Elisabeth: "Remaining Righteous When Life Disappoints"
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Introduction
“Man who is born of a woman
is few of days and full of trouble.
Our dear friends, Larry and Donna Salisbury understand this verse, perhaps better than most. As many of you remember, a couple of months ago I received a phone call around 5pm on a Friday as I was packing up to head home
Introduction
Larry and Donna remained righteous during the most difficult situation one can imagine!
Larry and Donna remained righteous during the most difficult situation one can imagine!
I would like to think Angie and I would be a righteous and faithful to God as are friends are. But the thought is frightening.
We are continuing our study of “The Characters of Christmas.” Tim Covered the life of Zacheriah last week. This week, I would like us to look at the life of his wife, Elizabeth. What strikes me about this woman is she was denied one of basic joys of life for a woman in particular - to have a child.
Yet her response over the long haul was not one of bitterness and shaking her fist at God in anger. Rather she submitted to her lot in life and continued pursuing righteousness.
Everyone of us here have something in our lives that is a major disappointment. It may not be what Larry an Donna are dealing with, but we all have challenges that tempt us to be bitter, discontent and ungodly.
God desires His childre to reflect His righteous character regardless of their circumstances.
I think there is much to learn from our latest Character of Christmas...
Elizabeth knew what it was to suffer disappointments. As you will see, she also knew how to display the righteousness of Christ in the midst of her suffering. And God surely blessed her for it!
Main Idea: A Steadfast Righteousness During Life’s Disappointments Will Give Way to God’s Greatest Blessings!
Interrogative: Three lessons we can learn about steadfast righteousness from Elizabeth...
Be Righteous When Your Life Doesn’t Turn Out Right
Be Righteous Trusting God Will Make All Things Right
Be Righteous Knowing Your Ultimate Blessing Comes in Christ
Let’s take a look at the first lesson...
Body
1. Be Righteous When Your Life Doesn’t Turn Out Right (vs. 5-7)
Lead in…When your life isn’t panning out the way you hoped it would, what is your response? Is it despair? Anger? Melancholy? Withdrawal?
Or is it being steadfastly righteous because your God is bigger than your circumstances? This was Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth. Look at the text with me this morning...
Luke
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
Explanation -
Explanation -
As you heard last week from Tim, Zechariah the priest was a godly man who served the Lord faithfully as a priest and was chosen by lots to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. Zechariah was a priest of the division of Abijah...
“The temple priesthood was organized into 24 divisions, with each division serving twice a year for (); Abijah’s was the 8th division ().” MSB
Because of the large number of priest in this time period, this would be Zacheriah’s only opportunity to offer incense - An amazing example of God’s providential hand - they cast lots...
Like Zechariah, Elizabeth was a very godly person.
First I’ll have you notice that she was of priestly decent. She was “from the daughters of Aaron.” Of course, the bible teaches us that Aaron was the first priest of God.
1 “Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests—Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 2 And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.
And Elizabeth was a distant relative of this brother of Moses. That’s impressive godly pedigree!
By the way, the name, “Elizabeth” means “My God is an oath.” In other words, my God is dependable.
And she truly believed this about her God! And it showed up in how she lived her life. How did she live her life?
Verse six tells us that both Zechariah and Elizabeth were “righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.”
That is quite a statement...
But is walking blamelssly even possible for the average Christian? I thought we were just sinners saved by grace? You mean to tell me people like Elizabeth were righteous?
Listen to what Pastor Kevin DeYong has to say about this from his book, The Hole in Our Holiness...
“If we are to be passionate in our pursuit of personal holiness, the first thing we must establish is that holiness is possible. It sounds humble to say, “I cannot obey God for one nanosecond in my life,” but it’s not true. Acting like holiness is out of reach for the ordinary Christian doesn’t do justice to the way the Bible speaks about people like Zechariah and Elizabeth, who “were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord” (). It doesn’t take seriously the Lord’s commendation of Job as “a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil” (). And there’s Paul, who frequently commends his churches and his ministry partners for their obedience and godly example. It sure seems like holiness is a possibility for God’s people.” ― Kevin DeYoung, The Hole in Our Holiness: Filling the Gap between Gospel Passion and the Pursuit of Godliness
This woman had dedicated her life to the Lord. She was determined to be holy because God declared her to be holy.
Friends, you can be holy! You MUST be holy - why? Because Your God is holy!
The Apostel Peter makes this crystal clear!
16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
You and I are saved by grace, but with this salvation comes sanctification. The word sanctification or sanctify means to make holy. When God saved you He declared you to be holy and then determined to make you holy!
Are you cooperating with this process? Are you pursuing holiness?
This attitude marked Elizabeth’s life. “She walked blamelessly in all the commands and statutes of the Lord.”
And she did this IN SPITE of the fact that she was barren and with no hope of having any children.
This could have been a cause of great bitterness for Elizabeth. After all there was a great stigma in those days that God’s hand of blessing was not on a woman who could not bear children.
No doubt people talked behind her back. No doubt she felt left out of an important aspect of many people’s lives. This is a recipe for anger and bitterness at God, but this was not the case in this dear, righteous woman’s life. Perhaps she leaned from those that had gone before her. Like Sarah (; ; ), Rachel () Hannah ().
(; ; )
Instead of putting her energy in what she wasn’t given, she placed her energy in serving her God in what she was given.
Life wasn’t turning out the way she hoped. I’m sure as a little girl she dreamed of having a houseful of children and she would raise them to honor and serve the Lord. But, now that she was old, this was not possible. And so, she changed her focus to God’s way for her.
She exuded Godly contentment and as she realized, with Godly contentment, there was great gain!
Jospeh, in the book of Geness was a righteous young man. And every time he was holy in his action, it didn’t pay off very well. He was thrown into a pit and sold as a slave by his own brothers. When he was purchased, he determined to be the best slave they had! What did that get him? His bosses wife try to seduce him and then blamed him for it. He then got thrown into prision for over two years! Why did God allow all of this and more to happen to Joseph? Certainly this was not what Joseph had in mind for his life? God used all of this to prepare him for something greater than he could ever imagine! Who would have guessed that this slave would one day run the kingdom of Egypt!?
God was preparing Elizabeth too! She would be a part of something she could have never imagined.
But the key here is this. Both Joseph and Elizabeth were content to be righteous regardless of there circumstances. And God knew this!
I’m not sure what you expected your life to be, but I’m willing to bet that it isn’t exactly the way you dreamed it would turn out. How well are you handling God’s reality verses your dream for you?
Review - A Steadfast Righteousness During Life’s Disappointments Will Give Way to God’s Greatest Blessings!
Be Righteous When Your Life Doesn’t Turn Out Right
2. Be Righteous Trusting God Will Make All Things Right (vs. 23-25)
Lead in…Are you dealing with some challenges in your life that you can’t fix? There doesn’t seem to be a way out? That there is no way you are going to escape you current circumstances?
Even though Elizabeth was righteous and continued to be faithful to serving her God, I’m sure she had times where she felt this way.
But God had a different plan for this faithful woman.
Take a look at verses 23-25...
Text -
23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. 24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
Explanation -
Zechariah’s two week service time had come to an end, and so he was able to go home to be with his wife. And miracle of miracles, Elizabeth became pregnant. We are not sure how old this dear woman was, but it is obvious from the text that she was well beyond childbearing years.
And what had happend to Sarah, Rachel, and Hanna had now occurred in Elizabeth’s life.
Why did God opperate this way? I think sometimes God delights in doing the impossible to signal that He is about to do something even greater.
Elizabeth was to be the mother of someone very special. The cousin of Jesus, John the Baptist.
Jesus had some amazing words about his cousin...
Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
John was given the distinct privilidge of announcing the arival of the long awaited Messiah! Not only did he prepare His way, he also recognized him and baptized him!
To have John turn out the way he did is a testimony to Zechariah and Elizabeth as parents. They obviously raised this bold man of the faith in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
What a precious gift from God to be the mother of such an important man in redemptive history! Certainly this privilidge was worth the wait. And it is obvious that she took this responsibility seriously!
Luke’s text goes on to tell us that once she knew she was with child, she kept herself hidden. Why?
Most likely, as indicated by verse 25, it was so that she could use this time to thoroughly praise the Lord for this honor and prepare for this special child!
“Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
“Childlessness carried a reproach in a culture where blessings were tied to birthrights and family lines. Barrenness could occasionally be a sign of divine disfavor (, ), but it was not always so (cf. ; ). Still, it carried a social stigma that could be humiliating.” MSB
Just like God took away Rachel’s reproach when she gave birth to Joseph in , so Elizabeth’s heart was full of joy because God opend her womb. In fact, what God had done for her would be recorded in His eternal word! No more reproach for Elizabeth forever!
God doesn't alway do for barren women what He did for Elizabeth. But it is interesting what Jesus promises in His Word for those who faithfully serve Him.
And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Do you understand what He is saying? For those of us who give our lives to the propagation and promotion of the gospel, we will have “family” one hundred fold (Mark’s gospel says in 10:29)!
When you give your life to the Lord like Elizabeth did, you make not always get what you think you need, but you will get what HE knows you should have!
And in my experience with the Lord, He knows way better about what I should have than I do and I can trust him!
Abraham is the epitome of trust in God. Paul uses the Patriarch as an example of faith and trust in...
In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”
Elizabeth didn’t “walk blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord” so she could get what she wanted. She did these things because of her relationship with God! She was “Righteous before God.”
Argumentation -
This woman had dedicated her life to the Lord. She was determined to be holy because God declared her to be holy.
And because of her standing before God in her Messiah, she had everything she could ever need. However, God in his grace, gave her a little bit more!
We have just come off of Thanksgiving. And I must remind you, if you are a believer in Christ, you are righteous before God! Not because you are righteous, but because God, through the shed blood of Jesus Christ has declared you to be so. And because of this truth, you have every blessing available to you that Christ has because I am in Him!!
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
Just wrap your mind around that promise, if you can!?
Do you believe that regardless of your circumstances you are in the middle of today, God will make it right in the future? This is our Hope!
The gospel gives HOPE! Do you trust Christ with your immortal soul?
The last point I’ll share with you from chapter one cements this reality powerfully!
Review - A Steadfast Righteousness During Life’s Disappointments Will Give Way to God’s Greatest Blessings!
Be Righteous When Your Life Doesn’t Turn Out Right
Be Righteous Trusting God Will Make All Things Right
3. Be Righteous Knowing Your Ultimate Blessing Comes in Christ (vs. 39-45)
Lead in…The last verses we’ll look at in chapter 1 are right after Mary conversation with Gabriel. She just found out that she will be quite literally, carrying the Gospel!
And according to Luke, it is Elizabeth, her much older cousin that Mary runs to first to tell the unbelievable news!
39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
;
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
Apparently, Mary wasted no time in going to see her cousin. Elizabeth and Zacheriah lived in a hilly region of Judea.
Why did she go to her cousin?
Wouldn’t you?
Gabriel told Mary something important...
And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”
This was a blessing to Mary. Who would believer her? God made her pregnant? Seriously? Can you imagine?
And remember, the Jewish law demanded death for those pregnant outside of marriage!
But if the thing is true, that evidence of virginity was not found in the young woman, then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done an outrageous thing in Israel by whoring in her father’s house. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.
But if the thing is true, that evidence of virginity was not found in the young woman,
So it makes perfect sense for her to go see the one person who would understand her situation.
And she would not be disappointed. Luke tells us Elizabeth’s reaction in verses 41-45. Allow me to make some quick observations.
And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
Vs. 41 - Elizabeth is overjoyed to here Mary enter her home. The baby (not fetus) leaped in her womb!
And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
Luke shows that he has been infuences by Paul, his partner in the ministry.
Luke, in verse 6 declares her to be “righteous before God...”
Luke, in verse 41 says she “was filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Two powerful indications this woman was born again!
Are you born again?
and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
Vs. 42 - Elizabeth is not quiet about her joy! What filled her heart came out of her mouth in loud and joyful praise.
and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
“Blessed are you among women”
“Blessed is the fruit of your womb!”
It’s okay to raise the roof in praise for the birth of Jesus.
The secular world has taken over in this area. Let’s praise Jesus at Christmas like Elizabeth! A great evangelistic opportunity!
And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
Vs. 43 - Elizabeth is greatly humbled that Mary would come to visit her!
And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
“And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”
Elizabeth understood very well what was going on. She understood exactly whom Mary was carrying - The LORD Himself!
God uses the humble.
For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
Vs. 44 - Apparently John knew as well because he leaped for joy!
Vs. 44 - Apparently John knew as well because he leaped for joy!
For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
Luke reiterates this fact about John. Babies know. Babies feel. Babies are alive and well from conception on.
In the words of Dr. Sueuss from his seminal work, “Horton Hears a Who” “A persons a person no matter how small.”
And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
Vs. 45 - Elizabeth speaks word of encouragement to Mary!
What a blessing to hear these words from a woman she admired and respected. Especially in light of what she would be facing from her family and friends
And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
She encouraged Mary for her faith to follow the directive of the Lord, regardless of the cost to her personally!
Why did Elizabeth respond with such great passion and joy? Because she understood that Mary was carrying the Christ! And she knew that the Christ was her Lord. And He was the one in whom she would receive her ultimate blessing - eternal life!
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the thing of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”
This is the testimony of Elizabeth. She lived for her Lord. And although she lived a long life with disappointment, God came through in the end. But that baby that leaped in her womb wasn’t what she lived for. She lived for her Lord. Perhaps that is why God entrusted her with such a wonderful responsibility of raising up the forerunner of Jesus!
59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.”
Luke 59-60
And just like here son would later say,
Application - My friends, “Americans spent $7.4 billion online this year for Black friday!” That’s amazing. And I’m sure there were some pretty cool things purchased.
But NOTHING! NOTHING! NO ONE! Will bring the Joy and satisfaction that Jesus gives. NOTHING! And if you do not understand this or even disagree with this, you are no Christian.
Elizabeth found her ultimate blessing in Christ and Christ alone.
Where do you find your satisfaction?
Review - A Steadfast Righteousness During Life’s Disappointments Will Give Way to God’s Greatest Blessings!
Be Righteous When Your Life Doesn’t Turn Out Right
Be Righteous Trusting God Will Make All Things Right
Be Righteous Knowing Your Ultimate Blessing Comes from Jesus
Conclusion
After chapter 1 of Luke, Elizabeth isn’t heard from again. It’ rather poetic as she faded into obscurity. She demonstrated what her son, John would later say regarding his relationship with Jesus, “He must increase, I must decrease.”
Larry and Donna Salisbury have lived in such a way that proves their steadfast determination to be righteous in the most challenging of circumstances does bring forth great blessings.
This past Friday evening during their weekly bible study with Josh’s girlfriend, Amorette and her family, four people came to Christ. Amorette' s Mom, Tonnette, her fiancé, David, and their 9 year old son Tarus all trusted Jesus. TJ, a friend of Siaead.
Three months ago Larry and Donna hadn’t met these people. Now, because of the tragedy they've endured, these as well as Amorette and Siead (Josh’s best friend) are all followers of Jesus!
And I will tell you unequivocally, there is no greater blessing than this!
Action they should take
Land the Plane
Connection Group Reflection Questions
What does it mean to be steadfast? Why is important that we work at our righteousness?
Rarely does someone’s life turn out the way they planned. Why is important to remain righteous even when our lives don't turn out the way we hoped?
How does knowing that God will make all things right in the end help you live for Him?
This world offers some pretty amazing things. But nothing compares to the blessings we have in Christ. Why is it easy to get this mixed up? What should we do about it?
What characteristics do you most appreciate about Elizabeth? Why?