Waiting on God’s Presence – Advent Series 2023 – Sermon By Harold Long
December 17, 2023
Hello Friends,
Welcome to our Jesus-centered community. We are glad you are listening to today’s message.
“We are People Helping People Experience a Jesus-centered Life.”
Today we unpack the Gospel of Luke Chapter 1 and the story of Elizabeth and Zachariah. We learn how the impossible becomes possible when an old married couple beyond their years of childbearing finds themselves pregnant with the great John the Baptist.
A lot has changed in 2,000 years, but a lot hasn’t. We generally avoid the word “barren” today, but the shame remains. Not only for men and women without children. For men and women who remain unmarried into their 30s, 40s, and 50s. For people who struggle, day after painful day, with chronic illness. For everyone who senses that they aren’t living up to their purpose, that their lives are meaningless, and question why they are still alive.
Many of us can relate to Elizabeth. We feel like something should be different in our world or our hearts. So we stand before God with bitterness (God, what have you done?), guilt (God, what have I done?), shame (God, what’s wrong with me?), or all three. Waiting on God’s presence, we find it hard to hope for good news.
Our text today shows that God chose the unlikely couple of Elizabeth and Zechariah to begin telling the story of Christmas. The good news of God’s presence, the story of Jesus’ birth, starts in a most unexpected place—in the womb of a barren woman (Luke 1:7). The very place of Elizabeth’s deepest pain becomes the place God chooses to work, not despite her barrenness, but because of it. Friends, this is evidence that God can miraculously show up in our pain and suffering. God seems to show at what appears to be the most inopportune times and the most unpredictable places. Amen!
For centuries, God’s people had been waiting for God to come near to them in a special way. Again, Let me say, “FOR CENTURIES, people were waiting to hear from God.” To take away their sorrow and replace it with joy. To take away their sin and replace it with forgiveness. To take away the barrenness of death and replace it with abundant life.
And so, God begins with Elizabeth. The life within her acts as a promise of everything God was about to do (Luke 1:14–17). She would receive, in part, what God intended to bring to all of humanity—wholeness, healing, joy. Elizabeth would not be the one to bring God into the world ut her miracle baby would prepare the way for him (Luke 1:17). The waiting time was over. As the late great Tom Petty used to sing, “The waiting is the hardest part.”
But Zechariah, Elizabeth’s husband, still finds this difficult to believe. Perhaps after so many decades of waiting, he had lost the heart to keep hoping. So when the angel Gabriel tells Zechariah about Elizabeth’s upcoming pregnancy, Zechariah balks. “I am an old man,” he said, “and my wife is advanced in years” (Luke 1:18). Gabriel, in a twist of amusing irony, decides to help Zechariah listen a little better the next time around. He imposes nine months of muteness on Zechariah (Luke 1:19–20). As Dr. Evil in Austin Powers told his staff, “Shhhh.” “Knock, Knock.” “Who’s there?” “Shhhhh.” “Let me tell you about a man named “Shhh.”
Zechariah most likely already knew the biblical stories of God giving children to previously barren women (After all, God had done it with every one of the patriarchs—Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel!). But there is a difference between knowing God’s promise intellectually and waiting on God’s promise personally. Zechariah had waited for a child all his life. But those final nine months of waiting were the most profound: He learned to hope again in those nine months.
And when John was finally born, Zechariah erupted in praise for all God had done—and would do (Luke 1:68–79). Through this son—and ultimately through Jesus—God would provide for his people redemption (Luke 1:68), mercy (1:72), and forgiveness (1:77), not only to Israel but to all the nations of the earth (1:79).
I how all us stay committed to following a Jesus-looking God and helping as many people as possible experience a Jesus-centered life. If we do, we will experience the Holy Spirit’s presence, translated as Emmanuel, God with us.
Before you listen to the message, you are encouraged to go to our website and download the lesson bulletin for this message, dated December 10, 2023. The publication contains questions to reflect on as an individual, couple, or small group. You can find them on the home page by clicking the Bulletins and Lesson Plans tab. Today’s message is “Waiting on God’s Presence.”
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Merry Christmas,
Hill-Tran Ministries
- Harold Long
- 2023 Advent Series
- Luke1:5-25; 57-80
- Abraham
- Advent
- Angels
- Bathsheba
- COVID-19
- David
- Doubt
- Elizabeth and Zachariah
- Emmanuel
- Flesh
- Jesus-Centered
- Jesus-Centered Faith
- Jesus-centered life
- John The Baptist
- Joy
- Joy to the World
- King David
- Hillsboro UMC
- Transformation UMC
You Will See Me Again
November 12, 2023
- Harold Long
- The Gospel of John
- James 1:2-4
- John 15:20
- John 16:19-24
- Giving Birth
- In Jesus' Name
- Joy
- Mary
- Motherhood
- My Hour Has Not Yet Come
- Sorrow
- The Gospel of John
- Thomas Paine
- Hillsboro UMC
- Transformation UMC
Today’s message focuses on John 16:19-24 and the promise that joy follows sorrow. Jesus prepared the disciples for his death, resurrection, and second coming. Using the metaphor of a birthing mother, labor pains, and patience because her hour had not yet come, Jesus prepared them for the sorrow they would endure but also the joy that would follow.
The Prodigal God – The True Elder Brother – Sermon IV of VI
October 15, 2023
- Harold Long
- The Prodigal God
- Hebrews 2:11
- Luke 15:1-6; 25-32
- Philippians 2:4-10
- Forgiveness
- Jesus
- Jesus the Christ
- Jesus-centered life
- Jesus-Centered Living
- Jesus-looking God
- Joy
- Reconciliation
- Self-Centeredness
- Sinners
- Tax Collectors
- The Gospel of the Kingdom
- The Great Commission
- The Parable of the Lost Coin
- The Parable of the Lost Sheep
- The Parable of the Prodigal Son
- The Tale of Two Sons
- Hillsboro UMC
- Transformation UMC
Today, we continue our new message series, “The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith.” Our message is titled “The True Elder Brother.” This sermon is IV of VI and sets the stage for the rest of the series. We unpack Luke 15:1-6; 25-32 (NIV) and unpack the most popular of the three parables in Luke 15, which included the first two parables, The Parable of the Lost Sheep and The Parable of the Lost Coin. This message should shock and move every person engaging in the scripture and teaching. In our message today, we look at the true younger brother, Jesus the Christ. We are all called to be true elder brothers, and the question is, can we be humble and honest enough to own it and, even more importantly, do something about it?
A Jesus-looking God
December 25, 2022
- Harold Long
- Christmas
- Hebrews 1:1-4
- Advent
- Darkness
- Die to Self
- Hope
- Jesus is the Light
- Jesus-Centered
- Jesus-Centered Faith
- Jesus-centered life
- Jesus-looking God
- Joy
- Joy to the World
- Light
- Light of the World
- light vs dark
- Love
- Morgan Freeman
- New Year 2023
- New Year's Day
- New Year's Resolutions
- Peace
- Personal Inventory
- Surrender
- Hillsboro UMC
- Transformation UMC
On Christmas day of 2022, we lean on the lectionary and the Hebrews 1:1-4 Scripture, teaching us that Jesus is God’s entire manifestation and essence. As Christians, we worship and follow a Jesus-looking God. Thank you for joining us for today’s message.
God’s Love is Better Than Life
August 8, 2021
- Harold Long
- Summer In The Psalms
- Psalm 63
- Conscious Contact
- God's Love
- Joy
- Praise
- Prayer
- Psalm 63
- SELF HELP
- Simone Biles
- Supplication
- Hillsboro UMC
- Transformation UMC
Welcome to our message series, “Summer In The Psalms.” Today’s message is titled “God’s Love is Better Than Life” Pastor Harold unpacks Psalm 63 and helps understand why God’s love is better than life and all we need.
God Desires a Broken Spirit
August 1, 2021
- Harold Long
- Summer In The Psalms
- Psalm 51
- Clean Heart
- Confession
- Crucifixion
- Forgiveness
- Joy
- King David
- Reurrection
- Salvation
- Hillsboro UMC
- Transformation UMC
Welcome to our message series, “Summer In The Psalms.” Today’s message is titled “God Desires a Broken Spirit” Pastor Harold unpacks Psalm 51 and helps understand why coming clean is necessary to experience a clean heart.