“Mega Mom”
(Luke 1:5-25)
Dr. Richard S. Koole
Chapel Pointe
May 10, 2009
I. Introduction
A. Mothers Day impacts everybody
1. Everybody here has a mother
a. By birth or adoption
2. Mothers never lose their burden for kids
a. Regardless of age
b. Talks with an elderly mother
3. This can be a tough day for some of you
a. Those whose mothers have passed away
1. A deep sense of loss
b. Those who have miscarried a child
c. Those moms who have lost a child
d. Those who want to be moms…but can’t
1. The Bible calls upon us to “rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15).
2. Wherever this Sunday finds you, I’m glad you’re sharing it with us
4. Out text today
a. A special mom named Elizabeth
B. Elizabeth is a noble name
1 Middle name of our first daughter
2. Elizabeth Edwards
3. Queens of England
a. Elizabeth the first
b. the “Elizabethan Age”
4. Today…why people name their daughters “Elizabeth”
a. The mother of John the Baptist
1. Her son was called the greatest child
b. Let’s see what we know about this mom named Elizabeth
II. Text
(5) In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron, (6) Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly.
A. What we know about the parents…..v.5-7
1. They lived in the time of King Herod…..v.5a
a. History last week
b. Ruled for about 40 years
c. Ruled during the birth of Christ
2. Their names were Zechariah and Elizabeth…..v.5b
3. They were both descendants of Aaron…..v.5
a. The brother of Moses
4. Zechariah was a priest
a. Broken down into 24 groups or “divisions”
1. Like being in the National Guard
b. Two one-week stints in Jerusalem each year
1. Would exercise their priestly duties then
5. They were good people…..v.6
a. They were upright in the sight of God…..v.6
b. They were blameless in the sight of God…..v.6
observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly.
6. They bore a personal pain……v.7
(7) But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.
a. The pain of not being able to have a child
b. It appears to be a target of their prayers
B. The day Zechariah hit the lottery……v.9
(8) Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, (9) he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
1. Chosen to go into the Holy Place
a. Describe the Temple
b. Once in a life time
1. Chosen by lot
2. Could only do it once
c. Offered the burnt incense
1. Once in the morning and evening
2. The altar of incense in the Temple
a. In the Holy Place
1. With the golden lampstand and table of showbread
b. Next to the curtain of the Holy of Holies
1. The ark of the covenant
c. All others waited outside
3. How he did it
a. The coals
b. The incense
c. The smoke
1. Fragrance would spread through the Temple
C. The Angel of the Lord…..v.10-12
(10) And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. (11) Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
1. The crowd praying outside
a. Zechariah goes in for the first…and only…time in his life
b. Put in the coals and incense and get out
2. But then….the shock and awe
a. An angel standing next to the altar
b. Set in motion a series of events that continues to unfold
c. The long wait was over
4. Zechariah’s reaction…..v.12
(12) When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.)
D. The shocking announcement……v.13-17
(13) But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. (14) He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, (15) for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. (16) Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. (17) And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
1. Their prayers had been heard…..v.13
a. Zechariah and Elizabeth had a prayer request
b. He and Elizabeth had been praying for a child
c. Implies that it was a long-running petition
1. The importance of patience in prayer
2. Long-running prayers for children
3. Adult children still need your prayers
d. It must have appeared as if God’s answer was “no”
2. But this would be no ordinary child…..v.13
a. His name would be John
1. Even the name would create a stir
2. Should have been named after a family member
b. Many would rejoice because of his birth……v.14
c. He would be great in the sight of the Lord…..v.15
1. “great”
a. “megas”
b. He was a “mega-star”
c. That made his mom a “Mega Mom”
2. He didn’t seem to have the marks of greatness
a. Would live most of his life alone in the desert
b. Would be poor and badly dressed
c. Would have 15 minutes of fame and then fade away
d. Would lose most of his followers
e Would be despised by the elite
f. Would die by be-heading
3. But he would be great in the sight of God
4. Jesus would declare that none was greater than John
(24) After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? (25) If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. (26) But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. (27) This is the one about whom it is written: ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ (28) I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
5. Great because of whom he introduced
a. The only one chosen for the task
d. He would abstain from alcohol……v.15
e. He would be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth…..v.15
“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit”
1. Note…chosen by God before he was conceived
a. The sanctity of life in the womb
b. Jeremiah 1:5
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations”
c. God created you for a purpose
f. He would lead many back to the Lord….v.16
g. He was the one they were waiting for….v.17
1. The final verses of the Old Testament
a. Written 400 years earlier
b. Malachi 4: 5
(5) See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.
2. Zechariah’s wife would bear the one like Elijah
a. He is the one like Elijah in Malachi
b. The declaration of Jesus
Matthew 11:13-14 (13) For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. (14) And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.
3. Zechariah’s logical question…..v.18
(18) Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
4. The angel identifies himself….v.19
(19) The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.
a. Gabriel is the messenger angel
b. Standing in the presence of God
c. “God told me!”
d. What a great job!
5. What Zechariah’s doubt cost him….v.20
(20) And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”
D. The crowd grows restless (v.21-22)
1. “Why’s he taking so long in there?”
(21) Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.
a. Is he dead?
b. Did he drop the coals
2. Zechariah finally emerges
(22) When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
3. Try to picture…
E. The pregnancy (v. 23-25)
(23) When his time of service was completed, he returned home. (24) After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. (25) “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
1. Her feeling of disgrace
a. The pain she felt
2. Questions
a. Why did she remain in seclusion?
b. Why did God choose her?
3. She gives all credit to God
(25) “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
4. Recognizing “the favor” of God
5. She was a “Mega Mom”
III. Summary
A. Moms are the backbone of great churches
1. The final service at Newhall Baptist
a. After 55 fruitful years
2. Pastor Eleveld’s comments
a. My mother
1. 40 years in toddlers
b. “the Lord wasn’t in church this Sunday”
1. “give your offering to the Lord”
2. My mother always held the little offering basket
3. Gave their offering to the “Lord”
4. The day she wasn’t there
3. The impact of the “Mega Moms” of Newhall
a. Built the men and women you see today
4. The impact of the “Mega Moms” of Chapel Pointe
a. Will shape the destiny of the children of Chapel Pointe
b. Will be great as they produce great children
c. The greatness locked up in every child
B. What every child needs
1. Hillary Clinton’s book “Every Child Needs a Village”
2. Every child needs at least three things:
a. Every child needs a church
1. These are not easy days
2. Staff discussion
3. Our need to provide support
4. A partnership
5. The role Newhall Baptist played in my life
b. Every child needs a mother
1. Praying for them
2. Sharing Christ by word and example
3. “Mega Moms”
4. Adoption and “Orphans’ Hope”
c. Every child needs a Savior
1. Even Zechariah, Elizabeth and John needed a Savior
2. Reaching our children
3. Children around the world