INTRODUCTION

1. The message of Gabriel was finally understood

2. Unbelief had been soundly dealt with

3. Darkness had been dispelled

4. A new-found faith had been obtained

5. The Spirit of God had filled the heart and mind of Zacharias

 

THE FULL CONTENT OF WHAT ZACHARIAS SAID

68 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,

For He has visited and redeemed His people,

69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us

In the house of His servant David,

70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets,

Who have been since the world began,

71 That we should be saved from our enemies

And from the hand of all who hate us,

72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers

And to remember His holy covenant,

73 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:

74 To grant us that we,

Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,

Might serve Him without fear,

75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. Luke 1:68-75

1. Full comprehension had come to Zacharias

2. God’s plan of Redemption and Salvation was being revealed

3. This Plan of Deliverance had been foretold by the holy prophets of old

4. God would once again show abundant mercy to His people

5. This plan of redemption was contained within the Covenant God gave to Abraham

 

A MAJOR GOAL OF SALVATION HIGHLIGHTED

74 To grant us that we,

Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,

Might serve Him without fear,

75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. Luke 1:74-75

1. Deliverance would be given

a) Deliverance from physical enemies

b) Deliverance from spiritual enemies

c) Deliverance from pervasive darkness

2. Delivered to Serve God

a) Delivered to serve God without fear

i) Fear results in uncertainty

ii) Fearful service is not significant

iii) Fear must be replaced by Faith

iv) Faithful service is the appropriate response

b) Delivered to serve God in holiness and righteousness

i) This is not perfunctory holiness and righteousness

ii) This is not fulfilling religious duties

iii) Serving God with true holiness and righteousness is possible only

when we have experienced the work of the Holy Spirit in our life

c) Delivered to serve God all the days of our life

i) Serving God was not meant to be “for a season”

ii) Serving God who has delivered us from sin and Satan must move us to serve Him faithfully all our life

iii) This was the understanding and conviction Zacharias had after the Spirit of God filled him

3. Wrong comprehension of deliverance

a) Defective comprehension of our Deliverance

b) Denial of the need to serve God

c) Back to a Defeated Life

 

OFFERING OUR LIFE TO GOD

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,

that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,

acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,

that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2

1. The Apostle Paul is in full agreement with Zacharias

2. When we have received the mercies of God, we cannot but serve Him

 

OUR CHALLENGE

1. To present our bodies a living sacrifice to God

2. This is but our reasonable service

3. How this may be done:

a) Refuse to be conformed to this world

b) Renewal of the mind is of vital importance

c) We will then be able to comprehend the will of God as

i) Good

ii) Acceptable

iii) Perfect