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Big Idea: Luke wants us to know the certainty of God’s salvation plan.
There is a lot of uncertainty around Christmas. For instance: How many people are actually showing up at my house for Christmas lunch this year? … uncertain. What will the weather actually be like? … uncertain. What will we eat for Chrissy lunch? … still uncertain. What treasures lie under the tree carefully disguised in wrapping paper and ribbons? … uncertain. What will I get Jo for Christmas? … uncertain. When you think about it, there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding Christmas.
That’s what Luke is going to help us with this morning. Take a quick look at v1-4. Luke the careful historian has carefully investigated everything from the beginning (v3) and written an orderly account … to give us certainty (Read v4)
Luke is writing an orderly account. In writing this orderly account, this thorough, well researched account from the beginning. What I want us to see today is that while we may face a number of uncertainties about Christmas – logistical but maybe faith uncertainties he will show us what certainties we can have, and from this passage what we can be certain about this Christmas.
Three things from our passage.
Firstly, as we celebrate Christmas with all its uncertainty … We can be certain that …
In v5 Luke begins his account at the beginning (v3) of the things that have been fulfilled among us (v1). And we notice that it is set at a point in history. This is during the reign of Herod king of Judea (v5a) So this is when things were starting to be fulfilled. These are meant to be understood as actual events. And notice that there is a backstory as old as the Exodus and firmly planted in the nation and religion of Israel (v5b-6). So as these true, historical accounts unfold we will expect to hear a Jewish accent and see OT themes. Themes
If you’ve spent any time in the OT these elements of Luke’s account won’t be new to you. That’s on purpose. We have a few Christmas traditions in our family. One of them is that Jo sets the colour theme for each Christmas season. If you’re interested, the Christmas colour theme this year is Red and White. Decorations, wrapping paper, table settings need to fit the theme. It’s intense. The elements of Luke’s account fits the theme of how God has dealt with his people in the past. Everything goes with the theme.
God has a plan of salvation for his people. It is an eternal plan grounded in the history of God dealing with, communicating with, providing for his people. We can have certainty that this is not a new or novel idea. We can be certain that God has a plan of salvation and that at this point in history, in the lead up to the very first Christmas
God begins to unfold all that he has been planning for a very long time. We are not told to observe the Christmas season in the Bible. Been some notable names in church history who didn’t celebrate Christmas – John Knox. But what a great time of the year for us to engage friends and family who because of this season are more open to attending a church gathering or event; or talking about what we celebrate at Christmas. Christmas Carols … Christmas Day … Mark’s gospel.
God has a plan of salvation and he wants the world to know with certainty that he has acted in history to bring about this salvation. Our Mission is to reach our bit of Brisbane. Last year, as best as we can tell, MPC saw between 4-6 people become followers of Jesus in our bit of Brisbane. Normally, for a church our size we should be seeing around 15-18 new believers. If nothing else these figures tell us that we could invest more prayer and be more entrepreneurial about reaching our bit of Brisbane in 2025. God has acted, he wants the world to know, we have a mission. Secondly, as we celebrate Christmas with all its uncertainty … We can be certain that …
Luke has set the scene and it turns out that Mary is not the only one in for a surprise this very first Christmas. Read v13-17. Zechariah and Elizabeth are going to be parents. This is an answer to their prayers (v13). I am pretty certain that I don’t want a child at my age! Grandkids for sure but not a baby.
And maybe the prayers this birth answers are for God to send his promised Messiah and rescue his people. Zechariah and Elizabeth would have prayed for a baby without a doubt as a younger couple.
However, I’m pretty certain that the prayers answered here relate God salvation of his people. You can read Zechariah’s song/prayer in v67-80. What is clear, this is by God’s power not human will or ability. God’s power will bring joy and delight to a couple previously sad (v14) And restoration to a nation previously under judgement (v16).
This child will grow to be one like Elijah (v17a), a man enabled and equipped by God to speak his word to great effect to prepare people to meet the Lord (v17b) Preparing the way for God with us. None of what is promised here is anything more than what God has done throughout the history of his people. But Zechariah can’t wrap his head around this.
Read v18 Literally, “According to what?” We have reached our use by date. He hasn’t understood. Nowhere in this announcement has God required people to do anything other than trust him. Just think about this for a tick. He is in the temple. Drawn by lot to for this role. An arm’s length from the Holy of Holies, offering incense and prayers before God on behalf of the whole nation … and God answers his prayers in a spectacular fashion, gleaming angel, clearly articulated promise. And Zechariah says, “yeah, na!” Zechariah is praying because that is his duty, but it seems that he does not really expect those prayers to be answered. He is not expecting God to be at work. Vol 2 – Acts. Church praying for Peter in prison. But when he knocks on the door they don’t believe it’s him.
I wonder what would happen if we started to pray that God would be at work among us. Because we were convinced that Salvation, new birth through graced powered faith is God’s work. We can run programs and extend invitations and preach gospel-centred sermons. But salvation is God’s business. So without ignoring our part it seems pretty clear that prayer would be the main ingredient. I like the target of seeing 18 new people coming to faith in 2025. 18 people moved from death to life. 18 occasions where heaven celebrates the lost being found. When I think about what is at stake for the lost, the nature and power of God, the heart of God It seems to me that 18 isn’t a big enough number. There are 130 000 people within a 10 min drive of MPC Mission HQ. That’s our bit if Brisbane. Apparently, statistically 80 000 of them would accept a personal invitation to church. That’s Suncorp twice full. Maybe we ought to pray bigger. Lord bring 30, 60, 100 new souls to faith through MPC in 2025. We’ll need a bigger car park. The prayer of the righteous are powerful and effective. Be certain of this, Salvation is the work of God, of this we can be certain. Call on him for the salvation of the lost.
Finally, as we celebrate Christmas with all its uncertainty … We can be certain that …
Read v23-25 God is faithful to his promises, and he does answer the prayers and hopes of an elderly couple in the process of bringing salvation to the world. The SBS TV station used to have the tagline, 7 billion stories, one at a time. I love how God deals not only with the national but also with the individual. God will use this couple in his plan to save all his people from all the nations. But in doing so he addresses their own shame and their own sadness and their own grief. I love God’s heart for each of his messy people.
Maybe that is something you need to hear this morning. When my eldest son was born I had 45 minutes of holding him talking to him and thanking God for him before Jo was wheeled back from the maternity ward. We had a good chat. This is some of what Zechariah prophesies to his newborn son …
76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
The child did arrive, just as God promised. And he did prepare people to meet the Lord, just as God said. As this child would grow up to preach, Jesus is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He is the Saviour of the world. Through faith in Jesus, taking him at his word, he is your Saviour, your brother, your friend. Jesus intercedes for you personally before the Father. Jesus has your name written in his book of life. You are in a personal relationship with Jesus the Saviour of the world. God with You. Estimated 2 billion Christians in the world today. How did God do that? One at a time.
How are we going to reach 130 000 people in our bit if Brisbane? One at a time. One conversation at a time. One invitation at a time. One bold step at a time. God will call his people to faith and salvation one at a time through the obedience and faithfulness of his church. Of that we can be certain. Jesus, Saviour of the world one at a time. There is a lot of uncertainty wrapped up in Christmas. What will the credit card bill look like in January?
But of this one thing we can be certain. That on that very first Christmas God was certainly at work to fulfil his eternal and certain plan of the salvation of his people. It started with John pointing people to Jesus. It continues with us pointing others to Jesus. Because in Jesus alone is the certainty of eternal life.
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