The Bigger Picture — Luke 1

0:00 Luke chapter one. That was wonderful. I I can never sing in front of I can talk in front of a crowd but not sing and wow. That was really really blessed and honored by you but after the lord's supper this morning, I was ready to go home. I was already blessed, right?

0:20 Amen? But praise the lord that we can continue and keep opening the word and learning from him. Excited that we're studying the the book of Luke, the Gospel of Luke. He is of all the new system of writers, the only Gentile writer. The rest were all Jews.

0:37 Of course, he was heavily influenced as we saw last week by the apostle Paul and and other apostles and he did a real thorough investigation written thirty years after the lord had resurrected. By this time, many had come to Christ throughout the world and this particular man, a Greek man, Theophilus, had a high position because he's addressed as most excellent Theophilus is being addressed and obviously, he came to Christ and he's being discipled and the Luke then writes inspired by the Holy Spirit this letter to him to encourage him in the faith to teach him the faith to teach him about Jesus and so we're excited about this. The the gospel of Luke is interesting in that. It it it addresses the humanity of Jesus and so his favorite phrase if you will throughout the book is the son of man. The son of man and he tells a lot of stories.

1:38 He gets into people's lives and today is is the same as we notice the life of John the Baptist. We're going to look at his family, his parents first, and then we're going to look at John the Baptist himself. So, hopefully you're there by now. Luke chapter one and those who may be visiting, we're glad you're here. We pray that you will feel at home and we're certainly welcome you and pray that you will continue to come.

2:11 Worship the lord with us. Together, learn from the word of god. We're going to look at chapter one verse five through 25. We're going to go ahead and read the whole section. So, follow with me and if you don't have a Bible, that's okay.

2:25 You can just listen. So, let's begin. In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zechariahs of the division of Abijah and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron and her name was Elizabeth And they were both righteous in the sight of God. Walking blamelessly in all the commandments and all the requirements of the Lord. And they had no child.

2:53 Because Elizabeth was barren. And they were both advanced in years. Now, came about while he was performing his priestly service before god in the in the appointed order of his division according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering. And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.

3:31 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him and he fear and fear gripped him. But the angel said to him, do not be afraid, Zechariahs, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. And you will have joy and gladness and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord. And he will drink no wine or liquor.

4:03 And he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb. And he would turn back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. It is he who will go as a forerunner before him. By the way, the hymn here is Jesus, forerunner before Jesus in the spirit and the power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children. And the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous.

4:33 So as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. And Zechariah said to the angel, how shall I know this for certain? For I'm an old man. And my wife is advanced in years. And the angel answered and said to him, I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God.

4:55 And I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And the people were waiting for Zechariah's and they were wondering at his delay. Oh, I'm sorry. I I skipped verse 20, didn't I? Alright.

5:11 Here we go. And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place because you did not believe my words which shall be fulfilled in their proper time. The people were waiting for Zacharias and were wondering at his delay in the temple. But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them. And they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple.

5:39 And he kept making signs to them and remain mute. And it came about when the days of his priestly service were ended that he went back home. And after these days, Elizabeth, his wife, became pregnant. And she kept herself in seclusion for five months saying, this is the way the lord has dealt with me in the days when he looked with favor upon me to take away my disgrace from among men. Wow, let's pray.

6:10 Father, we thank you for your holy word. We believe that this is the word of god inspired by god. Authoritative and true in all of that it says and we ask that the holy spirit will help us to understand what you have for us today. Help us to be teachable in Christ's name. Amen.

6:58 So, what what we're going to do is we're going to look at John the Baptist. We're going look at his family first and that circle then we're going to back up the camera. We're going to look at John the Baptist, his calling, then we're to back it up more and we're going look at the bigger picture. So, that's that's the idea. So, let's start up by looking at his parents, John the Baptist, the forewarner of Christ, his parents.

7:21 Now, Zechariah was a a Levite priest of the division of Abijah. So, what they did was back in in the David's time, King David was he he put them in divisions. So, they ended up being 24 divisions and Abijah was one of them and Zechariah's happened to be from the division of Abijah and so once a year, the priest take that back twice a year for one week at a time. It it would be their turn. So, it just so happens that it was Zechariah's turn in this cycle.

7:57 So, of the of the two weeks that were appointed to him a year, this was one of those weeks. So, that's what that means that it was his turn. So, he was doing his priestly duty that week from Sabbath to Sabbath, from Saturday to Saturday and so, if you notice also that he was chosen by lot to be the priest that takes the incense in at that time. So let's hold on there and let's back up and let's look a little bit more at the family, the parents, the parents. So he was a priest and so was his wife.

8:35 And there were... Notice verse six. This is very important that we understand this right here. And they were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in other commandments and the requirements of the Lord. And so it's important that we understand that they both were righteous.

8:52 In other words, that's the same expression used of Abraham when he believed god and he said that he was it was counted to him as righteousness. So, in other words, Zechariah's and Elizabeth were true believers in the lord Jesus Christ and consequently, god declared them as righteous. So, there were true believers, they were saved, and they were waiting on the Messiah like everyone else. They were looking for him to come. They had believed the the Old Testament and what it taught and both of them were righteous before god.

9:27 They were true believers if you want to put it that way. Now, notice that not only were they true believers, they were righteous in the sight of god. God declared them righteous but their their life was a life of obedience. They they obeyed the lord. They they wanted to serve god.

9:45 They they were doing what god commanded at that time all the Old Testament principles they were applying them in their lives and living right before god and so god says, look, here's a couple. There are couple that are that are going through their everyday life. It just so happens that this week, it was Zechariah's turn to to be serving in the temple but let me tell you about this couple. In their everyday life, they're they're... First of all, they were true believers.

10:13 They were righteous, but they were obedient. So they were just a quiet couple, if you wanna put it that way, who were were righteous. They loved the lord Jesus, who studied the Old Testament because that's what was there at the time available and whatever was there, they wanted to obey and so they were following the lord. Their walk was right with god and god was pleased with them. And so this is so important that we realize that his parents, this was true of his parents of of John the Baptist parents.

10:45 Now, but notice in in verse seven, that even though they were righteous in the sight of god and even though they were obedient and living for god and god was pleased with them and gave good testimony about them even though this was true. Notice, verse seven, and they had no child because Elizabeth was barren. She was not able to get pregnant and they were both advanced in years. Now, just because you love the lord and you're obeying him and serving him and and your everyday testimony is excellent does not mean that you are exempt from trials. In fact, I can attest that everyone of you right now, everyone of you right now are going through some trial.

11:27 Even though you you you might be loving god and living for him, there there's something there in your life and it's a heavy trial. Now, this was not a light trial. Don't take it as it's no big deal because in those days and that's what we're going to look at right now. In those days, when you couldn't have a child, it it it was a a public embarrassment. In fact, you were the gossip of the town if you couldn't get pregnant as a couple.

12:37 But back then, it it was a short lifespan. So, yeah, I got a picture Zechariah's 50. 50 years old. Now probably probably Elizabeth was at the point of either she was about to quit being in the childbearing age. She was right at the cusp of it or she was already past it.

13:01 It was right around there. And so it seems as if their their daily prayer... Because you gotta think too in the culture of the time, they were probably married at age 15. Alright? So so Devin being that you're a mathematician, if he was around 50, 52, right around there, they were married at age 15.

13:18 How long were they married? Around 35. Around 35. 30, 35 years old. Right?

13:24 That's pretty pretty conservative. That's pretty safe to to say that. So, for thirty or thirty five years, what was their daily prayer? What was their daily prayer? Give us a son.

13:34 Give us a baby. Give us a son. Lord, we want to have a baby and and we we we want a child and of course, it was preferred back then a son but thank the lord we're not there anymore, right? Whatever the lord gives us, we praise him. Whether it be a man or a woman, amen?

13:50 Amen. Right? Let's not do that kind of stuff but they they everybody wanted to to to have a baby and and it was a public shame. If you could not have one and so their their prayer, of course, they were praying for other things as well, but their main prayer was, Lord, give us a baby. And year after year after year, they kept praying, and they kept praying.

14:14 And really, I think it got to the point where Zacharias would just kind of pray, okay, Lord, if we can have a baby, but he wasn't even really even thinking it anymore, just kind of saying it. Because when the angel shows up and says, hey, guess what? You're going have a baby. He's like, well, how's that going to happen? I'm an old man now.

14:31 I've been praying for this so long. You know? And so and so, you know, he could like, I'm I'm way, I'm an old man. I've been praying so long. I I don't even even when you answer the prayer, I was like, it doesn't seem real.

14:46 See, this was a real man with a real problem that that it that I can identify with because sometimes I pray and I kind of just give up. Well, lord, I don't even think you're going to answer it but I'm going go ahead and pray because I'm supposed to, you know? I'm supposed to pray it. So, what are you praying for? A dear friend of mine, she's 91 years old.

15:05 They're from Houston. When her husband passed away, she says, Ray, I prayed for thirty five years for his salvation and he got saved two weeks before he died. But I kept praying and I kept praying. So, what are you praying for for the last thirty, thirty five years? If you're even that old, right?

15:21 I qualify, unfortunately. But what are you praying for? Keep praying. Don't give up. Keep praying.

15:31 Now, the the culture was really harsh on a couple that couldn't have children. Notice verse 25. This is the way the lord has dealt with me in these days when he looked with favor, grace. God, finally, you look with favor upon me to take away my disgrace. Listen to that.

15:54 My disgrace among men. Now, from biblical hermeneutics, Zechariah and Elizabeth and I'm quoting were both faithful people. Yet, they had been suffering. Children cared for their parents in their old age and added to the family financial security and social status. Children were considered a blessing and childlessness was seen as a curse.

16:20 Zacharias and Elizabeth had been childless for many years, but god was waiting for the right time to encourage them and take away their disgrace, end quote. Now there was two reasons why this was shameful when you couldn't have a baby. Right? Number one, when when you were unfaithful to god, in other words, you were an idol worshiper, when you wouldn't obey god and follow him, I'm going to quote to you a text. Just listen.

16:48 Exodus twenty three twenty four to 26, just part of it says this, I will take away sickness from among you and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full lifespan if you are faithful to me. And from Deuteronomy chapter seven verse 12 to 15, the Bible says this, you will be blessed more than any other people if you follow me. None of your men or women will be childless. Nor will any of your livestock be with young.

17:19 So when they obey god, even the cattle were were cranking out little calves, you know? They were popping them out. Now that was important back then that their cattle... You know, there would be cattle for food and all that. Right?

17:31 But... So the people were thinking, well, here we have Zacharias and Elizabeth, and it's been they've been married thirty years, thirty some years. They're really old and they're never giving children. I wonder what kind of sin they committed. See, but god already told us that they were living righteous and not that they were sinless but you know how gossip starts.

17:56 I wonder what they're doing that they can't have a baby. And then people get together for coffee and tea. You know that Elizabeth and that Zachariah? Yeah, he's a priest and all, but I wonder what they did. Why can't they have a baby?

18:10 And they knew that, the gossip, the talk. But not only that, there was another reason why they were ashamed. And the second cause for not being able to have a a child according to the Old Testament was when you were unfaithful to your spouse. So Numbers five eleven to 23 says that that if if a if a spouse is unfaithful, she could become barren. So the gossip around town would have been...

18:39 Let's add to the gossip. Let's go have some more coffee. Perhaps Elizabeth was barren because she had been unfaithful. But certainly, she must have committed some sin to render her in this state, thus leading to her sense of public shame. And so now you understand why she said, this is the way the Lord has dealt with me in these days when he looked with favor upon me to take away my disgrace upon men.

19:10 You know, kind of remind me of Job. Job was a righteous man living for God, and yet a terrible trial came upon him. And what was the what was the assumption of his three buddies? You sinned. Well, of course, I have sinned, but there's no known sin.

19:27 Well, look, if you just admit you sin, then God will take away this problem and everything will be fine and dandy. And that's a whole debate throughout the book of Job. And so Zacharias and Elizabeth have been praying for years and years, and here comes the angel Gabriel, and he says, hey, guess what? You're have a baby. Wow.

19:51 I'm gonna quote again from biblical hermeneutics, which means proper interpretation of the text. Very important that that we are very careful when we interpret the Bible and teach the Bible. We're accountable to God. So, ultimately, I'm quoting the cause of Elizabeth embarrassment was a suggestion that she had sinned. Possible by being unfaithful to her husband.

20:16 This humiliation as a result of being unable to get pregnant provides an interesting literary contrast to Mary who faces public shame because she can't help but get pregnant. Yet in both cases, neither woman sinned and neither woman was unfaithful to their husbands. In both cases, it is the faithfulness to god which results in their pregnancy. In one case, leading to a resolution to public shame and in the other causing it. That is Mary.

21:04 Lord, take this burden off of us. Take this shame away from us. And he finally does. He sends the angel, but but I want you to look at it now from a from a broad... We're gonna we're gonna back up the camera.

21:16 Right? We're looking at a little family, but we're gonna back it up. Because it wasn't just about a baby that was gonna be given to them. It's that god was breaking into history after four hundred years of silence. Right?

21:31 For four hundred years, they hadn't heard anything and the people were like waiting and waiting. Well, when is this Messiah going to come? And and so, when Gabriel came to talk to Zechariah and say, you're going to have a baby. He goes, it's not just any baby. This is the one talked about in Malachi and and in in Isaiah chapter 40, he's the one.

21:51 He's going to come and he you're going to name him John. He's going to be the forerunner of Christ and and Zechariah's like, wow. And and so, it wasn't just about a baby being born. It's that god's program for Israel proper interpretation was going to begin again. And and John was going to be a key part of it because he was gonna be announcing the coming of the Messiah.

22:17 And so this is not just any baby because he's the one that's being prophesied about. And so after four hundred years, finally, the Messiah is coming, and this is the man that's going to start the whole program going. He's gonna be the forerunner of Christ. Now Zechariah's... Let's go back again to the smaller picture, Zechariah's doubt As opposed to Mary who believed, so you can be a god fearing people or person and still doubt the promises of god.

22:52 Do I have a witness or am I the only one? Lord, you know, I'm praying. I'm praying and god answers a prayer and then we're like, did you really do that? You know, can Imma go back to the roof here. You know, I'm I'm sorry but I'm I'm just stunned at the way god did that.

23:08 I remember a meeting here where like, we always going to cost us 48,000. How are going to pay for it? We're all panicking and worrying and we prayed about it and then god sends a little storm and then he sends the insurance said, guess what? I'm covering it. Wow.

23:26 That was a miracle, people. We would have to been collecting $48,000, you know, squeezing money out of you so we can pay for the roof. And god said, don't worry about it. And when he answered, we're we're like, oh, he answered? He did?

23:43 Yeah. It was powerful. God did a miracle in front of us. And so, guess what, Zachariah? Here's an angel.

23:52 By the way, it's the angel Gabriel. Right? This guy is in the very presence of god. He said, I'm I'm in the presence of god every day and I'm his messenger and he sent me to tell you this and he's like, how's this going to happen? I'm an old man.

24:05 It's like, Zacharias. Man, you you're the priest. You're you're a righteous godly man. You've been praying and praying and and I come with the answer and you sit in there. You don't believe me?

24:18 So, guess what? You're not going to be able to talk anymore. Now, when when he entered in, only once in a lifetime, you got to carry the incense into the temple and so he says that it was by lot that he was chosen. Now, we know that it was a providence of god. The divine hand of god working so that he was chosen to be the one that goes in there with the incense.

24:44 So, god was working because through him, through his son was going to come the forerunner. The the John the Baptist or the baptizer if you will. So, wow, what a privilege. He went in there and then people are like, why isn't he coming out? They thought that he had died, right?

25:02 Because if you went in there and you had sinned, you'd fall over and die. They would have to go drag you out. Why is he taking so long? When he came out, he couldn't talk. They're like, wow.

25:28 Verse 14, and you will have joy and gladness and many will rejoice at his birth. Yes, of course. You're going to have so much joy because you finally going to have a little baby. There he is and and your neighbors and everybody that was gossiping like, well, I guess he wasn't cursed after all. Right?

25:45 And they're going to rejoice with them. Here's the baby. Wow. And so, yes, it's going to bring you great joy. And all of you who have children would say, yes, I I I amen to that.

25:56 What joy to have children, to have the baby. It's such an exciting time. Now, the second thing that he says in verse 15, for he will be great in the sight of the lord. Now, what what does he mean by that? That means that this guy was going to be so given to god such a obedient servant of god that god considered that's greatness right there.

26:23 That's greatness. Now today, we consider greatness if a dude can can score 40,000 points in a basketball court or do whatever or or if he control a football and make a touch. Oh, that's greatness. Or if a guy can make a billion dollars, oh, look, a billionaire. Oh, greatness.

26:39 That that's not greatness to god. Greatness to god is this guy was fully given to me from the beginning. Now, we're going to come back to that. Hold that thought. But he's going to be great in that regard and and notice what what the Bible says, for he would drink no wine or liquor.

26:57 Now being that he's writing to Greeks, he doesn't get into what a Nazarite vow is because that's what he's talking about. He was writing to Hebrews, he'd probably go into a little more detail. But the Greeks aren't that interested in the old the the little technicalities of the Old Testament but it's a Nazarite vow where they would drink no wine or liquor. They wouldn't cut their hair and they couldn't touch a dead body. So he was a...

27:22 When you would see him running around in the wilderness in the desert, he probably had long hair, looked like a wild man. But he was so given to God. He wouldn't touch wine. He wouldn't touch a dead body, and he wouldn't cut his hair. That's what that's talking about right there.

27:38 He took the Nazarite vow as did Samson. We're going to come back to that in a minute. Next, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. See that? He will be filled with the Holy Spirit yet while yet in his mother's womb.

27:52 Woo hoo. Man, look at that. Now watch. Watch. Follow.

27:56 Look at look at verse 41. Look at verse 41. Verse 40 and and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. That is Mary. She went to visit her cousin and it came about that when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb.

28:17 That is John the Baptist did and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she cried out with a loud voice and said, blessed among women are you and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Wow. And so, Mary finds out that she's pregnant and and the angel Gabriel said, not only that, but your cousin is also pregnant. I said, I'm going to go visit her. So, he goes to visit her and when she shows up, John the Baptist starts flipping around inside, throwing flips.

28:45 Well, how could you not? If the very god had become flesh was developing inside the womb of Mary, wouldn't you jump? Wouldn't you be full of the holy spirit? So, yeah, man. She was full of the Holy Spirit and so was John the Baptist.

29:27 And we say that that that's true. And but notice the culture of the time. Let's go back to this. The condition when John and Jesus break into the scene was that they had become very cold. They they were just kind of like going through the emotions.

29:49 Yeah. I know. I know. Yeah. Jesus gonna come in the future.

29:51 Yeah. The Messiah's coming. Yeah. And year after year, four hundred years. And, you know, if we're not careful if we're not careful, we're gonna become a little bit hardened and cold and indifferent.

30:01 Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I know. There's gonna be a rapture.

30:04 He's gonna take the church up to heaven, and then he's gonna initiate once again his program with Israel in the tribulation because if you look at the Bible, the tribulation is totally Jewish. It's about the temple and Jews this and Jews that and Israel this. It's about the Jews being brought back and then at the end when he comes, they're going to finally acknowledge him as the Messiah. So don't don't confuse or mix the church with the god's program with Israel. God's program with Israel was put temporarily on hold because when John the Baptist came and said, there's a Messiah and then Jesus came, I'm the king.

30:45 They rejected him. So he's gonna come back a second time and this time they will accept him. So god's program was put temporarily with Israel on hold until he finishes his program with the church. Now, when when he came after so many years, people became indifferent and notice what he's going to do. Verse 16, and he would turn back many of the sons of Israel to the lord their god.

31:14 Wow. They had gotten so cold and so indifferent that they had turned away from god and you know, they were still religious. They're still going to synagogue and doing their church thing but man, they they were far from god. They were far from god. How are you?

31:32 Do do you know the lord as your savior? Or you just religious? Because that's what they were. Man, there was this religion and that religion and this group and that group, they were they were the ones that are attacking Jesus constantly and rejecting him. So much religion but as he said, you people praise me with your lips.

31:52 You go to church but your hearts are not with me. And that's exactly what was happening at that time. And I think today I I I think that first Timothy chapter four is being fulfilled that many will walk away from the faith listening to doctrines of demons. How many are walking away? And that's what happened then.

32:14 And so John the Baptist, part of his ministry is going to turn back many of the sons back to the lord, back to the lord. Not only that, but look at verse 17, for he, it is he who will go as the forerunner before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children. Now, hold your hands there quickly. Let's go to Malachi. Let's go to Malachi chapter three.

32:40 Malachi, that's the last book of the Old Testament. So, this is how the Old Testament closes out. Look at verse one. Behold, I am going to send my messenger. Guess who that is?

32:54 Guess who that is? Who's the messenger? John the Baptist. That's right. The one being talked about.

32:59 I'm going to send my messenger and he will clear the way before me. Now watch. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come into his temple. Who's the Lord who you seek? Jesus Christ.

33:15 So John the Baptist is going to get everybody ready for the coming of Jesus, then he's gonna enter the temple. When he enters the temple, what did he find? They made a flea market out of the temple. But John the Baptist, there he is, the one that takes away the sin of the world. John the Baptist is getting everything ready, and he...

33:33 When he comes in, the Lord, man, they were not ready for him. They were not ready. And that was sad. Now look at chapter four. Chapter four Malachi.

34:14 John the Baptist is going to come in the power of Elijah. Tell my John the Baptist. That's how the Old Testament concludes. And when the New Testament starts, guess what it starts with? John the Baptist coming and speaking in the power of Elijah.

34:29 Elijah was a powerful prophet, and he brought many back to God. And he did great things for God. So he's gonna be the forerunner before him in the spirit and power of Elijah. But notice, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children. Notice how how far away they had gone from god that that the Israelite people had the the fathers for some reason disconnected with their children.

34:57 The the family was in chaos Then it sound like our culture today. Right? And four hundred years of silence and the dad started just becoming indifferent and they weren't responsible. They weren't taking care of their wife and their children. The number one thing that god wants and when we get right with god is that we're going to make it right with our children and with our wife.

35:22 And and John the Baptist is like, you need to repent. You do, you're far from god. You you need to get right with god because you are just religious. You go to... You're a Pharisee, you're a sadducee, you're a zealot, you're this, you're that, But none of you are right with god.

35:39 Repent and get right with god. And that's a message today because we're saying, get right with god because the rapture's about to happen and then the final stage of god's program is gonna unfold. So repent. Are you ready? Are you ready for the rapture and for the coming of the Lord?

36:01 And so he's going to come, and this is my messenger. And and what's gonna happen when John the Baptist preaches? Many men will get right with their wife and with their children. Their hearts are gonna get right. Their hearts are gonna get right.

36:17 And notice what else. And and and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous. So many were disobedient. Are you disobedient? So many were disobedient.

36:29 And to make ready, a people prepared for the Lord. And so John, his job was going to be, hey, man. Get right because the Messiah is here. He's here. The the the the kingdom of god has sent its king and he's there but as we know, the Israelite people rejected him and the program had to be set aside for a while.

36:52 But that's okay because god had the church in mind. Amen? He sure did. Alright, let's do some applications. John the Baptist took his calling and his ministry seriously.

37:07 Now, if you go to Judges chapter 13, don't go right now. I'm just telling you. You look at Samson, Samson had a similar calling. The angel of the Lord came and told Manoah and his wife, you're gonna have a baby. But what was the first thing that came out of the lips of Samson?

37:25 I I like that woman. Bring her to me. That's what I was... Wait a minute. Samson, you were a Nazarite too, just like John the Baptist.

37:36 He was so nonchalant. No wonder he was such a defeated Christian. Because he was a Christian, but he was fleshly. The first words out of the the John the Baptist were repent. Repent.

37:53 Get right with God. Man, he took his ministry serious. And what about you? Look at look at the text right here. Just listen.

38:02 Second Thessalonians one eleven and twelve. That our god may count you worthy of your calling. When you're saved, you've been called by god to come in and be part of his program to reach people for Christ and to bring glory to his name and to fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith. You need to take your calling seriously. And if you're saved, you're being called.

38:52 We were raised together and ever since I've known her, she's been given to god. I mean, just a real servant of god. I've never seen such commitment. Just blows me away. And when she was gonna get married, she tells me, Ray, my husband and I, her...

39:07 His name is Rich, we're we're gonna have five children. After ten years of no children, she rents a cabin in Colorado and goes out there by herself to fast and pray. And when she was done after being a week there, she came back. And I said, well, what happened? What the Lord tell you?

39:25 The Lord told me I'm gonna have no children. And so she fully gave herself to serving God. No regrets, no bitterness. You said no to my request, God, and I'm going to serve you with that much harder. So, just because you're a godly person does not mean that god's going to answer your prayer.

40:12 The bigger picture. And God is going to begin the last stage of his program with Israel and the world in mind. Are you ready for it? Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved, the Bible says. Maybe you need to repent and turn to the Lord for the salvation of your soul if you have it.

40:37 Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for this wonderful couple and thank you that you gave him the baby they prayed for for so many years. But thank you even when you don't give us what we've been asking for. Because you are sovereign and you know what you're doing and you love us more than we love ourselves. Father, thank you that John the Baptist took his calling seriously.

41:05 So much so that you said that he was great. He was great. Help us to take our calling seriously. Lord, if there's someone not saved, we pray that even today, they would turn to you for the salvation of their soul. In Christ's name, amen.