20071224 Midnight service

24/12/07 23:30

Luke 1:67-79 and Acts 13:16-26

God has a plan of Salvation – what is it? – Is it for? Does it bring?

Introduction (setting the scene)

• Who was Zechariah?
• He was old! (vs 18)
• Wife was Elizabeth who was to have a child in her old age (vs 36). Miraculous concetion.
• He was a priest
• Struck dumb during a period of service
• Named his son John - unusual
• Father of John the Baptist
• Song of prophecy over John, but pointing to Jesus
• Strange that a father seeing his son for the first time would sing the praises of another – But God had a plan of salvation for the world - just goes to show the impact of his vision etc…
• John in a preliminary & Jesus in an ultimate way will be instruments of the end-time outpouring of the tender mercies of God
• Cannot fully understand C’mas if we separate it from Easter. Jesus was born to die = salvation

Salvation – What is it?

• Birth of Jesus shows us once for all that God is not above us,m or against us, but rather among us. God with us, ‘emannuel’.
• Therefore the birth of Jesus is the most extraordinary and important event in history.
• Salvation is not from political/military power, but from spiritual powers.
• True enemies are spiritual foes.
• There cannot be a right relationship between man and God until there has been a repentance of sin.
• If we are concerned with the vital matter of salvation, then there is no evading what seems to bd the exotic items – angels, predictions / prophecies and miracles – all are an integral part of the gospel
• Why? Because it concerns a supernatural breakthrough into our world.
• God has visited his people in the conception of Jesus & John’s birth and will have God visiting people in the birth of jesus.
• An arrival and a hope to come.
• Lk 1:68b – 69a. ‘has come’, ‘has redeemed’, ‘has raised up…’ = happened at conception.
• ‘Horn of salvation’ – explain
• Acts 13:23 Paulk says ‘From this man (David)’s decendants, God has brought to Israel the saviour, Jesus, as he promised

Three:

• Lk 1:74-75 rescued to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness & righteousness…
• The ultimate purpose of God’s salvation is in fact undisturbed worship
• The worshipping community is therefore invited to join their voices with Zechariah’s and Luke’s, to serve God and to live in holiness & righteousness.

Four:

• Acts 13:26 “Brothers, children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.
• Lk 1:77-79 give his people the knowledge of salvation…to shine on those…to guide our feet into the path of peace.
• The promise of salvation & redemption are linked with peace
• The bith of John sets in motion the deliverance of his people through the messianic saviour.

Other:

• Paul in Acts reading hightlights the Jewish confession of faith:
• God is the God of Israel
• God chose the patriachs for himself
• He redeemed his people from Egypt leading them through the desert.
• He gave them the land Palestine as an inheritance.
• God’s choice of David to be king.

• Zexchariah’s blessing located the work of John in reference to both God’s promises to Israel and to the saving work of Jesus (vs 67-79)