A Prepared People

Introduction

Controversial Question: How early is too early for Christmas music?

Personally, around Friday of this week I’ll start playing Christmas music. I love almost all Christmas music (except for the Wham Christmas song and one of the Beatles Christmas songs…both of which I believe should be considered violations of the Geneva Convention against torture).

One of my favorite Christmas songs is by Christian music artist Chris Rice, titled “Welcome to Our World.” I want to play it this morning on the screen. Take a look at the words, as they are some of the more powerful Christmas lyrics I’ve seen.

((Play Welcome to Our World video))

My favorite line of this song is: “Bring your peace into our violence; Bid our hungry souls be filled. Word now breaking Heaven’s silence; Welcome to our world, Welcome to our world.”

I think we could all agree, we need His peace in our violence and our hungry souls be filled.

That could only happen when the Word broke Heaven’s silence.

This year’s Christmas series is titled “Breaking Heaven’s Silence”

We will look at the first two chapters of Luke’s Gospel.

This is a familiar text, yet there is numerous important timeless truths that we need to hear during this Christmas season, so let’s commit to looking closely at a familiar text with new eyes and an open mind and heart, asking God what He has to teach us right now where we find ourselves today.

Body

Verses 5-7

Zechariah and Elizabeth...

Priest from priestly lineage.

Abijah was the eighth of twenty-four divisions...

Division served on a rotating schedule, twice a year for one week...

Lived righteous and blameless lives.

However, they were also childless.

Children were seen as a gift for faithful service...

To be barren, it was thought, revealed that there was something you’d done to offend God...

Side Note: Sometimes we don’t receive our heart’s desire because God has a bigger plan which we haven’t seen yet.

Verses 8-17

Zechariah's Big Day...(vv. 8-10)

A Holy Visitation...(vv. 11-12)

The Angel's Words:

Don't be afraid...

Your prayers have been answered...

Elizabeth will have a son and you will call him John...

He will bring joy to you and to others...

He will be great...

He must not drink alcohol...

He will be filled with the Holy Spirit from conception...

He will be called to be a prophet in the Spirit of Elijah...

Elijah was known for his bold, uncompromising stand for God’s Word, even in the face of persecution and violence.

He will prepare the people for the Messiah...

Verses 18-20

Zechariah's Confusion...(v. 18)

The Angel's Evidence...(vv. 19-20)

I stand in the presence of God...

I was sent from God to you with this good news...

And now you will be not be able to speak until your son is born because you didn't believe me...

Verses 21-25

Anxious Moments...(v. 21)

Fulfillments...(vv. 22-25)

Zechariah's silence is fulfilled...

Zechariah's service is fulfilled...

God's promise to Zechariah is fulfilled...

Key Question: Why was John called great, even before his birth?

John was great because he came in fulfillment of the promises of God.

For 400 years, Heaven was silent. Israel anticipated the fulfillment of Malachi 4:5

Malachi 4:5 ESV

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.

Some probably gave up hope...

Some probably forgot...

Now, God would fulfill that promise of long ago.

John was great because he was called to prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah.

He was like Elijah...

He would point the people back to God...

His message would be repentance...

John was great because he was filled with the Holy Spirit in a special way.

Unlike anyone else...

For God's special purposes...

God would lead his ministry...

So What?

Believe in the One who John came to prepare people for.

If John was called great by heaven, set apart for a special ministry, the only person filled with the Holy Spirit from birth, and given a spirit like the prophet Elijah, then a wise person will say, "What was his ministry focused on?"

The answer is that he prepared the people for Jesus.

Here's what Jesus said about John: "I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John." (Luke 7:28a)

But, here's what John would say of Jesus: "...but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie..." and "He must increase, but I must decrease."

Thus, we should neither over-emphasize John or under-emphasize John. Instead, we must look to where John pointed other to: Jesus.

Live like a prepared people.

Prepared for what?

How can we be a prepared people?

Are we prayers?

Do we live upright lives?

Are we trusting Him in the hard times?

Are we anticipating God's action?

Are we pointing others to Jesus?