Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
Notes
Transcript
Order of Service
Order of Service
Welcome
Welcome
Hymn
Hymn
30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. 31 The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.
Prayer
Prayer
Children’s Talk
Children’s Talk
Hymn
Hymn
Notices
Notices
Prayer Meeting - 7:30pm - Online
Friday 7pm
Sunday Morning 11am
Tithes & Offerings - £
Main Prayer
Main Prayer
Birthdays
Birthdays
Student
Student
Hymn
Hymn
Reading
Reading
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.”
Sermon
Sermon
Society rejects the spiritual
Accepts the mysticism (enlightenment)
Horoscopes
Joga
Zen
Ghost Hunters
Paganism
Inteligent educated men - absolutely believe in these supernatural events
Luke starts the historical account
Written to an educated individual
Old Testiment writings available to him
In the Days of Herod
In the Days of Herod
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.
Kings of the Tribe of Judah will reign until the coming of the Messiah
Herod “the Great”, was not of the tribe of Judah but was a foreign King
Jacob’s Prophesy
10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
Prophesy of Amos
Judgement on Israel
Guilt & Punishment
Lack of Repentance
Destruction of Israel
Restoration of Israel
11 “In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old,
Zechariah - Priesthood
Zechariah - Priesthood
Return to Luke 1:5
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.
Decendant of Aaron
Received teaching their whole lives
Oppose ambition
King David established divisions of the priesthood
Establish orderly processes and avoid uprisings or divisions
Oppose Ambition
Remove centralisation of Power
Following rape of their sister - Sisters Honour
5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of violence are their swords. 6 Let my soul come not into their council; O my glory, be not joined to their company. For in their anger they killed men, and in their willfulness they hamstrung oxen. 7 Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.
Foolish & Selfish
Lost the their land
scattered across Israel
Slaughtered those who worshipped the Golden Calf - God’s Honour
25 And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to the derision of their enemies), 26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, “Who is on the Lord’s side? Come to me.” And all the sons of Levi gathered around him. 27 And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Put your sword on your side each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.’ ” 28 And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell. 29 And Moses said, “Today you have been ordained for the service of the Lord, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, so that he might bestow a blessing upon you this day.”
Joshua 13 & 21 - Priesthood of Yahweh
three clans, established 48 cities (six cities of refuge)
protected manslaughterers from avengers
establishing their role as “Guards”
Priesthood of Levites - Guard the Worship of Yahweh
10 They shall teach Jacob your rules and Israel your law; they shall put incense before you and whole burnt offerings on your altar.
3 And he said to the Levites who taught all Israel and who were holy to the Lord, “Put the holy ark in the house that Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, built. You need not carry it on your shoulders. Now serve the Lord your God and his people Israel.
7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. 8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. 9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.
4 So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts. 5 My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. 6 True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. 7 For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
Genesis 2:15 & Numbers 3:8
Language - Garden of Eden was a temple of God
Adam failed to guard it, thrown out & Angels stood guard
Priesthood - Guards of Yahweh
Elders/Pastors/Shepherds/Overseers
Jesus - teaching in Matthew
Paul reminds the Elders in Ephesus to be Shepherds / Guards
28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
Married Elizabeth
Married Elizabeth
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.
Elizabeth was a Levite
Zehariah was well respected by his peers
Rightous by Faith
Rightous by Faith
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.
Righteous before God
Lived lives in accordance to God’s Word
Knowledge of God’s Word
Obedience to God’s Word
Not empty enactment of ceremonies, but an active implamentation in all areas of life
Righteousness by Faith
Grace in accordance to God’s Promise
Elizabeth was Barren
Elizabeth was Barren
7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
Wrongly considered by society as unblessed by God
Luke highlights
the normal expectation of human life
the exhibition of God’s Power
superanatural event to testify of God’s special appointment
Zechariah enters the Temple
Zechariah enters the Temple
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.
According to custom - not Zechariah’s choice
Chosen by God to enter His Presence
Temple - Herod’s additions
Temple
Temple - Solomon (7 - Altar of incense)
Exodus 30:1-10 - Altar of Incense
every morning incense
once a year blood of the sin offering
An Angel appears to Zechariah
Zechariah Troubled
Zechariah Troubled
12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
Hymn
Hymn
Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer
Doxology(read) –
Doxology(read) –
NOT TO US BE GLORY GIVEN
but to him who reigns above:
Glory to the God of heaven
for his faithfulness and love!
What though unbelieving voices
hear no word and see no sign,
still in God my heart rejoices,
working out his will divine.