Sermon
The song of Zechariah
Publisher transcript
Transcript
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Luke chapter 1, and we're reading from verses 57 through to 80, which is the end of the chapter.
Luke 1 chapter mention
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Zechariah is being struck dumb because he didn't believe Gabriel when Gabriel told him that he and his wife, as an aged couple, they were going to have a baby.
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Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.
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And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
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And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they would have called him Zechariah after his father.
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But his mother answered, No, he shall be called John.
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And they said to her, None of your relatives is called by this name.
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And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called.
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And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, His name is John.
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And they all wondered.
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And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, Blessing God.
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And fear came on all their neighbors.
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And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea.
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And all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What then will this child be?
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For the hand of the Lord was with him.
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And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
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for he has visited and redeemed his people, and raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
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as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
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that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
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to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,
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the oath that he swore to our father Abraham,
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to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
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might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
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And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High,
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for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
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to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins.
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Because of the tender mercy of our God,
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whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high,
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to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
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to guide our feet into the way of peace.
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And the child grew and became strong in spirit,
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and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
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Well, good morning, everyone.
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For those who don't know me, my name's David.
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I'm one of the pastors here.
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Our world longs for peace.
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Everywhere and every day,
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we just see hostility and violence break out.
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Rarely do we see peace break out.
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But boy, we're used to seeing hostility and violence break out, aren't we?
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From the biggest picture where it's war,
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Ukraine and everywhere around the world.
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Terrorist attacks,
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conspiracy theories and the bloodshed and the mayhem they caused this week in Queensland.
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Road rage.
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Even coming down to the micro picture of our own families.
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Hostility breaks out so quickly and so easily, doesn't it?
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Even here at church, you can get into trouble for changing the sermon title,
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mucking up small groups and, dare I say it, mucking up the children's title.
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My goodness me.
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So there's always a breakout, isn't there?
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We long for peace.
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We long for safety and stability and rest.
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Peace and rest go together.
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We just want to know that in our world of chaos,
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that all is well for us.
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Everywhere and every day,
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I think therefore people are searching for peace.
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Numerous different pathways
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to just try and find that peace that is so critical to us,
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to our sense of well-being in this world.
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The problem is that most of the pathways our world offers us to peace
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are so shallow and so fragile
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that we know they're so easily lost.
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And therefore, even as we chase for these peace things,
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we're actually becoming more anxious and even depressed
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because the things we look to for peace,
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we just know could evaporate before us in just a moment.
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Everywhere and every day,
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people are looking for peace in the wrong direction.
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But the historian Luke,
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whose word we're looking at this morning,
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he wrote a biography of the life of Jesus,
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one of the four biographies.
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Luke points us in a totally different direction
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when it comes to the issue of peace.
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He's convinced that he's discovered the secret,
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unlocked the key to real peace, real safety,
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real rest in this chaotic and uncertain world.
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And remember, he's a historian,
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and he promised that all his stuff was compiled
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on the basis of solid research.
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He says this stuff because he believes it.
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He's got good reason to believe it.
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Historical, substantial reasons to believe it.
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And he believes that peace has come into our world
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in the person of Jesus Christ.
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He believes that peace,
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the peace that everybody's looking for,
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comes from God.
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And that lovely phrase of having broken into our world
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in the person of Jesus.
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I said a minute ago that peace rarely breaks out.
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Well, Luke's telling us this morning
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that peace does break out.
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It has broken out in our world.
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And he showcases, therefore,
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in the early part of his writings
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around about the birth of Jesus,
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he showcases several Christmas songs
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inspired by Jesus,
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some even before Jesus was born.
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Last week we looked at Mary's song,
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and that showcased God's grace and mercy.
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Grace and mercy coming to us in our world
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in Jesus.
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And Zachariah's song this morning
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we're going to look at
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adds to that
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because he adds not only to grace and mercy,
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but he adds to the concept of peace.
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The promise of peace.
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Peace which God says he will establish.
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Peace that God says he'll bring to us
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in our world
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through the kingdom of Jesus.
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And that causes Zachariah to overflow
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or burst into song.
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That song, as I said last week,
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doesn't necessarily mean it was sung.
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It's just a picture of an overflow
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of an expression of delight.
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Oh, and thanks.
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Because Jesus will deliver
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the life of peace,
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the life of rest,
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the life of security
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that we all long for.
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Now just stop there at that point.
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We'll dig into these concepts in a minute.
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But just stop at that point
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and just imagine that.
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Imagine what Luke is telling us,
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that we can have
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a life of peace
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without fear.
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Wouldn't that make you want to sing?
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Well, let's jump into the text
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and see how Zachariah and Elizabeth
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were blown away
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by an immediate and personal experience
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of God's grace,
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mercy, and peace.
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Now, by the way,
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if you're a visitor
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and you didn't get one of these,
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you can just nab one
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off the back table,
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I think,
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if there's any left.
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Just a sermon outline,
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some of the points I'll be saying.
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So, go back to the stuff
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that Gareth referred to
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when he was doing the reading.
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Go back to chapter 1,
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verse 6 and 7.
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And we'll just put this in context.
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Chapter 1, verse 6.
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Zachariah and Elizabeth,
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Zachariah is a priest,
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his wife Elizabeth,
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they were both righteous before God,
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walking blamelessly
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in all the commandments
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and statutes of the Lord.
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But they had no child
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because Elizabeth was born
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and both were advanced in years.
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There you are.
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You've set yourself
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in the whole of your life
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to honour the Lord.
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Connection back to Malachi again.
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Yet, at the same time,
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you were childless.
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And so, what that meant for you
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in those days
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was you were living in shame.
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Because in those days,
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to be barn,
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to be without child
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as a couple,
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was to be thought
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to be under God's judgment,
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to be people
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under God's disfavour,
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displeasure.
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And so, you've got this
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sort of terrible mix
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for this couple,
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determined to serve the Lord
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and be glad
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in their service of Him,
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and yet living
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a lifetime of shame.
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And they're old.
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They're old.
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That chance of a child,
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humanly speaking,
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has passed them by.
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And suddenly,
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because of God's
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miraculous intervention,
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we jump into the story
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then this morning,
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suddenly,
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well,
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nine months later,
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you're actually holding
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the child
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that you'd always wanted,
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the child you'd always
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longed for.
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And you're bursting
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with thankfulness
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because this little
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miracle child
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showcases
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a personal experience
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of how God
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delights to save
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or reverse
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the fortunes
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of His people.
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They turn them
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from shame
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into a position
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of honour
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and delight.
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Look at chapter 1,
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verse 25.
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Chapter 1,
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verse 25.
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Try that one.
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Yep.
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I'm on the wrong page here.
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We'll get there eventually.
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Chapter 1,
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verse 25.
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Thus the Lord,
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Zacharias says,
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thus the Lord
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has done for me
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in the days
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when He looked on me
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to take away
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my reproach
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among people.
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The birth of John
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turns disgrace
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and shame
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to honour
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and joy
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for Zacharias.
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Same sort of things
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in chapter 1,
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verse 58.
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On the eighth day
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they came
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to circumcise
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the child
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and they would have
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called him
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Zacharias
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after his father
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but his mother
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sorry,
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and her neighbours
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and relatives
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heard that the Lord
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had shown
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great mercy to her
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and they rejoiced
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with her.
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Mercy
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spilled into shame
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turns to honour
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and delight
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and thankfulness.
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God's grace
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and mercy
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delivers
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comfort
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and hope
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and peace
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into their
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restless
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anxious lives.
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The naming
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of John
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as God
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directed it
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says it all
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that John
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actually means
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grace and mercy.
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Their miracle
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child
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was destined
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to be a key
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player
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among God's
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people.
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John would be
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as we're told
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in the song
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as it was rehearsed
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in the song
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John would be
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God's messenger
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bringing grace
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and mercy
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and peace
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to God's people
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and that means
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the reversal
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of God's judgment
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forgiveness
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a new opportunity
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praise God
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as he deserved
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to be praised.
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If you look
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at chapter 1
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verse 65
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suddenly
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their fortunes
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among the locals
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were turned around
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fear came
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on all their neighbours
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and all these things
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were talked about
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through all the hill
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country of Judea.
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Now
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what was Zachariah
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and Elizabeth
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going to do now?
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A lifetime of shame?
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Were they going to
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sort of puff
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their chests out
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and say well actually
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no
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you lot look
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we're now
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blessed and favoured
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by the Lord.
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No
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they didn't do
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that at all.
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They very quickly
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pushed the focus
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onto their child
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and then onto
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Mary's child
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as we'll see
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in a moment.
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Why did they do that?
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Because they knew
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it was their child
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who would be used
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as a key player
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in God's salvation plan.
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Just like Elijah of old
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and Zachariah
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and Elizabeth
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were just delighted
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to be part
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of God's
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intervention
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God's plan
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as it were.
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and indeed
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their own names
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add to that focus
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the showcase
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here that Luke's
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bringing to us.
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Zachariah means
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God remembers
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his covenant.
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Elizabeth means
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God is absolutely
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faithful.
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So their
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personal experience
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is a zoomed
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in picture
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of what is
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about to happen
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in God's world
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at large.
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an experience
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of God's grace
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and mercy
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bringing peace.
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So if that's
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their personal experience
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then how much more
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would they want
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to sing?
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How much more
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would they want
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to honour
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and praise the Lord
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when they think
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of what they've
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experienced
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now being applied
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globally?
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And so
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Zachariah
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rehearses
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then an
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immediate
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global experience
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of God's
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grace and mercy
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and peace
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and salvation.
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What did
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Zachariah
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have prayed
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for all his
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lifetime?
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Well he had
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prayed
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that the Lord
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would establish
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his kingdom
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and establish
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his covenant
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would save
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his people
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as he had
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promised
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that they
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bring the
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new age
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of salvation.
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Now it's
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happening
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and he's
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part of it.
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Verse 67
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Zachariah's
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song is
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actually called
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a prophecy.
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That shouldn't
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trip us up
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because I
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think that
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just tells
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us that
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it is a
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song but
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it's actually
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meant to be
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something that
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we then in
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subsequent
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generations
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join into.
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It's meant to
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be written
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down and
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recorded and
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learned from
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and joined
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with.
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Shaped and
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inspired by
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God's
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spirit
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Zachariah's
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song is a
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model to
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us then of
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God's
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commitment
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to salvation.
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In his
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grace and
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mercy God
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comes to
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his people.
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So if you
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look at the
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very first
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lines there
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verse 68
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the thing
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that bubbles
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up into
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praise is
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in the first
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sentence.
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God would
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personally come
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into his
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world.
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God would
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actually drop
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in as it
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were and
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visit his
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people to
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redeem them
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for he has
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visited and
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redeemed his
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people.
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A few years
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ago I
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watched a
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documentary in
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America.
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A group
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there were
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trying to
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help Vietnam
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war veterans
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many of whom
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are homeless
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and in
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really bad
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state.
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The forgotten
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generation
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they called
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them.
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They were
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trying to
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get them
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into homes
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and the
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documentary was
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one particular
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African-American
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soldier in a
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really bad
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way.
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He managed
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eventually
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under this
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group to
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be given
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a small
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one-bedroom
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unit and
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he was
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delighted.
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His very
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first visitor
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the next
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day was
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Michelle
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Obama.
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She was
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the patron
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of this
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group of
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people who
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were actually
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trying to
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give homes
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to Vietnam
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veterans.
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So here
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was this
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guy and
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he was in
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bad shape.
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He hadn't
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really cleaned
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up or
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anything.
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He was
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just there
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in his
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house so
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excited.
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His first
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visitor was
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the first
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lady of
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America.
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And she
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just came
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in.
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Of course
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there were
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cameras there
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but as far
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as you could
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see it was
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just a very
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ordinary thing.
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She came
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in and
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sat down
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and he
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offered her
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a cup
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of coffee
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and she
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said yep
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she would
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have a
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cup of.
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There they
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were.
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He was
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blown away.
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Now
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why was
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he blown
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away?
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Well he
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actually told
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him.
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He could
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not believe
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that somebody
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so important
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would come
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to him in
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all his
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humbleness.
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All his
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dirtiness.
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To see how
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he was doing.
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To have a
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cup of with
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him.
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It was a
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very powerful
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picture.
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Well I
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think it's
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a great
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picture that
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we can
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use here.
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God
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doesn't
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hold back
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waiting for
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his dirty
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lost people
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guilty people
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to come
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to him.
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He knows
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jelly well.
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Remember
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what we
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said in
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Malachi?
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God knows
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jelly well
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his people
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wouldn't
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come to
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him.
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So what
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does God
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do?
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He takes
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the initiative
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and comes
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to his
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people.
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He comes
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to them
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at their
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point of
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need.
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He comes
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to us
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at our
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point of
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need.
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That's
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God's
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character.
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Grace
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and mercy.
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Coming to
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those who
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lack peace
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who are
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anxious to
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give them
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peace.
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God cares
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deeply for
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his people.
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He wants
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to have
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relationship.
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The relationship,
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the good life
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that he created
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them for.
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the relationship
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and good
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life which
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ultimately only
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he can
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give.
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So he
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visits us
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in our
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place.
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He comes
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to show
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us what
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he has
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on offer.
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A home.
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A real
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family.
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Real
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hope.
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And he
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does that
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for people
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who otherwise
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are homeless
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and hopeless
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and fearful.
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people.
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That's an
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amazing
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statement just
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by itself.
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And one we
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should never
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lose when we
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think about
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Christmas.
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This is God
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coming to
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us in
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our need.
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So
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familiar to
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us and yet
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so powerful
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when we
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think about
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it.
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Not only
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does he
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come to
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us but
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he redeems
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his people.
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Verse 69
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again.
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He has
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visited and
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redeemed his
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people.
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How does
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he do that?
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Well he
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has raised
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up a
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horn of
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salvation for
-
us.
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That's an
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Old Testament
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picture of
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a powerful
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saviour figure
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in the
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house of
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his servant
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David.
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This is
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Messiah.
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This is
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the long
-
promised,
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long awaited
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king and
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saviour,
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Messiah,
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whom God
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said would
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come to
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deliver the
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salvation,
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promised.
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Come to
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redeem or
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save his
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people.
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And so
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Zechariah has
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moved the
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spotlight from
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himself and
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Elizabeth,
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from his
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own son.
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He's now
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speaking about
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Mary's child
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yet to be
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born.
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Jesus would
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be God's
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specially
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equipped
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saviour.
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Jesus would
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come and do
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what no
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other prophet
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or king
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before him
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had been
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able to
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do.
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He would
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come and
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he would
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deliver God's
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people from
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their sin.
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He would
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deliver them
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into peace
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and hope.
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He would
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destroy their
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enemies.
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We'll say more
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about that in a
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minute.
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He'd bring them
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into a place of
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safety to enjoy
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the good life.
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And why?
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Why is all this
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happening?
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Well,
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Zechariah knows
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very well why
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it's all
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happening.
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It's a very
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simple answer
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for Zechariah
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because God
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said that's
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what he would
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do.
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God remembered
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his covenant,
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his covenant
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with Abraham,
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his covenant
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right through
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the Old
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Testament,
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repeatedly
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saying,
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yes,
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I'm doing
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this.
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It is on
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track.
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From
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Abraham's
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time,
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God had
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promised he
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would show
-
mercy on his
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guilty people
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and not
-
destroy them.
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Remember how
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the Lord
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describes his
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people in
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Malachi 2?
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He says,
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well,
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I know
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jolly well
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that you
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guys have
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never,
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ever had a
-
heart to
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obey me.
-
And yet I
-
will still
-
keep my
-
covenant and
-
my promise to
-
you that I
-
will come to
-
you.
-
You won't
-
come to me,
-
but I will
-
come to you
-
as I
-
promised.
-
God
-
and he
-
delivers
-
them,
-
not just
-
redeems
-
them,
-
but he
-
delivers
-
them into
-
fear-free
-
acceptance and
-
relationship with
-
himself.
-
Look at
-
verse 74
-
and verse 75.
-
We're
-
delivered from
-
the hand of
-
our enemies,
-
might serve
-
him without
-
fear in
-
holiness and
-
righteousness
-
before him
-
all our
-
days.
-
redeeming,
-
Jesus'
-
redeeming
-
work would
-
mean
-
deliverance
-
from being
-
held prisoner
-
by their
-
enemies and
-
deliverance
-
into a
-
new state
-
of safety
-
and security
-
and acceptance
-
and obedience.
-
And verses
-
76 through
-
79,
-
his son
-
John, he
-
realized,
-
would be part
-
of that
-
dawning
-
edge of
-
salvation.
-
salvation.
-
He would
-
be the
-
prophet,
-
ultimately the
-
final prophet
-
that would
-
be the
-
one that
-
would introduce
-
God's
-
Messiah,
-
God's
-
Savior,
-
Jesus.
-
How would
-
he do
-
that?
-
Well, he
-
would actually
-
help God's
-
people develop
-
a new sense
-
of their
-
sinfulness.
-
And by
-
that, then,
-
a new sense
-
of their
-
need for
-
God's grace
-
and mercy,
-
a new
-
longing for
-
it.
-
So, in
-
God's plan,
-
the two
-
things would
-
marry up
-
just as
-
God's people
-
became more
-
and more
-
aware of
-
their need
-
to be
-
saved.
-
Up pops
-
Jesus,
-
the Savior.
-
John would
-
teach them
-
that their
-
greatest need
-
was not
-
deliverance
-
from their
-
political
-
enemies,
-
military
-
enemies.
-
John would
-
teach them
-
their greatest
-
need was
-
deliverance
-
from the
-
enemy
-
within.
-
See, what
-
had happened
-
was that
-
God's people
-
had come to
-
think of
-
salvation as
-
been livered
-
from all the
-
enemies out
-
there.
-
So, they
-
thought, well,
-
okay, if we can
-
get rid of the
-
Romans, we can
-
get rid of all
-
these people,
-
and then Israel
-
will be great
-
again.
-
And we'll be
-
able to be
-
God's people as
-
we're meant
-
to be
-
God's
-
people.
-
Well, John's
-
mission, as
-
has the
-
prophets before
-
him, being
-
to say that
-
not right.
-
You need
-
deliverance from
-
the enemy
-
within.
-
It's your
-
hearts that
-
are the
-
problem, not
-
your geopolitical
-
circumstances.
-
And this is
-
what Jesus
-
comes to
-
deliver,
-
deliverance
-
from the
-
enemy within,
-
deliverance
-
from rebellious
-
hearts.
-
Deliverance
-
from the
-
guilt of
-
that rebellion,
-
the sin and
-
the offense
-
that it
-
causes.
-
Deliverance
-
from the
-
fear of not
-
being acceptable
-
to God
-
because of
-
their sin.
-
Deliverance
-
from the
-
fear of
-
ultimately being
-
rejected by
-
God because
-
of their sin
-
and their
-
failure to
-
live under
-
his rule.
-
And in
-
that bleakness,
-
in that
-
darkness, we
-
have a metaphor
-
working here,
-
as we saw in
-
Malachi, that
-
Jesus, therefore,
-
would be like
-
the brilliant
-
sunrise after
-
the long,
-
dark night of
-
misery and
-
sin.
-
And once
-
again, God's
-
people would
-
bask in the
-
sunlight, in
-
the warmth,
-
in the
-
newness that
-
that sunrise of
-
Jesus would
-
bring.
-
Quite
-
literally,
-
Zacharias says,
-
that Jesus
-
would deliver
-
them from
-
darkness and
-
the shadow
-
of death
-
into the
-
new light
-
of life.
-
Quite
-
literally,
-
Jesus would
-
be the
-
light of the
-
world.
-
And so,
-
we just
-
pause there
-
and flesh
-
out that
-
metaphor a
-
little bit.
-
Death does
-
cast a shadow
-
over life,
-
doesn't it?
-
I was just
-
listening to the
-
TV last night
-
and they were
-
talking about
-
a show about
-
Harry Houdini.
-
And he was
-
known as the
-
man who
-
cheated death
-
and avoided
-
death until
-
death caught
-
up with him.
-
I thought,
-
that was a
-
really interesting
-
way of saying
-
that.
-
It was almost
-
as if he had
-
done something
-
amazing.
-
But no,
-
he was just
-
like the rest
-
of us.
-
It just hadn't
-
caught up with
-
him.
-
Death casts a
-
shadow over
-
all of life.
-
And when we're
-
young, I think,
-
we don't think
-
about it.
-
I certainly
-
didn't think
-
too much
-
about death
-
whenever I
-
was young.
-
Or perhaps
-
we just ignore
-
it when we're
-
young.
-
But here's the
-
shadow because
-
we know the
-
jolly well that
-
100% of people
-
die.
-
Death will come
-
to all of us.
-
No matter how
-
hard we try and
-
avoid it.
-
And death
-
forces us to
-
ask the big
-
questions of
-
life, doesn't
-
it?
-
Well, okay,
-
what then?
-
Is there a
-
God?
-
What will I
-
have to say
-
to him?
-
What will he
-
have to say
-
to me?
-
Well,
-
Zacharias
-
tells us
-
here that
-
Jesus will
-
remove all
-
of those
-
fears of
-
death.
-
Why?
-
Because he
-
will deal
-
with our
-
sin, which
-
is the
-
thing that
-
makes us
-
alienated from
-
God.
-
He will
-
make us
-
acceptable to
-
God.
-
He will
-
bring us
-
into a new
-
relationship
-
with God
-
and therefore
-
the fear
-
can dissipate.
-
Now imagine
-
that being
-
spoken by
-
somebody like
-
Zacharias.
-
Remember what
-
Zacharias was?
-
He was a
-
priest.
-
What does
-
that mean?
-
Well, it
-
means that
-
every single
-
day of his
-
life he
-
had been in
-
the temple,
-
which I
-
picture in my
-
mind, whether
-
this is a good
-
picture or not,
-
but this is a
-
country picture.
-
I just
-
picture it
-
like an
-
abattoir.
-
Blood and
-
guts everywhere.
-
And if
-
you've been
-
involved in
-
the killing
-
of animals
-
up close,
-
there's a
-
distinct smell
-
and the
-
smell never
-
gets nicer
-
after you
-
do it for
-
a long
-
time, believe
-
me.
-
It's a
-
distinct
-
smell of
-
death.
-
And there
-
was Zacharias
-
day after
-
day offering
-
sacrifices.
-
Why?
-
Because he
-
cared for his
-
people and
-
his role
-
as a
-
priest was
-
to be
-
an
-
intermediary
-
to try
-
and provide
-
the sacrifices
-
that would
-
allow the
-
relationship
-
between the
-
clean God
-
and his
-
dirty people
-
to continue
-
to deal
-
with sin.
-
And now
-
he gets a
-
glimpse that
-
this is all
-
coming at an
-
end.
-
He's going to
-
be out of a
-
job because
-
Jesus would
-
offer a
-
sacrifice once
-
for all.
-
Deal with
-
our sin once
-
for all.
-
Make us
-
acceptable to
-
God once
-
for all.
-
And that
-
will guide
-
our feet
-
into the
-
way of
-
peace.
-
Imagine the
-
joy that
-
would have
-
brought to
-
Zacharias.
-
this Jesus
-
would restore
-
relationship
-
with God
-
forever.
-
But there's
-
one more
-
thing that
-
Zacharias
-
throws in
-
here.
-
Because
-
ultimately God
-
takes us
-
home to be
-
with him
-
forever in
-
rest and
-
peace.
-
The idea of
-
guiding our
-
feet into
-
the way of
-
peace.
-
It's again a
-
picture of
-
a pathway.
-
It's pushing
-
us down a
-
particular
-
pathway in
-
life.
-
If you
-
look again
-
at those
-
verses
-
74 and
-
75.
-
The idea
-
of a
-
wonderful
-
freedom to
-
serve the
-
Lord without
-
fear all
-
our days.
-
Now, one
-
of the things
-
I know in
-
my own
-
life and
-
one of the
-
things I'm
-
bumping up
-
against as
-
I speak with
-
people here
-
on every
-
day, every
-
week of
-
my ministry
-
is the
-
fear that
-
can get into
-
our heads and
-
can get into
-
our hearts.
-
We struggle
-
to serve the
-
Lord, but
-
we're fearful.
-
Well,
-
Zachariah is
-
talking here
-
about freedom
-
from fear,
-
freedom to
-
serve the
-
Lord.
-
Now, what's
-
the basis of
-
that freedom?
-
What's the
-
basis of
-
freedom from
-
fear?
-
Well, it's
-
simply Jesus
-
and taking
-
Jesus at
-
his word
-
that he
-
will reconnect
-
us to
-
God, having
-
dealt with
-
our sins,
-
and having
-
dealt with
-
our sins,
-
there's no
-
longer any
-
reason for
-
God to be
-
alienated from
-
us.
-
The
-
relationship's
-
restored forever.
-
And the
-
end point of
-
that?
-
Salvation,
-
peace,
-
rest.
-
I spoke
-
earlier about
-
that Vietnam
-
veteran.
-
He was
-
blown away
-
that Michelle
-
Obama would
-
come to
-
visit him,
-
but the
-
end of the
-
story was
-
actually even
-
more surprising,
-
because after
-
having her cup
-
of tea and
-
her biscuit,
-
and that's
-
literally what
-
it was,
-
a cup of
-
coffee and
-
a biscuit,
-
that's
-
literally what
-
it was,
-
she said to
-
this guy,
-
now, I've
-
come to your
-
place and
-
you've made
-
me at
-
home, I
-
want you to
-
come to
-
my place,
-
and I want
-
you to feel
-
at home and
-
make my
-
place your
-
place.
-
Well, can
-
you imagine
-
the consternation
-
that Vietnam
-
vet felt?
-
It was such
-
a beautiful
-
finish.
-
The old
-
soldier was
-
overwhelmed,
-
from homelessness
-
to the
-
White House,
-
from shame
-
to honor,
-
and that
-
was the
-
deal.
-
She said
-
she had
-
come to
-
his place
-
and her
-
intention
-
was to
-
take him
-
back to
-
her
-
place.
-
Such a
-
great picture
-
of salvation.
-
God comes
-
to us,
-
seeks us
-
out,
-
pursues us
-
when we
-
would have
-
no regard
-
for him,
-
fixes the
-
mess that
-
we've made
-
through our
-
rebellion and
-
our sin,
-
takes the
-
punishment that's
-
due to us
-
on our
-
behalf,
-
makes us
-
acceptable to
-
God when
-
we have no
-
right to be
-
even near
-
God,
-
and caps it
-
all off by
-
saying,
-
now I'm
-
going to
-
take you
-
home to
-
be with
-
me forever.
-
forever.
-
We lose
-
all that as
-
we celebrate
-
Christmas and
-
focus on a
-
little baby.
-
Of course,
-
Christmas begins
-
with a little
-
baby, but no
-
ordinary baby.
-
God's King and
-
Savior coming to
-
do all of
-
that.
-
He sorts out
-
our heads,
-
he renews our
-
hearts through
-
the power of the
-
Spirit within us,
-
he gives us new
-
desires, new
-
attitudes, new
-
delight in serving
-
him, and
-
finally he makes
-
clear that he
-
won't be finished
-
with us until
-
he has us back
-
at home in
-
heaven with
-
him forever.
-
Now, the
-
promises all
-
leading up to
-
being saved,
-
he's delivered
-
on.
-
Why do we
-
find it so
-
hard to
-
accept that
-
he'll deliver
-
on all the
-
promises he
-
makes to us
-
after we're
-
saved?
-
we need to
-
take Jesus
-
at his
-
word.
-
Sin has
-
been dealt
-
with, freedom
-
from fear of
-
death, new
-
life, and
-
ultimately
-
heaven.
-
Now, surely
-
that's something
-
to make you
-
sing about,
-
isn't it?
-
Now, two
-
parting thoughts
-
then.
-
If you're a
-
believer, then
-
you've got lots
-
to sing about.
-
And let's
-
sing from the
-
song sheet that
-
Jesus gives
-
us.
-
Let's not go
-
through and cross
-
out the words
-
we're not sure
-
about and write
-
in our own
-
interpretation,
-
because nothing
-
we're sure will
-
write in a lot
-
more fear and
-
uncertainty again.
-
But then we
-
won't be singing
-
from Jesus
-
song sheet,
-
will we, if
-
we do that?
-
But it may be
-
that you're here
-
this morning and
-
you actually think
-
you've got nothing
-
to sing about
-
because you're
-
still living in
-
the shadow of
-
death, living
-
in fear,
-
desperately trying
-
to find community.
-
You're not
-
actually a
-
believer.
-
You're still
-
longing for a
-
place of safety,
-
you're still
-
longing for
-
security.
-
You're still
-
longing to find
-
a way to
-
live when
-
life seems so
-
fragile and
-
uncertain and
-
lonely.
-
Well, the
-
song sheet says
-
it all.
-
Turn to
-
Jesus.
-
He's come to
-
you in this
-
world, in your
-
situation.
-
life.
-
He's offering
-
you your very
-
heart's desire.
-
And he's
-
gently challenging
-
you to give up
-
looking for these
-
things elsewhere,
-
as you've been
-
doing, and find
-
them in him.
-
him.
-
And he promises
-
that his light
-
will dispel
-
darkness and
-
fear in your
-
life.
-
And he tells
-
you that his
-
light is already
-
shining.
-
What you need to
-
do is step out of
-
darkness into his
-
light and be
-
healed and feel
-
the sunrise warm
-
you through and
-
through and comfort
-
you.
-
and give you
-
that sense that
-
yes, all is
-
well in the
-
world, in
-
Jesus.
-
Pray with me.
-
Lord, the
-
words here, in
-
some ways, are
-
just so simple
-
and so clear.
-
Jesus is
-
light and
-
life and
-
peace.
-
He has come
-
to us.
-
You have
-
pursued us,
-
Lord, when we
-
wouldn't pursue
-
you.
-
You've pursued
-
us.
-
You've brought
-
us to
-
Jesus and
-
you've brought
-
Jesus to
-
us.
-
Lord, for
-
those here this
-
morning who have
-
not yet turned
-
to Jesus, but
-
are searching
-
for peace, I
-
pray, Lord, that
-
you might just
-
fill their minds,
-
flood their
-
hearts with the
-
fact that Jesus
-
is what they've
-
been looking for
-
all along.
-
And for those,
-
Lord, who are
-
already believers
-
but struggle to
-
take Jesus as
-
word and
-
therefore still
-
fearful, I
-
pray, Lord, that
-
we might actually
-
just be able to
-
go back to
-
singing from
-
your song
-
sheet, the
-
song sheet that
-
quite literally
-
says, Jesus
-
has done it
-
all and all to
-
him we owe.
-
I pray in Jesus'
-
name.
-
Amen.
-
Thanks very much
-
for listening to
-
me.
-
Thank you so much
-
for listening to me.
-
Thank you.
-
Thank you.
-
Thank you.