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Show WAITING FOR THE MESSIAH Luke 1: 5-12 One of the most that lives fascinating animals is the bat for its size than any other animal, It has been suggested that longevity longer 20 years or so. is due to its ability to relax and go quickly into deep sleep of hibernation. Right after fighting a bat can almost immediately slow its heart rate down from 180 beats per minute to 3. It can retard its respiration from 8 breaths in a second to one every eight minutes. You might say the bat has mastered waiting. waiting on the Lord was written by the beloved physician Luke, who for his spiritual guidance was hooked up with Paul. (2 Timothy 4: 11) He wrote it like the book of Acts to Theophilus, who was no doubt a Gentile. It is a book of hymns, and hope, and prayers assuring the people of God that "with God nothing shall be impossible." (Luke 1: 37) They had been waiting for years for a word This text about from the Lord but the heavens had been silent and today, one bad account after another seems to be dominating the voice of God stilled. news Much like 1 the world. However, in today's text, bursting the on scene good news. God begins to speak again and reminds us that one is coming that will "seek and save what was lost." (Luke 19: 10) The poor will is have their needs met. The sick can be healed. The thirsty will have water to drink. It is a message about waiting for the John the forerunner to be followed by the Messiah. There is an old couple named Zacharias, the priest and his wife Elizabeth that have dedicated themselves and their lives to God. They have done their part to meet the needs of God's people but seems to keep coming up short and having to do it all over again. They have been living long together, praying and hoping for a child. N ow time seems to have run out and they are past the child bearing age and The Bible says, "They have no children." To hungry have will be fed and the no children in the Israel shame and was a source pain especially when character. Elizabeth barrenness one was was not of great upright of a consequence of any sin. Can I remind you that just because things are not going well and you cannot sense the hearing of your prayers, the 2 suffering and pain may not be related to any personal sin. Even the story of Joseph reminds us that what others meant for evil God meant it for good." (Genesis 50: 20) In fact, I read somewhere, that "All things work together for good to those who love the Lord, even to those who are called according to His name." (Romans 8: 28) When there is this kind of trouble in The Bible, it's time to wait on the Lord. Zacharias and Elizabeth waited patiently Lord. They went on "walking in on the all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord (Luke 1: 6) They never turned their backs on God. They did not sit down to do nothing and cry. They knew God was faithful and would surely answer their prayers. In his book Why We Can't Wait, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said "wait" blameless." had come to mean "never." That is the cause of being in crises. We are helpless and hopeless. Maybe that was the difference between Abraham and Sarah who laughed at the promise of God and tried to help Him carry our His promise and Zacharias and Elizabeth who just waited until many of us "Shiloh came." Zacharias and Elizabeth focused 3 on the needs of others rather than their own. " ... He executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course. According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord." (Luke 1: 8-9) He could have conducted a pity part and felt sorry for his wife and himself. He could have blamed God or others for his circumstances. He could have withdrawn from spiritual circles. In stead, Zacharias carried on with the work of the Lord. He took the needs of others and went into the waited the Lord for on After temple a of the Lord. There he an answer. while, God did answer. . "And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense But the angel said unto him, Fear not Zacharias; for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John." (Luke 1: 11 & 13) Sounds just like Hannah from I Samuel. When ... bear, God gave her a male child out of her barrenness. God had nothing but good in store for Zacharias and Elizabeth and He ultimately blessed them. The same is true for you. God wants nobody to perish but all to live and have her shame was too much to 4 that abundant life. He will bless you and me. God has a special moment in history to personally intervene and "And bring salvation to us. it was, that while they were there, the accomplished that she should be so days were brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him delivered. And she manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." (Luke 2: 6-7) The Olympic motto is: in a "Swifter, higher, stronger." The Biblical Olympic just the opposite and can be found in the prophet Isaiah 40: 31, "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up on wings like eagles, they shall run and be weary, they shall walk and not faint." The psalmist sang, "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord." (27: 14) "More than they that watch for the morning, my text is soul waiteth for the Lord." "It is good that quietly wait a man should both hope for the salvation of the Lord." 5 and |
