Birth of Christ Series Part 1

This is the reason for the season," but when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son" (Galatians 4:4). So I am going to start a series concerning the birth of Christ. This first installment will be taken from the gospel of Luke chapter one,with the use of pen and ink, Luke, skethes out a brief outline of the ending of the dispensation of the law and the inauguration of the dispensation of grace. The picture he paints is on a very small canvas, but none the less it is a very beautiful written production of insightful and inspired design. The sketch is that of an aged priest which involves his domestic life, priestly function and what happened at the alter of incense. This certain priest was name Zacharias, his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. They had no children, because Elisabeth was unable to bear any, and they both were now well passed the age when couple had chidlren.


Zacharias and Elisabeth lived in a hillside home outside the city, they continued year after year in prayer for God to bless them with a son. One thing that was clearly seen in this couple, they both possessed a bright and real faith in the living God; and they walked in all his commandments and ordinances blameless. That is to say, thier relationship to God was not ceremonial or in word only, but thier conduct was regulated by the revealed moral commandments of the Lord. Their walking day by day in unrightness, and integrity, allowed them to enjoy both favor with God and man. In those days there a custom concerning the priestly office, lots were drawn amongst the priest, to see who would get the right to enter the holy place to burn incense. and this time the lot fell on Zacharias. While preparation was in progress for his entrance into the holy place, a large group of people began praying at the time of incense. As the priest entered the holy place, standing at the right side of the alter of incense was an angel.

When Zacharias saw the angel, he was troubled, and fear came upon him. And the angel said to him, "Fear not, Zacharias: for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elisabeth shall bear you a son, and you are to call him John. And you will have joy and gladness; an many will rejoice at his birth. for he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, 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"

. Zacharias said, How can this take place, both my wife and I are now to old. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to tell you this good news. Now that you have not believed my message, you will be dumb and not able to speak, until the day that all these thing come to pass. While this toke place the people waited for the priest to come out, so they could receive the benediction. Zacharias was in there a very long time, this puzzled and disturbed the worshippers, when he did come out he could not speak.

How could this have taken place? Zacharias was a righteous priest before God. Well let us consider what Hebrews 12:1 says: "Wherefore seeing, we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily besets us, and let us run with patience the race that is marked for us".

Life is a amphitheater, where contests take place, and none of us are excluded, it is a scene of conflict; a shere of action, a stage with an audience all around it. The athlete today that is at center stage is a well seasoned runner named Zacharias, he has had many years of training, been in numerous competitions, has a hugh collection of trophies, and without any doubt is expected to give an outstanding preformance here today. Well the race is about to start, he getting ready,he on his mark, he set, he off and running. Well of all the races I have ever witnessed, I have never seen anyone come out of the starting blocks as fast as Zacharias, he is just tearing up the track! He out there all my himself there is no one that is even close to him, he look strong, there is no sign of fatigue, no slowing of the steps, if he keeps up this pace, and there is no sign that he won't, he will not only break the world record,but he will shatter it, he is coming around the far turn, he into the home stretch, I can not believe what I am witnessing here today, Zacharias, has just stopped running, he's walking off the field, there is a large group of report around him, their asking him questions, he is beckoning with his hands but he remains speechless.

Life is a series of events that draws attentions from both a visible and invisible audience, amongst these obsevers are God, friends, family,and strangers. So what has brought such a seasoned man of God to the point of unbelief ? The circumstances, hardships, unseen obstacle, and the everyday grind these are weights that lay heavy on us. They consist of many unimportant to some very important matters of life, they are not the sin that so easily besets set us, but can lead to the besetting sin. Here is the point of this analogy and what we can learn from this figure. The runner must put off everything that would put him at a disadvantage or impede his course, no matter how innocent of allowable they may be.

Zacharias allowed himself to be weighed down to the point that it affected his soul in unbelief, and that was his besetting sin. Hebrews says, "the sin" not sins, which is the sin of unbelief. The unchecked weights of Zacharias life exerted pressure on him, impeded him, and resulted in his unbelief. It is apparent from this passage that this aged priest did not lay aside every weight, for the many years of praying for a son laid very heavy on him. This burden stuck to him, wrapped itself around him like a cloak, clung to him as a parasitical plant and cloked out his faith.

Zacharias had every reason to be strong in faith.

1) Being a priest he knew about Abrahan and Sarah, Isaac and Reecca, how God made theses barren couple to have a child.

2) He knew that the sceptre had departed from Judah and that would be the time for the Messiah to come.

3) He knew God was going to sent his messenger to perpare the way of the Lord, and the angel was telling him that his son would be that messenger.

4) He knew that the last four hundred years God had not spoken, but now he has sent a message.

These were some the great cloud of witnesses that Zacharias was a spectator of, these Old Testament saints all witnessed of the race they had once ran themselves, given evidence to the power of faith. What about you? What is your story? Are you forgetten to lay aside every weight? Do you have some longings, some expectations or deep hopes that has no come be? Lay aside those weights for they will only encumber you, encircle you, wrap themself around you like a cloak, clung to you as a parasitical plant and cloked out your faith.