Advent Week 2- “Behold!” Luke 1:1-25

REVIEW: The word “Behold!” is used 1,069x in the ESV Bible, it refers to either what God has done or what God will do. Big Idea last week was, “The announcement of Advent is “Behold!” not “Behave!”

APP> This week we pick up on one of those “Behold” statements there in Malachi.

• • • • • “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” 4:5-6 After this 400 years of silence from God. He promises something and then goes silent.

*ILL> Sometimes my two older kids like to come to church early with me in the morning. It never fails that I will say, ‘Yes’ on like Tuesday when they ask then Saturday Night they will say, “But Dad you promised!”

Big Idea > Behold: God is a promise maker and a promise keeper.

CONTEXT: That is what we see today in these verses. This is the Gospel of Luke. We will be in Luke for a majority of the year because we are following the life of Jesus. Remember, there have been 400 years of silence since God’s promise, he is keeping is promise and Luke tells us some things to BEHOLD!

1. Behold with certainty.

“ 1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.” Luke 1:1-4

• • • Luke the physician, the historian, the theologian, the musician.
    • He is writing as an investigative journalist. He interviews the people! Mary!
    • “narrative” The right narrative about Jesus,  APP> Do you have the right Narrative?
    • *ILL> The Bible Chart and reliability of the NT

APP> God’s words can be tested and trusted.

2) Behold in reality.

“ 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.” Luke 1:5-7

• • • Herod “the Great” This guy is a bad dude! Herod “the Great” ruled as king of the Jews under Roman authority for thirty-three years, from 37–4 BC. He was clever and cruel, sold out to Rome, Killed his own sons, here is a genealogy of his wives! Pic! APP> Historical!
    • Zechariah- this guy is a priest in the temple
    • Elizabeth- she is a daughter of a priest
    • They weren’t sinless but they were faithful! “But…”
    • They were old and couldn’t have kids.

APP> The bible doesn’t hide the harsh realities of life.

3) Behold the supernatural.

“ 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.” Luke 1:8-17

• • • This is where Zachariah was *Pic of Temple
    • *ILL> burning incense. Incense represent the prayers of the people rising.
    • An angel appears! We believe in angels because the bible talks about them!
    • Notice how all this happens “While he was serving…” in the ordinary

APP> God always does the extraordinary in the ordinary.

APP> God answers prayer. 1) Yes 2) No 3) Wait

APP> God’s has a different standard of greatness. Herod the Great vs John the Baptist.

4) Behold the unbelief.

“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” Luke 1:18-23

• • • Zach says, “I’m old” angel says “Im Gabriel, I stand with God!”
    • What else does he need? He isn’t asking for an explanation he is asking for more evidence!
    • I find so much of myself in this scene.

APP> God is more willing to answer our prayers than we are willing to believe his promises!

5) Behold the grace.

“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.” Luke 1:24-25

• • • John’s name = “The Grace of God”
    • The baby came!

APP> Grace is an unearned gift from an un-obligated giver.

APP> God’s delay is not his denial.

CLOSE> With these 3 character’s, Zachariah, Elizabeth and John we literally have the entire story line of the Bible warped up in their names.

• • • Elizabeth = “The promise of God”
    • Zacharia= “God Remembers”
    • John = “The grace of God”

Big Idea > Behold: God is a promise maker and a promise keeper.

• • • • Do you believe the right narrative?
      • Are you trying to hide and or avoid the harsh realities of your life?
      • What promises of God do you say you believe but live as if you don’t believe?