He Looked with Favor

Book Context: Luke wrote the Gospel of Luke. He wrote these things to make sure that we might be certain about the things that have been written about Jesus.

Prior Context: Luke’s introduction gives Theophilus and us a great certainty that the things we will read are true and sought for carefully.

M.O.T: Evangelistic

C.I.T: God chose Elizabeth to bear John to prepare the way for Jesus, it was through his power and promise.

Thesis: Just as God had looked with favor and removed Elizabeth’s disgrace, so has God looked with favor on us through his Son to take away our shame.

“He looked with Favor”

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Introduction:

1. Have you ever seen something in a different way then everyone else? Have you ever seen a sunset, or a cloud that is shaped like something you know? And you try to explain it to people or tell them to look, but they can’t see it. Maybe you have something? An item maybe that you found, or you bought, that people don’t care for much because you see something they don’t. For example, Hayley and I didn’t go to the same college when we were freshmen starting out, she stayed home in Texas and I went to a Bible College in Missouri. We were dating at this point and I knew I was going to marry her, so it was hard to be away from each other. Every night we would call on the phone and talk to one another, and I had this special room with a coke machine in it that I would go to where no one would bother us. This coke machine was weird, everything cost 1.25. What machine cost a 1.25? Anyway, I would say something every time we were on the phone about this machine. Like, “I wish I brought money I kind of want a coke right now”. I think at one point I also said, I have a dollar, but I don’t have a quarter, AH! I really want one. Hayley kept hearing me say that and one day I got in the mail a letter from her. She put in that letter a dollar bill and a quarter for a drink for me. I never bought I drink, but I kept that dollar and quarter, I still have the dollar today. Not sure where the quarter went lol. But most people wouldn’t see any significance in that dollar, they would spend it in a heartbeat. I won’t because I know who it came from during the time when we were apart and so I see value in it where others don’t. Do you have something like that? The fact is God is faithful no matter what, he will always accomplish what he seeks out to accomplish. He is faithful and gave us favor when we did nothing to deserve it.

Fact #1 True salvation leads to righteous living

1. Luke starts out by telling us when this took place, in the life of King Herod of Judea. The end of his reign was around the first couple years of Jesus’ life. Luke then introduces us to this couple who will have a child that will be the forerunner or announcer of Jesus Christ the Messiah. Now we know that Zechariah is the Father of John the Baptist and Elizabeth is John’s mother. Now they are both very old and well along in years it said at the end of verse 7. But the Bible tells us that they are righteous and live righteously in verse 6. What does it mean to be righteous? (Ask Teens)

2. Being righteous means to have a right standing with God, that before him you are clean and without sin. Both Elizabeth and Zechariah were righteous before God, declared clean without fault or sin. The only way someone can be made clean and declared righteous is if Jesus’ righteousness is credited to their account. Meaning, you cannot become clean and forgiven if you do not believe and trust in Jesus as your savior resulting in a turning from sin and complete surrender towards God. They were looking forward to a savior, this is what he was praying for in verse 13 when the angel appeared to him, that’s why Gabriel says, “your prayers have been heard”. Let me make this clear, the only way for you and I to be forgiven and have a right standing before God is to repent and trust in Jesus Christ! Why? Because Jesus is the one who lived a perfect life and died on the cross for our sins as our substitute so that we could be seen as if we lived the life he lived. And trusting in Jesus to become righteous always leads to right living. It says they were “righteous in God’s sight” living without blame according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord”. They were righteous in God’s sight, therefore it led to them living righteously. If you are living in sin and there is no fruit of living righteously, then I have to ask you are you righteous in God’ sight by trusting in Jesus to be saved?

3. This righteousness done not come from:

a. Being baptized

b. Being a good moral person

c. Going to Church

d. Being honest

e. Paying Taxes

f. Not hurting anyone

g. Suffering

4. Nothing you can do makes you righteous and forgiven, only by seeing yourself as a wicked sinner and begging God for mercy in Jesus. It is by God’s grace alone that you can be saved through faith in Jesus. But faith always leads to practice, meaning right living. If you’re not living right, then you need to ask yourself, am I saved? Now in that culture it was a shame to not have a baby, many people thought it was punishment for sin and God declared you unworthy to have a child. But here even it difficult circumstances in life where everyone thought they were guilty of some sin which is why God hadn’t given them a baby, both Zechariah and Elizabeth are said to be righteous in God’s sight. There weren’t being punished for sin, God was planning to do something amazing which is why she didn’t have kids yet. Christians will go through hard times, but if we have Christ, we are righteous in his sight.

5. So you’ve got these two old people, two old Christians. And Zechariah was on priestly duty serving at the temple because it was his turn that he was assigned. They cast lots as according to Aaron and the lots determined that Zechariah was to go in to the holy of holies. This was a great once in a lifetime opportunity. Here’s how it would happen. Zacharias would offer a burnt offering, sin offering, go by the brazen laver and wash his hands and feet. He along with two other priests would go into the holy place, one priest would remove the ashes from the golden altar, the other priest would put fresh red-hot coals in the golden altar; and then they would back out, leaving Zacharias there alone. He would sprinkle the incense on the coals of the golden altar; and as the aroma went up before God, he would offer prayers for the nation of Israel, praying for God to send the Messiah, deliver, and rescue Israel from their enemies. So there Zechariah is and they both teach us that true salvation leads to righteous living.

Fact #2 God is Faithful

1. The angel appears to Zechariah while he is in the Holy of Holies at the golden altar. He tells him not to be afraid. This is a little side note, anyone who tells you they have seen God or encounter an angel do not believe them. Every instance in the Bible when someone encounters an angel, they are terrified because of them, to the point of dying. Some instances they want to fall down and worship them because they think they are God. And when people encounter God their reaction is complete undoneness. Like Isaiah who saw God and his response was “woe is me”.

2. Gabriel tells Zechariah that his prayer has been heard. What prayer? His prayer for the savior, or his prayer for a child. Either way Gabriel is telling him listen I have good news! This good news is that a child will be born to Elizabeth and he is the promised forerunner to announce and prepare the way for people to believe on Jesus. He is not the savior; he was like Paul Revere. The guy who announced, “the British are coming!” John announced the Messiah is coming, prepare the way and repent and trust in him. This is the boy that was to be born of Elizabeth and Zechariah. The angel says he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth and will never drink wine or beer. He will be totally dedicated to the Lord. His purpose is to turn other hearts towards Jesus. Why is this so important though? Because it was prophesied about hundreds of years earlier, this shows us God’s faithfulness! This is great news, because that means the Messiah is almost here! God is faithful and will accomplish whether we believe or not.

3. God will accomplish his promises with or without you. Here is the truth, if you believe on Jesus, God will be faithful and keep his promise to save you and you will spend eternity with him forever because you have believed on Jesus for your complete forgiveness of sins. But if you push it off, thinking I’ll trust in Jesus one day, and you die in your sins. God will be faithful to punish you in hell forever. Don’t think that God will grant you a pass because you are in Church, or prayed a prayer, or whatever. God is faithful to save, but he is also faithful to punish sinners. Did you know that most people in this world will go to Hell? makes that clear that the road to hell is huge and wide and it is easier to find and walk and many are going there. But the road to salvation is narrow and small, hard to walk and only few will be saved. You must surrender to God, turning from you sin no matter what the cost and trusting in Jesus. You will demonstrate that you have trusted in Jesus if your life begins to show fruit in holiness and a love for God’s Word and to obey it. I didn’t say obeying that saves you, but you will show that you are saved and have trusted in Christ when you do believe it. But know this God is faithful, he promised a forerunner and allowed an old woman to give birth to him. He promised a savior from a virgin and that’s exactly what happened. No matter what is going on, God is faithful.

4. Think about this, this was during the time of King Herod. Herod was one of the most wicked kings ever. He was from the family of Esau; he had gained his position by treachery and murder. He was suspicious, evil and cruel; and he would keep his throne no matter what he had to do. He had his favorite wife killed, his mother-in-law, he had his brother drowned at a swimming party, and he killed 3 of his 12 sons. It was said, it was far safer to be Herod’s pig, then Herod’s son. He would have all the babies two years old and under killed in Bethlehem, because he heard that the king of the Jews was born. He was evil and wicked. But God still accomplished his plan and brought a savior named Jesus, the Son of God. He brought the forerunner John. The one who said, “he must increase but I must decrease”. This was John the one who called out kings, and pharisees, preaching the truth of God. He was great because he lived for Jesus.

Fact #3 God looks at us with Favor

1. Zechariah did not believe it was true. And because of that he was told by Gabriel that he won’t speak until the child is born because he doubted the Word of God. The reality is it doesn’t matter what you believe is true or not true, the question is, is it true?! You see you may not believe that God is real, but it doesn’t matter what you believe, he is Real. You may not believe that God would send people to hell, you may doubt that. But it doesn’t matter what you believe, God is going to send people to Hell because they deserve it. It doesn’t matter if you doubt God is working, he is always working. Can you imagine seeing and hearing what Zechariah heard and he can’t tell anyone, not even his wife for 9 months. That must have been so hard, but doubt robs you of many things. It takes away your joy.

2. He comes out and everyone realizes he can’t speak. I mean this guy walked in able to speak, but walked out as a mime. He had to use motions to communicate, because God had shut his mouth. Doubt causes our mouth to be shut, if you doubt what Jesus has done what makes you think you will tell others about him? When his ministry was done, his priestly duty, he left and went home. Only to not be able to talk to his wife, still contemplating all these things he saw in the temple at the altar.

3. It says his wife conceived meaning she got pregnant. Just as God had said through the Angel. And She responds saying the Lord taken away my disgrace among the people. What is she saying? In that culture as I said earlier, it was viewed as shameful to not have kids. It was thought you were being punished by God. Imagine when she was younger and married, people would ask her, when will you have kids? But she never could, that must be embarrassing, heart breaking, and sorrowful. But God had a plan and he took away her shame among the people, by providing a Son to her. Why? Because he looked on her with favor, not because of what she had done, but because God was kind.

You and I have shame this evening, it is our sin. We are shameful and disgraceful before God. And we have no hope in fixing ourselves. Think about it, could Elizabeth make herself pregnant? No! Just like you and I can even make our brain tell our heart to beat or stop beating. She needed a miracle, and only God can give those. Our sin needs to be covered and removed. What has God done for us to take away our disgrace like Elizabeth? Jesus Christ. He has looked on you with favor this evening to allow you to hear this truth about Jesus, will you trust in Jesus today and have you shame, and guilt removed. To be righteous before God. Did you know that like Elizabeth said, “the Lord has done this for me”, that the Lord has done something for you? He has paid for all your sins, all of them! Not some of them, not 95 percent and you can take care of the other 5% no! You couldn’t take care of it anyway; He has to pay for all of it 100%. And you can be forgiven today, all of your sins washed away by Jesus if you turn from them, apologize to God and ask for his forgiveness in faith. Don’t forget, no matter what is going on God is faithful.