Sermon on 12 February, 2012 (Luke 1:5-80)
CG Meeting (6-11 Feb, 2012)
OBJECTIVE
To discover the key lesson in the story of Gabriel’s message to Zachariah and to Mary
Read the passage from Luke 1: 5 – 38.
1. What do you notice? List all the similarities and differences you notice between the two encounters.
Luke 1:5 – 25
Luke 1:26 – 38
Zechariah
Mary Similarities Angel Gabriel (v 19) Angel Gabriel (v 26) promised a son (V 13) promised a son (V 31) Afraid (v 13) Afraid (v 30) Name of child given (V 13) Name of child given (V 31) Asked the angel a question – “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” (v18) Asked the angel a question – “How will this be since I am a virgin?’ (v 34) Differences Man (v5) Woman (V27) Priest (v 5) Commoner (v27) Married to Elizabeth (v 5) Virgin, pledged to be married (V 27) Jerusalem (V 9) Nazareth (v 26) In the Temple, Most Holy Place (v 9) ?home Old (v 7) Young (v 27) Have been praying for a child (v13) I don’t think this would be on her mind now but no request put in the Very difficult situation – older and barren – Precedence in OT Impossible situation – a virgin shall conceive – no precedence Judged! Blessed!
2. What do you think Luke was trying to communicate to his readers right at the start of His Gospel account?
Zechariah had every reason to believe what God spoke to him through Gabriel.
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He was a priest and should have known God in that sense.
He was in the Temple, and in the Holy of Holies. If there was ONE place on earth to meet God, surely that would have been it!
And he and wife had been asking for a child.
And his situation was not without precedence – the OT spoke of aged patriarchs who gave birth!
Now contrast this to Mary.
Young, inexperienced
Low of status
Unmarried
Minding her own business at home probably and an angel appears!
Should she be surprised? Certainly more so that Zachariah! And what was to happen to her was without precedence! A virgin with child? Yet she believed (v 38).
Luke knew of both these situations and placed them side by side – to highlight in picture form the key to the blessings of salvation in the Kingdom – FAITH! Mary believed when all was against her to disbelieve.
Zechariah had every reason to believe, but he did not (v 20)!
APPLICATION
God calls us to simply believe when He tells us so; and when we do so, the seemingly impossible will happen! FAITH is the Key!
And faith is in the Word of God!
FAITH in the WORD OF GOD
Fulfillment of the Word of God and faith in the Word of God are particularly emphasized in Luke chap. 1 – four occurrences of the idea.
Zachariah “did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time” (v 20). Gabriel’s words (v 20, 38) represent God’s words (1:19).
“For nothing is impossible with God” (v 37) – the literal rendering is: “because will not be impossible with God every word (rhema)” – “with God every *of His+ word will not be impossible *to be fulfilled+.”
Scripture shows us that God always acts by His word. God’s word has creative power – “God said… and it was so” (Gen 1:3, 9, 11, 14-15, 24, 29-30). And also, “with God every word will not be impossible” because “it is impossible for God to lie” (Heb 6:18; cf. Tit 1:2). God’s word will certainly be fulfilled because He is both faithful and
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powerful. The fulfillment of God’s word cannot be certain if God is faithful, but not powerful; or He is powerful, but not faithful.
“may it be done to me according to your word” (v 38)
“blessed is she who believed that there would a fulfillment of what the Lord had spoken to her” (v 45)
