Introduction
Good morning, everyone. Let us turn to Luke Chapter 1. The theme of this chapter is Longing to be Vessels of the Lord. In the previous session, we provided an overview of the Gospel of Luke, laying the groundwork for the fundamental theological concepts it presents. With each Bible study, I strive to encourage you to ponder a key question: What is God trying to tell us in this chapter?
God is not merely recounting an event from two thousand years ago. Through Luke Chapter 1, God is telling us to yearn to be vessels of the Lord. This chapter narrates two events: the birth of John the Baptist and Mary's conception by the Holy Spirit. We begin to contemplate whether this thematic approach can translate the Word of God into our daily lives.
Most of us have personally witnessed God's miraculous works and power, or God has manifested His power through your hands. Many have been liberated through your service. Perhaps you have not yet experienced God's power, but you can hear and see it. This Gospel is the very power of God, and only through personal experience and investigation can we truly know the certainty of what we have learned. Throughout our lives, there are many impossibilities, but God's power offers limitless possibilities within us, for what is impossible with man is possible with God.
Our God is called Emmanuel, and He longs to be with us. Do we, in turn, long to be with God? Do we yearn to be vessels used by the Lord? If you desire to be a vessel used by God, you will undoubtedly experience His miraculous works. When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you will find that every word of God carries power, and your body and life begin to manifest God's glory, and your prayers are answered. You will also increasingly desire to offer your body as a living sacrifice to God, which is our reasonable service because we need God, not the other way around.
If we read the Bible to its very core, you will receive God's message, apply it to your life, and discover that God is truly our treasure. While leading prayer, I presented a topic titled We Have This Treasure in Jars of Clay. We are, by nature, worthless jars of clay, but with God within us, we become vessels of honor.
Imitating Zechariah: Yearning to be Vessels Used by the Lord
This chapter tells the story of Zechariah, a priest. He and his wife, Elizabeth, were advanced in years but had no children. In that era, being childless was shameful. Priests of the Lord God were not monks; they could marry and have children. In many nations of the past, infertility was a dishonor. Zechariah and Elizabeth suffered greatly, disheartened by the constant comments about their childlessness.
Zechariah and Elizabeth often prayed for a child, but their prayers were never answered. Yet, the more they prayed, the deeper their faith grew. They began to yearn to be vessels used by God and desired that God would grant them a child who could also be used by Him. They ignored the taunts about their infertility. I believe Zechariah and Elizabeth never ceased praying and longing to be vessels used by the Lord.
Zechariah lived during the reign of King Herod, who spent much money to restore the temple. Some say Herod was like a Samaritan, but that is not important. The important thing is that during his reign, incense was still burned in Jesus' temple. Zechariah's desire to be used by God was not diminished by Herod's reign; on the contrary, his desire grew stronger because he experienced a miracle.
Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:8-17)
The angel told him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God.” If Zechariah had said, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man, and my wife is old as well,” it would have been a different story. Often, we harbor a desire, but when the opportunity arises, we say, “How can I be sure of this? I am too old, and my wife is too old.” They knew Abraham had experienced this, but what was the result?
The angel replied, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.” (Luke 1:19-20)
When Zechariah came out of the temple, after only a few words, the people had been waiting a long time. Zechariah experienced a miracle inside, but he came out mute, communicating only through gestures. When his time of service was completed, Zechariah went home, and his wife conceived.
The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” (Luke 1:25)
Do we have this kind of yearning today? Zechariah was old, and his wife was advanced in years, past the age of childbearing, yet she conceived and bore a child. Today, I encourage you that the yearning in your heart can move the hand of God!
Zechariah likely did not pray just once, but for many years. Initially, he might have prayed, God, give me a child. Later, he prayed, God! Give me a child! And then, God! You must give me a child! Give me a child!
This is what Jesus taught in Luke's Gospel: A man has a guest and no bread, so he goes to his neighbor's house at midnight and knocks! Give me a loaf of bread! Even if the neighbor is already asleep, he must get up and give him bread! Another story is about a widow who pleads with an unjust judge to give her justice, demanding, You must give me justice! The unjust judge, out of exasperation, finally grants her justice.
The Bible, between the lines, reveals the longing of man. For man to become a vessel used by God, there must be passion and yearning within. Some approach faith with a lackadaisical attitude: God, if You are willing to hear my prayer, then hear it; if not, then so be it! For example, a person whose pig is sick asks the pastor to pray for the pig, and the pastor closes his eyes and says, Lord! I respect Your sovereignty. If You want this pig to be healed, then heal it! If not, let it die. Many believe this is the right approach, but it is not in accordance with God's heart.
Can we have the mindset and faith of Jacob? At seventy-five years old, Jacob neither married nor dated, but for seventy-five years, he longed to obtain the birthright of the firstborn. Some might think, “How can you become the firstborn? You were born just a few minutes later. It's impossible to go back into your mother's womb and be reborn.” But Jacob spent seventy-five years pursuing one thing: never giving up! So, you need to examine whether you have the mindset of Jacob and Zechariah.
If, when faced with a challenge, you say, How can I be sure of this? is that not fatal? I encourage you to never say such words again. Acknowledge the matter, believe that it will be accomplished, and then thank God! Because of Zechariah's unbelief, God gave him a sign, making him mute until the birth of John the Baptist, when he would be able to speak again.
Dealing with a Lukewarm Attitude
I suspect that Theophilus, mentioned in the opening of Luke's Gospel, was a person of high standing in that era. Luke's writing to Theophilus primarily speaks of yearning. Between the lines, it reveals that you must know the certainty of what you have learned, you must have that yearning to explore and seek. We have all explored and sought in this way, yearning to know more, and God has revealed to us what we yearned to know.
Christians should not be lukewarm. Whether dealing with God or with people, a lukewarm attitude is disrespectful. So, the best advice I can give you today is to begin to restore your yearning, let it become a passion, never give up, and then continuously pursue, explore, and seek to experience God and be a vessel of God. You will definitely experience extraordinary things, because our God's name is Wonderful! Begin to restore the yearning in your heart, not relying on ability, knowledge, power, or family background. You need rely on nothing but your faith in God, and let that faith transform into the yearning within us, and then be used by God.
But the question is, when God truly wants to use you, are you willing? If the Lord invites you to His banquet, what will you say? I have no time? I have five pairs of oxen; I just bought them and need to try them out. I just bought a house and need to decorate it. I just got married and want to enjoy life. How can you be used by God then? Each of us must think clearly. Sometimes I am a little saddened because among us, those who have experienced God’s wonderful grace are numerous, but strangely, people just cannot seem to grasp it.
One sister recently invited the demons back, having been driven into God’s kingdom by demons, only to be lured back by the world. How can you be used by God in the future? Do you yearn to be a vessel used by the Lord? But this sister relapsed and sought prayer from a pastor, who began to rebuke her. But the problem is, why don’t they learn? We have experienced God’s grace many times. Some have been healed by God from terminal illnesses, but once they recover and continue living, they forget God.
Many are preoccupied with finding a boyfriend, getting married and having children, and planning for the future. They make life incredibly complex. Think about it. We were saved from a deadly illness by God. Is there anything impossible for Him? Zechariah and Elizabeth were able to have children in their old age. Nothing is impossible with God! The question is, do we truly believe in God? If we truly believe in God, we will seek Him with a yearning heart, and nothing will be delayed.
The sister I mentioned earlier has experienced so many miracles that she often shares her testimony with us. There was a time when she was very eager, diligently doing her homework and participating in ministry. During that time, government officials came to audit their company, and her mind was perfectly clear, resolving the issues immediately. She herself testified to this, so why did she forget it later? Trusting in God but failing to continue trusting, faltering at the slightest problem, is not acceptable. We must completely eliminate our unbelief.
Mary’s Heart Always Yearned to Be Used by the Lord
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:26-38)
If this happened to you, what would you do? The Bible also records the story of Tamar, who desired to have children from Judah’s line, longing to give birth to the son of Judah’s firstborn. Because Judah received the birthright, Tamar yearned to be a blessing for generations. The reality turned out this way, wherever the Gospel is proclaimed, Tamar will be mentioned.
No one who believes in Jesus is unaware that Mary is Jesus’ mother. Mary was going to get pregnant before she was married. How can this be explained? Some people are stunned, thinking, This is so shameful! Pregnant before marriage. Shouldn’t she have an abortion? But why did Mary do that? Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary have a common trait. Do you think that God just randomly chose Mary? No just like that. It’s because Mary’s heart yearned to be used by God.
Mary yearned to be a vessel of the Lord. In Mary’s time, there was a prophecy that the Messiah would be born. Through Mary’s response, we can see her thoughts. “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” She did not respond this way only when the angel spoke to her. She had this habit: “Lord, I am Your servant. Please use me. I yearn to be Your vessel!” Mary prayed this way every day. Suddenly, one day Gabriel came and said to her:
“You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:32-33)
If you heard this, what would you do? “Wow! I will have a son who will be the king of Israel, and his kingdom will never end! Will I become the Queen Mother?” Because Mary had never encountered such a thing before, it was something her eyes had never seen, her ears had never heard, and her heart had never imagined! Even if Mary had read Genesis, she might not have understood, the offspring of the woman? This is the offspring of the woman.
How will this be, Mary asked the angel, since I am a virgin? The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:34-35)
Jesus was conceived by Mary through the Holy Spirit. What difficulty is there for the Holy Spirit to make a person pregnant? But for some people, it is completely unacceptable. Mary’s response was very healthy: “I am the Lord’s servant. I have been waiting for this day for a long time. Use me as You will. However You use me, I will dedicate myself.”
If you have a yearning in your heart to be used by God, you are amazing. It is not easy for a person to have been born into this world, only to die in the end. This is vanity of vanities. If we do not know that we live and die in vain, we grab, covet, and desire that all those things on this earth are vanity of vanities, how can we possibly yearn for God? Because we know that all of these are vanity of vanities, we yearn to be used by God and become vessels of God. God used Mary in a way that exceeded human imagination. Mary became the mother of Jesus. What an honor that is!
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” (Luke 1:39-45)
At that time, Mary was not yet married. Elizabeth’s words exceeded her own understanding, but she declared this. Because the baby in her womb was being used by God, John the Baptist paved the way for Jesus Christ. This is the result of yearning to be used by God. If you yearn to be used by God, you will surely experience things that are beyond the imagination of you and I. Our God is called wonderful. Blessed is the woman who believes that an unmarried woman conceived by the Holy Spirit, and the baby in her womb will become the king of Israel, and his kingdom shall be forever, and there will be no end.
And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.” Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.(Luke 1:46-56)
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months. People might think that Mary should marry Joseph as soon as possible. What is she doing at Elizabeth’s house? Isn’t this delaying things? But Mary didn’t worry about this matter. A person who trusts in God is not too worry about these things, since God is able to make this happen, can’t God settle other things? God is able to settle the events on the entire universe, can’t he settle the things in the solar system, on this earth and the little things around us? Those who have no faith are not precious in God’s eyes, those who have faith in God are treasures in the eyes of God.
Let us carefully observe those who serve God faithfully, they have experienced many of God’s miraculous works. Later, John the Baptist was born and everyone wants to name with his father’s Zechariah’s name, but Elizabeth said that he needs to be call John, is what has been revealed by God before.
Now Elizabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbors and her cousins heard how the Lord had showed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zechariah, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marveled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judea. And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.(Luke 1:57-66)
Zechariah spoke a prophecy to his son John the Baptist:
And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel.(Luke 1:67-80)
Begging Earnestly and Directly
If we long for God to use us, and aspire to be vessels employed by Him, we must walk ahead of God, preparing the way of the Lord and guiding people's feet into the path of peace.
Zechariah, having witnessed Mary dwelling in his house for three months, declared: The child in Mary's womb has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David, just as the Lord spoke through the mouths of His holy prophets from the beginning, that the offspring of the woman shall crush the head of Satan, to save us from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
How well this is spoken! Can we say to God with these words: God, this statement is referring to us. Now we shall become prophets of the Most High, walking in Your will, becoming Your vessels, to pave the way for You in this desolate generation, becoming faithful and good servants of God. We walk with God, are used by God, and the Spirit of God fills us. If you deem being filled with the Holy Spirit as unimportant, then it will be difficult for you to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:5-13)
The Gospel of Luke, from beginning to end, carries this kind of longing. For example, our prayer for being filled with the Holy Spirit: Ah, fill me with the Holy Spirit, fill me with the Holy Spirit! It is with such a longing. Just like our asking for bread: Get up! Get up! Hurry up and give me bread! Give me bread! It is the same principle. If you are to be a vessel used by God, never say: I respect God's sovereignty, use me if You want to... God cannot use such a person, because there is no inner longing. If a person is longing, he will certainly become like John the Baptist.
Summary
We do not actually know much about John the Baptist, but later Israelites all knew that John the Baptist was a prophet. The Bible says: He will have the heart and power of Elijah. I ask you, what is the heart and power of Elijah? The miracles performed by Elijah were unprecedented and unparalleled, Moses, Samuel, Elisha, and Elijah were all prophets who were greatly admired throughout the ages.
John the Baptist certainly had power, otherwise how could he have become the prophet of that generation? He had the heart and power of Elijah, but God did not record too many miracles performed by John the Baptist. Many people thought there were none, but in fact it speaks here of the power and heart of Elijah. In that very desolate generation, John the Baptist came. John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit in his mother's womb. What great power this is.
Everyone must know that people filled with the Holy Spirit are super powerful. I encourage everyone to begin to long to be used by God. Why do I keep talking about having Mingding Destiny? Because Mingding Destiny carries blessings. How can one obtain Mingding Destiny? Not lukewarm, not tepid, saying a sentence: Lord, if You want to use me, You can use me, if not, then forget it. But to begin to tell God with longing: God, begin to use me! Not hot and cold, but always full of longing to be used by God, so that in this desolate generation, the glory of God may be manifested, and we may become vessels that manifest God's glory!
May God bless everyone!