This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "Living An Extraordinary

LIVING AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE

 

Luke 1:57, 67-79

 

 

THE REWARD OF EXTRAORDINARY LIVING

 

V:57. " Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she brought forth a son. "

 A. Zacharias and Elizabeth were living an extraordinary life before God blessed them

      with what they wanted most; a son.

      1. In their old age, well pass the child baring time of their lives, they were visited

          by an angel who informed them that they would have a son.

      2. 397 years prior to the birth of their son, the Prophet Malachi foretold his birth .

          (Mal 3:1).

      3. This barren old couple lived a righteous life following God's commands.

      4. Extraordinary living opens the door for an Extraordinary blessing of God.

 B. They were told that they would have a son who would preach Jesus.

      1. Extraordinary living begins when you preach Jesus.

      2. The Bible says train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he

          will not depart from his training (Prov 22:6).  

      3. If you preach Jesus to your children, they will grow up preaching Jesus.       

 

APPLYING THE WORD TO YOUR LIFE

Luke 1:67-79

V:67. " And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying."

 A. When you preach Jesus as Lord and Savior you will get a visitor from heaven.

      1. Jesus said that if two are more gather in my name, I will be in the mist.

      2. Zacharias was in the temple performing his duties as priest when an Angel from

          the Lord gave him the good news.

      3. Because Zacharias did not believe the Angel, his speech was taken from him for

          9 months.

         a. Extraordinary living comes by believing the Word.

         b. Zacharias lost the ability to speak for nine months because he didn't

             believe the Word pertaining to him and his wife.

         c. Oh what peace we often forfeit all because we do not trust Jesus.

 B. After the birth of his son, Zacharias regained his speech as the Angel promised.

      1. Zacharias learned his lesson and immediately began preaching Jesus.

         (The Word from Genesis to Revelation is Jesus.  John 1).

      2. He had another visitor from heaven; the Holy Spirit.

          a. Before the resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit visited men and women for a

              season. After the resurrection, the Spirit indwells all believers.)

      3. The Holy Spirit will confirm the Word of the Lord to you.

      4. The Holy Spirit will give you an understanding of the Word.

      5. The Holy Spirit will tell you what God wants preached, in the time He

           wants it preached and to the people He wants it preached to.

 

PRASING THE LORD FOR HIS GOODNESS 

V:68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people."

 A. One of the key's to living an Extraordinary life is accepting Jesus as  Lord

      and Savior.

     1. Jesus redeemed us from a living hell.

     2. Jesus is the atonement for all our sins.

     3. Jesus satisfied God's demand for justice with His shed blood on the cross.

 B. Extraordinary living begins, when we start praising God for His greatness.

   1. The Lord visited each believer with the gift of His Son.

   2. God gave us the right to the tree of life through His Son.

   3. God lives in each believer through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

 

V:69. " And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant."

  A. The "horn" is a symbol of strength, power, glory and light.

      1. The "horn" is also a symbol of the altar and a kingdom.

      2. Jesus Christ is our strength.

      3. Jesus is all power.

      4. Jesus is the altar of our sacrifice.

      5. Jesus is the King of Kings  and  the Lord of Lords.

  B. The Father raised up a new and everlasting Kingdom in Jesus Christ.

      1. Jesus became our servant giving up His life for our salvation.

      2. The flesh of Jesus came through the line of David fulfilling the prophecy

           that his kingdom will have no end.

   C. Extraordinary Living relies on Jesus for strength.

       1. Extraordinary living glories the Lord in all activities.

       2. Extraordinary living relies on the Lord for guidance and direction.

       3. Extraordinary living is serving the Lord with all our mind soul and

           strength.

 

BELIVING THE PROMISES OF THE LORD

  V:70. ". As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old."

    A. The Lord fulfills His prophecies.

        1. Abraham was told by God that He would be the father of many nations before

            he had a son. Gen 15:5-6, 1900 BC

        2. God told David  that  his son would build a house for Him and that his kingdom

             would have no end. 2 Sam 7:13, 1000 BC

        3. Isaiah was told that a virgin would conceive and have a son.   Isa 7:14,  750 BC

        4. Daniel was given the time the Messiah would reign on earth (His first coming,

            Dan 9:25, 540 BC).

        5. Malachi was told that a forerunner to the Messiah would be born;

            John The Baptist.   Mal  3:1, 397 BC

     B. The Bible is a record of God fulfilling His promises throughout history.

        1. The Word of God is the only truth we can rely on.

        2. God has made promises recorded in His Word to all believers that we can rely

            on.

        3. Extraordinary living expects God to keep His promises to us.

        4. Extraordinary living trust God in all things.

 

 

TRUSTING THE LORD WITH OUR LIVES 

 V:71. " Salvation from our enemies, And from the hand of all who hate us."

     A. The hand of the Lord protects all who believe in Him.

         1. The enemy of the believer is Satan and all his demons.

         2. God has saved us from our sins.

         3. Satan was defeated on the cross, where our Messiah shed His blood.

     B. The death and the resurrection of Jesus provide salvation to all who believe in

          Him.

         1. The birth of Jesus in the flesh was the beginning of His ministry of the Good

             News of salvation.

         2. Extraordinary living finds hope in the salvation of Jesus.

       

 V:72. " To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant"

   A. We serve a God of mercy.

        1. Mercy is the Greek word "eloeos" which is God's divine compassion.

        2. It is because of God's divine compassion that He sent His Son to die

            on the cross for our sins.

        3. For God so loved the World that He sent His only begotten Son to die for

            our sins.

   B. God made a covenant with Abraham that he would be the father of many nations

        (Gen 22:16-18 , 1900 BC).

      1. Fulfillment of the covenant of God does not depend on us or our behavior.

      2. God fulfills His covenant because of His love for us. 

      3. Extraordinary living reflects on the Goodness of the Lord.

      4. Extraordinary living is a grateful spirit.

 

SERVING THE LORD

 V:73-75. "The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, 74 To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days."

(Gen 15: 13-14)

 A. Extraordinary living responds to God's call to serve.

     1. God has a purpose for our lives.

     2. God saved us from ourselves so that we can serve Him.

     3. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can resist the temptation to sin.

     4. Satan Has no power over us.

  B. God saved us so that we can live our lives according to His righteousness.

     1. We were saved to worship God and to give Him glory.

     2. Extraordinary living gives God continuous praise.

  C. Zachariah and his wife praised God for His goodness.

      1. The husband and his wife ought to be a praise team for the Lord.

      2. Children learn to praise the Lord from their parents.

   D. The Lord is our rock and our refuge. Whom shall we fear?

      1. Extraordinary living is a life that boldly proclaims the goodness of the Lord.

      2. Extraordinary living is a life without fear.

          a. God has not given us the spirit of fear, but power, love and sound mind.

          b. Extraordinary living is confidence in the Lord.

 

PREPARING THE LOST TO RECIEVE JESUS

 76 "And thou, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways."

 A. God has purposed our lives to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

     1. The job of the believer is to proclaim faith in the death and resurrection of

          Jesus as the only way to Heaven.

     2. We are the light to the lost and the encouragement to the saved.

 B. Extraordinary living takes on the obligation of evangelizing the world.

 

 V:77. " To give to His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their

              sins."      

     A. Zachariah and Elizabeth were vessels that God used to produce a son that

          would preach Jesus.   Mal 3:1

     B. Our children are gifts from God.

         1. Parents have the awesome responsibility of training them to know and to

             honor the Lord.

    2. Parents have the responsibility to teach their children that their purpose in life is

        to serve the Lord.

      a. Extraordinary living is a life of service so that others may see our love for the

         Lord.

      b. Believers should live in obedience to God's commands so that others are drawn

          to  Christ.

 

A GRATEFUL SPIRIT

 V:78. " Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high

     shall visit us.

   A. The tender mercies of the Lord fall fresh on believers each day.

        1. Extraordinary living is a life of success because it is under the guidance and the

            direction of the Lord.

        2. God shows us mercy each day by ordering our steps.

        3. God's divine protection makes us fearless before the enemy.

            a. No weapon formed against us can prosper.

   B. Jesus is the light of the world.

       1. Jesus is the source of wisdom and knowledge.

       2. Extraordinary living looks to Jesus for guidance and direction into all activites.

       3. Extraordinary living looks to Jesus for incite into future events.

 

 V:79. " To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide

   our feet into the way of peace."

   A. Extraordinary living seeks to know and to proclaim Jesus.

      1. To know the dignity of His person.

      2. To know Him as the perfect sacrifice for the atonement of sins.

      3. To know more about His grace and mercy.

  B. Extraordinary living seeks to be the light that guides others to Jesus Christ.

      1. Believers are at peace with the Father through faith in Jesus Christ.

      2. Our Job is to claim that peace with the Father through Jesus Christ is necessary

          for eternal life.

      3. Extraordinary living is a state of peace, joy, contentment and love.