The Forerunner's Prophecy

One of the earliest memories of my first week in college was when I met the Resident Assistant for my dormitory floor. His name was Harold Nesbitt, but he went by the name Max. The only reason I remember his given name was Harold was because of cartoon strip taped to his door. It was a Peanut’s strip that described Charlie’s Brown’s little sister’s confusion about a singer named Harold Angel.

Whether we are talking about Harold Angel (with an “a” and “o”) or Herald Angels (with an “e” and “a”), the truth exists that God often surrounded the significant Christ events with witnesses who proclaim the event.

During the first century it was uncommon to publicly celebrate conception or birth due to the high infant mortality rate. This is a primary reason why we do not have a historical record of the actual date of the birth of Jesus. They simply didn’t record such things.

However, even if we don’t have a record of the date of Christ’s birth, we do have a record of witnesses to the events surrounding Mary’s pregnancy.

We will examine these events as described in the 3rd Gospel.

An Anonymous Gospel attributed to Luke (Luke 1:1-4)

Volume 1 of 2

1. A wealthy benefactor (Theophilus) commissioned Luke to compile a complete and accurate historical record of the beginnings of Christianity.

2. Theophilus was a common name in the first century and means “Lover of God”

3. Gospel of Luke (vol.1) and Acts of the Apostles (vol.2) together make up about 18% of the entire New Testament.

A Gentile Physician

1. Paul does not include Luke in the list of Jews in Col 4:10-11. But does mention him by name as a Physician in v.14

2. Luke also referred to himself directly in the “we” sections of Acts (16:10–17; 20:5–21:18; 27:1–28:16).[i]

3. As a physician/scientist, Luke’s gospel is considered the most logical. Luke deals more with the physical realities/facts of the events. For example, Luke gives us the most details of Mary’s pregnancy & delivery as well as the most detailed accounts of his post-resurrection appearances.

· Mark is considered the earliest. It is the shortest and deals more with Jesus’ actions more than his teaching. Matthew is written to connect the testaments. John is written to convince skeptics to believe in Jesus’ divinity.

Transition: It is this logical, factual and reasonable Gospel that I will use to prepare our hearts during this Advent season with stories of real encounters with real people.

Luke (a Gentile) Centers the Event in Jewish Traditions (Luke 1:5-7)

Luke 1:5–7 ESV:2016

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.

1. Luke picks up the story after the 400 year silent period. Even though new Scripture has not been recorded since 4th century BC. Jews were still expecting God to keep His promises. Today’s text introduces us to a man whose name means YHWH remembers.

This first week of Advent is traditionally associated with the idea of hope. We begin to anticipate what we hope the Christmas celebration will bring. And we crave for the day of Christ’s 2nd coming when all will be made right.

2. Zechariah’s priestly clan (v. 5a, 1 Chron 24:10)

The Jewish priesthood was divided into 24 courses, each composed of 4–9 families (1 Ch. 24:1–19; 2 Ch. 8:14). Apart from the three great festivals, they performed their duties for two separate weeks each year[ii]

3. Elizabeth’s Aaronic heritage (v.5b)

Elizabeth was also of priestly blood, since she was a daughter of Aaron. It was very common for a Jewish priest to have a wife of the same background, and such a union was regarded as a sign of special privilege. The mention of Elizabeth’s lineage underlines her pious origins and strengthens the pedigree behind John the Baptist.[iii]

4. Both were observant and devout to the traditions, commands and statutes. (v.6)

5. Barrenness connected with themes from the Patriarchs and Judges (v.7)

To be childless was economically and socially disastrous: economically, because parents had no one to support them in old age; socially, because in the law barrenness was sometimes a judgment for sin.[iv]

Such shame is a common theme in the Old Testament, appearing in the stories of Sarah, the mother of Isaac (Gen. 18); Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau (25:21); Rachel, the mother of Joseph (30:22–23); the unnamed mother of Samson (Judg. 13); and Hannah, the mother of Samuel (1 Sam. 1). Sarah provides the closest analogy to Elizabeth, since she was not only barren but also past child-bearing years.[v]

· Later Rabbis took note that any time the Scriptures describe a named woman as being barren, then God provides. It is an indication that God is about to do something special.

Transition: This special action by God is described in the next paragraph as…

Zechariah Encounters Gabriel (Lk 1:8-17)

Temple Service (vv.8-10)

Luke 1:8–10 ESV:2016

8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

1. Each day 2 (1 in the morning and 1 in the evening) priests would be selected to go into the holy place to fill the menorah oil, replenish the incense and clean out the ash.

2. One commentator notes, “Zechariah is… one of approximately 18,000 priests (see additional note) who served at the temple.[vi]” This was a once in a lifetime experience for Zech.

3. The incense he offered was a symbol of the people prayers. After placing the incense on the altar the priest would lie prostrate before the altar of incense and offer a prayer. While the verbal prayer most likely would have been a memorized prayer for the salvation of Israel, I think there was an unspoken request for a child that laid heavy upon his heart and mind.

4. The people waited outside because if God rejected the incense, the people would conclude that their prayers had not been heard. This large group during evening prayers is the setting for Peter & James miracle in Acts 3:1.

Am I Dreaming? (vv.11-14)

Luke 1:11–14 ESV:2016

11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,

1. The word appeared (v.11) is the same root as our word ophthalmologist – an eye doctor. I believe Zech had more than a dream, I believe he had a sensory experience involving sight, speaking and hearing.

2. Zech is an old man, but he is about to take a ride on an emotional roller-coaster in vv.11-13. The trouble and fear are consistent with the reaction the shepherds will give to angels in the next chapter.

I believe Zechariah felt honored and humbled to be chosen for this task. Based upon his response in v.18 I think the prayer he offered on his face was laced with doubt. The appearance of Gabriel surely shocked him. The words “do not be afraid” must have left him asking “what should I feel?” I assume comfort swept over him as he heard that his prayer had been heard…then he was promised a child, a son!

A Double Answer (vv.15-17)

Luke 1:15–17 ESV:2016

15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

1. Zechariah’s spoken request would have been for the salvation of Israel. This request is specified in the next chapter where we will meet Simeon who was praying for the “consolation of Israel”, but Zech’s and Beth’s desire of the heart was for a child.

2. Gabriel says that they will receive that unlikely dream of a son, but that son (the unspoken prayer) will have a special mission that will prepare a people to be ready for the Lord (the spoken prayer).

3. “Zechariah’s joy will be occasioned not merely by the birth of his son as such but above all by the work of his son in preparing the people for the coming of the Lord. It will, therefore, be shared by the people”[vii] (v.14)

4. The abstinence from alcohol (v.15) may be a reference to the Nazirite vow of Judges 13, but abstinence was also to be practiced by priests (Lev. 10:9) when ministering to the Lord.

5. The restoration of families, power of Elijah, and turning people toward the Lord (in vv.16-17) are clearly themes from Malachi 3-4 that were prophesied before Scripture went silent.

Transition: While Zechariah’s head is still spinning from the message he just heard, this message demands a response and so…

Zechariah Responds to Gabriel (Lk 1:18-23)

Luke 1:18–23 ESV:2016

18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

1. How can I humanly bring this to pass? (v.18)

2. God is going to divinely make this happen (v.19)

There were a few times in my upbringing when I got a little big for my britches. On those few times when we had special daddy-n-me interactions. After the discipline was dispensed, I was always sent to my room to think about what I had done.

3. After Zechariah doubts what the Angel tells him in v.13, vv.20-22 describes how he is “sent to his room” to think about what God is doing.

4. In 2 weeks we will see that Mary goes to visit Elizabeth and in that section we find out that Zechariah and Elizabeth live in a small hamlet in the hill country.

Transition: Having completed his week in the Temple, Zechariah heads out to the remote village where he makes his living during the 45 weeks of the year when he is not working in the temple.

Elizabeth Responds to Gabriel’s News (Lk 1:24-25)

Luke 1:24–25 ESV:2016

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.”

1. Zechariah is unable to tell Elizabeth what happened when he was in Jerusalem.

2. It is unlikely that she is literate, because written language was left to the ruling class, so life continues in silence.

3. An elderly couple conceives, Zechariah can’t tell his version of the story, so Elizabeth conceals her pregnancy until she begins to show.

4. As she secretly encounters the physical symptoms of pregnancy, she turns the quiet hours into an opportunity for praise and thanksgiving.

Transition: This morning we have read the simple personal story of Zechariah and Elizabeth. They were a righteous, childless couple who prayed for a child. God visited them and heard their prayer of pain. The answer took time, but God honored their request. In this case, the answer to a personal prayer comes after years of waiting and calls forth a response of praise. Before we rush off to Nazareth in the next verse, let’s take a few moments to consider…

Conclusion:

Some Observations Regarding this Text and 2019

1. God’s Special blessing of John (the forerunner of Jesus) came to “sanctified vessels”

· Are you set apart for God’s purpose, or are you trying to blend in with all your friends and neighbors?

2. There was a time for silence and secrecy, but when John arrived, his life was marked by bold proclamation.

· Since Jesus has come in the first Advent, we must proclaim His death until He comes again.

3. This story drips with anticipation. What role does hope play in your life?

· Anticipation of John’s arrival

· Anticipation of fathers turning to their children

· Anticipation of hearts being turned to God

4. Just as promises were fulfilled in Jesus’ first coming, we wait expectantly for Him to come again to finish His promises.

John represents a bridge between promise and fulfillment.[viii]

5. John actively proclaimed “Messiah/the Christ is coming!” and called people to repentance. We are privileged to proclaim, “The Christ has come, and He’s coming again!” repent, and place your trust in Him!

If you are anxious for that blessed hope of Jesus glorious return, I invite you to join me in singing a favorite carol that speaks of that 2nd Advent.

Song of Response #125........ “Joy to the World”

Benediction: Tex

[i] John A. Martin, “Luke,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 198–199.

[ii] I. Howard Marshall, The Gospel of Luke: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Exeter: Paternoster Press, 1978), 52.

[iii] Darrell L. Bock, Luke: 1:1–9:50, vol. 1, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1994), 76.

[iv] Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Lk 1:7.

[v] Clinton E. Arnold, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke, vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002), 326.

[vi] Bock, 79.

[vii] Marshall, 57.

[viii] Bock, 86.

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