Hope in the Darkness- Luke 1: 5-17 – Part 2

Posted on December 17, 2020 by dkoop

In the last post we were introduced to Zechariah and Elizabeth, a godly couple that had prayed for over forty years for a child.

Does God hear our prayers? That’s a question we have all asked. Does God really hear me? After many years Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth probably questioned if God heard their prayers for a child. But God had great plans for their child who was still on the way -John the Baptist.

Zechariah served in the priestly division of Abijah. Priests were divided into 24 divisions, which we can read about in 1 Chronicles 24.   Each day 56 of the 300 Priests in their division were chosen by a lottery who would serve in the temple. It was an honor to be selected to have duty over the altar of incense (Exodus 30:7-8). This burning of the incense was the place representing the prayers of the people.   How long had the people been praying, “Send the Messiah, work in our nation?”  How much do we pray for our nation, for revival?

Today was Zechariah’s turn. I’m sure he was overjoyed telling his wife Elizabeth the good news. Many priests go their whole life without the honor. At the appointed time, Zechariah would enter into the Most Holy Place of the temple, just outside the Holy of Holies. The Golden Candlestick would be to his right. The Table of Showbread was to His left. Before him was the Altar of Incense with the veil to the Holy of Holies just beyond the Altar. This was a reverent time of worship.

Incidentally, it was here that Nadab and Abihu were struck down for offering “strange fire” before God (Lev 10:1-3). Spiritual leadership truly is life or death. Zechariah was up for the task while a multitude was outside praying.

And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. (Luke 1:11-12)

What happens next is unexpected and amazing. The man without a child met an angel with a gospel. Even without the appearance of the Angel, Zechariah’s ministry in the Temple would have been a once in a lifetime experience. Now to the right of the Altar stands the Angel Gabriel (Luke 1:19) It is worth noting that it was Gabriel who appeared to Daniel to reveal the 70 weeks of years prophesy (Dan 9:20-21). This prophecy provided Daniel with an exact date of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem as Messiah. It will also be Gabriel who appears to Mary shortly.

Scripture explains that angels minister to us and help us and they are all around us. We hear stories of angels helping people in trouble. Sometimes they take human form as Hebrews 13:2 says:  Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (Hebrews 13:2)

We cannot overemphasize the importance of the setting this encounter takes place. This is a holy place Angels are messengers from God. They play a significant role in assuring God’s plan and will is carried out and they were pivotal in announcing the coming of Christ. They will play an active role in the final days of the end times. They have created beings, eternal in nature, and mighty. Angels are not cute cupids floating on clouds, but they are warriors and powerful. So Zechariah’s response to the appearance of Gabriel is to be expected. “Fear fell upon him.” (v.12)

When we encounter the Holy or Divine, we will naturally respond in fear. In every instance, the angels provide assurance of peace and calm. “Do not be afraid.” For we know there are also fallen angels. These are the angels who followed the arch-angel Lucifer in a revolt against God (Revelation 12:4).

We should also know that there is a constant spiritual battle happening all around us that we are entwined in daily. Our prayers are effective against the evil forces and engage us in the spiritual war.   Ephesians 6:12-13.”For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places”

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.  Luke 1:13

Gabriel is bringing to Zechariah a grand message announcing the coming of the forerunner of the Messiah. There are some important pieces of Gabriel’s message that we want to look at:

First, after assuring Zechariah not to be afraid, Gabriel tells Zechariah that God has heard his prayer. Because, Gabriel is making the annunciation of John, some believe that Gabriel is talking about Zechariah’s prayer for a son. This could be, but given the context of where John is, it is unlikely John’s prayer was self-focused. Rather, it seems more likely that Zechariah may have been praying for the redemption of Israel. Prayer for the nation was the point of the evening offering

Nevertheless, God hears our prayers. There may be times when it seems like our prayers go nowhere but just waft into the air. This is not the case. God hears our prayers. His answers will sometimes come at surprising times, in a surprising place, in a surprising way. Watch for the answer!

Secondly, Gabriel tells John they are going to have a baby and the baby’s name will be John. Yohanan means “God has been gracious.” God knows us. He forms us and shapes us in our mother’s womb. He even gives us our name. God knows your name. Your life begins before you take your first breath. That’s why every life, including life in the womb, is sacred and holy.

Luke 1:14-17

There are some key characteristics Gabriel shares with Zechariah about John’s life:

First, His life will bring joy to Zechariah & Elizabeth, along with many others. The joy rooted in John’s ministry was pointing people to Jesus as the forerunner of the messiah.

Second, John was set apart for God. The reference to not drinking beer or wine would be clear to Zechariah that John was to be a Nazarite. Nazarites were set apart for special service for God (Numbers 6:1-21). A Nazarite was to avoid strong drink, not to cut his hair, and not to touch a dead body. The real contrast here is that John’s filling of the Holy Spirit. This is something common in Luke’s gospel as well as Acts

The most important thing is that from the very first John was to be filled with the Holy Spirit, without whose help God’s work cannot be done effectively. John is the only person who said in the New Testament to be filled with the Spirit from his mother’s womb; this emphasizes the fact that God chose him and equipped him from the very beginning.

He will be a great prophet. Jesus said that John was the greatest of all prophets in Matthew 11:11

Months from now, when Elizabeth, is visited by Mary who is carrying Jesus in her womb, it will be John who leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb. (Luke 1:44). This reminds us that the Holy Spirit was with John from the day of his conception. Even in the womb, John is It also serves as a Scriptural basis for the sanctity of life in the womb. This was not a glob of flesh.

The last thing of John’s life Gabriel shares is the theocentric ministry of John. His ministry is not self-serving. He will turn people to the Lord with the “spirit and the power of Elijah.” Elijah spent most of his ministry opposing apostasy and turn people away from Baal.

Baal was the name of the supreme god worshiped in ancient Canaan and Phoenicia. The practice of Baal worship infiltrated Jewish religious life during the time of the Judges (Judges 3:7), became widespread in Israel during the reign of Ahab (1 Kings 16:31-33), and also affected Judah (2 Chronicles 28:1-2).

Baal was a fertility god and was commonly associated with child sacrifice and sexual immorality. In this way, God’s incredible gift of sexuality was perverted to the most obscene public prostitution. No wonder God’s anger burned against his people and their leaders.

The worship of Baal (which means “lord”) worship is evidenced by the out war on anything biblical and Christian. The glorification of sexual deviance, violence, abortion (child sacrifice), pornography and prostitution is evidence of Baal worship in our culture. Incidentally, Jesus In Matthew 12:26, calls Satan “Beelzebub,” linking the devil to Baal-Zebub, (2 Kings 1:2). The Baal of the Old Testament were nothing more than demons masquerading as gods (1 Corinthians 10:20).

One last interesting aspect of this is Gabriel’s words “to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just” (v.17). The idea of family and the spiritual leadership of fathers cannot be overlooked here. A major part of Israel’s reconciliation was the reconciliation of the family with the role of the father leading the family spiritually. All of this was vital to the first coming of Jesus. Will He find us any more ready when he comes again?

Will Christ find us upright, righteous, praying, leading our family, turning away from idolatry, and toward God’s grace and goodness? Are we a church committed to strengthening the family? Are we more interested in what is popular or what is holy?  There is hope in the darkness.

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Hope in the Darkness – Luke 1-5-8

Posted on December 12, 2020 by dkoop

Could you use some hope in 2020?  This year has been challenging and divisive.  We are living in a pandemic; there is social and political unrest, conflicts on the streets and economic uncertainty.  I don’t think we can minimize the significance of these issues. They’re real and they’re affecting all of us.

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

God is working, be faithful.

Lots of people 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.

Look, I am going to send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes. 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.” (Malachi 4:5-7)

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

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.” (Luke 1:17)

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.

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

  1. After the closing of the Old Testament, an influential leader conquered the land in 323 BC. His name was Alexander the Great, his kingdom ushered in a common language – Koine Greek (in which the New Testament is written)
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. The instability of the area will eventually lead to further conquest as General Pompey enters Israel and establishes Roman Rule in 63 BC.
  5. In 44 BC Julius Caesar is assassinated
  6. 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. God 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 a couple of things we need to know about Herod.

  1. 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 the building. You can go to Israel today and see much of his work still standing. Aqueducts over 2000 years old still present, Caesarea, Masada, The Herodian and the Temple in Jerusalem where we still see the Wailing Wall.
  2. The other side of Herod is a cruel and brutal man. Herod sought to immortalize himself as a s god. Caesar Augustus reportedly said that it is better to be a pig than to be one of Herod’s sons. The slaughtering of children after the birth of Christ in Matthew 2:16-17 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.”

With everything going on, it can be difficult to have a clear perspective. 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.

Hope with Righteous Living.  (Luke 1:5-8)

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 a 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.

Zechariah and Elizabeth didn’t merely go through the motions in following God’s laws; they backed up their outward compliance with inward obedience. Unlike the religious leaders whom Jesus called hypocrites, Zechariah and Elizabeth did not stop with the letter of the law. Their obedience was from the heart, and that is why God viewed them as righteous. Does your life reflect careful obedience and high regard for God’s will? As your life shows your love for God, others will be drawn to him.

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 overcome the darkness and hopelessness they had lived under for so long.

Let me ask you a question:  Are you 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?

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 a 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)

Hope by Waiting and Praying (Luke 1:10-13)

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 Genesis 18 or Rebekah (Gen 25:21) or Hannah (1 Sam 1-2). All of these women suffered tremendously.

Suffering can heighten 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.”

God has a plan. He answered their prayer at just the right time.  They needed to keep serving others and keep praying.   In the next post we will see how God answered their prayer and how he answers ours.

Darrell

www.Upwards.Church

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Source:  Bruce B. Barton, Dave Veerman, Linda K. Taylor, Life Application Bible Commentary – Luke, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1997), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 6.

 

 

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Hope for the Holidays – Luke 1-2

Posted on December 4, 2020 by dkoop

Join us for our new series, Hope for the Holidays!

Series: Hope for the Holidays

Scripture: Luke 1-2

Description:  We are living in uncertain and turbulent times. The first Christmas was no different.  When it seemed like God was silent, He was at work bringing new life and new opportunities.  Join us as we learn from Elizabeth, Mary, the Shepherds and Simeon that God, His promises, power and presence are our hope.

Dates – Titles (Scriptures)                                                    

Dec. 6 – Hope in the Darkness (Luke 1:1-17)

Dec. 13 – Hope in the Impossible (Luke 1:26-38)

Dec. 20 – Hope in Uncertainty (Luke 1:39-56)

Dec. 24- Hope in Salvation (Luke 2: 1-20)  *Christmas Eve


Dec. 27 – Hope for the Future (Luke 2: 22-35)

 

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Stand with Honor – 1 Peter 2:11-22

Posted on November 4, 2020 by dkoop

How do we live with honor when there’s so much dishonor and disrespect?  What do you do when you don’t like or agree with your government or your boss?  In today’s passage Peter shares ways we can stand with honor.  I’m sure Peter had in mind what Jesus had taught him regarding our responsibility before God and our government.

When Jesus said, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matt. 22:15-22) he changed how His followers should view authority and government. On the one hand, they are to submit to the authorities (even pagan authorities), but on the other hand, they are to remain in full submission to God. But how do we do that?

  1. Stand with honor among Unbelievers

People are watching us. How we live is just as important as what we say.  What should be our mindset that makes us live good lives before unbelievers?   We are citizens of heaven, and must represent God well.

2:11 As believers, we are “temporary residents and foreigners” in this world because our real home is with God. Heaven is not the pink-cloud-and-harp existence popular in cartoons. Heaven is where God lives. Life in heaven operates according to God’s principles and values, and it is eternal and unshakable. The Kingdom of Heaven came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ: “God with us.” It spread through the entire world as the Holy Spirit came to live in every believer.

Someday, after God judges and destroys all sin, the Kingdom of Heaven will rule every corner of this earth. John saw this day in a vision, and he cried out, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them” (Revelation 21:3). Our true loyalty should be to our citizenship in heaven, not to our citizenship here, because the earth will be destroyed. Our loyalty should be to God’s truth, his way of life, and his dedicated people. Because we are loyal to God, we often will feel like strangers in a world that would prefer to ignore God.

“Live such good lives that among the unbelievers that they see your good deeds and glorify God.”

2:12 Peter’s advice sounds like Jesus’ in Matthew 5:16: If your actions are above reproach, even hostile people will end up praising God. Peter’s readers were scattered among unbelieving Gentiles who were inclined to believe and spread vicious lies about Christians. Gracious, godly, and winsome behavior on the part of Christians could show these rumors to be false and might even win some of the unsaved critics to the Lord.

Let’s not write off people because they misunderstand Christianity; instead, show them Christ by our lives. The day may come when those who criticize us will praise God with us.

  1. Stand with honor before Government Authorities

Peter named the offices we are to respect. “The king” meant “the emperor.” In democratic nations, we have a president. Peter did not criticize the Roman government or suggest that it be overthrown. God’s church has been able to live and grow in all kinds of political systems. The “governors” are those under the supreme authority who administer the laws and execute justice.

Perhaps the most important phrase in this entire passage is found in verse 13. Peter tells his hearers to live in submission of authorities and institutions “for the Lord’s sake” (v.13). While he states other reasons to live in submission, this is the main one. He wanted his readers to submit to authors because of Christ’s glory, not theirs glory or even that of the human institution. This likely is calling to their minds the fact that God is sovereign over all things, especially earthly authorities. We read in Colossians that through Jesus “all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him” (Col. 1:16).

Jesus is the Authority of all authorities and the Ruler of all rulers. This is the reason Peter wants them to submit to human institutions, Jesus would be glorified through their submission since they are “servants of God” (v.17). Only a view of Christ’s glory can fuel this kind of submission since we know how harsh authorities can be.

Whether it is an evil government, a difficult boss, or a harsh landlord, we know what it is like to have laws and policies imposed on us. But we are to remember how temporary they are. Christ is Lord of all, therefore we can submit, as long as God’s will is not violated. We know that eventually every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. This is why we can submit now.

Is there ever a time to not obey government authorities? 2:13-17 When Peter told his readers to respect all human authority, he was speaking of the Roman Empire under Nero, a notoriously cruel tyrant. Obviously he was not telling believers to disobey God’s word.  Like Peter had told the high priest years earlier, “We must obey God rather than any human authority” (Acts 5:29). But in most aspects of daily life, it was possible and desirable for Christians to live according to the law of their land.

Today, some Christians live in freedom while others live under repressive governments. All are commanded to cooperate with the rulers as far as conscience will allow. We are to do this “for the Lord’s sake“—so that his Good News and his people will be respected. If we are to be persecuted, it should be for obeying God, not for breaking moral or civil laws.

2:16 Christians have freedom in Christ, but the apostles defined freedom more narrowly than the normal use of the word in common language. Christians use freedom as a tool for a life of service. It’s the foundation that God gives to us to reach our highest potential. Because God gives us freedom from religious rules and eternal guilt, we must not seek to indulge our own desires; instead, we should reach for the best God has for us. Let our freedom express power, joy, and love—accountable to God, devoted to others.

  1. Stand with Honor before your Employer

In this section Peter addressed the Christian slaves in the congregations, and again he stressed the importance of submission. Some newly converted slaves thought that their spiritual freedom also guaranteed personal and political freedom, and they created problems for themselves and the churches. Paul dealt with this problem in 1 Corinthians 7:20-24, and also touched on it in his letter to his friend Philemon.

The Gospel eventually overthrew the Roman Empire’s the terrible institution of slavery.  Christians in the abolitionist movement in England and the U.S. worked hard to outlaw slavery.

You may not be a slave, but what Peter wrote does have application to employees. We are to be submissive to those who are over us, whether they are kind or unkind to us. Christian employees must never take advantage of Christian employers. Each worker should do a good day’s work and honestly earn his pay.

2:18-21 Many Christians were household slaves. It would be easy for them to submit to masters who were gentle and kind, but Peter encouraged loyalty and perseverance even in the face of unjust treatment. In the same way, we should submit to our employers, whether they are considerate or harsh. By so doing, we may win them to Christ by our good example.

  1. Stand with honor while suffering.

2:21, 22 We may suffer for many reasons. Some suffering is the direct result of our own sin; some happens because of our foolishness; some is the result of living in a fallen world. Peter is writing about suffering that comes as a result of doing good. Christ never sinned, and yet he suffered so that we could be set free. Jesus’ suffering was part of God’s plan (Matthew 16:21-23) and was intended to save us. All who follow Jesus must be prepared to suffer (Mark 8:34, 35). Our goal should be to face suffering as he did—with patience, calmness, and confidence that God is in control of the future.

This passage offers a radical vision of honor, respect, submission and obedience. May we be a people who strive to live this out and show the world the gracious God we serve.

Darrell

www.Upwards.Church

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Sources:
Life Application Study Bible, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1988), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 2130-2131.
©LifeWay Christian Resources www.biblestudiesforlife.com
Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary – New Testament, Volume 2, (Colorado Springs, CO: Victor, 2001), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 405.
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