Transforming Lives Sermon Outline

The Salvation Army: Australia Southern Territory 1 Transforming Lives Sermon Outline

Transforming Lives – Luke 1:5-25 (Elizabeth & Zechariah)

“All Things New” Series The concept behind this year’s Christmas Resources is to focus on who Jesus is through the framework of The Australia Southern Territory’s Four Mission Intentions: Transforming Lives, Caring for People, Making Disciples and Reforming Society.

The theme passage illustrates what the completion of Jesus’ work will look like; the full consummation of the Kingdom of God on earth. The theme phrase “All Things New” emphasises the kingdom mission of restoration and rebuilding, and the ongoing continuous nature of that work (Transforming Lives, Caring for People, Making Disciples and Reforming Society). Recognising the ongoing nature of Christ’s work and the mission of the kingdom should help corps enter into the Christmas story in a more immediate way, with ongoing relevance for everyday life and engagement in TSA mission.

How to Use This Outline The emphasis of this outline is on the exegetical material for the chosen passage. It seeks to introduce the series as well as cover the material for the Transforming Lives. The emphasis of this sermon is on the following issues:

 Series Introduction – The goal of Jesus’ work is “All Things New”

 Facing the impossible is not a sign of God’s displeasure

 God is able to overcome the impossible

 God is willing to overcome the impossible

The outline will need to be customised and contextualised by each Corps Officer for the congregation to whom the sermon will be preached:

 Adding appropriate illustrations that will connect with the specific congregation

 Modifying language to be appropriate to the socio-cultural setting of the Corps

 Modifying sermon style if you prefer a topical rather than expository sermon style

 You may also wish to make the application more specific to your context.

PowerPoint slides have been provided for the following:

 Theme Slide – Title Slide for this Sermon

 Scripture Slide A – Luke 1:5-25 (whole passage) The Salvation Army: Australia Southern Territory 2 Transforming Lives Sermon Outline

 Scripture Slide B – Luke 1:6-7 (highlight verse)

 Scripture Slide C – Luke 1:18 (highlight verse)

 Scripture Slide D – Luke 1:24-25 (highlight verse)

 Blank Slide – which you can customise if you wish

Transforming Lives

Key Passage - Luke 1:5-25 (NIV)

5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. 7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. 16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

19 The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak. The Salvation Army: Australia Southern Territory 3 Transforming Lives Sermon Outline

23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” The Salvation Army: Australia Southern Territory 4 Transforming Lives Sermon Outline

Sermon Outline – Transforming Lives

Introduction 1. In the lead up to Christmas it can be easy to focus on the baubles, the tinsel and family time together. Even when we focus on the nativity story it can still be easy to lose focus of the big questions of “WHY” Jesus came, and to just enjoy a nice story about a baby in a manger. In the lead up to Christmas we are going to be looking at the question of why Jesus came, from the perspective of the Old Testament expectations of the Messiah, and the events leading up to his birth.

2. The name of this series “All Things New” comes from the book of Revelation, and summarises beautifully why Jesus came. To make all things new, to establish His Kingdom on Earth as in Heaven. In The Salvation Army Australia Southern Territory we have four mission intentions which we follow. They continue the work that Jesus did, and help to build his kingdom: Transforming Lives, Caring for People, Making Disciples and Reforming Society. We will be looking at what Jesus came to achieve through the lens of these four mission intentions.

3. This week we will be looking at the theme of “Transforming Lives”

4. Read Luke 1:5-25

Facing the impossible is not a sign of God’s displeasure (v6-7) 1. Luke starts his story about Elizabeth and Zechariah by telling us that they were good people. Zechariah was a priest, and had married a woman who also was descended from Aaron. “The priests might marry into any tribe, but ‘it was most commendable of all to marry one of the priests’ line’”1. They were upright in the sight of God, and obeyed all of the moral and ceremonial law without fault.

2. Under Jewish law, this should have made Elizabeth and Zechariah the ideal candidates for parenthood. In Deuteronomy 7:12-14, God says that if the people obeyed the laws that He gave them that He would “bless the fruit of their wombs” and that none of their men or women will be childless, nor any of their livestock would be without young. So to be childless in Jewish society was seen as the curse of God for failure to live up to his law (Gen. 16:2; 20:18; 1 Sam. 1:5) 2.

3. Yet Luke tells us that Zechariah and Elizabeth were good people. Zechariah was a priest, his wife was from the line of Aaron. They were “upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly”.

1 Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., Fausset, A. R., Brown, D., & Brown, D. (1997). A commentary, critical and explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments (Lk 1:5). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc. 2 Brand, C., Draper, C., England, A., Bond, S., Clendenen, E. R., Butler, T. C., & Latta, B. (2003). Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (173). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers. The Salvation Army: Australia Southern Territory 5 Transforming Lives Sermon Outline

4. Sometimes we experience situations in our life, that we think means God is displeased with us, or that we have done something wrong. Elizabeth and Zechariah’s story shows us that facing impossible situations in life is not a sign that God is displeased with us. The Salvation Army: Australia Southern Territory 6 Transforming Lives Sermon Outline

God is able to overcome the impossible (v18) 1. In the Old Testament there is a long line of childless couples that God gave children to. Abraham and Sarah (Gen. 11:30; Gen. 15:2–3; Gen. 16:1–2; Rom. 4:19); Isaac and Rebekah (Gen. 25:21); Jacob and Rachel (Gen. 29:31; Gen. 30:1–2); Samson’s parents (Judg. 13:2); Samuel’s parents (1 Sam. 1:2)3.

2. “The barrenness of Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel (the mothers of the Israelite nation) is significant in that their ability finally to bear children is a sign of the grace and favor of God toward His elect people”4

3. So Zechariah had a lot of history to rely on, to know that God was able to give children to the childless. Zechariah, as a priest, had to have known that God was able and also in the practice of helping childless couples have children. So it is odd for him to challenge the angel saying “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years” (v18).

4. Zechariah knew that in almost identical circumstances, God had given Abraham and Sarah a child. Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 99 when Isaac was born (Gen 17:17). Age was no barrier for God then, why did Zechariah doubt Him in his and Elizabeth’s situation? There was plenty of good reason to believe that God could and would do it again. Zechariah should have known better.

5. The lesson for us here is that God is able to overcome the impossible, regardless of our doubt. What we think is possible does not constrain what God is actually capable of. If God says He is going to do the impossible, the appropriate response is to believe Him. He is able to transform impossible situations; He is able to transform lives.

God is willing to overcome the impossible (v24-25) 1. After Zechariah returned home, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant. “The Lord has done this for me,” Elizabeth said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people” (v25).

2. Elizabeth saw and understood that God was not only ABLE, but also WILLING to overcome the impossible. “The Lord has done this FOR ME” she said. She understood that God is a gracious and merciful God, and received what God had to give her; a child (John the Baptist) and a new life.

3. Sometimes it can be difficult to believe that God would do something nice FOR ME. Of course He would do things for other people, but He wouldn’t do that for me would he? We make the mistake of believing that we are not good enough, like “being good enough” is a qualifying standard God uses for pouring out His blessings. If God was waiting for the perfect person to be kind to, He would have only had the one shot at being nice – because Jesus is the only person in history who was ever “good enough”. God’s blessings are free and gracious. We don’t have to do anything to deserve them. God is not only ABLE to transform lives; He is absolutely WILLING to transform lives.

3 Day, C. A. (2009). Collins Thesaurus of the Bible. Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc. 4 Brand, C., Draper, C., England, A., Bond, S., Clendenen, E. R., Butler, T. C., & Latta, B. (2003). Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (173). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers. The Salvation Army: Australia Southern Territory 7 Transforming Lives Sermon Outline

Conclusion 1. The birth of John the Baptist was an important part of God’s plan to send Jesus. At the end of the Old Testament, God had promised that “I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers” (Mal 4:5-6). Here the angel tells Zechariah that his son would “go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous” (v17). The birth of John the Baptist was a necessary precursor to the coming of Christ.

2. In Revelation, Jesus says, “Behold, I am making all things new” (Revelation 21:1 NIV). This is what he came to achieve, the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth, to make ALL THINGS NEW. In the story of Elizabeth and Zechariah, we see two things; the unfolding of God’s promise to send his Son and the power and willingness of God to transform lives.

3. The Salvation Army mission intention of “Transforming Lives” is one way in which Jesus came to make ALL THINGS NEW. The good news of the birth of Jesus Christ is that in Him all things can be made new. There are no impossible situations that God cannot overcome. God is able and He is willing to transform lives.

4. Invite people to the Mercy Seat