The PCF Blog

Nick May spoke this week from Romans 4 v 18 – 25 about Abraham’s faith.

Listen to this sermon (or download – right click here and ‘Save as’):

Listen to this sermon (or download – right click here and ‘Save as’):

Notes on Message preached 18 October 2009 at PCF: ”When God shows up” (Luke 1 v 5-25)

As we get into the main body of the gospel penned by Doctor Luke, we being to see the background to the unfolding of God’s plan for the salvation of the world.

Luke 1 v 5-25

⁵In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. ⁶Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. ⁷But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

⁸Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, ⁹he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

¹¹Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. ¹²When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. ¹³But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. ¹⁴He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, ¹⁵for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.^{[b] 16}Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. ¹⁷And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

¹⁸Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

¹⁹The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. ²⁰And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”

²¹Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. ²²When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

²³When his time of service was completed, he returned home. ²⁴After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. ²⁵“The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favour and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

This familiar and charming record of the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist speaks powerfully to us today:

1. An Ordinary Couple

Here we have a couple notable for their ordinary-ness. They were well on in years, faithful servants of the Lord, with Zechariah serving as a priest.  They were faithful, righteous and unremarkable. And like many couples of this kind they carried a heartache: they were unable to bear children. How many of Gods’ servants carry heartaches? It may be the same one that Zechariah and Elizabeth carried – that of being unable to produce children. Or it may be to do with health, or family or finance. Whatever it is, this couple is an example to us to continue to serve God in righteousness and to never let the heartache embitter us. It could be, that in an unexpected way, God will answer prayer and remove the heartache. Or we may never find out what is behind the burden we carry. But we can be sure of this: God has a purpose in everything that he allows in his people’s lives. We can trust him unreservedly.

2. An Ordinary Day at the office

Zechariah served as a priest. As one of about 20,000 priests in Israel he was responsible for serving at the temple. There were 24 divisions of priests who went to Jerusalem by rota. When they were there they tended to the temple, and drew lots as to who would have the honour on any given day of burning incense in the temple. It may be that this honour would only come to you once in a lifetime. So although this was a big day in Zechariah’s life – it was in many ways just an ordinary day in his service of God.

Most of our Christian life is quite uneventful. We have our quiet time, we pray, we read the Bible, we meet with God’s people, we witness, we go to work we eat and we go to bed. Zechariah had learnt to be faithful in the ordinary things of life. Have we? There is a day to day discipline of Christian responsibilities that seems quite unspectacular – reading the Bible, praying, fasting going to meetings and so on. But it is our   service in these apparently mundane areas of life that will determine how our Christian lives will progress – and in the case of Zechariah, it was in the ordinary things of life that he met with God.

3. An Unexpected Encounter

This task of burning incense in the temple has been carried out thousands of times without incident. And yet Zechariah suddenly found himself face to face with the angel Gabriel. He was “gripped with fear” – and so would you be!

We can’t pretend that these incidents are commonplace in the Christian life. For Zechariah – as far as we know – it was unique. But the fact remains that Zechariah had an encounter with God, whilst he was serving the lord faithfully.

We can’t guarantee mystical encounters – but we can do as Zechariah did, and serve faithfully. If we do that, we know that he will meet us there. It may or may not be spectacular – that is up to God – but God responds to the faithful work of his servants.

4. An Amazing Message

The appearance of the angel was remarkable enough – but what he had to say must have taken Zechariah’s breath away! Firstly: “your prayer has been heard”. Probably the couple’s prayer for a child had stopped long ago, and been mentally filed away as “unanswered prayer”. We need to understand that there is no such thing as unanswered prayer. Zechariah’s prayer had been held the “holding room” of heaven waiting for the right moment. And the answer when it came would be bigger than they could have dreamed. The answer to their prayer was inextricably linked to God’s plan of salvation for the human race. Their answer was to be the herald of the Messiah – how’s that for an answer to prayer! As Gabriel went on to describe the ministry of their long- awaited son – Zechariah’s head must have spun. Not only was their prayer being answered – but their son was to be a great prophet! What an honour – and what a responsibility.

Gabriel concludes the package with some specific instructions on raising this man of God. Every blessing always carries with it a responsibility: Zechariah and Elizabeth would have to rise to the challenge of being the parents of John the Baptist. We have been given the honour of being God’s people in this generation. Are we ready for the responsibility it brings?

5. An Unacceptable response

Sad to relate Zechariah’s response fell far short of what one would have hoped for in a man steeped in the ways of God. His response (Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”) is in fact gross unbelief.

There are two occasions in the gospel when Jesus is said to be amazed. One is in Mar 6 when Jesus visits his home town and is “amazed at their lack of faith”. The other is in Luke 7 when he is “amazed” at the faith of the centurion .In the case of the centurion Jesus carried out an extraordinary miracle. In the case of the townsfolk at Nazareth we read that he “He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them”. – how remarkable: Jesus could not do many miracles!

What would be said of us? And what would be said at you? Would Jesus be amazed at our faith – or would he be amazed at our lack of faith? Will he be able to do mighty works – or would it be said of Poole in 2009 that “he could not do many miracles there”?

In the case of Zechariah he sadly has most in common with the Nazarenes. Face to face with the awesome power of God – he does not believe. How do you respond to the word of God?

6. A  Severe Consequence

It is easy to see God as a benign grandparent who is always tolerant and never shows his displeasure. This account puts paid to that once and for all! The fact is that Zechariah’s response to God’s message is wholly unacceptable and unsatisfactory – and there is a consequence. Unbelief and rebellion always has its consequences. Why? Because God loves us and desires the best for us. Read the words of the risen Jesus to the churches in Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation – there is no doubt there that whenever Jesus encounters sin in the church he deals with it lovingly, but severely. God breaks the rules for no one. No one, not even the righteous chosen Zechariah, can get away with gross unbelief. But God’s judgement is always merciful. Zechariah does learn his lesson. His greatest hour is still to come. He would recite the words of the great prophecy later in chapter one and would have the joy and responsibility of raising a great prophet. God’s discipline is always in love.

7. A Hope fulfilled

The scene when Zechariah came out of the temple must have been a mixture of awesome and comic. This respected priest wildly gesticulating and trying to speak must have been one of the most talked about incidents of the day. But Elizabeth conceives and their dream is fulfilled at last. Not all our dreams will be fulfilled in this life. But the day is coming when every longing will be fulfilled and every tear wiped from our eyes. Can’t wait?

³And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21 v 3-4)

8. A Rescue plan launched

Whilst this was a wonderful day and a great event in the life of the elderly godly couple, it is a also a strategic event in the unfolding of God’s plan of salvation. Whatever God does in our lives he is working our a plan far bigger than any of us could imagine. The Saviour was on his way. The time would soon arrive when heaven would be singing “Glory to God in the Highest”

As for Gabriel – he would soon have another job to do. Shortly he would make another visit to planet earth – this time to a remote town in Galilee to visit a young woman named Mary.

But that’s another story.

Listen to this sermon (or download – right click here and ‘Save as’):

Reference: Philippians 2 v 1-11

Listen to this sermon (or download – right click here and ‘Save as’):

Reference: Hebrews 12 v 1-3

The Bible, as well as telling stories of the great heroes of faith down through the ages, also gives lots of examples of both individuals & churches that started out well in their life with God, but didn’t finish well. For example:

King Saul                   - 1Samuel 10 & 1 Samuel 15

Demas                        - Philemon v 24   2 Timothy 4 v 9-10

Church in Galatia - Galatians 3 v 1-3

Parable of the seed     - Mark 4

The New Testament book of Hebrews has two major themes:

1. Perseverance in the Christian life

A key passage on this theme is here in chapter 12 v 1, following directly on from chapter 11, with the gallery of ‘old saints’ now in the arena, watching the races.

“It makes little difference how fast you run the 100 metres when the race is 400 metres long. Life is not a sprint, it’s a distance run.” Gordon MacDonald – The Resilient Life]

We can’t choose our distance – but we do have very important choices along the way, which will determine how we run, and whether we’ll finish well.

Athletes in the ancient games athletes couldn’t put on aero-dynamic clothing or state-of-the-art running shoes to aid their performance – no, they had to take things off if they wanted to improve their performance…and that’s what many did – they ran naked round the track in order not to be encumbered by anything they were wearing.

We too will have to make conscious choices to lay things aside, if we’re to run fast & free in our race. Maybe a frequent sin, that we know is our point of greatest weakness; maybe a sin that in an unguarded moment catches us unawares – anger, sexual impurity, selfishness, impatience…or maybe not a specific sin that the Bible describes & rebukes, but just a weight; something that is ok in itself, but has perhaps become a hindrance to us running the race – a relationship or a leisure activity, some personal pleasure that can get in the way of our walk with God & our service for him.

And, in our church life too, there are similar hard choices to be made. Most of them have to do with challenges to our personal comfort zones – people we find it difficult to relate to; ways of doing things that are not our preferred ways, things planned about which we have only one choice, our attitude to them These can all affect our desire & ability to keep going as disciples of Jesus, individually & corporately.

It’s interesting to note some of the phrases used elsewhere in Hebrews on this same subject:

• Drifting away -   2 v 1

• Turning away             – 3 v 12-14

• Throwing away          – 10 v 35-36

Two thoughts about these, as potential dangers for us:

(1)  they are just as likely, maybe more likely, to happen slowly rather than quickly.

(2) they have a corporate, level of application as well as an individual one.

Each of them reads ‘let us’ and a key antidote to them in our lives & churches often follows immediately in the biblical text – eg. 3 v 12-13 and 10 v 23-24. God has brought us together as his people, brought you together in PCF, to encourage and spur one another on in the race that God has marked out for you.

This is what we’re to be pro-active about, rather than our moans & criticisms.

The second great theme of Hebrews, which is actually the greater of the two:

2. The Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ

From the very first chapter of the book, Jesus is presented as the majestic Lord of the universe – the glorious, exalted Son of God, the sin-bearing Saviour enthroned at his Father’s right hand…which in later chapters is unpacked more fully, as the writer explains in detail the importance of Christ’s sacrificial death for each of us, and opens a window on to his 2^nd coming as judge of all mankind, culminating in the great statement of chapter 9 v 27-28.

And we need to understand above all that these two themes are inextricably linked, just as they are in our passage [v 2-3].

Ultimately, despite everything previously said, and without retracting one single word, our perseverance is not a matter of trying harder, or of doing better; it’s about keeping our eyes on Jesus and drawing on his amazing and supernatural power. That’s what Paul was saying to the Galatians – ‘you started with God, but now you’re trying to go on in your own strength’. As a church maybe, like King Saul, we can be more interested in raising up a monument to ourselves, rather than exalting the person & glory of our Lord Jesus.

Saying this takes us immediately into one of the Bible’s great paradoxes – that progress in our Christian lives is simultaneously about our perseverance and his enabling grace. Throughout Scripture this paradox confronts us – eg. in Colossians  1 v 29, and Philippians 2 v 12-13 – like twin rail tracks that go on into the distance & never meet. But, that’s how it is; we will never satisfactorily resolve it intellectually. Both are true!

We are to run with perseverance the race marked out for us, but we are to keep our eyes fixed on him. He is the author, the perfecter, of our faith. He alone is our great role model and our energy source. He has run his own race “endured the cross, scorned its shame and endured terrible opposition from sinful men”. No wonder the writer of Hebrews says, ‘consider him’, ‘fix your eyes on him’. Don’t allow yourselves to be distracted or compromised. The alternative will lead only to weariness & disheartenment. His power, his wisdom, & his grace alone will be sufficient to see you home.

Conclusion

And that’s what will happen, if we continue to trust and follow him. We have his word for it. His grace won’t fail us; his fount of wisdom will never run dry; his mercy will be new every single morning.

No wonder the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian Christians (in chapter 9 v 24), “Don’t you know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.“ By looking to Jesus!

———————————————————————————

Discussion Questions:

[These questions are for considering both individually and as a church]

1.  What do you think has the greatest potential to cause you to drop out of your race?

2.  What are some of the most difficult hindrances you experience? [Heb 12 v 1]

3. How might you go about dealing with those hindrances?

4. In practical terms, what will it mean for you to ‘fix your eyes on Jesus’? [Heb 12 v 2]

5. As you reflect on the life of Jesus, what strikes you about the way he ran his race?

6. How can you better “spur one another on toward love and good deeds”? [Heb 10 v 24]