiah 9:6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Important for us to know God’s plan and purposes….
Apart from the Word… we miss the normative way God declares himself… it becomes fallible and anchored in us… often only a guess!
The Old Testament gave numerous promises of the Messiah… the King of Kings…
Elizabeth knew what as happening… It was of God…
Luke 1:37 "For nothing will be impossible with God."
We have the Scriptures…. Truth should resonate with us… we should see God in our world…
Things take shape in the light of God’s Word
God’s Word and Spirit were at work.
Spirit testifies to Spirit…
Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,
John and Jesus are connected before birth… (know it is positive because of Word)
And Elizabeth with Mary
Commonality of believers

Ever meet believers…. Elsewhere…camping… mall… holiday?
The bond is Christ!
Communion with Body… communion with God

Apart from Faith…

Cannot see blessing in trial…. Old age… pre-marital
Make no mistake… this is a stretch for Elizabeth… and Mary… Great and confusing…

In spite of Issues….

Great Expectations…. She Had Faith

Great Expectations… Living it

Luke 1:57 Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbours and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her. 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. 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.
This dear senior citizen has just had her baby….
And the neighbours and in-laws show up…. And because Zacharias is mute… they step in to name the baby… after his dad
The angel’s instructions were to name the baby John!
Elizabeth too control… and based on Zacharias request the baby was named John.
How quickly do we forget….
They wanted to change the rules…
How many times has God blessed us… God rescued us… God cared for us…
How many times has he been faithful?
How many times have we wanted to change the baby’s name…
Not living the faith that God calls us to… in spite of what he has done and who he is!
Elizabeth and Zacharias… lived the faith… named him John… and John paved the way for the ministry of Jesus.

Conclusion:

Great Expectations…. Life of Praise

Great Expectations… She Had Faith

Great Expectations… Living it