In These Days...

After a short prelude and salutation to his intended recipient, Theophilus, Luke moves to right into the annunciation of John the Baptist and Jesus the Messiah. We’ll spend some time talking about John the Baptist in a few weeks. For right now we’re in anticipation of their arrival.

How’s life? I’m mean, really: How is life? Andrea and I celebrated 25 years of marriage this past July. I would have never imagined the journey life took us on these past 25 years and I’m looking forward to the next 25. Our life has meandered through ups and downs. Times that were wonderfully joyful mixed with times that were tumultuous and painful.

I can look back on the memories of fun and adventure as a couple. Our travels and pursuits were incredible. However, it was the mountain climbs, the pain, and the struggles that defined us. We are shaped by more by our tears than our laughs. In the midst of all this was an ever-increasing faith.

I don’t know where we would be today if it weren’t our relationship with Christ. What we see in our life is a continued path leading us through His perfect will. The path our Heavenly Father chose for us was not an easy path, nor would it be the path we would have chosen, but I know He’s leading.

This year has been tough, divisive, and unsettling. I know many of you have endured stressful, fearful, and felt the strain of these conflicts that seem to ache our culture politically, racially, and with issues of justice. I don’t think we should minimize the significance of these issues. They’re real and they’re affecting all of us. Our impending election, no matter which side wins, will have a significant effect on our lives.

When life is foggy and difficult, what do you do? How do you respond? Maybe you have found yourself in a fog when you weren’t hearing the Lord speak to your heart and mind. Have you ever felt like your prayers weren’t getting through, or that God was not very close or has forgotten you?

I. God Leads Us Through the Events of the World

Quite a few pastors and scholars breeze past the first 8 words of verse 5, but Luke includes these words for an important reason that we should stop and understand why. Nearly 400 years have passed since Malachi wrote his final words and the Old Testament was shut.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 4

5 Look, I am going to send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.”

The words of Malachi are both ominous and promising. It’s a reminder that God is preparing the way for our salvation and redemption. We will see next week how important John’s ministry really is as he prepares for the arrival of the Christ

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 1

17 And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.”

But God was also at work in the world to make way. God does not waste any time. The 400 years and the Kingship of Herod the Great were critical to the Gospel.

We won’t spend too much time on this, but there were some critical events that needed to take place:

After the closing of the Old Testament, a influential leader conquered the land. His name was Alexander the Great. He is why we have a single language - Koine Greek.

When Alexander died in 323 BC his kingdom was divided into 4 parts. Israel will fall into the hands of Ptolemy’s and be ruled from Alexandria, Egypt

Eventually the Jews fight for deliverance. During the Maccabean revolt, temple worship is restored in what would come to be known as the Feast of Dedication - Hanukkah

The instability of the area will eventually lead to further conquest as General Pompey enters Israel and establishes Roman Rule in 63 BC.

In 44 BC Julius Caesar is assassinated

In 40 BC Herod the Great is named King of Judea by the Roman Senate.

The history within all of these events is rich and active. There was no silence of God. He was moving the events of the world toward fulfilling His plan of Salvation for you. So when Luke writes, “In the days of Herod...” He is bringing his readers back to a difficult time. Can you imagine opening a book, “In the Days of Adolf Hitler”? That’s what Luke wants his audience to know.

There are couple of things you need to know about Herod.

He was a brilliant, shrewd, and gifted leader. He had an amazing ability to take risk and land on his feet. His brilliance was also in building. You can go to Israel today and see much of his work still standing. Aqueducts over 2000 years old still present. Caesarea and the hippodrome. He also built (at least completed) the second temple.

The other side of Herod is a cruel and brutal man. Herod sought to immortalize himself as a sort of god. Caesar Augustus reportedly said that it is better to be a pig than to be one of Herod’s sons. The slaughtering of the innocents after the birth of Christ underscores this sentiment.

Does the condition of the world concern you? If so, you’re in good company. These days seem to be reminiscent of “the days of Herod.”

English Standard Version Chapter 2

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

In the midst of everything going on, it can be difficult to have clear perspective. Especially when the things of your own life seem to overwhelm you. Add the tensions of this day and the strains of life. It was to Zachariah and Elizabeth. In the winter of their life, childless, and looking around to the situation of their world, thinking they had a part in God’s plan was probably the last thing on their mind.

II. God Leads Us Through Our Struggles

Today, Luke introduces to us an older couple. A quiet, godly couple named Zachariah and Elizabeth. I can imagine that they were revered by their community. Zechariah was priest and Luke describes them as righteous before God and blameless.

Names are in the Bible are important and this is certainly one of those times where the names of the people involved in the story foreshadow what God is about to do in their lives.

Zechariah means “God remembers.” We will see that God remembers Zechariah and He remembers His people.

Elizabeth means “God is my oath.” And God is indeed about to make an oath, a promise, that is going to bring great light that will dispel both the darkness that Zechariah and Elizabeth have lived under and the darkness that Israel has experienced as a people.

Zechariah and Elizabeth both come from priestly families. They were highly esteemed. They were righteous before God and kept His commands. Obviously that doesn’t mean they never sinned, But that description of their lives does indicate that they desired to live in a way that pleased God.

And yet, in spite of their life of service to God, there was a deep sadness in their lives because they had not been able to have children. This is just one of many places in the Bible where we discover that devotion to God does not guarantee that we won’t experience heartache and difficulties in life.

But God is about to intervene in their lives in a miraculous way that would to overcome the darkness and hopelessness they had lived under for so long.

Let me ask you a question: Did you walk in here today carrying a burden? Like Zacharias and Elizabeth, has your burden eclipsed your blessings in your mind?

What is your burden today?

• Is it a physical infirmity?

• Do you have a broken heart?

• Is there a broken relationship?

• Are you experiencing loneliness?

• Are you defeated?

• Have you experienced a great financial setback or a disappointment?

• Have you lost a loved one, or perhaps a precious little one in your womb?

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10)

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

If you have a burden today, then take heart, for Zacharias and Elizabeth, and many other good people in the Bible, have walked in your shoes. In Elizabeth’s day, it would be common belief that her barrenness was because of some kind of punishment for her sin. This was not only bad manners, but also bad theology. Our sins are not always the source of our suffering. Sometimes they are but not always.

Sometimes Christians suffer for the exact opposite of sin - for the sake of righteousness. Sometimes we suffer because of the sins of others and sometimes God allows us to go through difficult times to bring us to a place of worship and glorifying him. We may not always know the why, but we do know God does hear our prayers. ( Philip Graham Ryken)

III. God Hears the Prayers of The Faithful

Luke, Volumes 1 & 2 But They Had No Child

Part of the Christian perspective on suffering is that even in suffering, there is a way for us to glorify God.

There are several wonderful examples of this among barren women in the Bible. I think about Sarah in Gen 18:11 or Rebekah (Gen 25:21) or Hannah (1 Sam 1-2). All of these women suffered tremendously.

Suffering can heightened our spiritual sensitivity to draw us closer in our relationship with God. We have the choice and ability to become bitter or say, “How can I glorify God in this?” How can God use this situation to help others know him?

Dr. Karl Menninger, a world-famous psychiatrist, was answering questions after giving a lecture on mental health when one person asked, “What would you advice someone to do if he felt a nervous breakdown coming on?” Most people expected the doctor to say, “Consult a psychiatrist.” Instead he said, “Lock up your house, go across the railroad tracks, find someone in need, and do something to help that person.”

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (Romans 8:26)

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. (Psalm 34:17)

"Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake somebody."

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Conclusion

God has a plan.

Hudson Taylor, founder of China Inland Mission, used to hang in his home a plaque with two Hebrew Words on it: EBENEZER & JEHOVAH JIREH. The first word means ‘Hitherto hath the Lord helped us’ and the second, ‘The Lord will see to it or provide.’ One looked back while the other looked forward. One reminded him of God’s faithfulness and the other of God’s assurances.

As we’re going through life. We can be reminded of God’s faithfulness. We can look back at all that life has thrown at us and be reminded of his steadfastness and have the assurance of what lies ahead.