Alright, well this morning we move to the body of the gospel according to Luke. And as with Matthew and Mark and John, Luke didn't seek to present some sort of detailed biography of Christ and His life. He wrote to show that God has an eternal purpose, an eternal plan of redemption of a people He has called to Himself in eternity past with whom He will dwell forever. And then our passage this morning, Luke shows us, in the days before Christ came, God was working out His plan. Zechariah, Mary, Elizabeth. He wrote to affirm that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. The gospel writers were not some detached, objective writers of history. No. They were men of faith. They were men writing to call people to Christ. And Luke wrote that he sought to set out an orderly account of the things that, the words he used were, have been accomplished among us, that you may have certainty concerning the things which you've been taught. He set down an account of the life of Christ and what Christ accomplished. An accurate account of God's working out of His plan of salvation. Because that's what this is all about. God working out an eternal plan of salvation of sinners. And Luke teaches us that God has a settled purpose. That God is able to do all that He wills. And that, as we will see when we come to the end of our passage this morning, that nothing, nothing is impossible with God. So let's turn to Luke chapter 1. Begin reading in verse 5. Luke 1, 5. In the days of Herod, king of Judea, There was a priest named Zacharias of the division of Abiah. He had a wife from the daughters of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth. They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. They had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years. Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, according to the custom of his priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering. The angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him. But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink no wine or liquor. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb. He will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. It's He who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Zechariah said to the angel, How will I know this for certain? I'm an old man. My wife is advanced in years. Angel answered and said to him, I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. And I've been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you shall be silent, unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words. which will be fulfilled in their proper time. The people were waiting for Zacharias and were wondering at his delay in the temple. But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them. They realized he'd seen a vision in the temple. He kept making signs to them and remained mute. When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home. After these days, Elizabeth, his wife, became pregnant. She kept herself in seclusion for five months. This is the way the Lord has dealt with me when He looked with favor upon me to take away my disgrace among men. Well that's not the end of the story. In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city or a town in Galilee called Nazareth to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph of the descendants of David. The virgin's name was Mary. Coming in, he said to her, Greetings, favored one, the Lord is with you. She was very perplexed at this statement and kept wondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, Don't be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end. Mary said to the angel, How can this be, since I am a virgin? The angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And for that reason the Holy Child shall be called the Son of God. And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age. And she who is called Baron is now in her sixth month, for nothing will be impossible with God. Mary said, Behold, the handmaid, the bondslave of the Lord, may it be done to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her. Well Lord, we thank You for this Word, for Your grace, for Your working through sinful people to bring Your plan of eternal glory to its final place. We thank You, Lord, that You have opened our eyes by Your grace to know these things, to believe them, and to trust in them. And Lord, we pray that You will stir our hearts this morning by this word for Your kingdom and for Your glory. Amen. So Luke begins really the body of this gospel with two visits of an angel, Gabriel. He'd also appeared to Daniel. But here he appears to Zacharias and to Mary. And Luke tells us of the miraculous conception and birth of both John the Baptist and of Jesus. None of this material in the first two chapters of Luke is found in any of the other three Gospels. Luke tells us these things occurred in the days of Herod, king of Judea. Now this is Herod the Great. One who would later attempt to kill every Jewish male child. were told there was this priest named Zacharias. He was of the division of Abiah. He had a wife who was also a descendant from the priestly line, from Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth. Now Zacharias' name means Jehovah has remembered. And he's a priest of the tribe of Levi. He works in the temple. He does the service, the sacrifices. in the temple and the other priestly duties. And to have a wife of priestly descent was a special blessing for a priest. Now the name Elizabeth means my God is an oath, an absolutely reliable one. So I put in your Scripture sheet 1 Chronicles 24, verses 1 through 19. And what we see here is that David, when he was king, divided the priests into 24 divisions for service in the temple. He also assigned duties to the musicians in 1 Chronicles 25. But though David had assigned 24 divisions, after the exile into Babylon, when they returned in Ezra chapter 2, we read that there was only four divisions that returned. Well, they re-subdivided them again so they'd have 24 again. So there are 24 divisions, and Zacharias was of the eighth division, Abijah. And they used the old names that we find here in 1 Chronicles. Each division was on duty two times a year for a two-week period. So this was Zacharias' time. And we're told in verse 6 that Zacharias and Elizabeth were both righteous in the sight of God. Now does this mean they did not need a Savior? No, it does not. But they walked blamelessly in the commandments and requirements of the Lord. But they had no child because Elizabeth was barren and they were both advanced in years. So it happened while Zacharias was in the temple. And he's not just in the temple, but he's in the inner sanctuary just outside the veil that is just outside the Holy of Holies. And in front of that veil, of course, is the altar of incense. And the priest alone would approach this altar of incense. This was a very special honor. A priest could only do this one time in his lifetime. And this, for Zacharias, was the day he was going to do this. This is the one day he could come and approach and offer incense to the Lord. And the people had to stay outside. It says outside the temple, but it's really outside that sanctuary. Now this comes from the law in Exodus 30, verse 7 and 8, which directed that incense was to be offered two times every day. And there were many priests, and so they would draw lots to determine whose turn it was each time. But this was a great privilege. A one-time thing. And this, for Zacharias, is a very big day. It's like the day that you graduate or the day that you're admitted into some group or club or whatever it happens to be. And there's a big ceremony about it. Somebody brings in the incense and somebody's carrying something else to light it. So this is a big moment. And he's chosen to offer this incense on the altar of incense. As he was performing his service, the people are outside. Now, what this ritual was teaching these people was about their separation from God, among other things. Because of their separation from God, no mortal is allowed to have access to God, except by a mediator, in those days by a priest. Only a priest could approach the heavenly throne, in that case the mercy seat, And he was the mediator. Well, as he's doing this, he's standing before the altar in this glorious moment for himself. This angel appears at the right side of the altar. The golden lampstand is off to his right. And Zacharias reacted as many of us would. He was troubled. He was troubled. Fear gripped him when this heavenly being shows up. But this is a normal response. It's the same response we saw from Gideon. It's the same kind of response we'll see from Mary and from the shepherds when the angels appear to them. But the angel had comforting words for Zacharias. The angel said to him, Don't be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. Now when you read through the commentators, they argue whether Zacharias had prayed for a son. And that seems unlikely because He is there representing the whole nation. He's representing the people. He's offering prayers for the people of Israel. He's offering prayers and petitions for the redemption of His people. Did He include prayer for a son? We're not told that. And remember, He and Elizabeth were past childbearing age. So it seems to me anyway unlikely that he would be asking for something of that nature and a private concern at that while he's there as the mediator of the people. But when we look at Gabriel's response to his prayer, your petition has been granted and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son. We have to wonder, was the granting of a son to Elizabeth the answer of a prayer for Israel? It certainly was. It certainly was. This son, to whom Elizabeth would give birth, would be no less than the forerunner of the Messiah, through whom salvation would come, not only to Israel, but to believers, both Jewish and Gentile. So not only would they have a son, this son would be a very special man. A man set apart by God to himself, no wine, no strong drink. He'd be set apart to a service of immense significance to all mankind and to God's eternal plan and purpose. A plan of the redemption of sinners. This man would be the one who would announce the coming of the one who would save us. And not only would Zacharias and Elizabeth have joy and gladness, but he says in verse 14, many will rejoice at his birth. Verse 15, he was assured that his son will be great in the sight of the Lord. How would you like to be told you will be great in the sight of the Lord? He will be great in the sight of the Lord. He'll be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother's womb. You couldn't get better news. Jesus would say, Matthew chapter 11, among those born of women, there is not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist. Now what did he do that was so great? Why was Jesus calling John great? Well look at Matthew 18.4. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. John was a very humble man. Remember what he ends up saying when Jesus comes into his ministry. He must increase. I must decrease. He wasn't about getting his own following and keeping it. John's humility marked him as a great man. So He was destined to become the herald of the Messiah. He was going to direct the people to the long-awaited One of whom He would say, Behold the Lamb of God who is taking away the sins of the world. John's life would be total, lifelong consecration to special service for the Lord. Only John in the New Testament is said to be filled with the Spirit of God from his mother's womb. And when you think about it, because the point here is God's working out this plan of redemption. We're not down here saving ourselves by our righteousness, by our works, by things we do. God is working this out. God is sovereign over all of these things. And the fact that the Word of God can tell us that John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb shows us that God chose him and equipped him to this ministry before he was even born. We remember what he said to Jeremiah, before you were in the womb, I knew you. So after 2,000 years of waiting, after the promise to Abraham, in your seed all the families of the earth will be blessed, Messiah was coming. We know that because the forerunner's coming. His herald is coming. God's eternal purpose was unfolding. By then the sons of Jacob had wandered away from Yahweh. We see that in the Pharisees. We see that in the rejection of Christ. Yahweh had established them as a people. He had created them out of a barren couple, Abraham and Sarah. He had established them as His special people, as His peculiar people. But the last time God had spoken to them was over 400 years before this, through the prophet Malachi. And now, more than 400 years later, as Zacharias is offering the incense, Gabriel's standing there to his right and appears to Zacharias. Look back to Malachi 3.1. Here's what Zacharias had to know before he entered into the sanctuary that day. Malachi 3.1, Behold, I am going to send my messenger, and he will clear the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight. Behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. And then Malachi 4, 5, right on point. ...Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet. Before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord, he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse. But after Malachi, God had been silent. 400 years they don't hear from God. And yet, when we look at this verse here, in verse 16, God still spoke of Himself as their God. Now, over 400 years later, Gabriel recalls those words of the Lord, spoken through the prophet, and he quotes them, and he declares that this son of Zacharias will be the messenger spoken of by the prophet. And this messenger will call the people back to the Lord. He'll call them to what? Repentance. Repent! The kingdom of heaven is at hand. He'll prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. Remember, several of the twelve disciples were disciples of John. We know John and Andrew were before they became disciples of Christ. He'll go as a forerunner before him in the spirit and power of Elijah. Now does this mean that John was Elijah? No, not literally. John 121, John was asked, Are you Elijah? He said, No, I'm not. But the spirit and power of Elijah. who boldly rebuked the wicked king Ahab would be clearly displayed in John when he boldly and wickedly rebukes Herod the tetrarch. So by the time of Zacharias, the Word of God had long been distorted. God had been silent. The worship of God had been corrupted by superstitions. The Jews by then had divided into several different sects. Both priests and the people were openly wicked, like today. And at the time, Malachi wrote, family relationships had become disrupted. That's really what much of Malachi's prophecy is about. Partly because of mixed marriages, easy divorce in those days of Malachi. And so one purpose of Malachi's preaching had been to reverse that situation, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children. And this would be seen in John's ministry as well. But think about this blessing. For Zacharias and Elizabeth, this was a promise of the greatest imaginable blessing. A promise which should have evoked nothing other than gratitude, worship, and awe. But like Eve in the garden, like Sarai, the wife of Abraham, Zacharias doubted. Zacharias said to the angel, How will I know this for certain? He wants proof. I'm an old man. My wife is advanced in years. And Gabriel will tell him, Because you didn't believe. Given all that the angel Gabriel had spoken to Zacharias, this is a remarkable question. How will I know this for certain? I want some proof. He's a priest in the temple of God. He's got the highest privilege a priest could have that day. He knew well the Old Testament Scriptures. He had heard and known of the great and wonderful and awesome works of God. He didn't question, by the way, that the angel had been sent by God. He didn't say, how do I know you're the messenger? No. He didn't question that the message had come from God. He questioned whether this was really possible. Whether God could really do this. He wanted to see some evidence. The question seems identical with that asked by Abraham centuries before. That's why we have to look to the Word of God and see what it tells us about these things. Because Abraham asked this question in Genesis 15, 8. But two verses prior, we're already told. Abraham believed God. And God declared him righteous. So the question may be similar, but it's asked obviously in a different spirit. It amounted to demand for a sign. Give me proof. Gideon, Hezekiah both also asked for signs, but also again in a different spirit. Zechariah spoke from unbelief as he reminded the angel, we're too old to have children. Imagine you're the angel standing there. And here's Zechariah, we're too old. You got some proof of this. Paul declared, Romans 4, 19, about Abraham that he considered not his own body now dead, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb. And he unhesitatingly relied on two things, on the truth of God's Word and on the power of God to do what he said he was going to do. Zechariah doubted. His response amounted to, I don't believe you. People as old as we are don't become parents. I trust that Achariah, by the way, is in heaven with his son and Elizabeth. But this wasn't his best day. It should have been his best day. He acted as he did in spite of all the examples he had before him of God's faithfulness to his promises and of God's ability to do anything. Calvin says this, sometimes though one trusts in God for the pardon of his sins and for his salvation, he might waver sometime on some point. Might be too much alarmed by some fear or dread of some circumstance. Might be too anxious about what God might do. Maybe this describes some of us sometimes. And that was the unbelief of Zacharias, Calvin says. While he held on to the root and foundation of his faith, he did hesitate on this one point. Whether God would give him a son. And he doubted why. He doubted for the same reason that Peter fell into the water when he tried to walk across the Sea of Galilee. He saw things from an earthly, carnal perspective. Took his eyes off the power of God. He ascribed less to the power of God than he should have. As if God's hand were limited by our abilities and our capacities. Or confined to earthly means. How's God going to do this? We've got two barren people here. No, no, no. Nothing is impossible with God. God judges our actions from looking at our hearts too. He looks at our hearts. He doesn't just look at what we're doing and say, boy, there's a holy guy. He looks at our hearts. And because Zechariah had called into question what was really a wonderful gospel promise. This was very much related to the gospel. God looked into his heart and we see that he saw that Zacharias deserved to be punished. Now Zacharias did get the evidence. He got some evidence. It wasn't the evidence he was looking for. It didn't come in the way he had expected. It didn't come in the way he desired. It came in the form of what our brother Roberts calls a remedial judgment. A judgment of God that's designed to bring you to repentance. In this case, Gabriel affirmed his authority to deliver the message. And then he would deliver the judgment. He said, I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I don't know about you, but Zacharias should have been shaking wildly at that point. I am Gabriel, and I've been sent by God to bring you this good news. And then the proof came that the message he brought was from God and was true. And I've been bringing you this good news, and behold, you shall be silent, unable to speak until the day when these things take place. Why? Because you did not believe My words." That's how we know what was in his heart was different from what was in Abraham's heart. Because you did not believe My words, which will be fulfilled. See, his unbelief, our unbelief, can't inhibit God's action in any way. They'll be fulfilled in their proper time. Now, Zacharias would get his sign, so here it is. But notice how God's justice here is tempered with mercy. You're going to not be able to speak until the time these things are fulfilled. It was a temporary punishment. Zacharias had to be wondering, what was I thinking? This is what happens, folks, when a person drifts away from God. We don't know that for a fact here about Zacharias, but I suspect that's what's happening. Zacharias was in the temple serving when his time came. Serving the special, most special of honors. Dutifully seeking the favor of God, how? Through his service in the temple. But when God's messenger came and spoke to him and promised him great blessing, blessing of God's grace, he did not believe. Look at the words spoken of by Isaiah 29, 13. Then the Lord said, Because this people draws near to me with their words and honor me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from me, and their reverence for me consists of tradition learned by rote. Therefore, behold, I will once again deal marvelously with these people, wondrously marvelous, and the wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the discernment of their discerning men will be concealed." He was doing the service. He drew near with His words. He honored God with His service. Jesus quoted these words in Matthew chapter 15, verse 8. This was the state of Israel at the time He came. So Zacharias was performing the externals of worship. And in that, he was doing well. That's what we saw in verse 6. He was walking blamelessly in the commandments and requirements of the law. But though he was in compliance with the law that is contained in ordinances and ceremonies, he seems to have drifted away from God to the point that when God spoke to him, he didn't believe him. Like Sarah, like the sons of Jacob, when they came to the promised land at the mountain of Kadesh, thought those giants are too big for us. He thought this is too great a challenge for God. I hope we never think that way. There is nothing he can't do. So this was the state of the nation of the people of Israel in 450 BC. It was the state of their priests. So Malachi and the other prophets tell us. And this is the state of much of the world today. A world which is turned away from God's law. I won't recount the history of the Supreme Court decisions in this country over the last 60 years, but you see the fruit of it in the streets today. Truth and honesty and integrity are no longer valued by a huge portion of our culture because it's turned from God. And we also see here, if we think that we can simply offer a few of our works, that in so doing we can draw near to God, we are greatly and sadly mistaken. You don't rest on your works and get near to God. Resting on our own works will actually lead us to drift away from God. That's the history of Israel. Some of the most generous contributors to charities are people who want nothing to do with their Creator. The God who made them. They want nothing to do with our Lord who gives them their next breath. Or with His church. They do their service and they wrongly believe their service is good enough. It isn't. They think they don't need Christ or His church. Well, people were outside the sanctuary while this was going on. And it was taking longer than the burning of the incense usually did. They wondered what's going on in here. Well, when he came out making signs and being mute, unable to speak, we're told it made it evident that something unusual had happened in the sanctuary and that they realized his dumbness was a result of a vision of a supernatural event. We're not told anything else about that. But we are told that Elizabeth then conceived. God's promise was fulfilled. She went into seclusion for five months. We're not told why she did that. In the first five months, we surmise her pregnancy would not have been noticeable. So when it was noticeable that the Lord had taken away her reproach, She returned to public. We don't know. But we do know something. We know that God was working out His eternal plan of redemption of sinners. Of a people. That's what He's doing. That's the business He's in. Redeeming sinners from the destiny they've earned for themselves. And this divine purpose of God was going to be revealed in His Son, Jesus Christ. And the Son of God incarnate was going to be announced to the world by the Son who was given by God to Zacharias and Elizabeth and announced in the temple that day. Kind of sad that Zacharias seems to have missed what was happening that day, isn't it? Well, verse 26, now in the sixth month after Elizabeth had conceived, God again sent Gabriel. this time to the town of Nazareth. It's about 70 miles north of Jerusalem. He sends Gabriel again to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph. They're of the descendants not of Levi, but of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And she was betrothed, which was a commitment far more binding among the Jewish culture of that day than an engagement is with us. It was a solemn commitment to Mary. And if you wanted to break it, you had to get a divorce. You had to go through the divorce procedure to break a betrothal. And Gabriel shows up to Mary and addresses her this way, Greetings, favored one, the Lord is with you. Once again, here's some news we sure would like to hear, isn't it? Well, she doesn't start asking for proof. You've been greatly favored by God. You are a divinely favored person. God has been gracious to you. Well, the truth is we're all divinely favored people. God has been gracious to us. That's why we believe. That's why we're here. Because we believe Him. Because He's opened our eyes. She was perplexed, greatly troubled. That's no surprise. She kept wondering what kind of greeting this was. Here she was suddenly face to face with this brilliant, sinless being. She was a young woman of low social position. She knew that. We see it in verses 48 and 52. And she's got to be wondering, why is he speaking to me in such lofty terms? Why is he talking to me like this? She had been singled out by the Lord as the object of His special favor. The very thought must have shocked her. But Isaiah 57, 15. For thus says the High and Exalted One who lives forever. So we've got the High and Exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy. I dwell on a high and holy place. And I'm guessing He's up there with a bunch of royalty and a bunch of rich people. Well, let's read on. I dwell in a high and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit, in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. Angel said to Mary, Don't be afraid. You've found favor with God. Like Noah, she'd received the grace of God. She hadn't earned it. She was not sinless, but God had been gracious to her. And behold, he says, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. Well, her problem isn't that she's too old or that her husband is too old. Her problem is she's not married. She's a virgin. She has no relations with a man. Gabriel goes on. He'll be great. He'll be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will have no end. So the throne of his father David he's going to reign over. This is the prophecy that we find in 2 Samuel 7, 12, and 13 would find its fulfillment in this child that would be conceived in her. The Messiah was to be of David's line. Everybody knew that. As Mary and Joseph were. His kingdom would be never-ending, as the prophecy of 2 Samuel 7 tells us. And it's God's eternal kingdom. This isn't some temporary earthly kingdom. God's kingly rule, the kingdom or rule of grace and truth established in the hearts and lives of all those who have God as their refuge. Romans 14, 17, the apostle Paul referred to this kingdom as one of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Well, Mary's got her question though. It's still hanging out there. How can this be since I'm a virgin? Doesn't ask, how can I know this? We're not told she didn't believe. She asks, how can this be? I'm a virgin. Zacharias had been disbelieving. Mary was puzzled. She understood what Gabriel was saying. She understood he was saying she would conceive and bear a child without the involvement of a man. But she didn't ask for proof, as Zacharias had. But she does ask, how's God going to do this? Like Zacharias, she knew such a conception was outside the natural course of things. In the case of Mary, procreation would seem impossible without the male seed. But she wasn't guilty of a lack of faith. What did she think? She thought, if God says He's going to do it, He's going to do it. Nothing is impossible with God. But she asked and wondered, how can this be? How will this be? And the angel told her. He answered this question. He said, the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And for that reason, the Holy Child shall be called the Son, not of Joseph, but of God. Gabriel made it clear to Mary that her conception would be the result of divine, not human, action. And God didn't require that Mary fully understand everything. Of course, she could not. What was required was that she believe and willingly submit to God. And you know, maybe to strengthen her faith and to reassure her, He tells her something else. He informs her of another miracle. Verse 36, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called Baron is now in her sixth month. So the conception of John was also miraculous, but it occurred through human means, as did the conception of Isaac. But on the other hand, the conception of Jesus was uniquely miraculous. It took place without the assistance of any human male. Yes, Almighty God is able to bring about the conception of people in a barren couple. Isaac and John. But could He do that without the involvement of a human person? The answer? What's the answer? Nothing. Nothing, nothing will ever be impossible with God. Don't ever forget that. There's nothing God can't do. Nothing is beyond His ability to accomplish it. There's nothing, no circumstance He cannot repair. If He doesn't repair something, He doesn't heal something. He doesn't repair a relationship. It doesn't mean He can't do it. It's because it's His will not to do so at this time. And brothers and sisters, all of His judgments are always correct. They're always the right ones. For us today, if He allows us to be submitted now to a godless leadership over a nation, even over His people. It is pursuant to His will. He can stop it if He chooses. It's in accordance with His eternal purpose. Romans 8, 28, we know that God causes all things to work together for good for those who love God. All things to those who are the called according to His purpose. So whatever's happening in our own lives, in the world, has been ordained by God. All things, good, bad, pleasant, painful, are working for His people. I don't know how. Nobody does. They're working according to His purpose. But nothing is impossible with the God who gave us life, who gave us spiritual life, who sustains us, who sent His Son to die for us. Nothing. Sometimes it's hard, but the question for us is, will we submit to His will? Like Mary did. Will we live in grateful submission to His will? Without resentment of His will? Are we responding to His will, whether we like it or not, in gratitude and worship? Even when we don't understand. He is working all things for good for His people. And Mary's response sets a great example for us. It was one of quiet submission. She said, Behold the handmaid, behold the bondslave of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word. The angel departed from her. She could do nothing other than the will of her master. She couldn't be sure what she was called to do, but she committed herself to it. She knew, by the way, that becoming pregnant at that particular time before the marriage would make her potentially outcast, would expose her to criticism, ridicule, perhaps even divorce. And the actual legal requirement for such an offense was stoning to death. They'd abandoned that as well as many others of God's commands in those days. But she made a complete surrender. She placed herself, body and soul, at the disposal of God. Well, Gabriel's mission had been completed, so he departed from her. And I keep coming to this place as I pondered this passage over the past few days. What we see here, and what we must always be mindful of, is God is working out His plan. That's what He's doing here. He's working out His plan through Zacharias and Elizabeth and Mary. And despite what we might think, in light of the trials and the hardships that come upon all of us in our lives personally, in our nation, as a culture, God is still working out His purpose. He's still as involved in working out His eternal plan of redemption today as He was that day. Nothing escapes His notice. Nothing happens without His permission. So if we start to wonder, why are things sometimes as they are? Why are they so hard? Will our struggles ever end? Know with certainty that God is on the throne. And there will come a day He has promised when all of our trials and hardships will end forever. But only for those who are trusting in Him. Only for those who are trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ. Think about Zacharias and Elizabeth. They prayed for a child for many years. He never came. And they were at the point where they knew He would never come. But at that point, here comes God. Here comes God with His mercy and His grace. He was working out a plan of redemption for a people for Himself, a people who will dwell with Him forever. And He came to Zacharias with that plan. And He's still working out that plan. Don't ever forget that. Don't ever lose sight of that. He has a settled purpose. He's able to do all that He wills. His Word is true in every respect. And nothing will ever be impossible.