Book of Luke - Ch. 1, Vs. 1-33 (10/13/2002)

Luke’s Author, Audience, and Purpose

Luke, the beloved physician, he was very well-educated, extremely intelligent, and he writes this gospel from Mary's viewpoint. Was he a Gentile or a Jew, Russell? Well, I hate to disagree with you, but I believe he was a Gentile, but whatever.

Chapter 1, verse 1. Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us. It appears that many people had written about this same subject, but like most biographers, they didn't know the facts.

Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word. Greg, what's an eyewitness? All right. David, what's a minister? All right. One that, anyone who aids another in any work.

Verse 3. It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto you, write unto thee in order, most excellent Theopolis. This is written to a person by the name of Theopolis.

What do we know about him, Bill? Same one that he addressed the book of Acts to. He was probably an official of high rank. He was a Gentile of rank and consideration, who came under the influence of Luke or Paul at Rome, and was converted to the Christian faith.

Now it says, I had perfect power, perfect knowledge from God, understanding, and having accurately traced all facts from the first, meaning from above, from the first from God, that thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed.

To know, to become thoroughly acquainted with, to know thoroughly. The gospel was written to give his children certain facts about Jesus the Christ. We start with John the Baptist, but it's really about Jesus.

Zacharias, Elizabeth, and the Birth of John the Baptist

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias. Of the course of Abba, and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. The word course, c-o-u-r-s-e, there were so many priests that David had divided them into shifts, or courses.

So many days on, so many days off. Six, and they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinance of the Lord, blameless. The true mark of righteousness is demonstrated when one is liked and accepted in the judgment of God.

And they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren. And they both were now well stricken in years. So we have an old couple, Jewish, had no children. To be childless was practically a disgrace for a Hebrew woman.

And Elizabeth had no children. Zacharias belonged to the tribe of Levi, served in the temple. And it came to pass that while he was executing 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.

Now, did that just happen, Burge? It just happened because it was a matter of fact and the progress of everything. But it was at this very moment, while he executed the priest's office, and the whole multitude of people were praying without at the time of incense.

And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. Zacharias was serving at the golden altar, the place where incense was burned, the place of prayer.

It was the time of the evening sacrifice, and in this particular part of the service, he placed incense upon the altar. Suddenly, without warning, an angel appeared. Russell, if you saw an angel appear today, what would you do?

None of us are. But your reaction would be the same as this man's. You'd be fearful and troubled.

Brother, is it possible to hear that he thought maybe he had done something wrong? And what his duty was to the priest today?

So he knows him by name. Now, does this mean, because they'd been praying for years, does this mean that they had finally persuaded God to give them a son, Joy? Was this in God's plans before the foundation of the world?

An angel by the name of Gabriel. Now take note, this is the first messenger of the new dispensation. Thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth. Zacharias was praying for a son.

Elizabeth was praying for a son. I think that many people were praying that they would have a son. Now, how do I know he's praying for a son? It's because the angel said, your prayer has been heard. And that was his prayer.

For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, shall drink neither wine nor strong drink, and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mother's womb. The son of Elizabeth and Zacharias was to be a Nazarite.

One of the things that the Nazarite vowed was that he would not drink strong drink or wine. He was to find his joy in the Holy Spirit and in God. You're made to get your joy from God, not from a bottle.

There's lots of bottle babies today in the church. I'm not speaking of crib babies. God can give us the strength to face life. What makes a man great in the eyes of man? What makes a man great in the eyes of God?

Obedience. He shall be a Nazarite. Since John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb, did he require the salvation experience? I don't hear anybody volunteering an answer. Well, he was born of man, so he had to.

Did John have a choice in this matter? No. The will of God will be done. John was to bridge the gap between the law and Christ. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias to turn the hearts of the father to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Our problem today is not that there's a gap between adults and children, but there's a gap between adults and God. If adults had the proper relationship with God, they would not have the problem that they have with the young people.

Gabriel’s Message and Zacharias’s Unbelief

And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man and my wife well stricken in years. Here's a man, a priest serving God for years, and has been praying for his son. Now, when God says you're going to have a son, he said, How can I know that you're right?

I don't think yet he was praying for a son. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, so we have his name. That stands in the presence of God. Can you imagine? Here's a man just came from God.

And am sent to speak unto thee and to show thee these glad tidings. The word of God has a seal of God upon it. The word of God carries authority. What Otis Fisher says doesn't make one bit of difference to you.

The word of God says that the word of God is what is important. And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words which shall be fulfilled in their season.

Now, let's take up this dumb thing. Involuntary stillness or inability to speak. Now, was this a punishment on Zacharias? David? Well, it was really an assurance to him. Well, looking on the good side, do you see how this kept him from bragging?

Yes. Just think about it. Five words cost him 40 weeks of silence. Think about that. At home with a pregnant woman, an old pregnant woman, and not able to say a word. And the people waited for Zacharias and marveled that he tarried so long in the temple, so it was an extra long time that he was in there.

Faith opens lips. Unbelief closes them. Now, I'm not speaking of the unbelief of the unbelievers, but the unbelief of the believers. And when he came out, he could not speak to them. They perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned unto them and remained speechless.

This passage also strikes me as being kind of funny. After 400 years, God of silence once again breaks through to the human race, but the very man that he communicates with does not believe him. And now he is made dumb.

Can you imagine his trying to explain to the people that he's dumb? He talked to them before he went in and comes out and can't say anything. How would you handle that? How would you make known to the people that you'd seen an angel and you could not talk?

It wouldn't be easy. Just think about the gyrations that Zacharias had to go through. And it came to pass that as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. They would work so many days and then off so many days, and that come about by King David.

There was getting to be so many priests that he divided them into courses. Zacharias returned home to listen to Elizabeth, and after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived and hid herself five months.

I wish the women would hide themselves this day. Thus had the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me to take away my reproach among men. Now we have an interesting situation. Zacharias can't talk.

Elizabeth, because of her condition, remains in seclusion for several months. I imagine she talked his arm off, constantly reminding him, Zacharias, we're going to have a baby. We're going to have a son.

The Virgin Birth and the Literal Kingship of Christ

And he couldn't say a word. And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin, a spouse, to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary.

Now, it's absolutely mandatory that we believe, that we know, be fully persuaded that our Lord had not activated the sin nature in himself. He was still as Adam was before he sinned. If he had sinned, then he would not have been able to be our substitute.

He was naturally born but of a virgin. You cannot be saved unless you too have a virgin birth. What do I mean by that statement? David, absolutely. You have to be a man, then you have to be born from above.

But don't worry, for if you are one of his chosen, he will make sure that you believe this. I guess I can tolerate a sinner saying that this is not true, but I cannot absolutely abide one saying that the Bible does not teach his virgin birth.

And the angel came in unto her and said, Hail, thou art highly favored. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God. Now, this is plain language. There is no way of misinterpreting it. This passage is quite literal. Those folks who deny the virgin birth also do not believe that the Lord is going to sit on the throne of David, which is literal.

Apparently it was understood that what Luke is writing about is literal. The virgin womb is literal, and the throne of David is literal. He shall literally reign over the house of Jacob, and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

That kingdom is also a literal kingdom. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest.

And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. Now, what did the Gabriel say that this object was? What did the angel say that was going to be born of her? What? No, it didn't. Bring forth what?

No, it didn't say that. That's what he shall be called? He shall be great, and shall be called what? The. Get that. The Son. Not a son. The Son. There's a big difference. I say that because there's so many, quote, religions that think that Jesus is just a son of God.

And shall be called the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. The Son. Is that what yours says, or does it say a son? It says a son. Verse 32 should read the Son, not a son.

And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of the kingdom there shall be no end. I want to stop here. Any words from anybody? All right. Well, we don't know. There's lots, lots of people around named Jesus.

Russell dismisses, please.