The Expectation of Deliverance

The Christmas season brings about a great deal of expectations. Hopefully, those expectations bring about joy to our lives. Joy is very different from just happiness. It is the happiness and contentment of the soul that is present no matter what the situation we are in may be.

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 17:22 CSB

One of the characteristics of joy in our lives is the presence of laughter. Did you know that laughter has many scientific benefits in our lives? It can lower blood pressure. It can reduce anxiety. It can boost our immune system. It benefits our cardiovascular system. It can even burn calories.

‌”The Gospel is nothing less than laughter and joy.”

Martin Luther

The Christmas and Advent seasons should be a time of great joy. One of the reasons for this is because this season is a reminder of the gospel. The gospel is God’s plan of making a way for any person to be made right with Him by the demonstration of grace through Jesus Christ.

The Gospel is the good news that we can be delivered from our sins by the finished work of Jesus Christ. With this season, we see the expectation of deliverance coming to us.

During this time of the year, delivery may take on different meanings. You may be drawn to think about the delivery of packages that you have ordered. There is an anticipation that comes with that. Another thought of delivery is the birth of a child. That amazing miracle comes with a period of months of waiting and preparation. When that moment arrives, the parents realize that it was all worth it.

In Luke 1, we see the account of two ladies who were expecting the delivery of babies. These two precious baby boys would help to change the world forever. In verse 36, as the angel is telling Mary the news that she will give birth to the Messiah, the angel also tells Mary that her cousin, Elizabeth, was pregnant with child. Apparently, Mary and Elizabeth were pretty close. With this news, Mary sets off to see what God is doing.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

As Mary heard the news that Elizabeth was pregnant, she ran to see for herself (Luke 1:39-40). This was a miracle because Elizabeth had not been able to have a child up to this point. It had seemed that having a child was not in God’s plan for Elizabeth. God shows that His timing isn’t always lined up with our expectations. Just because something doesn’t happen when or how we think it should doesn’t mean that it will never happen.

Has there been times in your life when you were looking for something to happen, but it didn’t seem to? Those times can be very discouraging. I’m not going to stand here and say that just because you want it to happen then it will. I will say that it is important for us to seek out the “when” and “how” from God and not just the “what.” God is not limited by our time or resources. He is the Creator of the universe, and He can do whatever He wills.

Effects of Mary’s Visit

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Luke 1:41 CSB

First, we are told that the baby in Elizabeth’s womb “leaped inside of her.” This, of course, is John the Baptist. God’s plan for little John’s life is to be the forerunner of the Messiah. Because Mary was pregnant with Jesus in her womb, their presence in the house brought great joy even to the baby in Elizabeth’s womb. Little John jumped for joy because God’s plan was unfolding just as God designed. When we see God working around us, we should not be afraid to jump for joy.

Second, we are told that the Holy Spirit filled Elizabeth. Before Pentecost in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit would come upon people to enable them to carry out God’s desires. Today, every person that trusts in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord is filled with the Holy Spirit to guide them in God’s ways. As Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, she begins to praise God and confirm the message of the angel to Mary.

Mary had not told Elizabeth that she was pregnant. This was knowledge given to Elizabeth by the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth also encourages Mary about her trust in the Lord’s plan for her life even though it would not be easy.

This scene reminds us of the importance of gathering together with other Christians. Do you realize that when Christians gather together, the Holy Spirit is living within each one and can use each one to encourage others for His glory? I’m sure that Mary was still trying to figure everything out. I imagine that there were still questions. The Holy Spirit used Mary to encourage Elizabeth, but He also used Elizabeth to encourage Mary. This is what the church is supposed to look like – believers being used by the Holy Spirit to help one another.

Mary’s Response

In Luke 1:46-55, we see Mary’s response. It has become known as the Magnificat (Latin for “my soul magnifies the Lord”). It is a song of praise that Mary gives in response to all that she has witnessed. In this song are six key points:

• Praise comes from the soul and not just the mouth (Luke 1:46-47)
• God sees you where you are (Luke 1:48)
• God does great work in and through us (Luke 1:49)
• God’s mercy never runs out (Luke 1:50)
• God will not overlook sin (Luke 1:51-52)
• God keeps His word (Luke 1:53-55)

Application Points

God has a great plan

There are times when it can feel that life is just a rushing river, and we are just riding the current. We can see from this scene between Mary and Elizabeth that God has a great plan, and He is faithful to see it to completion.

‌God will not fail or forget us

Part of God’s great plan involves us personally. Though we can feel lost and forgotten in the middle of a huge crowd at times, we never fall off of God’s radar. He knows right we are. He knows exactly what we are going through. He also knows how to get us to where we need to be. All God asks of us is to trust and follow Him.

‌God invites us to join Him in His work

While God is working in our lives, He is also working in others around us as well. Many times, God will invite you to join Him in what He is doing there. He is not asking you to play the role of God in their lives, but He may be wanting to use you to help them in their journey.

‌God will strengthen our faith through our obedience

As Mary trusted and obeyed the Lord, God used her to help Elizabeth. Through this entire interaction, Mary’s faith was strengthened. This can happen in our lives as well. It might be that what we need most is not another bible study or sermon. What we might need most is to obey the Lord with what He has already shown us.

‌Conclusion

There is a famous song that comes out at this time of year. It was co-written by Mark Lowry, a Christian comedian and talented singer. It is called, “Mary, Did You Know?” I know there are different views on this song. To settle the question, yes, Mary was informed about who Jesus was because the angel told her. Did she completely understand? I have to believe that question is harder to answer. While we can have knowledge of something, we may not understand it.

One of the lyrics of that song says, “Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new? This child that you delivered, will soon deliver you?” Concerning that, I’m not sure that Mary fully grasped what all that meant. But that did not stop her from trusting the Lord with it and walking in obedience. Because of that faith, she was delivered, and so is every person who trusts in Jesus Christ.

Maybe this Christmas season, the gift that you need most is the deliverance that only Jesus can give you. I want you to know that this deliverance is available to you today. Will you trust in Him and walk by faith?

‌

Read More

The Expectation of Hope and Forgiveness

This time of year comes with all kinds of big expectations. There are expectations about what might be under our Christmas trees. There are expectations of enjoying time with friends and family. There is also the expectation that the LORD is keeping His word and doing something that will both bring Him glory and us good.

Luke 1 is a section of Luke’s gospel that shows a certain man named Zechariah come to better understand and expect the LORD to do something great.

‌Zechariah’s Situation

Zechariah was a priest of the Jewish faith. He was a faithful man who loved the LORD with all that he had. At the beginning of Luke 1, we are told that he and his wife, Elizabeth, would have a child. Gabriel, an angel of the LORD, brought this news to Zechariah while he was carrying out his duties in the Temple. Gabriel also told Zechariah that the son he would have will be named John – the one we know as John the Baptist.

Zechariah didn’t see how this would happen because Elizabeth had not been able to have children. Because of his doubt in this, Zechariah would lose his ability to speak until John was born.

The passage that we are going to focus on today is Luke 1:67-79. These verses are a part of a prophecy that Zechariah was able to share, and they were some of the first words he was able to speak since losing that ability.

Think about that situation. What if you lost the ability to speak for almost a year? What if that ability was restored suddenly? What would be the first words out of your mouth?

‌Prophecy

The idea of prophecy is one that intrigues many people. Many times, when we think about prophecy, we think about the foretelling of something to come. In actuality, prophecy is the forth-telling of truth. Many times, it does have to do with events that will come about, but it is more concerned with the truth being shared.

‌Zechariah’s Prophecy

As we look at Luke 1:67-79, we see that Zechariah is filled with the Holy Spirit and given a message of truth to share. It was not just a message of truth for him, and the people present that day, but it was for all people. It was a message of hope and forgiveness.

This prophecy that Zechariah shares can be broken up into two parts. The first part comes in verses 68-75, and it is a declaration of who the LORD is and what He was doing.

Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and provided redemption for his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, just as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets in ancient times; salvation from our enemies and from the hand of those who hate us. He has dealt mercifully with our ancestors and remembered his holy covenant— the oath that he swore to our father Abraham. He has given us the privilege, since we have been rescued from the hand of our enemies, to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness in his presence all our days.

​Luke 1:67–75 CSB

In this first part, we see four key things about the LORD.

‌The LORD has visited us

Verse 68 talks about the LORD visiting His people. This is not a common visit. This is not like when you have to visit that relative that you know you should, but you really don’t want to. This kind of visit is one that is cherished and looked forward to. It is a visit that you have marked on your calendar and get excited about as the time for it approaches.

We should not look past this. The holy God of the universe has come to dwell with people – a sinful people who have rebelled against Him. He had every right to just write us off, but instead, He chose to come to us when we could not come to Him. That is why one of the titles associated with Jesus is Emmanuel – “God with us.”

‌The LORD has provided redemption for us

Because of the sin in each of our lives, there is a divide between us and the LORD that we cannot overcome in our own ability. If there were to be any kind of redemption, it would have to come by the LORD coming to us.

This is exactly why Jesus came that first Christmas. He came to provide redemption from our sin, our shame, our guilt, and our separation. It is no wonder that as the Holy Spirit enabled Zechariah to somewhat understand a little of what the LORD was up to that, Zechariah burst out in praise.

The LORD has done what we could never do for ourselves. He has not left us to ourselves but provided the redemption that we desperately needed.

This redemption comes through this “horn of salvation” that Zechariah talks about in verse 69. The image of a horn symbolized the strength of an animal. This horn was speaking about Jesus, who would be coming on the scene shortly. He was the strength of the LORD’s plan. He is the One that would make this great redemption possible by what He would do through His life, death, and resurrection.

‌The LORD has kept His word to us

In verses 70-71, Zechariah reminds those who heard him that the LORD is One who always keeps His word. Zechariah shares about how the LORD gives His word to us. In the Old Testament, one of the primary ways of this communication was through the prophets. These were people whom the LORD would put His word into their hearts so that it would come out of their mouths for others to hear. Today, we have His word written down for us in the Bible. What we hold in our hands is faithful and true because it is not the words of man but the LORD.

It was through the words of those Old Testament prophets that the LORD promised a Messiah. What Zechariah is sharing in these verses is that time had come. The promise was coming true.

‌The LORD will rescue us

In verses 74-75, we see that the LORD rescues those who trust in Him. Zechariah talks about being rescued from the hand of our enemies. It would have been easy for those present that day to have the wrong interpretation of this phrase, just like some of us might today. The Jewish people were looking for this coming Messiah to be a political or military leader that would deliver them from Roman rule. Some of us may get tired of the political craziness that swirls around us each day. We may look at those in power as our enemies at times, but the truth is, they are not the enemy.

Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:12 of who our true enemy is.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.

​Ephesians 6:12 CSB

Against Satan and the forces of darkness, we have no power in ourselves. There is no weapon that we can develop that will give us victory against those enemies. That is why the LORD steps in for those who have trusted in Him and fights those battles. He also gives us weapons to use that will work against our true enemies: the armor of God (Ephesians 6).

As Zechariah shares this prophecy about the LORD, he calls anyone who will listen to him to recognize and trust in the LORD. He invites them to serve the LORD without fear but filled with the holiness and righteousness that the LORD will give to any who trust in Him. Do you recognize who the LORD truly is? Have you trusted in Him? Are you walking in the righteousness of Christ? What does that look like? That’s what the second part of this prophecy addresses.

And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. Because of our God’s merciful compassion, the dawn from on high will visit us to shine on those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

​Luke 1:76–79 CSB

As Zechariah is sharing about the goodness of the LORD and what He has done, he turns his focus to his newborn son, John. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Zechariah speaks over his son, John, about what this boy’s life will be about. As Zechariah shares about John, we also see ways that we can live out the righteousness that the LORD desires from those who trust in Him.

‌We are to prepare a path for the LORD

John was going to be the forerunner of the Messiah. He was not the Messiah himself, but he would be one that would make a way for the Messiah to come and do what He was sent to do. John is called here and in other places, a prophet of the LORD. He would share the LORD’s truth with people every chance that he got. He may have had an interesting wardrobe and menu of food, but the LORD used him in great ways to prepare a way for the LORD to come and bring salvation to people.

We may not see ourselves as a prophet. The LORD may not call all of us to be a preacher, but any of us can be used to prepare paths for the LORD to come in and do what only He can do. We can learn His truths, apply them to our lives, and share them with others. We may not be able to do mighty works in our own strength, but we can most definitely clear a path for the LORD to come in and do it. He is able. He doesn’t need us to do that, but He does invite us to join Him and experience Him working through us.

‌We are to share with others about the LORD

In verse 77, Zechariah told John that he would be one that would share the message of salvation with others. John would have the wonderful privilege of sharing with others that there is forgiveness for sins. John would share that be able to share with others that there is hope for the hopeless. This message of hope and forgiveness was not based on anything John did but solely on what Jesus would do.

We can follow in the footsteps of John ourselves. We can share with others the wonderful message of hope and forgiveness that is available only in Jesus Christ. We can share with, as verse 79 says, “those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” But we can only share something that we’ve experienced ourselves. If you have experienced the wonderful gift of salvation from Jesus, then you also have received an invitation to share it with others so that they can experience it for themselves.

We cannot save anyone ourselves. We cannot make the decision to follow Jesus for anyone but ourselves, but we can share and introduce others to Jesus. When we do that, Jesus does what only He can do. ‌

How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher?

​Romans 10:14 CSB

‌Conclusion

This prophecy that Zechariah shares in Luke 1 is one that is filled with hope and forgiveness. That is what this whole season is about: the reality that the LORD has seen our situation and come to us in order to bring us what we could never get on our own. The message of Christmas is the LORD has come and is calling us to come to Him so that we will experience life as He intended.

The beauty of this passage is that not only does the LORD call us to come and experience it ourselves, but He invites us to join Him in sharing this “good news of great joy” with others so they can experience it as well. Will we hear and answer the invitation the LORD is giving to us?

Read More