The Sunrise of God’s Tender Mercy

About this sermon

Introduction: Everything about John the Baptist pointed to Jesus. The birth of John. The naming of John. The purpose of John. The ministry of John. Everything about John pointed to Jesus. And here, in a passage that records a prophecy about John, we find one of the most unique and memorable descriptions of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus. He is called the sunrise (vs.78). He is described this way, when John’s father, Zechariah, is blessing God for the faithfulness of God, and the mercy of God, and the saving hand of God, that is on display by the fact of the birth and mission and purpose of his son John. The birth of John, and the prophesy that follows, immediately precedes the account of the birth of Jesus. Forever these two will be tied together. The man given the greatest privilege any prophet had ever received, is forever associated with the Messiah whose majesty explains the greatness of the privilege. John was selected, ordained, to be the one who prepared the way for the Son of God to be presented to the nation of Israel and to the world. Selected to announce that the Savior had come. Selected to call people to repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Selected to make the way ready to receive the King. That was his task. You only celebrate that, you only celebrate John’s role, if you celebrate the one to whom John pointed. This is what John was ordained to do, to point to Christ, to prepare people for Christ.

Topics

• Love & Compassion