Preparing to be prepared
Luke 1:1-25
Disclaimer:
This was prepared from resources from sermon central and private study.
Introduction-
It’s official Thanksgiving and Black Friday are behind us.
It is officially the Christmas season. Let the craziness begin.
Christmas music.
Christmas trees.
Christmas lights.
I saw Kevin and Becky on Friday, I didn’t stop because I was afraid they would ask me to have helped them, I mean I had some other business I had to do.
Purpose of this mornings message.
Prepare our hearts and our minds so that we do not forget the reason for the season.
The more vigilant you are about preparing for Christmas, the more you are about getting your heart in the right perspective, the more meaningful this Christmas will be for you and your family.
Another Christmas or this can be a time of refreshing your relationship with Jesus and others.
As Grace has read, this is a passage about the priest Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth having a child after in the natural it would be almost impossible.
It is one of many advent scriptures.
Advent is the 4 weeks before the Christmas miracle.
Ordinary people; Extraordinary God.
So we have to be careful what we call impossible. There are a whole lot of things that awhile back seemed impossible.
Marvel comics, as a kid, reading about flying space ships and in 1969, we land on the moon.
I remember the original Atari game. Tennis. Blip, Blip, Blip,. We thought it could not get any better that that. Now the games are so high tech, that most older folks cannot work them.
The computer, when I was in high school, learned on IBM cards put into this giant machine with holes in the cards for programing.
The first t.v., some of you remember. You thought impossible. Now most would think it impossible to live without it.
“Nothing is impossible with God”
During Advent,
we light candles, they do more than give light, they are a symbol of our faith.
We will be setting up the Nativity scene, it is not just because we always do it, it is a timeless reminder of God coming to redeem mankind, and more personal, you and I.
Advent is about ordinary people, in regular life circumstances, being transformed by God’s loving work.
You have to listen to the text
Zechariah and Elizabeth, married couple, obedient to God, record of good faith, faithful church goers.
Zechariah a priest, coming from great lineage of people.
Not able to have children (set backs, disappointments)
Understand this culture, that this was believed to be because of sin.
Luke tells us and shows us that bad things happen to good people, but he also shows us that ordinary becomes extraordinary when God shows up. That we cannot be quick to throw the word impossible around when we are believing God is involved.
Zechariah was going about his job.
Going about what he does everyday.
Zechariah was of the tribe of Aaron. The men of Aaron were priests. There was a lot of priest. So much that they were divided they believe into 24 divisions of priest who took their turns at praying and burning of incense in the temple.
Scripture tells us(v8)
“Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense”
While he was doing that- The angel of the Lord shows up and says to him
“Your prayers have been answered”
What prayer?
The prayer that kept him up at night.
He wanted a son. Wanted the Lord to honor that prayer.
Wanted him to break the curse of being barren.
The angel goes into great detail about who this child will be:
“John, the forerunner to Christ.”
This Christmas , you can come to the manger, receive all that the Lord has for you. Or you can chalk this up to another year of hearing the Christmas story.
* after dinner, we will set up our sanctuary and prepare for the season.
Illustration:
Years ago, there was a very wealthy man, who with his devoted son, shared a passion for art collecting. Together they traveled around the world, adding only the finest art treasures to their collection. Priceless works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet and many others adorned the walls of the family estate. The widowed father looked on with satisfaction as his only child became an expert art collector. But the day came when war engulfed the nation, and the young man left to serve his country. After only a few short weeks, his father received a telegram that his beloved son had been killed while carrying a fellow soldier to a medic. On Christmas morning, a knock came at the door of the old man’s home, and as he opened the door, he was greeted by a soldier with a large package in his hand. He introduced himself to the man by saying, I was a friend of your son. I was the one he was rescuing when he died. May I come in for a few moment’s? I have something to show you. I am an artist, said the soldier, and I want to give you this. As the old man unwrapped the package, the paper gave way to reveal a portrait of his son. Though the art critics would never consider the work a piece of genius, the painting did feature the young man’s face in striking detail, and seemed to capture his personality. The following spring the old man became ill and passed away. The art world was in anticipation. According to the will of the old man, all the art works would be auctioned. The day soon arrived, and art collectors from around the world gathered to bid on some of the world’s most spectacular paintings. The auctioneer began with a painting that was not on any museum list. It was a painting of the old man’s son. Who will open the bid at 100 dollars. The room went silent. From the back of the room someone callously called out, who cares about that painting? It is just the son. Lets forget about it and go on to the important paintings. No, we have to sell this one first. Now, who will be the first bid? Finally a friend of the old man spoke, I knew the boy, so I would like to have it. I will bid 100 dollars. Will anyone go higher? After a silence, going once, going twice, gone The gavel fell. Cheers filled the room, now we can get unto the others. The auctioneer announced to the crowd that the auction was over. what about these other paintings? It is very simple. According to the will of the father, whoever takes the son...get’s it all.
that is the essence of Christmas. Whoever takes the son...get’s it all
The author Luke, the doctor, the Gentile, all of the other gospels were written by jews. Luke makes a point to tell us
(v3)- therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught
This passage tells us 3 things about being prepared
1. Planned
2. By faith
3. Anticipation for the future
I preparation is planning
every time we hear of a snow storm, everyone runs out and buys bread and milk
The stores empty out. We prepare ourselves that the roads may not be passible and we will be closed in. I want more than bread and milk, I hope my wife throws in the necessities like ice cream, chips, cookies, and make sure we have plenty of coffee on hand.
Question- how well are you planing?
We have to engage the text.
We live in a world of broken promises.
How many disappointments?
How many let downs?
How many heartaches?
We beg God to give us what we need
God shows up,
God has the answer
God provides a way ... and we don’t believe Him
Like Zechariah, we don’t buy it.
We’ve prayed too many times.
We even sometimes believe that God doesn’t hear us.
It is natural to question unanswered prayers, but God invites us to be a part of His grand plan.
If you don’t believe in prayer, what are you praying for?
II. Preparing is by faith
Zechariah was a priest, he should of had a lot of faith.
sometimes our circumstances cloud our faith
sometimes the greatest news gets watered down by unbelief or a heavy heart
sometimes we cry out, and never listen for the answer God has for us.
Listen:
The voice of disappointment can be louder than the voice of God’s promise.
we don’t hear because we have too much noise going on in our lives.
busy is not always good
Zechariah an Elizabeth had a purpose. They were to birth the forerunner to Christ.
ordinary people doing extraordinary things when God shows up and God’s involved.
Advent is the time we celebrate the fulfilment fo the promised messiah
people longed for the Messiah, they prayed time and again, year after year.
God didn’t disappoint. Messiah did come. Jesus was born .
God is always faithful. God is always at work. God keeps His promises.
Zechariah didn’t believe the angel. He asked him, “how can I be sure of this”
The angel answered:
I am Gabriel. I stood in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you the good news.
Halelujah
Doubt destroys our faith There is a consequence .
For the whole nine months of his wife’s pregnancy, he was silenced. The people could see he had been with God, but he was silenced.
I think he used that time wisely. I think the greatest experiences I had with God was when I was quiet. When I wasn’t telling god what I need, or how I wanted to do something. It was when He spoke , I listened.
III. Preparation is in anticipation of the future
looking back, how well did the world prepare for His birth?
Today we celebrate Christmas, but if truth be told, you don’t even have to be a Christian to celebrate. It is about buying and getting gifts. For the believer who has read of His birth, life death, resurrection, and has put their faith and trust in Him, he is again coming to this Earth. The second time not as a baby but as Savior and will reward and bless his people.
Santa Claus is coming to town, but Jesus is coming to the world.
Santa may bring a present, Jesus brings redemption.
Santa brings stuff that breaks, moth and rust destroys, but Jesus gave the gift that keeps on giving.
Jesus has come Amen
Jesus is coming again. Amen
Closing:
Are you going to let this be just another Christmas season
Are you going to race to make sure all presents are bought and forget who’s birthday we are remembering?
