A Maturing Faith: Saved to Serve
Christmas 2018 • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 6 viewsNotes
Transcript
John’s Birth
John’s Birth
John’s Naming
John’s Naming
Zechariah’s Song
Zechariah’s Song
(vv. 67-75) Praise ()
(v. 68) Bless God for what He has done, visited us, redeemed us by: (; ; ; ; )
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting!
Amen and Amen.
And the king also said, ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has granted someone to sit on my throne this day, my own eyes seeing it.’ ”
; ; ;
And David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me!
Prophecy
(v. 69) Raising a horn of salvation in David’s house (, ; ; , ; ; For David’s house see )
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation,
my stronghold and my refuge,
my savior; you save me from violence.
in David’s house
(v. 70) Fulfilling the Prophets
(v. 71) Saving from Enemies
Foreign enemies and local tyrants (who hate the faithful) ()
He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
(v. 72) Showing mercy and remembering the covenant/ God’s promise to Abraham (; ; ; ; ; )
You will show faithfulness to Jacob
and steadfast love to Abraham,
as you have sworn to our fathers
from the days of old.
; , )
; )
Remembering the covenant/ God’s promise to Abraham
(v. 74-75) In order for us to serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness. (, )
“Saved to Serve!”
(vv. 76-77) Prophecy: John
(v. 76) Prophet of the Most High ()
After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.”
(v. 76) Go be fore the Lord to prepare his ways (; ; See also )
A voice cries:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
(v. 77) Give knowledge of salvation to the people, the forgiveness of their sins
(vv. 78-79) Prophecy: Jesus
(v. 78) The tender mercy of God, through whom the sunrise shall visit us from on high (Rising)
The Branch (; ; ; ; )
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’
In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch.
And say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord.
The Star and Scepter ()
I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near:
a star shall come out of Jacob,
and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shall crush the forehead of Moab
and break down all the sons of Sheth.
The Sun of Righteousness ()
But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.
Light (; )
Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
if you pour yourself out for the hungry
and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
and your gloom be as the noonday.
For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will be seen upon you.
And nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising.
(v. 79) To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death
God comes as light and shines upon people (; ; )
He said,
“The Lord came from Sinai
and dawned from Seir upon us;
he shone forth from Mount Paran;
he came from the ten thousands of holy ones,
with flaming fire at his right hand.
The Lord is God,
and he has made his light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
up to the horns of the altar!
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
(also ; )
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.
(v. 79) To Guide us into the way of peace
Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: Luke 1:1–9:50 iv. Jesus: To Bring Light and to Guide into the Way of Peace (1:79)
Those who are uncertain of God’s way have in Messiah a light by which they can see the road.
Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: Luke 1:1–9:50 iv. Jesus: To Bring Light and to Guide into the Way of Peace (1:79)
John and Jesus come by God’s mercy to God’s people. John will prepare the way for God’s visitation in Messiah. He will instruct them about salvation and the forgiveness of sins. But Messiah will go beyond John. For he will serve like a bright guiding light that takes the people out of the darkness and brings them into God’s way. John will proclaim salvation, but Jesus can take them into it
God’s promise and God’s words come to pass.
Even pious faith can mature and grow.