1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:03,120 Pastor Dale Tunnell: Have you ever won something? 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:06,160 Pastor Dale Tunnell: You know, when they have a drawing. 3 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:10,160 Pastor Dale Tunnell: I remember going to uh an expo once and I was talking to uh 4 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:14,800 Pastor Dale Tunnell: one of the people there that uh was operating a booth and they were giving away 5 00:00:14,940 --> 00:00:17,260 Pastor Dale Tunnell: uh an iPod. 6 00:00:17,260 --> 00:00:17,900 Pastor Dale Tunnell: And I 7 00:00:18,140 --> 00:00:22,619 Pastor Dale Tunnell: didn't know much about iPods, but I wanted one. 8 00:00:22,619 --> 00:00:23,099 Pastor Dale Tunnell: I said 9 00:00:23,260 --> 00:00:24,460 Pastor Dale Tunnell: I need that to 10 00:00:24,619 --> 00:00:26,300 Pastor Dale Tunnell: put some music on. 11 00:00:26,340 --> 00:00:34,980 And I'm going to put some music on there and I'm going to have something that I can listen to while I go hiking on the Appalachian Trail. 12 00:00:35,579 --> 00:00:42,379 And so I was talking to the person there at the booth and I said, you know, we can just save you and me some time. 13 00:00:42,379 --> 00:00:43,980 Just give me the iPod 14 00:00:44,219 --> 00:00:44,860 now. 15 00:00:45,540 --> 00:00:45,780 And 16 00:00:46,020 --> 00:00:48,020 then you don't have to call me this evening 17 00:00:48,180 --> 00:00:50,020 when you have the drawing. 18 00:00:50,020 --> 00:00:50,340 And 19 00:00:50,580 --> 00:00:50,900 uh 20 00:00:51,140 --> 00:00:57,540 I don't have to drive back here and pick it up and you don't have to plan a time to meet me to give me the iPod. 21 00:00:57,540 --> 00:00:59,780 He said, You know it doesn't work that way. 22 00:00:59,740 --> 00:01:02,220 And I said, well, it could work that way. 23 00:01:02,220 --> 00:01:02,380 You 24 00:01:02,540 --> 00:01:04,379 and I could just come to an agreement 25 00:01:04,540 --> 00:01:04,860 and 26 00:01:05,740 --> 00:01:07,660 we could do it. 27 00:01:07,660 --> 00:01:09,580 And he said, no, no, no. 28 00:01:09,580 --> 00:01:10,460 And I think 29 00:01:10,620 --> 00:01:14,460 that he was probably as surprised as I was. 30 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:16,080 When he called me that evening 31 00:01:16,320 --> 00:01:19,920 and he said, You're the winner of the iPod. 32 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:24,159 And I said, I told you I was going to win the iPod. 33 00:01:25,260 --> 00:01:25,420 I 34 00:01:25,740 --> 00:01:26,380 don't know. 35 00:01:26,380 --> 00:01:31,020 Some people just don't believe me when I tell them that I I'm one of the luckiest people in the world. 36 00:01:31,020 --> 00:01:33,260 I have won lots of things like that. 37 00:01:33,260 --> 00:01:34,940 I mean, I was listening to the 38 00:01:35,100 --> 00:01:35,420 the 39 00:01:35,660 --> 00:01:37,100 Christian music group 40 00:01:37,500 --> 00:01:40,380 radio program there in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 41 00:01:40,380 --> 00:01:41,340 And they were 42 00:01:41,740 --> 00:01:44,700 giving some advertisements and they said, hey, we're going to let 43 00:01:44,860 --> 00:01:45,979 caller number seven 44 00:01:46,140 --> 00:01:47,659 is going to receive 45 00:01:48,659 --> 00:01:48,900 uh 46 00:01:49,060 --> 00:01:56,820 certificate from the cheesecake factory to have cheesecake delivered to you and the office staff that you have. 47 00:01:56,820 --> 00:01:59,780 And a cheesecake factory. 48 00:02:01,180 --> 00:02:01,500 I 49 00:02:01,740 --> 00:02:02,700 dialed on the phone 50 00:02:02,860 --> 00:02:04,060 and guess what? 51 00:02:04,060 --> 00:02:07,420 I was caller number seven. 52 00:02:07,420 --> 00:02:08,460 I told the 53 00:02:08,700 --> 00:02:14,620 office staff, I told Cheryl, I said, we've got a whole lot of cheesecake coming tomorrow. 54 00:02:15,180 --> 00:02:16,540 Well, who's gonna eat it? 55 00:02:16,540 --> 00:02:16,700 I said 56 00:02:16,860 --> 00:02:17,660 the office staff. 57 00:02:17,660 --> 00:02:18,780 Well, who's the office staff? 58 00:02:18,860 --> 00:02:22,380 I said, I got enough for the whole board. 59 00:02:22,380 --> 00:02:24,620 I know the board wasn't there for 60 00:02:24,780 --> 00:02:26,540 at the office every day, but 61 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:30,560 Cheesecake Factory gave me enough for the whole board. 62 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:33,840 And so I took advantage of it. 63 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:37,600 I tell you, when it comes to drawings like that. 64 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:40,840 I'm blessed. 65 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:43,160 So a lot of times I don't enter anymore. 66 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:45,560 Give other people a chance. 67 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:47,480 Isn't that nice of me? 68 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:48,760 Yeah. 69 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:54,239 In our story today, Luke chapter 1, Zechariah 70 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:56,640 had won the lottery. 71 00:02:56,640 --> 00:02:58,720 It says that the lots were cast. 72 00:02:59,020 --> 00:03:00,379 and he had won. 73 00:03:00,379 --> 00:03:00,620 His 74 00:03:00,780 --> 00:03:00,940 his 75 00:03:01,099 --> 00:03:01,900 habit was 76 00:03:02,060 --> 00:03:07,260 he would go to Jerusalem twice a year, because that was his term of service as a priest. 77 00:03:07,260 --> 00:03:11,180 He would go there twice a year for him to serve there in the temple. 78 00:03:11,220 --> 00:03:13,299 And he would normally serve at the 79 00:03:13,540 --> 00:03:15,379 various functions of the temple. 80 00:03:15,379 --> 00:03:18,500 But when they got there, the priest would have a 81 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:20,480 lottery. 82 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:22,320 Or they would cast lots. 83 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:23,600 Or however you want to say 84 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:25,760 what they did, they would cast lots 85 00:03:25,920 --> 00:03:26,720 and they would dis 86 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:28,640 determine by the casting of lots 87 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:36,680 Who was going to have certain functions and what their function was going to be during their one week of service that they were there? 88 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:37,640 And this time 89 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:38,920 Zechariah 90 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:41,640 had won the lottery. 91 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:42,640 He had 92 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:44,640 the lots had been cast 93 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:48,480 and he was chosen to get to go into the holy place 94 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:50,320 and to get to go up to the 95 00:03:50,540 --> 00:03:50,620 the 96 00:03:50,780 --> 00:03:50,860 the 97 00:03:51,100 --> 00:03:59,100 the altar of incense in the holy place, and during the prayer time, when the people were outside praying, he was going to get to go to the 98 00:03:59,260 --> 00:04:00,700 the altar of incense 99 00:04:00,860 --> 00:04:04,060 and make sure that the incense was lit 100 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:07,320 to make sure that it stayed lit, to make sure that the the 101 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:08,920 smoke was ascending. 102 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:10,920 I mean you can almost see 103 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:12,040 Zechariah 104 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:14,440 as he goes into 105 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:17,320 the sanctuary. 106 00:04:19,620 --> 00:04:20,580 I wonder 107 00:04:21,140 --> 00:04:24,980 if he was a little bit nervous. 108 00:04:24,980 --> 00:04:26,980 I don't know, it doesn't tell us. 109 00:04:26,980 --> 00:04:29,780 One of those questions you would like to know, how 110 00:04:29,940 --> 00:04:32,420 often had he won the lottery? 111 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:34,720 How many times had he been into 112 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:37,280 the holy place? 113 00:04:37,280 --> 00:04:41,200 Had he ever gotten to go before the altar of incense 114 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:42,560 before? 115 00:04:44,100 --> 00:04:47,620 Doesn't tell us. 116 00:04:47,620 --> 00:04:51,380 What kind of instructions was he given ahead of time? 117 00:04:51,620 --> 00:04:55,379 Did they remind him about what he was supposed to do? 118 00:04:55,379 --> 00:05:04,180 You know, sometimes when when we're in the in the back room in the in the library back there and we talk about coming out here, some people are really nervous. 119 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:07,680 Have you ever noticed that? 120 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:13,199 Some people they come up here and they're not sure what to do. 121 00:05:13,199 --> 00:05:16,560 Some people still ask me, Pastor, are you ever nervous? 122 00:05:17,780 --> 00:05:18,979 My answer is 123 00:05:19,620 --> 00:05:21,860 a little bit. 124 00:05:21,860 --> 00:05:22,740 There's still 125 00:05:23,300 --> 00:05:28,419 a tinge of excitement, a tinge of nervousness, a tinge of, am 126 00:05:28,580 --> 00:05:30,259 I going to do it right? 127 00:05:31,300 --> 00:05:34,180 Because the desire is not just to 128 00:05:34,820 --> 00:05:38,260 share what I've studied through the week, but to make sure I 129 00:05:38,980 --> 00:05:40,740 give glory to God. 130 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:43,160 To make sure it feels like 131 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:46,840 we've come into the presence of God and we have worshiped Him 132 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:47,800 as a 133 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:49,160 believers, 134 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:51,160 as a church family. 135 00:05:51,660 --> 00:05:55,420 I wonder what Zechariah thought as he he he went in the to the 136 00:05:55,580 --> 00:05:56,620 the the holy place 137 00:05:56,780 --> 00:05:56,940 there 138 00:05:57,100 --> 00:06:02,060 as he he was standing before the altar, as he was making sure the incense was 139 00:06:02,220 --> 00:06:05,500 was going up as the the cloud of incense 140 00:06:05,699 --> 00:06:11,379 went up, I can imagine that he began to pray. 141 00:06:11,379 --> 00:06:14,659 Because that that that cloud of incense that was the the the 142 00:06:14,819 --> 00:06:19,699 to represent the prayers of the people and my guess is that that Zachariah had his 143 00:06:19,740 --> 00:06:23,820 his own prayers that that they were were were going up as well 144 00:06:23,980 --> 00:06:27,180 and he he he was probably standing there watching the 145 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:35,360 The sanctuary filled with smoke, watching as some of the smoke went over the veil 146 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:36,560 into 147 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:37,120 the most 148 00:06:37,280 --> 00:06:38,880 holy place. 149 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:49,680 Before the throne of God, you wonder what was going through Zechariah's mind. 150 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:57,000 You wonder exactly what he was praying. 151 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:01,720 The scripture says there in Luke 1 that all of a sudden he was startled. 152 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:09,680 Luke chapter one, let's see, verse twelve 153 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:11,680 It says, 154 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:17,120 and when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 155 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:18,720 It was a surprise to him. 156 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:22,240 Nobody else was supposed to be in the in the holy place with him. 157 00:07:22,060 --> 00:07:22,380 He was 158 00:07:22,620 --> 00:07:23,580 he was doing the 159 00:07:23,820 --> 00:07:24,940 his function there in the 160 00:07:25,340 --> 00:07:26,060 holy place. 161 00:07:26,060 --> 00:07:28,220 He was he was offering his prayers. 162 00:07:28,460 --> 00:07:30,220 The people outside were praying. 163 00:07:30,220 --> 00:07:31,259 He was praying. 164 00:07:31,259 --> 00:07:31,419 And 165 00:07:31,580 --> 00:07:31,900 and 166 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:33,759 Who 167 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:34,319 was this 168 00:07:34,479 --> 00:07:36,960 in here with him? 169 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:38,560 Scripture tells us that 170 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:40,159 the angel was at the 171 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:41,440 right hand of the 172 00:07:42,420 --> 00:07:46,420 the altar there, the the sign of favor, but my guess is 173 00:07:46,660 --> 00:07:47,380 Zechariah 174 00:07:47,540 --> 00:07:50,660 was so startled he wasn't recognizing right or left hand. 175 00:07:50,500 --> 00:07:52,420 He wasn't contemplating on on 176 00:07:52,820 --> 00:07:53,220 was the 177 00:07:53,380 --> 00:07:55,460 angel in the right place or the wrong place. 178 00:07:55,460 --> 00:07:59,460 He was just startled that somebody was there. 179 00:08:02,639 --> 00:08:06,080 The angel has to say to him, Be 180 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:07,440 not afraid 181 00:08:11,860 --> 00:08:12,500 My guess is 182 00:08:12,740 --> 00:08:14,660 Zachariah thought that's easy for you to say. 183 00:08:14,660 --> 00:08:16,260 You're the one that startled me 184 00:08:18,780 --> 00:08:24,699 And then the angel says, Don't be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer is heard 185 00:08:26,260 --> 00:08:31,700 Now I don't know how long the angel paused there, but my guess is there was a a dramatic pause 186 00:08:31,860 --> 00:08:35,220 and and Zechariah's mind began to whirl a little bit. 187 00:08:35,039 --> 00:08:37,039 What prayer is is is heard? 188 00:08:37,039 --> 00:08:39,519 What prayer is is the angel talking about? 189 00:08:39,519 --> 00:08:44,080 Because I've been praying many prayers and some prayers I've been praying longer than than other prayers. 190 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:45,040 This is the prayer that 191 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:51,560 Somebody just gave me as I as I came into the sanctuary and they asked for me to to to to pray for their loved one that was sick? 192 00:08:51,560 --> 00:08:52,600 Was it the the one that 193 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:53,000 w they 194 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:57,720 gave me that uh I'm praying for the the person that's having financial problems 195 00:08:57,560 --> 00:08:59,000 Which prayer are they talking about? 196 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:01,880 Is it the one that I've I've been praying for for years 197 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:04,040 that the Messiah is going to come? 198 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:06,360 That the Romans are going to be overthrown? 199 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:08,520 That we're going to get out from under the 200 00:09:08,680 --> 00:09:09,000 the 201 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:09,560 the 202 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:12,080 Oh, the slavery that we're in. 203 00:09:12,560 --> 00:09:13,920 Are we going to be delivered 204 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:14,880 finally? 205 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:17,680 What prayer are you talking about? 206 00:09:21,279 --> 00:09:25,360 Well that was a long dramatic pause, wasn't it? 207 00:09:27,300 --> 00:09:29,779 And then the angel continued on and says, Your wife 208 00:09:29,940 --> 00:09:30,820 Elizabeth 209 00:09:31,060 --> 00:09:34,820 will bear you a son, and you will call his name John 210 00:09:40,260 --> 00:09:45,700 I'm not sure Zachariah was all that excited about hearing that. 211 00:09:45,700 --> 00:09:48,340 He probably thought, oh, that prayer. 212 00:09:48,940 --> 00:09:49,260 That 213 00:09:49,420 --> 00:09:54,940 prayer was the prayer I was praying a long time ago. 214 00:09:54,940 --> 00:09:57,980 That was 30 years ago. 215 00:09:57,980 --> 00:10:00,940 That I was praying for the sun. 216 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:02,520 That was 217 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:05,880 twenty-five years ago that I had continued praying. 218 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:06,600 That was twenty 219 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:07,560 years ago. 220 00:10:07,560 --> 00:10:08,760 We were still praying for 221 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:09,480 some. 222 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:09,960 What are you 223 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:10,520 what do 224 00:10:10,680 --> 00:10:10,760 what 225 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:11,000 what 226 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:11,720 what 227 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:12,040 it 228 00:10:14,580 --> 00:10:16,580 What do you mean? 229 00:10:18,019 --> 00:10:24,180 The angel continues on, and you will have joy and gladness, and and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great 230 00:10:24,339 --> 00:10:24,820 and the 231 00:10:24,940 --> 00:10:32,140 in the sight of the Lord, and he shall drink neither wine nor strong drink, he will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's 232 00:10:32,300 --> 00:10:32,940 womb 233 00:10:32,660 --> 00:10:35,540 and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord 234 00:10:35,700 --> 00:10:39,300 their God, and he will go before them in the spirit and power of Elijah 235 00:10:39,460 --> 00:10:45,140 to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people 236 00:10:45,300 --> 00:10:47,220 prepared for the Lord. 237 00:10:47,140 --> 00:10:54,500 And Zechariah said to the angel, How shall I know this? 238 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:59,600 For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years. 239 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:00,480 My guess is 240 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:03,520 the only thing that he heard from the angel was: your 241 00:11:03,680 --> 00:11:05,040 wife is going to be with 242 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:06,160 child. 243 00:11:07,460 --> 00:11:07,780 The 244 00:11:07,940 --> 00:11:11,300 angel said those other things. 245 00:11:11,300 --> 00:11:15,140 But Zechariah was still focused on the one thing that 246 00:11:15,300 --> 00:11:17,060 the angel had said: how 247 00:11:17,380 --> 00:11:18,020 can this 248 00:11:18,340 --> 00:11:18,980 be? 249 00:11:20,560 --> 00:11:22,240 I'm old. 250 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:23,440 I'm too old. 251 00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:25,040 Elizabeth is old. 252 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:26,560 She's too old. 253 00:11:26,560 --> 00:11:29,120 This time has passed in our life 254 00:11:33,700 --> 00:11:36,820 You know, at Christmas time we tell the story about 255 00:11:37,779 --> 00:11:38,420 Mary 256 00:11:39,300 --> 00:11:42,180 and how the angel comes to Mary. 257 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:42,800 And 258 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:43,920 says that 259 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:45,600 you're going to be with 260 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:46,400 child. 261 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:50,480 And the question she asked is, how 262 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:53,040 can this thing be? 263 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:55,040 I've never been with a man 264 00:11:57,880 --> 00:11:58,279 I mean 265 00:11:58,440 --> 00:11:59,240 Zechariah 266 00:11:59,399 --> 00:12:00,279 though, he he he's 267 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:01,320 he's an old man. 268 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:02,600 He he he's a priest. 269 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:03,000 He's been 270 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:05,320 he's been coming to the the sanctuary here 271 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:07,800 year after year after year after year. 272 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:08,440 He's been te 273 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:10,200 Itching to the people around the 274 00:12:10,100 --> 00:12:10,500 The the 275 00:12:10,660 --> 00:12:11,139 the land. 276 00:12:11,139 --> 00:12:13,620 He's been going to from synagogue to synagogue. 277 00:12:13,620 --> 00:12:17,060 He's been telling people the stories of of the history of Israel 278 00:12:17,300 --> 00:12:21,380 so that people understand who they are as a people. 279 00:12:21,380 --> 00:12:24,980 He knows the stories. 280 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:30,120 He knows the stories about Abraham and Sarah. 281 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:33,000 He knows the stories about Hannah. 282 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:34,920 He knows the story about people 283 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:38,760 pleading with God for a child. 284 00:12:38,899 --> 00:12:39,860 And yet 285 00:12:42,899 --> 00:12:43,699 Zachariah 286 00:12:43,940 --> 00:12:48,420 says, How shall I know this? 287 00:12:48,420 --> 00:12:52,579 For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years. 288 00:13:04,019 --> 00:13:07,699 It's hard for us to understand. 289 00:13:07,699 --> 00:13:09,380 Sometimes we say 290 00:13:12,180 --> 00:13:18,020 God, that's not possible. 291 00:13:18,020 --> 00:13:20,420 Have you ever said that to God? 292 00:13:22,699 --> 00:13:27,019 God, what you have in mind is is is not 293 00:13:27,339 --> 00:13:28,940 going to work. 294 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:35,519 What we really mean is, God, that's not the way I do things. 295 00:13:35,519 --> 00:13:42,319 I mean, for for us, living in the day and age in which we live, we understand how things work, and there comes a time and place where 296 00:13:42,940 --> 00:13:45,020 Things don't work like that anymore. 297 00:13:45,020 --> 00:13:45,500 And so 298 00:13:45,660 --> 00:13:45,980 God, 299 00:13:46,300 --> 00:13:50,220 you can't do it that way. 300 00:13:50,220 --> 00:13:52,940 Zacharias should have known better 301 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:57,360 Israel walking through the Red Sea on dry land. 302 00:13:57,360 --> 00:13:59,200 Israel walking through the River Jordan 303 00:13:59,360 --> 00:13:59,680 on 304 00:13:59,840 --> 00:14:01,760 uh on dry land. 305 00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:04,279 The way God had taken 306 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:11,560 manna, day after day, a cloud by day, a fire by night, the way God takes care of his 307 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:12,040 people. 308 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:12,920 Zechariah 309 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:14,279 should have understood 310 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:20,760 Do we 311 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:23,640 understand 312 00:14:30,100 --> 00:14:34,420 Desire of Ages, page 98. 313 00:14:34,580 --> 00:14:34,900 Says 314 00:14:35,060 --> 00:14:39,300 the birth of a son to Zechariah, like the birth of a child to Abraham. 315 00:14:39,420 --> 00:14:44,779 was to teach a great spiritual truth, a truth that we are slow to learn 316 00:14:45,100 --> 00:14:47,339 and ready to forget. 317 00:14:47,779 --> 00:14:48,980 In ourselves 318 00:14:49,220 --> 00:14:50,820 we are incapable 319 00:14:51,060 --> 00:14:52,660 of doing any good 320 00:14:52,899 --> 00:14:53,860 thing. 321 00:14:53,860 --> 00:14:55,620 But that which we cannot do 322 00:14:55,860 --> 00:14:58,740 will be wrought by the power of God. 323 00:14:58,820 --> 00:14:59,700 In every 324 00:14:59,940 --> 00:15:03,060 submissive and believing soul 325 00:15:06,459 --> 00:15:08,779 It was through faith that the child of promise 326 00:15:08,940 --> 00:15:09,820 was given. 327 00:15:09,820 --> 00:15:17,420 It is through faith that spiritual life is begotten, and we are enabled to do the works of righteousness. 328 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:26,720 Had Zechariah forgot how it had worked in the past? 329 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:28,160 How guilty 330 00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:30,080 are we? 331 00:15:30,220 --> 00:15:31,660 To say, oh, it 332 00:15:31,980 --> 00:15:34,780 doesn't work that way anymore. 333 00:15:35,100 --> 00:15:40,620 We can't do it like that anymore. 334 00:15:40,620 --> 00:15:42,220 Have you ever said that 335 00:15:46,660 --> 00:15:49,459 Sometimes we do, don't we? 336 00:15:56,100 --> 00:16:00,500 Okay, I'll try not to step on your toes too much right now. 337 00:16:00,500 --> 00:16:06,340 I had some things written down here to say, and I I I may get to them, but we'll wait just a second. 338 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:10,040 Come back up here to verse sixteen. 339 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:12,040 I skipped some good stuff here 340 00:16:15,980 --> 00:16:18,060 The angel talking to 341 00:16:18,860 --> 00:16:19,899 Zechariah. 342 00:16:19,899 --> 00:16:22,779 I'm not sure how this is recorded in scripture. 343 00:16:22,779 --> 00:16:24,220 I don't know who gave it to 344 00:16:24,339 --> 00:16:25,459 to Luke to write down. 345 00:16:25,459 --> 00:16:30,500 I don't know if it came back to Zachariah's mind later and he recorded what the angel 346 00:16:30,660 --> 00:16:32,339 said, because I think at the time 347 00:16:32,500 --> 00:16:37,620 when he the angel announced that they were going to have a child, I really believe that 348 00:16:38,220 --> 00:16:41,580 He didn't really hear the rest of the things the angel said. 349 00:16:41,580 --> 00:16:41,740 So 350 00:16:41,900 --> 00:16:45,820 maybe there was a question and answer time later before he went back out 351 00:16:46,060 --> 00:16:46,380 and 352 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:47,240 And uh 353 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:51,080 before he was muted, I'm not exactly sure, but it 354 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:51,800 somehow 355 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:54,360 got recorded here in Scripture 356 00:16:54,240 --> 00:17:00,240 Verse 16 it says, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord 357 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:00,880 their 358 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:02,160 God. 359 00:17:05,620 --> 00:17:07,220 Do we realize 360 00:17:07,780 --> 00:17:09,380 the times in which 361 00:17:10,020 --> 00:17:12,020 Zechariah was living 362 00:17:13,500 --> 00:17:14,699 I went back this week 363 00:17:14,860 --> 00:17:16,059 and I read some in 364 00:17:16,380 --> 00:17:17,500 Josephus 365 00:17:17,819 --> 00:17:18,059 about 366 00:17:18,380 --> 00:17:19,899 the times in which 367 00:17:20,220 --> 00:17:21,419 Zechariah 368 00:17:21,740 --> 00:17:23,019 was living. 369 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:26,040 I read some in Desire of Ages 370 00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:28,920 about the times in which Zechariah 371 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:31,160 was living. 372 00:17:32,340 --> 00:17:38,820 It says the the the Jews there at that time thought they had a monopoly on the truth. 373 00:17:38,820 --> 00:17:44,419 They had been given the truth, they had a monopoly on the truth, and they were going to hold on to that. 374 00:17:44,260 --> 00:17:48,260 It says that they were going to hoard the living manna. 375 00:17:48,260 --> 00:17:52,179 And because they had hoarded the living manna, it had 376 00:17:53,140 --> 00:17:55,299 corrupted them. 377 00:17:56,380 --> 00:17:56,780 Mana 378 00:17:57,100 --> 00:17:57,820 was supposed to be 379 00:17:58,140 --> 00:18:01,420 supposed to be picked up daily. 380 00:18:01,420 --> 00:18:06,060 It was supposed to be given to the people that needed to be fed by it daily. 381 00:18:06,060 --> 00:18:08,700 It wasn't just to be hoarded. 382 00:18:10,340 --> 00:18:10,500 In 383 00:18:10,660 --> 00:18:11,860 Desire of Ages, it says 384 00:18:12,180 --> 00:18:12,660 they they they 385 00:18:12,820 --> 00:18:13,940 hoarded that. 386 00:18:13,940 --> 00:18:15,460 They robbed God of his 387 00:18:15,620 --> 00:18:17,380 glory, defrauded 388 00:18:17,700 --> 00:18:18,020 God 389 00:18:19,220 --> 00:18:22,500 of what God had expected them to do. 390 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:27,320 Does God have expectations for us 391 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:30,920 that He wants us to do 392 00:18:31,540 --> 00:18:34,420 Are we very similar to the people of Israel? 393 00:18:34,420 --> 00:18:36,340 It says that the people of Israel 394 00:18:36,500 --> 00:18:37,140 that they were 395 00:18:37,380 --> 00:18:40,020 had become agents of Satan 396 00:18:41,360 --> 00:18:44,000 For the destruction of Israel. 397 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:47,920 The people who God had called to be the pillar and ground of truth 398 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:52,080 had become representatives of Satan. 399 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:54,480 That's pretty strong words. 400 00:18:55,600 --> 00:19:03,760 They were doing the work that Satan desired them to do, taking a course to misrepresent the character of God. 401 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:09,440 This was in the in the days of Zechariah. 402 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:11,040 It goes further and it says 403 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:16,240 Satanic agencies were incorporated with men, the bodies of human beings 404 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:17,440 made for the dwelling 405 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:18,800 place of God. 406 00:19:18,540 --> 00:19:18,620 had 407 00:19:18,780 --> 00:19:21,500 become the habitation of demons. 408 00:19:21,500 --> 00:19:23,180 The senses, the nerves, the 409 00:19:23,340 --> 00:19:24,940 passions, the organs of men 410 00:19:25,100 --> 00:19:30,460 were worked by supernatural agencies in the indulgence of the vilest lust. 411 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:32,160 The very stamp of demons 412 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:34,960 were impressed upon the countenance of men. 413 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:41,120 Human faces reflected the expression of the legions of evil with which they had been possessed. 414 00:19:42,519 --> 00:19:46,679 prospect upon which the world's Redeemer looked. 415 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:49,320 You talk about the 416 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:49,639 the 417 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:52,200 the day and age when Zechariah 418 00:19:52,360 --> 00:19:53,240 was living 419 00:19:53,519 --> 00:19:54,639 It says that 420 00:19:55,279 --> 00:19:55,600 people 421 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:57,760 were possessed by demons 422 00:19:59,120 --> 00:20:02,080 many places. 423 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:04,720 Have you seen a demon-possessed person? 424 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:10,000 Have you seen a person that you thought was demon-possessed? 425 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:14,559 If you haven't, I want to take you with me to to some 426 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:16,880 to some other countries. 427 00:20:17,120 --> 00:20:19,200 I'll take you with me to to Mongolia. 428 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:22,080 I'll take you with me to to Vietnam. 429 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:22,320 I 430 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:25,440 I have seen demon-possessed people. 431 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:30,160 In fact, the families in Vietnam, the families will tell you that every family has 432 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:31,520 Experienced 433 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:34,880 a demon-possessed person within the family 434 00:20:35,120 --> 00:20:39,600 somewhere. 435 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:42,080 You talk about spiritual darkness 436 00:20:46,100 --> 00:20:48,020 That's the way it was in 437 00:20:48,340 --> 00:20:51,780 in the days of Zechariah. 438 00:20:51,780 --> 00:20:55,380 That's the way it was in the days of Zechariah. 439 00:20:57,080 --> 00:20:57,400 In 440 00:20:57,640 --> 00:20:58,280 the people 441 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:06,520 of God, the people of Israel. 442 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:09,400 Luke chapter one, verse seventeen. 443 00:21:11,120 --> 00:21:19,679 The angel goes on and says, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of who? 444 00:21:19,679 --> 00:21:21,440 Elijah. 445 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:26,240 That's a key text for our our our series that we're on. 446 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:30,480 We just spent several weeks talking about Elijah in the Old Testament. 447 00:21:30,700 --> 00:21:32,540 The reason we have the title today is 448 00:21:32,700 --> 00:21:33,500 Another Elijah 449 00:21:33,660 --> 00:21:33,740 is 450 00:21:33,900 --> 00:21:35,660 because of this text right here. 451 00:21:35,660 --> 00:21:36,460 It says that 452 00:21:36,780 --> 00:21:42,460 this child is coming, and he's going to have the spirit and power of Elijah. 453 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:47,400 But this phrase, the spirit and power of Elijah, it is coming from Malachi 454 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:49,480 chapter 4. 455 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:53,000 Written 400 years before this. 456 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:53,559 Malachi 457 00:21:53,880 --> 00:21:55,320 chapter 4. 458 00:21:57,460 --> 00:21:59,059 Oh, let's see. 459 00:21:59,059 --> 00:22:03,380 Come down to verse 4. 460 00:22:03,460 --> 00:22:08,179 It says, Remember the law of Moses, my servant, which I commanded him in Horeb. 461 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:12,280 For all Israel, with the statutes and the judgment. 462 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:15,480 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet 463 00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:19,640 before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. 464 00:22:19,620 --> 00:22:27,780 And he will turn the hearts of the fathers of the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse. 465 00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:32,800 Almost a direct quotation is what the angel is saying here to 466 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:34,000 Zechariah. 467 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:37,200 It says, and he will come in the spirit and power of Elijah 468 00:22:37,360 --> 00:22:39,680 to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the 469 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:40,600 disobedient 470 00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:41,480 to the wisdom of the 471 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:47,880 just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 472 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:48,920 I don't know if 473 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:49,240 if 474 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:51,880 Zechariah was hearing this. 475 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:54,680 I don't know if he was understanding this when the angel was 476 00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:55,960 talking to him 477 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:56,840 there. 478 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:58,920 I don't know how long it took for him to 479 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:01,160 process what the angel was saying. 480 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:03,160 But the angel was saying was 481 00:23:03,300 --> 00:23:06,020 You're going to have a son, and your son 482 00:23:06,260 --> 00:23:09,860 is going to prepare the way for the Messiah. 483 00:23:11,060 --> 00:23:13,540 Yeah, we need to say amen to that. 484 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:20,360 Let's go back to what the angel had said 485 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:22,440 at first. 486 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:25,160 Don't be afraid. 487 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:25,800 Your 488 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:26,680 prayer 489 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:27,640 has 490 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:28,280 been 491 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:29,880 answered. 492 00:23:32,420 --> 00:23:34,020 What had Zechariah 493 00:23:34,180 --> 00:23:35,860 been praying for? 494 00:23:35,860 --> 00:23:39,620 He had given up on that prayer for a son many years before. 495 00:23:39,820 --> 00:23:45,020 Zachariah was praying the prayer that every person in Israel was praying. 496 00:23:45,020 --> 00:23:52,700 Every person of Israel had been praying for years and years and years, at least 400 years since Malachi. 497 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:56,360 That the person would come in the spirit and power of Elijah 498 00:23:58,360 --> 00:24:00,200 to prepare the way for 499 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:03,080 The Messiah. 500 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:08,840 Because when the Messiah comes, Israel is going to be back on top 501 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:14,280 Israel is going to be the nation that rules all other nations. 502 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:18,520 Israel is going to be able to overthrow the Romans. 503 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:20,240 When 504 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:20,720 when 505 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:21,120 when 506 00:24:21,360 --> 00:24:21,600 when 507 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:28,640 the angel says these words, I am sure this is the thought that goes through Zachariah's mind 508 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:32,160 when he gets over the fact that Elizabeth is going to be with 509 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:33,760 child. 510 00:24:37,820 --> 00:24:42,700 His prayer, Israel's prayer, is 511 00:24:43,020 --> 00:24:44,860 going to be answered 512 00:24:47,700 --> 00:24:51,299 Oh, he's coming in the in the power of Elijah 513 00:24:51,940 --> 00:24:54,820 to turn the hearts. 514 00:24:54,820 --> 00:24:55,140 Oh 515 00:24:55,460 --> 00:24:56,740 my, this is the 516 00:24:56,900 --> 00:24:57,140 the 517 00:24:59,980 --> 00:25:03,419 They begin to replay the power of Elijah, the spirit 518 00:25:03,580 --> 00:25:05,100 and power of Elijah. 519 00:25:05,100 --> 00:25:05,740 Elijah 520 00:25:05,899 --> 00:25:07,500 prayed, and for three years 521 00:25:07,659 --> 00:25:08,139 there was 522 00:25:08,620 --> 00:25:11,100 a drought, no 523 00:25:11,419 --> 00:25:12,380 rain. 524 00:25:13,500 --> 00:25:18,220 Because of the prayers of Elijah, the spirit and power of Elijah, Elijah 525 00:25:18,380 --> 00:25:19,580 stood before the king 526 00:25:19,820 --> 00:25:24,700 and said, It's not going to reign for years until I say so. 527 00:25:26,580 --> 00:25:28,100 Elijah was that that 528 00:25:28,340 --> 00:25:29,940 person of prayer and what was 529 00:25:30,580 --> 00:25:32,020 going. 530 00:25:32,020 --> 00:25:33,300 I wonder if 531 00:25:33,460 --> 00:25:37,620 Zechariah was replaying the story of Elijah. 532 00:25:39,380 --> 00:25:40,820 How Elijah knelt 533 00:25:41,059 --> 00:25:43,620 down there on Mount Carmel. 534 00:25:43,620 --> 00:25:44,419 How he knelt 535 00:25:44,660 --> 00:25:49,299 down and he he he he prayed and and fire came down from heaven and 536 00:25:49,539 --> 00:25:50,020 devoured 537 00:25:50,179 --> 00:25:51,539 the sacrifice 538 00:25:51,980 --> 00:25:52,940 The wood 539 00:25:53,100 --> 00:25:53,180 , 540 00:25:53,420 --> 00:25:59,500 the stones, the water, and how the people had cried out, Jehovah is 541 00:25:59,820 --> 00:26:00,780 God! 542 00:26:02,460 --> 00:26:03,260 Oh, I'm 543 00:26:03,420 --> 00:26:03,660 I I 544 00:26:03,900 --> 00:26:05,740 I'm sure that Zachariah 545 00:26:05,900 --> 00:26:06,220 was 546 00:26:06,460 --> 00:26:07,820 was replaying 547 00:26:08,060 --> 00:26:10,620 the story as it had been told down 548 00:26:11,020 --> 00:26:13,020 through the ages. 549 00:26:14,720 --> 00:26:19,280 They were looking forward to the hearts being turned 550 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:32,440 Oh, if only the Messiah could come. 551 00:26:33,900 --> 00:26:34,140 The 552 00:26:34,460 --> 00:26:36,860 hearts turn to the children 553 00:26:37,100 --> 00:26:38,620 and disobedient to 554 00:26:38,860 --> 00:26:40,540 righteous. 555 00:26:40,540 --> 00:26:41,500 Make people 556 00:26:41,820 --> 00:26:43,980 ready. 557 00:26:43,980 --> 00:26:44,940 Oh. 558 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:49,760 Oh, what a blessing that would be. 559 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:51,760 Zechariah, how 560 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:52,400 will 561 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:53,040 I 562 00:26:53,360 --> 00:26:54,960 know? 563 00:26:56,920 --> 00:26:59,880 He doesn't ask, How will I know that the Messiah is coming? 564 00:26:59,880 --> 00:27:01,800 He only asks, How will I know this? 565 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:05,080 For I am an old man and my wife is well advanced in years. 566 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:06,920 The angel answers, 567 00:27:08,620 --> 00:27:11,340 The angel answers and said, Verse 19: 568 00:27:11,500 --> 00:27:12,380 and said to him, 569 00:27:12,540 --> 00:27:20,780 I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. 570 00:27:22,360 --> 00:27:22,600 And 571 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:33,240 behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you do not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their own time. 572 00:27:35,139 --> 00:27:37,620 The angel gave him a sign. 573 00:27:37,620 --> 00:27:40,580 He said, I am Gabriel. 574 00:27:41,139 --> 00:27:45,860 You read back through the Old Testament, and the last time we read about Gabriel is where? 575 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:48,279 Daniel. 576 00:27:48,279 --> 00:27:53,639 Do you remember what Daniel and Gabriel was prophesying to to Daniel? 577 00:27:55,140 --> 00:28:01,940 Yeah, the the the kings and kingdoms and and and what was going to happen with those kings and kingdoms 578 00:28:02,100 --> 00:28:06,660 and and how it was going to come and how the Messiah was going to come. 579 00:28:06,100 --> 00:28:06,179 And 580 00:28:06,419 --> 00:28:07,940 here was Gabriel again 581 00:28:08,179 --> 00:28:11,140 announcing that the preparer for the Messiah 582 00:28:11,380 --> 00:28:12,660 was going to come 583 00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:22,080 Oh, if you had been Zachariah, if I had been Zechariah, I I I'd have been almost, what's that word? 584 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:23,040 Giddy 585 00:28:26,100 --> 00:28:27,620 I'd be so excited. 586 00:28:27,620 --> 00:28:27,940 I'm 587 00:28:28,100 --> 00:28:30,100 filled with with joy and with 588 00:28:30,580 --> 00:28:32,740 eagerness and with anticipation. 589 00:28:32,740 --> 00:28:32,980 And 590 00:28:33,700 --> 00:28:37,059 that little boy can't grow up fast enough. 591 00:28:39,299 --> 00:28:43,380 Elizabeth can't get pregnant quick enough. 592 00:28:43,380 --> 00:28:47,620 This thing needs to happen and it needs to happen quickly. 593 00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:52,400 Those are the kind of things that would have run through my 594 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:54,160 mind if I'd have been Zachariah 595 00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:56,880 hearing the words from the angel. 596 00:28:58,320 --> 00:28:58,960 And then 597 00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:02,799 to say, and you will be mute 598 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:05,039 and not able to speak 599 00:29:05,279 --> 00:29:06,799 until the things this 600 00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:08,080 take place 601 00:29:10,780 --> 00:29:12,940 Would you like to be mute? 602 00:29:13,820 --> 00:29:18,220 I don't know that I would appreciate that very well. 603 00:29:18,300 --> 00:29:19,580 I kind of like 604 00:29:20,220 --> 00:29:21,180 talking 605 00:29:23,380 --> 00:29:24,980 I don't really like 606 00:29:25,940 --> 00:29:28,419 writing. 607 00:29:28,419 --> 00:29:32,100 I don't really like other ways of communication. 608 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:33,760 I tell people 609 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:36,960 if you want to communicate with me, call me. 610 00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:38,880 Don't text me. 611 00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:40,560 Don't send me emails. 612 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:44,240 Because if you text me and send me emails, that means I have to. 613 00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:47,840 Text you and send you emails. 614 00:29:47,840 --> 00:29:49,200 I'd rather 615 00:29:49,520 --> 00:29:54,080 talk. 616 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:55,200 My guess 617 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:55,840 is 618 00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:07,600 As Zechariah turned around and and and began to go out, and the people that were outside, because it had been prayer time 619 00:30:07,820 --> 00:30:09,420 He was inside to 620 00:30:09,740 --> 00:30:10,060 to 621 00:30:10,540 --> 00:30:13,740 take care of the the altar of incense. 622 00:30:13,740 --> 00:30:15,100 The people were outside. 623 00:30:15,100 --> 00:30:16,220 It was prayer time. 624 00:30:16,220 --> 00:30:19,020 They were still praying and they were probably wondering 625 00:30:19,260 --> 00:30:20,060 why is 626 00:30:20,380 --> 00:30:21,260 what's that word 627 00:30:21,740 --> 00:30:22,940 Why is Zachariah 628 00:30:23,100 --> 00:30:25,340 dilly-dallying so much? 629 00:30:26,700 --> 00:30:28,700 Why is he taking his time? 630 00:30:29,100 --> 00:30:31,179 What's going on in there? 631 00:30:31,840 --> 00:30:35,039 They were waiting for him on the outside. 632 00:30:35,039 --> 00:30:37,600 And it says there that Zechariah 633 00:30:40,340 --> 00:30:42,019 The people waited for Zachariah 634 00:30:42,179 --> 00:30:45,860 and marvelled that he lingered so long in the temple, but when he came out 635 00:30:46,100 --> 00:30:51,299 he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned 636 00:30:51,460 --> 00:30:51,940 to them 637 00:30:52,179 --> 00:30:54,500 and remained speechless. 638 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:55,799 He 639 00:30:56,039 --> 00:30:56,840 hadn't 640 00:30:57,159 --> 00:30:57,960 passed sign 641 00:30:58,120 --> 00:30:58,519 language 642 00:30:58,760 --> 00:30:59,320 class. 643 00:30:59,320 --> 00:31:02,039 He hadn't been in Pathfinder's where he learned to do the sign 644 00:31:02,279 --> 00:31:03,399 language. 645 00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:06,440 He tried to communicate with them. 646 00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:11,880 My guess is he began to write and write and write and he had so much excitement, so much joy. 647 00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:12,200 He 648 00:31:12,260 --> 00:31:13,140 Where do you start? 649 00:31:13,140 --> 00:31:13,860 Do you start with 650 00:31:14,020 --> 00:31:14,980 I saw an angel? 651 00:31:14,980 --> 00:31:15,620 Do you start with 652 00:31:15,780 --> 00:31:17,059 Gabriel came to me? 653 00:31:17,059 --> 00:31:17,700 Do you start with 654 00:31:17,860 --> 00:31:20,260 Elizabeth is going to be pregnant? 655 00:31:20,780 --> 00:31:22,060 Where do you start with the 656 00:31:23,660 --> 00:31:25,580 Messiah is coming? 657 00:31:25,580 --> 00:31:28,540 The person to prepare the way for the Messiah is coming. 658 00:31:28,540 --> 00:31:31,660 The Messiah may very well come in our lifetime. 659 00:31:31,660 --> 00:31:34,220 Where do you start with the message? 660 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:35,799 My guess is 661 00:31:36,039 --> 00:31:36,840 Zachariah 662 00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:39,880 had a message to tell. 663 00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:44,039 And I wonder how much time he took to tell the message. 664 00:31:44,160 --> 00:31:46,880 How long did it take for him to to get it out? 665 00:31:46,880 --> 00:31:49,840 How long did it take for for people to understand 666 00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:52,880 what was being said? 667 00:31:52,880 --> 00:31:53,520 People to understand 668 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:58,480 play pictionary and try and draw something and people guess what you're trying to draw? 669 00:31:58,140 --> 00:31:59,420 He's drawing pictures 670 00:31:59,580 --> 00:32:01,740 and there's a the altar of incense 671 00:32:01,900 --> 00:32:03,500 and there's an angel and 672 00:32:03,660 --> 00:32:04,540 yeah, yeah, yeah, got 673 00:32:04,700 --> 00:32:05,100 you got it. 674 00:32:05,180 --> 00:32:05,740 Okay. 675 00:32:05,740 --> 00:32:06,700 And he's 676 00:32:07,580 --> 00:32:10,300 you wonder how he communicated the whole 677 00:32:10,820 --> 00:32:11,300 story 678 00:32:11,540 --> 00:32:13,380 so that they understood 679 00:32:13,700 --> 00:32:14,020 what 680 00:32:14,260 --> 00:32:16,020 was going to take place 681 00:32:24,700 --> 00:32:25,340 Desire of 682 00:32:25,500 --> 00:32:27,260 Aegis says, Zechariah 683 00:32:27,420 --> 00:32:29,020 communicated to them 684 00:32:29,340 --> 00:32:30,940 what he had seen 685 00:32:31,260 --> 00:32:31,580 and 686 00:32:32,540 --> 00:32:33,820 heard. 687 00:32:35,580 --> 00:32:37,180 He shared with them 688 00:32:37,500 --> 00:32:37,820 there 689 00:32:38,780 --> 00:32:42,060 just outside the the temple. 690 00:32:42,860 --> 00:32:44,460 He shared with them 691 00:32:45,100 --> 00:32:45,260 his 692 00:32:45,500 --> 00:32:46,540 testimony 693 00:32:47,860 --> 00:32:51,300 Do you and I have a testimony that we have to share? 694 00:32:55,300 --> 00:32:57,700 I I made a small announcement earlier. 695 00:32:57,700 --> 00:32:59,780 This is a a longer announcement. 696 00:32:59,780 --> 00:33:02,420 Do you know what next year is? 697 00:33:03,580 --> 00:33:07,820 The year next year is 2027. 698 00:33:07,820 --> 00:33:09,660 That's the anniversary of 699 00:33:11,340 --> 00:33:12,539 Oh, some of you do know 700 00:33:12,700 --> 00:33:14,059 Jesus baptism. 701 00:33:14,940 --> 00:33:17,420 Jesus was baptized in 27 702 00:33:17,580 --> 00:33:17,900 A. 703 00:33:17,900 --> 00:33:18,460 D. 704 00:33:18,860 --> 00:33:20,140 And so we are 705 00:33:21,500 --> 00:33:24,460 next year we will be 2,000 years from Jesus' 706 00:33:24,620 --> 00:33:25,980 baptism. 707 00:33:27,220 --> 00:33:29,860 Boy, does that sound like a reason to celebrate 708 00:33:30,100 --> 00:33:30,419 or 709 00:33:31,700 --> 00:33:32,020 what 710 00:33:32,179 --> 00:33:35,700 have we done to delay his coming so long? 711 00:33:37,460 --> 00:33:38,020 Uh 712 00:33:39,620 --> 00:33:41,620 he said he was coming back soon. 713 00:33:41,620 --> 00:33:43,380 How long is soon? 714 00:33:43,380 --> 00:33:46,580 He began having some of these questions. 715 00:33:47,820 --> 00:33:53,659 Seventh day Adventist World Church believes that we have a testimony to share. 716 00:33:55,280 --> 00:33:56,960 That Jesus is coming soon. 717 00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:58,080 And 2027 718 00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:04,800 is going to be another emphasis, another opportunity for us to share Jesus. 719 00:34:04,800 --> 00:34:07,600 Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. 720 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:11,760 Does our world need to hear about Jesus? 721 00:34:11,760 --> 00:34:14,879 Do you have any neighbors that need to hear about Jesus? 722 00:34:14,879 --> 00:34:18,639 Do you know anybody that needs to fall in love with Jesus 723 00:34:18,740 --> 00:34:21,780 Do you know anybody that Jesus can deliver 724 00:34:23,060 --> 00:34:25,780 from demon possession? 725 00:34:31,800 --> 00:34:34,200 One voice, twenty-seven. 726 00:34:34,200 --> 00:34:37,879 Our North American division is kind of twisting a little bit and and 727 00:34:38,040 --> 00:34:38,120 uh 728 00:34:38,720 --> 00:34:39,760 With a theme 729 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:42,159 all things new, and 730 00:34:42,879 --> 00:34:44,000 encouraging us 731 00:34:44,159 --> 00:34:45,919 conferences and churches 732 00:34:46,159 --> 00:34:46,480 to 733 00:34:46,799 --> 00:34:47,440 pray 734 00:34:48,879 --> 00:34:55,919 Pray, pray, pray, pray. 735 00:34:55,919 --> 00:34:57,440 Shall I say it again? 736 00:34:58,820 --> 00:35:02,740 Next, next, because 737 00:35:03,060 --> 00:35:05,540 nothing happens without prayer 738 00:35:06,740 --> 00:35:07,940 Prayer is the 739 00:35:08,180 --> 00:35:10,900 key that unlocks the storehouse 740 00:35:11,220 --> 00:35:14,740 of everything that heaven has to offer to us. 741 00:35:15,859 --> 00:35:16,500 We need 742 00:35:16,660 --> 00:35:19,859 to be people of prayer. 743 00:35:19,859 --> 00:35:23,700 Did we learn that as we were looking at the life of Elijah? 744 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:26,520 Just a little bit, didn't we? 745 00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:26,680 Is 746 00:35:26,840 --> 00:35:28,600 he a man of prayer? 747 00:35:29,960 --> 00:35:32,600 We need to emulate that and and and do 748 00:35:33,080 --> 00:35:34,760 things similar. 749 00:35:36,160 --> 00:35:41,839 North American Division is asking us to serve our community like Jesus did. 750 00:35:41,839 --> 00:35:45,680 Does our community need us to serve them like Jesus? 751 00:35:46,460 --> 00:35:52,700 Do we have opportunities to serve like Jesus? 752 00:35:52,700 --> 00:35:56,540 Number three, they want us to share Jesus. 753 00:35:56,540 --> 00:35:59,420 Do we have a testimony about Jesus to share? 754 00:35:59,960 --> 00:36:05,960 What has Jesus done in your life? 755 00:36:05,960 --> 00:36:08,280 And I'm not talking about 40 years ago. 756 00:36:08,280 --> 00:36:10,120 What has he done in your life 757 00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:11,000 last 758 00:36:11,240 --> 00:36:11,880 week 759 00:36:12,539 --> 00:36:13,339 Do you have a 760 00:36:13,579 --> 00:36:17,339 current testimony that you can share about what Jesus has done? 761 00:36:17,339 --> 00:36:18,940 They're encouraging us to 762 00:36:19,420 --> 00:36:21,900 read the book, Desire of Ages. 763 00:36:22,980 --> 00:36:24,820 Every member to read it. 764 00:36:24,820 --> 00:36:26,260 Now they gave us some options. 765 00:36:26,260 --> 00:36:27,300 They said we want you to 766 00:36:27,460 --> 00:36:28,180 September twenty f 767 00:36:28,420 --> 00:36:32,420 I mean September 5th, that's the kickoff day for that's why you're hearing about it today. 768 00:36:32,520 --> 00:36:34,440 That's the kickoff day for 769 00:36:35,240 --> 00:36:35,560 our 770 00:36:35,800 --> 00:36:38,839 getting ready for 2027. 771 00:36:38,839 --> 00:36:39,400 They said 772 00:36:39,560 --> 00:36:40,280 you can choose. 773 00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:41,320 You can read it uh 774 00:36:41,480 --> 00:36:44,119 one chapter a day between now and New 775 00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:45,480 Year's. 776 00:36:46,200 --> 00:36:48,279 And go through desire of ages. 777 00:36:48,279 --> 00:36:50,039 I'm going to tell you, I've tried that. 778 00:36:50,039 --> 00:36:53,079 I don't read that quickly. 779 00:36:53,079 --> 00:36:53,319 So 780 00:36:53,480 --> 00:36:54,920 I did not choose that option. 781 00:36:54,920 --> 00:36:56,200 Now if you want to do that, 782 00:36:57,260 --> 00:36:59,339 You can go look at One Voice 783 00:36:59,740 --> 00:37:00,380 27 784 00:37:00,700 --> 00:37:03,579 and they have a reading plan there that you can read 785 00:37:03,900 --> 00:37:04,780 Desire of Ages 786 00:37:04,940 --> 00:37:05,660 that quickly. 787 00:37:06,579 --> 00:37:07,140 I chose 788 00:37:07,300 --> 00:37:08,020 a different option 789 00:37:08,180 --> 00:37:09,300 to read it 790 00:37:09,619 --> 00:37:11,220 over a year's time 791 00:37:11,859 --> 00:37:12,180 with 792 00:37:13,140 --> 00:37:15,460 the Gospels, not just 793 00:37:15,619 --> 00:37:16,740 Desire of Ages 794 00:37:17,440 --> 00:37:18,000 Because 795 00:37:18,640 --> 00:37:19,280 we need 796 00:37:19,520 --> 00:37:25,200 to be studying about Jesus, the life and teachings of Jesus 797 00:37:29,020 --> 00:37:31,580 And then we need to be encouraging people 798 00:37:32,540 --> 00:37:32,860 to 799 00:37:33,180 --> 00:37:34,060 follow 800 00:37:34,300 --> 00:37:35,580 Jesus. 801 00:37:36,480 --> 00:37:38,080 Encouraging people to 802 00:37:38,320 --> 00:37:40,320 live a lifestyle like 803 00:37:40,560 --> 00:37:41,440 Jesus 804 00:37:41,680 --> 00:37:42,480 would live. 805 00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:44,000 That's why we're doing the the 806 00:37:44,240 --> 00:37:45,840 Tuesday morning Bible study. 807 00:37:45,840 --> 00:37:46,080 And I 808 00:37:46,320 --> 00:37:47,920 like the idea of Tuesday morning. 809 00:37:48,340 --> 00:37:51,700 It's a pretty good idea, but I would like it better if it was 810 00:37:52,660 --> 00:37:56,660 was, how do I say this, not held here at the church? 811 00:37:56,820 --> 00:37:59,300 Maybe held in one of your fifty-five plus 812 00:37:59,460 --> 00:38:03,140 communities where you got a room for us to meet and we could have a 813 00:38:03,300 --> 00:38:03,620 uh 814 00:38:04,500 --> 00:38:06,500 Jesus, Jesus, Jesus 815 00:38:06,820 --> 00:38:08,900 focus for a year. 816 00:38:09,020 --> 00:38:09,260 Or 817 00:38:09,420 --> 00:38:12,460 maybe we could just encourage you to go and uh 818 00:38:12,700 --> 00:38:19,180 join the Bible study in your community that's already going on, and you could could be there and encourage people to 819 00:38:19,339 --> 00:38:23,579 to talk about Jesus, to lift up Jesus. 820 00:38:22,820 --> 00:38:26,980 To join in the Bible studies that are already taking place in your community. 821 00:38:26,980 --> 00:38:30,420 Jesus is already at work in our communities. 822 00:38:30,420 --> 00:38:32,340 Do we understand that? 823 00:38:32,940 --> 00:38:34,060 Jesus is alive and 824 00:38:34,300 --> 00:38:34,780 we're not the o 825 00:38:34,940 --> 00:38:35,020 we 826 00:38:35,180 --> 00:38:38,700 we don't have a monopoly on Jesus. 827 00:38:38,700 --> 00:38:40,540 We have something extra special. 828 00:38:40,540 --> 00:38:41,580 We have we have a uh 829 00:38:41,740 --> 00:38:44,380 a few more things that we can share about Jesus. 830 00:38:44,380 --> 00:38:47,260 We have things that God has given to us. 831 00:38:46,800 --> 00:38:46,960 But 832 00:38:47,120 --> 00:38:48,800 we don't have a monopoly on Jesus. 833 00:38:48,800 --> 00:38:49,840 He's already aware. 834 00:38:49,840 --> 00:38:52,480 There are places that we can find to serve. 835 00:38:52,480 --> 00:38:53,520 We don't have to 836 00:38:53,840 --> 00:38:57,120 reinvent the wheel to be able to do this. 837 00:39:00,180 --> 00:39:00,980 Okay, that's an 838 00:39:01,140 --> 00:39:01,540 effort. 839 00:39:01,540 --> 00:39:02,980 That was a commercial, long commercial. 840 00:39:02,980 --> 00:39:04,100 I'm sorry about that. 841 00:39:04,100 --> 00:39:05,700 I'm not sorry about that. 842 00:39:05,700 --> 00:39:09,300 It needed to be said, but I want to come back to to John. 843 00:39:09,300 --> 00:39:11,780 I want to come back to Zechariah. 844 00:39:16,840 --> 00:39:18,040 Verse 23. 845 00:39:18,040 --> 00:39:23,480 So as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his house. 846 00:39:23,720 --> 00:39:25,160 And after those days his 847 00:39:25,400 --> 00:39:30,440 wife conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying, Thus the Lord has 848 00:39:30,599 --> 00:39:31,480 dealt with me 849 00:39:31,640 --> 00:39:38,039 in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among the people. 850 00:39:41,420 --> 00:39:43,260 Come down to Luke 851 00:39:43,580 --> 00:39:44,220 One 852 00:39:47,960 --> 00:39:51,240 Verse 57. 853 00:39:51,240 --> 00:39:51,560 Now 854 00:39:51,720 --> 00:39:52,520 Elizabeth's 855 00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:55,160 full time came for her to be delivered 856 00:39:55,780 --> 00:39:57,540 She brought forth a son. 857 00:39:57,540 --> 00:40:02,820 When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her. 858 00:40:02,820 --> 00:40:08,740 So it was on the eighth day that they came to circumcise the child, that he would have called him by the name of his father 859 00:40:08,900 --> 00:40:10,260 Zacharias. 860 00:40:10,120 --> 00:40:11,400 His mother answered and said, 861 00:40:11,560 --> 00:40:13,880 No, he will be called John. 862 00:40:13,880 --> 00:40:15,080 But they said to her, 863 00:40:15,240 --> 00:40:18,680 There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name. 864 00:40:18,680 --> 00:40:21,480 So they made signs to his father that he would have him 865 00:40:21,640 --> 00:40:21,800 what 866 00:40:21,960 --> 00:40:23,480 he would have him called. 867 00:40:23,100 --> 00:40:27,340 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, saying, His name is 868 00:40:28,620 --> 00:40:30,140 John. 869 00:40:30,140 --> 00:40:31,980 And they all marveled. 870 00:40:31,920 --> 00:40:38,320 And immediately his mouth was open, and his tongue was loose, and he spoke 871 00:40:38,640 --> 00:40:39,600 praising 872 00:40:39,920 --> 00:40:41,200 God. 873 00:40:41,280 --> 00:40:45,120 He had been waiting a while to praise God verbally. 874 00:40:45,120 --> 00:40:47,760 He had been doing it through his life and through his actions. 875 00:40:47,760 --> 00:40:49,840 He may have been doing it through through writing. 876 00:40:49,840 --> 00:40:52,560 He may have learned how some sign language. 877 00:40:52,620 --> 00:40:56,940 But he was excited for his tongue to be able to to 878 00:40:57,100 --> 00:40:59,180 tell the good news about God 879 00:40:59,580 --> 00:41:00,540 and what God 880 00:41:00,780 --> 00:41:02,620 was going to do with his 881 00:41:02,860 --> 00:41:03,020 son 882 00:41:03,340 --> 00:41:04,300 John. 883 00:41:05,460 --> 00:41:07,940 Look at the prophecy here. 884 00:41:07,940 --> 00:41:08,740 Verse 67 885 00:41:08,900 --> 00:41:09,300 it says now 886 00:41:09,460 --> 00:41:11,940 his father Zachariah was filled with the Holy Spirit 887 00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:17,240 and prophesied, saying, Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people. 888 00:41:17,240 --> 00:41:19,720 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us 889 00:41:19,880 --> 00:41:23,320 in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his 890 00:41:23,480 --> 00:41:26,600 holy prophets, who have been since the world began. 891 00:41:26,740 --> 00:41:35,700 that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant. 892 00:41:35,440 --> 00:41:37,920 the oath which he swore to our father Abraham 893 00:41:38,079 --> 00:41:38,800 to grant us 894 00:41:38,960 --> 00:41:43,119 that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him 895 00:41:43,280 --> 00:41:44,720 without fear. 896 00:41:44,440 --> 00:41:46,760 in holiness and righteousness before him 897 00:41:47,000 --> 00:41:48,920 all the days of our life. 898 00:41:48,920 --> 00:41:49,640 And you, 899 00:41:49,800 --> 00:41:50,440 child 900 00:41:51,720 --> 00:41:52,599 in his prophecy 901 00:41:52,760 --> 00:41:54,040 now he's talking to his son 902 00:41:54,280 --> 00:41:54,599 John 903 00:41:54,920 --> 00:41:56,520 You will be called the prophet 904 00:41:56,680 --> 00:42:00,920 of the highest, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his 905 00:42:01,080 --> 00:42:06,120 ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins. 906 00:42:05,840 --> 00:42:08,800 through the tender mercy of our God, with which the 907 00:42:09,200 --> 00:42:14,080 day spring from on high has visited us, to give light to those who sit in darkness 908 00:42:14,240 --> 00:42:20,080 in the shadow of death, to guide our feet unto the ray of peace. 909 00:42:19,980 --> 00:42:24,380 This was the prophecy of uh of Zechariah. 910 00:42:24,380 --> 00:42:25,180 This was the 911 00:42:25,420 --> 00:42:26,700 what happened when his 912 00:42:27,180 --> 00:42:28,700 tongue was loose. 913 00:42:28,540 --> 00:42:29,660 And he was able to 914 00:42:29,980 --> 00:42:31,900 proclaim the prophecy that 915 00:42:32,140 --> 00:42:34,300 the Holy Spirit came upon him to 916 00:42:34,460 --> 00:42:36,140 share with the people. 917 00:42:36,860 --> 00:42:40,540 I want to point out just a couple of verses here, verse 76. 918 00:42:41,240 --> 00:42:45,480 Notice it says, and you, child, will be called the prophet 919 00:42:45,720 --> 00:42:48,200 of the highest. 920 00:42:48,200 --> 00:42:50,200 Oh, can you believe that? 921 00:42:50,200 --> 00:42:52,840 I mean, just the sound of those words. 922 00:42:52,720 --> 00:42:53,039 You 923 00:42:53,359 --> 00:42:54,240 are going to 924 00:42:54,559 --> 00:42:55,839 be the prophet 925 00:42:56,160 --> 00:42:56,480 of 926 00:42:57,119 --> 00:42:59,520 God. 927 00:42:59,520 --> 00:43:03,520 Did you know what you were going to do from the time you were born? 928 00:43:03,760 --> 00:43:05,680 Most of you did not. 929 00:43:06,980 --> 00:43:09,860 I don't remember knowing it from the time I was born as well. 930 00:43:09,860 --> 00:43:14,340 But by the time I was three, I knew what I was going to be doing. 931 00:43:14,340 --> 00:43:16,820 What I desired to do. 932 00:43:17,660 --> 00:43:19,180 I'm gonna tell you, John 933 00:43:19,339 --> 00:43:20,140 knew 934 00:43:20,780 --> 00:43:21,980 before his 935 00:43:22,300 --> 00:43:23,579 conception. 936 00:43:23,579 --> 00:43:23,820 Uh 937 00:43:23,980 --> 00:43:25,339 John didn't know then. 938 00:43:25,339 --> 00:43:26,220 Zachariah 939 00:43:26,380 --> 00:43:27,260 knew. 940 00:43:27,740 --> 00:43:28,060 John 941 00:43:28,220 --> 00:43:30,620 was was told about it from the moment 942 00:43:30,780 --> 00:43:35,420 he was born, what he was going to be doing. 943 00:43:36,500 --> 00:43:37,060 Notice 944 00:43:37,220 --> 00:43:42,660 here it says, For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his 945 00:43:43,300 --> 00:43:44,099 ways. 946 00:43:44,099 --> 00:43:48,099 You're going to have a special mission that is given to you. 947 00:43:49,000 --> 00:43:52,920 Verse 77, to give knowledge of salvation to his 948 00:43:53,240 --> 00:43:53,480 people 949 00:43:53,640 --> 00:43:55,560 by the remission of sins. 950 00:43:55,560 --> 00:43:58,599 He is going to be sharing a special message 951 00:43:58,540 --> 00:44:00,700 at a special time in earth's history 952 00:44:00,860 --> 00:44:02,620 so that people will repent 953 00:44:02,940 --> 00:44:06,700 of their sins. 954 00:44:06,700 --> 00:44:10,380 Oh, friends, sometimes I think we're living in the days and age of 955 00:44:13,580 --> 00:44:15,900 Do I say Elijah number two? 956 00:44:17,260 --> 00:44:19,980 If I say that in Asia, they think reincarnation. 957 00:44:19,980 --> 00:44:21,820 You won't think that, will you? 958 00:44:23,880 --> 00:44:26,760 They will think Elijah has been reincarnated and 959 00:44:27,000 --> 00:44:28,280 come back to life. 960 00:44:28,280 --> 00:44:29,800 This is not Elijah. 961 00:44:29,800 --> 00:44:32,360 This is not a reincarnation of Elijah. 962 00:44:32,360 --> 00:44:36,200 This is the spirit and power of Elijah. 963 00:44:39,380 --> 00:44:51,460 Goes on and says, Through the tender mercy of our God, with which the dayspring from on high has visited us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death. 964 00:44:51,460 --> 00:44:54,980 To guide our feet into the way of peace. 965 00:44:54,980 --> 00:44:55,220 Oh 966 00:44:55,380 --> 00:44:57,619 friends, there were there were people in 967 00:44:57,859 --> 00:45:02,819 Zechariah's time and in Zechariah's day and the age in which he was living, they 968 00:45:02,980 --> 00:45:05,779 needed to hear this message. 969 00:45:06,100 --> 00:45:09,860 They needed to hear the message that that John 970 00:45:10,340 --> 00:45:12,580 was going to be sharing with them. 971 00:45:12,580 --> 00:45:14,580 They needed to hear that they could 972 00:45:14,740 --> 00:45:16,900 could have their their sins forgiven. 973 00:45:16,900 --> 00:45:22,100 They needed to hear that there was a God that had tender mercy towards them, that loved them and cared for them. 974 00:45:22,100 --> 00:45:23,380 Verse seventy nine, they 975 00:45:23,540 --> 00:45:25,540 needed to to receive the light 976 00:45:25,780 --> 00:45:28,100 because they were sitting in darkness 977 00:45:28,240 --> 00:45:31,600 They had death all around them. 978 00:45:31,600 --> 00:45:34,000 It was not a happy place. 979 00:45:34,000 --> 00:45:36,160 They were not full of joy and 980 00:45:36,480 --> 00:45:37,760 peace. 981 00:45:38,440 --> 00:45:45,320 Zachariah, if you will, in his prophecy, he is preparing the way 982 00:45:46,600 --> 00:45:49,480 for the prepare of the Messiah. 983 00:45:50,240 --> 00:45:50,400 He 984 00:45:50,640 --> 00:45:51,920 's telling the people 985 00:45:52,160 --> 00:45:52,640 the one 986 00:45:52,880 --> 00:45:56,960 is coming that's going to give you even more light. 987 00:45:59,200 --> 00:46:01,520 Don't you like it when that happens? 988 00:46:03,020 --> 00:46:05,500 Well, I have a friend that's a a missionary. 989 00:46:05,500 --> 00:46:10,700 He's he's a missionary in one of those closed countries that have uh 990 00:46:10,940 --> 00:46:12,859 lots of of Muslims 991 00:46:13,460 --> 00:46:15,700 And he says that he was in the 992 00:46:15,940 --> 00:46:18,420 his favorite store there to go into. 993 00:46:18,420 --> 00:46:22,180 He says it's almost as nice as Home Depot. 994 00:46:23,340 --> 00:46:27,260 And he says he likes going there because it makes him feel 995 00:46:28,220 --> 00:46:30,540 at home. 996 00:46:30,540 --> 00:46:31,020 Meaning 997 00:46:31,180 --> 00:46:32,700 back in the States. 998 00:46:32,960 --> 00:46:35,920 He was in Home Depot. 999 00:46:35,920 --> 00:46:43,279 And as he was going to the checkout line, somebody came to him and says, I know 1000 00:46:43,599 --> 00:46:44,160 you. 1001 00:46:45,920 --> 00:46:48,160 And he looked at him and he says 1002 00:46:49,680 --> 00:46:49,840 , 1003 00:46:50,320 --> 00:46:51,840 I don't recall you. 1004 00:46:51,840 --> 00:46:54,400 And he says, No, I know you. 1005 00:46:54,400 --> 00:46:57,680 I saw you last night in my dream. 1006 00:46:58,859 --> 00:46:59,180 And 1007 00:46:59,420 --> 00:47:01,740 you're going to share with me 1008 00:47:03,020 --> 00:47:03,260 about 1009 00:47:03,579 --> 00:47:07,420 Jesus. 1010 00:47:07,420 --> 00:47:09,260 What would you do? 1011 00:47:10,640 --> 00:47:12,000 If you went into 1012 00:47:12,320 --> 00:47:12,960 fries 1013 00:47:13,600 --> 00:47:17,760 tomorrow, you know, a little extra shopping for the holiday. 1014 00:47:17,760 --> 00:47:21,440 You're picking up some last-minute supplies for the picnic you're going to have 1015 00:47:21,600 --> 00:47:22,320 Monday. 1016 00:47:22,860 --> 00:47:28,380 And somebody came to you and said, I 1017 00:47:28,620 --> 00:47:29,580 saw you 1018 00:47:30,220 --> 00:47:32,620 in my dream last night. 1019 00:47:33,160 --> 00:47:33,480 And 1020 00:47:33,720 --> 00:47:36,280 you have something to share with me 1021 00:47:36,920 --> 00:47:37,240 about 1022 00:47:37,560 --> 00:47:38,119 this man 1023 00:47:38,280 --> 00:47:42,119 Jesus. 1024 00:47:42,119 --> 00:47:43,240 Are you prepared for 1025 00:47:53,620 --> 00:47:55,220 I want you to know 1026 00:47:55,940 --> 00:47:56,260 these 1027 00:47:56,900 --> 00:47:59,540 are the days of Elijah