John and Jesus' birth foretold
Notes
Transcript
Warren Brosi
December 3, 2023
Dominant Thought: God’s word can be trusted even if you have questions.
Objectives:
I want my listeners to see how God includes different types of people in His story of salvation.
I want my listeners who are waiting to find strength in the good news of Jesus.
I want my listeners to encourage hurting people with the hope of Jesus.
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Luke opens his gospel describing how he wants his audience to know the certainty of the things they have been taught (Luke 1.4). Then, Luke introduces us to two different people who both have questions. These two people couldn’t be more different. One is old and one is young. One is male and the other a female. One is married, and one is engaged to be married. One lives near the temple in Jerusalem and serves as a priest. The other lives up in the north in a small town of Nazareth.
Yet, they are related by marriage. The man’s wife, Elizabeth, is a cousin to the young girl, Mary. Both follow after God. Both are about to receive a visit from an angel.
Let’s listen in on their visits. In our time together, let’s read through these two encounters.
We’ll begin in Luke 1.5 with the old man, Zechariah.
The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold by the angel Gabriel (Luke 1.5-25).
Luke wants his audience to know the certainty of what they have been taught. In Luke 1.5, he anchors the Jesus story in time, place, and people. “In the time of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah. He goes on to tell us more about Zechariah. He is from the priestly division of Abijah. His wife is Elizabeth, a descendent of Aaron, the priestly tribe. Priest, priest, priest. Zechariah represents the people to God and God to the people. Think back to our series on Leviticus.
In Luke 1.6, Luke describes both Zechariah and Elizabeth as “righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.” These are good folks. They’d be good neighbors and would make good parents…if they had children. “But they were childless...” (Luke 1.7). Elizabeth was unable to conceive and they were both very old. These are the people. Now Luke will introduce the action.
“Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot...” (Luke 1.8-9). It sounds like each morning they would cast lots for the chores/service at the temple. One would be in charge of the burnt offering. One would be in charge of the meal offering. One would maintain the candles in the Holy Place. One was for offering incense in the Holy Place (For more information, see The Birth of the Messiah, by Raymond E. Brown, p. 259). Casting lots in the ancient world may have been like drawing straws or casting dice. Today, we may flip a coin. In the ancient world, it was a way of discerning God’s will. The apostles cast lots to choose between two men who would be Judas’ successor in Acts 1.26).
Zechariah was chosen by lot according to the custom to go into the temple of the Lord to burn incense. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Once you offered incense, you were “ineligible in future selections until all the other priests of his division had had it” (Raymond Brown, The Birth of the Messiah, p. 259). It was during this time of burning incense which represented the prayers of God’s people ascending to God that an angel appeared to Zechariah. The people had assembled outside the Holy Place worshipping and praying. Zechariah offers incense for the prayers of the people and then an angel appears.
When Zechariah saw the angel he was “startled and gripped with fear” (Luke 1.12). The angel greets people with their most common greeting, “Do not be afraid.” The angel continues, “your prayer has been heard.” I wonder what Zechariah prayed? Was he praying for a son? Was he praying for deliverance from the Romans? Was he praying for forgiveness of sins for his people?
Whatever was on his prayer list, here’s what the angel said next, “Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth” (Luke 1.13-14). Good news. The couple who is childless will have a son who will delight many.
The angel continued, “He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.” It sounds like this boy would be set apart similar to those in the Old Testament who were called Nazirites (Numbers 6). We will see the Holy Spirit show up several times in these first couple of chapters in Luke and again when the angel visits Mary in our next story.
At this point, it may be helpful to zoom back out and look a the Bible from a wider lens. We are in the early books of the New Testament called the gospels that describe the good news of the life of Jesus. Are there any other stories in the Bible where an older couple is promised a baby boy? Yes. In the first book of the Bible, Genesis, we meet Abraham and Sarah. In Genesis 12.2, God says to Abram/Abraham, “I will make you into a great nation.”
It is a little difficult to become a great nation with no children.
In Genesis 18, three men who may be angels visit Abraham and say, “About this time next year, your wife will have a son” (Genesis 18.10).
Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.
Sarah laughs to herself thinking, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure” (Genesis 18.12). She laughs to herself. Then the LORD speaks to Abraham, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Genesis 18.13).
Sure enough, the next year, Sarah is holding a baby boy named, Isaac, “He laughs.” So, as Luke tells us the story of this older couple, Zechariah and Elizabeth, he wants his audience to remember the story of the the father of faith, Abraham and his aged wife, Sarah. God has brought older couples babies before. Both Isaac and John would be instrumental in advancing God’s plan of salvation.
Now, back to Luke 1.16, John, filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born “will bring many of the people of Israel back to the Lord their God.” John will go 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” (Luke 1.17).
The Old Testament closes with a promise of sending the prophet Elijah before the day of the Lord. Some of the final words we have recorded in the Old Testament before the 400 years of silence between Malachi and Matthew, we have these words in Malachi 4.5-6.
“See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.
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.”
John would be a prophet like Elijah to heal families and prepare the way for Jesus to arrive.
If you’re like Zechariah, then your response would be similar to his response. Imagine you are serving in a once in a lifetime opportunity to serve in the Holy Place in the temple. An angel shows and and scares you. The angel says, you and your old wife—Luke’s words, not mine—will have son. He will be great and prepare the way for the Lord.
Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I’m an old man and my wife is “well along in years” (Luke 1.18).
The angel introduces himself, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and tell you this good news” (Luke 1.19). Wow. An angel who stands in the presence of God has come to tell Zechariah this good news. The last time and only other place in the Bible Gabriel is names is in Daniel. He appeared to Daniel in Daniel 8.16 and Daniel 9.21. Daniel was reflecting and praying when Gabriel appears.
Then Gabriel says to Zechariah, “you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words” (Luke 1.20).
Meanwhile, the people who are praying outside are wondering what is taking so long. What’s happened to Zechariah? Zechariah comes out and is unable to speak. He starts using sign language to communicate he had a vision in the temple.
This portion of the story concludes by saying Zechariah finished his appointed service, then went home. Then, Luke 1.24 tells us Elizabeth becomes pregnant and for five months lived in seclusion. Listen to Elizabeth’s response, “The Lord has done this for me. In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people” (Luke 1.25).
From the outset, Luke tells his audience he wants them to know the certainty of the things they have been taught (Luke 1.4). Then, Luke introduces us to an older couple with no children.
The Good News grants assurance to those who are waiting. Zechariah was waiting his whole life for his name to be called to serve in the Holy Place. Zechariah and Elizabeth watched as their family, friends, and neighbors had their chance to rock their newborn babies. They waited for their chance to turn that space of their home into a nursery. They waited and they watched. In a moment, we’ll meet a young girl who’s whole life is in front of her, but still eager and waiting for her wedding day.
The Jesus story can give you assurance for those in the long seasons of waiting. These opening verses of the gospels close the chapters on 400 years of silence. Not a word from God, no prophets were sent.
The people were waiting.
Luke wants his people to know that you can have confidence in the Lord Jesus as you are waiting.
The Good News grants assurance to those who are hurting. The words of Elizabeth can be said of many people, “The Lord has done this for me. In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people” (Luke 1.25). The Lord wants to show you His favor. As the NIV says, “shown His favor” Elizabeth really says, “He looked upon me.” He noticed me. He has not forgotten you. Again, for years Elizabeth was on the outside looking in desperately wanting a baby of her own. God looked upon her.
The good news grants assurance to those who are hurting by the mission of John to heal families. John was called to turn the hearts of parents to their children and the disobedient to wisdom of the righteous. The good news of Jesus heals families. Take a moment now and ask God to heal your family with the good news of Jesus.
Luke takes us from Judea around Jerusalem, the center of religious life in the temple area, to a small town in the north, Nazareth.
The Birth of Jesus Foretold by the angel Gabriel (Luke 1.26-38).
Again, it is set in time and place. In Elizabeth’s sixth month, “God sent Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David” (Luke 1.26-27). Whereas Zechariah was from the priestly line. Joseph and his family are from the royal line of King David. The virgin’s name is Mary.
The angel greets Mary, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1.28). Mary is greatly troubled and wondered what this greeting is all about. Much like his conversation with Zechariah, Gabriel says, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God” (Luke 1.30). Favor in this verse is the word for “grace.”
Then, Gabriel delivers his announcement to Mary, “And behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus” (Luke 1.31). It takes us 31 verses for Luke to tell us who this story is about. Jesus means He saves. In Hebrew His name is Yeshua or we may say Joshua in English.
Gabriel continues to tell us about Jesus. He will be great (Luke 1.32). John was promised to be great, too (Luke 1.15). Jesus “will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendents forever; his kingdom will never end” (Luke 1.32-33).
Jesus will fulfill the longstanding promise to king David and his family when the prophet Nathan spoke to David in 2 Samuel 7.
When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom.
He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands.
But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you.
Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’ ”
Jesus will be the king who reigns forever and ever. Mary responds with similar words as Zechariah, but her heart has something different. Her question doesn’t come from disbelief, but honest questioning. She replies, “How will this be since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1.34). She speaks with honestly, integrity, and humility. The angels replies, “The Holy Spirit will come on you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God” (Luke 1.35).
This baby born to you will be even more miraculous than your cousin Elizabeth who is now in her sixth month. An the one who was said to be unable to have children in her old age will have a son.
“For no word from God will ever fail” (Luke 1.35, NIV). The ESV says, “For nothing is impossible with God”” (Luke 1.35). When you think back to Abraham and Sarah, and when you meet Zechariah and Elizabeth, you will know God can do the impossible.
Mary responds with a steely courage and humble faith. “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word be fulfilled” (Luke 1.38).
Then the angel left.
The Good News Grants Assurance to those who are questioning. Both Zechariah and Mary ask the angel, “How?” Zechariah comes from disbelief. Mary comes from a humble and innocent questioning. For those who have questions, let your questions lead you to the truth. Don’t let your questions become roadblocks, but allow them to become bridges to the truth.
I’ll be honest some of these questions will not have nice and easy answers. A virgin birth is one of those questions that we may never fully have answered on this side of eternity. But every worldview will have a point where they cannot fully explain something. Every view has some step of faith required.
Luke sets out in the opening verses to write this story of good news to help people know for certain the things they have been taught.
God’s word can be trusted even if you have questions.
The Good News of Jesus grants assurance to those who are...
Waiting.
Questioning.
Hurting.
The good news takes on flesh in the prophet John and King Jesus. John would prepare the way for Jesus to rescue people from their sins. Both Zechariah and Mary respond to the announcement from the angel with obedience. In the coming weeks, we’ll hear their songs of praise to God. From Mary, she’ll sing before Jesus is born. For Zechariah, he’ll have most of a year to wait until he can verbally praise God. But what about us today? What song will we sing in response to the good news of Jesus’ birth?