WEBVTT 00:00:13.599 --> 00:00:20.719 Luke chapter one, that's the second book of the New Testament, beginning to that book. 00:00:20.960 --> 00:00:25.359 We'll read from verse five down through verse twenty-five. 00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:29.120 Luke chapter one, verses five to twenty-five. 00:00:29.199 --> 00:00:30.399 This is God's word. 00:00:33.679 --> 00:00:41.679 In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest of Abijah's division named Zachariah. 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:45.679 His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 00:00:45.920 --> 00:00:52.640 Both were righteous in God's sight, living without blame according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord. 00:00:52.880 --> 00:00:58.399 But they had no children, because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well long in years. 00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:09.680 When his division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, it happened that he was chosen by Lot according to the custom of the priesthood to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:14.400 At the hour of incense, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. 00:01:14.719 --> 00:01:19.599 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:24.719 When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified and overcome with fear. 00:01:25.120 --> 00:01:30.799 But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. 00:01:30.959 --> 00:01:35.120 Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will you will name him John. 00:01:35.599 --> 00:01:43.359 There will be joy and delight for you, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or beer. 00:01:43.519 --> 00:01:47.280 He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother's womb. 00:01:47.599 --> 00:02:06.879 He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people. 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:08.960 How can I know this? 00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:14.479 Zachariah asked the angel, for I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years. 00:02:15.039 --> 00:02:23.439 The angel answered him, I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news. 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:35.120 Now listen, you will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time. 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:40.479 Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zachariah, amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. 00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:43.759 When he did not come out, he could not speak to them. 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:47.280 Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. 00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:50.800 He was making signs to them and remained speechless. 00:02:51.039 --> 00:02:54.879 When the days of his ministry were completed, he went back home. 00:02:55.599 --> 00:03:03.199 After these days, his wife Elizabeth conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months. 00:03:03.520 --> 00:03:06.879 She said, The Lord has done this for me. 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:13.039 He has looked with favor in these days to take away my disgrace among the people. 00:03:13.439 --> 00:03:15.280 Let's seek the Lord again. 00:03:15.599 --> 00:03:23.840 Father, thank you for the power of songs, the power of your word, and we want your word to have its effect in our heart tonight. 00:03:24.159 --> 00:03:28.639 We want to be ready to encounter you through this word. 00:03:28.879 --> 00:03:34.719 And so we're praying for your spirit to give this word life and light in all of our hearts. 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:36.639 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:03:38.719 --> 00:03:41.439 Have you ever received unexpected news? 00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:43.520 Hey everyone. 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:48.400 Big news, Uncle Wally is going to be in town for Christmas. 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:52.960 That could be good news or bad news, depending on Uncle Wally. 00:03:54.080 --> 00:04:00.000 In our text tonight, Zechariah receives some very unexpected news. 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:03.280 A child is coming. 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:06.400 What's so unexpected about that? 00:04:06.960 --> 00:04:22.879 Well, aside from the fact that angels don't visit people every day of the week, the text tells us in verse 7 that Zechariah and Elizabeth had no children, that Elizabeth couldn't conceive, that they were both well along in years. 00:04:23.519 --> 00:04:30.480 And then after the message, Zechariah responds to the angel in verse 18, How can I know this? 00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:34.800 I am an old man and my wife is well along in years. 00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:45.839 We don't know exactly how old Zechariah and Elizabeth were at this point in time, but once you get to a certain age, it's surprising to find out you're having a child. 00:04:46.079 --> 00:04:53.519 It's even more surprising if in Elizabeth's case she's never been able to have a child after being married for years. 00:04:53.920 --> 00:04:55.759 Get ready, Zachariah. 00:04:56.240 --> 00:04:57.839 Get ready, Elizabeth. 00:04:58.079 --> 00:04:59.920 A child is coming. 00:05:01.680 --> 00:05:08.879 Now you might be wondering, okay, Zechariah, Elizabeth, John, what about Mary, Joseph, and Jesus? 00:05:09.040 --> 00:05:13.360 What does this have to do with the birth of baby Jesus? 00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:16.399 Well, this is how Luke begins his gospel. 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:22.959 All four of the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, yes, they're all centered on Christ. 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:34.079 But before Luke gets to Christ in Luke chapter 2, a portion that many of us are familiar with, before he gets there, he gives us this story. 00:05:34.480 --> 00:05:42.399 He wants us to hear this story to prepare us to encounter the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:05:44.160 --> 00:05:49.439 Verse 17 at the end gives us an indication of why Luke includes this story. 00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:58.720 The end of verse 17 says that John will make ready for the Lord a prepared people. 00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:04.319 Are you prepared to encounter the Lord? 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:09.040 The Bible prepares us through patterns. 00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:11.199 Let me say that again. 00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:15.279 The Bible prepares us in part through patterns. 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:23.600 Repeated words, yes, but repeated events and repeated people and repeated places. 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:27.519 And this is the pattern we're going to look at tonight. 00:06:27.839 --> 00:06:29.360 A child is coming. 00:06:29.759 --> 00:06:30.720 A child is coming. 00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:31.920 That's the pattern. 00:06:32.319 --> 00:06:36.879 First, baby John and then Jesus. 00:06:38.079 --> 00:06:41.519 Only it's not actually first John. 00:06:42.639 --> 00:06:50.639 John is a part of a pattern of coming children that are spoken of in the Bible. 00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:59.279 So as we reflect on this pattern, I want us to kind of zoom out from this particular story of the announcement of John the Baptist's birth. 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:06.240 We're going to zoom out and we're going to look at this pattern of a coming child before John the Baptist. 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:10.319 And then also look at this pattern after John the Baptist. 00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:13.279 And we'll spend a little more time on the before. 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:19.680 Where in the Bible do we first find promised children? 00:07:20.399 --> 00:07:22.399 You have to go back to the Garden of Eden. 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:24.560 You've got to go all the way to the beginning. 00:07:24.800 --> 00:07:29.839 God tells Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply, so there's the hope and expectation of children. 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:39.120 But to be more specific, God tells Eve that her seed, her offspring would crush the serpent's head in Genesis 3.15. 00:07:39.279 --> 00:07:46.079 And then in Genesis 3.20, Adam names his wife Eve because she is the mother of the living. 00:07:46.800 --> 00:07:48.560 A little explanation here. 00:07:49.199 --> 00:07:54.079 Adam and Eve in the garden are tempted by Satan to rebel against God, to go their own way. 00:07:54.160 --> 00:08:00.240 They give in, they do it, they sin against the Lord, and immediately they're judged. 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:03.519 Suffering and death are brought into the world. 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:19.360 And so from this promise and this command of being fruitful and multiplying, and God giving them bodies to be able to produce life, if the judgment is death, you would think, okay, no children for Adam and Eve. 00:08:20.160 --> 00:08:25.040 But we begin to see God's mercy in these words to Eve and to Adam. 00:08:25.120 --> 00:08:31.920 And even through the serpent's judgment, we hear this hope that no, Eve, a child is coming. 00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:36.879 Someone who is going to crush the serpent's head. 00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:43.039 You, Eve, the mother of all living, the life giver, is going to give birth to a death dealer. 00:08:44.879 --> 00:08:49.679 Dealing out death to the one who captured us and held us in bondage. 00:08:50.879 --> 00:08:52.960 And Eve's firstborn is Cain. 00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:55.360 Here is the child. 00:08:56.320 --> 00:08:56.639 No. 00:08:57.360 --> 00:09:00.559 Cain actually kills his brother Abel. 00:09:00.879 --> 00:09:03.039 He doesn't destroy the serpent. 00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:12.399 God didn't tell Eve that her very firstborn son would be the one who crushed the serpent, but a seed is coming, a child is coming. 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:15.279 Somewhere, somehow, Eve, a child is coming. 00:09:15.440 --> 00:09:17.279 That's the beginning of this pattern. 00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:22.159 Second, I'll move on to Sarah, Abraham's wife. 00:09:23.279 --> 00:09:31.120 God takes his promise to Adam and Eve, and he reaffirms that promise to Abraham and he sharpens the focus. 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:40.720 And Abraham, to Abraham, he tells him in Genesis 15, you're going to have descendants as numerous as the stars, children are coming, a child is coming. 00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:45.279 That seed, your offspring is going to bring a blessing to the nations. 00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:53.200 So if Adam and Eve brought judgment and curse to the nations, now this child's going to bring blessing to the nations. 00:09:54.799 --> 00:09:56.159 And there's a problem. 00:09:56.639 --> 00:09:59.360 Sarah's 90 years old. 00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:02.639 Abraham's a hundred years old. 00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:06.240 His body isn't exactly a life-giving body. 00:10:06.559 --> 00:10:08.159 And I'm not trying to be unkind. 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:14.480 The New Testament actually, in two places, describes Abraham as good as dead. 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:19.360 So, so I was being kind of polite compared to what the New Testament does with Abraham. 00:10:19.840 --> 00:10:25.679 But it's bringing the point that he needed God's help in a significant way. 00:10:26.240 --> 00:10:30.879 And sure enough, God delivers on his promise and they have a child. 00:10:31.120 --> 00:10:32.799 They have Isaac. 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:48.879 So if the story of Adam and Eve shows us that God mercifully brings life from death with a coming child, Abraham and Sarah shows that God miraculously can bring life from death with a coming child. 00:10:49.679 --> 00:10:52.879 Next installment of this pattern is Rebekah. 00:10:53.039 --> 00:11:05.679 So Abraham and Sarah's son Isaac marries a woman named Rebekah, but Genesis 25, 21 says, Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless. 00:11:06.799 --> 00:11:11.840 And God opens Rebekah's womb and gives her two boys, Esau and Jacob. 00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:16.480 And yet these children end up feuding like Cain and Abel in some ways. 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:25.519 But in Genesis 26, God affirms his promise again to Isaac that your seed will bless all nations. 00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:29.519 A child is coming, a child is coming, a child is coming. 00:11:31.679 --> 00:11:36.320 Last installment of this pattern we'll look at in the Old Testament is Rachel. 00:11:36.879 --> 00:11:48.399 So Isaac's son is born through once again a woman that has trouble conceiving. 00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:52.399 Listen to Genesis 28, 15. 00:11:52.720 --> 00:11:59.519 God visits Jacob and reaffirms the promise, I'm going to bless all the nations through your offspring. 00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:07.919 And yet in Genesis 29, 31, it says that Rachel, so this is Jacob's, uh this is Jacob's wife, Isaac's son. 00:12:08.320 --> 00:12:10.799 Rachel was unable to conceive. 00:12:11.759 --> 00:12:20.480 Barren womb, barren womb, barren womb, promise of children, promise of children, promise of children, life, life, life, fulfillment, fulfillment, fulfillment. 00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:25.519 And sure enough, God remembers Rachel and opens her womb and she becomes a life giver. 00:12:25.600 --> 00:12:27.440 Her son's name is Joseph. 00:12:29.279 --> 00:12:39.679 Of all the children in the Old Testament, I think that Joseph is the one that comes closest to being the child. 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:45.759 He follows the Lord, he helps preserve his family during a famine. 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:49.200 He even helps preserve the nation of Egypt. 00:12:49.279 --> 00:12:51.919 It's like he's bringing a blessing to the nations. 00:12:52.879 --> 00:12:57.200 Only Joseph dies, like everyone else has died. 00:12:57.519 --> 00:13:01.360 And another Pharaoh arises in Egypt who doesn't remember Joseph. 00:13:03.200 --> 00:13:04.559 Are you hearing the pattern? 00:13:05.200 --> 00:13:08.960 Eve to Sarah, to Rebecca, to Rachel. 00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:12.320 God prepares his people through patterns. 00:13:12.799 --> 00:13:15.440 A child is coming, a child is coming. 00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:28.080 Hopefully that puts this announcement to Zachariah and Elizabeth in a whole new light when they're told a child is coming. 00:13:29.039 --> 00:13:31.200 It's like we've seen this movie before. 00:13:32.320 --> 00:13:33.840 We know something's coming. 00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:39.919 How does Hallmark produce so many holiday movies? 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:44.879 It's because they're not different movies. 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:47.440 Do you understand? 00:13:48.399 --> 00:13:50.639 There's a woman, her husband has died. 00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:52.639 It's her first Christmas alone. 00:13:52.879 --> 00:13:56.799 She's gonna go to the Christmas tree farm and get a Christmas tree because that was their tradition. 00:13:56.960 --> 00:13:58.720 She goes to the Christmas tree farm. 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:02.000 She has a little trouble loading up the tree because she's by herself now. 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:05.919 Thankfully, there's another man there who's willing to help her. 00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:08.399 Very nice, very handsome. 00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:12.559 And amazingly, his wife has died also. 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:16.559 This is not a suspense. 00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:17.840 We know where this is going. 00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:19.600 We've seen this movie before. 00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:22.240 They're going to end up under the mistletoe. 00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:24.399 They are going to end up at the altar. 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:26.799 We've seen this movie before. 00:14:27.039 --> 00:14:38.480 Now, leaving aside the merits, artistic merits of Hallmark, in the Bible story, we've heard this before, but it hasn't found its resolution yet. 00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:47.039 It's been a repeated promise in an anticipation, in anticipation, but it actually hasn't hit that happy ending. 00:14:47.360 --> 00:14:51.200 There is the suspense for who is going to be the child. 00:14:51.759 --> 00:15:02.480 So when we get to the story here of the announcement of the birth of John, this is more than just wow, this couple wanted to have a child and God let them have a child. 00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:03.919 God's a really nice guy. 00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:05.600 It's more than that. 00:15:05.759 --> 00:15:12.879 It's bringing to fulfillment this pattern that's been happening all throughout the Bible of a child is coming. 00:15:14.480 --> 00:15:22.399 Now I said we'd look at the pattern before this announcement to John to uh Zechariah and Elizabeth, and we've done that. 00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:27.919 Then I said we'd look at the pattern after the birth of John the Baptist. 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:42.960 So after this account that we read, in the New Testament, where do we find the stories of barren women, promise of a child to come who's going to crush the serpent's head? 00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:46.639 We don't. 00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:49.519 We don't find those stories. 00:15:49.919 --> 00:15:57.600 Elizabeth is the end of the line of this pattern of barren women and God's promise to give life. 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:02.000 I told you it's gonna be a lot shorter to talk about the after than the before. 00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:08.399 Except, except there is a woman, a cousin, Mary. 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:12.000 She's not old and advanced in years. 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:17.919 She's not she's not barren, only she's never been with a man. 00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:23.200 She's engaged, but she's never been with a man. 00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:32.799 So God fulfills his promise through this pattern, but with an even greater magnitude. 00:16:34.559 --> 00:16:39.279 Abraham and Sarah needed a lot of help from the Lord to have their son Isaac. 00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:48.159 Mary to conceive without a man, that's a miracle of an extraordinarily next level. 00:16:48.559 --> 00:16:51.120 And that's the kind of thing that God does. 00:16:51.440 --> 00:17:00.320 He ramps up his promise because he's bringing our focus to this attention, to this point in history, to this baby, to this birth. 00:17:00.559 --> 00:17:05.759 And John gets to be the final preparation for this coming child. 00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:08.880 There's more though. 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:20.480 Here in Luke chapter 1, verse 17, Zechariah is told at the end that John the Baptist is preparing people for the Lord. 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:23.200 For the Lord. 00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:26.400 What about the child? 00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:28.319 The child, the child. 00:17:30.079 --> 00:17:33.519 The child is the Lord. 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:39.519 All of these other children were merely human. 00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:44.240 They couldn't bring about the restoration of all things. 00:17:44.640 --> 00:17:46.400 This child is truly human. 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:49.680 He's truly born of Mary, but he's not merely human. 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:50.720 He is the Lord. 00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:52.319 He's the Lord of glory. 00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:56.480 So God fulfills his promise by sending his own son. 00:17:58.000 --> 00:18:00.480 Are you prepared for the Lord tonight? 00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:06.160 I don't mean, do you have your Christmas tree up, all the lights decorated? 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:07.440 Did you get your presents? 00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:10.480 Are you still got to do some shopping and get some cards? 00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:15.920 Are you prepared to encounter the Lord Jesus Christ? 00:18:17.039 --> 00:18:19.440 This is good news for us that Jesus has come. 00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:20.799 It can be good news for you. 00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:28.960 It's good news because He came and lived a perfectly obedient life that no other child ever lived. 00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:39.359 He came and died the death that we deserved to die because of our rebellion against God, and he did it as a substitute. 00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:40.640 That's good news. 00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:41.759 It's good news for everyone. 00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:46.720 It's good news for you if you have 12 children or two children or no children. 00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:52.240 It's good news for you if this season, your family is all gathered together, enjoy. 00:18:52.319 --> 00:19:00.240 It's good news for you if your family doesn't have the measure of holiday cheer that you might like. 00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:11.440 It's good news because what God has made and designed us most for is to know and enjoy Him, and this we can experience through Jesus Christ. 00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:33.519 If you're here tonight and you do know Jesus Christ, enjoy today and tomorrow as much as you're able to, but don't be pulled away from your worship of the Lord, no matter what circumstances are going on in life, good or not as easy. 00:19:33.759 --> 00:19:48.559 And if you're here tonight and you want to know the Lord, but you've never truly trusted in Jesus Christ, on behalf of our church, we can we can testify a child has come. 00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:53.519 Let's pray. 00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:59.680 Lord, how we marvel at this. 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:01.759 Promise. 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:08.799 How we marvel that the Lord of the ages has clothed himself in frail humanity. 00:20:10.160 --> 00:20:12.400 You've come and visited your people. 00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:17.359 We've already seen the climax of the movie. 00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:22.400 We know how it's going to end, and it ends well for all who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:20:22.720 --> 00:20:29.599 Lord, give us hearts that can truly sing, there is a redeemer, Jesus God's own Son. 00:20:29.839 --> 00:20:41.839 Give us hearts that can speak of a silent night that is not merely picturesque for our own childhood memories, but for our soul's rest in you. 00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:45.359 And Lord, may we all find rest in your beloved Son. 00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:47.839 Thank you for sending a messenger. 00:20:48.000 --> 00:20:51.039 Thank you for sending this final piece of preparation. 00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:57.119 Even the one who would later in his life cry out Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 00:20:57.440 --> 00:21:00.079 May we be people prepared to encounter the Lord. 00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:01.440 In Jesus' name. 00:21:01.680 --> 00:21:02.319 Amen.