God turns disgrace into glory

Introduction

Have you ever asked yourself the question;

What is God doing with my life?

What is God doing with our world?

One thing that God does is he turns disgrace into glory.

This is what he does with the lives of his children. This is what he is doing with our world. God takes people, situations that seem to be broken and hopeless and in his love and grace he turns them into things which are glorious. He works all things together for his glory and our good.

We see this truth demonstrated in our passage this evening. God turns disgrace into glory.

We see in our passage how the hope of the nation and the hope of a faithful couple intersect in the plan of God. He takes a situation which seems hopeless and does something more glorious than anyone could have expected.

Maybe you are here this evening and your struggling, and you are thinking how can good ever come from what I am going through? In our passage we find encouragement. God turns disgrace into glory.

Or maybe you are here this evening and you are not a Christian. You know your life is a mess and you are thinking how could God be interested in me. The encouragement from this part of the Bible is that in Jesus Christ, God turns our disgrace into glory. He can take the mess we have made of our lives and make it into something wonderful.

In the broken world we live in it is good to be reminded that God turns disgrace into glory. This is the truth our passage demonstrates.

I want us to look at this passage this evening in three parts. I. The problem- a hoping nation and a hopeless couple II. The promise- a baby and a prophet III. The point- God turns disgrace into glory

The problem, The promise, The point.

I. The problem- a hoping nation and a hopeless couple v.5-8

Firstly then, The problem- a hoping nation and a hopeless couple.

Luke begins this account of John the Baptists birth by mentioning a couple of problems. One is alluded to and the other is clearly stated. One concerned the nation the other concerned a particular couple

a) The nation is hoping

One problem was Herod was king.

Luke sets the scene for us in v.5 he begins; “In the time of Herod king of Judea.”

This may not seem significant to us but it was for the people at the time. If Herod was king this meant that the Kingdom of Judah had passed from the line of King David. As Herod was not a descendant of King David.

The problem was many people understood the words of Jacob in Genesis 49:10 to be a prophecy about the Messiah. Jacob said The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.

Many people at the time understood this to mean that when the throne of Judah passes from the descendents King David the Messiah, the Saviour will come.

The problem was the scepter had departed from Judah and Shiloh had not come. Herod was King, they were under the bondage of Rome and the Saviour had not come.

We read later on that as Zachariah was performing his service many worshippers were assembled outside praying. Many would have been praying for their nation, praying for the Messiah to come.

On top of all this God had not spoken to the people for 400 years. For 400 years the people had no prophets. Many were waiting for the one prophesied about in Malachi who was called Elijah. The were waiting for the prophet to come who would prepare the way for the Messiah.

They were hoping. But it had been a long time.

b) Zachariah and Elizabeth were hopeless

The second problem concerned a faithful couple called Zachariah and Elizabeth.

We learn that his couple were faithful followers of the Lord. Zechariah was a Priest who belonged to the division of Abijah, his wife was also a descendent of Aaron.

We read in v.6 “Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly”

This doesn’t mean that they were sinlessly perfect, but it does mean they were trying to faithfully keep the law and they were trusting in the promises of the coming Saviour. We could describe them as faithful Old covenant believers.

They were faithful, But...

V.7 says “But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.”

The problem was they had no children.

In any culture it is painful when a couple are not able to have children. It is hard in any culture and in any age. But in Israel at that time there was a sense of shame and reproach that attached itself to not having any children.

Many at that time had the false idea that it was a punishment from the Lord, it was perhaps because of secret sin or unfaithfulness. We know this wasn’t true because they were described as faithful and blameless.

But never the less, It was an embarrassment for a couple and especially for the woman. We know this was how Elizabeth felt because in v.25 she refers to the disgrace she felt and received from others because she was childless.

Luke is trying to communicate the hopelessness of this situation. He says that Elizabeth was not able to conceive, not only does he say that, but he goes further and says they were both very old.

I think we can be quite sure that they gave up hope of having children.

Who would look after them in their old age, who would inherit their possessions?

Application-

In a moment we are going to see how the Lord works wonderfully in the difficult situations. But first what can we learn from what we have just heard?

The first point of application must surely be patience. We must trust the Lord to work out his purposes in his own time. The faithful believers in Israel had been waiting 400 years for a prophet from the Lord. They had been waiting for the Messenger to come and prepare the way for the Messiah.

They read about the Messiah in the Old testament, they were waiting for him to come. We can look back from our day and see the Messiah has come, his name is Jesus, he defeated sin and death and is reigning in heaven as we speak. But for them that was all still future. Did some of the start to doubt? Maybe. Did they need to? No.

Sometimes we can become impatient, we can start to doubt the faithfulness of the Lord. We can question whether he is keeping his promises. Let us learn from this that we can trust the Lord. He is faithful and he keeps his promises.

The second point we need to learn from is that Zechariah and Elizabeth were not suffering because God was punishing them for their sin. They were described as righteous and blameless. As Christians we can fall into the trap of thinking that God is punishing us because we have difficulties in our lives, but as we learn from this passage that is not true.

This means we can trust God in our suffering. He has a good and perfect plan in all that we experience. We see this more clearly as we go through the passage.

Our first point- The problem. Our second point, The promise- A baby and a prophet.

II. The promise- A baby and a prophet v.8-22

a) A baby promised

After Luke describes the problems he goes on and tells us of a promise the Lord gives by his angel to meet the needs just mentioned.

We read that Zechariah was performing his duty as a priest in the temple. He belonged to the division of Abijah and it was their turn to perform the duties in the temple. Zechariah had been chosen by lot to burn incense. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. No priest ever got to do this twice.

As he was performing this duty An angle appeared. The angel stood on the right side of the altar of incense and Zechariah seeing him was gripped with fear.

In v.13 we read the angel speaks to Zechariah and says “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John”

his prayer had been heard. What prayer? It could have been His past prayers for a child. Or maybe His prayer for the Messiah to come. The truth is Both were being answered at the same time.

The angel said Elizabeth will conceive and you shall call him John. The name John means Yahweh will be gracious. The perfect name for the one who was to make way for the Lord Jesus who is full of grace and truth, who came to display God’s grace by giving himself in the place of sinners.

The angel continues and says He will be a joy and delight to you. Now they had a baby, an heir to carry on the Father’s name. They had a baby, but to increase their joy he wasn’t going to be any baby. The Lord Jesus said John was the greatest man to be born of a woman.

He was going to be set apart for the Lord. He was to abstain from wine and strong drink and he was going to be filled with the Holy Spirit from his Mother’s womb.

He was going to be a joy and delight to them but not only to them. The angel Gabriel also says that many will rejoice because of his birth.

Why was this? He was not just any baby, but he was going to be the prophet the nation was waiting for before the coming of the Messiah.

b) A prophet promised

Gabriel says many will rejoice at his birth because he will be great in the sight of the Lord. V.16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.

This baby was going to be used by God to turn people back to the God of their Fathers. But he was no ordinary prophet.

He was the one that Malachi spoke about. The one they had been waiting for for 400 years. The one who was to come before the Lord himself comes.

Malachi 3:1 says “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.”

Malachi 4:5-6 says “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”

The nation had been waiting. Patiently waiting.

Gabriel tells Zechariah in v.17 that this baby will... go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

In other words, this baby will be the prophet who will call people to repent of their sin ready for the coming of the Saviour. Before Jesus could come, John had to come. The message is John is coming. The Messiah is near.

c) unbelievable joy

For Zechariah this was hard to believe. He and his wife were old, she was unable to have children. We might say this was too good to be true.

Zechariah doubted the message of the angel. He asked how can I know this is true?

The angel said you shall know because you will not be able to speak until the baby is born.

After John had finished his duty, he came back to where the people were waiting and praying. The usual custom was that after burning the incense the priest would come and pronounce a benediction over the people.

Of course Zachariah came out but he couldn’t speak. There was no benediction, but the people understood he had seen a vision.

Many of the people were probably praying for the Messiah to come. They didn’t get a benediction, but the Lord had answered their prayer. He was sending his messenger to prepare the way for the Messiah.

Application

What do we learn from the message of the angel. Surely we learn what Paul says in the NT. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think...

Here we find encouragement to walk by faith and not by sight. To trust the sovereign will of God. To never doubt his goodness but to wait expectantly to see his perfect plan unfold. Here is hope. Whatever you are experiencing this evening, the message of this passage is have faith in God. Luke 1:37 “37 For with God nothing will be impossible.””

The problem, The promise. Finally, The point.

what is the major point we are to take away from this passage?

The point is God turns disgrace into glory.

III. The point- God turns disgrace into glory v.23-25

a) disgrace removed

What is the big message of this passage. What do we learn about God?

After Zechariah had finished his duty, he returned home. After returning home his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and she remained in seclusion for five months.

The final verse of this section Elizabeth makes a statement that sums up what God had done for her.

v.25 Elizabeth said “The Lord has done this for me, in these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

What had God done for Elizabeth? he had taken away her disgrace. The disgrace she experienced because she was childless was taken away.

But more could be said. He not only took away her disgrace, he turned her disgrace into glory. Her baby was the prophet promised in the Old testament that would prepare the way for the Saviour of the world.

God had turned her disgrace into glory.

Application

But the Lord had not just turned her disgrace into glory, but the birth of John began a series of events that lead to the Lord Jesus Christ dying on the cross to pay for the sins of his people and rising again the third day conquering death, whereby the Lord would turn the disgrace of many into glory.

John came to prepare the way, for the one who would prepare a place in heaven for those who trust in him.

The Lord wasn’t just dealing with the disgrace of Elizabeth but we was dealing with the disgrace of his people, and indeed the disgrace of this fallen world.

John was the forerunner of Jesus. God sent John, because he was sending Jesus.

Jesus is the one who turns our disgrace into glory. Every Christian here this evening knows that to be true. He takes away the disgrace and shame of your sin and he makes you righteous before God. He saves you from hell and gives you the hope of future glory.

In the birth narrative of John we have a picture of the way God works in the world. He turns disgrace into glory.

He does this in and through the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

What is the main point of this passage. God turns disgrace into glory-

He did this for Elizabeth and Zechariah. he did this for his faithful people in Israel at the time.

He is doing this with our world- Yes it is marred by sin but one day he will make a new heavens and a new earth.

This is why Christ came- the disgrace of the cross results in the glory of salvation

This is what God has done for every Christian. He has turned our disgrace into glory.

That is what God can do for you?

If you are not a Christian God calls you to come to him. The Lord Jesus offers you mercy. He will take away your sin, he will take away your disgrace. He will give you hope and a future. He will give you eternal life. He will turn your disgrace into glory.

We sang a hymn this morning that puts it well;

O come all you unfaithful, Come weak and unstable, Come know you are not alone, O come barren and waiting, ones Weary of praying, come See what your God has done

Christ is born, Christ is born Christ is born for you

The birth of John the baptist pointed to the birth of Jesus Christ. In Jesus Christ God turns our disgrace into glory.

If you are a Christian, whatever you are experiencing, know that this is what God is doing in your life.

If you are not a Christian believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and this is what God will do for you.

God turns disgrace into glory.

Let us pray.