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God’s Plan + Answered Prayer • 01.18.26
God’s Plan + Answered Prayer
Luke 1:1-25
Grasping the significance of God’s plan through an answered prayer
Manuscript:
Good morning, church family! Introduce self + welcome guests.
Remind them of our new series + invite them to listen to the overview sermon if they missed it last week
Dismiss 4th + 5th graders
Ushers + Bibles (Luke 1; page 1016)
Do you ever slow down and wonder – ‘what is God up to right now’? If I were a betting man, I would guess that most of us only think that way when big things are happening in our lives. When we or people around us are going through a trial or time of suffering, we are certainly prone to think this way. “God, what are you doing here?”
God has a way of using trials or hardships to grab our attention. When things are going well and life is ‘easier’, we are prone to set our eyes on other things. Our natural bent as humans is to focus on the here and now, what we can see, taste, touch before us. We are myopic or narrow in our perspective when we live this way. We tend to lose sight of the larger picture – that God exists, He is awesome, and He is carrying out a grand redemption plan in our midst – of which he invites us to be involved in!
When Luke begins his Gospel account, he starts by revealing that God is up to something. In fact, the way Luke writes reveals that he is seeking to show Theophilus that God has been up to something for a LONG time. The recent developments, of which he now writes, are simply the next steps in God’s grand redemption plan. This plan is not NEW, but the developments of it in his lifetime were extraordinary. The things that had been accomplished among them were incredible events that would forever change the course of history. They not only had eternal impact for people like Theophilus in the 1st century, but they also continue to invite a response of faith and provide the hope of salvation down through the ages. The words we are going to read today and the message they convey invite you to consider the answer to the age-old question – “God, what are you up to?”
Today, as we study Luke 1:1-25, our aim is:
Grasping the significance of God’s plan through an answered prayer
Luke 1:1–25 (ESV)
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
These words are how Luke chose to begin his account of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. And yet, if you noticed, he did not speak directly about Jesus at all! What a curious beginning! Why would Luke start the way that he did?
Consider again verses 1-4. In these first few verses, Luke reveals that he has committed to providing an orderly account of all that had been accomplished among them, as revealed and passed down by eyewitnesses and ministers of the word. Luke has gone through great efforts to ensure that he does not miss details that are important.
This commitment to the details is revealed in the way he begins his Gospel account. Beginning in verse 5, Luke recounts the continuation of the plan of God in their lifetime. Notice I said “the continuation” of the plan of God, not the beginning. Luke is very careful to point out that God has a grand redemption plan that he has been working out for a very long time. This plan began long before Luke wrote or John the Baptist was conceived. These introductory chapters of his Gospel are not the start but the continuation of God’s redemption plan that began long ago. I will seek to elaborate on this as we go, as it is one of our primary observations from the text today.
For just a moment, I’d like to connect what we just read to material that many of you may have recently read, if you’re participating in one of our annual Bible reading plans. For those who are doing a Bible in a year plan, you are likely in the mid-late sections of Genesis. Did you notice any similarities between Luke 1 and some of the narratives you’ve read in Genesis? We have barren women praying for children. God promising to provide offspring. God answering prayers to provide hope for the future, hope for a nation. Some of the language used in Luke is nearly verbatim the language used by the ancestors of the nation of Israel, Abraham, Sarah, and Jacob’s wife, Rachel. This is intentional. It is intended to connect dots in the reader’s mind between the work God has done in the past and what he is doing in the present.
The covenant-keeping God had not forgotten his people. Though their commitment to him had waned, his commitment to them was consistent and ongoing! And this is good news for us to reflect on today. Again, remember our goal is…
Grasping the significance of God’s plan through an answered prayer
What you need to understand from Luke’s writing is that….
I’ll explain the purpose in a bit but first let’s discuss what it means that God chose Zechariah and Elizabeth. Luke records some incredible details about this couple, some of which might escape our notice as non-Jews 2,000 years removed from them.
Look with me through verses 5-9. One of the first details Luke provides about this couple is that they were each of priestly lineage. With Zechariah that is clearer – “there was a priest named Zechariah” – hard to miss that. But with Elizabeth, do not miss the significance that she was from the daughters of Aaron. Aaron was the brother of Moses and the first High Priest of the nation of Israel. Luke is telling us that their marriage was one of two priestly lines coming together. This is important because it establishes that the couple God chose to work through was of the best spiritual ancestry in the eyes of the people.
Not only was their lineage a big deal, but we are told that their character was “righteous before God”. This doesn’t mean they were perfect, but it does mean that they conducted themselves in a consistently holy and upright manner. They were not putting on a show of religiosity. They earnestly sought the Lord, “walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord”. They were the real deal when it came to seeking God!
Luke highlights their righteous character to inform what comes next in verse 7 “but they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years”. In their culture, barrenness was typically associated with a sinful lifestyle and viewed as a judgment from God. Luke makes sure to record that this is NOT THE CASE with this couple. It blew apart the misconceptions of their day. At the same time, the reality was that Elizabeth had been unable to have children during her younger years, and now they were older and had given up on ever becoming pregnant. The biological clock was against them, but God had a plan!
Again, if you’ve been reading through Genesis, this content sounds familiar. The struggle of Zechariah and Elizabeth is the same struggle that the patriarch of Israel, Abraham, and his wife, Sarah, faced. She too was advanced in years and barren. Yet God had worked in and through them! Luke masterfully shows the continuity of Old and New Testaments by revealing the plan of God to work in and through his people. What he is doing in Luke’s lifetime is not a new plan, but the continuation of one began long ago.
God’s choice of this couple is also affirmed by what we find in verse 9 – “he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense”. Let me explain why this is so significant. There were between 18,000-24,000 priests serving the nation of Israel at that time. As indicated in verse 5, Zechariah was in the division of Abijah. The priests were divided up into 24 divisions to rotate fulfilling their priestly duties throughout the year. Each division served in the temple only twice a year for one week at a time. The most coveted task was the offering of incense in the Holy Place, as it brought the priest closest to the presence of God. To ensure fairness, Jewish tradition (the Mishnah) dictated that a priest could only offer incense once in his entire lifetime. Many faithful priests served their whole lives and were never chosen. Yet, in God’s sovereign plan, Zechariah was on duty and he was chosen for the greatest honor of his role as a priest.
Proverbs 16:33 (ESV)
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the Lord.
God chose to work through Zechariah and Elizabeth! And notice that he worked through them in the context of people praying. Verse 10 tells us that a large gathering of people was praying outside at the same time as Zechariah was burning incense and prostrating himself in prayer within the temple! When the angel first speaks in verse 13, he says, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your PRAYER has been heard…” This is a beautiful reminder that God works through the prayers of his people!
If you struggle to believe that God hears your prayers or that prayer has any tangible effect, please take this to heart! God carries out his plan in the context of his people praying to him. He heard and responded to their prayer.
In this case, at the hour when they were gathered to pray, they would have been focused on corporate and national prayer – asking God to accept their offering and to redeem their nation. Which brings me to the purpose for which God chose Zechariah and Elizabeth… Their purpose was not simply to have a miracle baby after being barren, but to be the vehicle by which God broke 400 years of prophetic silence and ushered in the next stage of his redemptive plan! (repeat)
If you’re wondering exactly what I am talking about, allow me to explain. Throughout the history of the nation of Israel God had appointed men or women to serve as his voice to the nation. These were known as prophets and their calling was to make known the will of the Lord to the people. They were entrusted with special revelation from God for the sake of the nation. You can think of men like Moses, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Jonah, Malachi and so forth. Or women like Miriam, Deborah, or Huldah.
Unfortunately for the nation of Israel, due to their longstanding spiritual apathy and disobedience to God, the last prophet he had sent them was Malachi who served the nation from 430-400 B.C. His ministry was to confront the nation in their corruption and idolatry to call them back to the Lord. Malachi’s very last words even point to the day when God would no longer be silent:
Malachi 4:5–6 (ESV)
5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”
After Malachi finished these words and his ministry, the nation did not hear from God again for 400 years… until the day Gabriel visited Zechariah in the temple to announce the birth of John. Do you recall what Gabriel said about John’s mission and ministry?
Luke 1:16–17 (ESV)
16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
Gabriel announced what Malachi had promised 400 years earlier! Which brings us to our second takeaway in grasping the significance of God’s plan through an answered prayer.
What an incredible revelation! Can you imagine the longing of the faithful remnant within Israel? “When will this prophet come!?” For 400 years they waited, expectantly, hoping that things would change. And now… the time has come!
I don’t know how you respond to that this morning, but that is an amazing connection between Old and New Testaments. It can be challenging for us as modern readers to appreciate just how significant this revelation was to the faithful remnant of Israel. Yet Luke, as a Gentile, writes in a way that reveals a deep familiarity with the Old Testament. He had studied it and understood the significance of what he was reporting on.
Frankly, this is a great example of why knowing the whole Bible is so important! If you don’t understand the teachings of the Old Testament, then you’re really going to have a hard time knowing and appreciating why the teachings of the New Testament are such a big deal. I appreciate greatly Pastor Mark Dever’s way of summarizing each Testament:
Old Testament = Promises Made
New Testament = Promises Kept
We are getting to see some of those promises kept this morning in Luke 1:1-25. The announcement of John’s birth is only the beginning of the next stage of God’s redemption plan.
It is important to recognize that what Luke testifies to in his Gospel account is a historical account. He intentionally links it with a specific time in verse 5 – when Herod was king of Judea. This is not a fanciful story that he has made up of his own accord. These are factual events that reveal a continuation of the plan of God for his creation!
Let’s consider what is revealed about John as the herald of the next stage of God’s redemption plan. Look with me at verses 15-17. The angel Gabriel tells Zechariah:
Jesus would later say something quite similar about John:
Luke 7:28 (ESV)
28 I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
John was great before the Lord because he had been appointed by God as the last prophet of the Old Covenant before Messiah came. John had the privilege of fulfilling the role of the Elijah-like prophet who would prepare the way for God’s Son. His position was exalted among men and to keep him set apart for his calling, he would not partake of wine or strong drink, but rather…
To be filled with the Holy Spirit was a mark of a prophet. In the Old Covenant era, God the Holy Spirit empowered specific people for ministry. John was unique as a prophet in that he was filled with the Holy Spirit before being born! Luke will bring up this filling with the Holy Spirit two more times in chapter 1 – with Elizabeth (v41) and with Zechariah (v67). This is signaling a new era of God’s work in and through his people. It anticipates what is to come through Jesus’ ministry and the coming baptism of the Holy Spirit for all believers. That is reported on by Luke in the book of Acts. John’s role is significant as a forerunner to the coming redemptive work of the Messiah. Which brings me to what Gabriel stated about John in verses 16-17:
And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
John’s calling was to prepare the nation of Israel for God. They had been living in a spiritually apathetic and idolatrous manner for far too long. Remember the last words they had from God from the prophet Malachi had been a rebuke for the wickedness of the priests and the people.
Listen to some of Malachi’s words against the Israelites:
Malachi 2:17–3:5 (ESV)
17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”
“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare 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. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?
For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.
They had been calling evil good. They had accused God of being absent. But he promised them that he would send his messenger who would prepare the way before him. The Lord would come but not before his messenger. He would come and refine the people and the priests so that they might be pleasing to the Lord again.
This is exactly what John was sent to do. He fulfilled the role of this Elijah-like prophet who called God’s people to repentance and a faithful walk with God. This is what the prophet Elijah did in his ministry in 1 Kings 17-18. John has the privilege of calling OUT OF the nation of Israel a group of people who are prepared to follow the Lord’s way of salvation. There is a faithful remnant within Israel and John will help identify them!
Luke is providing evidence that God’s plan of redemption continues and advances! Interestingly, as we continue to study over the coming weeks, we’ll find that there is a comparison drawn between John and Jesus. John is the forerunner, but Jesus is the fulfillment. John prepares the way, but Jesus is the way! John’s calling is to the faithful remnant within the nation of Israel, but Jesus reveals that he is the Savior of the world, the hope of the nations.
One other piece of evidence that I believe is helpful for recognizing that God planned to break centuries of silence and advance his redemption plan through John is the angel, Gabriel. In verse 19, Gabriel reveals that he stands in the presence of God and was sent by God to bring Zechariah this good news. Think about that. An angel sent from God’s throne room. This is not the first time Gabriel has shown up in Scripture. He also appeared to Daniel, in the Old Testament, to explain the visions he was experiencing. He will show up again next week when we read about the birth of Jesus being foretold. Gabriel’s work on God’s behalf confirms the advancement of God’s plan!
I hope, by this point, that you are grasping the significance of God’s plan through an answered prayer. These are matters of eternal importance that we’re dealing with today. This is not just some nice story that may or may not have happened. This is world and redemptive history being carried out before our eyes. And these things have been recorded that Theophilus and readers like us may have certainty in our faith! The continuity of God’s plan from Old to New Testaments is amazing. The testimony of Scripture over the course of ~1,500 years and ~40 authors reveal a unified and consistent redemption plan that God is actively carrying out.
So, as you read the Bible, and as you consider Luke’s account today, I want you to understand one final thing from this text:
When we consider the content of verses 18-25, we are confronted by Zechariah’s lack of faith. After receiving the announcement of God’s plan to provide a child for them, Zechariah immediately presented a question with reasons for why it would not work out. His response was a lack of faith. He looked at their human limitations and thought – “how could this possibly happen?”
Gabriel’s response is telling. He identifies himself and his role before God and then declares the instructive discipline that Zechariah shall receive for his lack of faith.
Luke 1:20 (ESV)
20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”
Belief or trust in the Lord is what is required. Rather than trusting God, Zechariah demanded to know more. As I was reading commentaries about this, several highlighted that it seemed Zechariah’s posture towards his own prayers was that God would not really answer them! Because when God did answer them, he protested and raised objections. He lacked hope that God really heard and would really care enough to help!
I have spoken to people who seem to be in the same camp as Zechariah. They understand they are called to pray and so they do, but they do not really believe that their prayers will be answered or accomplish much. This text confronts such a stance! God does hear your prayers, and he answers them IN HIS TIMING! And, as we heard today, our prayers are, at times, the means by which he chooses to act. So, far from being meaningless, our prayers are an act of faith and obedience to which God delights to respond!
Trust God to fulfill his plan in his timing. Hope in the Lord – that he hears your prayers and that he responds in the best possible manner based on his perfect character and wisdom. Learn from Zechariah’s negative example here, but also from the positive example of Elizabeth at the end of our text. Though she never received an angelic visitor to explain her unexpected pregnancy late in life, listen to her response:
Luke 1:24–25 (ESV)
24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
She knew that God had provided for her. She repeated the words of her ancestor, Rachel, who, after becoming pregnant with Joseph, declared in Genesis 30:23, “God has taken away my reproach.” She recognized that God had vindicated her in the eyes of the people, even though she was living righteously and had nothing to be ashamed of. She praised God for his kindness!
Elizabeth is a great example for us of the proper response to God’s perfect plan, especially when he interrupts our current plans for life. Trust in him. Believe that he knows best. Even when it is hard. Even what it throws everything you were doing for a loop. Even when it is not what you expected.
But also praise him when he answers your prayer! Though his answer may not be in the same and obvious way as Elizabeth experienced, God hears your prayers and responds in his perfect timing. As you trust in his plan and timing, remember to praise him as he provides.
So, what is God up to right now? He is carrying out his grand redemption plan! I hope our study this morning has helped you grasp the significance of God’s plan through an answered prayer. As I was thinking about the significance of this again this morning:
God’s plan of redemption will not be thwarted. Nothing can stand in the way of him fulfilling his promises. He will rescue and redeem his people.
If you are not sure if you are one of his people, I would love to chat with you about that after the service. Though we did not talk in depth about Jesus Christ today, the Gospel of Luke is all about Him. He is the Savior of the world and the One for whom John is preparing the way. He is the only way of salvation. We will learn more about him next week but today can still be the day of salvation for you.
Let’s pray.
Pray
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God’s Plan + Answered Prayer
Luke 1:1-25
Grasping the significance of God’s plan through an answered prayer
Manuscript:
Good morning, church family! Introduce self + welcome guests.
Remind them of our new series + invite them to listen to the overview sermon if they missed it last week
Dismiss 4th + 5th graders
Ushers + Bibles (Luke 1; page 1016)
Do you ever slow down and wonder – ‘what is God up to right now’? If I were a betting man, I would guess that most of us only think that way when big things are happening in our lives. When we or people around us are going through a trial or time of suffering, we are certainly prone to think this way. “God, what are you doing here?”
God has a way of using trials or hardships to grab our attention. When things are going well and life is ‘easier’, we are prone to set our eyes on other things. Our natural bent as humans is to focus on the here and now, what we can see, taste, touch before us. We are myopic or narrow in our perspective when we live this way. We tend to lose sight of the larger picture – that God exists, He is awesome, and He is carrying out a grand redemption plan in our midst – of which he invites us to be involved in!
When Luke begins his Gospel account, he starts by revealing that God is up to something. In fact, the way Luke writes reveals that he is seeking to show Theophilus that God has been up to something for a LONG time. The recent developments, of which he now writes, are simply the next steps in God’s grand redemption plan. This plan is not NEW, but the developments of it in his lifetime were extraordinary. The things that had been accomplished among them were incredible events that would forever change the course of history. They not only had eternal impact for people like Theophilus in the 1st century, but they also continue to invite a response of faith and provide the hope of salvation down through the ages. The words we are going to read today and the message they convey invite you to consider the answer to the age-old question – “God, what are you up to?”
Today, as we study Luke 1:1-25, our aim is:
Grasping the significance of God’s plan through an answered prayer
Luke 1:1–25 (ESV)
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
These words are how Luke chose to begin his account of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. And yet, if you noticed, he did not speak directly about Jesus at all! What a curious beginning! Why would Luke start the way that he did?
Consider again verses 1-4. In these first few verses, Luke reveals that he has committed to providing an orderly account of all that had been accomplished among them, as revealed and passed down by eyewitnesses and ministers of the word. Luke has gone through great efforts to ensure that he does not miss details that are important.
This commitment to the details is revealed in the way he begins his Gospel account. Beginning in verse 5, Luke recounts the continuation of the plan of God in their lifetime. Notice I said “the continuation” of the plan of God, not the beginning. Luke is very careful to point out that God has a grand redemption plan that he has been working out for a very long time. This plan began long before Luke wrote or John the Baptist was conceived. These introductory chapters of his Gospel are not the start but the continuation of God’s redemption plan that began long ago. I will seek to elaborate on this as we go, as it is one of our primary observations from the text today.
For just a moment, I’d like to connect what we just read to material that many of you may have recently read, if you’re participating in one of our annual Bible reading plans. For those who are doing a Bible in a year plan, you are likely in the mid-late sections of Genesis. Did you notice any similarities between Luke 1 and some of the narratives you’ve read in Genesis? We have barren women praying for children. God promising to provide offspring. God answering prayers to provide hope for the future, hope for a nation. Some of the language used in Luke is nearly verbatim the language used by the ancestors of the nation of Israel, Abraham, Sarah, and Jacob’s wife, Rachel. This is intentional. It is intended to connect dots in the reader’s mind between the work God has done in the past and what he is doing in the present.
The covenant-keeping God had not forgotten his people. Though their commitment to him had waned, his commitment to them was consistent and ongoing! And this is good news for us to reflect on today. Again, remember our goal is…
Grasping the significance of God’s plan through an answered prayer
What you need to understand from Luke’s writing is that….
I’ll explain the purpose in a bit but first let’s discuss what it means that God chose Zechariah and Elizabeth. Luke records some incredible details about this couple, some of which might escape our notice as non-Jews 2,000 years removed from them.
Look with me through verses 5-9. One of the first details Luke provides about this couple is that they were each of priestly lineage. With Zechariah that is clearer – “there was a priest named Zechariah” – hard to miss that. But with Elizabeth, do not miss the significance that she was from the daughters of Aaron. Aaron was the brother of Moses and the first High Priest of the nation of Israel. Luke is telling us that their marriage was one of two priestly lines coming together. This is important because it establishes that the couple God chose to work through was of the best spiritual ancestry in the eyes of the people.
Not only was their lineage a big deal, but we are told that their character was “righteous before God”. This doesn’t mean they were perfect, but it does mean that they conducted themselves in a consistently holy and upright manner. They were not putting on a show of religiosity. They earnestly sought the Lord, “walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord”. They were the real deal when it came to seeking God!
Luke highlights their righteous character to inform what comes next in verse 7 “but they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years”. In their culture, barrenness was typically associated with a sinful lifestyle and viewed as a judgment from God. Luke makes sure to record that this is NOT THE CASE with this couple. It blew apart the misconceptions of their day. At the same time, the reality was that Elizabeth had been unable to have children during her younger years, and now they were older and had given up on ever becoming pregnant. The biological clock was against them, but God had a plan!
Again, if you’ve been reading through Genesis, this content sounds familiar. The struggle of Zechariah and Elizabeth is the same struggle that the patriarch of Israel, Abraham, and his wife, Sarah, faced. She too was advanced in years and barren. Yet God had worked in and through them! Luke masterfully shows the continuity of Old and New Testaments by revealing the plan of God to work in and through his people. What he is doing in Luke’s lifetime is not a new plan, but the continuation of one began long ago.
God’s choice of this couple is also affirmed by what we find in verse 9 – “he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense”. Let me explain why this is so significant. There were between 18,000-24,000 priests serving the nation of Israel at that time. As indicated in verse 5, Zechariah was in the division of Abijah. The priests were divided up into 24 divisions to rotate fulfilling their priestly duties throughout the year. Each division served in the temple only twice a year for one week at a time. The most coveted task was the offering of incense in the Holy Place, as it brought the priest closest to the presence of God. To ensure fairness, Jewish tradition (the Mishnah) dictated that a priest could only offer incense once in his entire lifetime. Many faithful priests served their whole lives and were never chosen. Yet, in God’s sovereign plan, Zechariah was on duty and he was chosen for the greatest honor of his role as a priest.
Proverbs 16:33 (ESV)
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the Lord.
God chose to work through Zechariah and Elizabeth! And notice that he worked through them in the context of people praying. Verse 10 tells us that a large gathering of people was praying outside at the same time as Zechariah was burning incense and prostrating himself in prayer within the temple! When the angel first speaks in verse 13, he says, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your PRAYER has been heard…” This is a beautiful reminder that God works through the prayers of his people!
If you struggle to believe that God hears your prayers or that prayer has any tangible effect, please take this to heart! God carries out his plan in the context of his people praying to him. He heard and responded to their prayer.
In this case, at the hour when they were gathered to pray, they would have been focused on corporate and national prayer – asking God to accept their offering and to redeem their nation. Which brings me to the purpose for which God chose Zechariah and Elizabeth… Their purpose was not simply to have a miracle baby after being barren, but to be the vehicle by which God broke 400 years of prophetic silence and ushered in the next stage of his redemptive plan! (repeat)
If you’re wondering exactly what I am talking about, allow me to explain. Throughout the history of the nation of Israel God had appointed men or women to serve as his voice to the nation. These were known as prophets and their calling was to make known the will of the Lord to the people. They were entrusted with special revelation from God for the sake of the nation. You can think of men like Moses, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Jonah, Malachi and so forth. Or women like Miriam, Deborah, or Huldah.
Unfortunately for the nation of Israel, due to their longstanding spiritual apathy and disobedience to God, the last prophet he had sent them was Malachi who served the nation from 430-400 B.C. His ministry was to confront the nation in their corruption and idolatry to call them back to the Lord. Malachi’s very last words even point to the day when God would no longer be silent:
Malachi 4:5–6 (ESV)
5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”
After Malachi finished these words and his ministry, the nation did not hear from God again for 400 years… until the day Gabriel visited Zechariah in the temple to announce the birth of John. Do you recall what Gabriel said about John’s mission and ministry?
Luke 1:16–17 (ESV)
16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
Gabriel announced what Malachi had promised 400 years earlier! Which brings us to our second takeaway in grasping the significance of God’s plan through an answered prayer.
What an incredible revelation! Can you imagine the longing of the faithful remnant within Israel? “When will this prophet come!?” For 400 years they waited, expectantly, hoping that things would change. And now… the time has come!
I don’t know how you respond to that this morning, but that is an amazing connection between Old and New Testaments. It can be challenging for us as modern readers to appreciate just how significant this revelation was to the faithful remnant of Israel. Yet Luke, as a Gentile, writes in a way that reveals a deep familiarity with the Old Testament. He had studied it and understood the significance of what he was reporting on.
Frankly, this is a great example of why knowing the whole Bible is so important! If you don’t understand the teachings of the Old Testament, then you’re really going to have a hard time knowing and appreciating why the teachings of the New Testament are such a big deal. I appreciate greatly Pastor Mark Dever’s way of summarizing each Testament:
Old Testament = Promises Made
New Testament = Promises Kept
We are getting to see some of those promises kept this morning in Luke 1:1-25. The announcement of John’s birth is only the beginning of the next stage of God’s redemption plan.
It is important to recognize that what Luke testifies to in his Gospel account is a historical account. He intentionally links it with a specific time in verse 5 – when Herod was king of Judea. This is not a fanciful story that he has made up of his own accord. These are factual events that reveal a continuation of the plan of God for his creation!
Let’s consider what is revealed about John as the herald of the next stage of God’s redemption plan. Look with me at verses 15-17. The angel Gabriel tells Zechariah:
Jesus would later say something quite similar about John:
Luke 7:28 (ESV)
28 I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
John was great before the Lord because he had been appointed by God as the last prophet of the Old Covenant before Messiah came. John had the privilege of fulfilling the role of the Elijah-like prophet who would prepare the way for God’s Son. His position was exalted among men and to keep him set apart for his calling, he would not partake of wine or strong drink, but rather…
To be filled with the Holy Spirit was a mark of a prophet. In the Old Covenant era, God the Holy Spirit empowered specific people for ministry. John was unique as a prophet in that he was filled with the Holy Spirit before being born! Luke will bring up this filling with the Holy Spirit two more times in chapter 1 – with Elizabeth (v41) and with Zechariah (v67). This is signaling a new era of God’s work in and through his people. It anticipates what is to come through Jesus’ ministry and the coming baptism of the Holy Spirit for all believers. That is reported on by Luke in the book of Acts. John’s role is significant as a forerunner to the coming redemptive work of the Messiah. Which brings me to what Gabriel stated about John in verses 16-17:
And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
John’s calling was to prepare the nation of Israel for God. They had been living in a spiritually apathetic and idolatrous manner for far too long. Remember the last words they had from God from the prophet Malachi had been a rebuke for the wickedness of the priests and the people.
Listen to some of Malachi’s words against the Israelites:
Malachi 2:17–3:5 (ESV)
17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”
“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare 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. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?
For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.
They had been calling evil good. They had accused God of being absent. But he promised them that he would send his messenger who would prepare the way before him. The Lord would come but not before his messenger. He would come and refine the people and the priests so that they might be pleasing to the Lord again.
This is exactly what John was sent to do. He fulfilled the role of this Elijah-like prophet who called God’s people to repentance and a faithful walk with God. This is what the prophet Elijah did in his ministry in 1 Kings 17-18. John has the privilege of calling OUT OF the nation of Israel a group of people who are prepared to follow the Lord’s way of salvation. There is a faithful remnant within Israel and John will help identify them!
Luke is providing evidence that God’s plan of redemption continues and advances! Interestingly, as we continue to study over the coming weeks, we’ll find that there is a comparison drawn between John and Jesus. John is the forerunner, but Jesus is the fulfillment. John prepares the way, but Jesus is the way! John’s calling is to the faithful remnant within the nation of Israel, but Jesus reveals that he is the Savior of the world, the hope of the nations.
One other piece of evidence that I believe is helpful for recognizing that God planned to break centuries of silence and advance his redemption plan through John is the angel, Gabriel. In verse 19, Gabriel reveals that he stands in the presence of God and was sent by God to bring Zechariah this good news. Think about that. An angel sent from God’s throne room. This is not the first time Gabriel has shown up in Scripture. He also appeared to Daniel, in the Old Testament, to explain the visions he was experiencing. He will show up again next week when we read about the birth of Jesus being foretold. Gabriel’s work on God’s behalf confirms the advancement of God’s plan!
I hope, by this point, that you are grasping the significance of God’s plan through an answered prayer. These are matters of eternal importance that we’re dealing with today. This is not just some nice story that may or may not have happened. This is world and redemptive history being carried out before our eyes. And these things have been recorded that Theophilus and readers like us may have certainty in our faith! The continuity of God’s plan from Old to New Testaments is amazing. The testimony of Scripture over the course of ~1,500 years and ~40 authors reveal a unified and consistent redemption plan that God is actively carrying out.
So, as you read the Bible, and as you consider Luke’s account today, I want you to understand one final thing from this text:
When we consider the content of verses 18-25, we are confronted by Zechariah’s lack of faith. After receiving the announcement of God’s plan to provide a child for them, Zechariah immediately presented a question with reasons for why it would not work out. His response was a lack of faith. He looked at their human limitations and thought – “how could this possibly happen?”
Gabriel’s response is telling. He identifies himself and his role before God and then declares the instructive discipline that Zechariah shall receive for his lack of faith.
Luke 1:20 (ESV)
20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”
Belief or trust in the Lord is what is required. Rather than trusting God, Zechariah demanded to know more. As I was reading commentaries about this, several highlighted that it seemed Zechariah’s posture towards his own prayers was that God would not really answer them! Because when God did answer them, he protested and raised objections. He lacked hope that God really heard and would really care enough to help!
I have spoken to people who seem to be in the same camp as Zechariah. They understand they are called to pray and so they do, but they do not really believe that their prayers will be answered or accomplish much. This text confronts such a stance! God does hear your prayers, and he answers them IN HIS TIMING! And, as we heard today, our prayers are, at times, the means by which he chooses to act. So, far from being meaningless, our prayers are an act of faith and obedience to which God delights to respond!
Trust God to fulfill his plan in his timing. Hope in the Lord – that he hears your prayers and that he responds in the best possible manner based on his perfect character and wisdom. Learn from Zechariah’s negative example here, but also from the positive example of Elizabeth at the end of our text. Though she never received an angelic visitor to explain her unexpected pregnancy late in life, listen to her response:
Luke 1:24–25 (ESV)
24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
She knew that God had provided for her. She repeated the words of her ancestor, Rachel, who, after becoming pregnant with Joseph, declared in Genesis 30:23, “God has taken away my reproach.” She recognized that God had vindicated her in the eyes of the people, even though she was living righteously and had nothing to be ashamed of. She praised God for his kindness!
Elizabeth is a great example for us of the proper response to God’s perfect plan, especially when he interrupts our current plans for life. Trust in him. Believe that he knows best. Even when it is hard. Even what it throws everything you were doing for a loop. Even when it is not what you expected.
But also praise him when he answers your prayer! Though his answer may not be in the same and obvious way as Elizabeth experienced, God hears your prayers and responds in his perfect timing. As you trust in his plan and timing, remember to praise him as he provides.
So, what is God up to right now? He is carrying out his grand redemption plan! I hope our study this morning has helped you grasp the significance of God’s plan through an answered prayer. As I was thinking about the significance of this again this morning:
God’s plan of redemption will not be thwarted. Nothing can stand in the way of him fulfilling his promises. He will rescue and redeem his people.
If you are not sure if you are one of his people, I would love to chat with you about that after the service. Though we did not talk in depth about Jesus Christ today, the Gospel of Luke is all about Him. He is the Savior of the world and the One for whom John is preparing the way. He is the only way of salvation. We will learn more about him next week but today can still be the day of salvation for you.
Let’s pray.
Pray