Luke 1:5-25 - God’s Eternal, Everyday Work

Are there times in your walk with God where you feel as though what you are personally going through is completely disconnected and unrelated to God’s work in the world? Do you think that your pain and grief, frustrations and difficulties, joys and triumphs, exist in one sphere while God accomplishes His eternal purposes in another?

In our passage today from Luke’s gospel, we see the fact that God works out His eternal purposes through the everyday lives of people, His people in particular.

Luke 1:5-25 - Read the Text

Luke 1:5-7

Luke begins the gospel following his prologue by setting the historical context for the events he is about to describe. “In the days of Herod King of Judea.” Herod was the Jewish ruler from 37-4 B.C.

One thing that is important for us to take note of throughout Luke’s gospel is his concern for accurate historical representation. He was writing his gospel to provide certainty for his readers concerning the reality of things that others had taught them about Jesus.

Luke’s narrative account begins with a look at Zechariah and Elizabeth. What was significant about their lineage? They were both born into priestly lines. How does Luke describe their character? They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. They had a righteous that conformed to God’s law. They were righteous in the pre-cross sense of being observers of the law of God, including the cultic system of worship, cleanliness, and sacrifice.

After describing Zechariah and Elizabeth, Luke introduces a problem. What is the problem for these righteous, godly Israelites? They are without child. Elizabeth is barren. And they are such in their age that having a child at this point is unlikely.

The reader of this text may have wondered why this couple was without child. Clearly, it was not a result of sin based upon Luke’s description of them. So, why were they barren up to this point? Because God is about to display His glory through them. Can you think of other examples of barrenness in the OT through which God worked miraculously on behalf of His people? Sarah (Gen. 18:11), the mother of Samson (Judg. 13:2, 5), Hannah (1 Sam. 1:5-6). God has demonstrated at other times, that this is one of the ways that He works. What we are about to see is God Himself entering into the everyday lives of His people to accomplish His eternal work through them. Luke has set the stage for us.

Luke 1:8-10

In verses 8-10, Luke gives the cultic setting for God’s announcement to Zechariah. Zechariah was one of roughly 18,000 priests in Israel at this time and would have been serving one of his two weeks of annual temple service. Because of the great number of priests, lots were cast in order to determine who would go into the Holy Place to offer the incense, and a priest would only be chosen for this privilege once.

What is significant about Zechariah’s being chosen by the casting of lots? It is seemingly random that he is serving at this time. If the lots had simply fallen another way, he would not have been here at this time. But God has him there at exactly the right time to accomplish His purpose for him.

What did the incense in the OT sacrificial system symbolize? It symbolized intercessory prayer rising on behalf of the people of Israel. So, Zechariah is offering the symbolic intercessory prayers, while the people of Israel are also gathered at the temple praying. It is at this moment of prayer, that God enters the scene through an angelic messenger.

Luke 1:11-17

The angel appears to Zechariah and causes him great fear! What does Zechariah’s fear tell you about his expectation of seeing an angel? It was unexpected and not an everyday occurence. We sometimes get the idea that everyone who lived in the Old and New Testament times constantly experienced the supernatural in visible ways, such that it was just normal to them. Angelic appearances and miracles were still MIRACULOUS. The faithful men and women in the Scriptures lived everyday lives that were characterized by many of the same things that ours are today.

So, the angel responds to Zechariah’s fear with an assuring “Do not be afraid.” Why should Zechariah not fear? God has heard his prayer and will give him and his wife a son, whom he is to name John. More than that, this son will be a source of joy and gladness for Zechariah himself, but also he will be the source of rejoicing for many others! What do you think was the content of Zechariah’s prayer that the Lord has heard? It most certainly included a request for a child, but also may have included the request for the salvation of Israel. Darrell Bock summarized God’s response to Zechariah’s prayer this way: “In fact, God was tackling two problems at once. He was dealing with something absent from Zechariah’s personal life, while dealing with Israel’s prayer and plea. God’s answers sometimes come at a surprising time, in a surprising place, and in a surprising way.”

Although Zechariah and Elizabeth had been suffering with their childlessness for what had to have been a long time given their age (you can see her pain in vs. 25), God did not answer their prayer until this moment. However, in answering their prayer for a child, He was also answering the prayers of His people for hundreds, even thousands, of years for salvation. God is working His eternal purpose through answering the everyday prayers of Zechariah and Elizabeth. And so, they will find joy and gladness in the birth of their son, but so will many.

Why according to verses 15-17 will the birth of this son be a cause of rejoicing for many people? He will be great before the Lord in that he will serve in the role of a prophet, declaring the Word of God to turn many people from their sins back to the Lord, reconcile relationships among people, and bring them out of foolish into the wisdom of the just. In sum, he is going to be the means of making ready a people prepared for the Lord.

The descriptions in vs. 15 indicate John’s role as a prophet. His disciplined life beyond what is required of others in Israel, as well as the unique filling of the Spirit indicates a special work that God is going to accomplish through him as a prophet. But let’s pause for a moment and look at the first part of vs. 15 where Luke writes that “he will be great before the Lord.” What strikes you as important in that statement? John’s greatness is evaluated as greatness “before the Lord.” As Bock wrote, “John is great in God’s judgment because John lives to serve Him.” This prophecy concerning John’s life provides a positive example for us as well. True greatness is only evaluated before God, not before the world. This ought to be our desire and prayer as followers of Jesus. We ought not run after those things that the world sets forth as “greatness” and “success.”

What are some of the things that we are tempted to go after in order to be considered as great before the eyes of the world? Riches!!! Status or position. Social influence. Material possessions. Picture perfect family. Politically correct (note that knife can cut both ways-there is a temptation to say what our peers will like regardless of which camp we fall into). In contrast to all of these things, we, like John, want to be “great before the Lord.”

Luke continues to describe John’s role in vs. 16-17. What about John’s role do these verses indicate? John’s ministry will bring about the repentance of many in Israel which is indicated by the word “turn.” The people of Israel needed to be turned to the Lord. Turning was a common OT metaphor for repentance. (Deut. 30:2; Hos. 3:5; 7:10). Turning also describes conversion in the NT (Acts 9:35; 2 Cor. 3:16; 1 Pet. 2:25). John’s role as a prophet was in the same vein as the OT prophets who called God’s people back to live as the people who they were. They had been delivered and called and needed to live out their identity in righteousness and justice.

What is the significance of John going before the Lord “in the spirit and power of Elijah?” Turn to Malachi 3:1; 4:5-6. John is fulfilling OT prophecy as the forerunner of God Himself. Also, his ministry is going to be characterized by power like Elijah’s was. Question: Was Elijah’s ministry characterized by the miraculous? Yes. Was John’s? No. So how was John the Baptist’s ministry characterized by the same spirit and power of Elijah’s? John’s proclamation of the Word brought about repentance! As Bock summarized, “The Word of God, especially the salvific Word, contains power to change one’s view of God, self, and the world. It also changes how one lives.” John’s ministry will bring about reconciliation within families and between the disobedient and God. Families will be reconciled in love to one another, and the foolish will turn to the wisdom of the just.

In doing these things, John is going “to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” The description of “people prepared” is passive, meaning they are not preparing themselves. God is the One who is preparing a people for Himself. Bock said it like this, “God prepares a responding remnant, which is called out from the nation. The call to reform and the creation of a prepared remnant people summarize the basic ministry of John the Baptist.”

Luke 1:18-20

After the lengthy description of John’s role given to Zechariah by the angel, Luke records Zechariah’s response and it is a bit surprising given his description as righteous and blameless. How does he respond? He doubts and questions the angel’s message. Whom from the Old Testament does Zechariah sound like? Abraham (Gen. 15:2-6; 18:11-12). Zechariah, like Abraham, asks for a sign because, as he explains to the angel, he and Elizabeth are not in the prime of life for bearing children.

What stands out to you about how Gabriel responds to Zechariah’s doubt in vss. 19-20? He begins with his identity as a representative and messenger sent by God. His message is to be believed and trusted because of the faithfulness and credibility of the One by whom he was sent. Also, he concedes to Zechariah’s request and provides a sign, but the sign also includes disciplinary judgment for Zechariah’s doubt. What does God’s disciplinary action teach us about His call for us as His followers? We ought to believe His Word no matter what the circumstances seem to indicate. From a human perspective, Zechariah had every right to doubt the proclamation of the angel. His wife was barren and they were both too old to have children. What Zechariah needed to remember, and what we need to remember, is that circumstances cannot prevent God from fulfilling His promise. When He says that He will accomplish something, He will accomplish it.

What does the phrase “fulfilled in their time” indicate about God’s plan and purpose? He is accomplishing things on His timeline not anyone else’s. This is a further indication of the sovereignty of God. The timing of events in Zechariah and Elizabeth’s life were not random and purposeless. God does not work in the lives of His people in a purposeless and meaningless way. As He accomplishes His eternal work, He does so through purposefully working through His everyday work in the lives of His people.

Luke 1:21-23

In vss. 21-23, Luke continues the narrative, explaining that the priestly service was taking longer than usual and the people outside were wondering what was taking so long. When Zechariah came out, the first part of the angel’s sign came to pass: Zechariah was mute. We can also discern from Luke 1:62 that deafness was also part of the sign. So, the angel’s word is coming to pass. Vs. 23 then sounds like the end of this particular narrative unit: Zechariah ended his temple service and went home. But before Luke moves into the next part of the narrative, he offers vs. 24-25.

Luke 1:24-25

In vs. 24, Luke reports the fulfillment of the second part of the sign: Elizabeth conceived. The words of the angel are coming to pass! God is fulfilling His Word and accomplishing that which seems impossible!! After roughly 400 years of revelatory silence, God has now entered the stage through a declaration of coming salvation and through a miraculous conception. Luke is recording for us the accomplishing of God’s eternal plan through the conception, birth, and life of this baby. But notice vs. 25.

What does vs. 25 contribute to the narrative? It shows God’s personal concern for Zechariah and Elizabeth. God may be working to accomplish His eternal plan, but Zechariah and Elizabeth are not mere chess pieces or tools in God’s plan. They are people with whom God has a personal relationship. Look at the language of vs. 25: “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked upon me, to take away my reproach among people.” God saw Elizabeth’s pain in being childless, and He worked on her behalf through this miraculous pregnancy. I think Bock explained this well when he wrote, “As God deals with his salvation plan, he is also meeting human needs. John may have a special role for Israel, but the child also met a personal need for Elizabeth.”

This brings us full circle back to our question from the beginning of our time together this morning. Do you ever feel as though God’s eternal redemptive plan is disconnected from the personal, everyday details of your life? The beginning of Luke’s gospel helps us to see that they’re not. God is working His eternal purpose through the everyday lives of His people. Your pain and grief are not meaningless. Your suffering and hardship are not out of God’s view. He is working through every aspect of our lives to accomplish His eternal purpose for us and for His entire creation. We must take comfort in this fact. We must find meaning in this fact. And we must respond in faith and believe God’s Word.

Think for a moment about things in your life that you sometimes consider to be mundane and insignificant such that they don’t have a part in God’s plan. How might God be working in and through those aspects of your life to accomplish a part of His purpose?