the Gospel of Luke chapter 1,
and we'll begin reading at verse 57. Now Elizabeth's full time came
that she should be delivered. And she brought forth a son,
and her neighbors and her cousins heard how the Lord had showed
great mercy upon her, and they rejoiced with her. And it came
to pass that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child
and they called him Zechariah after the name of his father.
And his mother answered and said, not so, but he shall be called
John. And they said unto her, there
is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they
made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing table
or tablet and wrote saying his name is John. And they all marveled
or they marveled all. And his mouth was opened immediately. You'll remember now the angel
said to Zachariah while he was in the temple ministering, God's
going to give you a son. His name will be called John.
Zachariah didn't believe it. And so the Lord struck him deaf
and dumb immediately. But now He says, his name will
be called John. We will obey the word of the
Lord. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed
and he spoke and praised God. And fear came on all that dwelt
round about them. And all these sayings were noised
abroad throughout all the hill country of Judea. And all they
that heard them laid them up in their hearts saying, what
manner of child shall this be? Now this is what I'll be working
to. And the hand of the Lord was with him. The very last word
spoken by God in the Old Testament was spoken by the prophet Malachi.
If you want to turn there and look at it, it's in Malachi chapter
four, verses five and six. In that very last word spoken,
the Lord God gave a promise and a prophecy. He promised that
he would visit his people He promised that he would send the
Messiah, the messenger of the covenant, the Lord Jesus, the
son of righteousness who would arise with healing in his wings. But he said before that great
and terrible day of the Lord comes, he would send Elijah again. Now that prophecy is to be understood
and interpreted spiritually. We know that because our Lord
Jesus told us plainly that John the Baptist is that Elijah who
must come to prepare the way of the Lord. Now notice this
prophecy, which was given by Malachi. Malachi chapter four,
verse five. Behold, I will send you Elijah
the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day
of the Lord. Now this is what this prophet
shall do. What a word. And he shall turn the heart of
the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to
their fathers. Lest I come and smite the earth
with a curse. In other words, he says, this
one Elijah who comes to prepare the way of the Lord, he will
come and proclaim the message of free grace and by doing so
turn the hearts of men to their children and the hearts of children
to their fathers. You see, every relationship in
life is out of joint by nature. Every relationship in life is
deformed by nature. Every relationship in life is
out of kilter by nature. Only when the grace of God comes
does a man become a father properly. Only when the grace of God comes
does a son behave as a son properly. And where the grace of God comes,
he turns the hearts of fathers to their children. and the hearts
of children to their fathers. He turns them to seek their spiritual
good, not just their material, physical good. He turns them
to seek one another's spiritual interest, not just physical,
temporal interest. Now 400 years have passed. Now
Malachi's prophecy is fulfilled. Six months prior to the birth
of our Savior, John the Baptist was born by the special intervention
of God. God just stepped in and caused
this man to be born who would be the last prophet of the Old
Testament age and the first and last of the New Testament. How
easily God ought to be believed. How easily he ought to be believed.
He who gave life to Elizabeth's dead womb can do whatsoever seemeth
him good. With God, nothing shall be impossible. We ought to believe him implicitly. We ought to trust him confidently
without the slightest hint of a doubt. Even especially when
all things appear to contradict his word, he's to be believed.
It is not faith to believe him when signs indicate that his
word will be fulfilled. That's not faith at all. It is
not faith to believe him when it appears that everything's
going in the direction of his revelation. But faith believes
God when everything appears to contradict what he said. He ought
to easily be believed. The decree of God is absolute
and cannot be altered. All that he purposed from eternity,
he brings to pass in time exactly as he purposed it in eternity.
The Word of God, this book, is inerrant in all its details. It is not in any way a book of
flaw or fault or falsehood, but rather perfectly inspired and
errant, or inerrant rather, and therefore it shall be in all
things fulfilled. All the promises of God in Christ
Jesus are yea and amen, and they shall never become nay. What
God said, God will do. Well, Pastor, how can you say
that? He's Almighty God. He's God Almighty. We're not
talking about a man. We're talking about God. God
Almighty will do, indeed, he who is God must do all that he
said he will do. He must. If he doesn't do all
that he said, then the fault is somewhere with him. If God
has purposed, promised, or said that he would do a thing and
it doesn't come to pass, then somewhere there must be some
weakness, some insufficiency, some fault, and therefore no
God at all. If one word from God falls to
the ground, then the whole book of God crumbles with it and it
proves to be nothing but a myth. But that shall never be. The
word of God stands for and shall be fulfilled. God Almighty will
accomplish his purpose. Now they notice at the outset
that the birth of John the Baptist was looked upon as a singular
special act of God's great mercy upon Elizabeth. In verse 58,
we read that her neighbors and her cousins heard how the Lord
had showed great mercy upon her and they rejoiced with her. It
was a great mercy that God visited her in her old age and gave her
dead wound conception. Great mercy that God preserved
an old woman through nine months of pregnancy. Great mercy that
she was delivered in childbearing as God promised that his children
would be. Great mercy that she brought
forth a son and this child was born given life and help before
God. You see, the birth of a child
is always a remarkable instance of God's mercy. What a blessing
God gives when he gives a child. Happy are those homes, for that
fact is known. Children are an heritage from
the Lord. Blessed, blessed, blessed is
that home blessed with children. In all the circumstances surrounding
this man's birth, the birth of John the Baptist, the Lord graciously
scattered nuggets of grace for our edification and for our instruction. Let me call your attention to
three things in this passage of scripture. First, we see before
us the blessedness of affection. We had before us in the conduct
of Elizabeth's family and her cousins and her friends, an example
of the milk of human kindness that ought to flow from each
of our breasts to one another. Affection and care ought to always
be abundant, especially among those who believe. The scripture
tells us here, they rejoiced with her. Let all who name the
name of Christ follow their example. How much more happiness there
would be in this evil world if such conduct weren't so rare.
They rejoiced with Elizabeth. Here's this old woman and she
brings forth the son in the blessing of God and her neighbors and
her cousins. Well, they rejoiced with her
and thus doubled the joy she would have had had she rejoiced
alone. You see, sympathy in a time of
sorrow or in a time of joy costs little, but it's of great value.
You ladies, of course, I realize some of you are more mechanically
inclined than I am, but that's not generally the case. You might
think that oil in your car's engine is insignificant, but
if you run out, you'll find that you got to have it, whether you
can see it or whether you can't. And so it is with kindness and
charity and love and affection. It may appear to be insignificant,
but expressions of care and sympathy are not at all insignificant. A kind word on a dark day is
seldom forgotten. I've had a few folks in my life
who on dark, dark occasions came to me or sent me a note with
a kind word and I haven't forgotten, seldom forgotten. A consoling
hand on heavy shoulders is a sweet sucker. A thoughtful card at
the appropriate time is invaluable. A word of congratulation to one
who imagines that he's unnoticed in anything is a great boon to
him. A word of appreciation, kindness,
encouragement or thoughtfulness is never out of order. J.C. Ryle put it this way, The heart
that is warmed by good tidings or chilled by affliction is peculiarly
susceptible and sympathy to such a heart is often more precious
than gold. Those times when men and women
go through heaviness or when they go through particular joys
are times when they want people to share with them their love
and their affection. and it's never forgotten. That
doesn't mean be nosy. That doesn't mean be a busybody.
Most of us want to pry into things going on. Don't do that. Just
let folks know you care. Just give a word of sympathy,
a word of care, a word of concern. Pastors, teachers, elders, preachers,
deacons, certainly above all others, must never forget that
thoughtfulness, kindness, and compassion are the very essence
of ministering to men. Turn to James chapter 1. I want
you to see this. One of our men read this recently,
either back in the office or out here in the auditorium, just
in the last week or so. But look at it. Somehow preachers and teachers
and young men especially get the idea that ministering to
folks and standing up and just spouting off the doctrine, you
know, lay it out right. Ministering to folks is serving
them. It's serving them. And you can't preach to them
if you can't serve them. You don't minister to anybody
talking to them, you minister to them serving them. Look here
in James chapter 1 verse 27. Pure religion and undefiled. This is real religion, buddy.
It's not just a show. Real religion. Real religion. Not just hypocrisy. Real religion. That is gospel religion. Christianity. Real Christianity. Before God
and the Father is this. To visit the fatherless and widows
in their affliction. To keep himself unspotted from
the world. What is it? Care. Sympathy. kindness, compassion, love. In all the strife about words,
in all the battles over doctrine, in all the controversies raging
about great theological issues, we must not overlook, we must
not fail to give affection, sympathy, and love to one another. Let
me show you. Turn to Romans chapter 12. We should see two scriptures
in this regard. Romans chapter 12. Verse 15. I put an article either in today's
bulletin, it was in today's bulletin, on questions about behavior.
Folks ask me all the time, should folks do this, should they do
that? And Paul addresses those issues here in this 12th chapter
of Romans, chapter 13, chapter 14. And as he does, this is how
he tells us to behave. Now this is always right. This
is always right. Verse 15. Rejoice with those
that rejoice. Weep with those that weep. What's
that mean? Enter into one another's lives
with tender hearts. Rejoice with folks who rejoice.
In other words, something happens to Don Martin. You find out he's
had a promotion. You see his name in the paper,
and he's rejoicing. He doesn't want to brag. He doesn't
want to show himself. But you find out about it. Man,
let him know. Happy for you. Happy for you. Rejoice with those
who rejoice. God gives him a good woman. Rejoice
with him. Rejoice with those who rejoice. He gets news that
he's got a disease. Not going to live long. You weep
with him. Weep with those who weep, and let them know you do.
That's what he's talking about. Nothing profound about that,
is there? And yet so easily forgotten. Look in Galatians chapter 6.
Galatians chapter 6. Folks want laws and rules and
regulations. I'll give you one. Galatians
6. Brethren, if a man be overtaken
in a fault, ye which are spiritual, kick him hard. I know what it
says, isn't it? Ye which are spiritual, restore
such an one. And you've got every reason to,
in the spirit of meekness, considering yourself, lest you also be tempted. He made out the same stuff you
are, and you made out the same stuff he is. Bear ye one another's
burdens. Put your shoulder unto the load
your brother carries, and so fulfill the law of Christ. This
is called Christianity. This is called faith. This is
called true religion, pure religion, and undefiled. The gospel of
Christ, while it sets forth the righteousness and justice of
God, while it declares the truth of God, which we must never fail
to declare, it shows how that God can and is both a just God
and the Savior. It is also a great revelation
of the love of God and the kindness of God our Savior toward men.
The Lord Jesus Christ saw our need. and ran to our relief,
and he still does. That's the kind of Savior he
is. His name is Jehovah Jireh. That word means the Lord will
see, and the Lord will provide, and the Lord will be seen in
the provision he makes. That's the name Abraham gave
to God on the mount when he offered up his son Isaac before the Lord.
He said his name is Jehovah Jireh, the Lord will see, the Lord will
provide, and the Lord will be seen in the provision he makes.
Now the scripture speaks plainly of how the Lord has seen and
run to our need. God commendeth his love toward
us. In other words, when God would
show us his love, he did something more than tell us he loved us,
Larry. He commends his love. He recommends his love to us.
He puts it out here and draws our hearts with it this way,
in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Oh, what
love. Listen to this. Hereby perceive
we the love of God. This is how we see it. This is
how we know it. Because he laid down his life
for us as a substitute in our place, voluntarily took our room,
and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso
hath this world's good and seeth his brother hath need, and shutteth
up his bowels of compassion from him, How dwelleth the love of
God in you? Listen again. John says, in this
was manifested the love of God toward us because that God sent
his only begotten son into the world that we might live through
him. Herein is love. Not that we love
God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation
for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us,
we ought also to love one another. He got all mighty, loved me,
gave himself for me, redeemed me, forgave me of my sin. Skip,
it's no big deal for me to love you. That's what he says. My soul, for God to love me is
a great stoop, a great condescension, a great act of mercy for me to
love you is just reasonable. The Lord Jesus Christ gives us
by his own deeds an example, constant example of this kind
of brotherly love, affection, and care. In John chapter two,
our Lord went to the marriage feast at Cana of Galilee. How
come? Obviously, the folks there didn't
know him. They were religious folks, but lost. They didn't
know him. They had no idea who he was.
That's obvious in the context. But he had some friends, perhaps
some relatives, who were celebrating the marriage of one of their
children, and he went to celebrate with them. How come? Because
the Son of Man demonstrates constant affection. Well, I'm not going
to have part in the revelry. Maybe you think you're a little
better than the Son of God. Don't be so. Our Lord Jesus,
in John chapter 11, came to the tomb of Lazarus and there he
wept with his friends who wept because their hearts ached. Well,
but he ought to have known that Lazarus was going to a better
place. He knew that. He understood that. But the Lord
Jesus was touched with that which touched Mary and Martha. How much more ought we to be?
Our Lord Jesus, in John chapter 13, took a bowl of water and
a towel. His disciples, he'd come in from
walking around in the day, hot, dusty, dusty day. They'd been
walking around in those dusty streets. And common courtesy
was when guests came into your house, you'd send a servant and
that servant would take some water and wash their feet and
welcome them into the house. The Lord Jesus, God the Son,
the master of the universe, took a bowl of water and stooped down
to wash his disciples' feet. And he said, now I've given you
an example, you go do what I've done. And that wasn't instituting
another ordinance in the church. You know, these churches, they
have foot washing services. When folks know they're going
to have high communion, they wash their feet real good. Then
they pull their shoes off and let folks wash their feet. That's not what
we're talking about. That's talking about serving each other. What
did he do? He did what was needed at the
time purely for the refreshment and comfort of somebody he loved. Oh, God, teach me that kind of
affection. Words cannot adequately express
the blessedness of affection. They rejoiced with Elizabeth. Oh, let us learn to rejoice with
those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. If we don't,
if we don't. Merle, our religion is just a
sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal, nothing but a talk, nothing
but a show, nothing but a preaching, just a sham. Read 1 Corinthians
13 and tell me otherwise. All right, secondly, let me talk
to you briefly about the benefit of affliction. As long as we are in this world,
we will be children in need of instruction, in need of provision,
in need of protection, and in need of discipline. Children
under the care of our heavenly father. In verses 59 through
64, we see this man Zachariah in his conduct, showing us an
example of a corrected child. This old, old man, an old man,
but he's still a child. And if we live in this world
to be old men and women, Rex, we're still going to be children
who need the father's discipline. who still live in this world
and need correction and need instruction and need the father
to correct us. This old man in his old age was
under the chastisement of his heavenly father's rod. Because
of his unbelief, Zachariah had been deaf and dumb for nine long
months. But those nine months had not
been spent in useless vanity. Zachariah obviously did not spend
those nine months sulking because God had somehow treated him unjustly
or unfairly. Not at all. He who was so slow
to believe, now believed every word that proceeded out of the
mouth of God. He said, his name will be called John. Just like
that. No more fuss from me. I've got
no more argument. What God said, God's gonna do.
I believe it. No doubt in those nine months
of his adversity, Zachariah had wisely learned more about himself,
more about his God, more about the character of his own heart,
and more about the goodness, grace, and glory of God than
he had learned in all his long life prior to that. For nine
months, he couldn't say a thing and couldn't hear anything except
God's word that he had heard before. That's all. That's all. Correction had given him instruction,
and now he was ashamed of his unbelief. Like Job, he could
say, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now
mine eye seeth thee. Like Hezekiah, when the Lord
left him, he found out what was in his heart. And I think sometimes that's
the only way we ever do. Scripture tells us the Lord left
Hezekiah so he could prove, so the king himself could find out
everything that was in his heart. We shall never escape trouble
in this world. It is a world of woe. Man that
is born of woman is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward, we're
told in Job chapter five. But in the time of trouble, we
ought to seek grace that we may learn by the rod of discipline.
And in every sorrow, every sorrow that humbles us, every sorrow
that drives us to our knees, every sorrow that causes us to
flee away to the arms of God our Savior again, is a blessedness,
a great boon of God's grace. He hadn't left me alone. He hadn't
left me to myself. He has not left me to my own
glasses. One of the old writers said,
sanctified afflictions are spiritual promotions. They always are.
They always are. You see, trials, trials don't
change anything. They don't change. Trials will
not make an unbeliever a believer. And trials will not make a believer
an unbeliever. I'll tell you what trials do.
Trials reveal everything. That's what trials do. You take
a ship, build it, the shipyard, get it all fixed up, put letters
on it, paint it, you put the guns on it, you get it ready
to go out to battle, but you don't know anything about that
ship until you put that thing in the water. And when you put
it in the water, you find out whether or not it'll stand the
test. When you put it in the water, you find out whether or
not it'll float through the sea. When you put it in the water,
you find out whether or not the ship is well made. And by trials,
God reveals what we are. When he tries us by then, If
you endure chastening, God deals with you as swords. If the chastisement,
if the affliction destroys you, you never knew God. Just that
simple. Spiritual trials are spiritual
promotions. One last thing. Here we see in
this last sentence of our text, the best of ambitions. And the hand of the Lord was
with him. Being a father and now a grandfather,
I read that text of scripture and I thought to myself, we have
so many ambitions for our sons and daughters, don't we? So many
plans, so many desires. Find out your wife's pregnant,
you start making plans. Of course, we didn't. We didn't.
We're making plans about how we're going to feed them. But
these days, you know, you make plans to find out how we're going to educate
them, what we're going to send them to school, plan for this thing,
plan for that, plan for their college, plan for their graduate
school. Because, you know, we just make plans. We've got great
ambitions, great ambitions for our children. Here's the only ambition worth
pursuing. Here's the only ambition. worth
troubling yourself over. Here's the only ambition that
will do your children good forever. Oh, may the hand of the Lord
be with them. My prayer for my children, all
three of them, and for yours, because Larry, yours are mine
too. My prayer, one thing, Lord, Put
your hand on him. The hand of the Lord was with
John to protect him. The hand of the Lord was with
John to preserve him to the day of his calling. The hand of the
Lord was with John to prepare him for the work he had voted
to glorify his name. The hand of the Lord was with
him all the days of his life. The hand of the Lord was with
him just as much, Rex, when that King's Godless mistress asked
for his head on a charger as it was the day he was born. The
hand of the Lord was with him. The hand of the Lord was with
him to strengthen him in his trials. The hand of the Lord
was with him to preserve him in his death. The hand of the
Lord was with him to bring him to glory. This is my ambition
for you. Oh, Lord God, Put your hand upon
this people. I don't ask anything else for
any of us. May the hand of the Lord be with
us for Christ's sake. Amen. All right, David, you lead
us in him and the deacons will serve the Lord's table for us.