Sermon Notes 6/17/2012

Sermon Text: Luke 1:67-80

Sermon Title: The Benedictus Part 2 (a name that comes from the first word of the hymn in the Latin version)

Scripture Reading: Titus 3:3-8

The Horn of Salvation from the house of His servant David (vv. 68-69)

The kind of horn mentioned here is not a musical instrument, but the deadly weapon of a wild ox. Because this is the only place in the New Testament where Jesus is called a horn, we must search the Old Testament to find where Zechariah came up with this name. There are only two places in the Old Testament where “horn of salvation” is mentioned and both references refer to God (Psalm 18:2; 2 Samuel 22:3).[6]

Psalm 132:17 refers to the Messiah as “the horn of David.”

“Zechariah described redemption as God’s raising up a horn of salvation. That picturesque Old Testament expression (1 Samuel 2:10; 2 Samuel 22:3; Pss. 18:2; 89:17, 24; 92:10; 112:9; 132:17; 148:14; Micah 4:13) spoke of power to conquer and kill, like that of a large, horned beast. Here Zechariah used it to refer to the Messiah, picturing Him as a powerful animal, who would lower His horns, drive out His enemies, and deliver His people.”[2]

God is faithful to fulfill His Word or Covenants (vv. 69, 72, 76-79)

Like Mary, Zechariah has a firm understanding on the basis of God’s mercy: His Covenants. Explain the purpose of the covenants – The purpose of the Covenants are similar to the purpose of the Old Testament names of God. Covenants are like mile markers, building anticipation and painting a complete picture. Use the illustration of going to Disney World with Hannah when she was three. Three of the six covenants (Old Testament) that deal specifically with salvation, are mentioned here: Abrahamic (Genesis 15); Davidic (2 Samuel 7:2-11; 2 Samuel 23:5); New Covenant (Hebrews 8:7-13; 9:15). The other three are Noahic (Genesis 9:9-17), Mosaic (Exodus 19:5; 24:7-8; 34:27-28; Deuteronomy 4:13), and Priestly (Numbers 25:10-13) are not mentioned.

The Abrahamic (Genesis 17:1-8 [vv. 7-8, “And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”]), Davidic Covenants (2 Samuel 7:2-11 [vv. 10-11a, 16 “And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies...And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.”]).

“John’s message ran counter to the popular conception of the Messiah. The people were looking for a conquering hero, who would defeat their enemies, establish his throne, and usher in the promised blessings of the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants. That is why the crowd wanted to make Jesus king after He miraculously fed the five thousand (John 6:14-15). But before realizing the blessings of those covenants they needed to face the reality of their sin, repent, and seek the forgiveness provided only in the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34).”[2] The Abrahamic and Davidic covenants had a promise without provision for the promise. The New Covenant is the provision for the promises made in the Old Testament.

In the fulfillment of His Word, God displays His mercy (v. 72).

Joy and obedience is birthed, sustained, and renewed as we dwell in deep consideration of God’s mercy.

“If God had perceived that our greatest need was economic, he would have sent an economist. If he had perceived that our greatest need was entertainment, he would have sent us a comedian or an artist. If God had perceived that our greatest need was political stability, he would have sent us a politician. If he had perceived that our greatest need was health, he would have sent us a doctor. But he perceived that our greatest need involved our sin, our alienation from him, our profound rebellion, our death; and he sent us a Savior.”

― D.A. Carson, A Call to Spiritual Reformation: Priorities from Paul and His Prayers

The theme of this section is God’s mercy (vv. 50, 54, 58, 72, 78).

“We would, if we could, be the lords of Providence for we were not content with the Divine allotment. We wished that we were the legislators of the universe, that we might give license to our own lusts and no longer be hampered with restrictions. Sin is often restrained by circumstances and yet it is in the heart. We ought not to take credit to ourselves because of our freedom from evils into which we had no chance of falling. We have not been so bad as others because we could not be. A certain boy has run away from home. Another boy remained at home. Is he, therefore, a better child? Listen – he had broken his leg and could not get out of bed. That takes away all the credit of his staying at home. Some men cannot sin in a certain direction and then they say to themselves, ‘What excellent fellows we are to abstain from this wickedness!’ Sirs, you would have done it if you could, and therefore your self-praise is mere flattery. Had you been placed in the same position as others, you would have acted as others have done.

If you have judged yourselves with candor, you will not judge others with severity. You will be more ready to pity than to condemn, more anxious to hide a multitude of sins than to punish a single sinner.”

―  Spurgeon The Maintenance of Good Works NO. 2042, September 2, 1888.

“I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs but of God that shows mercy” (Romans 9).

Jesus is the horn who saves us from our enemies (v. 71) and who gives knowledge of salvation to His people in the forgiveness of their sins (v. 77). “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’) And from his fullness we have received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known” (John 1:14-18).

Jesus is grace and truth. Jesus is the horn and the mercy to destroy the penalty, power, and ultimately presence of sin in our lives. Jesus comes as the horn, not of our condemnation, but of our salvation in rich display of God’s mercy. Israel looked for Jesus to destroy Rome. Zechariah, Israel, and we have a primary enemy: God’s wrath (sin debt) and the flesh.

To give light to those who sit in darkness (v. 79)

“Darkness” in Scripture can be used metaphorically in two ways. Intellectually, it refers to ignorance and error (Psalm 82:5; Ecclesiastes 2:14; Ephesians 4:18). Morally, darkness symbolizes sin (Proverbs 2:13; 4:19; John 3:19; Romans 13:12; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 5:8, 11).[2]

Because of “the Sunrise who gives light” we are “led into the way of peace” through an intellectual awakening (1 Corinthians 2) and moral liberty (Romans 6:6-14).

Why did God keep His Word (v. 72) and display His mercy (v. 72) by delivering his people from intellectual and moral darkness (v. 79)?

“…that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days” (1:74-75).

“I ask your attention this morning while I speak, first, of what we were. And here let the tears stand in your eyes. Secondly, of what has been done for us – and here let Divine Grace move in your hearts. And, thirdly, of what we wish to do – and here let care be seen in your lives” (Spurgeon The Maintenance of Good Works NO. 2042, September 2, 1888).

The essence of worship is responsiveness to God’s demands.[3] “I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God…” (Romans 12:1). “God’s aim in raising a horn of salvation is not merely to liberate an oppressed people, but to create a holy and righteous people who live in no fear because they trust him.”[6]

Read 1 John 5:3

Trust in God's promises comes to light in obedience to his commands… It is therefore a contradiction in terms to say that we acknowledge Christ's rule in our lives if we do not submit to his word… There is no distinction in the Bible between knowing God or Jesus as our "Savior" and knowing him as our "Lord." Saving faith always expresses itself in obedience (James 2:21-24). ―  Scott Hafemann

“Good works must be done freely – God wants not slaves to grace His throne. He seeks not from us the forced works of men in bondage. He desires the spontaneous zeal of consecrated souls who rejoice to do His will because they are not their own but bought with the precious blood of Jesus” (Spurgeon The Maintenance of Good Works NO. 2042, September 2, 1888).

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10). “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1).

The following are excerpts from John Bunyan’s The Straight Gate:

“There are two errors in the world about the law; one is, when men think to enter in at the straight gate by the righteousness of the law; the other is, when men think they may enter into heaven without consent to the law.” 

“What the true proverb says has happened to them: ‘The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire’” (II Peter 2:22). Bunyan carefully observes that the dog did not loathe the vomit because it was there, but because it troubled his stomach. When the vomit ceased to trouble his stomach, and it was done troubling him, he can turn to it again, and lick it up as before it troubled him.”

“As God delights in His own beauty, He must necessarily delight in the creature’s holiness which is a conformity to and participation of it” (Jonathan Edwards). 

“People do not drift toward Holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.” 

― D.A. Carson. The God of Promise and the Life of Faith. Crossway Books, 2001, p. 99.

Sources

1. Sproul, R.C. The Reformation Study Bible. Lake Mary, FL: Ligonier Ministries, 2005.
2. MacArthur, John. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Luke 1-5. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2009.
3. Brock, Darrell. Luke 1:1-9:50. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1994.
4. Brock, Darrell. The NIV Application Commentary: Luke. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996.
5. Ryle, J.C. Luke. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 1997.
6. A Sermon by John Piper: Jesus is the Horn of Salvation. The sermon was preached at Bethlehem Baptist Church on December 14, 1980 and can be accessed at http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/jesus-is-the-horn-of-salvation.
7. Piper, John. The Dangerous Duty of Delight. Colorado Springs, Colorado: Multnomah Books, 2011.