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When being good �doesn’t bring good �

to those who do good

Luke 1:5-25 Brown Bible: Page 1024 White Bible: Page 1294 Red Bible: Page 1656 Black Bible: Page 1697

When being good doesn’t bring good to those who do good

•  When might this happen?

•  What might this lead people to think?

•  What do you tell people when this happens to them?

•  What do you tell yourself when it happens to you?

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Big Idea: The Active Ingredient of Christianity

The Son of God’s historical suffering and resurrection that bring salvation �through repentance and forgiveness in faith � This repentance and forgiveness �in Jesus’ name will be proclaimed to all nations �by the power of the Holy Spirit

An event

A process

Luke 1

5-7�

8-17�

18 19-20 21-22 23-25

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Herod the Great

•  37-4BC •  Roman appointed king�

of Judea

Luke 1

5-7�

8-17�

18 19-20 21-22 23-25

Being good didn’t bring good to Zechariah & Elizabeth à the “ideal” couple living in great shame

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5

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6

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Malachi 4:5-6

“See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”

Luke 1

5-7�

8-17�

18 19-20 21-22 23-25

Being good didn’t bring good to Zechariah & Elizabeth à the “ideal” couple living in great shame The angel announces God’s specific plan �to bring great good … for this couple and for Israel Zechariah doubts Zechariah is rebuked

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Luke 1

5-7�

8-17�

18 19-20 21-22 23-25

Being good didn’t bring good to Zechariah & Elizabeth à the “ideal” couple living in great shame The angel announces God’s specific plan �to bring great good … for this couple and for Israel Zechariah doubts Zechariah is rebuked … very graciously!

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9

Luke 1

5-7�

8-17�

18 19-20 21-22 23-25

Being good didn’t bring good to Zechariah & Elizabeth à the “ideal” couple living in great shame The angel announces God’s specific plan �to bring great good … for this couple and for Israel Zechariah doubts Zechariah is rebuked … very graciously! The people wonder but seemingly learn little The miracle happens!

The Big Idea

God’s work in the world involves fulfilling His promises �

to be with and to deliver to His people through gracious pedagogical hardships

Hard times that teach us God’s goodness

and may even be bringing God’s goodness when we don’t deserve it

Kind / Teaching / Trouble

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Tour de France: Finding the highest point

Finding the highest point

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Finding the highest point

Jesus’ Life

Birth&Growingup

Sufferinginwilderness

Growingpopularity

Mostofhisdisciplesleavehim

Teaching&growthofdisciples

Suffering&death

Risingtogloryforever

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The Big Idea

God’s work in the world involves fulfilling His promises �

to be with and to deliver to His people through gracious pedagogical hardships

The Son of God experienced Pedagogical Hardship

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered. Hebrews 5:7-8

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Hebrews 4:15

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How do we know that God can be fully trusted?

•  By reading it in the Bible •  By being told by others

•  By seeing it in others’ lives •  By experiencing it in our own lives

Your life: In Christ

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Your life: Not in Christ

For those who are “in Christ” the height of the glory and joy and wonder to come

is so much higher then our lowest lows that it isn’t worth comparing!

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2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

For those who are “in Christ” the height of the glory and joy and wonder to come

is so much higher then our lowest lows that it isn’t worth comparing!

And the low times might be �the most powerful teachers

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Our lives in Christ!

The Big Idea

God’s work in the world involves fulfilling His promises �

to be with and to deliver to His people through gracious pedagogical hardships �

�

“When Christ, who is your life, appears, �then you also will appear with him in glory!” �

Colossians 3:4

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Reflections •  Where in your life is it hard to trust in God’s goodness,

whether the difficulty is past, present, or future?

•  What helps you trust God’s goodness more completely?

•  When in your life, or in the lives of people you love, �have you seen God do a great work through hard times?

•  What is a good way to comfort those in pain, �that points to the hope in Christ �while not minimizing the pain of the present?