Sermon Note
Pastor Lawrence
God’s love for you is everlasting. Your Father who loves you, He is right there with you.
Keep on seeking, keep on asking, and the door will be opened to us.
Matthew 7:7-11
Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking
(Luke 11:9–13)
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Luke 1:13-14
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
Zacharias means God remembers
Elizabeth means the oath of God
A joyful heart. A heart fills with thanksgiving and believe in the grace of God
Zacharias response to the angel was not ideal.
Luke 1:18-20
And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”
Zacharias did not believe in grace, the good news. His mouth was shut
Grace is the very Person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
No one has seen God at any time.
Grace is the very Person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
When we believe in Him we will be fruitful and our hearts filled with thanksgiving.
Declare God is gracious, our voice will be heard. Grace will lead to praise.
Luke 1:57-64
Birth of John the Baptist
Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.
Circumcision of John the Baptist
So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.”
But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” So they made signs to his father—what he would have him called.
And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.
God remembered His oath to us
Today we are been made the righteousness of God in Christ. Holy, without reproach in Christ
Luke 1:76-79
“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
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,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Greek word for Tender –
Means Bowels intestines
Bowels were regarded as the seat of the more violent passions, such as anger and love
God’s heart is filled with tender love for you.
That is why your sins are forgiven.
At the very heart of our God is mercy.
His heart is filled with tender mercy towards men. Is not just christians. Is to the entire world.
God’s tender mercy is on all His works
God in Christ reconciling the world to Himself
The gospel literally means good news.
First and foremost, have we heard it ourselves
God desire mercy. Stop condemning ourselves.
Hosea 6:6
For I desire mercy and not sacrifice,
And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
Believe in your Saviour.
Psalms 51:1
A Prayer of Repentance
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
God is a God of tender mercy
Bless the Lord O my soul
David has the revelation that God crowns him with tender mercy.
We can see the acts of God but we need to know the ways of God
He is a good God. Always good!
His mercy endures forever!
Matthew 11:28-30
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
In life we don’t have to fight every battle. Some wars are not worth fighting.
You will have peace.
Jesus is a man’s man. The Servant. The King of kings and the Lord of lords
Galatians 6:1
Bear and Share Burdens
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
Isaiah 42:1-2
The Servant of the LORD
“Behold! My Servant whom I uphold,
My Elect One in whom My soul delights!
I have put My Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
He will not cry out, nor raise His voice,
Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.
Truth = victory
Matthew 12:20-21
A bruised reed He will not break,
And smoking flax He will not quench,
Till He sends forth justice to victory;
And in His name Gentiles will trust.”
Revelation 13:1-2
The Beast from the Sea
Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.
Revelation 14:1
The Lamb and the 144,000
Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.
Isaiah 66:13
As one whom his mother comforts,
So I will comfort you;
And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”
My tongues is like the pen of a ready writer.
God has blessed you forever.
I pray your eyes be open to see the Lord Jesus
Philippians 2:5-11
The Humbled and Exalted Christ
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
