Knowledge of salvation
 through the forgiveness of sins
sermon by Manfred Schreyer

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Luke 1:59-80 NIV On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, :60 but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John." :61 They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name." :62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. :63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John." :64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. :65 The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. :66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him. :67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: :68 "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. :69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David :70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), :71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us– :72 to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, :73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: :74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear :75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. :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, :78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven :79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace." :80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel.

 

Zachariah follows in the above text an ancient Jewish prayer: The Amidah. From praise, to petition, to thanks. The first three benedictions contain praise, and are designed to promote the reasonableness of prayer as a strategy for establishing intimacy with God. The last three benedictions are expressions of thanks. The intermediate benedictions are petitions for the essential needs of the individual and the community, including both spiritual and material needs.

1. God of History

2. God of Nature

3. God who sanctifies.

4. Prayer for understanding.

5. Prayer for repentance

6. Prayer for forgiveness

7. Prayer for deliverance from affliction

8. Prayer for Healing

9. Prayer for Deliverance from want

10. Prayer for reunion of Israel

11. Prayer for the righteous reign of God

12. Prayer against slanderers

13. Prayer for the righteous and proselytes

14. Prayer for the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

15. Prayer for the Messianic King

16. Prayer for the hearing of prayer.

17. Prayer for the restoration of Temple service.

18. Thanksgiving for God's unfailing mercies.

 

      Last week I talked about how the angel Gabriel announced to Zachariah in the temple that a forerunner of Jesus would be born in the spirit of Elijah, and how the prophesy of the Messiah would come true.

      As we are getting closer to the "giant" holiday of Christmas, we are so involved with all the things we have to get done, from shopping, cleaning, card writing, baking, cooking, etc., that we too often forget what this special day is really all about.

      We are too often embraced by the rush of the weeks before Christmas, by commercial music that mentions holidays instead of Christmas, by articles that tell us about disagreements if the Menorah or the Christmas tree shall be in front of the town square, by the stock market that goes down because retailers have not achieved their sales goals for the season, we complain that the Christmas tree doesn’t look the same as last year, that the favorite toy for the kids was sold out. . . .We are overwhelmed by the ad inserts of the local papers, by the same commercials that run on television, by scenes of soap operas that display the perfect family and Christmas get together . . . and in all of this most people decide to visit the church (although they do not attend all year) as if that part is part of the Christmas blessing that I just read off.

      Still, it usually does not end there. Immediately after Christmas the payments for the overspent credit cards creep slowly up. We wonder why life is so difficult and why it is always us that have to suffer financially . . . and let us not forget the gift exchange procession at the local store! Nevertheless, . . . there is always the tax return that may bring relief from our stressed out billfold.

      So. . . . that is the season! Hey, "Merry Christmas" How is your stress level now? Feeling good?

      I doubt that Zachariah would have ever imagined the anxiety that overcomes most Americans when he announced: . :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, :78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven :79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."

      Christmas is really a very liberating day for humanity. For a long time before Zacharias’ time God had not spoken with His people Israel anymore. In a way they felt isolated, but they knew that a Messiah would arrive . . . someday . . .

      Do you remember how Zachariah asked the Gabriel after he gave his message as the mouthpiece of God to Zachariah? Zachariah asks: " How can I be sure of this?"

      Although Zachariah makes a strong point here for his son, we in our time are not in the time of proclaiming the Christ, but we live in the satisfaction that Christ was born.

      For a second I just want you to think that the announcement from Gabriel is the same announcement that God makes to us. It is the announcement of knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.

      The gift given by God to us is a gift of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven :79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.

      However, often our concern about the Christ centers more around the gifts we receive and how we can top last years Christmas.

      Do we believe that we can surpass the love of God for us with gifts we give to others or do we believe that we can feel the gift of God for us more when we receive gifts from others?

      Please do not misunderstand me. Everyone loves to receive a gift, to know that one is appreciated, loved and thought about . . . but where is the message of God’s gift in all of this? Have we forgotten to pass on the knowledge of salvation to others?

      Has the commercialism of Christmas taken over the true meaning of Christmas and have we as Christians allowed that the secular world has taken over a day that should proclaim hope, freedom, and forgiveness?

      When we see Christmas decoration as early as September, when we have Christmas in July sales, we should be appalled how far we are distancing ourselves from the very essence of Jesus’ birthday.

      We must believe that our Christ is not born so the cash registers ring more often, or that we use this day to give presents to those who we love and care for, but that Christmas is the day where our healing Savior is born.

      Nothing should take away from this day. Nothing but nothing.

      Appreciation should be given to God for giving His son for us. Love should be expressed toward others in kind deeds and words . . . all year around.

      And yes, we should celebrate Christmas with those we love the most . . . with our family, friends and neighbors. We should celebrate the knowledge of salivation through the forgiveness of sins.

And we should pray: Pray the Amidah . . . the prayer Zachariah prayed.

Knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of sins

Luke 1:59-80 NIV On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, :60 but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John." :61 They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name." :62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. :63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John." :64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. :65 The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. :66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him. :67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: :68 "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. :69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David :70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), :71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us– :72 to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, :73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: :74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear :75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. :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, :78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven :79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace." :80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel.

 

Zachariah follows in the above text an ancient Jewish prayer: The Amidah. From praise, to petition, to thanks. The first three benedictions contain praise, and are designed to promote the reasonableness of prayer as a strategy for establishing intimacy with God. The last three benedictions are expressions of thanks. The intermediate benedictions are petitions for the essential needs of the individual and the community, including both spiritual and material needs.

1. God of History

2. God of Nature

3. God who sanctifies.

4. Prayer for understanding.

5. Prayer for repentance

6. Prayer for forgiveness

7. Prayer for deliverance from affliction

8. Prayer for Healing

9. Prayer for Deliverance from want

10. Prayer for reunion of Israel

11. Prayer for the righteous reign of God

12. Prayer against slanderers

13. Prayer for the righteous and proselytes

14. Prayer for the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

15. Prayer for the Messianic King

16. Prayer for the hearing of prayer.

17. Prayer for the restoration of Temple service.

18. Thanksgiving for God's unfailing mercies.

 

      Last week I talked about how the angel Gabriel announced to Zachariah in the temple that a forerunner of Jesus would be born in the spirit of Elijah, and how the prophesy of the Messiah would come true.

      As we are getting closer to the "giant" holiday of Christmas, we are so involved with all the things we have to get done, from shopping, cleaning, card writing, baking, cooking, etc., that we too often forget what this special day is really all about.

      We are too often embraced by the rush of the weeks before Christmas, by commercial music that mentions holidays instead of Christmas, by articles that tell us about disagreements if the Menorah or the Christmas tree shall be in front of the town square, by the stock market that goes down because retailers have not achieved their sales goals for the season, we complain that the Christmas tree doesn’t look the same as last year, that the favorite toy for the kids was sold out. . . .We are overwhelmed by the ad inserts of the local papers, by the same commercials that run on television, by scenes of soap operas that display the perfect family and Christmas get together . . . and in all of this most people decide to visit the church (although they do not attend all year) as if that part is part of the Christmas blessing that I just read off.

      Still, it usually does not end there. Immediately after Christmas the payments for the overspent credit cards creep slowly up. We wonder why life is so difficult and why it is always us that have to suffer financially . . . and let us not forget the gift exchange procession at the local store! Nevertheless, . . . there is always the tax return that may bring relief from our stressed out billfold.

      So. . . . that is the season! Hey, "Merry Christmas" How is your stress level now? Feeling good?

      I doubt that Zachariah would have ever imagined the anxiety that overcomes most Americans when he announced: . :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, :78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven :79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."

      Christmas is really a very liberating day for humanity. For a long time before Zacharias’ time God had not spoken with His people Israel anymore. In a way they felt isolated, but they knew that a Messiah would arrive . . . someday . . .

      Do you remember how Zachariah asked the Gabriel after he gave his message as the mouthpiece of God to Zachariah? Zachariah asks: " How can I be sure of this?"

      Although Zachariah makes a strong point here for his son, we in our time are not in the time of proclaiming the Christ, but we live in the satisfaction that Christ was born.

      For a second I just want you to think that the announcement from Gabriel is the same announcement that God makes to us. It is the announcement of knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.

      The gift given by God to us is a gift of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven :79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.

      However, often our concern about the Christ centers more around the gifts we receive and how we can top last years Christmas.

      Do we believe that we can surpass the love of God for us with gifts we give to others or do we believe that we can feel the gift of God for us more when we receive gifts from others?

      Please do not misunderstand me. Everyone loves to receive a gift, to know that one is appreciated, loved and thought about . . . but where is the message of God’s gift in all of this? Have we forgotten to pass on the knowledge of salvation to others?

      Has the commercialism of Christmas taken over the true meaning of Christmas and have we as Christians allowed that the secular world has taken over a day that should proclaim hope, freedom, and forgiveness?

      When we see Christmas decoration as early as September, when we have Christmas in July sales, we should be appalled how far we are distancing ourselves from the very essence of Jesus’ birthday.

      We must believe that our Christ is not born so the cash registers ring more often, or that we use this day to give presents to those who we love and care for, but that Christmas is the day where our healing Savior is born.

      Nothing should take away from this day. Nothing but nothing.

      Appreciation should be given to God for giving His son for us. Love should be expressed toward others in kind deeds and words . . . all year around.

      And yes, we should celebrate Christmas with those we love the most . . . with our family, friends and neighbors. We should celebrate the knowledge of salivation through the forgiveness of sins.

And we should pray: Pray the Amidah . . . the prayer Zachariah prayed.


 

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