“Get Ready For Christmas! Celebrate The Presence!”

First streamed on 11.30.22. First posted on 12.2.22. Also see the previous Luke 1:5-17 study and sermon.

*Elizabeth and Mary were relatives, but Scripture does not say how closely they were related (Lk 1:36).*

Introduction
Bible Study Audio
Bible Study Video
Live Stream Recording
Bible Study Slideshow
Conclusion
Bibliography

Introduction

“Get Ready For Christmas! Celebrate The Presence!”

Special Company Is Coming

As we’ve said before, 27 percent of the Bible is poetry.

When prophets had a word from God, they often spoke poetically

Like fire shut up in the bones they couldn’t sit and let-it-be       

I pray, before my words, that the Spirit goes ahead-of-me

That I may glorify the One who died for sin instead-of-me


Christmas ain’t all about the presents-and-décor

Christmas is all about the Presence-of-the-Lord

Jesus is King, He came to take-His-crown

I’m not tryna make this up, I’m tryna break-this-down

Christmas is coming up; it must be (w)rapping season. But what does it mean to get ready for Christmas? Sales and stockings? Music and mistletoe?

We may have prepared our homes for company, but have we prepared our hearts for Christ?

You know, when I was growing up, I used to love having company over the house. But there was always something we had to do before company came – something I hated doing: We had to clean up.

I be like, “Mom, why I gotta clean my room? Nobody’s gonna be in my room.” Next thing I know, my room turns into the room for the coats.

I be like, “How she gonna tell me what should be done in my room?” My Mom be like, “Your room? Whatchu mean, your room? You lucky I let you live here.”

I had to clean up my room and allow it to be used as my mother saw fit – because we had company coming.

Well, about 2,000 years ago, John the Baptist came on the scene to tell people that Special Company was coming. And they had to get ready; their lives had to be cleaned up. And we should strive to clean up our lives, too.

And if I ever ask how Someone can tell me what should be done in my life, I can imagine God saying, “Whatchu mean your life? You lucky I let you live here.”

Brothers and sisters, we have to clean up our lives and allow them to be used as the Father sees fit.

Old School to New School

Now, have you ever heard a song or a phrase that just takes you back – that reminds you of something?

If I said, “I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day,” many people would recognize the song I’m alluding to ¹. And as we’ve said before, songs can take us back. They can remind us of the olden days.

In any case, this text is dripping with Old Testament allusions.[1] So many things take us back to the Old Testament.

Because, you see, John the Baptist serves as a transitional bridge (cf. Lk 7:26-28)[2] between the Old Testament and the New Testament, the old covenant and the new covenant (cf. Jer 31:31-34; 1 Cor 11:25).

His purpose is to prepare the way for the Lord, to prepare God’s people for God’s Presence. John tells people to get ready for the Redeemer.

So, tonight, let’s look at Luke 1:5-17, and talk about getting ready for Christmas, and celebrating the Presence.

[1] Garland, 71

[2] Bock, 86; cf. Edwards, 37

Bible Study Audio

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Bible Study Video

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Live Stream Recording

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Bible Study Slideshow

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No Pictures 11-30-22 Bible Study Slides Luke 1_5-17

Conclusion

In conclusion, John the Baptist serves as a transitional bridge between the Old Testament and the New Testament, the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.

And, recalling several Old Testament accounts, the angel Gabriel tells the childless priest, Zechariah, that his wife, Elizabeth (who was an older woman), would bear a son. And he is to call him John, which means, “the LORD [YHWH] is gracious.”

And John’s prophesied purpose, fulfilling the prophecies of Isaiah (Is 40:3; Lk 3:4) and Malachi (Mal 3:1, 4:5-6; Lk 7:27), was to prepare the way for the Lord Jesus, to prepare God’s people for God’s Presence.

And John, the foretold Elijah-like prophet (Mt 11:13-14; Mt 17:10-13), tells people to get ready for the Redeemer by repenting, giving them the Good News of God’s grace.

My brothers and sisters, are we ready for Christmas? Are we prepared for the Lord? Are we ready to follow the Way or are we still going our own way?

We may have prepared our homes for company, but have we prepared our hearts for Christ? Let’s not merely celebrate the presents under the tree, but the Presence of the Lord. Who came and dwelled among us (Jn 1:14).

When we know company is coming, we often clean up our dwelling. Well, John the Baptist tells the people that Special Company was coming, so they had to clean up their deeds. We should do the same.

This holy day season, people need to not merely clean up their flat, but clean up their act. Not merely their habitat, but their habits. Not merely their building, but their behavior.

So, my brothers and sisters, let’s tell everyone to get ready for Christmas, and let’s celebrate the Presence.

Now it’s not about the presents, or crying for Santa

It’s about the LORD’s Presence, and crying Hosanna

Christ came in the flesh, you know the grace-that-it-took

Let’s get off social media, put our face-in-the-Book


Let’s preach the gospel til we have-no-more-breath

Though we walk through the valley of the shadow-of-death

Always keep a godly wishlist-in-view

And tell God, “All I want for Christmas-is-you”

Bibliography

Arndt, William, Frederick W. Danker, and Walter Bauer. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000. [BDAG]
Balz, Horst Robert, and Gerhard Schneider. Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1990–. [EDNT]
Bock, Darrell L. Luke: 1:1–9:50. Vol. 1. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1994.
Bock, Darrell L. Luke. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996. [Bock, N]
Edwards, James R. The Gospel according to Luke. Edited by D. A. Carson. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos, 2015.
Evans, Craig A. The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary: Matthew–Luke. Edited by Craig A. Evans and Craig A. Bubeck. First Edition. Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook, 2003. [Evans]
Evans, Craig A. Luke. Understanding the Bible Commentary Series. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1990. [Evans U]
Garland, David E. Luke. Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: . Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012.
Green, Joel B. The Gospel of Luke. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997.
Keener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Second Edition. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2014.
Liefeld, Walter L., and David W. Pao. “Luke.” In The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Luke–Acts (Revised Edition), edited by Tremper Longman III and David E. Garland, Vol. 10. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007.
Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1996. [LN]
Marshall, I. Howard. The Gospel of Luke: A Commentary on the Greek Text. New International Greek Testament Commentary. Exeter: Paternoster Press, 1978.
Morris, Leon. Luke: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 3. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988.
Nolland, John. Luke 1:1–9:20. Vol. 35A. Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1989.
Pao, David W., and Eckhard J. Schnabel. “Luke.” In Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament, 251–403. Grand Rapids, MI; Nottingham, UK: Baker Academic; Apollos, 2007.
Reiling, J., and J. L. Swellengrebel. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. UBS Handbook Series. New York: United Bible Societies, 1993. [UBS]
Schreiner, Thomas. “Luke.” In Burge, Gary M., and Andrew E. Hill, eds. The Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2012.
Silva, Moisés, ed. New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014. [NIDNTTE]
Strauss, Mark in Arnold, Clinton E. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke. Vol. 1. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002.
Stein, Robert H. Luke. Vol. 24. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992.
Trites, Allison A., William J. Larkin. Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 12: The Gospel of Luke and Acts. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2006.
Wallace, Daniel B. Greek Grammar beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996.
Wilcock, Michael. The Savior of the World: The Message of Luke’s Gospel. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1979.