Faithfully Waiting For Our Faithful God

1:32Well, friends, I do have a confession for you as we begin. I am a terrible waiter. I'm sure I would be a terrible waiter in a restaurant, but I am a terrible waiter in having to wait for things, for anything and for everything. And most of all, I feel this most acutely when I have to wait for packages to arrive. When I order something online, like I want it here right now. Like I want to see the drone outside of my front porch, like the second after I click the press my order button. And because I hate waiting for things, I'm a chronic package tracker.

2:18Can any of you relate here? I will refresh the tracking on something multiple times throughout the day, multiple times in a row, just so that I can immediately know the second that my package has left the facility, that it's made it to its next location, that it is out for delivery, and finally, gloriously, when it has arrived and I can see the picture of whatever it is on my front porch, I have a problem. It doesn't matter.

2:54It doesn't matter what it is, friends. It could be socks. It could be my coffee friend. From polite, it could be a book, it could be running stuff. No matter what it is, I get that tracking number and I'm on it. Can you relate how good of a waiter are you? Kids, I bet that waiting is pretty hard for you right now. I know that in the Morgan household leading up to the beginning of Advent, of getting to decorate, start all of the Advent traditions, my kiddos have been very excited and very eager to start. Each morning, I get a Christmas countdown from my son letting me know how many more days it is until Christmas.

3:39The thing about all of this kind of waiting is it's finite. I know that my package is going to get delivered tomorrow by 9 p.m. We know that Christmas is going to come in 25 days, Bradley. Is that right? 25 days. But the reality, friends, is that most of our waiting, the waiting that is truly hard, is the waiting that's open-ended, the waiting that's not guaranteed. What are you waiting for this morning? You're waiting for the job or for that promotion, not sure if you'll be hired?

4:17Are you waiting for godly friends, not knowing if they're going to come? Are you waiting for love and for marriage with no assurance that you'll ever experience it? Them. You're waiting for children without knowing whether you'll conceive or whether the adoption process will work out. Friends, we wait for all sorts of things. We wait for justice. We wait for healing. We wait for reconciliation. We wait for restored relationships. And the reality is, in this Genesis 3 world, this fallen world, many things are not guaranteed to us. And we can be left waiting.

5:04Friends, what are you waiting for God to do in your life this morning? And perhaps more importantly, how are you waiting? Are you content and at peace? Or are you anxious and afraid? Are you absolutely convinced of God's love for you? Or is the waiting just a constant reminder of God's silence? A reminder of all that He hasn't done for you? Friends, the reality is we are all waiting on something. As we've heard throughout this morning, in this season of Advent, we are all waiting for that wonderful day when Christ will return and all things will be made new. We are all waiting. And the good news is that in our passage this morning, in Luke chapter 1, God wants to help us. In our waiting, God wants to show us that we can faithfully wait because our personal God keeps his promises.

6:12Friends, no matter what you are waiting for this morning, God wants to assure your heart that you can faithfully wait because our personal God keeps his promises. This morning we are going to unpack this point as we look at two birth announcements. Two birth announcements that give us two reasons that help us to faithfully wait, even when all seems hopeless. So our passage begins with the announcement of John the Baptist's birth in verse 5. An announcement that shows us that we can faithfully wait because God enters our longings with words of hope.

7:01We can faithfully wait because God enters our longing with words of hope. Follow along with me, beginning in verse 5. We read, In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zachariah of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly. In all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. Like any good story, our passage opens by giving us the setting and introducing the main characters. Here we see the setting, Israel is under Roman occupation. This is the days of Herod. And we meet Zachariah the priest and his wife Elizabeth, the main characters of our first scene. Luke tells us that they were both righteous, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. Zachariah and Elizabeth were faithful saints who consistently obeyed the law of Moses.

8:14They were exemplary in their character, which only makes what we hear in verse 7 so surprising. This would have shocked us if we had heard this, the first time we heard this. Verse 7 says, but they had no children because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years. In their culture, where children was seen as a sign of God's blessing, as a reward for the faithfulness of their parents, for them to not have children would have been seen by others as a sign of God's judgment on them, as discipline for their sin. But as we know, the reality is exactly The opposite is true.

9:02The fact that they continue to walk with God, faithfully obeying his commands, even though they had no children, points to their righteousness all the more. You see, brothers and sisters, they remained faithful to the Lord after the months turned into years and their prayers for a child were never answered. They remained faithful even after their dream of ever having a child was gone. They remained faithful despite the pain of unfulfilled hopes and unmet expectations. And they remained faithful despite the shameful way that they were treated by others.

9:48When it would have been easy to throw in the towel, to accuse God of not holding up his end of the bargain, they continued to live righteously. They continued to live blamelessly before the Lord. Friends, that is costly worship. And as I was reading this passage, as I was sitting in this text, thinking about this reality, so many of you, faithful brothers and sisters, came to mind. So many of you who are sitting in this season of waiting, who are living in the midst of unfulfilled hopes and dreams and expectations, you could easily... Throw in the towel, and yet you are continuing to walk faithfully, even when the bad news keeps coming. And I just want to thank you for your example to me. I want you to know that it is glorifying to God. It's an encouragement to me and many others. Thank you for walking faithfully, even in the midst of unfulfilled hopes.

10:55Well, our story continues in verse 8. We read: Now, while he, while Zachariah, was serving as priest before God, when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by Lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. As a priest, Zachariah and his whole division, this is probably 600 to 1,000 people, would have traveled to Jerusalem two times a year to serve in the temple. And we're told in verse 9 that Zachariah was chosen by Lot to burn incense. Now, friends, to you and me, this whole burning incense thing might not make much sense, but for any priest, this would have been the greatest experience that one could ever have. You see, every day during the morning and evening sacrifices that were held in the temple, one priest in the morning, one priest in the evening would enter the holy place to burn incense. Right in front of the curtain that separated the holy place from the holy of holies. Burning incense, you would be feet from the presence of God. You would be separated by only this curtain folded over that is separating you from the most glorious thing in the world, the presence of God dwelling in the temple. This would be the greatest experience that a priest could ever have.

12:31In fact, this was such a high honor that you could only ever do this once in your life. Once you were chosen to serve in this way, you could no longer be included in the casting of lots. And still, it was something that many priests would go their entire life, never getting to experience. And here in verse 9, we read that today is Zachariah's lucky day. He has been chosen by Lot to burn the incense. Friends, knowing what we know of our God, the details of our story are meant to fill us with a growing sense of anticipation. Can you feel that right now? You see, Elizabeth isn't the first person that we've been told was righteous, but barren. Sarah, Rachel, and Hannah before her, we've all explicitly been told they were righteous but barren.

13:30We knew, we know what happens to them. And the fact that Zachariah was chosen by Lot should clue us into the fact that God is up to something big. Which brings us to verse 11. Follow along as I read. We read, and there appeared to him to Zachariah an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zachariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. As Zachariah is performing his duties, the most unexpected thing happens, or perhaps the most expected thing happens. An angel appears standing next to the altar, and this terrifies Zachariah. It seems like the angel is used to this response because he immediately responds: Do not be afraid. The angel, who we learn is Gabriel, goes on to tell Zachariah something spectacular. Read with me, beginning in verse 13, what the angel tells him. But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zachariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John, and you will have joy. Gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

15:40Such a remarkable announcement. But to be honest with you, friends, I'm not entirely sure how much John processed in this initial hearing. In those first moments, I am sure that he simply stopped paying attention to whatever it was Gabriel was telling him when he finally heard those words. He had been longing to hear his entire adult life. When the angel tells him, Zachariah, your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son.

16:22His dear bride. The love of his life, the one who's carried the Shame and the reproach of those around her who has borne that every single day, she will finally have his son. As Elizabeth says in verse 25, in these moments, the Lord looks with her on favor to take away her reproach or her disgrace. Now, friends, this in and of itself would have been amazing. But as you may have noticed, something even more amazing is happening in this announcement. Because this child here, who's the answer to Zachariah and Elizabeth's prayers, he's also the answer to the people's prayers.

17:17As we see in verse 10, while Zachariah was inside the temple, the whole multitude was outside the temple praying. And these weren't just any prayers. These faithful Jews would have shown up to the temple every morning, every evening, and they would be praying for the restoration of Israel. You see, just like Zachariah and Elizabeth, the nation of Israel, God's chosen people, were living in a time of unfulfilled hopes and expectations. Rather than experiencing the blessings of being God's chosen covenant. People, they were experiencing his discipline at the hands of the Romans. Every day, as they walked about Jerusalem, as they saw their rebuilt temple that never quite captured the glory of the original, they would have experienced a sense of disappointment. There would have been this longing in their hearts for the days of old, for God to restore all of his promises and to once again dwell with his people. And so they would have been praying that their time of exile would come to an end and that they would experience God's promised restoration. And as we heard in verses 14 to 17, this is exactly what the birth of John will mean. He will cause many people to rejoice as their exile comes to an end. He will go before the people in the spirit of Elijah, that great Old Testament prophet, calling the nation to repentance, as many will turn to the Lord. And he will make ready a people who are prepared for the Lord's coming. John's birth meant that salvation was coming to Israel.

19:16Sisters and brothers, I do not think I could possibly describe to you the joy that the people of Israel would have felt upon hearing these words. At this point in Israel's history, It had been over 400 years since the people had heard from God. 400 years of unfulfilled hopes and expectations. 400 years of praying with no answer. 400 years of silence and feeling forgotten. 400 years of longing and waiting. And here in this announcement of a son, this promise of a prophet, God speaks words of hope into their longing. He wants them to know that he has heard their prayers. He has seen their pain, and their time of waiting is over. This announcement of John's birth is a sign that salvation has come to Israel, and so the people can rejoice and have much hope.

20:29But it's not just the Israelites who can hope. Because the same God who entered Zachariah and Elizabeth's longing, the same God who entered the nation of Israel's longing, is the same God who enters your longing and my longing. It's the same God who enters your waiting and my waiting. And friends, he enters with words of hope. So where do you? Waiting for God to do this morning? What's the situation in your life that is causing you to think that God has forgotten about you or that maybe he just doesn't care? Where are you longing for change right now? Whatever it is, friends, know that God sees and hears. Your cries have not gone unnoticed, neither has your pain or sorrow. In this passage, God wants you to see that he is the one who enters your longing with words of hope. And, friends, I wish I could tell you that these words of hope will always be the fulfillment of your longing, like we see in this passage. But sadly, that just isn't the case. But that doesn't mean that there is no hope. Oftentimes, I find that this hope comes in the reminder that God remembers us.

22:01I think we're meant to see that reality here when we realize that the name Zachariah means God remembers. Friends, the hope in the waiting is in the reminder that God remembers us. Sisters and brothers, you are not alone in your longing. God is with you in your longing. Waiting. So we can have hope. Friends, I am very aware that this reality that God is with us in our waiting doesn't magically take away the sadness or the sorrow, and I don't think it's meant to. But I do think that it's meant to be a comfort and encouragement to us as we struggle to continue, as we struggle to continue faithfully waiting on God to do what He has promised to us. So, this is the first reason that we can faithfully wait when all seems lost. It's because God enters our longing with words of hope. But in this passage, we see that there is a second reason. There's a second reason that we can wait. And that's because we can wait faithfully because God fulfills His promise to redeem. Beginning in verse 26, we see that God fulfills His promise to redeem.

23:31You see, this promise of a prophet would have been very encouraging for all of the Israelites to hear. But in the back of their mind, they would have been wondering, How is this time going to be any different? After all, this isn't the first time that God has sent a prophet to his people, and we all know what happened to them. How is this time going to be any different? Well, here in this second birth announcement, God shows us. How and why it's going to be different. As our story continues, we see that God's plan doesn't just include a promised prophet, but it also includes a promised king who will redeem his people. Look with me beginning in verse 26. Here we read: In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. Well, friends, right away, we're on the edge of our seats. This angel Gabriel is the one who appeared to Zachariah, bringing good news, and here he is again. But it's not just that the angel Gabriel has appeared, because while the angel Gabriel appeared to Zachariah in the temple, the place of God's presence, here we see that God sends Gabriel to make a house call. I mean, to feel the weight of this, just imagine the difference between receiving an invitation to a state banquet at Buckingham Palace and the royal family themselves paying a formal visit to your home. How much greater of an honor would it be to have the royal family come into your living room?

25:30That's exactly what's happening here. Zachariah has received an invitation to Buckingham Palace, but God visits Mary's house. Here, seeing this, we're meant to be amazing. We're meant to be wondering, what amazing thing is God going to do now? And in verse 28, we get our answer. Here we read: And he, the angel, came to her and said, Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you. But she, Mary, was greatly troubled at this saying and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. Gabriel greets Mary, calling her favored one. This is a very significant phrase, one that was used at very significant moments in Israel's history. And what it means, friends, is that God has chosen Mary to do something special. Just like Noah was God's favored one, and Hannah was God's favored one, and David was God's favored one. Here, Mary has been set apart by God. And the significance of this is not lost on her. As we see in verse 29, Mary is greatly troubled. She is perplexed. Not so much by the presence of the angel, which is surprising, but by his grief. By his words, she knows what it means to be called God's favored one, and perhaps she's concerned about the contractual details in the fine prints, wondering, I've been given grace to do what exactly, Gabriel. Well, the angel must sense her concern because he replies, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David. In these words, the angel confirms Mary's suspicions, but I don't think that even Mary could have imagined hearing these words. You see, friends, these words, these truths that have become so familiar and commonplace to you and me every Christmas season, these words would have been absolutely incredible and mind-boggling to Mary. Because Gabriel was telling her that she was going to be the mother of the longed-for promised son of David, the one who will free his people from their exile, the one who will redeem them from the hands of their oppressors, as he restores. His kingdom, God is promising Mary that the one that she gives birth to, her son, will sit on the throne of his father David. In short, Gabriel is telling Mary that she is going to give birth to the hope of Israel. And if this wasn't overwhelming enough already, almost as if Gabriel were a late-night infomercial host who keeps shouting out, but wait, there's more, Gabriel continues in verse 33 as he says, and he, this son, will reign over the house of Jacob forever.

29:11And of his kingdom there will be no end. Unlike David or Solomon's reigns, which ended in death, this promised son's reign will be forever. He will sit on the throne of David for all time. His kingdom will never end. Nothing will be able to overcome him or bring an end to his rule or reign. It is through this promised son that God is telling Mary and all of us who read that God will keep all of his gracious promises to his people.

29:54Well, as Mary begins to process all that she's heard, she asks Gabriel a question. In verse 34. She says, How will this be since I am a virgin? Unlike Zachariah's response of unbelief in verse 18, where he asks, How can I know this? Here, Mary's question in verse 34 assumes that everything Gabriel had told her will happen. Her question is more one of mechanics. How's this going to come about? And this makes sense because the most natural thing for Mary would have been for her to assume that the pregnancy that this angel was talking about would come about when she consummates her marriage with Joseph, who we've already been told in verse 27 was of the line of David. That would be the most natural thing for Mary to assume, that this promised son would come about when her and Joseph are finally married. But having heard all that the angels told her, especially verse 33, it seems like Mary's picking up on the fact that Gabriel might not be speaking about a typical pregnancy because she's not going to give birth to a typical son. Mary's inclinations here are affirmed as the angel answers her in verse 35. 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. Just as God's glorious presence in the cloud overshadowed the people in the wilderness and overshadowed the completed tabernacle, here God will overshadow Mary, and through his creative, powerful, life-giving presence, Mary will conceive and give birth to a son. And he will be called holy, the son of God. A title once again pointing us, reminding us of the promised role of this son, that he will be the promised Davidic Son, the one who will redeem his people, and the one who will reign forever. Hearing all of this in verse 38, Mary responds, Behold, I am a servant of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her. Mary, the great exemplar of the faith, responds in submission and obedience to God's gracious invitation to her. She says that God can do with her as he wishes. And this is even more remarkable given the personal risk and loss that she would face. I mean, just think of the problems this would create with Joseph. I mean, how would you explain this?

33:14Yet alone, the risk to her reputation and the shame and the ridicule that she opened herself up to. And yet she willingly submits. She is the servant of the Lord. And only after hearing her response does the angel depart. In this conversation between Mary and Gabriel, we see that the people's waiting is finally over. God has acted here to fulfill his very great and precious promises to his people. Oh, sisters and brothers, what are you waiting for God to do for you today?

33:55What is the situation that you are waiting on right now? Whatever it is, this passage here is meant to be an encouragement to you to continue faithfully waiting, knowing that God keeps his promises. God kept his promise to redeem his people, and he will keep his promise to you. Now, again, this isn't a game of name it and claim it. This passage here isn't a guarantee that we will get whatever we want. That's not what's happening in Luke chapter 1. But it is a great reminder to us that everything that God has promised to us in his word will come about. God will remain faithful to each and every one of his promises. So, in those moments of waiting, you can cling to the promises of God.

34:55Promises like the truth that he will never leave you or forsake you. In those moments of trial and suffering, whatever situations most tempt you to question whether God cares for you, Luke 1 reminds you that God didn't forget to send Israel's Savior, and He won't forget you. Or maybe your season of waiting this morning has you questioning God's love for you. Perhaps shame has convinced you that you are not lovable, either because of something you've done or something that has been done to you. Or maybe your guilt has you convinced that you are outside the bounds of God's love and forgiveness. Well, this passage here is meant to convince you beyond the shadow of a doubt that God's promise that nothing can separate you from his love is absolutely true for you right here and right now. And friends, we have even more confidence that all of you are not going to be able to do that. God's promises will come about than Zachariah and Elizabeth were able to have, than Mary was able to have, because we know that Mary did, in fact, become pregnant and give birth just as the angel promised. But we also know that Jesus didn't remain a baby. He would grow up, perfectly obey God's law. He would die on the cross, rise from the grave three days later, and descend to heaven, where he is serving as our great high priest right now, interceding and advocating before God the Father for us. Friends, in the life of Jesus, Jesus shows us that God has done everything that we need for our salvation. He has faithfully kept every single one of his promises. He has redeemed his people in all that Christ has done. And so no matter what you are longing for this morning, you can faithfully wait because God fulfills his promises.

37:05And friends, the reality is, if we aren't clinging to God's promises in our longings, then we are much more at risk of giving in to doubt, depression, and despair. I think John Bunyan understood this well. In his classic book, The Pilgrim's Progress, he tells the story of a Christian heading towards the celestial city, towards heaven. And at one point on his journey, he and his traveling companion, Hopeful, are walking along bypass meadow. And as each of them got absorbed in conversation, it became dark, and the path that they were walking on wasn't visible anymore. And as a storm arose, they couldn't find their way back to the path that God had told them to walk on. And so they decided to hide under a little piece of shelter that they had found, and they slept until morning. But in the morning, we read that the giant despair came along and discovered them. He dragged both Christian and hopeful to his castle called Doubting Castle, and he threw them into his dungeon. The giant despair tormented Christian and hopeful for several days, beating them off and on, until one day they remembered to call out to the great king for hope or for help. After all, the king has said that he would always help them. And so as they cried out, the king heard their cries and he sent them an angel. They couldn't see the angel, but he whispered in Christian's ear, remember the key of promise. It's the key to unlocking the door to the dungeon. Christian said, What a fool I've been. I had the key all along.

39:00I just needed to use it. Sisters and brothers, when waiting has you in doubting castle, when waiting has you doubting God's heart towards you, doubting God's promises to you, when you are tempted to discouragement and you want to distance yourself from God or from others, in this passage here, Luke chapter 1, God wants to encourage you by reminding you that He is the personal God who enters into your longing with words of hope. And He wants to assure your heart that He will keep His promises to you. He is faithful then, and He is faithful now. This Advent season, as we wait and long for Christ's second coming, may we continually faithfully wait for our faithful God. Friends, pray with me.

40:08Oh, Father, we are so grateful that you are near, that you are personal, that in the midst of our longing and waiting and hoping, Lord, that you remind us, just sort. Of just what kind of God you are. Lord, that you are the God who is near, who enters in, and you are the God who is faithful to keep each and every one of your promises. Oh, this morning, Father, I pray that you will give us the faith to believe what we have heard and give us the grace this Advent season to live in the good of it. Amen.

40:59Thank you for listening to the sermon audio from New Life Baptist Church in College Station, Texas. For more information or to support our ministry, visit us online at newlifecs.net.