Luke 1 8 20 8 Once when Zechariahs

Luke 1: 8‐ 20 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.

Luke 1: 8‐ 20 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

Luke 1: 8‐ 20 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.

Luke 1: 8‐ 20 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 call him John.

Luke 1: 8‐ 20 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.

Luke 1: 8‐ 20 He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.

Luke 1: 8‐ 20 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous–to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. ”

Luke 1: 8‐ 20 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. ”

Luke 1: 8‐ 20 19 The angel said to him, “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.

Luke 1: 8‐ 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 appointed time. ”

Luke 1: 26‐ 33 26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

Luke 1: 26‐ 33 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you. ” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

Luke 1: 26‐ 33 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.

Luke 1: 26‐ 33 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end. ”

The Anticipation Larry Cline - Hardin Valley Church Of Christ - December 3, 2017

To Joseph and Mary this was an unplanned pregnancy. Not To God! Prophets, poets & Kings had been writing about it for so long that many stopped believing.

The Old Testament contains over 300 prophetic passages that refer to Jesus coming to earth. 48 refer to the life, death & resurrection of Jesus. All of them given during an 1100 year period that ended 4 centuries before Jesus was born in Bethlehem

The writers go into such detail it is almost impossible for one person to fulfill them all. § Isaiah revealed that He would be born of a virgin § Micah pinpointed the place of His birth § Moses & Jeremiah tell of His ancestry • (Tribe of Judah, House of David)

The writers go into such detail it is almost impossible for one person to fulfill them all. § David foretold his betrayal, false accusations, manner of death (pierced hands/feet, although crucifixion hadn’t been invented yet) § Psalms tells of His resurrection

It’s as if God said, “I’m sending you my son and this is exactly how you will identify Him!” “Don’t Miss Him!”

Don’t Miss Him! § God told the where, when, how of His birth but that wasn't all. He was just getting started. • A messenger will announce His coming (Is. 35: 5 -6 <700 yrs before>; Mt 3: 1, 2) • He will begin His ministry in Galilee (Isa 9: 1; Mt 4: 12 -17)

• He will teach in parables (Ps 78: 2 <1000 yrs before>; Mt 13: 34 -35) • Perform many miracles (Is 35: 5 -6; Mt 9: 35) • Ride into Jerusalem on a donkey (Zech 9: 9 <500 yrs before>; Mt 21: 2; Lu 19: 35 -37) • He will clean house in the temple (Ps 69: 9; Mai 3: 1 <450>; Jn 2: 15 -16)

If this isn't enough, the life of Jesus actually fulfilled at least 28 separate prophecies in one day: 1. Betrayed by a friend (Ps 41: 9; Mt 26: 49) 2. Price of betrayal will be 30 pieces of silver (Zech 11: 12 <500 yrs>; Mt 26: 15) 3. His betrayal money will be cast to the floor of the temple (Zech 11: 13; Mt 27: 5)

4. His betrayal money will be used to buy the potter's field (Zech 11: 13; Mt 27: 7) 5. Forsaken by His disciples (Zech 13: 7; Mk 14: 50) 6. Accused by false witnesses (Ps 35: 11; Mt 26: 59 -60) 7. Silent before accusers (Isa 53: 7; Mt 27: 12)

8. Wounded/bruised (Isa 53: 5; Mt 27: 26) 9. Struck/spit on (Isa 50: 6; Mt 26: 67) 10. Mocked, ridiculed, rejected (Isa 53: 3; Mt 27: 27 -31; Jn 7: 5, 48) 11. Hated without cause (Ps 69: 4; Jn 15: 25) 12. Collapse from weakness (Ps 109: 24 -25; Lu 23: 26)

13. Be taunted with specific words (Ps 22: 6 -8; Mt 27: 39 -43) 14. People will shake their heads at Him (Ps 109: 25; Mt 27: 39) 15. People will stare at Him (Ps 22: 17; Lu 23: 35) 16. Executed among sinners (Isa 53: 12; Mt 27: 38) 17. Hands/feet pierced (Ps 22: 16; Lu 23: 33)

18. Pray for His persecutors (Isa 53: 12; Lu 23: 34) 19. Friends/family will stand afar off and watch (Ps 38: 11; Lu 23: 49) 20. Garments will be divided and won by casting lots (Ps 22: 18; Jn 19: 23 -24) 21. He will thirst (Ps 69: 21; Jn 19: 28)

22. Given gall and vinegar (Ps 69: 21; Mt 27: 34) 23. Commit Himself to God (Ps 31: 5; Lu 23: 46) 24. Bones will not be broken (Ps 34: 20; Jn 19: 33) 25. Heart will rupture (Ps 22: 14; Jn 19: 34)

26. Side will be pierced (Zech 12: 10; Jn 19: 34) 27. Darkness will come over the land at midday (Amos 8: 9 <750>; Mt 27: 45) + Historians around the globe! 28. Buried in rich man's tomb (Isa 53: 9; Mt 27: 57 -60)

When God sent His Son to earth it was a BIG DEAL and it CHANGED EVERYTHING!!!

Christ’s Coming Was Miraculous!

The coming of John announced the new world Jesus would bring: 1. Religion became Relationship § “Behold, days are coming” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah” (Jer. 31: 31) 2. A ‘Distant God’ became a ‘Present God’ “Immanuel” – God With Us!