Redemption At Hand-5 Series

REDEMPTION At HAND-V—Luke 1:67-80

TOUCHING REDEMPTION

Attention:

All Twelve of Seven:

The farmer's son was returning from the market with a crate of chickens his father had entrusted to him, when all of a sudden the box fell & broke open. Chickens scurried off in different directions, but the determined boy walked all over the neighborhood scooping up the wayward birds & returning them to the repaired crate. Hoping he had found them all, the boy reluctantly returned home, expecting the worst.

"Pa, the chickens got loose," the boy confessed sadly, "but I managed to find all twelve of them."

"Well, you done a good job, son," the farmer beamed, "because you only left with seven."

REDEEM—To purchase or exchange in order to make something/someone what it should be...with continuously lasting results from a point in time forward.

God initiated the redemption of His people thru John’s birth.

Redemption is touched/at hand thru God’s visitation.

When is/was God’s redemption realized?

Signs that God’s redemption is at hand.

Previously we had found that Redemption is at hand when God initiates/gives...

1. INSIGHT(:67)

2. BLESSING(:68a)

3. PRESENCE(:68b)

4. STRENGTH(:69)

5. WATCHMEN(:70)

6. FULFILLMENT(:71-74a-b)

7. SERVICE(:74c-75)

8—Redemption is at hand when God initiates/gives...

FORGIVENESS(:76-77)

Explanation:(:76-77)Air/Pathway/Spotlight/Funneling/Focus/Spotlight/Dedicated Way

:76—“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,”

The focus now shifts to John(Elijah) rather than Jesus(Savior), but only as John’s ministry relates to the coming Messiah.

John, the newly circumcised & named one, will be known abroad as “the prophet of the Most High.” His being the mouthpiece of God will be apparent.

John’s purpose & giftedness in God is that He prophesy concerning God’s planned/ordained redemption in Jesus(Messiah).

John’s destiny is to go before/prior to/under the watchful eye of the Lord. He is to prepare the way/path God will take in His Messiah. John will prepare God’s ways for the sake of others/Israel/mankind.

“His lifestyle was a living, visual protest to self-indulgence & self-centeredness.”—John MacArthur

Forerunner/Harbinger:

Mal. 4:5-6—“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great & dreadful day of the LORD. And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come & strike the earth with a curse.”

Mat. 11:11-15—“Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, & the violent take it by force. For all the prophets & the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Mat. 17:10-13—“And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus answered & said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first & will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, & they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.”

Lk. 1:16-17—“And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit & power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ & the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

How will the Lord’s “ways” be “prepared”?—In effect, the mountains will be leveled & the valleys will be raised & the crooked ways be made straight. God’s “ways” will be made easily accessible. Even in the midst of secular popular thought, & governmental intervention intent on destroying, God’s truth will be disseminated at the expense of both John & Jesus.....

Who/What gives you breath/air/freedom to speak & do?—The accepted “ways” of the Lord!

“Called”—kalew—Future Passive Indicative—1) To call—1a) To call aloud, utter in a loud voice, 1b) To invite; 2) To call i.e. to name, by name—2a) To give a name to—2a1) To receive the name of, receive as a name, 2a2) To give some name to one, call his name, 2b) To be called i.e. to bear a name or title (among men), 2c) To salute one by name. Kalew denotes to cry out for a purpose. Strong—To "call" (properly, aloud, but used in a variety of applications, direct or otherwise).

“Prophet”—profhthv—Noun Masc.—Strong—A foreteller ("prophet"); by analogy--An inspired speaker; by extension--A poet.

From—pro—a primary preposition; “Fore”, i.e. In front of, prior(figuratively--Superior) to—&—fhmi—To show or make known one's thoughts, i.e. Speak or say.