Turn with me in your Bibles to Luke chapter 1, and we'll continue our study of this wonderful preface to the birth of John the Baptizer. Your bulletin is an outline, I encourage you to locate that as well and use it. Luke one, we got halfway through, I got halfway through what I intended to preach last week, so we're gonna be on the same passage. I'll be reading five through 17 this morning, and we'll be focusing on the latter section of that pericope. So, brothers and sisters, this is God's word given to us, and the word of a great king. Let me invite you to stand together with me as we read this God's word. Hear now the word of our Lord. In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zacharias of the division of Abijah, and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous in their sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years. Now it came about while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division. According to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by law 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. And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. And Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear gripped him. But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb. And he will turn back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God, and it is 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. as far as the reading of God's word. Let's pray together. Father, we are so grateful that your word is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, joint and marrow, judging the thoughts and the intentions of the heart. Lord, we're grateful that as we sit beneath your word right now, as we just read in 2 Samuel, your word is powerful. And we pray, oh Lord, this day that this, by your Spirit, that's what gives it its power. Holy Spirit, you would take this, your word. and it would penetrate deep within our hearts. Indeed, growing us, convicting us, maturing us, encouraging us, Lord, giving us a passion to serve you more resolutely and more intentionally. Father, bless us towards that end. Feed us now upon Christ, our Savior, who is clearly here in present. Bless us now, we pray in Christ's name, amen. Amen. Please be seated. In our study of the prophecies of Daniel, now about 10 years ago, 2014, I gave you a quote. I read a quote to you from Graham Goldsworthy, which really does a phenomenal job of describing the purpose and function of biblical prophecy in the life of God's people. You've got it there in your bulletin. Let me read it. The problem of Christian existence is that we easily allow the tribulation which we experience within the suffering church to obscure the glory that is already ours by faith in Christ. This is a problem that the book of Revelation sets out to rectify. If only that object and aim of the book were kept in mind, we could be spared a lot of speculative interpretation. John's first concern is not to minister to armchair prophets in some far-off age, but to the battlers of his own age who struggled to reconcile the fact of their suffering with the fact of Christ's victory over sin, Satan, and death. Truly, brothers and sisters, biblical prophecy is given to us. The book of Revelation, prophecies in Daniel, and many other of the Old Testament prophecies, the Olivet Discourse, the prophecies there, it's given to us not to make us armchair prophets, to predict when this is going to happen and what's going to happen next. The prophecy is given to us as a comfort and encouragement that we might have a picture of what awaits us in Christ. This is what the future holds. No matter what they're raging, no matter how much the Gentiles rage, this is where we're all going. That being said, biblical prophecy also brings with it a calling. And that calling is to use the promises and the predictions of scripture to understand the time, to understand the age in which we live, to understand this current world. For example, in 1 Chronicles 12, this is highly commended. We read of the sons of Issachar. They were commended because, quote, they understood the times with knowledge of what Israel should do. God's word opened their eyes and they could see this is what's going on in this world right now in God's redemptive program. And thus they gave, they directed, they gave knowledge to Israel as to what they should do. Matthew 14, Christ told the disciples, keep watching and praying that you may not come into a temptation. The word watch there. Gregorizo speaks of being spiritually vigilant and so ever mindful of the day in which we live. It's to be awake and to understand this is where we are in God's redemptive program. And this is what's going on in this day. It's viewing the world from God's perspective. And that's one of the things Paul shared. as a modification for sanctification, obedience, growth, and grace. Romans 13, and this do knowing the time. The word there is not chronos, which would be the time on the clock, but kairos, which refers to the era, epoch, or age in which we live. Understanding the age in which we live. Be obedient. Serve God. Obey. Understanding the age in which we live. Brothers and sisters, I'm stressing this because that's exactly what Luke is doing in this preface to the birth of John the Baptizer. Luke is, as you know, this is a chiasm. You have the example of it or in your notes. It's a chiasm with the focus on verses 13 through 17. That doesn't mean the rest of these verses are not important, but it does mean that Luke is showing us, by the way he wrote this book, a very important emphasis. And that emphasis is the prophetic backstory of John the Baptizer. That's 13 through 17. It's the prophetic backstory. It's what God prophesied with regards to this event. That's the foundation. That's what God wants us to understand as we contemplate the birth of John the Baptist. and the coming of Jesus Christ. So last week we began looking at this and we saw, first of all, there's two facets in which Luke is describing the prophetic backstory. First, as it related to Zacharias. This was review, we'll pick it up in verse eight, follow along. Came about while he was performing his priestly service before God, verse 11, an angel of the Lord appeared to him standing to the right of the altar of incense. We know this angel is Gabriel. And we know this angel Gabriel has been created or tasked with a specific order and that order was being a messenger of God. So he's come here to give a message to Zacharias and hence God's people. What's the message? Notice with me verse 13. The angel of the Lord said to him, do not be afraid, Zacharias, fear not. Right? Don't be afraid of me and don't be afraid of the world in which you live. Don't be a man given to fear. Fear not Zacharias. You know the word Zacharias means? The Lord keeps promises. or the Lord remembers, I'm sorry, the Lord remembers, right? Don't be afraid, for your petition has been heard. Aristentes, which tells us, he's talking about one petition, and that petition is the prayer Zacharias would have prayed after he offered the incense, everyone would have bowed when the smoke went up, he would have been on his knees and on his chest before the altar of incense, before God, And in that time, he prayed, based upon this text, two different things. He prayed first, would you notice verse 13? He prayed for a child. Clearly, that which was on his heart for many, many years, many, many decades. No doubt in the spirit of Abraham and Sarah, Hannah and the like, Lord, like them, please, we're not too old, give us a child. And then secondly, verse 16, the consolation of Israel. So we read that the angel said to him, do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard. And your wife, Elizabeth, her name means? The Lord is an oath, meaning God says it, that settles it. God's word will be fulfilled. She'll bear you a son and you should call his name John. And that name means God is gracious. God is a God of grace. So Luke is giving us, once again, he's showing us an important message that God gave by way of prophetic discourse to Zacharias and his wife. And that is because God remembers His people. Because God fulfills His word always. And because God's people are the object of His grace, God was working. He's going to send, He's going to give them a miracle child, if you will. A child of great promise. Brothers and sisters, this is an incredible message that God gives us. Anyone living in dark times, it's this. It's a threefold message. God has not forgotten you. He always has you in His heart, right? He stores your tears in a bottle. Secondly, He always keeps His promises to you. Promises in His Word. He'll always keep them. Why? Because He's a God of grace. One, because He's just. But two, thirdly, because He's also a God of grace. So brothers and sisters, heavy laden, hear this promise. We're going to return to it at the very end. All right, so that's the prophetic discourse to Zacharias. Secondly, would you notice, this is new, 14 through 17, the prophetic backstory as it related to God's plan of redemption. Notice with me verse 14. And you will have joy and gladness and many will rejoice at his birth. We'll stop there for one moment. Joy and gladness for Zacharias makes perfect sense. They've been longing for a child since they got married. So the fact that they're going to bear a child, you can imagine how much joy and gladness they would be filled with. So that makes sense. The part that doesn't quite make sense is the mini. And mini will rejoice at his birth. You could say, well, the mini would be his community. No, it's bigger than that. We'd understand, he's gonna go back to a small village, and when the word got out that she was with child, the entire village would rejoice, right? That's the culture of that day. But the mini goes way beyond their culture. It goes to many, many, many towns, villages, peoples. We could say, I could say, having studied this, it goes to the millions. Millions are gonna rejoice on account of this child. Why? Why the rejoicing? This text goes on to tell us why. Two reasons. Verse 15. At this time God was raising up a Nazarite. Notice verse 15. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink no wine or liquor and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb. Does that sound familiar at all to anyone? I hope it does. If you know the Old Testament a little bit, it will hopefully stick out. This is describing the qualification of a Nazirite. Listen to Numbers chapter 6, 1-5. Again, the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, When a man or woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, This is the procedure. To dedicate himself to the Lord. So the Nazarite said, my life is God's and I'm going to spend every waking moment serving God. Not serving a boss on earth, not serving a king, but serving God and God alone. When a man or woman makes a special vow, he shall abstain from wine and strong drink. That's exactly what is said of John the Baptist. He shall drink no vinegar, whether made from wine or strong drink, neither shall he drink any grape juice, nor eat fresh or dry grapes. All the days of his separation he shall not eat anything that is produced by the grapevine, for the seeds even to the skin. Why? Because, brothers and sisters, he was to be influenced only in his life while he was under this vow by the Holy Spirit. Okay? Alcohol can influence us, right? It can influence us first to make us joyful and happy. If you have too much of it, it can take over, right? But the Nazirite, he's only to be driven and governed only by the Holy Spirit. And thus it goes on. All the days of his vow of separation, no razor shall pass over his head. He shall be holy until the days are fulfilled for which he separated himself to the Lord. He shall let the locks of his hair on his head grow long. So that's the Nazirite. Now, I hope there's Nazarites that stick out in your mind from biblical history. Samuel was a Nazarite, right? We know Samuel was a Nazarite. We know there were Nazarites in Jerusalem under a vow, in Acts. There were Nazarites in the Old Testament, many of them. But the most famous of all the Nazarites, hopefully comes to your mind, is who? Samson, exactly, Samson. Samson was a Nazarite. Listen to the description, because you get a little bit more of his calling as a Nazarite. and thus the expectations of Judaism at the time of Luke. Listen to Judges 13. Speaking of Samson's birth and ministry, there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah, and his wife was barren and had borne no children. The angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, Behold now, you are barren and have borne no children. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Just like Elizabeth. But you shall conceive and give birth to a son. Now therefore, be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing. For behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son, and no razor will come upon his head, for the boy shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb. And he shall begin," this is key, he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistine. He's not gonna deliver them, but he's going to begin to deliver on them. That's the call of a Nazirite. A Nazirite devoted himself exclusively to God in order to be used by God to participate in the deliverance that God would affect in the lives of his people. That's a Nazirite. Back to our text. In light of these passages, do you understand the significance of Gabriel's announcement in this verse, verse 15? At this moment, God was raising up a Nazirite, which would have created a massive expectation on the part of God's people. What would that expectation have been? That this child's birth signified a massive deliverance of God's people. That's exactly what it meant. This boy, this child's existence represents an incredible moment in God's redemptive work. It's been 400 years since God gave anybody to his people of an official capacity in terms of a prophet or much less a Nazirite. And yet now after 400 years at this dark, dark time, we've already seen that in the days of Herod, the great horrible darkness. Religion was on a bad time. Judaism, horrible darkness on all sides. God now spoke into this darkness and said, I'm giving you a servant who would be used by me to begin the process of deliverance. You can imagine what that meant for God's people. Incredible. So, brothers and sisters, why would that be talked about throughout? Because, brothers and sisters, God was acting. He hadn't forgotten His people. He clearly remembered. He hadn't withdrawn His grace. They were still the objects of His grace. God indeed will be true to His word. So first and foremost, we look at God's prophetic plan of redemption. It led to God's people rejoicing. Why? Because God was sending, raising up a Nazirite. And yet, at the same time, this Nazirite, would you also notice, signaled the second reason there would be great rejoicing. Because at this time God was bringing his eternal redemptive purpose to fruition via Elijah. Notice with me 16 and 17. He will turn back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. That's exactly what the Nazarites job is. He's going to turn back people. He's going to start working, affecting the beginning parts of redemption. He's not going to be the Redeemer, but He's going to begin the process, just like Samson did, begin the process of deliverance. So He will turn back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God, and it will be He who will go as a forerunner before Him, and Him is the Christ, Jesus Christ. and 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. Brothers and sisters, John would be used by God to instigate a revival. amongst God's people. That's the language there. Okay, the language is the language of revival. Where a father now is instead of forsaking, that would be apostasy, forsaking his children or offering his children up to Moloch like they did throughout the Old Testament. Horrible times, right? Rather than offering his children up or abandoning them, no, These men during this time would have a revival, the Holy Spirit would work, and they turn their hearts back to the children to raise them up as they're called to do. So we're speaking here that John would be used by God to instigate a revival amongst God's people, notice, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Now, brothers and sisters, I remind you, this is the center of the chiasm that Luke has given us. He wants us to focus. When you think of John the Baptist, he wants you to think of this. This is what you should think about when you think of the ministration of John. And that is that God raised up a deliverer to begin the process, a Nazirite, so that at this time he would send before his people Elijah, who would come in the spirit of this prophet to turn the hearts of God, to prepare, to make ready the way of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, brothers and sisters, why this is at the center of Luke's writing is not just of what John would do, but because of what John represented. Go back. You're there. You don't have to just listen to me. Go back and read with me the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi chapter 4. Would you please? Go back three books in your Bibles. Right before Matthew is Malachi. Go to the very end of Malachi chapter 4. This is the last word God gave to his Old Testament people in the Old Covenant, in the Old Testament. Last book Last chapter, last message. Notice. Behold, you're never going to believe this, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, and all the arrogant and every evil doer will be as chaff. The context already is a day of darkness. Exactly what we've seen. The day is coming, burning like a fire, when this evil, wicked, dark world in which we live, they're going to be as chaff. They're going to look as chaff. And the day that is coming will set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the remnant, as small as they were, think of Zacharias, and Elizabeth, and Anna, and Simeon, and Mary, and the many other, those faithful servants of God who had not bowed the knee to Baal, right? But for you who fear my name, the Son of Righteousness, a title of Christ, the Son of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings, and you will go forth and skip about like calves from a stall." Brothers and sisters, what does Gabriel say is going to happen with regards to this child? There would be rejoicing. There would be joy. There would be people skipping about like the calves from a stall. And you will tread down the wicked. That's the point of the Nazarite. The Nazarite's job was to begin the process of redemption and deliverance. For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing. says the Lord of hosts. Verse 4, Remember the law of Moses, my servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel. Behold, you're never going to believe this, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet, whom Luke in our passage just said is John, I'm going to send you Elijah before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. Remember day of the Lord, we've talked about this when we looked at the Old Testament. Man has their day. Today, man is having their day today. Non-Christian men, non-Christian rulers, non-Christian nations, they're in their day. Satan's having his day, but the day is going to come when God has his. And Malachi is saying that day is when Elijah comes. Okay. I'm going to send to you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. And he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers. Once again, initiating a revival. Exactly what is here prophesied about John. Lest I come and smite the land with a curse. Brothers and sisters, do you understand? The last word in the Old Testament prepared God's people. Typically you hear the last word, right? The last word that everyone would remember is God is going to come, smite the dark land, and deliver God's people. It's been 400 years of silence. This is a shout. Malachi 4 is a shout. You can imagine echoing through the quarters of the centuries as God's people prayed and struggled, God deliver us. And as God, as the true faithful remnant, oh God, ransom captive Israel. Bless your people. Send the deliverer. Please send him now. Thus do you understand the monumental significance of Gabriel's announcement to Zacharias and why Luke put it in the middle and why so many at that time would rejoice on account of John's birth. Luke is showing to all through the chiasm to all who have eyes to see that as dark as may be the day in which they live, they are living at a time of fulfillment when God's eternal purpose was coming to fruition in Christ. They thought, before this moment, they thought today is the same as yesterday, the dark yesterday, and tomorrow will be the same. Little did they know they were living at the most amazing time in world history and redemptive history. Notice the quote by Phil Riken. These were the ancient promises, as Zacharias undoubtedly knew. So when Gabriel appeared and started talking about the spirit and power of Elijah, about turning the hearts of fathers to the children, and about getting people ready for God, he was announcing the ultimate salvation. Don't miss it, brothers and sisters. It's the first high point in God's work of world history and redemptive history. The first high point is creation. No question. Right? After the creation days, we read in Genesis 31, God saw all that he had made, and behold, it was very good. Before this time, it was good. It was good. It's very good. God gave this incredible description as to the beauty and the glory of what he had just done. It is very good. But we know shortly thereafter, Adam and Eve rebelled against God. declaring themselves to be autonomous and kings, and therefore separate from God, and thus able to rule themselves. They were kicked out of the garden as the aid of the tree of the forbidden fruit. And then at that moment, what did God do? What did he do? Genesis 3.15. God announced to Adam and Eve, and thus to us, his plan of redemption. So if you were to chart this, the high point, we're now at this very low point. But at this very low point, there's still light. God said, I am going to send, or I am raising up a deliverer for you. And the rest of the Old Testament, if you were to chart it, is the outworking and the redeclaration, the repetition of that very same promise. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, throughout all that time, throughout all that history, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, all of the historical books of the Bible, and then the Psalms and Proverbs and Poetries, all of it is all pointing to whom? To what? Christ. Now just to let you know something, we saw this when we looked at the prophets. In the Old Testament, you know, when we look at the mountain range, whichever west is, is that west? When we look west and we see the mountain range, right, the Rockies, we can see two mountains and to us, from our perspective, they look virtually side by side. We'd say those two mountains touch. But you get on a plane and you fly over and you see, whoa, that mountain, which I thought touched, is actually 100 miles behind it. From our perspective, they're exactly the same. But from reality, they're separate. The Old Testament prophets viewed Christ as one event. And you know what, brothers and sisters? I think we should view it that way. We bifurcate the Christ event to the first coming and the second coming. We are wrong when we do that. It's a Christ event, as you'll see, right? The Old Testament foresaw Christ, and thus, The next high point in God's outworking of his redemptive and eternal purpose after creation is Christ. Do you get that? Not the second coming. Christ, which is the first and second coming, all of it is the high point. Do you understand that? We have this idea that because of the second coming that, yeah, this was a high point, but we're still waiting, we're still, brothers and sisters, we're in, we are at the high point of redemptive history. Do you understand that? We're there. It's even higher than creation based upon what we read in Matthew 3. Christ said, God said, this is my beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased. That's a thousand times more than very good. Creation, God said, very good. With Christ, I am well-pleased. He repeats this, Matthew 12. First time Christ proclaimed his true identity. Behold, my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, and whom my soul is well-pleased. The mount of transfiguration, and behold, the voice cried out of the clouds, saying, this is my beloved son, with whom I am well-pleased. This is an era where God is thrilled. Because this is the high point of God's redemptive plan. What Luke's saying, what Malachi prophesied is, you're there, we're there. Luke wrote this 60 years after the birth of John. He wants God's people to understand when we read about John and we read about Christ, we are reading about a time where we now are in, we have arrived. God's redemptive purpose and program from the eternity past is coming to pass in our days. That's what they were saying in Zechariah's time. That's the impact of this passage upon God's people. And thus, you must understand that the coming of Christ was and is the high point in God's redemptive program, bringing God's eternal purpose to an even higher level than it was at a creation. Right? Think of it. Genesis 315 is going to be fulfilled in short order from the perspective of our passage. All of the Old Testament prophets, all fulfilled. Right? 660 prophecies about Christ, 443, I forget what the exact is, were fulfilled in Christ's first advent. Whoa! This is a massive, high, and holy time in God's redemptive purpose. That is why angels long to look into this time. That's why the Old Testament prophets, the Greek says, strained their neck to try to see the coming of the Messiah. And that is why John the Baptist, the greatest man born of woman, is least in the kingdom of God. Why? Because we are the generation of people who are living in the time of fulfillment. It's incredible. That's the point. That is why this event is placed at the center of this chiasm. Now, the question is, what would be the beginning of this high point? The birth of John. Do you see how incredible this passage is? John is the beginning. of this high point. Incredible! Now, there's more here. Luke begins this gospel by telling the world that the high point of God's redemptive program has begun. In other words, they were living in an age of fulfillment. In the words of Leon Morris, Luke is bringing out the wonder of the Messianic age. Now, where this becomes incredibly applicable to us is that knowing from the death and resurrection of Christ to the present, so from Christ to the present, the hands of the clock of God's redemptive plan and program have not moved at all. When Christ came, the hand of God's redemptive purpose for this world struck 1159 with a second hand at 59. When Christ came, we're at 1159-59. We're one second away from eternity future. And you know what's amazing? That clock hasn't moved since. Listen to how the Bible describes where you're currently, where you are living, where we are living, Matthew 12. Whoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him, but whoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven either in this age or the age to come. Hear that phrase, this age, age to come, this age, age to come, Luke 20. And Jesus said, and the sons of this age, Mary, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead. Hebrews 6 talks about the powers of the coming age coming back into ours. The point's this, brothers and sisters, big word here, apocalyptic dualism. I gave you a little chart there in your notes. There's debate amongst theologians. There are two ages, this age and the age to come. This age began with Christ. And this age will end and come to a fullness at the second coming. That's this age. The age to come is the new heavens and the new earth. However, there's debate. Has the future age already started? Think of it, the word eternal life literally means life pertaining to the age to come. When you're saved, you began living the life you'll live in eternity. So theologians believe either one of two things, either they're overlapped or the powers of the future age are being thrown back into ours. I hold to the former. I believe that both ages have overlapped. But that being said, do you understand biblically where you are right now? You're in this age. And when did this age start? When did it start? With Christ. Regardless of what you may believe, regarding overlapping or what, the point's this, the age in which we currently live is one and the same as those who first saw and received Christ. That means, though it has been 2,000 years since Christ came, the minute hand of God's redemptive clock, 1159, has not moved. Today, we live in the same age which is referenced in our passage this morning, the age in which Zacharias lived, the age in which the genuine child of God rejoiced upon the announcement of John in Christ. Now, let's apply this. I have a question for you. If you're like me, when you read, for the first time, a couple weeks back, when I read and we read about Zacharias and Elizabeth and how they were blameless in the sight of God, they're sort of the heroes here. When you read that, do you identify yourself with them? I'm curious. I do. I read about them and I go, man, as dark as this day is, if I was living back 2,000 years ago, I would be like Zacharias and Elizabeth. I'd be trusting God. I'd be longing for His redemption. That's what I would be doing. Brothers and sisters, you gotta understand, there's three different groups of Jews, God's people in this day. There were those, the remnant, Zacharias, Elizabeth, Anna, Simeon, Marys, who had not bowed the knee to Baal. They're a minority. Then you've got those who have forsaken God. As we'll see, the Sadducees, they've given up on God. Right? They're Christian, they're Jew by name, but they're certainly not part of God's people. First John 2, they went out from us because they were not really of us. They're not saved. They're apostate. That's a minority. But then you've got this massive amount of people like Martha, who in that day were driven and influenced more by the horizontal than by God. Unlike Elizabeth and Zacharias who were driven by God, they were looking at the world through God, these people, this massive amount of God's people who love God, but whose heart had grown cold to a degree such that they lost their confidence because of the horizontal, how evil and wicked this world is. They're just driven by it. They're moved by it. That which is their glory, and by glory, I mean the weight that drives them, is not God anymore. It's the latest tragedy. It's the latest political movement. It's what this world's going on, right? That's what's moving them. My question to you is this. If you were living back in Zechariah's day, who would you be? Now, having asked that question, now let's correct it. You are living in Zacharias' day. That's the point I want you to see. This age is this age. It's one and the same as Zacharias', which means many will rejoice in the birth of John. Why? Because that's the beginning of this age. Are you rejoicing over the beginning of this age? I am. We're rejoicing at the coming of John. We still are. That's why millions upon millions, many will rejoice upon John. Wow! Now the question is this. What group would you be in? What group are you in? I trust and hope that there are none here who have fallen away. But my conviction, my thought is, is that I think most people in the church today would not be ranked among, would not be named among the Elizabeths and Zacharaises who were longing, who, get this, who lived in the world driven by God alone, not the horizontal, but by God. I think most in the church today, in the reformed church, are driven by the horizontal. Oh, we love God. We love Him. We are not apostates. But it's so easy to be like Martha, isn't it? Being worried and bothered about so many things. The election, the taxes, our finances, my job, getting a job, not losing my job, the bills, all the things, the ill health, the struggles, all of the worries and the burdens which are just zapping us of joy. I tend to think I'm like Zacharias and then I realize I'm living in Zacharias' day and I look at my life and I realize, no, I'm like Mary. I'm sorry, I'm like Martha. I'm Martha. Brothers and sisters, I want to close with this. The difference between living, being influenced by God, and being influenced by the horizontal is found in Zacharias' song. We're gonna get to it eventually. Would you look with me in Luke 1, 69, 74 through 75, 78 and 79. Listen to what Zacharias says, a man driven, not by the horizontal, but by God. And God has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David, his servant. 74, to grant us that we being delivered from the hand of our enemies in Christ. might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days, 78, because of the tender mercy of our God with which the sunrise from on high shall visit us to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of peace. Herod was on the throne, and this was what was driving Zacharias. How is it possible to be driven by God, to live in this dark land with this expectation. I don't think this is the expectation of most of us in this church, much less most Christians. How can what I just read be that which governs us and drives us? Luke answers that, and I close with it. The answer is this, brothers and sisters. It's showcasing three names. Do you understand God has not forgotten about you? He remembers you. You're in the palm of his hands. He's never let you go and he never will, Zacharias. Do you understand every promise God has given you in Christ is yes, Elizabeth. He's true to his word and he will always be true to his word. You can claim it. You can set your life on the word of God and the promises of God. It's called biblical hope. And lastly, do you understand there's nothing you could ever do that would forfeit the grace of God in your life, John? God is a God who remembers because he's a God of his word, such that he will never let you go. That is more, that's a foundation more firm, more sure than anything this horizontal world could ever give us. So brothers and sisters, let us this morning Take our focus off of the waves, Peter. Take our focus off of what Mary's doing and go sit next to her. Let's not be Martha, let's sit next to her and sit at the feet of Christ, gaze upon His character, rejoicing over His goodness and faithfulness. Rejoicing over the fact that we are the apple of His eye and thus rejoicing and glorying in the fact that we are now under grace, no longer under law. Brothers and sisters, insofar as that becomes big in your life, you and I will be driven by God, the vertical, not the horizontal. Let's pray. Father, we are grateful for this incredible passage and the structure that you ordained it to be written in that highlights this very important message to everyone reading the gospel witness. Father, first from John, we see the greatness and the glory of you, our God, you, Jesus. That you, your beginnings are no beginnings. We trace you before time. Oh God, we praise you that you are that God. And as we read the gospels, we now read it in light of the reality, oh God, that you in Christ have brought this world to this high point. Yes, Lord, there's more to come. We're looking forward to the second coming, to your coming back, Jesus, for which we say, come, Lord Jesus, come. But that doesn't change the fact that we have entered into this final moment in world history. Just like Zacharias, we live today. Give us the grace, oh Lord, to be a people who would, Holy Spirit, take our eyes off of the things of this world, the waves, and place our eyes back upon the person and work of your God, your character, and what you have done. God, may that be big in our lives, so big that it makes the burdens of this life seem as passing insignificant trials. as we look not at the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen, longing for and heralding and working towards the day that we will see you in the flesh. Father, give us that hope, that faith, that confidence in you, we pray in Jesus' name, amen. Amen, let's go to the table.