Transcript Document

Presentation 01
Presentation 01
Introduction
People often ask why we have four gospel records in our
N.T. Quite simply, they provide four complementary
portraits of Jesus. Each of the gospels was written for a
different audience by different authors. For this reason,
we should expect the content and style of each gospel
to be different, while at the same time expect to find a
wonderful harmony between them.
Matthew wrote to a Jewish audience and his gospel
presents Jesus as King of the Jews, Mark's gospel is
addressed to Gentiles and presents Christ as the
Obedient Servant, John writes to a sophisticated
Greek audience and presents Christ as the eternal
Son of God.
Presentation 01
Introduction
Luke’s gospel, which focuses upon the humanity of
Jesus, reveals the author’s particular concern for
the whole world and for the poor and needy within
the world. It was written by Luke, the physician,
the close friend and companion of Paul. It is the
first of two volumes [the other being the book of
Acts] which was written to a man called
‘Theophilus’, which means “lover of God”.
Theophilus was a man of noble rank and of
excellent character, who is being provided with the
fruit of Luke’s careful and prolonged gospel
research.
Presentation 01
The Author's Approach
Luke tells us he knew of others who had passed on teaching about Jesus in
both written and oral form. Luke’s intention was to gather this information
together and set it down in an orderly fashion. His gospel could be confirmed
by the testimony of eyewitnesses whom he’d
interviewed, including the apostles. This gospel
is the product of exhaustive research.
In addition to this, we need to recognise the
guiding and inspiring hand of the Holy Spirit
behind Luke’s writing. The Holy Spirit did not
treat Luke like a portable typewriter but rather
worked in and through his reason to produce
for us one of the most comprehensive of the
four gospels.
Presentation 01
The Starting Point
Ask why Luke opens his gospel with an account of
Zechariah and Elizabeth? He wants us to understand
something of supreme importance. Prior to this
incident there had been no supernatural
communication from heaven to any Israelite for a
period of 400 years. No angelic messengers, no
prophetic word, only a long, long silence! When God
did eventually break through that silence to whom
did he speak?
God did not address Herod, the temporal leader of
the Jewish nation. Herod was a power crazy,
insecure megalomaniac - he was bypassed.
Presentation 01
The Starting Point
Nor did God approach the ecclesiastical leader
of the nation - the high priest. At that time a
wealthy land-owning family, jealous of their
status and prestige had a monopoly on the
high priesthood. They belonged to the
religious party of the Sadducees. Their interests
were more material and political than spiritual
- they did not believe in angels or the
supernatural!
And so significantly, the high priesthood was
bypassed.
Presentation 01
The Starting Point
God made contact with an insignificant ageing
country priest called Zechariah! What
qualifications did he and his wife Elizabeth
have for being involved in the great work of
God that was about to rise out of the pages of
history? Quite simply they were a godly couple
v6. They were careful in their religious and
moral life. They lived in order to please God.
Whenever God breaks into history in order to
advance his purposes, where does he look?
Not at a man's position or influence in society
but into his heart. Then he asks, “Is this the
sort of man/woman I can use?”
Presentation 01
The Starting Point
Think back in Israel's history to the beginning of the monarchy. Israel
wanted a king so they could be like the other nations and God gave
them the sort of king they wanted.
They chose the kind of man who would win a
Mr. Universe competition and at the same
time would probably have been voted in
High School as ‘the man most likely to succeed’!
Saul was such a man! But in the end he proved
to be a disastrous king - he was rotten in the core.
"Right", said God, "You have had your kind of
leader, now I will choose my kind of man".
Presentation 01
The Starting Point
The prophet Samuel was sent to anoint a new
king. Samuel could hardly believe God's choice –
David, a wiry youth smelling of sheep! Samuel’s
superficial method of judgement was soon
exposed, when God reminded him, “Man looks on
the outer appearance but God looks on the heart”
1Sam. 16v7. David proved to be the best king
Israel ever had. Why? He was “a man after my
own heart”. That is the qualification God looks for
in those called to serve in his kingdom. Men and
women who are determined, by God's grace, to
live for him.
Are we the sort of people whom God could use?
Presentation 01
Stepping Back From Human Tragedy
A significant shadow that hung over Zechariah and
Elizabeth’s lives. They were childless and that carried a
terrible stigma in Israel. For years they had prayed for a
child. Now their problem was compounded, not only
by Elizabeth's infertility, but by the fact that they were
both old.
It was when their situation seemed most hopeless that
God acted and the promise of a child was made. Why
had their prayers not been answered earlier? God was
waiting for just the right time. God had plans for this
child and in order to fit in with God’s timescale a
period of delay was necessary.
Presentation 01
Stepping Back From Human Tragedy
Does this help us to understand many of our personal
tragedies? We are baffled by what we consider to be
God's indifference to our needs. God may appear cold
and uncaring. We are often unable to step back and see
the broader canvas upon which God is working.
All Zechariah and Elizabeth could see was the denial of
something they badly wanted. But God, if only they
could have heard him, was whispering, “Your vision is
blinkered, trust in my timing”.
Does this help us come to terms with some of the
frustrations of life, the unanswered prayers, the delays
of God?
Presentation 01
Stepping Back From Human Tragedy
This period of delay has a further lesson to teach. Sometimes we want the
gifts of God so badly we can view them as our rights. How many parents treat
their children as their possessions! They believe they have the right to plan
out their future. But sometimes those plans conflict with God's.
Perhaps God wants our children to serve him at home
or overseas. Parents can forget that children are
a trust from God and they refuse to let them
go. Where that is likely to happen does
God sometimes withhold his good gifts
until the parents are prepared to return
them to their rightful owner.
Think of the experience of Hannah
in 1Samuel 1…
Presentation 01
More Than We Bargain For
God often gives us much more than we are asking for.
Zechariah and Elizabeth longed for a child. A child
would remove the social stigma which was theirs.
Clearly, childlessness had proved to be a very sore
experience for Elizabeth in particular cf. v25 "The
Lord…has taken away my disgrace among the people".
Now the remarkable thing is this that God gave them
infinitely more than they were asking. They wanted a
child who would remove their disgrace. God's
messenger told them their son would be the
forerunner of the Messiah. C.f. Mal. 4.5-6 now these
last words recorded in the O.T. are used by Gabriel to
describe the child that God was about to give them
“He will go on before the Lord…”v17
Presentation 01
More Than We Bargain For
This child was to be called ‘John’ which means "God is gracious". Elizabeth and
Zechariah wanted the removal of social stigma. God provided a grace gift,
much more than their wildest dreams - something that would captivate
Zechariah’s thinking , “And you my child will be called a prophet of the Most
High” v76. We sometimes come to God looking for a ‘little blessing’ and God
says, "I'll give you much more".
The refusals and delays of God often mean that
he has some better thing for us. Young people
disappointed in romance find ‘some better thing’.
Some people disappointed in job interviews find
some better thing. Christians disappointed that
some sphere of service did not open up for them
find some better thing!
Presentation 01
Hard To Swallow
We are strange creatures. We find it so hard to believe
that God can be gracious towards us. We can dis-grace
the grace of God by refusing to believe his promises.
Note Zechariah’s initial response, “How can I be sure of
this..” v18 Sometimes we pray for things but don't
really believe God will answer.
We read in Acts 12 that when Peter was in prison
awaiting execution, the church prayed for his release.
God sprung Peter from prison. Peter made his way to
the church prayer meeting. When he knocked on the
door asking admission the believers inside refused to
believe it could be him! They could not believe that
God had actually answered their prayer!
Presentation 01
Hard To Swallow
Zechariah's behaviour was much more culpable than that of the
church prayer meeting. In what way? God sent his top angel to
tell him that his prayer had been heard and a son would be born.
But Zechariah’s reply was really asking, “How can I be sure
you are telling the truth?” The bare word of God was not
enough for him.
No wonder he experienced angelic indignation
in v19 and was both rebuked and chastened.
Unbelief can throw an almighty
spanner in the works!
Presentation 01
Hard To Swallow
How often are we like Zechariah? We too, refuse to believe the bare word of
God for it seems too good to be true. Think of some of the remarkable
promises made in the gospel; the promise of forgiveness, the promise of a
new life and a new nature which will totally transform us, the promise of the
indwelling Holy Spirit whose job is to make
us more like Jesus, the promise of a place
in God’s family, the promise of eternal life…
Do we approach these promises and say
to God,
“How can I be sure you are telling the truth”.
Presentation 01
Hard To Swallow
God cannot bless unbelief. His word is to be believed and received. He is the
God of the impossible! It may seem to you that the gospel has no power to
change and transform you, and that you are beyond this kind of change, or
that it is too late for you to experience such a transformation!
Learn from Zechariah’s mistake and
meet God's word of promise with
faith, take it with both hands.
Give God the opportunity to work
in your life. Then stand back and
watch him do so.
Presentation 01
Conclusion
The reason God often refuses to patch up people’s lives
and say ‘yes’ to their prayers is that he wants to do for
them more than they ask. Sometimes our wives will
say, “I am just going out for some milk” but return will
bags and bags of shopping, much more than they had
originally intended. On arrival at the shops they were
overcome by what was on offer!
Similarly, we sometimes take our request to God for
some minor improvement and he smiles, shakes his
head and says, ‘Oh I am going to do much more than
that!’ He wants to make us like Jesus, nothing less! He
wants to give us much more than we bargained for?
Will you believe him to do all that he has promised?
Presentation 01