March 20,2010

Luke 1:1-25
Have you ever lived in someone else's shadow? Most of us think we have, whether it really happened or not. My brother Bill is five years older than me. When he was in college, he used to preach lots of weekend youth revivals at various churches throughout northern Oklahoma. I greatly enjoyed tagging along. I became well known as 'Bill's little brother.' Hey, that was good! Bill was an excellent preacher and we had a lot of fun sharing the gospel with people. We frequently would find out where the young people hung out, go there, share the Gospel with them and invite them to the youth revival service. I remember when this guy, who seemed to be the leader of the teens to whom we were talking, said that if Bill could beat him at arm wrestling, he would come to the revival service. Bill turned to me and whispered, "You'd better pray."--The guy had huge biceps. Well, to everyone's surprise Bill beat him. The guy reneged on his promise, claiming Bill cheated. He was just too embarrassed that this skinny guy (Bill) beat him. I guess he was too proud and too spiritually insensitive to know that he wasn't wrestling with just a skinny guy. But some of those young people did come. I believe Bill had become known in our church circles for doing mighty exploits for God. It was fun being in his shadow.
Zacharias and Elizabeth lived in a shadow most of their lives. Except their shadow was simply obscurity. Zacharias was part of what the more influential priests might have referred to as an 'idiot priest.' But in the sight of the One that really counts, they were considered 'righteous.' They were old and childless. In their culture being childless usually carried with it the thought that you were being punished by God for some sin. Being childless was a reproach among the people. But sometimes being what people consider to be a reproach is really just God working in you, developing His character in you, and preparing you for a way in which He will show His glory in a greater way.
Finally, when he was old and had lived in the shadow so long that it was hard for him to believe God would ever do anything different with him, God brought Zacharias into the light of His glory. God gave Elizabeth the ability to conceive a child by Zacharias. Not only that but God promised that that child would be the promised forerunner of the Messiah. Can you imagine everyone's surprise when after 5 months of hiding Elizabeth came out into public and lo and behold, "She is expecting!" What does she say, "The Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people." She is now in a shadow of light. She is content to live in the shadow of the Almighty.
It was fun being in Bill's shadow. But you know what? It is more fun walking in the shadow of the Almighty. I may or may not be ever known has having done great exploits for God. But what is more important to me is that I can sit in the Shadow of the Almighty! It is a shadow of light! He is the One that really counts. As I focus on His glory, He does that for which He created me. Whether anyone else recognizes that is immaterial. He is the One that counts. The same is true for you also. That is why it is so important to see His glory and speak it to others. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john