Message Notes

SUNDAY SCHOOL SPECIAL 13 December 2020

Text: Luke 1:56-80

Subject: “Filled with the Holy Spirit”

INTRODUCTION

1. Long months went by

2. Elizabeth gave birth to a baby boy

3. Circumcision and Naming

a) Both events took place on the 8^th day

b) Circumcision was the seal of the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 17)

4. Customary names

a) The name of the father

b) Or the name of someone in the family

5. Elizabeth’s decision

a) His name was to be called “John”

b) This was the name given by the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:13)

c) Elizabeth was determined to obey the word of the angel

6. Strong objections were raised

a) No one in the family had been called “John”

Thus, the suggestion of this name was rejected

b) The point of a name

i) For the family

ii) In honour of the father

iii) In honour of an illustrious person in the family

iv) For posterity

c) Relatives and friends turned to Zacharias for the final answer

RESPONSE OF ZACHARIAS

1. He was in full agreement with Elizabeth

2. The baby was to be named “John”

a) Hebrew name “Jochanan”

b) Meaning: God is gracious

3. Reasons for the choice of this name

a) Remembering what the angel Gabriel had said (Luke 1:13-17)

i) He would be a great servant of God

ii) He would be filled with the Holy Spirit

iii) He would be the forerunner of the Messiah

b) In obedience to the angel of the Lord

i) He was to be called “John” (Luke 1:13)

ii) Zacharias had spent 9 months in silence in chastisement

c) The name of the child

i) It would not be focused on family

ii) Nor on the father

iii) He would be God’s servant

iv) He would be totally dedicated to the Lord from the day of his circumcision

THE FAITH OF ZACHARIAS

1. Lessons learned

a) Doubts would not occupy his mind

b) Unbelief would not fill his heart

c) He would not remain in the state of unbelief

2. Faith in God

a) This had grown

b) This had deepened

c) Understanding had increased

i) He would have checked the Scriptures

ii) He would have sought wisdom

iii) He would have understood more fully 

3. The filling of the Spirit of God

a) As a sign of approval

b) A special work of the Spirit would begin

c) This would come about because:

i) He had repented from his unbelief

ii) He had deepened his understanding

iii) He had grown further

iv) He was ready to obey fully

v) He would bear testimony that God had indeed been gracious 

OUR CHALLENGE

1. Learning from mistakes

a) Mistakes are inevitable

b) But we must learn from them

c) Lessons learned must not be forgotten

d) They can stand us in good stead

2. How we may learn

a) Recalling

b) Retracing

c) Remembering

d) Repenting

e) Renewing of faith

3. The blessing of the Lord

a) Understanding deepened

b) Faith strengthened

c) Filling of the Spirit