My sermon notes for Sunday morning, Nov 27th. Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. They are provided as an outline each week for our Tabernacle Church family. The church provides a live stream of the service each Sunday at 10:30 on Facebook. We also provide the services through YouTube by Sunday afternoon. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, Prayer List, and other resources at our Church Website.
Luke 1:5-25 – Pointing the way… John the Baptist
INTRO
- The preparation…
- The coming of Christ is taking place
- The announcement of the birth of John the Baptist
- The messiah is coming
Zechariah and Elizabeth – vv. 5-9
- Their character
- Righteous before God
- Walking blamelessly in God’s statues and commands
- Their circumstances
- No children
- Society would have questioned their obedience to God
- Their calling
- Once in a lifetime for priestBoth faithful and serving…IN SPITE OF CIRCUMSTANCES
- Altar of incense. Prayers lifted up to God
- Serving = Do what the Lord has called us to do
Gabriel’s presence and Message – vv. 10-17
- Do not be afraid – v. 13
- Your prayer has been heard – v. 13
- You will bear a son
- You shall call him John
- You will have joy and gladness
- Many will rejoice at his birth
- He will be great before the Lord
- He will be filled with the Holy Spirit
- Even from his mothers womb
- He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord
- He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah
- Turn hearts
- Make ready =for the Lord a people prepared
This is the FIRST VOICE OF GOD SINCE MALACHI…over 400 years.
Zechariah’s Reaction – v. 18
- How shall I know this
- He is standing before Gabriel?????
- Has he forgotten about Abraham and Sarah?????
- Before we judge… we must remember that no one is perfect. He obviously was a righteous man that was serving the Lord.
- A better question should be…. WHAT ARE WE DOUBTING ABOUT WHAT GOD?
Gabriel’s Closing Words – vv. 19-25
- I am Gabriel
- I stand in the presence of God
- I was sent to speak
- You will be silent until…
CONCLUSION
- Redemptions History… all points to the Gospel
- Over 400 years of silence… Gabriel speaks.
- The forerunner is part of redemption history
- A bridging of the Old and the New
- Altar of incense
- Must be holy – set apart
- Our prayers to God… only by priest
- JESUS FULFILLED…. on through Christ
- THE LORD HAS DONE – v. 25
- John the Baptist is pointing to the holy one
- His message will be repentance
- Their sin…. the need of forgiveness
- The need for a HOLY ONE