Jesus,Thehornofsalvation

JESUS,THEHORNOFSALVATION

Luke1:67-80

KeyVerses:68-69

“PraisebetotheLord,theGodofIsrael,becausehehascometohispeopleandredeemedthem.HehasraisedupahornofsalvationforusinthehouseofhisservantDavid.”

Firstofall,IreallythankGodthateachyeararoundthistimeIcouldhaveachancetoprepareaChristmasmessage.ItisthebestwayformetostrugglewithGod'swords.IpraythatallofusheremayprepareourheartstoacceptJesusChristintoourhearts.ItisnotforthesakeofhavingChristmasWorshipService,butforreallyrenewingourheartandbefilledwithtruejoyinJesusChrist.

OfficiallyChristmas,Holidayseasonhasstarted.PeoplearepreparinggiftsforothersandplanningoutwhatkindsofChristmasPartiestheywillhave.TheybookfortheplaceandthinkhowtodecoratetheplaceandwhomtoinvitefortheParties.Theyeventhinkaboutwheretotravelforthisseason.Peopleinthisworldreallypreparethisseason.Whataboutus?AsusualwewillhaveGTAChristmasWorshipServiceandafterthatwewillhaveourownChristmasWorshipServiceinthisplace.Sometimesthesethingsseemtobesonaturalandroutineeventsthatwedon'treallythinkaboutthemandprepareforthem.

HoweverIreallywanttochallengeyoutohaveanewheartandSpiritseeingtherightattitudeandheartofZechariahinthebookofLukeatthisChristmasseason.Let'salsothinkaboutwhoreallyJesusis.

Lookatverse67. “HisfatherZechariahwasfilledwiththeHolySpiritand prophesied…”ItisimpossibletoknowandunderstandtheworksofGod. ButwhenwearefilledwiththeHolySpirit,thenwebegintoseetheSpiritualworldandunderstandwhatGodwantsustodo.WethenbegintoseeourChristmasdifferently,andenjoytheseasonjoyfullywiththehopeofJesusChrist.

AtthistimeIwanttoinvestigatemoreonZechariah,especiallyhowhecouldbefilledwiththeHolySpirit.TheangeloftheLordappearedtoZechariahandtoldhim, “yourprayerhasbeenheard.YourwifeElizabethwillbearyouason,andyouaretocallhimJohn.” HoweverZechariahdoubtedabouttheangle'smessagesaying,“HowcanIbesureofthis?Iamanoldmanandmywifeiswellalonginyears.”

SincethenonZechariahcouldn'tspeakfor9months.Hissilencemayhavebeenadivinerebukeforhisunbelief.Canyouimagineyourlifeifyoucannothearorsayanythingforninemonths?(IthinktheangelhadstruckZechariahdeafaswellasdumb.Accordingtoverse62,hecommunicatedtootherswithsignlanguageinsteadofverbalcommunication.)Ihavetriedtoimaginemylifetobemuteanddeaf—Iwouldhavenobusinessnegotiationwiththecustomers;nosinging;nocommunicationwithbe-lovedones.ButIwouldbejustlotsmoreseeing.Lotsmorelookingintotheeyesofmywifeanddaughters.Whendidyoulooksteadilyintosomeone'seyeslasttime?Ifyouaremuteanddumb,wewilldolotsmorereadingthegreatbooks.Lotsmorewritingjournals,poems,letters,thoughtsaboutlife.LotsmoreprayersandmeditationontheWordofGod.Allinabsolute silence. For9monthsofsilencetrainingZechariahcouldcometoGodmoreclosely.EventuallyhewasfilledwiththeHolySpirit.Godalwaysturnshisrebukesintorewardsforthosewhokeepfaith.

Inourgroupbiblestudy,MDavidsharedthatwhenhewassingleandlivinginthebasementofouroldbiblehouseoneChristmastime,hefeltlonelyandevenmiserablebecausepeopleupstairswerecrowdedjoyfully,whilehewasalonewithouthisfamilymembersatthattime.Howeverhislonelyandpersonaltimehelpedhimunderstandlonelypeople.Doyousufferfromthescarsofpastsinsandpainsrightnow?IfyoukeepfaithnowGodwillturnthemarksofsinandpainintomemorialsofgrace.

NowletuslearnfromwhattheHolySpirittaughtZechariah.MostofZechariah'ssongistakenupnotwithhisownsonbutwiththesalvationtheMessiahwouldbring.Onlytwoverses(76and77)refertoJohntheBaptistspecifically:HewillgoonbeforetheLordtopreparehiswaysbycallingthepeopletorepentance.TherestofthesongisaboutwhatthecomingofJesusisgoingtomean.

Zechariahbeginsinverse68:“PraisebetotheLord,theGodofIsrael,becausehehascometohispeopleandredeemedthem.” WhenIseeverse68IwasimmediatelyremindedofCBFworshipServicethatinEgypttheIsraelitessufferedalotbecausethenewkingdidn’tknowwhoJosephwasandwhoGodwas.Thekingjusttreatedpeopleasslavesandpeopleofrebellion.AlltheJewishbabyboyskilled.TheIsraelitesinEgyptweresomiserableandhopeless.TheycriedouttoGodandGodheardtheirprayers,andpromisedtoredeemthem.InExodus6:6,MosesquotesGod’swords,“IamtheLord,IwillbringyououtfromundertheburdenoftheEgyptiansandIwilldeliveryoufromtheirbondageandIwillredeemyouwithanoutstretchedarmandwithgreatactsofjudgment.”

ProbablyZechariahintheHolySpiritcouldhaveGod’sassurancethatGodwoulddeliverhispeoplefromthebondageofsinsandfromRomanoppressors. HewassoconfidentofGod'sredeemingworkinthecomingMessiahthatheputitinthepasttense.WiththeguidanceoftheHolySpiritZechariahknewthatGodhasalreadycomeandredeemedhispeople.Nowitisaboutthetimetostartnewchapterofthesalvationandgrace.

Lookatverse69.“HehasraisedupahornofsalvationforusinthehouseofhisservantDavid.” Nowinverse69hetellsushowthisvisitationandredemptionwillhappen,“Godhasraisedupahornofsalvationforusinthehouseofhisservant,David.”

TheHornofSalvation:

Thishasbeenanexcitingimageformetoholdupbeforemymind'seyethisChristmas:Jesusasthehornofsalvation.Thekindofhornmeanthereisnotamusicalinstrumentbutthedeadlyweaponofthewildoxorrhinoceros.ThisistheonlyplaceintheNewTestamentwhereJesusiscalledahorn,sowemustgobacktotheOldTestament,nodoubtwhereZechariahgottheimage,toseewhatitmeans.

Psalm92:9-10givesusapictureofwhatthehornstoodfor:“Forsurelyyourenemies,Lord,surelyyourenemieswillperish;allevildoerswillbescattered.Youhaveexaltedmyhornlikethatofawild ox…” Thehornisasignofstrengthandameansofvictory.InMicah4:13,GodsaystoJerusalem,“‘Riseandthresh,DaughterZion,forIwillgiveyouhornsofiron;Iwillgiveyouhoovesofbronze,andyouwillbreaktopiecesmanynations.’ Youwilldevotetheirill-gottengainstotheLord,theirwealthtotheLordofalltheearth.”

WheneverIgotosafariinHamilton,Ican'tstopstaringatonegroupofanimal—bulls.Theirbacksareashighasmyhead.Theirnecksareasbigasabarrel,andthosetwohorns!WhenIsawitfirsttimeinmyeyes,Iwasshockedthatthehornsaresogiantandpowerful.IthoughtImightdieifIgotclosertothem.InshortIwasoverwhelmedwhenIseetheirhorn.ItreallyremindsofJesus,thehornofsalvation.JesusisahornofsalvationbecauseHeuseshispowertosecureandprotecthispeople.Jesusisreallythehornofsalvationbecauseheisadeadlyweaponandtremendouspowerwhich,accordingtoverse71,Godusestosavehispeoplefromtheirenemiesandallwhohatethem.

Verse71says,“salvationfromourenemiesandfromthehandofallwhohateus…”WhenweimagineJesus’characters,weoftenthinkthatheisgentle,patient,fulloflove,humble,giving,understanding,waitingandloving,etc.Incontrast,wedon’teasilyimagineJesuswhoisstrongandpowerfullikethehornofox.Infact,weareeasilydefeatedbytheSatan’shindrancesandspiritualattacksmany,manytimes.Wearevulnerableandfragilethatwedon’treallyexperiencethepowerofJesus,thehornofsalvationinourpracticallives.Althoughwedon’tneedtobefreedfromphysicalbondagesinoursituationsbutwehavetobefreedfromspiritualbondagesofsinsoftheworld.Whatmakesourheartsandmindsweakandnegative?ItisallSatan’saccusationandattacksthatinsomewayweareenslavedbyhispowerandworks.Onlythehornofsalvation,JesusChristcansetusfreefromthisbondages.

Lookatverses74-75. “torescueusfromthehandofourenemies,andtoenableustoservehimwithoutfearinholinessandrighteousnessbeforehimallourdays.”These versesshowthatthegoalofGod'sredemptioninraisingupahornofsalvationisto “grantthatwe,beingdeliveredfromthehandofourenemies,mightservehimwithoutfearinholinessandrighteousnessbeforehimallthedaysofourlife.” God'saiminraisingahornofsalvationisnotmerelytogetridofanoppressedpeople,buttocreateaholyandrighteouspeoplewholiveinnofearbecausetheytrusthim.IfthegoalofGod'sredemptionistobeachieved—thegatheringofapeoplewhoarefearlessandrighteous—thenhemustconquerfearandconquerunrighteousness.AndthegoodnewsofZechariah'ssong—thegoodnewsofChristmas—isthatGodhasraisedupahornofsalvation.Jesusisthegreatox-hornofsalvationforallthosewhocalluponhimandtrusthim.

Lookatverse 78-79.“becauseofthetendermercyofourGod,bywhichtherisingsunwillcometousfromheaventoshineonthoselivingindarknessandintheshadowofdeath,toguideourfeetintothepathofpeace.”AsBrotherJohnmentionedthisChristmasseasonpeoplelookverybrightandjoyful.Buttherearemanypeoplecommitsuicideatthisseason.Therearemanypeoplelivingindarknessandintheshadowofdeath.Theworldeconomyisunpredictable.Therearemanypeoplewhodon’thavefulltimejob.Itishardtobuyahousewithregularsalary.Raisingchildrenisnoteasy.Especiallypeople’sheartsarehardened.Theybecomeselfishthattheyhavenoroomtocareforothers.Peoplearelonelyandhopelessinthisbusyworld.However,“becauseofthetendermercyofourGodbywhichtherisingsunwillcometousfromheaventoshineonthoselivingindarknessandintheshadowofdeath,toguideourfeetintothepathofpeace.”

ItisunforgettablemomentwhenJesuscametomeandshineHisgloryintomyheart.Allbrokennesswasrestored,andalldarknessinmyheartswasdrivenaway.Myheartswasfilledwithjoyandpeace.AlthoughrightnowIfeelthatIamdefeatedandhavenopowertostanduptofightbackandbecomeaconquerorofJesus’sarmy,stillIpraythatImaybefilledwiththeHolySpiritandprophesylikeZechariah.IwanttoprophesythatJesushascometomeandredeemedme.Hehasraisedupahornofsalvationforme.

ZechariahwasreallypreparedforthecomingofJesusChristthrough9monthsofpersonaltimewithGod.Ofcoursehecouldn’tspeakandhear,butthisdiscomfortsturnedhimtoGod.EveryMorningIwakeup,andthefirstthingIdoisthatIdownloadsomeradionewsandcomedyshowssothatduringthedayIcanhearandenjoymydriving.HoweverIrealizedthatsometimesbeingdeafisgoodfromaspiritualpointofview,likeZechariah.SolastweekwhileworkingIturnedoffallradioandcellphonebroadcasts.Actuallyforafewdaysitwasveryuncomfortable,buteventuallymybadhabitswerereplacedbymemorizingGod’swords,prayerandsinging.MyheartwasslowlyfilledwiththejoyofJesusChristandhislove.IlearnedagreatlessonthatIhavetopaythecosttochangemylifeandattitude.

IpraythatallofusheremaypaythecosttoprepareourselvesforthecomingofJesusChristandbelievethehornofsalvation,JesusChrist.Rememberwearealreadysaved.Jesushascomeandredeemed.

Letusreadkeyverses: verses 68-69.“PraisebetotheLord,theGodofIsraelbecausehehascometohispeopleandredeemedthem.HehasraisedupahornofsalvationforusinthehouseofhisservantDavid.”