In Luke 1:57-80, we see how Luke continues the story of Zechariah who had been struck dumb for failing to believe the angel Gabriel’s words earlier in the chapter. After his tongue was loosed, Zechariah made up for lost time in declaring the praise of God, His faithfulness and power in coming to rescue His people, bringing together many of the great Old Testament themes. Zechariah’s song pointed his hearers to his own son who would be a prophet of the Lord who would prepare the way for God’s own Son who was to come.

Message

Outline

• Luke’s accurate account
• Characters in the spotlight
• Zechariah speaks and sings
• See how Luke tells us how …

1. Zechariah’s tongue was loosed (v.57-69)
2. Zechariah’s voice was lifted (v.70-75)
3. Zechariah’s son was underlined (v.76-80)

An analogy from the theatre
The spotlight turned heavenward
Join the song!

It’s possible to either over emphasise or under estimate the role that Mary had in being the birth mother of Jesus, but in Luke 1:26-56, it seems that the matter is plain. God’s choice of Mary was the right one – not because she in herself was without sin – but because she was willing to serve Him in this difficult and costly task. It’s all there in the account that Luke recorded fo Theophilus, and for all who read it these many years later!

Message

Outline

• The next instalment
• Another pregnancy
• Elizabeth – unexpected, Mary – impossible
• See how Luke tells us of…

1. God’s choice of Mary (v.26-27, 34)
2. God’s grace to Mary (v.28-38)
3. Mary’s song to God (v.39-56)

Humility
Salvation
Praise

There’s so much more to the Christmas story than the angels, the shepherds, the wise men, Mary and Joseph and the baby in the manger. The gospel writer, Luke, a careful historian, presents the story of the birth of Jesus as the part of the fulfillment of God’s plans and promises to send a Messiah to the people of Israel and so, it was into a particular time and place that Jesus came into the world. But before He came, someone else had to come -and his name was John and his parents had their own story.

Message

Outline

• Christmas approaching!
• Back to chapters 1 and 2
• Luke’s classic prologue/introduction
• See how Luke tells us of…

1. Ordinary people in the plan of God (v.5-10)
2. An extraordinary visit from an angel of God (v.11-17)
3. A less-than-ordinary response from a man of God (v.18-25)

A man in two worlds
Impossibilities: no problem to Him!
Faithlessness: can never nullify His!

Sometimes the things that happened to Jesus are quite surprising. In Luke 7:36-50, Luke tells us of hos he was reclining at a dinner party when a surprise guest entered and washed his feet with her tears and dried them with her hair and anointed them with her gift of perfume. The host of the dinner party was rightly shocked, but Jesus, ever one to ‘practise what he preached’, drew a lesson from it, that was no surprise – except to those who continue to trust in their own self-righteousness.

Message

Outline

• The sixteenth in this series
• Back into the narrative
• What is this Kingdom of His like?
• See how this interaction tells us of …

1. The intruder who shocked the party (v.36-38)
2. The guest who shocked the host (v.39-46)
3. The promise that shocked the guests (v.47-50)

Everyone reclining – no-one standing
The horizontal and the vertical
Gratitude. Thankful hearts.

Collisions happen. People get hurt or die. But what happens when llife collides with death? Or, to put it more exactly, when the Lord of life collides with someone who is dead? In Luke 7:11-17, the situation at Nain is sad, but the ministry of Jesus gives hope – real hope in the face of death!

Message

Outline

• The fourteenth in this series
• From Capernaum to Nain
• Collisions…
• See how this interaction tells us that …

1. Death and sorrow were heading out of town (v.11-12)
2. Life and hope were coming into town (v.13-15)
3. Joy and amazement went all over town (v.16-17)

Jesus and funerals…
An invitation to have confidence!
An invitation to trust Him!