LUKE 1:5-25
ABOUT THE RIGHTEOUS
We spend a lot of time preparing. Preparation takes up a large portion of our lives.
We prepare to go to work or school.
We prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
We prepare to have company.
We prepare for winter around the house. Outside water lines are turned off, storm windows are in place, and certain outside items are brought into the garage or cellar for storage.
In the spring we will prepare our gardens, and our homes for summer.
This year we prepared for a wedding.
There is preparation going on right now for the Ladies Ensemble concert next Sunday night.
Another thing we prepare for is Christmas. The stores like you to prepare for Christmas as early as September or October, but after Thanksgiving, the preparation begins in earnest. The Friday after Thanksgiving is one of the biggest days for shopping in the year.
Besides shopping we will prepare for Christmas by putting up decorations both here and at home. Up go the trees, the lights, the tree decorations! Up go the outside lights and displays!
Of course, another part of preparation is wrapping all those presents we've purchased. Then there are Christmas Cards to get ready for distribution. And many of you bake cookies, and fruit cake, and pie, and other wonderful delicacies!
And as Christmas Eve approaches, there will be frantic preparation for the big meals that will be enjoyed!
Christmas takes a lot of work!
It seems to me, however that for all the work we put into preparation for Christmas, we neglect to prepare one key area for Christmas. We neglect to prepare our hearts for Christmas.
Now I realize that we don't know exactly when Jesus was born.
But we do know that long ago it was decided to celebrate Christmas on December 25th. I believe that Christmas Day should be one of the most important days to us who are Christians. Why? Because it is on this day that we remember the birth of the very Son of God who entered the world to die for us and to give us eternal life. It was on this day that God entered the world through his Son.
John 1:14 - And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
I want to suggest to you, that if Christmas is such an important day spiritually that we should prepare for it spiritually. We should put as much or more effort into preparing our hearts for Christmas as we do preparing our homes for Christmas!
With this in mind, we want to emphasize spiritual preparation for Christmas in our morning services from now until Christmas. We are going to prepare for Christmas this year, but studying the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 1. Why Luke? Luke, in his writings, talks more about the preparations for the coming of Jesus Christ than any other Gospel author!
After a brief introduction Luke begins his Gospel in Luke 1:5-25, by talking about a godly priest and his wife. Their names were Zacharias and Elizabeth.
Vs. 5 - We are told that the events took place in the days of Herod the King. Herod was a puppet for the Roman Empire.
Rome ruled in Israel as this time.
This Herod was called "Herod the Great". He was known for his rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. It was beautiful!
The days of Herod the King, however, were not great days spiritually. God had been silent, as far as prophecy was concerned for 400 years. There was the domination of legalism and even some corruption in the Jewish religion. Herod himself was a tyrant who had 9 or 10 wives and who killed off members of his own family.
Those were not great days for Israel. These are not great days for America. There is corruption in politics. There is apostasy and corruption in religion. Morality is at an all time low! There are many forms of Christianity, but relatively few that practice and preach true Christianity.
In the midst of these bad times lived a couple named Zacharias and Elizabeth. Zacharias was a priest, and would have been born into a priest's family. Elizabeth was not only the wife of a priest, but she was also the daughter of a priest.
Vs. 6 - Zacharias and Elizabeth were part of a group of people in Israel who were righteous before God. They kept God's laws in such a way that they were blameless.
What made Zacharias and Elizabeth "righteous"?
Were they perfect? No.
Were they sinless? No.
Was it their birth into the priesthood that made them righteous? No!
The way Zacharias and Elizabeth conducted their lives was a reflection of what made them righteous. They lived godly lives because their righteousness was by faith!
Habakkuk 2:4 - Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
The same is true today. A righteous person is justified or declared righteous by His faith.
The righteous know that they are sinners and that they have failed God.
The righteous know that they are unrighteous!
Isaiah 64:6 - But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
The righteous know that Jesus, the Son of God, died for their sins.
2 Corinthians 5:21 - For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
The righteous know that it is only through faith in Christ that they have been declared righteous, and therefore qualified to go to Heaven.
Romans 5:1 - Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Are you among the righteous this morning? If so, praise the Lord! If you are not righteous this morning, this morning is the morning for you to put your faith in Christ!
Zacharias and Elizabeth were righteous and through their story we learn some lessons about righteous people that are true of us if we know Christ as Savior. First of all,
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE HAVE PROBLEMS - Vs. 7
Vs. 7 - Zacharias and Elizabeth were righteous, but it did not excuse them from problems that plagued other people. Their biggest problem was that they never were able to have any children, and now they were both well past the childbearing age.
This was particularly a problem in Israel, where it was assumed that a couple that had no children was out of favor with God.
And the ironic thing was, that although people would have thought Zacharias and Elizabeth were out of favor with God, they were more in God's favor than most!
Righteous people still have problems today.
Some people have gotten saved, thinking that all their problems were over. Well, their biggest problem was over, their sins were dealt with and they are on their way to Heaven.
However, righteous people live in an imperfect world, and God does not write the righteous person an excuse from the realities of life.
Righteous people don't always have children.
Righteous people get sick.
Righteous people have cancer.
Righteous people go bankrupt or have severe financial problems.
Righteous people have struggles with their children and/or their parents.
Righteous people are misunderstood and falsely accused.
Righteous people are mistreated and even persecuted.
Why do righteous people have problems?
1. They are not home yet. This isn't Heaven!
2. Problems test our faith. As we successfully deal with our problems, we develop patience.
James 1:2-4 - My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
3. When the righteous successfully handle trials, they are able to witness to others.
Like it or not, if you are a Christian, the way you handle trials is a commercial for Christianity. It is either a good testimony or a bad testimony.
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE HAVE PROBLEMS - Vs. 7
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE EXPERIENCE GOD'S PERFECT TIMING
Vss. 8-10 - There was a great number of priests in Israel at that time, perhaps about 8,000.
King David had divided the priests into courses by families.
The priests took turns serving by course in the temple.
Their turn at temple worship was two weeks a year.
One of the privileged jobs was to burn incense in the holy place, a very special spot in the temple. This was done twice a day at the times of the morning and evening sacrifices. After the priest had privately burned incense, he would then come out and pronounce a benediction to the waiting crowd.
There were so many priests, that not all priests got to burn incense in the holy place. And a person was only allowed to have that privilege once in his lifetime.
We do not know how old Zacharias was, but I'd say it's a good possibility that he had been going to Jerusalem to do his priestly duties for 40 years or more! Each time, his lot did not come up!
God knew in advance that Zacharias needed to burn incense at a specific time, just before the conception of his miracle son, John!
As we Christians strive to live righteously, God will work in His perfect timing to bring about good things in our lives.
Sometimes delays frustrate us, but we must remember that delays are in God's plans.
Sometimes, we wonder why God does not move quicker, but God knows what time is best.
Erroll and Grace Adams had a son named Bob.
They were righteous, born again Christians.
They wanted more children.
But more children would not come. Grace refused to adopt, afraid that she could not properly love a child that was not her own.
Then finally, 11 years after Bob was born, they had a little girl.
Perfect timing after such a long wait? I certainly think so!
For if that little girl had been born much earlier, she would have never become my wife, one of God's special gifts to me! That little girl was Dorothy Grace Adams. You know her as Dottie Peters.
So, if you are waiting on God for something right now, remember that God's timing is perfect for the righteous.
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE HAVE PROBLEMS - Vs. 7
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE EXPERIENCE GOD'S PERFECT TIMING
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED BY GOD - Vss. 11-17
Has God ever surprised you?
He has me on a number of occasions.
A year ago yesterday Dottie and I had one of the biggest surprises of our lives.
We were at David's house, celebrating Thanksgiving and Nicole's birthday. After Nicole received her gifts, the kids gave us our Christmas present. It turned out that they had arranged for us to take a trip to the mission field of Suriname. This was a trip that you helped us with, and we thank you. It had been a dream of ours that I don't think we really thought would ever come true.
But God surprised us.
God surprises the righteous in a variety of ways.
Sometimes God surprises us with what we read in his Word.
Sometimes God surprises us with good things.
Sometimes God surprises with trials.
Sometimes God surprises us by showing us how much He loves us.
Zacharias was in the temple, burning incense, when he received the surprise of his life!
READ AND COMMENT ON VSS. 11-17
Malachi 4:5-6 - Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
Isaiah 40:3 - The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Zacharias was surprised by God.
He was surprised at the appearance of the angel.
He was surprised at the angel's announcement that he and Elizabeth and would be parents.
He was probably surprised that the child to be born was the prophet who was to come before the coming of the Messiah!
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE HAVE PROBLEMS - Vs. 7
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE EXPERIENCE GOD'S PERFECT TIMING
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED BY GOD - Vss. 11-17
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE FAIL GOD - Vs. 18
As we said earlier, righteous people are not perfect people.
Zacharias shows us his imperfection here.
Vs. 18 - Zacharias wanted further proof that what Gabriel just said was true! What more did Zacharias want?
Zacharias didn't get to burn incense until this specific time.
He had just seen an Angel from God.
God's messenger had given him a Word from God.
He didn't not believe what he was told by God!
Zacharias' failure was his unbelief!
As righteous people we often fail God.
And one of the biggest ways we fail God is by not believing what He says in the Word of God!
Hebrews 3:12 - Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Matthew 13:58 - And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
When we don't believe God, we miss God's best!
When we don't believe God, we will not see Him work the way He will if we do believe Him.
When we don't believe God, we displease Him.
A clergyman took a seat in a dining car on a train traveling along the Hudson River. Opposite him was an atheist who, seeing his clerical collar, started a discussion. "I see you are a clergyman."
"Yes," came the reply. "I am a minister of the gospel." "I suppose you believe the Bible." The clergyman, orthodox in his views, responded, "I certainly do believe the Bible to be the Word of God."
"But aren't there things in the Bible you can't explain?" With humility the minister answered, "Yes, there are places in the Bible too hard for me to understand."
With an air of triumph as though he had cornered the preacher, the atheist asked, "Well, what do you do then?"
Unruffled, the clergyman went on eating his dinner--which happened to be Hudson shad, a tasty fish but noted for its bony structure. Looking up, he said, "Sir, I do just the same as when eating this shad. When I come to the bones, I put them to the side of the plate and go on enjoying my lunch. I leave the bones for some fool to choke on.
--James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) p. 43.
Read your Bible. Believe it, by doing what it says.
What you don't understand, set aside, and don't worry about it.
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE HAVE PROBLEMS - Vs. 7
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE EXPERIENCE GOD'S PERFECT TIMING
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED BY GOD - Vss. 11-17
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE FAIL GOD - Vs. 18
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE ARE DISCIPLINED BY GOD - Vss. 19-22
Vss. 19-22 - READ
Because Zacharias didn't believe God, God disciplined Him.
Historically God disciplines his disobedient children.
Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years because of their unbelief.
King Uzziah was struck with leprosy when he burned incense in the temple. This was the priests, job.
Why does God discipline those righteous people who disobey Him? Because He loves them and wants them to do what is right!
Proverbs 3:11-12 - My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Not all bad things that happen in our lives are a result of God's discipline, but some of them are. When bad things do happen we need to examine our lives to see if there is sin there that needs to be dealt with. If there is, we must confess and forsake it.
That does not mean that the discipline will disappear, but we will certainly be in a better condition for handling it.
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE HAVE PROBLEMS - Vs. 7
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE EXPERIENCE GOD'S PERFECT TIMING
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED BY GOD - Vss. 11-17
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE FAIL GOD - Vs. 18
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE ARE DISCIPLINED BY GOD - Vss. 19-22
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE RECEIVE GOD'S BLESSINGS - Vss. 23-25
READ VERSES 23-25 - Zacharias went home.
Zacharias and Elizabeth became expectant parents.
Elizabeth was full of joy.
God's righteous people receive God's blessings.
If you are a child of God, you have received many blessings.
The blessing of the Holy Spirit
The blessing of answered prayer
The blessing of God's surprises
The blessing of God's presence that will never leave
The blessing of Christian friends and family
The blessing of all Spiritual blessings
Ephesians 1:3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
And if you think about it, you can come up with many more blessings that God has given you.
It is time to get spiritually prepared for Christmas.
We begin by thinking of a righteous couple.
We discover through Zacharias and Elizabeth that,
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE HAVE PROBLEMS - Vs. 7
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE EXPERIENCE GOD'S PERFECT TIMING
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED BY GOD - Vss. 11-17
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE FAIL GOD - Vs. 18
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE ARE DISCIPLINED BY GOD - Vss. 19-22
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE RECEIVE GOD'S BLESSINGS - Vss. 23-25
Are you righteous? If not, come to Christ today!