“When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.”
(Luke 1:57-58closeLuke 1:57-58 The Birth of John the Baptist 57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. (ESV) closeLuke 1:57-58closeLuke 1:57-58 The Birth of John the Baptist 57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. (ESV) The Birth of John the Baptist 57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. (ESV) ; from the Gospel reading for 6.24.12)
“Birth Comes in God’s Time”
Get To Know Your “Neighbor”
+ You have been given the responsibility of distributing $20,000,000 to make the world a better place. What would you do?
God’s Blueprint
+ God has a plan for us (Jeremiah 29:11closeJeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (ESV)
closeJeremiah 29:11closeJeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (ESV)
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (ESV)
) individually; He also has a plan for the process of His creation itself (Psalm 8:3closePsalm 8:3
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, (ESV)
closePsalm 8:3closePsalm 8:3
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, (ESV)
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, (ESV)
). Even the hairs of our head are accounted for (Matthew 10:30closeMatthew 10:30
30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. (ESV)
closeMatthew 10:30closeMatthew 10:30
30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. (ESV)
30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. (ESV)
). God created us with His desire that we have children (according to His guidance for relationships) & He even established the process of pregnancy itself. What happens when we do not honor God’s timeline for having children in our lives?
+ Birthdays are a special way of marking the time God has given us with someone. Do you know your Baptismal birthday?
God’s Best
+ “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.” (Gal 4:4closeGalatians 4:4 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, (ESV) closeGalatians 4:4closeGalatians 4:4 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, (ESV) 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, (ESV) )
-As Luther said, the Trinity is three Persons, dwelling in one Essence. All of time is in God’s hand and in His plan; even our sins & rebellion. His plan includes some events which are fixed in date & place (thus, we have prophetic revelation where God revealed in advance, specific events which would happen (Mark 14:13-16closeMark 14:13-16 13 And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, 14 and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” 16 And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. (ESV) closeMark 14:13-16closeMark 14:13-16 13 And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, 14 and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” 16 And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. (ESV) 13 And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, 14 and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” 16 And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. (ESV) ). God did not send Jesus one second early or late; He sent Him to us exactly when we needed Him. How does that make you feel about God’s love for you?
+ Jesus knew His time was marked; He knew that for us to be born again; He would have to die. What was Jesus’ attitude toward His Father’s timeline?
God’s Blessed
+ Who do you know that is not baptized? _________ How can you be praying for their birth? _____________ What could you be doing? _______
Jim Buckman
