Christmas Contrast: Zechariah and Mary

Luke 1:5-56

Pastor Miles

1. Both Zechariah and Mary have a visit from an angel.

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob's descendants forever; his kingdom will never end."
Luke 1:26-33

2. Mary questioned the process God would use (Luke 1:34-37), while Zechariah questioned the possibility of God working (Luke 1:18-20).

And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God."
(Luke 1:34-37 ESV)

And Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years." And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time."
(Luke 1:18-20 ESV)

3. Mary's faith led to surrender, but Zechariah's faith led to discipline.

And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. 

(Luke 1:38 ESV)

And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. (Luke 1:21-23 ESV)

And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord." And Mary said,
"My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
(Luke 1:45-51 ESV)

What kind of faith do you have?
God sometimes uses discipline, like in Zechariah's case, to allow us Reflect on His plan for us. He has brought good news, but have we received it?

Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, "No; he shall be called John." And they said to her, "None of your relatives is called by this name." And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What then will this child be?" For the hand of the Lord was with him.
(Luke 1:57-66 ESV)

And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
(Luke 1:67-69, 76, 77 ESV)

Zechariah put his personal faith and believe in God.
Will we continue in our religious traditions & duties and not fully surrender to God? Or should we have faith like Mary's?

"Thanksgiving - more than a great meal"

Colossians 3:15-17

Pastor Miles

1. Thanksgiving is something you do.

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
(Colossians 3:15 ESV)

2. Thanksgiving is an attitude you have.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
(Colossians 3:16 ESV)

Put on the "attitude of gratitude".

3. Thanksgiving is the way you do things.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
(Colossians 3:17 ESV)

Do it in such a way that honors Him, that reflects His rule in your life.

How to make a pickle

How to make a pickle
November 13, 2011
Pastor Jeff

Making a pickle is a slow process, a soaking process.
Spiritual growth is also a slow process, a soaking process.
We are created in the image of God (Genesis 1). But we are corrupted by sin. This occurred after the Fall of Adam and Eve, bringing sin and death. Sin now permeates every part of us, including out relationships. But God's saving work in Jesus Christ has redeemed us, undoing the sin of Adam. Our great hope is that we shall be like Him. We now have a choice not to sin.

Ephesians 2: we were dead in our trespasses and sin, and Jesus died for our sins which allows us to live in eternity with Him (alive in Christ). We are transferred as full citizens of God's family/ kingdom.

However we still struggle with sin, being in the physical body. We were not only saved, but redeemed and restored in the image of God. We are transformed into His image.

We have been given 3 gifts:
1. His Word
2. His Spirit
3. His Body (the church)

Are we living a transformed life or is our exterior merely changed with a rotten inner core?
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2 ESV)

We need to soak in the truth of His Word, taking risks to allow Him to do great things in our lives. We need to keep practicing the spiritual disciplines.

Spiritual Growth Exercises

November 6, 2011

Pastor Miles

1. Why do we need spiritual growth exercises?
Because relationships need time to grow (in knowledge, trust and affection).
Because spiritual growth exercises keep your soul healthy and strong.
Just like there are various physical exercises, there are also different spiritual exercises (to withstand the hardships of life).

2. What are some of theses spiritual growth exercises?
A. Exercises of engagement:

1. Bible study, reading and reflection.

Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path. 

(Psalm 119:105 ESV)

Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night. 
(Psalm 1:1, 2 ESV)

2. Prayer.

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 

(Philippians 4:6 ESV)

3. Fellowship.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 

(Hebrews 10:24, 25 ESV)

Our needs are met through the diversity of spiritual gifts amongst fellow believers.

4. Confession.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 

(1 John 1:9, 10 ESV)

B. exercises of abstinence.
1. Silence and solitude.

And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 

(Mark 1:35 ESV)

Jesus needed undistracted time with his heavenly father (quiet time).

"Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!" 
(Psalm 46:10 ESV)

We need to practice silence, and find our rest in God. We need to listen to the still small voice of God.

2. Fasting.

The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days." 

 (Luke 5:35 ESV)

"And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 
(Matthew 6:16-18 ESV)

We can fast from eating, from media, entertainment.
Fasting is a form of self-denial. It reveals how much we are being in control by our appetite. It allows us to be released from the power of our appetites and focus on more important spiritual things.

3. Secrecy.

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. "Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 

(Matthew 6:1-4 ESV)

We need to seek the praise and approval of God and not men.

4. Simplicity and sacrifice.

but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 

(Mark 4:19 ESV)

Simplicity includes time, lifestyle...

But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 
(2 Corinthians 11:3 ESV)

We should try to abstain from relying on our resources to satisfy ourselves. We need to learn to depend on God instead.
Sacrifice involves risk where we give up something that we may need.
Sometimes we need variety or a coach to invigorate our spiritual growth and exercises.

Next step: which exercise will I try this week?