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Luke 1:57-67, "What Is Being Heard?" · Clifford Baptist

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  Welcome to the Nov. 16 sermon from Clifford Baptist Church, 6:35 Fletcher's Level Road in Amherst. Today's scripture is Luke, chapter one, verses 57 through 67. And the sermon is entitled what is Being Heard? Delivered today by Pastor Jeffrey Campbell. We have been bouncing and balancing two miracles as we have been looking at Luke chapter number one, seeing two cousins each at the end of the spectrum.
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  One named Elizabeth, who is up and older in her years, one who is younger teenager. Her name is Mary.
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  We have seen they are both dealing with the same blessing miracle that is happening in their life. They are both expecting a child. Elizabeth is old and she is expecting John, the forerunner of Jesus Christ. She is six months ahead in her pregnancy, ahead of Mary.
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  Mary is pregnant with the Savior of the world. His name is Jesus.
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  We've learned about these two women and their families. And we've realized too that both of these women are trusting the Lord through this.
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  A reminder that Zacharias, who is Elizabeth's husband, was silenced because of his unbelief that God could work in his life.
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  And because of that little bit of doubt, God silenced him for the months of pregnancy of his wife.
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  And so as we pick up scripture today, we pick up looking back at Zacharias and Elizabeth and how God is dealing with this couple. He has answered their prayers.
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  He has taken away the shame and the stigma of unbarreness from Elizabeth's life.
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  But we are reminded today through scripture and through this older couple that God is in charge of our days and that you and I have a very important job in our day.
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  And that is this. That people hear about Jesus through our lives and through our testimony, through what the Lord has done for us.
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  I hope you're not here today and saying that people will hear about Jesus through the pastor.
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  Certainly we want that to happen.
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  People will hear about Jesus through the songs that we sing.
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  That's my part this week. I showed up to church and I sang and I listened to the pastor. God's work is done. No, friend. God's work is not done.
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  My prayer is that every family, every person represented here physically watching livestream with us that Jesus is heard from our lives just as we see in scripture.
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  This amazing couple has taught me so much that what people hear through your testimony and through your trials and through your life is crucial to expanding the Lord's work on this earth.
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  Do I think that the Lord needs us? Absolutely not.
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  He doesn't need me.
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  He could do his work without me.
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  But praise be to God. I'm thankful that he includes me to be in part of his work, and he includes you as well.
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  And what people hear through your life. May what we read today be a testament and a challenge to each of our faith. Let's take God's word together. Go to verse 57 of Luke chapter number one, verses 57 and 58.
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  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.
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  As we look at this passage of Scripture, there's one question that we're going to ponder together today. And that question is this. What is being heard?
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  What is being heard through the life of this couple could translate and teach us so much what needs to be heard from our life. But the first point today of what is being heard through this older couple's life is the Lord is merciful.
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  The Lord is merciful. Elizabeth longed for a moment to have a child.
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  There are some women in this room today and some men in this room today that can relate directly to what she feels like.
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  She wanted a child. It never happened. She prayed to God, and guess what in her old age has answered.
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  It's on God's timetable, not ours.
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  And that's a lesson for all of us to learn that we've got to trust what God wants to do on his timetable in our lives.
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  So as this older couple we meet in verse number 57, we're brought back to their situation.
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  Time to have a baby.
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  Praise God, those days are over.
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  But I want to tell you, you young folks, be fruitful and multiply.
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  Be fruitful and multiply. I can't imagine what it would be like to be in Elizabeth and Zachariah's shoes. It's time for that baby. That thing that they had prayed for, that they thought would never come, is coming to fruition. And in verse number 57, excuse me, it has come that she should be delivered. And she brings forth that baby boy.
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  At Elizabeth's age, at Zacharias age, we cannot discount that part of the story that is a central theme to what Luke is trying to tell us. That God's mercy has reached beyond understanding and beyond physical limitations and beyond biological issues. That God can bring life to situations where it seems impossible.
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  Amen.
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  That is a central theme here. And we cannot miss this, that the miracle and the mercy of God is shown and showered upon this couple's life.
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  And as the birth happens, it's time for celebration. Now in today's Time we celebrate before the baby gets here.
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  We take that mother and we put her in a social hall over here and we decorate all around her and we bring our closest friends and family in and surround her and we throw her a party and we celebrate that coming baby.
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  Some people have gender reveal parties. That was before my time.
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  But here's what we need to understand. Every, every, every child is a miracle and a birth that is given by the hand of the Lord.
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  Every child and what we see here. This child is welcomed by neighbors and cousins and family surrounding Elizabeth and they are rejoicing at the miracle of, of what God is doing.
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  If you have been saved today by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, you have a reason to celebrate what God is doing and what God has done in your life. That's not a once and done thing, that's an everyday celebration.
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  And so Christians, people need to hear that we are thankful for the miracle work that God has done through, through his son Jesus in our life to save poor wretched people like us.
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  The next thing that people need to hear is God has a purpose.
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  I'm looking at good people, wonderful families, and you might have been like I have been in my past, even sometimes recently figuring out, okay, God, what next?
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  What's my purpose?
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  God, what do you want to do with my life? And what we see here in Scripture in verse number 58, as they are celebrating and they're celebrating what's coming, what's happening is this, John, he has a purpose.
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  He has been sent by God. His life carries purpose.
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  Your life carries purpose.
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  And if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, listen to me, you should be doing work to further the kingdom of God, to do his work on this earth.
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  You and I should be involved in that.
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  That is our purpose. What does that look like? That looks like coming to church. That looks like reading your Bible.
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  My sole goal as a youth pastor was to do two things. Teach teenagers to pray and read their Bible. If they did that, I was a successful youth pastor.
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  As a pastor, the goals have not changed.
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  If Christians get excited about Jesus, get into the word of God, seek his direction, they will find the purpose of what they are to do.
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  So my challenge to you that are sitting here saying, I don't know what God has for me, don't sit around the rest of your life asking that, come, get plugged in, get with the people of God and God will open the doors to where he wants you.
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  But there's a third part.
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  Look at verse number 58.
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  As the celebration is going on, and people are gathering around. It says the neighbors and her cousins heard how the Lord has showed great mercy upon her.
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  Here's what they have heard.
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  God has done a miracle in my life.
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  God has showered me with his mercy. God's mercy is this.
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  When God doesn't give what is deserved, that's mercy.
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  When God doesn't give what is deserved.
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  And so what Elizabeth is saying here to all of her friends and all of the family that's gathered around her is, I didn't deserve this child.
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  But it is a gift from our God.
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  There's lots of things that we don't deserve.
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  And my question today is this.
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  As this celebration about a child is going on, the one thing that is sounding throughout the people there is this. God is merciful.
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  God shows mercy.
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  There are people that I meet on the street that just say, jeffrey, I can't come to your church because I've been too bad.
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  There's some people that might be sitting in this room today that say, I'm not good enough. I've done horrible things. Here's what you need to hear. God is merciful.
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  God doesn't give you what you deserve.
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  And praise be to God for that.
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  So the first thing that's being heard around the birth of this baby is this. God is merciful, but there's something else being heard.
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  Look in verses 59 through 63.
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  And it came to pass that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child.
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  And they called his name Zacharias, after the name of his father.
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  And his mother answered and said, not so, but he shall be called John.
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  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 and wrote, saying, his name is John.
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  And they marveled all.
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  The second thing that's being heard is the Lord's direction.
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  The Lord's direction on this eighth day, according to Jewish tradition of circumcision, it took place on the eighth day after the birth.
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  So this was done in accordance with the law. But it also was a covenant sign identifying the blessing of this boy and. And tying him to Abraham's covenant with his people.
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  But something else also happens on the eighth day.
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  On the eighth day, the baby gets their name.
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  That's when the baby's name is given. Now, some of you in this room may have waited to name your babies.
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  We had our baby names picked out way before then.
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  That's the way we do It. But imagine a week after your baby, your baby is born, you're deciding that final moment, what shall we name our child?
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  And there's two ways. On the eighth day that this child John, is identified.
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  He's identified with God by circumcision, and he's identified by name with his parents.
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  Some in that circle of friends that were there celebrating said, you're going to name this kid what you're going to call him John?
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  Yes.
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  Notice what they try to call him.
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  They try to call him Zacharias after the name of his father. At the end of verse number 59, they called him Zacharias. So immediately the friends and family call him Zacharias, just like his daddy.
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  And this time it would have been Zacharias Bar. Zacharias. Zacharias, son of Zacharias.
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  In our day, we just call him Junior. That's Junior right there.
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  And as these people surrounding them are trying to name this baby for this couple. Now, I know some of you, you'd be mad if somebody tried to name your child, too, right?
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  Well, you see a little bit of Mama Bear come out.
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  Look at verse number 60.
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  And his mother answered and said, not so. He shall be called John Yoannis.
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  That's the name. Joannes.
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  He shall be called John.
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  As the people question, is there. Is there anybody in your family with that name?
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  Why are you naming him Joannes John?
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  There's nobody in your family with that name.
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  What did they do? They turn to Zacharias.
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  Now, remember, Zacharias can't talk.
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  Now, some commentators believe because he couldn't talk, he had an issue with hearing as well. That could be the case.
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  So they start to make signs and ask him, what's going on? What do you want to name your child?
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  He grabs a tablet, and as he writes, he writes that his name is John.
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  I don't know if the hearing issue was there, it could have been because of his old age.
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  It could have been just because he was a man.
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  Let's be honest. He's like the rest of us.
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  For whatever reason. Here's the question. What is the name of your son? The people want him named Zacharias. But his wife says, john, now, Zacharias, you're his daddy. What will his name be?
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  And he simply writes, his name is Daddy John.
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  I love that, because as I read that, I don't know that it's true. I feel like John puts an end to all the discussion.
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  It ends with that. There's no more discussion. His name will be John. His mom and dad have said so. And this is what we're going to call him. And everybody's wondering, what are these crazy people thinking, thinking of naming their son John?
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  All of them wondered, all of them marveled. What's going on here?
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  Here's what was going on.
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  Elizabeth and Zacharias wanted to name their son the name that identifies him not with his earthly father, but with his heavenly father.
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  That's the name that God told them when they would have a child. That John, you are to name. Excuse me, Zacharias, you are to name him John.
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  His name is John.
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  So today, when we think about what the people are hearing as they celebrate, as they gather around to welcome John in, these people are shock, shocked because of what the name is.
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  But here's what we need to realize.
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  This is biblical evidence that people will question what you do for the Lord.
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  Remember, God told them to give this child the name John, and they're just doing what God said.
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  But. But people are going to look at your life and say, what are you thinking? What are you doing? Why are you doing that? Why do you believe that? Do you really believe in Jesus?
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  And you're going to have to have an answer.
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  When everybody else is calling for a different name, you must have the one name prepared and known, and his name is Jesus.
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  We see that Zacharias and Elizabeth could have named their child anything, but they named him what God had instructed them to do.
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  You may think that Pastor Jeffrey is just a name.
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  This name carries meaning when we think about our lives and our situations today. Here's what I'm going to ask you.
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  What about the Lord's direction in your life?
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  There will be people that question what the Lord tells you to do, what you're thinking, why you're doing that. There will be people that question that.
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  And here's what you need to be okay saying, God told me. God showed me. God is leading me, and I trust God.
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  What needs to be heard from Christians, lives, from believers is I trust the Lord's direction over anybody else's, even my own.
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  Zacharias didn't even know why and what and how long he could go without talking. But here's what. He knew his son's name was going to be John and he was going to trust the Lord.
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  How many of us, even with questions, will trust the Lord's direction and then share that this is what God's doing in my life.
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  The second thing being heard is God's direction, what this family is to do in obedience to God.
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  As I think about the third thing. And I'm going to give that to you from verses 64 through 60.
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  Now watch what happens. Remember, Zacharias writes down his name as John. We pick up in verse number 64. And his mouth was opened immediately and his tongue loosed. And he spake and praised God.
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  And fear came on all that dwelt round about them. And all these sayings were noised abroad throughout the hill country of Judea. And all they that heard them laid up in their hearts the saying, what manner of child shall this be?
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  And the hand of the Lord was with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied, saying, we're going to get to the rest of the sermon next week.
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  The third point today, the thing that is being heard is this.
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  The Lord is worshiped.
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  The Lord is worshipped.
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  Zacharias is obedient in naming this child.
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  And because of that, remember the Lord promised that he would get that voice back. He just didn't know when as he he is faithfully obeying the Lord, the Lord restores his ability to speak.
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  And guess what boy, does he speak?
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  But let me ask you this.
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  If a man goes nine months without speaking, he has been gifted a boy an answer to prayer.
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  Wouldn't you think as soon as he wrote that name out, he would. The first words off of his list was, I told you his name was going to be John.
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  I told you.
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  That's kind of where I go wrong because I'm sitting here reading this thinking, okay, John, now's your opportunity to defend your decision to name your boy John. But what's the first thing? Don't look at your Bible. What's the first thing off of his lips?
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  Praise to God.
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  Praise to God.
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  And I'm afraid today in our churches and our families, we fill our time with so much stuff instead of giving attention to where it belongs.
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  He could have ended the argument once and for all, but he did it. When he wrote it down, he ended the argument. No other word needed to be said.
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  This is what my family will do because we will be obedient to the Lord.
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  But when we think today about being worshiped, the first words off of Zacharias lips are words that are praising God. It says in verse number 64, his mouth was opened immediately, his tongue was loose, and he spake and and praised God.
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  Wouldn't he want to call his boy's name first? No, he wants to call his heavenly Father's name first.
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  I'm afraid as your pastor, there are times when people need to Hear Jesus that I have failed to deliver that name.
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  People may have heard what I thought or what I wanted.
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  As I stand before you today, I'm convicted that many times in my response should be thanksgiving to God.
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  And what a season we're headed into for that.
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  When other things could be said, we needed to be careful to give God the praise that he deserves. When arguments could have been won, we need to praise God first.
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  When any other thing could come off our lips, it must be praise of our God.
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  And notice what God does with this boy and with this life and with their situation and with what is happening in Zacharias Life. In verses 65 and 66 it says all that were around him, all that was being said, all the hill country, all that heard him. There's a three letter word, it's all. And Luke focuses on that three letter word that because of the faithfulness here to speak the name of God, all, everybody, people are hearing about what Jesus is doing, What God is doing.
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  That message can't come from one mouth.
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  It can, but it needs to come from multiple mouths of what God is doing.
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  Dr. Luke, if he could, and he could write the medical journal of the day, Dr. Luke had front page news.
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  He could tell of an old couple that's had a child. Many of you walking and food line. And you see those tabloids there, that would be front page news. Old people have a baby and you would be flipping through there looking at it.
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  Hey, it catches my attention too. I'm not gonna lie.
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  That's front page news.
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  It's front page news that after nine months of being silent, there's this old crazy man and he's speaking again.
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  Something happened. We don't know what happened, but something happened. And for nine months he went silent. But now he's speaking. That's front page news on a medical journal.
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  Two miraculous births, front page news.
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  But let me ask you this as we close this sermon today, what's the news that you need to hear?
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  Don't go out saying, hey, two old people got pregnant.
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  Don't go out saying, there was an old man that wouldn't shut up for nine months. God shut him up and he's talking again.
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  Look with me real quick.
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  Look with me.
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  Look at verse number 66, the end of that verse. I'm going to read the whole verse. It says this and all they that heard them laid them up in their heart saying what manner of child shall this be? Here's the front page news. And the hand of the Lord was with him.
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  The hand of the lord.
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  That's what Dr. Luke says. He could have wrote anything. And here's what he's saying. God is working.
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  And that news is spreading to the hill country, to the neighborhoods, to the faraway lands. God is working. If you're taking notes, just write those three words, God is working.
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  And here's what I want you to do. Some way this week, you've got to spread those three words that God is working.
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  As I boil this down, what are people hearing?
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  Maybe in our community, you hear that Clifford's got great youth program. You bring your children, you want. You get your kids involved. Listen, that's great.
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  I am blessed to be a part of a church that has children.
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  And I never want to take that for granted.
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  What a blessing.
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  But I don't want to be known solely for great children's programs.
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  I don't want somebody to walk in here on Sunday morning and say, hey, church is full, man. Great things are going at Clifford. Hey, just because the church is full doesn't mean God's doing great things.
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  I don't want to be known for the church that's full.
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  I want to be known as a people that love Jesus and that will live lives so others can hear that story, that will get involved, that others can hear that story that will rock babies so mamas can hear that story that will go to the street and tell the stranger that God is working.
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  And when God works, God can do great things.
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  And he can use people like you and me to be a part of those great things.
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  And we can sing the song of the great things God has done.
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  Can we agree to leave today with this word in our heart and in our mouth? The hand of the Lord is with him. The hand of the Lord is at work.
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  Christian today.
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  If you identify, if you consider yourself a Christian, do you know what that name means?
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  It means little Christ.
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  That's what it means.
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  So when you call yourself or somebody else calls yourself a Christian, that's what they're telling. That's a little Christ.
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  Do people hear that name?
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  Do people hear that name?
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  Believers today, it is our challenge to be faithful to the Lord. And our faith must show that our God is faithful. Our lives must follow his direction. How many of you know the Lord's mercies are new every morning?
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  We serve a merciful God.
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  And believers today, we need to live lives so others will hear about our Jesus.
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  Maybe you're here today and you're not a believer.
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  I've sat where you sit.
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  I've wrestled the Holy Spirit working On me.
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  I ran from God.
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  But here's what I know. This morning, if you're sitting here, whether you're watching live stream or in this, here's what I know. I know you hear that inner still small voice of Jesus that says, I need you, I love you, come to me.
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  I know you hear that.
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  That's not the voice of the preacher. That's the voice of the Holy Spirit. But here's what I also know. If you're not a believer in this room today, I know you hear the voice that says, no, I'll do it another time.
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  You can wait man, it's too many people. I can't do this.
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  I went to a church with 40 people and it was scared to death to get up in front of it and tell them I love Jesus.
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  I've heard that voice.
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  And so today, if you know that that still small voice of the Lord is beckoning you just simply to come.
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  My prayer today is this.
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  If you need a relationship with Jesus, that you hear three things.
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  Number one, the Lord is merciful that he didn't give you what you deserve.
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  Sin. The payment is death. Death went upon Jesus on the cross. He died for your sin. And that's the mercy of God, sending his son to a cruel cross in your place. The Lord is merciful. You need to hear the direction of the Lord. Simply asking you to come, begging you to come, drawing you in to come.
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  And I pray that you hear the Lord is worshiped.
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  You know the greatest way to worship the Lord.
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  Surrender your life.
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  Surrender your life to him.
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  And today, if you've never done that, today's that day church.
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  Don't leave here saying the pastor preached a great message.
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  Don't leave here saying the church was full.
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  Leave here saying God is at work and I want to be a part of what God is doing.
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  Pray.
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  God, thank you just for meeting us in this place.
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  God, I thank you for each person that is here today.
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  God, as we bow before you and come before you now, I pray that you search every heart within this room.
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  God, we draw from a well of faithfulness, of truth Lord, that you will make the believers in this room men and women and families of truth God. In a moment of dedication, maybe somebody just wants to come before the Lord at an old fashioned altar and just pray and say, lord, thank you for your faithfulness. Help me to be faithful to you, God. Raise up God fearing families in this place. That's my prayer in this moment. If there's one that needs Jesus.
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  God, I pray Lord that you will allow them to hear your loving call and respond to it faithfully, forsaking their sin and turning to you, God, I pray that you will save their soul.
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  God, we give you this time and an invitation to and we pray that you minister to every heart as only you can. O God, we pray this in Jesus name.
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  Amen. Clifford Baptist Church invites you to join us for worship every Sunday morning at 11am for more information about our church, please call our church office at 434-946-0555.