Hope fulfilled - prophetic and personal

Birth of John Foretold

(Luke 1:1-25, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, December 2, 2018)

[1] Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, [2] just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, [3] it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, [4] that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

[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.

[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. [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, [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.”

[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.

[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.”

The Certainty of Incarnation Truths

Religious sentimentality really hits the sweet spot of our souls when we need a quick pick-me-up. We want Christmas traditions to be a part of our lives. That has its purpose. But life is tough, and there are other moments when Bing Crosby singing “Silver Bells” is not enough. At that moment we need to know for certain that God is real and that He has visited us in person. That's when we need the two volumes written by Luke that we call “Luke” and “Acts.”

The introductions to both books assure us that they are written by the same man, Luke, a companion of Paul, to Theophilus, which means “lover of God.” The good doctor was also a careful historian who was living in the middle of the second book he researched for us. His goal was an important one: “That you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.” When it comes to the incarnation of the Son of God, of we should be engaged in our hearts, but we need more than sentiment. We need certainty.

Elizabeth and Zechariah

The story of Jesus, as it is told in all four gospels, begins with an unusual historical character called John who appeared suddenly in Judah and Jerusalem, living in the tradition of an Old Testament prophet like Elijah. The prophets Isaiah and Malachi had spoken of the coming of John centuries before. What they did not tell us about was John's parents.

Like the Old Testament heroes Abraham and Sarah, Zechariah and Elizabeth were elderly and had never been able to have a child. The birth of John would be the miracle before the more astounding conception of Jesus in the womb of a young virgin, Mary. Zechariah and Elizabeth were called “righteous” meaning that they carefully followed “the commandments and statutes of the Lord.” They had faced the disappointment of childlessness for many years, but little did they know that their decades-old longing would not be the end of the story, but the beginning.

John Foretold

Suddenly Zechariah hears that his “prayer” has been “heard” after all. Elizabeth would have a son who would be “great before the Lord.” Jesus would later say in Luke 7:28 that “among those born of women none is greater than John.” John would be the last in the tradition of centuries of divinely inspired ambassadors to Israel. In Luke 16:16 we read, “The Law and the Prophets were until John.”

Who would this John be? His life would be ceremonially holy like that of the Old Testament Nazirites from Numbers 6. He would not “drink wine or strong drink,” but more than that, he would be “filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.” His ministry would be to speak for the Lord. His power would not be displayed in miraculous signs but in preaching a very plain message with a shockingly powerful impact. “Hearts” would be turned by his words, not because of his eloquence, but because God chose to use him. (See Malachi 3:1, 4:6 and Isaiah 40:3 [Luke 3:4-6]).

A Quiet Heart of Joy in a Perilous World

The words about John, and later the words of John and Jesus were to be received in quiet submission to the Lord. This is the only pathway to the best Christmas joy. The prophets have spoken for God from Abraham and Moses all the way to Isaiah, Malachi, and even John the Baptist. Yet will we believe their words as certain truths? They tell us of good news for those who have lost hope—people that wonder if they should keep on praying. There is a real Christmas, a preparation and then an incarnation, for humanity.

Zechariah had a hard time believing, so he received several months of a quieter life as a sign of something that would surely come—a word of good news for Israel and for the world. And then it happened. Elizabeth conceived, and it all began—first hidden and private and then public and eternal. One would come who would take away the reproach of humanity with His life and death—not John, but Jesus. John would prepare the way.

Hope fulfilled, of the Hebrew prophets and of a godly couple, is God's chosen context for His gift of His Son. He enriches our celebration of the birth of the Messiah even today. There is something for us here in Luke 1 and 2 that will prepare us to better serve our Savior right now. We have solid truths as the foundation of our very best eternal hopes.

Old Testament Reading—Psalm 86 – Show me a sign of Your favor