WEBVTT

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 Alright, well we are continuing on with the Gospel of Luke this morning.

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 You're welcome to turn there in your Bibles if you have them with you.

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 We are still in Chapter 1. It's a long chapter.

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 Last Sunday we heard about how Mary made the journey from Nazareth down to Judea

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 to visit her relative Elizabeth.

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 And we saw that sweet exchange between the two women.

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 Before Mary could even share the news of what was happening with her,

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 Elizabeth declared that she was pregnant, she was filled with the Holy Spirit,

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 and she spoke about the blessed child in Mary's womb.

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 And then we looked at Mary's psalm of praise to God.

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 She was just so joyfully and deeply touched by what God was doing with her,

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 giving this amazing gift to her, a young girl from Nazareth.

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 And as we heard last Sunday,

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 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months,

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 and then returned home.

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 And if we do our pregnancy math,

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 we see that Mary came during the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy

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 to visit Elizabeth,

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 and then stayed about three months,

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 and then returned home.

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 So we don't know this for sure,

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 but it's quite likely that she stayed with Elizabeth

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 until just after what we're about to read today took place.

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 So let's continue the story in Luke 1, verse 57.

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 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby,

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 she gave birth to a son.

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 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy,

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 and they shared her joy.

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 On the eighth day,

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 when they came to circumcise the child,

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 and they were going to name him after his father, Zechariah.

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 But his mother spoke up and said,

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 No, he is to be called John.

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 They said to her,

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 There's no one among your relatives who has that name.

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 Then they made signs to his father

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 to find out what he would like to name the child.

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 He asked for a writing tablet,

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 and to everyone's astonishment,

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 he wrote,

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 His name is John.

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 Immediately, his mouth was opened,

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 and his tongue set free,

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 and he began to speak,

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 praising God.

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 So just as the angel Gabriel had said to Zechariah in the temple,

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 Elizabeth gave birth to their baby in her old age.

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 And just as the angel said,

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 it was a boy,

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 a son.

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 And Luke describes for us the impact that this had

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 in Elizabeth's family and in her community.

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 Verse 58,

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 Her neighbors and relatives heard

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 that the Lord had shown her great mercy,

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 and they shared her joy.

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 Virtually all of our English translations of this

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 are a little flat.

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 Quite literally, it says,

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 Her neighbors and relatives heard

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 that the Lord was magnifying his mercy with her,

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 and they rejoiced with her.

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 That original word order puts emphasis on that word magnify.

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 Luke's point here is that Elizabeth's neighbors and relatives

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 recognized that this birth of Elizabeth

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 was a huge act of the Lord's mercy to her,

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 of the Lord's kindness to Elizabeth.

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 And they understood this

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 because this child was a miracle baby.

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 A child born to an elderly woman,

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 as we talked about a few weeks ago.

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 This pregnancy was a supernatural miracle of God's power.

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 And everybody knew it.

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 It was a very happy occasion.

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 They rejoiced with her.

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 We don't know exactly how old Elizabeth was at this time,

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 but, you know,

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 can you imagine going to the baby shower

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 of a 70-year-old woman?

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 Not only that,

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 but a woman who had cried

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 and prayed

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 and tried

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 again and again

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 for decades

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 only to be disappointed.

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 And now,

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 here she is

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 with her son in her arms.

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 This was a very joyful occasion.

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 Eight days later,

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 it was time to circumcise the child.

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 This was something that they did

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 to honor the covenant

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 that God made with Abraham long ago.

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 And by this time,

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 it was customary,

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 according to Jewish tradition,

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 to name a son

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 at the same time.

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 Not only that,

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 but it was actually tradition

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 to have guests attend

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 the circumcision

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 as witnesses

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 and to celebrate

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 the birth of the son

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 at that time.

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 It's a little different

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 from how we do things today,

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 many people,

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 but that's what's happening here.

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 So it's kind of like

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 a birthday party,

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 kind of like

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 a circumcision party.

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 And you get the sense

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 that the family is here

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 and they're just sort of assuming

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 already at this point

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 that the name of this child

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 is going to be

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 Zachariah

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 after his father.

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 Luke says,

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 yeah,

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 they were going to name him

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 after his father.

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 You know,

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 there's sometimes these moments

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 that happen within

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 the extended family.

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 We see things like this

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 at weddings

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 where sometimes

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 family members

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 are so eager

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 and ready to make decisions

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 about how the wedding

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 should go

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 without even asking

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 the couple themselves,

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 what do you guys want?

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 How do you want it to go?

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 Tradition can be

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 a really powerful thing.

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 And it was tradition

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 to name a child

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 after some relative.

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 We don't know exactly

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 what they were thinking,

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 but maybe they were thinking,

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 you know,

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 who better than Zachariah?

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 I mean,

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 he has fathered

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 this miracle baby.

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 The child ought to be

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 named after him.

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 Whatever the case,

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 you can almost imagine

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 the awkwardness

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 of that moment

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 when Elizabeth

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 finally pipes up

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 and says,

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 no,

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 he's to be called

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 John.

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 Can you imagine

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 the look on their faces?

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 John.

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 There's nobody

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 among your relatives

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 that has that name.

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 And you know,

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 being Canadians

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 and being polite,

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 that's our reputation.

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 We kind of expect

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 that that's going to be

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 the end of the discussion.

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 After all,

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 Elizabeth is the boy's mother.

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 If she says John,

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 then I guess it's going

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 to be John, right?

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 But it almost seems

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 as if the extended family

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 wasn't willing

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 to give up

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 so easily yet.

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 Let's ask his dad.

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 And surely Zachariah

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 will be pleased

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 to have the boy

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 named after him.

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 So they started

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 making signs

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 to his father,

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 to Zachariah,

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 to find out

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 what he would like

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 to name the child.

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 If you remember

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 from earlier on

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 in Luke's account,

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 nine months earlier,

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 Zachariah was told

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 by Gabriel

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 at the temple

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 that he would father

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 a son with his wife,

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 Elizabeth.

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 And because Zachariah

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 did not believe

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 the angel's words,

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 God gave him

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 this disciplinary consequence

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 of not being able

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 to speak

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 until the day

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 this happens.

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 And so that's why

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 they're making signs

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 to Zachariah

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 to communicate with him

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 because he's been mute

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 for the past nine months

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 and unable to speak.

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 Zachariah asks

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 for a writing tablet

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 and writes on it,

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 his name is John.

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 And they,

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 the guests and family,

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 are all astonished.

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 Evidently,

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 it was quite the tradition

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 to name the child

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 after some relative

00:08:26.819 --> 00:08:27.439
 in the family

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 or maybe up to this point

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 the family had just

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 hyped it up so much

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 that this is,

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 we gotta call him Zachariah.

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 But this had them

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 all surprised

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 and shocked.

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 Now again,

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 if we think back

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 to what Gabriel said

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 to Zachariah

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 nine months before this,

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 back in Luke chapter one,

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 verse 13,

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 your wife Elizabeth

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 will bear you a son

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 and you are to call him

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 John,

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 said the angel.

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 So this is

00:08:58.580 --> 00:09:01.220
 the name that God himself

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 picked out for this child.

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 And this is Zachariah's moment

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 to express obedient faith

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 after his initial disbelief.

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 Naming this child, John,

00:09:14.100 --> 00:09:15.259
 against tradition,

00:09:16.120 --> 00:09:17.279
 against the consensus

00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:18.039
 of the family

00:09:18.039 --> 00:09:19.279
 is a very clear

00:09:19.279 --> 00:09:20.279
 and obvious way

00:09:20.279 --> 00:09:21.000
 for Zachariah

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 to say with his actions,

00:09:22.580 --> 00:09:23.360
 I believe,

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 I now believe

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 what the Lord said

00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:27.820
 to me nine months ago

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 about who this child

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 will be.

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 His name

00:09:32.360 --> 00:09:33.799
 is John.

00:09:36.159 --> 00:09:36.720
 Immediately,

00:09:37.580 --> 00:09:38.879
 his mouth was opened

00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:40.299
 and his tongue set free

00:09:40.299 --> 00:09:41.940
 and he began to speak

00:09:41.940 --> 00:09:43.340
 praising God.

00:09:43.340 --> 00:09:45.879
 Again,

00:09:46.139 --> 00:09:48.639
 what the angel said

00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:49.220
 would happen

00:09:49.220 --> 00:09:50.379
 nine months earlier

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 just happened.

00:09:53.420 --> 00:09:54.840
 He was unable to speak

00:09:54.840 --> 00:09:56.340
 until it happened,

00:09:56.420 --> 00:09:57.460
 until all this happened,

00:09:57.540 --> 00:09:58.720
 which seems included

00:09:58.720 --> 00:09:59.500
 naming John

00:09:59.500 --> 00:10:00.440
 and then all of a sudden

00:10:00.440 --> 00:10:01.820
 God miraculously

00:10:01.820 --> 00:10:02.500
 in that moment

00:10:02.500 --> 00:10:03.379
 just restores

00:10:03.379 --> 00:10:04.860
 Zachariah's voice

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 and the first thing

00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:07.620
 Zachariah does with it

00:10:07.620 --> 00:10:09.560
 is he begins to speak

00:10:09.560 --> 00:10:11.220
 praising God,

00:10:11.220 --> 00:10:13.740
 blessing God.

00:10:16.440 --> 00:10:17.480
 At this point,

00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:18.960
 Luke zooms out

00:10:18.960 --> 00:10:19.560
 a little bit

00:10:19.560 --> 00:10:20.600
 and tells us

00:10:20.600 --> 00:10:21.519
 about the reaction,

00:10:22.160 --> 00:10:23.660
 not only of those

00:10:23.660 --> 00:10:24.500
 at the party

00:10:24.500 --> 00:10:25.940
 but also of those

00:10:25.940 --> 00:10:26.680
 in the community.

00:10:27.820 --> 00:10:28.399
 Verse 65,

00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:29.300
 all the neighbors

00:10:29.300 --> 00:10:30.519
 were filled with awe

00:10:30.519 --> 00:10:31.759
 and throughout

00:10:31.759 --> 00:10:32.500
 the hill country

00:10:32.500 --> 00:10:33.160
 of Judea,

00:10:33.440 --> 00:10:34.379
 people were talking

00:10:34.379 --> 00:10:35.779
 about all these things.

00:10:36.920 --> 00:10:38.220
 Everyone who heard this

00:10:38.220 --> 00:10:39.840
 wondered about it,

00:10:40.200 --> 00:10:40.639
 asking,

00:10:41.220 --> 00:10:42.399
 what then

00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:43.460
 is this child

00:10:43.460 --> 00:10:44.259
 going to be?

00:10:45.639 --> 00:10:46.980
 For the Lord's hand

00:10:46.980 --> 00:10:48.120
 was with him.

00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:50.740
 So the happenings

00:10:50.740 --> 00:10:52.279
 of this little party

00:10:52.279 --> 00:10:53.779
 caused quite the stir

00:10:53.779 --> 00:10:55.220
 in the neighboring towns

00:10:55.220 --> 00:10:56.420
 and hill country.

00:10:57.580 --> 00:10:58.300
 Luke says that people

00:10:58.300 --> 00:10:59.120
 were talking about

00:10:59.120 --> 00:10:59.779
 all these things

00:10:59.779 --> 00:11:00.779
 and that word for talking

00:11:00.779 --> 00:11:01.860
 is the kind of talking

00:11:01.860 --> 00:11:02.800
 that often includes

00:11:02.800 --> 00:11:03.660
 a back and forth

00:11:03.660 --> 00:11:04.860
 like discussion

00:11:04.860 --> 00:11:06.320
 and dialogue,

00:11:06.600 --> 00:11:07.820
 exchanging their opinions

00:11:07.820 --> 00:11:08.860
 and viewpoints

00:11:08.860 --> 00:11:11.360
 as one commentary

00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:12.000
 puts it.

00:11:13.680 --> 00:11:14.560
 Everyone who heard

00:11:14.560 --> 00:11:15.140
 about this

00:11:15.140 --> 00:11:16.580
 wondered about it,

00:11:16.900 --> 00:11:17.560
 says Luke.

00:11:18.320 --> 00:11:19.260
 Quite literally,

00:11:19.480 --> 00:11:20.720
 they laid it upon

00:11:20.720 --> 00:11:21.460
 their hearts

00:11:21.460 --> 00:11:22.620
 saying,

00:11:23.000 --> 00:11:24.520
 what then

00:11:24.520 --> 00:11:25.320
 is this child

00:11:25.320 --> 00:11:26.020
 going to be?

00:11:26.019 --> 00:11:37.759
 for the Lord's hand

00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:39.740
 was with him.

00:11:39.740 --> 00:11:41.019
 There was a question

00:11:41.019 --> 00:11:42.620
 forming deep down

00:11:42.620 --> 00:11:43.659
 inside of people

00:11:43.659 --> 00:11:45.139
 after hearing this.

00:11:45.500 --> 00:11:46.259
 What then

00:11:46.259 --> 00:11:47.360
 is this child

00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:49.100
 going to be?

00:11:50.200 --> 00:11:51.759
 For the Lord's hand

00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:53.799
 was with him.

00:11:53.879 --> 00:11:54.419
 Most scholars

00:11:54.419 --> 00:11:55.139
 attribute this

00:11:55.139 --> 00:11:57.120
 to Luke himself,

00:11:57.480 --> 00:11:58.200
 the author,

00:11:59.039 --> 00:11:59.879
 stating this.

00:11:59.879 --> 00:12:02.980
 seems to be

00:12:02.980 --> 00:12:03.759
 the answer

00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:04.220
 that people

00:12:04.220 --> 00:12:04.860
 were coming to

00:12:04.860 --> 00:12:05.299
 as they were

00:12:05.299 --> 00:12:06.320
 asking this question.

00:12:08.860 --> 00:12:09.740
 Those who heard

00:12:09.740 --> 00:12:10.179
 the news

00:12:10.179 --> 00:12:11.360
 of baby John's birth,

00:12:11.480 --> 00:12:12.340
 they were concluding

00:12:12.340 --> 00:12:13.340
 that the Lord's hand

00:12:13.340 --> 00:12:14.500
 was with this child.

00:12:14.939 --> 00:12:15.439
 They thought

00:12:15.439 --> 00:12:16.759
 God must be doing

00:12:16.759 --> 00:12:17.559
 something special

00:12:17.559 --> 00:12:18.019
 with him.

00:12:20.840 --> 00:12:21.559
 How else

00:12:21.559 --> 00:12:22.080
 could Elizabeth

00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:24.779
 have a baby

00:12:24.779 --> 00:12:26.080
 in her old age?

00:12:27.580 --> 00:12:27.879
 I mean,

00:12:27.919 --> 00:12:28.500
 they knew about

00:12:28.500 --> 00:12:29.960
 menopause back then.

00:12:31.419 --> 00:12:32.779
 It's a miracle baby.

00:12:34.779 --> 00:12:35.559
 And then they heard

00:12:35.559 --> 00:12:36.659
 about this strange sign

00:12:36.659 --> 00:12:37.600
 with Zachariah,

00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:39.240
 how he lost his speech

00:12:39.240 --> 00:12:39.860
 for nine months

00:12:39.860 --> 00:12:40.919
 and then just the other day

00:12:40.919 --> 00:12:42.259
 he got his speech back

00:12:42.259 --> 00:12:44.480
 and he was praising God.

00:12:45.059 --> 00:12:46.379
 God must be at work

00:12:46.379 --> 00:12:47.340
 and it seems here

00:12:47.340 --> 00:12:48.100
 Luke is saying,

00:12:48.580 --> 00:12:48.860
 yes,

00:12:49.179 --> 00:12:50.080
 the Lord's hand

00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:51.379
 was indeed

00:12:51.379 --> 00:12:53.340
 with John,

00:12:54.179 --> 00:12:55.039
 just as they were

00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:55.659
 suspecting.

00:12:58.500 --> 00:12:59.899
 Well,

00:12:59.940 --> 00:13:00.399
 Luke now

00:13:00.399 --> 00:13:01.159
 goes on

00:13:01.159 --> 00:13:02.000
 to share with us

00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:03.159
 what Zachariah said

00:13:03.159 --> 00:13:04.659
 in verses

00:13:04.659 --> 00:13:07.039
 67 to 69.

00:13:07.659 --> 00:13:09.419
 We read in verse 67,

00:13:09.820 --> 00:13:11.039
 his father Zachariah

00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:12.120
 was filled

00:13:12.120 --> 00:13:13.419
 with the Holy Spirit

00:13:13.419 --> 00:13:15.120
 and prophesied.

00:13:17.019 --> 00:13:18.659
 Similar to Mary's

00:13:18.659 --> 00:13:19.720
 psalm

00:13:19.720 --> 00:13:21.200
 that we looked at

00:13:21.200 --> 00:13:21.840
 last Sunday,

00:13:22.039 --> 00:13:23.080
 Zachariah now

00:13:23.080 --> 00:13:23.559
 utters

00:13:23.559 --> 00:13:24.399
 a poetic

00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:25.879
 prophecy.

00:13:25.879 --> 00:13:28.779
 And just like

00:13:28.779 --> 00:13:29.720
 with Mary's utterance

00:13:29.720 --> 00:13:30.419
 which we looked at

00:13:30.419 --> 00:13:31.639
 last week,

00:13:32.179 --> 00:13:33.139
 tradition has it

00:13:33.139 --> 00:13:33.659
 that this was

00:13:33.659 --> 00:13:34.620
 kind of like a hymn

00:13:34.620 --> 00:13:35.419
 or a song

00:13:35.419 --> 00:13:36.980
 and again,

00:13:37.259 --> 00:13:38.639
 same as we looked at

00:13:38.639 --> 00:13:39.179
 last Sunday

00:13:39.179 --> 00:13:39.759
 with Mary's,

00:13:39.779 --> 00:13:40.419
 there's nothing here

00:13:40.419 --> 00:13:40.939
 in the text

00:13:40.939 --> 00:13:41.759
 that indicated

00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:42.559
 that Zachariah

00:13:42.559 --> 00:13:43.320
 sang this.

00:13:43.860 --> 00:13:44.340
 In fact,

00:13:44.460 --> 00:13:45.480
 the word for speaking

00:13:45.480 --> 00:13:46.059
 or saying

00:13:46.059 --> 00:13:46.740
 is present.

00:13:49.039 --> 00:13:49.759
 But Luke

00:13:49.759 --> 00:13:50.740
 does make it clear,

00:13:50.899 --> 00:13:51.759
 explicitly clear

00:13:51.759 --> 00:13:52.679
 that Zachariah

00:13:52.679 --> 00:13:53.659
 spoke these words

00:13:53.659 --> 00:13:54.939
 under the influence

00:13:54.939 --> 00:13:55.959
 of God's Spirit.

00:13:56.120 --> 00:13:56.819
 He was filled

00:13:56.819 --> 00:13:57.839
 with the Holy Spirit

00:13:57.839 --> 00:13:59.679
 and then prophesied.

00:13:59.799 --> 00:14:01.259
 He spoke these words.

00:14:04.459 --> 00:14:04.939
 Again,

00:14:05.079 --> 00:14:06.299
 just as with Mary's utterance,

00:14:06.339 --> 00:14:06.679
 there could be

00:14:06.679 --> 00:14:07.439
 this question of,

00:14:07.519 --> 00:14:07.620
 you know,

00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:08.860
 did Zachariah say this

00:14:08.860 --> 00:14:09.699
 like right there

00:14:09.699 --> 00:14:10.919
 at the party

00:14:10.919 --> 00:14:12.480
 or was it

00:14:12.480 --> 00:14:13.279
 sometime after?

00:14:13.459 --> 00:14:14.559
 And personally,

00:14:14.620 --> 00:14:15.419
 I've always tended

00:14:15.419 --> 00:14:16.079
 to see this

00:14:16.079 --> 00:14:17.000
 as what Zachariah

00:14:17.000 --> 00:14:18.699
 spoke in that moment

00:14:18.699 --> 00:14:21.240
 as his tongue

00:14:21.240 --> 00:14:21.959
 was set free

00:14:21.960 --> 00:14:22.540
 and his lips

00:14:22.540 --> 00:14:23.160
 were opened

00:14:23.160 --> 00:14:24.080
 right there

00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:24.700
 at the party

00:14:24.700 --> 00:14:26.639
 but that maybe

00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:27.320
 Luke decided

00:14:27.320 --> 00:14:27.780
 to just,

00:14:28.120 --> 00:14:28.280
 you know,

00:14:28.300 --> 00:14:29.180
 it's a long thing.

00:14:29.460 --> 00:14:30.560
 Let's not break up

00:14:30.560 --> 00:14:31.440
 the flow of the narrative.

00:14:31.580 --> 00:14:32.560
 Let's just put it after

00:14:32.560 --> 00:14:34.580
 rather than break up

00:14:34.580 --> 00:14:35.080
 the story.

00:14:37.420 --> 00:14:38.639
 One more interesting

00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:39.240
 observation

00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:40.100
 to just notice

00:14:40.100 --> 00:14:41.360
 about Zachariah's words

00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:42.820
 here at the outset.

00:14:43.780 --> 00:14:45.000
 Even though Zachariah

00:14:45.000 --> 00:14:45.700
 says this

00:14:45.700 --> 00:14:46.940
 under the influence

00:14:46.940 --> 00:14:47.879
 of God's Spirit,

00:14:49.100 --> 00:14:49.860
 that doesn't mean

00:14:49.860 --> 00:14:50.779
 that these words

00:14:50.779 --> 00:14:52.440
 are not

00:14:52.440 --> 00:14:53.539
 Zachariah's words.

00:14:55.779 --> 00:14:56.740
 It's not as if

00:14:56.740 --> 00:14:57.340
 God's Spirit

00:14:57.340 --> 00:14:57.899
 just kind of

00:14:57.899 --> 00:14:58.519
 takes over

00:14:58.519 --> 00:14:59.680
 Zachariah's body

00:14:59.680 --> 00:15:00.340
 and mouth

00:15:00.340 --> 00:15:01.539
 such that it's

00:15:01.539 --> 00:15:02.220
 no longer

00:15:02.220 --> 00:15:03.120
 Zachariah

00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:03.899
 thinking

00:15:03.899 --> 00:15:05.100
 and speaking

00:15:05.100 --> 00:15:06.039
 out of his own heart

00:15:06.039 --> 00:15:06.820
 in these moments.

00:15:07.240 --> 00:15:08.659
 Look at verse 76.

00:15:10.200 --> 00:15:11.279
 Zachariah says there,

00:15:11.940 --> 00:15:12.399
 and you,

00:15:12.680 --> 00:15:13.259
 my child,

00:15:13.360 --> 00:15:13.779
 will be called

00:15:13.779 --> 00:15:14.300
 a prophet

00:15:14.300 --> 00:15:15.300
 of the Most High.

00:15:16.600 --> 00:15:17.440
 This is very

00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:18.500
 personal language.

00:15:18.500 --> 00:15:18.820
 I mean,

00:15:18.840 --> 00:15:19.440
 he's addressing

00:15:19.440 --> 00:15:20.440
 his son John here.

00:15:20.500 --> 00:15:21.139
 I always imagine

00:15:21.139 --> 00:15:21.639
 him actually

00:15:21.639 --> 00:15:22.580
 holding the baby

00:15:22.580 --> 00:15:23.240
 in his arm

00:15:23.240 --> 00:15:24.500
 as he says it.

00:15:24.539 --> 00:15:24.860
 I don't know

00:15:24.860 --> 00:15:25.379
 if that's

00:15:25.379 --> 00:15:26.220
 what happened

00:15:26.220 --> 00:15:26.740
 or not.

00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:32.919
 So we notice

00:15:32.919 --> 00:15:33.539
 here that

00:15:33.539 --> 00:15:35.019
 prophetic words,

00:15:35.179 --> 00:15:35.940
 words uttered

00:15:35.940 --> 00:15:36.840
 by the Spirit,

00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:39.039
 need not override

00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:40.399
 the mind and heart

00:15:40.399 --> 00:15:41.460
 of the prophets

00:15:41.460 --> 00:15:42.200
 speaking them.

00:15:44.460 --> 00:15:45.299
 Let's look now

00:15:45.299 --> 00:15:46.279
 at what Zachariah

00:15:46.279 --> 00:15:46.639
 said.

00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:50.399
 starting in verse 68.

00:15:51.980 --> 00:15:53.500
 Praise be to the Lord,

00:15:53.699 --> 00:15:54.919
 the God of Israel,

00:15:55.419 --> 00:15:56.759
 because he has come

00:15:56.759 --> 00:15:57.480
 to his people

00:15:57.480 --> 00:15:58.419
 and redeemed them.

00:15:59.460 --> 00:16:00.699
 He has raised up

00:16:00.699 --> 00:16:01.899
 a horn of salvation

00:16:01.899 --> 00:16:02.480
 for us

00:16:02.480 --> 00:16:03.059
 in the house

00:16:03.059 --> 00:16:03.919
 of his servant,

00:16:04.259 --> 00:16:04.620
 David,

00:16:05.399 --> 00:16:06.199
 as he said

00:16:06.199 --> 00:16:07.539
 through his holy prophets

00:16:07.539 --> 00:16:08.259
 of long ago.

00:16:09.720 --> 00:16:10.259
 Salvation

00:16:10.259 --> 00:16:11.620
 from our enemies

00:16:11.620 --> 00:16:13.419
 and from the hand

00:16:13.419 --> 00:16:14.939
 of all who hate us

00:16:14.940 --> 00:16:17.080
 to show mercy

00:16:17.080 --> 00:16:18.380
 to our ancestors

00:16:18.380 --> 00:16:19.420
 and to remember

00:16:19.420 --> 00:16:20.940
 his holy covenant,

00:16:22.060 --> 00:16:23.180
 the oath he swore

00:16:23.180 --> 00:16:23.980
 to our father,

00:16:24.100 --> 00:16:24.620
 Abraham,

00:16:25.040 --> 00:16:26.560
 to rescue us

00:16:26.560 --> 00:16:27.280
 from the hand

00:16:27.280 --> 00:16:28.380
 of our enemies

00:16:28.380 --> 00:16:30.300
 and to enable us

00:16:30.300 --> 00:16:30.980
 to serve him

00:16:30.980 --> 00:16:31.820
 without fear

00:16:31.820 --> 00:16:33.080
 in holiness

00:16:33.080 --> 00:16:34.620
 and righteousness

00:16:34.620 --> 00:16:35.680
 before him

00:16:35.680 --> 00:16:36.940
 all our days.

00:16:36.940 --> 00:16:38.580
 and you,

00:16:38.700 --> 00:16:39.240
 my child,

00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:39.800
 will be called

00:16:39.800 --> 00:16:40.280
 a prophet

00:16:40.280 --> 00:16:41.380
 of the Most High

00:16:41.380 --> 00:16:43.360
 for you will go on

00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:44.300
 before the Lord

00:16:44.300 --> 00:16:45.620
 to prepare the way

00:16:45.620 --> 00:16:46.140
 for him

00:16:46.140 --> 00:16:47.880
 to give his people

00:16:47.880 --> 00:16:48.760
 the knowledge

00:16:48.760 --> 00:16:49.900
 of salvation

00:16:49.900 --> 00:16:51.560
 through the forgiveness

00:16:51.560 --> 00:16:52.480
 of their sins

00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:54.460
 because of the tender

00:16:54.460 --> 00:16:55.120
 mercy

00:16:55.120 --> 00:16:56.460
 of our God

00:16:56.460 --> 00:16:58.480
 by which the rising

00:16:58.480 --> 00:16:59.040
 sun

00:16:59.040 --> 00:17:00.480
 will come to us

00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:01.380
 from heaven

00:17:01.380 --> 00:17:02.300
 to shine

00:17:02.300 --> 00:17:03.360
 on those living

00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:04.120
 in darkness

00:17:04.119 --> 00:17:05.179
 and in the shadow

00:17:05.179 --> 00:17:05.759
 of death

00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:07.959
 to guide our feet

00:17:07.959 --> 00:17:09.519
 into the path

00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:10.159
 of peace.

00:17:15.099 --> 00:17:15.759
 Zachariah's

00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:16.759
 outburst of praise

00:17:16.759 --> 00:17:18.079
 begins with

00:17:18.079 --> 00:17:18.739
 the word

00:17:18.739 --> 00:17:19.459
 praise.

00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:21.059
 Praise be

00:17:21.059 --> 00:17:22.239
 or blessed be

00:17:22.239 --> 00:17:23.019
 the Lord,

00:17:23.139 --> 00:17:23.959
 the God of Israel.

00:17:24.239 --> 00:17:24.819
 And then the whole

00:17:24.819 --> 00:17:25.479
 rest of this

00:17:25.479 --> 00:17:25.939
 is just

00:17:25.939 --> 00:17:27.679
 one continuous flow

00:17:27.679 --> 00:17:28.359
 of reason

00:17:28.359 --> 00:17:29.159
 after reason

00:17:29.159 --> 00:17:29.879
 after reason

00:17:29.879 --> 00:17:30.879
 why the Lord

00:17:30.879 --> 00:17:32.019
 is worthy

00:17:32.019 --> 00:17:33.220
 of praise

00:17:33.220 --> 00:17:34.160
 and blessing

00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:34.759
 and honor.

00:17:35.819 --> 00:17:36.740
 Reason number one

00:17:36.740 --> 00:17:38.180
 praise be

00:17:38.180 --> 00:17:38.740
 to the Lord

00:17:38.740 --> 00:17:39.599
 the God of Israel.

00:17:39.799 --> 00:17:40.019
 Why?

00:17:40.440 --> 00:17:41.379
 Because he has

00:17:41.379 --> 00:17:41.980
 come

00:17:41.980 --> 00:17:43.740
 to his people.

00:17:45.339 --> 00:17:46.500
 Now it's unclear

00:17:46.500 --> 00:17:47.200
 at this point

00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:47.980
 just how much

00:17:47.980 --> 00:17:49.319
 Zachariah understood

00:17:49.319 --> 00:17:51.400
 as he said this.

00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:53.000
 I mean is he thinking

00:17:53.000 --> 00:17:53.480
 you know

00:17:53.480 --> 00:17:54.740
 God is drawing near

00:17:54.740 --> 00:17:55.480
 he's coming

00:17:55.480 --> 00:17:56.599
 he's visiting us

00:17:56.599 --> 00:17:57.639
 with his aid

00:17:57.639 --> 00:17:58.819
 his help

00:17:58.819 --> 00:17:59.400
 in these

00:17:59.400 --> 00:18:00.920
 tumultuous days.

00:18:00.920 --> 00:18:02.680
 I think that

00:18:02.680 --> 00:18:03.380
 by the spirit

00:18:03.380 --> 00:18:04.160
 though he spoke

00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:05.140
 better than he knew

00:18:05.140 --> 00:18:06.840
 for in fact

00:18:06.840 --> 00:18:07.420
 as the story

00:18:07.420 --> 00:18:07.940
 goes on

00:18:07.940 --> 00:18:08.360
 we're soon

00:18:08.360 --> 00:18:09.060
 going to discover

00:18:09.060 --> 00:18:10.759
 that the Lord

00:18:10.759 --> 00:18:11.860
 God of Israel

00:18:11.860 --> 00:18:12.600
 himself

00:18:12.600 --> 00:18:13.640
 is in

00:18:13.640 --> 00:18:14.279
 the womb

00:18:14.279 --> 00:18:15.740
 of Mary.

00:18:17.019 --> 00:18:18.300
 He has taken

00:18:18.300 --> 00:18:19.600
 on human flesh

00:18:19.600 --> 00:18:20.680
 and has come

00:18:20.680 --> 00:18:22.580
 to dwell

00:18:22.580 --> 00:18:23.259
 among us.

00:18:24.700 --> 00:18:26.000
 The God of Israel

00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:26.759
 has come

00:18:26.759 --> 00:18:27.700
 to his people.

00:18:27.700 --> 00:18:31.720
 reason number

00:18:31.720 --> 00:18:32.100
 two

00:18:32.100 --> 00:18:32.900
 to praise

00:18:32.900 --> 00:18:34.220
 blessed be

00:18:34.220 --> 00:18:34.580
 the Lord

00:18:34.580 --> 00:18:35.279
 God of Israel

00:18:35.279 --> 00:18:35.980
 because he has

00:18:35.980 --> 00:18:36.900
 come to his people

00:18:36.900 --> 00:18:38.460
 and redeemed

00:18:38.460 --> 00:18:38.840
 them.

00:18:40.580 --> 00:18:41.299
 He's come

00:18:41.299 --> 00:18:41.920
 to set us

00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:42.319
 free.

00:18:43.000 --> 00:18:43.480
 He's come

00:18:43.480 --> 00:18:44.160
 to buy us

00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:45.340
 back to himself

00:18:45.340 --> 00:18:47.620
 and again

00:18:47.620 --> 00:18:48.340
 did Zachariah

00:18:48.340 --> 00:18:49.319
 have any idea

00:18:49.319 --> 00:18:50.080
 of just what

00:18:50.080 --> 00:18:51.059
 this would entail?

00:18:53.420 --> 00:18:54.539
 What the price

00:18:54.539 --> 00:18:55.200
 of redemption

00:18:55.200 --> 00:18:56.779
 would be?

00:18:57.700 --> 00:19:00.340
 what kind

00:19:00.340 --> 00:19:00.900
 of setting

00:19:00.900 --> 00:19:01.319
 free

00:19:01.319 --> 00:19:02.160
 is Zachariah

00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:03.319
 thinking about

00:19:03.319 --> 00:19:03.580
 here?

00:19:05.980 --> 00:19:06.779
 We might get

00:19:06.779 --> 00:19:07.140
 a sense

00:19:07.140 --> 00:19:07.700
 in a moment.

00:19:09.539 --> 00:19:10.299
 Reason number

00:19:10.299 --> 00:19:10.640
 three

00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:11.380
 praise be

00:19:11.380 --> 00:19:11.980
 to the Lord

00:19:11.980 --> 00:19:12.380
 the God

00:19:12.380 --> 00:19:12.840
 of Israel

00:19:12.840 --> 00:19:13.400
 because

00:19:13.400 --> 00:19:14.720
 he has

00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:15.580
 raised up

00:19:15.580 --> 00:19:16.240
 a horn

00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:17.279
 of salvation

00:19:17.279 --> 00:19:17.940
 for us

00:19:17.940 --> 00:19:18.720
 in the house

00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:19.559
 of his servant

00:19:19.559 --> 00:19:20.059
 David.

00:19:21.120 --> 00:19:21.940
 The horn

00:19:21.940 --> 00:19:22.720
 of an animal

00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:24.360
 symbolized

00:19:24.360 --> 00:19:25.100
 the strength

00:19:25.100 --> 00:19:26.120
 or power

00:19:26.120 --> 00:19:27.240
 of an animal.

00:19:27.700 --> 00:19:28.460
 And this

00:19:28.460 --> 00:19:29.319
 language of horn

00:19:29.319 --> 00:19:29.920
 was used

00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:30.380
 in the Old

00:19:30.380 --> 00:19:30.799
 Testament

00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:32.140
 often metaphorically

00:19:32.140 --> 00:19:33.180
 to refer to

00:19:33.180 --> 00:19:33.819
 the powerful

00:19:33.819 --> 00:19:34.400
 king

00:19:34.400 --> 00:19:35.640
 of a kingdom.

00:19:37.380 --> 00:19:37.620
 And so

00:19:37.620 --> 00:19:37.940
 what is

00:19:37.940 --> 00:19:38.600
 Zachariah

00:19:38.600 --> 00:19:39.960
 saying here?

00:19:40.559 --> 00:19:41.220
 He's saying

00:19:41.220 --> 00:19:41.720
 that God

00:19:41.720 --> 00:19:42.500
 has raised

00:19:42.500 --> 00:19:43.660
 up a strong

00:19:43.660 --> 00:19:44.200
 king

00:19:44.200 --> 00:19:45.299
 for us

00:19:45.299 --> 00:19:46.240
 in the house

00:19:46.240 --> 00:19:47.640
 of his servant

00:19:47.640 --> 00:19:48.180
 David.

00:19:48.180 --> 00:19:51.000
 and the

00:19:51.000 --> 00:19:51.480
 lineage

00:19:51.480 --> 00:19:52.200
 of David

00:19:52.200 --> 00:19:53.019
 is significant

00:19:53.019 --> 00:19:53.680
 because of

00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:54.340
 the promises

00:19:54.340 --> 00:19:55.340
 that were

00:19:55.340 --> 00:19:55.880
 made to

00:19:55.880 --> 00:19:56.240
 David

00:19:56.240 --> 00:19:57.279
 a thousand

00:19:57.279 --> 00:19:58.100
 years earlier

00:19:58.100 --> 00:19:59.180
 that a

00:19:59.180 --> 00:19:59.799
 son of his

00:19:59.799 --> 00:20:00.539
 would reign

00:20:00.539 --> 00:20:01.680
 on his

00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:02.060
 throne.

00:20:03.240 --> 00:20:03.740
 Zachariah is

00:20:03.740 --> 00:20:04.360
 referring to

00:20:04.360 --> 00:20:04.900
 the Messiah.

00:20:06.019 --> 00:20:06.480
 God has

00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:07.279
 raised up

00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:07.600
 for us

00:20:07.600 --> 00:20:08.180
 that great

00:20:08.180 --> 00:20:08.900
 son of David

00:20:08.900 --> 00:20:09.360
 whom we've

00:20:09.360 --> 00:20:09.880
 been waiting

00:20:09.880 --> 00:20:10.279
 for.

00:20:10.940 --> 00:20:11.900
 The Messiah

00:20:11.900 --> 00:20:13.340
 to be

00:20:13.340 --> 00:20:13.860
 our king.

00:20:13.859 --> 00:20:17.359
 reason number

00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:17.759
 four.

00:20:19.079 --> 00:20:19.639
 Praise be

00:20:19.639 --> 00:20:20.000
 to the

00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:20.419
 Lord God

00:20:20.419 --> 00:20:21.019
 of Israel

00:20:21.019 --> 00:20:22.139
 because he

00:20:22.139 --> 00:20:22.679
 has done

00:20:22.679 --> 00:20:23.459
 all this

00:20:23.459 --> 00:20:24.279
 as he

00:20:24.279 --> 00:20:24.759
 said

00:20:24.759 --> 00:20:25.899
 through his

00:20:25.899 --> 00:20:26.740
 holy prophets

00:20:26.740 --> 00:20:27.759
 of long

00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:28.099
 ago.

00:20:30.459 --> 00:20:31.299
 He is a

00:20:31.299 --> 00:20:31.819
 God who

00:20:31.819 --> 00:20:32.439
 keeps his

00:20:32.439 --> 00:20:32.759
 word.

00:20:34.599 --> 00:20:35.139
 The

00:20:35.139 --> 00:20:35.519
 fulfillment

00:20:35.519 --> 00:20:36.240
 was a long

00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:36.779
 time in the

00:20:36.779 --> 00:20:37.059
 coming,

00:20:37.179 --> 00:20:37.459
 a long

00:20:37.459 --> 00:20:37.959
 time in the

00:20:37.959 --> 00:20:38.240
 waiting,

00:20:38.599 --> 00:20:39.319
 but what he

00:20:39.319 --> 00:20:39.819
 said he

00:20:39.819 --> 00:20:40.299
 would do

00:20:40.299 --> 00:20:41.079
 he has

00:20:41.079 --> 00:20:41.599
 now done.

00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:43.219
 He is a

00:20:43.220 --> 00:20:44.019
 faithful God

00:20:44.019 --> 00:20:44.400
 and so

00:20:44.400 --> 00:20:45.059
 praise be

00:20:45.059 --> 00:20:45.480
 to his

00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:45.799
 name.

00:20:48.779 --> 00:20:49.319
 Reason

00:20:49.319 --> 00:20:49.600
 number

00:20:49.600 --> 00:20:50.079
 five.

00:20:51.620 --> 00:20:52.220
 Praise be

00:20:52.220 --> 00:20:52.620
 to the

00:20:52.620 --> 00:20:52.920
 Lord,

00:20:53.039 --> 00:20:53.420
 the God

00:20:53.420 --> 00:20:53.960
 of Israel

00:20:53.960 --> 00:20:54.920
 because he

00:20:54.920 --> 00:20:55.559
 has raised

00:20:55.559 --> 00:20:55.940
 up a

00:20:55.940 --> 00:20:56.600
 horn of

00:20:56.600 --> 00:20:57.600
 salvation

00:20:57.600 --> 00:20:59.539
 for us.

00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:01.140
 So he

00:21:01.140 --> 00:21:01.640
 will be a

00:21:01.640 --> 00:21:02.500
 powerful king

00:21:02.500 --> 00:21:03.400
 who will

00:21:03.400 --> 00:21:04.039
 bring about

00:21:04.039 --> 00:21:05.120
 our salvation

00:21:05.120 --> 00:21:07.620
 and what's

00:21:07.620 --> 00:21:08.920
 perhaps a

00:21:08.920 --> 00:21:09.740
 little surprising

00:21:09.740 --> 00:21:10.720
 and unexpected

00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:11.539
 to us

00:21:11.539 --> 00:21:12.620
 here is what

00:21:12.619 --> 00:21:13.079
 kind of

00:21:13.079 --> 00:21:13.699
 salvation

00:21:13.699 --> 00:21:14.439
 Zachariah

00:21:14.439 --> 00:21:14.879
 has in

00:21:14.879 --> 00:21:15.239
 mind.

00:21:17.119 --> 00:21:17.719
 We

00:21:17.719 --> 00:21:18.199
 expect

00:21:18.199 --> 00:21:19.019
 verse 71

00:21:19.019 --> 00:21:20.299
 to

00:21:20.299 --> 00:21:21.919
 explain

00:21:21.919 --> 00:21:22.439
 this

00:21:22.439 --> 00:21:22.979
 salvation

00:21:22.979 --> 00:21:23.739
 first and

00:21:23.739 --> 00:21:24.199
 foremost

00:21:24.199 --> 00:21:25.059
 as salvation

00:21:25.059 --> 00:21:25.799
 from our

00:21:25.799 --> 00:21:29.699
 sins,

00:21:30.079 --> 00:21:31.279
 salvation

00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:31.919
 from our

00:21:31.919 --> 00:21:32.539
 guilt,

00:21:33.919 --> 00:21:34.739
 but

00:21:34.739 --> 00:21:35.279
 Zachariah is

00:21:35.279 --> 00:21:35.719
 not thinking

00:21:35.719 --> 00:21:36.359
 about that.

00:21:37.399 --> 00:21:38.279
 Not yet,

00:21:38.419 --> 00:21:38.799
 anyway.

00:21:38.799 --> 00:21:41.799
 salvation

00:21:41.799 --> 00:21:42.700
 verse 71

00:21:42.700 --> 00:21:43.599
 from our

00:21:43.599 --> 00:21:44.539
 enemies

00:21:44.539 --> 00:21:46.659
 and

00:21:46.659 --> 00:21:47.759
 from the

00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:48.259
 hand

00:21:48.259 --> 00:21:49.240
 of all

00:21:49.240 --> 00:21:50.079
 who hate

00:21:50.079 --> 00:21:50.460
 us.

00:21:51.319 --> 00:21:51.980
 Salvation

00:21:51.980 --> 00:21:52.559
 from our

00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:53.220
 enemies

00:21:53.220 --> 00:21:54.960
 and from

00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:55.399
 the hand

00:21:55.399 --> 00:21:55.759
 of all

00:21:55.759 --> 00:21:56.220
 who hate

00:21:56.220 --> 00:21:56.559
 us.

00:21:58.240 --> 00:21:58.859
 Whenever

00:21:58.859 --> 00:21:59.419
 God says

00:21:59.419 --> 00:22:00.079
 something other

00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:00.839
 than what we

00:22:00.839 --> 00:22:01.519
 might expect,

00:22:01.639 --> 00:22:01.960
 we ought to

00:22:01.960 --> 00:22:02.619
 slow down.

00:22:02.619 --> 00:22:04.979
 we ought to

00:22:04.979 --> 00:22:05.819
 really think

00:22:05.819 --> 00:22:06.699
 about why.

00:22:08.399 --> 00:22:09.319
 As I said

00:22:09.319 --> 00:22:09.939
 last week,

00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:10.439
 we need to

00:22:10.439 --> 00:22:11.539
 remember that

00:22:11.539 --> 00:22:12.359
 the idea of

00:22:12.359 --> 00:22:13.039
 God as our

00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:14.399
 Savior is

00:22:14.399 --> 00:22:15.459
 much bigger

00:22:15.459 --> 00:22:16.379
 than just

00:22:16.379 --> 00:22:17.279
 salvation from

00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:17.719
 sins.

00:22:18.339 --> 00:22:18.519
 I mean,

00:22:18.579 --> 00:22:19.299
 salvation from

00:22:19.299 --> 00:22:19.779
 sins is

00:22:19.779 --> 00:22:20.639
 amazing,

00:22:20.839 --> 00:22:21.500
 it's huge,

00:22:21.579 --> 00:22:22.199
 it's wonderful,

00:22:22.619 --> 00:22:23.379
 it's true,

00:22:23.879 --> 00:22:26.000
 but God as

00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:26.759
 our Savior is

00:22:26.759 --> 00:22:27.379
 even more than

00:22:27.379 --> 00:22:27.699
 that.

00:22:27.700 --> 00:22:29.420
 there's a

00:22:29.420 --> 00:22:30.160
 whole history

00:22:30.160 --> 00:22:30.500
 of the

00:22:30.500 --> 00:22:31.039
 people of

00:22:31.039 --> 00:22:32.720
 God over

00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:33.900
 millennia leading

00:22:33.900 --> 00:22:34.519
 up to this

00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:35.180
 where God's

00:22:35.180 --> 00:22:35.559
 people,

00:22:35.960 --> 00:22:36.360
 Abraham,

00:22:37.360 --> 00:22:37.860
 Isaac,

00:22:38.420 --> 00:22:38.900
 Israel,

00:22:39.059 --> 00:22:39.539
 the children

00:22:39.539 --> 00:22:40.059
 of Israel

00:22:40.059 --> 00:22:40.980
 learned that

00:22:40.980 --> 00:22:41.539
 God was

00:22:41.539 --> 00:22:41.799
 their

00:22:41.799 --> 00:22:42.660
 deliverer,

00:22:42.900 --> 00:22:43.340
 God was

00:22:43.340 --> 00:22:44.019
 their Savior

00:22:44.019 --> 00:22:45.220
 in countless

00:22:45.220 --> 00:22:46.140
 different ways

00:22:46.140 --> 00:22:49.319
 and salvation

00:22:49.319 --> 00:22:50.180
 or deliverance

00:22:50.180 --> 00:22:51.019
 from enemies

00:22:51.019 --> 00:22:54.180
 was a big

00:22:54.180 --> 00:22:54.460
 way,

00:22:55.259 --> 00:22:55.860
 one of the

00:22:55.860 --> 00:22:56.620
 biggest ways.

00:22:57.700 --> 00:22:59.240
 think about

00:22:59.240 --> 00:23:00.440
 what God

00:23:00.440 --> 00:23:02.400
 did through

00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:03.180
 the great

00:23:03.180 --> 00:23:04.259
 king David

00:23:04.259 --> 00:23:05.360
 for his

00:23:05.360 --> 00:23:05.740
 people.

00:23:07.100 --> 00:23:08.440
 He raised

00:23:08.440 --> 00:23:09.620
 David up

00:23:09.620 --> 00:23:12.519
 and through

00:23:12.519 --> 00:23:13.380
 David gave

00:23:13.380 --> 00:23:13.960
 his people

00:23:13.960 --> 00:23:15.120
 victory over

00:23:15.120 --> 00:23:16.000
 all their

00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:16.559
 enemies,

00:23:16.840 --> 00:23:17.640
 all around

00:23:17.640 --> 00:23:17.960
 them,

00:23:18.779 --> 00:23:19.500
 and they

00:23:19.500 --> 00:23:20.120
 were bitter

00:23:20.120 --> 00:23:20.940
 and ruthless

00:23:20.940 --> 00:23:21.779
 enemies with

00:23:21.779 --> 00:23:22.200
 whom there

00:23:22.200 --> 00:23:23.500
 was generations

00:23:23.500 --> 00:23:24.720
 of conflict

00:23:24.720 --> 00:23:25.460
 and war.

00:23:25.460 --> 00:23:27.700
 those were

00:23:27.700 --> 00:23:28.500
 tough years.

00:23:30.360 --> 00:23:31.120
 It was

00:23:31.120 --> 00:23:31.680
 under David

00:23:31.680 --> 00:23:32.279
 that for the

00:23:32.279 --> 00:23:33.000
 first time

00:23:33.000 --> 00:23:34.059
 in centuries

00:23:34.059 --> 00:23:34.960
 Israel was

00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:37.039
 saved from

00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:37.539
 all her

00:23:37.539 --> 00:23:38.019
 enemies.

00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:39.940
 And now

00:23:39.940 --> 00:23:40.640
 the greater

00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:41.440
 son of

00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:41.799
 David,

00:23:42.620 --> 00:23:43.299
 the Messiah,

00:23:43.799 --> 00:23:44.400
 is here.

00:23:44.920 --> 00:23:45.240
 And so

00:23:45.240 --> 00:23:45.940
 what are the

00:23:45.940 --> 00:23:47.059
 expectations of

00:23:47.059 --> 00:23:47.579
 the faithful?

00:23:49.120 --> 00:23:50.180
 No less.

00:23:50.180 --> 00:23:53.440
 And make

00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:53.960
 no mistake

00:23:53.960 --> 00:23:54.160
 here,

00:23:54.220 --> 00:23:54.680
 we might be

00:23:54.680 --> 00:23:55.180
 tempted to

00:23:55.180 --> 00:23:55.620
 think that

00:23:55.620 --> 00:23:56.539
 Zechariah is

00:23:56.539 --> 00:23:58.000
 mistaking the

00:23:58.000 --> 00:23:58.980
 kind of salvation

00:23:58.980 --> 00:23:59.480
 that the

00:23:59.480 --> 00:24:00.080
 Messiah has

00:24:00.080 --> 00:24:00.500
 come to

00:24:00.500 --> 00:24:00.799
 bring.

00:24:01.340 --> 00:24:02.140
 We might be

00:24:02.140 --> 00:24:02.680
 tempted to

00:24:02.680 --> 00:24:03.259
 think that

00:24:03.259 --> 00:24:04.500
 Zechariah is

00:24:04.500 --> 00:24:05.299
 just expecting

00:24:05.299 --> 00:24:06.200
 this child of

00:24:06.200 --> 00:24:06.940
 Mary's to be

00:24:06.940 --> 00:24:07.660
 the one who

00:24:07.660 --> 00:24:08.440
 liberates them

00:24:08.440 --> 00:24:09.000
 from Roman

00:24:09.000 --> 00:24:09.420
 rule.

00:24:10.380 --> 00:24:11.140
 Because that's

00:24:11.140 --> 00:24:11.560
 what a lot of

00:24:11.560 --> 00:24:12.000
 people in

00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:13.100
 Israel at

00:24:13.100 --> 00:24:13.720
 that time

00:24:13.720 --> 00:24:14.279
 were longing

00:24:14.279 --> 00:24:14.740
 for and

00:24:14.740 --> 00:24:15.440
 hoping for.

00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:17.320
 But I would

00:24:17.320 --> 00:24:17.900
 suggest to you

00:24:17.900 --> 00:24:18.559
 that Zechariah

00:24:18.559 --> 00:24:19.680
 is not mistaken

00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:20.680
 or short-sighted

00:24:20.680 --> 00:24:20.920
 here.

00:24:21.279 --> 00:24:22.059
 I would suggest

00:24:22.059 --> 00:24:22.480
 to you that

00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:23.220
 Zechariah's

00:24:23.220 --> 00:24:24.240
 understanding of

00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:24.640
 what the

00:24:24.640 --> 00:24:25.279
 Messiah will

00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:25.980
 do for his

00:24:25.980 --> 00:24:26.480
 people,

00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:28.240
 bringing salvation

00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:29.039
 from our

00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:29.519
 enemies,

00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:30.860
 is precisely

00:24:30.860 --> 00:24:31.559
 what God

00:24:31.559 --> 00:24:33.059
 declared through

00:24:33.059 --> 00:24:33.720
 the prophets

00:24:33.720 --> 00:24:35.460
 centuries earlier.

00:24:37.779 --> 00:24:38.820
 We might be

00:24:38.820 --> 00:24:39.759
 tempted 2,000

00:24:39.759 --> 00:24:40.620
 years later to

00:24:40.620 --> 00:24:41.539
 look back on

00:24:41.539 --> 00:24:42.100
 this and say,

00:24:42.220 --> 00:24:42.580
 well, these

00:24:42.580 --> 00:24:44.279
 enemies must be

00:24:44.279 --> 00:24:45.279
 spiritual enemies.

00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:46.400
 like the

00:24:46.400 --> 00:24:46.860
 enemy of

00:24:46.860 --> 00:24:48.740
 sin or

00:24:48.740 --> 00:24:49.200
 the devil.

00:24:50.900 --> 00:24:51.500
 And certainly

00:24:51.500 --> 00:24:52.340
 Jesus is the

00:24:52.340 --> 00:24:53.039
 one who saves

00:24:53.039 --> 00:24:54.299
 us from both.

00:24:55.059 --> 00:24:55.660
 But I don't

00:24:55.660 --> 00:24:56.080
 think that's

00:24:56.080 --> 00:24:56.680
 what Zechariah

00:24:56.680 --> 00:24:57.279
 was meaning

00:24:57.279 --> 00:24:57.880
 as he said

00:24:57.880 --> 00:24:58.299
 this.

00:25:00.820 --> 00:25:01.920
 God himself,

00:25:02.180 --> 00:25:02.480
 through the

00:25:02.480 --> 00:25:03.080
 prophets of

00:25:03.080 --> 00:25:04.340
 old, taught

00:25:04.340 --> 00:25:05.779
 his people to

00:25:05.779 --> 00:25:06.660
 expect a

00:25:06.660 --> 00:25:07.220
 savior who

00:25:07.220 --> 00:25:07.799
 would deliver

00:25:07.799 --> 00:25:08.420
 them from

00:25:08.420 --> 00:25:09.480
 their enemies,

00:25:09.660 --> 00:25:10.279
 their flesh

00:25:10.279 --> 00:25:10.920
 and blood

00:25:10.920 --> 00:25:11.480
 enemies.

00:25:13.400 --> 00:25:14.120
 And there

00:25:14.120 --> 00:25:14.460
 are many

00:25:14.460 --> 00:25:15.220
 passages that

00:25:15.220 --> 00:25:15.680
 we could look

00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:16.180
 back to in

00:25:16.180 --> 00:25:16.420
 the Old

00:25:16.420 --> 00:25:16.779
 Testament.

00:25:16.980 --> 00:25:17.480
 For time's

00:25:17.480 --> 00:25:17.839
 sake this

00:25:17.839 --> 00:25:18.259
 morning, we're

00:25:18.259 --> 00:25:18.640
 just going to

00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:19.259
 look at one,

00:25:19.640 --> 00:25:20.180
 a familiar

00:25:20.180 --> 00:25:20.620
 one.

00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:22.019
 Micah 5,

00:25:22.299 --> 00:25:22.880
 verse 2.

00:25:24.779 --> 00:25:25.740
 This is God

00:25:25.740 --> 00:25:26.559
 speaking through

00:25:26.559 --> 00:25:27.339
 Micah 700

00:25:27.339 --> 00:25:28.700
 years before

00:25:28.700 --> 00:25:29.480
 Jesus was

00:25:29.480 --> 00:25:29.799
 born.

00:25:30.180 --> 00:25:32.220
 But you,

00:25:32.600 --> 00:25:33.180
 Bethlehem

00:25:33.180 --> 00:25:33.900
 Ephrathah,

00:25:34.680 --> 00:25:35.200
 though you are

00:25:35.200 --> 00:25:36.079
 small among the

00:25:36.079 --> 00:25:36.920
 clans of Judah,

00:25:37.779 --> 00:25:38.660
 out of you will

00:25:38.660 --> 00:25:39.740
 come for me one

00:25:39.740 --> 00:25:40.720
 who will be ruler

00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:41.779
 over Israel,

00:25:42.039 --> 00:25:43.180
 whose origins are

00:25:43.180 --> 00:25:43.960
 from of old,

00:25:44.440 --> 00:25:45.299
 from ancient

00:25:45.299 --> 00:25:45.880
 times.

00:25:47.560 --> 00:25:47.880
 Therefore,

00:25:48.560 --> 00:25:49.400
 Israel will be

00:25:49.400 --> 00:25:50.480
 abandoned until

00:25:50.480 --> 00:25:51.279
 the time when

00:25:51.279 --> 00:25:52.039
 she who is in

00:25:52.039 --> 00:25:53.500
 labor bears a

00:25:53.500 --> 00:25:54.980
 son, and the

00:25:54.980 --> 00:25:55.580
 rest of his

00:25:55.580 --> 00:25:56.500
 brothers return

00:25:56.500 --> 00:25:57.980
 to join the

00:25:57.980 --> 00:25:58.519
 Israelites.

00:25:59.519 --> 00:26:00.820
 He will stand

00:26:00.820 --> 00:26:02.160
 and shepherd his

00:26:02.160 --> 00:26:02.860
 flock in the

00:26:02.860 --> 00:26:03.580
 strength of the

00:26:03.580 --> 00:26:05.019
 Lord, in the

00:26:05.019 --> 00:26:06.500
 majesty of the

00:26:06.500 --> 00:26:07.600
 name of the

00:26:07.600 --> 00:26:09.360
 Lord, his God.

00:26:09.359 --> 00:26:10.779
 God, and

00:26:10.779 --> 00:26:11.559
 they will live

00:26:11.559 --> 00:26:13.559
 securely, for

00:26:13.559 --> 00:26:14.679
 then his

00:26:14.679 --> 00:26:15.519
 greatness will

00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:16.259
 reach to the

00:26:16.259 --> 00:26:16.819
 ends of the

00:26:16.819 --> 00:26:17.139
 earth.

00:26:18.819 --> 00:26:19.959
 It goes on.

00:26:20.779 --> 00:26:21.599
 And he will

00:26:21.599 --> 00:26:22.719
 be our peace

00:26:22.719 --> 00:26:23.500
 when the

00:26:23.500 --> 00:26:24.539
 Assyrians invade

00:26:24.539 --> 00:26:25.299
 our land and

00:26:25.299 --> 00:26:26.219
 march through our

00:26:26.219 --> 00:26:27.079
 fortresses.

00:26:27.659 --> 00:26:28.679
 We will raise

00:26:28.679 --> 00:26:29.359
 against them

00:26:29.359 --> 00:26:30.439
 seven shepherds,

00:26:30.719 --> 00:26:31.519
 even eight

00:26:31.519 --> 00:26:32.879
 commanders, who

00:26:32.879 --> 00:26:33.699
 will rule the

00:26:33.699 --> 00:26:34.679
 land of Assyria

00:26:34.679 --> 00:26:35.439
 with the sword,

00:26:36.240 --> 00:26:36.859
 the land of

00:26:36.859 --> 00:26:37.599
 Nimrod with

00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:38.439
 drawn sword.

00:26:39.359 --> 00:26:40.799
 He will

00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:41.740
 deliver us from

00:26:41.740 --> 00:26:42.559
 the Assyrians

00:26:42.559 --> 00:26:43.379
 when they invade

00:26:43.379 --> 00:26:45.119
 our land and

00:26:45.119 --> 00:26:47.199
 march across our

00:26:47.199 --> 00:26:47.659
 borders.

00:26:49.959 --> 00:26:51.000
 This is one of

00:26:51.000 --> 00:26:51.699
 those interesting

00:26:51.699 --> 00:26:52.619
 passages in the

00:26:52.619 --> 00:26:53.219
 Old Testament

00:26:53.219 --> 00:26:53.979
 where we're left

00:26:53.979 --> 00:26:56.500
 wondering, is he

00:26:56.500 --> 00:26:57.539
 talking about the

00:26:57.539 --> 00:26:59.619
 near future, or

00:26:59.619 --> 00:27:00.479
 is he talking about

00:27:00.479 --> 00:27:01.539
 the distant future?

00:27:03.439 --> 00:27:03.899
 I mean, the

00:27:03.899 --> 00:27:05.059
 Assyrian Empire,

00:27:05.259 --> 00:27:07.859
 that's way before

00:27:07.859 --> 00:27:09.240
 Jesus came.

00:27:09.359 --> 00:27:11.099
 it reached its

00:27:11.099 --> 00:27:11.740
 pinnacle around

00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:12.500
 the time of the

00:27:12.500 --> 00:27:13.279
 prophet Micah.

00:27:14.719 --> 00:27:15.359
 The Assyrians

00:27:15.359 --> 00:27:16.859
 came and they

00:27:16.859 --> 00:27:17.479
 conquered the

00:27:17.479 --> 00:27:18.139
 northern kingdom

00:27:18.139 --> 00:27:18.719
 of Israel.

00:27:18.979 --> 00:27:19.959
 They invaded the

00:27:19.959 --> 00:27:20.240
 land.

00:27:20.379 --> 00:27:20.959
 They marched

00:27:20.959 --> 00:27:21.659
 through their

00:27:21.659 --> 00:27:22.639
 fortresses way

00:27:22.639 --> 00:27:23.799
 back then in the

00:27:23.799 --> 00:27:25.339
 days of Micah

00:27:25.339 --> 00:27:26.719
 and King

00:27:26.719 --> 00:27:27.379
 Hezekiah.

00:27:27.380 --> 00:27:27.440
 Israel.

00:27:27.880 --> 00:27:31.440
 But this prophecy

00:27:31.440 --> 00:27:32.580
 speaks of one

00:27:32.580 --> 00:27:33.820
 who will be

00:27:33.820 --> 00:27:34.520
 born in

00:27:34.520 --> 00:27:35.920
 Bethlehem, a

00:27:35.920 --> 00:27:37.540
 ruler whose

00:27:37.540 --> 00:27:39.300
 greatness will

00:27:39.300 --> 00:27:40.220
 reach to the

00:27:40.220 --> 00:27:40.960
 ends of the

00:27:40.960 --> 00:27:41.320
 earth.

00:27:41.319 --> 00:27:41.379
 death.

00:27:44.379 --> 00:27:45.659
 That wasn't back

00:27:45.659 --> 00:27:45.960
 then.

00:27:47.339 --> 00:27:48.359
 One who will

00:27:48.359 --> 00:27:48.839
 cause his

00:27:48.839 --> 00:27:49.659
 people to live

00:27:49.659 --> 00:27:50.299
 securely.

00:27:52.679 --> 00:27:53.859
 This prophecy

00:27:53.859 --> 00:27:54.859
 speaks of how

00:27:54.859 --> 00:27:55.619
 this ruler will

00:27:55.619 --> 00:27:57.019
 come later,

00:27:57.599 --> 00:27:58.519
 after the

00:27:58.519 --> 00:27:59.259
 abandonment of

00:27:59.259 --> 00:28:00.839
 Israel, not

00:28:00.839 --> 00:28:01.359
 immediately.

00:28:01.359 --> 00:28:04.699
 this prophecy

00:28:04.699 --> 00:28:05.479
 speaks of how

00:28:05.479 --> 00:28:06.199
 this ruler will

00:28:06.199 --> 00:28:06.859
 deliver his

00:28:06.859 --> 00:28:08.439
 people from

00:28:08.439 --> 00:28:09.259
 the Assyrian

00:28:09.259 --> 00:28:11.000
 who invades

00:28:11.000 --> 00:28:12.459
 so successfully

00:28:12.459 --> 00:28:13.639
 that the

00:28:13.639 --> 00:28:14.219
 shepherds and

00:28:14.219 --> 00:28:14.979
 commanders of

00:28:14.979 --> 00:28:15.939
 Israel will

00:28:15.939 --> 00:28:16.899
 rule or will

00:28:16.899 --> 00:28:18.619
 crush the land

00:28:18.619 --> 00:28:19.419
 of Assyria with

00:28:19.419 --> 00:28:19.919
 the sword.

00:28:21.179 --> 00:28:21.579
 Well, that

00:28:21.579 --> 00:28:23.139
 certainly didn't

00:28:23.139 --> 00:28:24.439
 happen back in

00:28:24.439 --> 00:28:25.339
 those days of

00:28:25.339 --> 00:28:25.919
 Hezekiah.

00:28:25.920 --> 00:28:28.779
 It seems to

00:28:28.779 --> 00:28:29.500
 point to a

00:28:29.500 --> 00:28:31.160
 distant future

00:28:31.160 --> 00:28:32.400
 ruler or

00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:33.240
 king who will

00:28:33.240 --> 00:28:34.320
 save and

00:28:34.320 --> 00:28:35.380
 deliver the

00:28:35.380 --> 00:28:35.880
 people of

00:28:35.880 --> 00:28:36.440
 Israel from

00:28:36.440 --> 00:28:36.960
 those who

00:28:36.960 --> 00:28:37.860
 invade and

00:28:37.860 --> 00:28:38.580
 bring lasting

00:28:38.580 --> 00:28:39.620
 security and

00:28:39.620 --> 00:28:40.180
 peace and

00:28:40.180 --> 00:28:41.240
 even dominion

00:28:41.240 --> 00:28:43.539
 over the

00:28:43.539 --> 00:28:44.120
 Assyrians.

00:28:45.940 --> 00:28:46.840
 Do you see

00:28:46.840 --> 00:28:47.480
 how God was

00:28:47.480 --> 00:28:48.080
 calling his

00:28:48.080 --> 00:28:50.019
 people to

00:28:50.019 --> 00:28:51.539
 hope in the

00:28:51.539 --> 00:28:52.140
 ruler who

00:28:52.140 --> 00:28:52.880
 would later be

00:28:52.880 --> 00:28:53.340
 born in

00:28:53.340 --> 00:28:53.900
 Bethlehem,

00:28:54.039 --> 00:28:55.060
 700 years

00:28:55.060 --> 00:28:55.539
 later,

00:28:55.920 --> 00:28:56.500
 he was

00:28:56.500 --> 00:28:57.019
 calling his

00:28:57.019 --> 00:28:57.519
 people to

00:28:57.519 --> 00:28:57.980
 hope in

00:28:57.980 --> 00:28:58.500
 him for

00:28:58.500 --> 00:28:59.259
 deliverance

00:28:59.259 --> 00:28:59.720
 from their

00:28:59.720 --> 00:29:00.500
 flesh and

00:29:00.500 --> 00:29:01.460
 blood enemies.

00:29:03.320 --> 00:29:03.920
 People,

00:29:04.340 --> 00:29:05.019
 men like

00:29:05.019 --> 00:29:05.759
 the Assyrians.

00:29:07.160 --> 00:29:07.900
 And then

00:29:07.900 --> 00:29:08.539
 after the

00:29:08.539 --> 00:29:09.160
 Assyrians

00:29:09.160 --> 00:29:10.160
 came the

00:29:10.160 --> 00:29:10.980
 Babylonians.

00:29:12.039 --> 00:29:12.759
 And then

00:29:12.759 --> 00:29:13.300
 after them

00:29:13.300 --> 00:29:13.759
 came the

00:29:13.759 --> 00:29:14.259
 Medes and

00:29:14.259 --> 00:29:14.920
 the Persians.

00:29:15.800 --> 00:29:16.539
 And then

00:29:16.539 --> 00:29:16.980
 came the

00:29:16.980 --> 00:29:17.660
 Greek kings

00:29:17.660 --> 00:29:18.519
 and centuries

00:29:18.519 --> 00:29:19.420
 of bloodshed

00:29:19.420 --> 00:29:19.980
 and battle

00:29:19.980 --> 00:29:21.039
 fought between

00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:22.440
 the fractured

00:29:22.440 --> 00:29:23.279
 provinces of

00:29:23.279 --> 00:29:23.660
 the Greek

00:29:23.660 --> 00:29:24.340
 empire with

00:29:24.340 --> 00:29:25.140
 Israel caught

00:29:25.140 --> 00:29:25.820
 right in the

00:29:25.819 --> 00:29:26.059
 middle.

00:29:27.579 --> 00:29:28.220
 And then

00:29:28.220 --> 00:29:28.659
 came the

00:29:28.659 --> 00:29:29.039
 Romans.

00:29:31.519 --> 00:29:32.119
 And though

00:29:32.119 --> 00:29:32.619
 we may not

00:29:32.619 --> 00:29:33.500
 understand just

00:29:33.500 --> 00:29:34.139
 how everything

00:29:34.139 --> 00:29:35.000
 will conclude at

00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:35.619
 the end of our

00:29:35.619 --> 00:29:36.339
 world story,

00:29:36.700 --> 00:29:37.559
 it would seem

00:29:37.559 --> 00:29:38.019
 that the word

00:29:38.019 --> 00:29:38.859
 of God points

00:29:38.859 --> 00:29:40.299
 to future

00:29:40.299 --> 00:29:40.899
 times of

00:29:40.899 --> 00:29:41.779
 trouble for

00:29:41.779 --> 00:29:42.240
 the people

00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:42.740
 of God

00:29:42.740 --> 00:29:45.779
 and to a

00:29:45.779 --> 00:29:46.299
 physical

00:29:46.299 --> 00:29:47.960
 earthly reign

00:29:47.960 --> 00:29:49.019
 of Jesus

00:29:49.019 --> 00:29:50.379
 when he

00:29:50.379 --> 00:29:50.939
 returns.

00:29:50.940 --> 00:29:52.299
 an

00:29:52.299 --> 00:29:53.080
 establishment

00:29:53.080 --> 00:29:53.740
 of the

00:29:53.740 --> 00:29:54.100
 kingdom

00:29:54.100 --> 00:29:55.059
 of God,

00:29:55.660 --> 00:29:56.779
 the kingdom

00:29:56.779 --> 00:29:57.600
 of Israel

00:29:57.600 --> 00:29:58.259
 on the

00:29:58.259 --> 00:29:58.600
 earth.

00:29:59.900 --> 00:30:00.600
 And it

00:30:00.600 --> 00:30:01.000
 seems to

00:30:01.000 --> 00:30:01.440
 point even

00:30:01.440 --> 00:30:01.940
 to great

00:30:01.940 --> 00:30:02.539
 victories,

00:30:02.779 --> 00:30:03.440
 won in

00:30:03.440 --> 00:30:04.240
 battle against

00:30:04.240 --> 00:30:04.880
 all the

00:30:04.880 --> 00:30:05.779
 enemy opposing

00:30:05.779 --> 00:30:07.120
 nations

00:30:07.120 --> 00:30:08.440
 at that

00:30:08.440 --> 00:30:08.840
 time.

00:30:10.500 --> 00:30:11.360
 It would

00:30:11.360 --> 00:30:11.759
 seem to

00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:12.299
 point to a

00:30:12.299 --> 00:30:13.019
 Messiah who

00:30:13.019 --> 00:30:13.500
 will be the

00:30:13.500 --> 00:30:14.620
 great savior

00:30:14.620 --> 00:30:15.740
 and deliverer

00:30:15.740 --> 00:30:16.460
 of his

00:30:16.460 --> 00:30:17.740
 people in

00:30:17.740 --> 00:30:18.420
 that day

00:30:18.420 --> 00:30:19.000
 at the

00:30:19.000 --> 00:30:19.339
 end,

00:30:20.319 --> 00:30:21.940
 both Jew

00:30:21.940 --> 00:30:22.900
 and Gentile.

00:30:25.980 --> 00:30:26.880
 My purpose

00:30:26.880 --> 00:30:27.420
 here is not

00:30:27.420 --> 00:30:28.180
 to suggest a

00:30:28.180 --> 00:30:28.940
 fully fleshed

00:30:28.940 --> 00:30:29.579
 out timeline

00:30:29.579 --> 00:30:30.880
 or order of

00:30:30.880 --> 00:30:31.500
 events at the

00:30:31.500 --> 00:30:32.039
 end, but to

00:30:32.039 --> 00:30:32.880
 establish that

00:30:32.880 --> 00:30:33.799
 Zechariah was

00:30:33.799 --> 00:30:36.019
 right to

00:30:36.019 --> 00:30:37.019
 praise God

00:30:37.019 --> 00:30:38.039
 for a son

00:30:38.039 --> 00:30:38.740
 of David who

00:30:38.740 --> 00:30:39.339
 would bring

00:30:39.339 --> 00:30:41.539
 salvation from

00:30:41.539 --> 00:30:42.259
 our enemies,

00:30:43.059 --> 00:30:45.180
 who would

00:30:45.180 --> 00:30:46.120
 bring salvation

00:30:46.120 --> 00:30:46.620
 from the

00:30:46.620 --> 00:30:47.279
 hand of all

00:30:47.279 --> 00:30:47.799
 who hate

00:30:47.799 --> 00:30:48.099
 us.

00:30:49.339 --> 00:30:50.139
 This is a

00:30:50.139 --> 00:30:50.599
 part of the

00:30:50.599 --> 00:30:51.180
 story of

00:30:51.180 --> 00:30:51.940
 Jesus that's

00:30:51.940 --> 00:30:52.759
 still coming

00:30:52.759 --> 00:30:54.339
 for all who

00:30:54.339 --> 00:30:54.879
 belong to

00:30:54.879 --> 00:30:55.119
 him.

00:30:56.920 --> 00:30:57.639
 Listen to

00:30:57.639 --> 00:30:58.279
 this expressed

00:30:58.279 --> 00:30:58.740
 in the New

00:30:58.740 --> 00:30:59.379
 Testament by

00:30:59.379 --> 00:31:00.000
 the Apostle

00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:02.160
 Paul in

00:31:02.160 --> 00:31:02.839
 his letter to

00:31:02.839 --> 00:31:03.720
 the Thessalonian

00:31:03.720 --> 00:31:04.220
 church,

00:31:04.579 --> 00:31:05.619
 2 Thessalonians

00:31:05.619 --> 00:31:06.440
 chapter 1.

00:31:08.440 --> 00:31:08.740
 Therefore

00:31:08.740 --> 00:31:10.039
 among God's

00:31:10.039 --> 00:31:11.039
 churches we

00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:11.819
 boast about

00:31:11.819 --> 00:31:12.639
 your perseverance

00:31:12.639 --> 00:31:13.920
 and faith in

00:31:13.920 --> 00:31:14.559
 all the

00:31:14.559 --> 00:31:15.819
 persecutions and

00:31:15.819 --> 00:31:16.740
 trials you are

00:31:16.740 --> 00:31:17.200
 enduring.

00:31:17.279 --> 00:31:20.059
 there's the

00:31:20.059 --> 00:31:21.240
 enemies, there's

00:31:21.240 --> 00:31:21.879
 those who hate

00:31:21.879 --> 00:31:22.220
 us.

00:31:22.740 --> 00:31:23.519
 All this is

00:31:23.519 --> 00:31:24.220
 evidence that

00:31:24.220 --> 00:31:24.940
 God's judgment

00:31:24.940 --> 00:31:26.200
 is right and

00:31:26.200 --> 00:31:27.299
 as a result you

00:31:27.299 --> 00:31:28.139
 will be counted

00:31:28.139 --> 00:31:28.940
 worthy of the

00:31:28.940 --> 00:31:29.700
 kingdom of God

00:31:29.700 --> 00:31:30.339
 for which you

00:31:30.339 --> 00:31:30.960
 are suffering.

00:31:32.539 --> 00:31:33.779
 God is just.

00:31:34.599 --> 00:31:35.119
 He will pay

00:31:35.119 --> 00:31:36.139
 back trouble to

00:31:36.139 --> 00:31:36.660
 those who

00:31:36.660 --> 00:31:38.720
 trouble you and

00:31:38.720 --> 00:31:41.399
 give relief to

00:31:41.399 --> 00:31:42.119
 you who are

00:31:42.119 --> 00:31:42.579
 troubled.

00:31:42.940 --> 00:31:43.299
 There's the

00:31:43.299 --> 00:31:44.779
 rescuing, there's

00:31:44.779 --> 00:31:45.440
 salvation.

00:31:45.440 --> 00:31:48.099
 This will

00:31:48.099 --> 00:31:49.440
 happen when

00:31:49.440 --> 00:31:50.319
 the Lord Jesus

00:31:50.319 --> 00:31:51.139
 is revealed

00:31:51.139 --> 00:31:51.980
 from heaven

00:31:51.980 --> 00:31:53.480
 in blazing

00:31:53.480 --> 00:31:54.859
 fire with

00:31:54.859 --> 00:31:55.539
 his powerful

00:31:55.539 --> 00:31:56.759
 angels.

00:31:58.720 --> 00:31:59.680
 Salvation from

00:31:59.680 --> 00:32:00.799
 all our

00:32:00.799 --> 00:32:01.700
 enemies and

00:32:01.700 --> 00:32:02.480
 all who hate

00:32:02.480 --> 00:32:02.740
 us.

00:32:03.420 --> 00:32:04.240
 This is so much

00:32:04.240 --> 00:32:04.859
 in the mind and

00:32:04.859 --> 00:32:05.180
 heart of

00:32:05.180 --> 00:32:05.700
 Zachariah.

00:32:05.799 --> 00:32:06.279
 He says it

00:32:06.279 --> 00:32:07.059
 twice again in

00:32:07.059 --> 00:32:07.720
 verse 74,

00:32:07.720 --> 00:32:08.740
 to rescue us

00:32:08.740 --> 00:32:09.500
 from the hand

00:32:09.500 --> 00:32:10.779
 of our enemies

00:32:10.779 --> 00:32:12.759
 and to enable

00:32:12.759 --> 00:32:13.680
 us to serve

00:32:13.680 --> 00:32:14.279
 him without

00:32:14.279 --> 00:32:15.819
 fear in

00:32:15.819 --> 00:32:16.700
 holiness and

00:32:16.700 --> 00:32:17.240
 righteousness

00:32:17.240 --> 00:32:18.500
 before him

00:32:18.500 --> 00:32:19.740
 all our days.

00:32:20.519 --> 00:32:21.000
 What does

00:32:21.000 --> 00:32:21.799
 Zachariah long

00:32:21.799 --> 00:32:22.120
 for?

00:32:23.799 --> 00:32:25.000
 The freedom

00:32:25.000 --> 00:32:26.539
 to worship

00:32:26.539 --> 00:32:28.900
 God and

00:32:28.900 --> 00:32:29.720
 live before

00:32:29.720 --> 00:32:30.579
 him and serve

00:32:30.579 --> 00:32:31.400
 him totally

00:32:31.400 --> 00:32:32.140
 unhindered.

00:32:34.019 --> 00:32:35.220
 Praise be to

00:32:35.220 --> 00:32:35.559
 God.

00:32:35.660 --> 00:32:36.480
 He's going to

00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:37.240
 bring that about

00:32:37.240 --> 00:32:37.940
 through this

00:32:37.940 --> 00:32:38.740
 horn of

00:32:38.740 --> 00:32:39.460
 salvation that

00:32:39.460 --> 00:32:40.019
 he is now

00:32:40.019 --> 00:32:41.259
 raising up in

00:32:41.259 --> 00:32:42.019
 these days.

00:32:43.140 --> 00:32:43.940
 He's referring

00:32:43.940 --> 00:32:44.640
 of course to

00:32:44.640 --> 00:32:46.359
 the child in

00:32:46.359 --> 00:32:47.039
 Mary's womb.

00:32:48.799 --> 00:32:49.720
 There's so much

00:32:49.720 --> 00:32:50.400
 in this Psalm of

00:32:50.400 --> 00:32:50.900
 Zachariah.

00:32:50.980 --> 00:32:51.380
 I'm not going to

00:32:51.380 --> 00:32:52.039
 get to all of

00:32:52.039 --> 00:32:52.120
 it.

00:32:52.160 --> 00:32:52.759
 I'm almost out of

00:32:52.759 --> 00:32:53.279
 time here.

00:32:54.559 --> 00:32:55.480
 But we notice

00:32:55.480 --> 00:32:55.960
 some of the

00:32:55.960 --> 00:32:56.859
 things that are

00:32:56.859 --> 00:32:57.720
 repeated, the

00:32:57.720 --> 00:32:58.220
 things that are

00:32:58.220 --> 00:32:58.700
 emphasized.

00:32:59.640 --> 00:33:00.420
 Verse 72,

00:33:01.420 --> 00:33:02.420
 to remember

00:33:02.420 --> 00:33:03.160
 his holy

00:33:03.160 --> 00:33:03.660
 covenant,

00:33:05.140 --> 00:33:05.940
 the oath he

00:33:05.940 --> 00:33:07.220
 swore to

00:33:07.220 --> 00:33:07.720
 our father

00:33:07.720 --> 00:33:08.400
 Abraham.

00:33:11.240 --> 00:33:12.019
 Praise be to

00:33:12.019 --> 00:33:12.600
 the Lord God

00:33:12.600 --> 00:33:13.299
 of Israel for

00:33:13.299 --> 00:33:14.660
 he is faithful.

00:33:15.640 --> 00:33:16.360
 He promised

00:33:16.360 --> 00:33:17.299
 long ago and

00:33:17.299 --> 00:33:17.960
 now he's

00:33:17.960 --> 00:33:18.720
 keeping his

00:33:18.720 --> 00:33:20.299
 promises through

00:33:20.299 --> 00:33:21.920
 this Savior that

00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:22.539
 he is raising

00:33:22.539 --> 00:33:22.860
 up.

00:33:23.500 --> 00:33:24.200
 And just like

00:33:24.200 --> 00:33:24.920
 with Mary in

00:33:24.920 --> 00:33:25.539
 her psalm, we

00:33:25.539 --> 00:33:26.120
 see it here in

00:33:26.120 --> 00:33:27.079
 Zachariah's too.

00:33:27.860 --> 00:33:29.180
 Zachariah recognizes

00:33:29.180 --> 00:33:30.380
 that this child,

00:33:30.839 --> 00:33:32.039
 this king, will be

00:33:32.039 --> 00:33:32.660
 the one through

00:33:32.660 --> 00:33:33.500
 whom the promises

00:33:33.500 --> 00:33:34.720
 made to Abraham

00:33:34.720 --> 00:33:37.220
 long ago, will

00:33:37.220 --> 00:33:37.819
 be fulfilled.

00:33:39.660 --> 00:33:40.600
 That covenant

00:33:40.600 --> 00:33:41.360
 that God made

00:33:41.360 --> 00:33:41.880
 with Abraham

00:33:41.880 --> 00:33:42.900
 long ago wasn't

00:33:42.900 --> 00:33:44.860
 just an Old

00:33:44.860 --> 00:33:46.460
 Testament thing.

00:33:46.539 --> 00:33:47.039
 It wasn't just

00:33:47.039 --> 00:33:48.220
 part of a bygone

00:33:48.220 --> 00:33:49.400
 dispensation.

00:33:49.660 --> 00:33:50.279
 This is something

00:33:50.279 --> 00:33:51.319
 that God is making

00:33:51.319 --> 00:33:52.600
 good on right

00:33:52.600 --> 00:33:54.660
 now with the

00:33:54.660 --> 00:33:56.360
 birth of this

00:33:56.360 --> 00:33:57.839
 son, this horn

00:33:57.839 --> 00:33:59.539
 of salvation that

00:33:59.539 --> 00:34:00.360
 he is now raising

00:34:00.360 --> 00:34:01.559
 up, Jesus.

00:34:01.559 --> 00:34:05.619
 Zachariah goes

00:34:05.619 --> 00:34:06.619
 on in verse 76

00:34:06.619 --> 00:34:07.919
 to talk about

00:34:07.919 --> 00:34:08.880
 how his son,

00:34:09.019 --> 00:34:10.000
 John, the role

00:34:10.000 --> 00:34:11.059
 that he will

00:34:11.059 --> 00:34:11.579
 play in all

00:34:11.579 --> 00:34:11.920
 this.

00:34:12.539 --> 00:34:14.380
 He will prepare

00:34:14.380 --> 00:34:15.779
 the people as

00:34:15.779 --> 00:34:16.279
 a prophet.

00:34:18.880 --> 00:34:20.279
 In verse 77,

00:34:22.679 --> 00:34:23.759
 he will be the

00:34:23.759 --> 00:34:25.719
 one, John will,

00:34:25.880 --> 00:34:27.099
 to give the

00:34:27.099 --> 00:34:28.699
 Lord's people the

00:34:28.699 --> 00:34:29.400
 knowledge of

00:34:29.400 --> 00:34:30.079
 salvation.

00:34:30.079 --> 00:34:31.679
 salvation through

00:34:31.679 --> 00:34:32.319
 the forgiveness

00:34:32.319 --> 00:34:33.840
 of their sins

00:34:33.840 --> 00:34:35.679
 because of the

00:34:35.679 --> 00:34:37.279
 tender mercy of

00:34:37.279 --> 00:34:37.819
 our God.

00:34:40.519 --> 00:34:41.679
 John's role will

00:34:41.679 --> 00:34:42.420
 be to give the

00:34:42.420 --> 00:34:44.920
 Lord's people the

00:34:44.920 --> 00:34:46.340
 knowledge of

00:34:46.340 --> 00:34:47.480
 salvation through

00:34:47.480 --> 00:34:48.819
 the forgiveness of

00:34:48.819 --> 00:34:49.519
 their sins.

00:34:49.799 --> 00:34:50.799
 So there's two

00:34:50.799 --> 00:34:52.799
 salvations spoken

00:34:52.799 --> 00:34:54.519
 of by Zachariah.

00:34:54.619 --> 00:34:55.019
 There's from

00:34:55.019 --> 00:34:57.360
 enemies and now

00:34:57.360 --> 00:34:58.279
 we hear from

00:34:58.279 --> 00:34:58.819
 sins.

00:34:58.820 --> 00:34:59.600
 the one that

00:34:59.600 --> 00:35:00.340
 we're most

00:35:00.340 --> 00:35:01.100
 familiar with.

00:35:01.260 --> 00:35:02.059
 Salvation from

00:35:02.059 --> 00:35:02.760
 the punishment

00:35:02.760 --> 00:35:04.100
 that we deserve

00:35:04.100 --> 00:35:05.420
 from God

00:35:05.420 --> 00:35:06.580
 because of our

00:35:06.580 --> 00:35:06.940
 sins.

00:35:07.380 --> 00:35:08.300
 John will get

00:35:08.300 --> 00:35:09.280
 to declare this

00:35:09.280 --> 00:35:10.320
 wonderful news

00:35:10.320 --> 00:35:12.559
 that God

00:35:12.559 --> 00:35:13.860
 is ready

00:35:13.860 --> 00:35:15.500
 and eager

00:35:15.500 --> 00:35:17.700
 to forgive.

00:35:21.140 --> 00:35:22.539
 To forgive

00:35:22.539 --> 00:35:24.860
 even sinners,

00:35:25.380 --> 00:35:26.140
 those who have

00:35:26.139 --> 00:35:27.339
 done wrong

00:35:27.339 --> 00:35:27.359
 done wrong

00:35:27.359 --> 00:35:28.099
 by him.

00:35:29.920 --> 00:35:31.000
 And why?

00:35:31.900 --> 00:35:33.420
 Because of

00:35:33.420 --> 00:35:34.179
 his tender

00:35:34.179 --> 00:35:34.920
 mercy.

00:35:37.420 --> 00:35:38.420
 He is a

00:35:38.420 --> 00:35:39.859
 merciful God.

00:35:41.460 --> 00:35:42.319
 Beneath those

00:35:42.319 --> 00:35:42.719
 words

00:35:42.719 --> 00:35:44.960
 is the idea

00:35:44.960 --> 00:35:45.739
 that God has

00:35:45.739 --> 00:35:46.400
 a merciful

00:35:46.400 --> 00:35:47.199
 heart.

00:35:49.519 --> 00:35:50.639
 That down

00:35:50.639 --> 00:35:51.379
 in the very

00:35:51.379 --> 00:35:52.420
 depths of who

00:35:52.420 --> 00:35:53.179
 he is,

00:35:53.359 --> 00:35:54.259
 the very heart

00:35:54.260 --> 00:35:55.080
 of his being,

00:35:55.620 --> 00:35:56.380
 he is

00:35:56.380 --> 00:35:57.200
 merciful.

00:35:59.640 --> 00:36:00.000
 And so

00:36:00.000 --> 00:36:00.480
 John,

00:36:00.880 --> 00:36:01.900
 he is raising

00:36:01.900 --> 00:36:02.440
 up as a

00:36:02.440 --> 00:36:02.960
 prophet to

00:36:02.960 --> 00:36:04.140
 tell us how

00:36:04.140 --> 00:36:04.920
 we might find

00:36:04.920 --> 00:36:05.560
 that forgiveness

00:36:05.560 --> 00:36:06.460
 for our sins

00:36:06.460 --> 00:36:07.640
 and how we

00:36:07.640 --> 00:36:08.040
 might be

00:36:08.040 --> 00:36:08.620
 delivered,

00:36:10.700 --> 00:36:11.620
 saved from

00:36:11.620 --> 00:36:12.200
 what we truly

00:36:12.200 --> 00:36:12.860
 deserve from

00:36:12.860 --> 00:36:13.180
 God.

00:36:16.320 --> 00:36:16.880
 Zachariah

00:36:16.880 --> 00:36:18.400
 ends this

00:36:18.400 --> 00:36:19.120
 psalm of praise

00:36:19.120 --> 00:36:19.840
 with this very

00:36:19.840 --> 00:36:20.800
 poetic statement

00:36:20.800 --> 00:36:21.560
 moment of

00:36:21.560 --> 00:36:22.200
 how God's

00:36:22.200 --> 00:36:22.720
 mercy is

00:36:22.720 --> 00:36:23.260
 coming to

00:36:23.260 --> 00:36:23.660
 us in

00:36:23.660 --> 00:36:24.480
 this moment

00:36:24.480 --> 00:36:25.019
 in human

00:36:25.019 --> 00:36:25.480
 history.

00:36:26.000 --> 00:36:26.460
 He says

00:36:26.460 --> 00:36:26.880
 it's like

00:36:26.880 --> 00:36:27.560
 the sun

00:36:27.560 --> 00:36:29.120
 in all

00:36:29.120 --> 00:36:29.800
 its goodness

00:36:29.800 --> 00:36:30.700
 and brilliance

00:36:30.700 --> 00:36:31.420
 and warmth.

00:36:31.760 --> 00:36:32.100
 It's like

00:36:32.100 --> 00:36:32.680
 the sun

00:36:32.680 --> 00:36:33.760
 is rising

00:36:33.760 --> 00:36:34.580
 and beginning

00:36:34.580 --> 00:36:35.340
 to shine

00:36:35.340 --> 00:36:35.920
 into the

00:36:35.920 --> 00:36:36.360
 darkness

00:36:36.360 --> 00:36:37.300
 and shadow

00:36:37.300 --> 00:36:37.940
 of our

00:36:37.940 --> 00:36:38.720
 existence

00:36:38.720 --> 00:36:39.240
 here in

00:36:39.240 --> 00:36:39.780
 this world.

00:36:42.280 --> 00:36:43.060
 And the

00:36:43.060 --> 00:36:43.420
 light of

00:36:43.420 --> 00:36:44.060
 his mercy

00:36:44.060 --> 00:36:44.500
 as it's

00:36:44.500 --> 00:36:45.460
 rising over

00:36:45.460 --> 00:36:46.180
 our world

00:36:46.180 --> 00:36:46.920
 is now

00:36:46.920 --> 00:36:47.700
 illuminating

00:36:47.700 --> 00:36:48.260
 something that

00:36:48.260 --> 00:36:48.640
 we could

00:36:48.640 --> 00:36:49.480
 scarcely see

00:36:49.480 --> 00:36:49.960
 before.

00:36:51.519 --> 00:36:52.719
 The path

00:36:52.719 --> 00:36:53.400
 of peace

00:36:53.400 --> 00:36:56.740
 by his

00:36:56.740 --> 00:36:57.219
 mercy

00:36:57.219 --> 00:36:57.699
 we can

00:36:57.699 --> 00:36:58.240
 now see

00:36:58.240 --> 00:36:58.460
 it.

00:36:59.500 --> 00:37:00.360
 We can

00:37:00.360 --> 00:37:01.000
 now walk

00:37:01.000 --> 00:37:02.059
 in it.

00:37:03.059 --> 00:37:03.980
 The path

00:37:03.980 --> 00:37:04.699
 of true

00:37:04.699 --> 00:37:05.599
 everlasting

00:37:05.599 --> 00:37:06.320
 peace

00:37:06.320 --> 00:37:07.500
 with God.

00:37:08.860 --> 00:37:09.659
 These are

00:37:09.659 --> 00:37:10.460
 amazing words.

00:37:12.960 --> 00:37:14.059
 Luke closes

00:37:14.059 --> 00:37:14.699
 this section

00:37:14.699 --> 00:37:15.380
 with a brief

00:37:15.380 --> 00:37:16.000
 statement of

00:37:16.000 --> 00:37:16.699
 how it went

00:37:16.699 --> 00:37:17.440
 with little

00:37:17.440 --> 00:37:18.139
 baby John

00:37:18.139 --> 00:37:19.199
 in verse

00:37:19.199 --> 00:37:19.579
 80.

00:37:19.579 --> 00:37:20.179
 And the

00:37:20.179 --> 00:37:20.839
 child grew

00:37:20.839 --> 00:37:21.420
 and became

00:37:21.420 --> 00:37:22.059
 strong

00:37:22.059 --> 00:37:23.099
 in spirit

00:37:23.099 --> 00:37:23.559
 or in

00:37:23.559 --> 00:37:24.219
 the spirit

00:37:24.219 --> 00:37:25.279
 and he

00:37:25.279 --> 00:37:25.900
 lived in

00:37:25.900 --> 00:37:26.480
 the wilderness

00:37:26.480 --> 00:37:27.359
 until he

00:37:27.359 --> 00:37:27.759
 appeared

00:37:27.759 --> 00:37:28.339
 publicly

00:37:28.339 --> 00:37:29.980
 to Israel.

00:37:30.099 --> 00:37:30.319
 That would

00:37:30.319 --> 00:37:30.839
 be 30

00:37:30.839 --> 00:37:31.500
 years

00:37:31.500 --> 00:37:32.119
 later.

00:37:35.219 --> 00:37:35.960
 So

00:37:35.960 --> 00:37:36.420
 Elizabeth

00:37:36.420 --> 00:37:37.079
 recognized

00:37:37.079 --> 00:37:37.539
 it.

00:37:38.960 --> 00:37:39.719
 Mary

00:37:39.719 --> 00:37:40.279
 recognized

00:37:40.279 --> 00:37:40.799
 it.

00:37:42.839 --> 00:37:43.579
 Zechariah

00:37:43.579 --> 00:37:44.319
 recognized

00:37:44.319 --> 00:37:44.739
 it.

00:37:44.739 --> 00:37:46.159
 he

00:37:46.159 --> 00:37:46.879
 recognizes

00:37:46.879 --> 00:37:47.519
 what God

00:37:47.519 --> 00:37:47.979
 is doing

00:37:47.979 --> 00:37:48.519
 through this

00:37:48.519 --> 00:37:49.139
 child of

00:37:49.139 --> 00:37:49.659
 Mary's

00:37:49.659 --> 00:37:50.359
 to be

00:37:50.359 --> 00:37:50.679
 born.

00:37:51.419 --> 00:37:51.759
 And

00:37:51.759 --> 00:37:52.119
 it's

00:37:52.119 --> 00:37:52.759
 amazing.

00:37:53.659 --> 00:37:54.259
 He says

00:37:54.259 --> 00:37:54.639
 the Lord

00:37:54.639 --> 00:37:55.179
 has come

00:37:55.179 --> 00:37:55.699
 to us

00:37:55.699 --> 00:37:56.659
 to redeem

00:37:56.659 --> 00:37:57.019
 us,

00:37:57.139 --> 00:37:57.879
 to save

00:37:57.879 --> 00:37:58.199
 us,

00:37:58.319 --> 00:37:59.000
 to forgive

00:37:59.000 --> 00:37:59.359
 us,

00:37:59.439 --> 00:38:00.199
 to deliver

00:38:00.199 --> 00:38:00.799
 us one

00:38:00.799 --> 00:38:01.359
 day from

00:38:01.359 --> 00:38:01.899
 all our

00:38:01.899 --> 00:38:02.339
 enemies,

00:38:02.519 --> 00:38:03.099
 to make

00:38:03.099 --> 00:38:03.739
 good on

00:38:03.739 --> 00:38:04.399
 that ancient

00:38:04.399 --> 00:38:05.059
 promise he

00:38:05.059 --> 00:38:05.500
 made to

00:38:05.500 --> 00:38:05.899
 Abraham,

00:38:06.159 --> 00:38:06.719
 to bring

00:38:06.719 --> 00:38:07.459
 us closely

00:38:07.459 --> 00:38:08.079
 back into

00:38:08.079 --> 00:38:08.679
 relationship

00:38:08.679 --> 00:38:09.319
 with him

00:38:09.319 --> 00:38:09.819
 so that we

00:38:09.819 --> 00:38:10.439
 can serve

00:38:10.439 --> 00:38:11.039
 him and live

00:38:11.039 --> 00:38:11.639
 before him

00:38:11.639 --> 00:38:12.539
 without fear.

00:38:12.539 --> 00:38:16.119
 And he's

00:38:16.119 --> 00:38:16.579
 doing all

00:38:16.579 --> 00:38:17.139
 this because

00:38:17.139 --> 00:38:17.920
 he is a

00:38:17.920 --> 00:38:18.820
 faithful God

00:38:18.820 --> 00:38:19.960
 and because

00:38:19.960 --> 00:38:20.860
 he is truly

00:38:20.860 --> 00:38:21.539
 to the core

00:38:21.539 --> 00:38:21.920
 of his

00:38:21.920 --> 00:38:22.380
 being

00:38:22.380 --> 00:38:23.820
 merciful.

00:38:26.199 --> 00:38:27.239
 Do you

00:38:27.239 --> 00:38:28.559
 recognize

00:38:28.559 --> 00:38:28.920
 it?

00:38:30.679 --> 00:38:31.619
 Do your

00:38:31.619 --> 00:38:32.659
 eyes see

00:38:32.659 --> 00:38:33.579
 this great

00:38:33.579 --> 00:38:34.400
 dawn of

00:38:34.400 --> 00:38:34.940
 salvation?

00:38:36.940 --> 00:38:37.759
 Can you

00:38:37.759 --> 00:38:38.500
 see the

00:38:38.500 --> 00:38:39.420
 path to

00:38:39.420 --> 00:38:39.800
 peace?

00:38:39.800 --> 00:38:39.920
 Can you

00:38:39.920 --> 00:38:40.800
 see the

00:38:40.800 --> 00:38:42.519
 path to

00:38:42.519 --> 00:38:43.519
 peace?

00:38:43.519 --> 00:38:44.400
 It all

00:38:44.400 --> 00:38:45.059
 centers around

00:38:45.059 --> 00:38:45.719
 this child,

00:38:46.800 --> 00:38:47.219
 this son

00:38:47.219 --> 00:38:47.719
 of David,

00:38:48.900 --> 00:38:49.639
 Jesus.

00:38:51.900 --> 00:38:52.579
 Let's

00:38:52.579 --> 00:38:52.820
 pray.

00:39:00.099 --> 00:39:00.960
 Father in

00:39:00.960 --> 00:39:01.360
 heaven, I

00:39:01.360 --> 00:39:01.860
 pray that you

00:39:01.860 --> 00:39:02.280
 would grip

00:39:02.280 --> 00:39:02.880
 our hearts

00:39:02.880 --> 00:39:03.920
 so deeply

00:39:03.920 --> 00:39:04.480
 with your

00:39:04.480 --> 00:39:05.440
 goodness and

00:39:05.440 --> 00:39:06.079
 kindness to

00:39:06.079 --> 00:39:06.380
 us.

00:39:07.000 --> 00:39:07.679
 We do

00:39:07.679 --> 00:39:08.460
 not deserve

00:39:08.460 --> 00:39:09.139
 this.

00:39:09.139 --> 00:39:09.539
 We do

00:39:09.539 --> 00:39:09.579
 not deserve

00:39:09.579 --> 00:39:09.599
 this.

00:39:12.519 --> 00:39:13.300
 We have

00:39:13.300 --> 00:39:13.739
 all blown

00:39:13.739 --> 00:39:14.079
 it in

00:39:14.079 --> 00:39:14.539
 so many

00:39:14.539 --> 00:39:15.300
 ways we

00:39:15.300 --> 00:39:15.719
 can't even

00:39:15.719 --> 00:39:16.480
 keep track.

00:39:17.699 --> 00:39:18.559
 And yet you

00:39:18.559 --> 00:39:19.280
 have loved

00:39:19.280 --> 00:39:19.739
 us

00:39:19.739 --> 00:39:23.259
 by sending

00:39:23.259 --> 00:39:24.679
 your son,

00:39:24.800 --> 00:39:25.559
 by coming

00:39:25.559 --> 00:39:27.320
 to redeem

00:39:27.320 --> 00:39:27.679
 us.

00:39:28.099 --> 00:39:28.699
 Thank you.

00:39:31.099 --> 00:39:31.820
 Touch our

00:39:31.820 --> 00:39:32.420
 hearts deeply

00:39:32.420 --> 00:39:32.920
 with this,

00:39:33.059 --> 00:39:33.199
 Lord,

00:39:33.679 --> 00:39:34.559
 and I pray

00:39:34.559 --> 00:39:35.119
 that if there's

00:39:35.119 --> 00:39:35.599
 anyone in

00:39:35.599 --> 00:39:36.019
 this room

00:39:36.019 --> 00:39:36.500
 who has

00:39:36.500 --> 00:39:37.500
 not seen

00:39:37.500 --> 00:39:39.119
 and felt

00:39:39.119 --> 00:39:40.219
 your mercy

00:39:40.219 --> 00:39:40.619
 and your

00:39:40.619 --> 00:39:41.079
 love for

00:39:41.079 --> 00:39:41.360
 them

00:39:41.360 --> 00:39:42.059
 personally,

00:39:43.340 --> 00:39:43.739
 that they

00:39:43.739 --> 00:39:44.079
 would know

00:39:44.079 --> 00:39:44.559
 it today.

00:39:48.840 --> 00:39:49.500
 We ask

00:39:49.500 --> 00:39:49.820
 this in

00:39:49.820 --> 00:39:50.159
 your name.

00:39:51.159 --> 00:39:51.420
 Amen.

00:39:51.420 --> 00:39:51.519
 Amen.