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THE CHURCH ON HIGHER GROUND |
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HOMEPAGE |
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HIS STORY INTRODUCTION |
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HOMEPAGE |
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JESUS THE ANTICIPATED ONE |
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PAGE 1 FORETOLD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT |
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PAGE 2 JESUS ANNOUNCED BY ST. JOHN |
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PAGE 3 EARTHLY PREPARATION |
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PAGE 4 ALL IS MADE READY |
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PAGE 5 |
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PAGE 6 |
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PAGE 7 |
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PAGE 8 |
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PAGE 9 |
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PAGE 3 EARTHLY PREPARATION
LESSON #1 His Story #6/Lk.1:1-5/The Days of Herod the King
LESSON #2 His Story #7/Lk.1:5-10/Righteous and Blameless
LESSON #3 His Story #8/Lk.1:11-17/Sent to Prepare the Way
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LESSON #1 His Story #6/Lk.1:1-5/The Days of Herod the King
Thu Mar 15, 2001 3:32 pm
John began his gospel account by introducing the pre-existant Christ. We shift our attention now to Luke's record of His Story. Luke tells us that there were many accounts written about the life of Jesus (Lk.1:1-2), but he wrote his account because he had perfect understanding of the events from the beginning of the life of Christ and he wanted his reader [Theophilus] to know the exact truth about the things he had been taught (vs.3-4.) [Luke also wrote to Theophilus concerning the early Church and it's growth in the book of Acts (Acts1:1-3.)]
Though there had been many kings rule over Isarael/Judah, this was the first time that a person who was not of Jewish extraction sat on the throne of Judah. Herod [the Great] was king of Judea (5.) This would be a sign that Messiah was about to come, based on the prophecy that Jacob had made to his son Judah (Ge..49:10.) The changing of the throne of Judah would take place with the arrival of the Messiah.
We will see the conflict of the temporal and the eternal more clearly in other lessons, but it should be noted that the presence of the Messiah would always be attacked by earthly governments because of political intrigue. Though Jesus would make it clear that He did not come to establish a temporal or earthly kingdom, His kingdom is always in conflict with the sinful ways of the world. The kingdoms of this world are never satisfied to live either under the authority of His morals and love or even live in a peaceful co-existance with His people. The world has always exercised it's power and influence to subjugate the Church or destroy it completely. Christ is not a proponent of human ideologies and He does not bow to any king, seeing that He is King of Kings and Lord of lords. Though His people are a law abiding people and obedient to lawful authorities, they often find themselves in conflict with the ruling parties of the kingdoms of this world. Though they are in conflict with worldly powers, the people of God are never violent when under attack. Neither does the true Church of Jesus Christ force it's faith on anyone. When Jesus was asked about His kingdom, He said, "My kingdom is not of this world, if it were of this world, my servants would fight."* God's Word says that our weapons are not carnal [fleshly], but are spiritual.* We not only do no physical harm to our enemies, we feed, clothe and do good to them.* There was a time when God had an earthly kingdom [O.T.], and there will be a time in the future when He will personally reign over an earthly kingdom [millennium], but at the present, His kingdom is within us or in the midst of His people* and it is not sustained by meat and drink but by righteousness, peace and joy*.
People want to keep Jesus and His Church separated from the affairs of this world and do not accept our confrontation with worldly governments. The problem is, the Church lives in a real world with real problems and we have real answers. We also owe our lives and our allegiance to Him and not to the passing powers of this life. We seek to live in peace, but we must obey the Prince of peace. The only hope for the problems of this world is found in Jesus, but in too many places, Jesus is not allowed.
This would be the kind of world Jesus would be born into. A world which hated God and His rule. A world which would rather grope in darkness than walk in the light. A world which would rather wallow in it's hatred than soar in His love. A world which would rather kill and be killed than to live the life which is pleasing to God.
The world into which Jesus would be born was filled with violent men in high offices and in the grassroots. It was filled with men who were commited to plans which were antagonistic to God's plans. "In the days of Herod, king of ..." is the world into which Jesus must always come.
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LESSON #2 His Story #7/Lk.1:5-10/Righteous and
Blameless
Sat Mar 17, 2001 4:56 pm
There had been four-hundred years of God's silence among the Jews. There is a price to pay for rebellion and Israel had been paying part of that price. Then God spoke in a way that was not expected.
Temple service had been divided amongst the priests into 24 courses. After their time in the Babylonian exile only 4 courses returned to Judah, but they were again divided into 24 courses for the Temple service. Each course served for eight days, twice a year, and then they all served together on Sabbaths and during the feast of Tabernacles.
Though there had been corruption on the throne and in the Temple, there were also those of the priesthood who still sought God with the whole heart. With all of the upheaval and intreague which had marred the sacred office, there were those who lived in anticipation of the coming Messiah.
One such family was Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth. Not only was Zacharias of the priestly order, so was Elizabeth (vs.5.) This gave an added blessing to Zacharias, since there was greater honor for a family with double descent from the priesthood. Zacharias and Elizabeth, "were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the comandments and requirements of the Lord" (vs.6.) How often we are told today that people cannot live godly lives in this present evil world. Yet we are constantly confronted with men and women in the Scriptures who were righteous and lived lives that glorified God. They had loved and served God faithfully for many long years. With all of their faithfulness to God they still had no children though they were both advanced in age (vs.7), probably meaning 60 plus years old. Zacharias would be serving in the Temple when God broke the silence by speaking to him (8.)
There were different ministries performed by the priest. Four of these ministries were decided and assigned by "lots", thus removing personal choices or preferences. In the very early morning hours the first cast lot would determine who would perform Temple duties. About the time of daybreak the second lot would decide who would sacrifice the burnt offering, the trimming of the lamp and the preparing of the golden altar. The third casting of the lot was to designate the priest who would serve in the incense offering. This would be the high and holy act of mediation (9.) The burning of the incense and the offering up of prayer was the focus of Zacharias while the people waiting outside of the Temple were praying (10.) A priest may perform this high and holy service only once in a lifetime, though he had served for decades as a priest. This was probably the first and last time Zacharias would have this privelege. Though he and Elizabeth had prayed many times in their own personal prayers when they were younger for a child, he certainly was not going into the holy place on that day with any such personal and futile request on his mind. He was going in to make intercession for the whole nation of Israel and that is what occupied is mind completely.
Zacharias used no excuses for failure. His nation was under foreign rule. His local king was a stranger to his God. God had not spoken to his nation for 400 years. He and his wife had no children. He was old without much of a future. But he lived faithfully and performed his service to God conscientously. He was focused on the God who had been good to himself and his country. He did not serve God for the benefits, but because God was worthy.
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LESSON #3 His Story #8/Lk.1:11-17/Sent to Prepare the
Way
Mon Mar 19, 2001 2:55 pm
While Zacharias stood between the golden Lampstand and the Table of Shewbread, before the Golden Altar holding the Golden Censer, and prayed for Israel, an angel appeared at the right side of the Altar of Incense (11). The appearance gripped him with fear (12).
In olden times, God would communicate with the Priest on duty by way of either a voice from between the angels on the Mercy Seat or by way of the Urim and Thummim [stones which were part of the Priestly Breast Plate worn during his ministration]. Why had the angel appeared? To reprove Zacharias for some failure in his duties? To bring bad news to Israel? No wonder he was frightened, 400 years of silence and now an angel appears. But the angel told him to not be afraid (vs.13).
Zacharias was seeking the blessing of the living God on Israel and what does he experience? An angel promising to answer his old and distant prayer for a child (vs.13). He and Elizabeth had prayed earnestly for a child when they were younger, but that was not the purpose of his prayers on this day. He was intent of his responsibility to interceed for Israel but the angel brought him news of a future son he was to name John (vs.13). It was more than just a birth announcement which would bring joy to Zacharias (vs.14).
This longed-for-son would be great in the sight of the Lord, that is Jesus, and he would not use wine or any fermented beverage which would intoxicate, but would be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother's womb (vs.15). In other words, he would be a Nazarite, a man specially dedicated to God and His service. There had been men who would take the Nazarite vow for a short period of time, while in some special service to the Lord, but this one would live the Nazarite life. He would not be a man who simply makes and keeps a vow to God, he would be a man on a mission with the power of the Holy Spirit on him, even from the time of his birth. Added to these great truths about his son, Zacharias heard the angel say that John would turn back many of Israels son's back to God (vs.16) and the fathers back to their sons (vs.17). And then the angel gave the crowning glory of a prophecy; John would be the long awaited forerunner of the Messiah who would have the spirit of Elijah. The child who was being promised to Zacharias would be the one prophesied by the Old Testament to prepare the way for the the Messiah (vs.17). Any one aspect of what the angel said would be more than any one man could hope to hear in a life time. Zacharias had been given all of these promises in this one short encounter.
John would not just be a special man, he would perform an awsome service to his country. He would live his life in dedication to God, live in the power of the Holy Spirit, cause the young to turn back to the God of Israel, turn the hearts of the fathers back to their sons and the disobedient to the way of righteousness in order to prepare people for the Lord. John, who's name means, "God has been gracious", would usher out the dispensation of Law and usher in the dispensation of grace. As John the apostle said in his gospel account, "the law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."
Though we are all different in our gifts and abilities, we all have the same job, "Reach this world for Jesus." I would suggest that we could follow John the baptizers
lead.
1- Live our lives fully dedicated to God.
2- Live in the power of the Holy Spirit.
3- Call the young to turn back to the God of the Bible.
4- Call the fathers to turn their hearts back to their families.
5- Call the disobedient to turn back to the way of righteousness.
Prepare the way of the Lord.
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