Three Responses to God's Goodness

Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: Luke 1:1–9:50 Summary

Zechariah has learned from his period in silence that God is at work in amazing ways

Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: Luke 1:1–9:50 Summary

The maturing of pious Zechariah’s faith pictures one who struggles to accept what God has promised. Zechariah shows that even the faith of pious people can pause, and then develop added depth

1) All good things come from the Lord ()

a) God does not just give good to the saved, but to all people

c) “for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteousness”

i) God is good to all people

ii) The problem with people so many times is recognizing the goodness of God at work in our lives

2) God’s goodness comes in three forms

a) Sometimes it comes directly to us

b) Sometimes it happens to someone we know

c) Sometimes it comes by way of heartache and trouble

What we must learn to do is recognize the goodness of God not matter how it manifests

When you get to that point, all the goodness of God will be goodness to you

3) The purpose of this sermon today is to help us recognize the goodness of God

a) Your attitude and everything you do in life will be reflected back upon what you think about God

i) How you serve him

ii) How you worship Him

iii) How you follow him

4) There are three different responses to God’s goodness in this passage

a) The question I want you to ask yourself is which one fits you

b) Which one identifies you?

a) 58

#1 THE FIRST GROUP ARE THE REJOICERS (Verse 57-58)

1) They are the first ones to come to you when something good happens to you and praise God with you

They have an eye for recognizing the goodness of God

They see the world from a glass half-full

2) They want to see God at work in your life

They rejoice when you are shown mercy

They rejoice when God blesses you

It makes them happy when good things happen to other people

Every Christian ought to fall into this category

Romans 12:15 NKJV

Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

I) Every Christian should fall under this category

3) An indicator of our spirituality is how we react to God blessing other people

a). We should thank God not just for what he is doing in our lives, but even more so for what He is doing in other people’s lives

Do you want to know how spiritual you are? Are you a rejoicer?

The rejoicer rejoices in all things because he is operating from the overflow in his life

These people don’t have to make an effort to rejoice…it comes natural

b) If God shows mercy to someone we should be the first to rejoice with them

If it upsets you when something good happens to someone then you have a heart problem

i) If it upsets you when something good happens to someone you have a heart problem

If your first reaction is criticism instead of praise then your heart needs some alignment

**SLIDE**

ii) If your first reaction is criticism instead of praise then your heart needs some alignment

4) Godly gratitude is not individualistic, but rejoices in ALL that God is does

God’s work anywhere in any life should bring joy to our hearts.

God’s work anywhere in any life should bring joy to our hearts.

ii) When God blesses someone our first reaction should be to praise Him

When God blesses someone our first reaction should be to praise Him

iii) Praise God that He is working and you are able to witness it

Praise God that He is working and you are able to witness it

And when we learn to be grateful for all that God is doing we are blessed also

iv) And when you praise God like this it will grow you in your faith

LOOK AT VERSE 65

The naming of John shows that he has learned

LOOK AT VERSE 65

Because they rejoiced in what God was doing, they were affected by what God was doing

The heart that is looking for the work of God will be affected by the hand of God.

They didn’t criticize Elizabeth

1) Because they rejoiced in what God was doing, they were affected by what God was doing

1) Because they rejoiced in what God was doing, they were affected by what God was doing

a) The heart that is looking for the work of God so they can rejoice in the things of God will be affected by the hand of God!

They didn’t care that it was her that God was dealing with

i) They didn’t criticize Elizabeth

ii) They didn’t care that it was her that God was dealing with

They rejoiced with Elizabeth because they were able to witness it

iii) They were just happy that God was working and through that they were changed also

2) The realization that God was near produced fear among the people

How were they affected? God produced a fear within the hearts of all those around her

2) The realization that God was near produced fear among the people

Don’t think of fear as a bad thing, a fear of God is a good thing

a) Don’t think of fear as a bad thing, a fear of God is a good thing

We need a holy fear of God in the church today

i) We need a holy fear of God in the church today

“Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all”

ii) “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all”

They did not harden their hearts towards the blessings of God on another person and they experienced the hand of God in their own lives

b) Rejoice with those who are rejoicing and you will see the hand of God.

3) The chances of you experiencing God’s goodness through another person may very well be your test

a) I’d rather rejoice with another and grow from that, than be sent into the fire to get it the hard way

I’d rather grown in my faith by a right response to God blessing another, than I would be sent through the fire to have the impurities burnt off in the fire

Don’t harden your heart towards other peoples blessings

Rejoice with them, and you will be blessed too!

b) Don’t ever think God has let you experience something in someone’s life without reason.

Don’t think God has not put you around that person, to not be changed by what he is doing

i) When Ashley and I was separated, God gave me a godly mother to help me along

Those years Ashley and I were separated were some of the hardest of my life.

ii) I would call her nearly everyday to be encouraged and for uplifting

But God sent me a godly woman to help me along

She stuck by my side year after year until the end

She was my mother

I would call her nearly every night to get encouragement

She would rejoice in my small victories and many a nights she shed tears with me

iii) She wept with me and she rejoiced when I had small victories

I’ll never forget what she told me: “I have grown so much in my faith through this”

iv) I’ll never forget when she told me how much God grew her through that

She wasn’t going through the fire, I was.....But because she was faithful to this command she grew too

#2 The Second Group are the Receivers (Verse 59-60)

Elizabeth was a receiver

1) These are the ones who understand what God gives is for something bigger than themselves

She was faithful to God whether He would bless her or not

She understood that what God had done was something she didn’t deserve

She knew what God had given her was not for herself.

Gabriel came to Zacharias and said they would have a child and to name him John.

2) Gabriel came to Zacharias and said they would have a child

a) Thye prayed for a child day afte day, year after year

They prayed for a child day after day, year after year

This group understands what God gives is for something bigger than themselves

The age of child bearing years had passed them by

b) The age of child bearing passed them by

c) And by the goodness of God they recived a miracle child, but this child came with instructions

And by the goodness of God they recieved a miracle child, but this child came with instructions.

The receiver does not take what God has given them as their own

This group understands what God gives is for something bigger than themselves

This group understands the good things of God are by mercy

a) This group understands the good things of God are by mercy

This group understands the good things of God are by mercy

b) They also understand they do not deserve them

You’ll always spot this person because they do things people wouldn’t expect

i) You’ll always know this group because they do things people wouldn’t expect

They’re the ones who write a $50,000 check to the church wihtout attaching their name to it

ii) This group of people will get a check for 50,000 and turn right around and give it all away

They’re the ones who go and do things with their time that others would not be willing to do

They know that everything has a bigger purpose than themselves

iii) They know that everything has a bigger purpose than themselves so they take what God gives and honor Him with faithfulness

So they take what God gives as a gift and are Faithful to it

2) Gabriel came to Zacharias and said they would have a child

a) Thye prayed for a child day afte day, year after year

God may ask them to give it to someone else.....they are totally fine with that, they never considered theirs to begin with

b) The age of child bearing passed them by

God may ask them to do something radical with it.....they are ready

c) And by the goodness of God they recived a miracle child, but this child came with instructions.

Their key mark is FAITHFUL

3) Elizabeth had a son, and in those days the son was named after the Father

a) The people were going to name the child themselves because they just knew he was going to Zacharias

The people were going to name the child themselves because they just knew he was going to Zacharias

But she did not go with the grain of the world

b) she did not cave to the pressures of the world

She did not cave under pressure

She said NO, he shall be called John!

c) She had an audience of one, and she was there to please God over everyone else

What motivated her was having an audience of one

4) When God shows his mercy towards us, there is always a responsibility on our part to be faithful to him with it

a) The receiver is also the giver

b) God will give and give and give to those who are willing to be faithful of the gift

i) The check for pastor Louis

Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: Luke 1:1–9:50 Summary

The selection of an unusual name for John, which is immediately confirmed by Zechariah, shows that he has learned to trust God and his word. Rather than give the child a traditional name, the name that God chose (1:13) is selected. Instantly, Zechariah regains his speech, a confirmation of his obedient response. The first account closes by reflecting on the events surrounding the entire naming incident and raising the question of who this child is.

#3 THE THIRD GROUP ARE THE LEARNERS (verses 61-63)

This is the group are the ones that have a hard road to walk down

They know Jesus

They have been saved

But over time they have grown cold in their faith...

God gives them things and they lack

Who was Zacharias?

Luke 1:6 NKJV

And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

: “And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamesless”

: “And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamesless”

It doesn’t say they were perfect, it says they were doing what they were supposed to be doing

c) He was not a bad personHe was not an immoral person

He was not a bad person

He was not an immoral person

His problem was he was a faithless person

By Zacharias proclaiming the name John he is pronouncing his faith in God

When Gabriel told him he would have a son, he doubted

Even though he prayed for many years for a son, he didn’t recognize it when he experienced God’s goodness

And God chastised this man for the entire pregnancy during the highlight of his life because he lacked faith

a) Zacharias was a pious man who’s faith had grown cold and now he had to learn a lesson

Zacharias was a pious man who’s faith had grown cold and now he had to learn a lesson

Even though he had prayed many years for one

i) Even though he had prayed many years for one

Do not think because you once walked by faith, you still do

Faith is not stagnant it is dynamic

Though he had been faithful to God for many years, his faith became stagnant

And there are some in here today who are pious individuals with a stagnant faith

They have lost the ability to recognize the goodness of God around them

They have forgotten that everything belongs to the Lord

They have failed to recognize the bigger picture an d therefore they have lost their joy

They no longer walk by faith

And for this purpose these people experience chastisement over and over

ii) He was not able to recognize what God was going to do because of his lack of faith.

But a learner, he learns when God corrects him

iii) For that reason God chastised him and made him both mute and deaf

2) Lets remember who Zacharias was

a) : “And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamesless”

b) it doesn’t say they were perfect

c) it says they were doing all they were supposed to be doing before the eyes of God

Zacharias said, “His name is John!”

3) But even the godly man or woman can lose their faith over time

a) Zacharias was faithful in service, piety, and morals, but when God called him to walk by faith he failed

Immediately his mouth was opened and he praised GOD!!

b) His punishment was to correct him and learn from his mistakes

The learner understands that what God does is not to harm us, but to save us

i) When the people turned to Zacharias hoping he would use some common sense and name the boy by the customs of the world, he began to walk by faith and God healed him

The learner knows that God is good and that he is rekindling that faith that once burned so brightly

God controls everything in every situation

Sometimes God is trying to get our attention for our better good

Zacharias

4) God may put you through the fire but it is not to harm you, it is to restore you

a) God never punishes is for the sake of punishment, it is always to correct us

ii) The wise Christian looks at the chastisement and learns from it

iii) The grateful Christian rejoices that God cares enough to intervene in our lives.

d) God was teaching Zahcarias to walk by faith for his own good

i) Zahcarias recognized this and he praised God!! (Verse 63)

CONCLUSION

1) Which category do you fall in?

Which category do you fall in?

are you a rejoicer?

Every believer should be in this category

i) Every believer should be in this category

We are called to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep

Those whop fall in this category are blessed by others

are you a receiver?

We all want to be here

i) We all want to be here

If you are here then you see what God gives you as still belonging to Him

If so be faithful to what God has given you.

You are faithful to Him over everything else because you serve an audience of one

ii) He that gives can also take away

You are a revolving door of blessings. You get and you give

are you the learner?

i) This is the one who’s faiht has grown cold

This is the one who’s faith has grown cold

He has stopped walking by faith, and is now walking by sight

ii) None of us are as grateful as we should be

iii) None of us praise God enough for what He does everyday of our lives

Heres the key to the whole thing, Recognize the goodness of God and get on board with it!!

iv) We all need improvement in recognizing God’s goodness and letting it impact us.

v) What is God calling you to do today?

If God is teaching you then learn!

1) all three categories require one thing: FAITH

If others are being blessed around you rejoice with them!!

If you are the recipient of God’s blessing, be faithful to it

2) Wihtout Faith we can do nothing.

You cannot do any of these without Jesus

Do you know Him?

3) Taek a step of faith today, and commit whatever it is He is asking for to Him today, and live in gratitude.

He died for you

2000 years ago they hung the Son of God on the cross and three days later He rose from the dead

Him who knew no sin, because sin for us, that we may become sons of God.

Come today and know the goodness of God!

~PRAYER~

The maturing of Zachariah’s faith pictures one who struggles to accept what God has promised

Zechariah shows that even the faith of pious people can pause, and then develop added depth