The Salvation Army: Australia Southern Territory 1
Transforming Lives Sermon Outline
Transforming Lives – Luke 1:5-25 (Elizabeth & Zechariah)
“All Things New” Series
The concept behind this year’s Christmas Resources is to focus on who Jesus is through the framework of The
Australia Southern Territory’s Four Mission Intentions: Transforming Lives, Caring for People, Making Disciples and
Reforming Society.
The theme passage illustrates what the completion of Jesus’ work will look like; the full consummation of the
Kingdom of God on earth. The theme phrase “All Things New” emphasises the kingdom mission of restoration and
rebuilding, and the ongoing continuous nature of that work (Transforming Lives, Caring for People, Making Disciples
and Reforming Society). Recognising the ongoing nature of Christ’s work and the mission of the kingdom should help
corps enter into the Christmas story in a more immediate way, with ongoing relevance for everyday life and
engagement in TSA mission.
How to Use This Outline
The emphasis of this outline is on the exegetical material for the chosen passage. It seeks to introduce the series as
well as cover the material for the Transforming Lives. The emphasis of this sermon is on the following issues:




Series Introduction – The goal of Jesus’ work is “All Things New”
Facing the impossible is not a sign of God’s displeasure
God is able to overcome the impossible
God is willing to overcome the impossible
The outline will need to be customised and contextualised by each Corps Officer for the congregation to whom the
sermon will be preached:




Adding appropriate illustrations that will connect with the specific congregation
Modifying language to be appropriate to the socio-cultural setting of the Corps
Modifying sermon style if you prefer a topical rather than expository sermon style
You may also wish to make the application more specific to your context.
PowerPoint slides have been provided for the following:






Theme Slide – Title Slide for this Sermon
Scripture Slide A – Luke 1:5-25 (whole passage)
Scripture Slide B – Luke 1:6-7 (highlight verse)
Scripture Slide C – Luke 1:18 (highlight verse)
Scripture Slide D – Luke 1:24-25 (highlight verse)
Blank Slide – which you can customise if you wish
The Salvation Army: Australia Southern Territory 2
Transforming Lives Sermon Outline
Transforming Lives
Key Passage - Luke 1:5-25 (NIV)
5
In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of
Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing
all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. 7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren;
and they were both well along in years.
8
Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot,
according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time
for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
11
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah
saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 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 give him the name John. 14 He will be a
joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 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 from birth. 16 Many of the
people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power
of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to
make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
18
Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
19
The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell
you this good news. 20 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 proper time.”
21
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When
he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs
to them but remained unable to speak.
23
When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and
for five months remained in seclusion. 25 “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.”
The Salvation Army: Australia Southern Territory 3
Transforming Lives Sermon Outline
Sermon Outline – Transforming Lives
Introduction
1. In the lead up to Christmas it can be easy to focus on the baubles, the tinsel and family time together. Even
when we focus on the nativity story it can still be easy to lose focus of the big questions of “WHY” Jesus
came, and to just enjoy a nice story about a baby in a manger. In the lead up to Christmas we are going to be
looking at the question of why Jesus came, from the perspective of the Old Testament expectations of the
Messiah, and the events leading up to his birth.
2. The name of this series “All Things New” comes from the book of Revelation, and summarises beautifully
why Jesus came. To make all things new, to establish His Kingdom on Earth as in Heaven. In The Salvation
Army Australia Southern Territory we have four mission intentions which we follow. They continue the work
that Jesus did, and help to build his kingdom: Transforming Lives, Caring for People, Making Disciples and
Reforming Society. We will be looking at what Jesus came to achieve through the lens of these four mission
intentions.
3. This week we will be looking at the theme of “Transforming Lives”
4. Read Luke 1:5-25
Facing the impossible is not a sign of God’s displeasure (v6-7)
1. Luke starts his story about Elizabeth and Zechariah by telling us that they were good people. Zechariah was a
priest, and had married a woman who also was descended from Aaron. “The priests might marry into any
tribe, but ‘it was most commendable of all to marry one of the priests’ line’”1. They were upright in the sight
of God, and obeyed all of the moral and ceremonial law without fault.
2. Under Jewish law, this should have made Elizabeth and Zechariah the ideal candidates for parenthood. In
Deuteronomy 7:12-14, God says that if the people obeyed the laws that He gave them that He would “bless
the fruit of their wombs” and that none of their men or women will be childless, nor any of their livestock
would be without young. So to be childless in Jewish society was seen as the curse of God for failure to live
up to his law (Gen. 16:2; 20:18; 1 Sam. 1:5) 2.
3. Yet Luke tells us that Zechariah and Elizabeth were good people. Zechariah was a priest, his wife was from
the line of Aaron. They were “upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and
regulations blamelessly”.
4. Sometimes we experience situations in our life, that we think means God is displeased with us, or that we
have done something wrong. Elizabeth and Zechariah’s story shows us that facing impossible situations in
life is not a sign that God is displeased with us.
1 Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., Fausset, A. R., Brown, D., & Brown, D. (1997). A commentary, critical and explanatory,
on the Old and New Testaments (Lk 1:5). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
2 Brand, C., Draper, C., England, A., Bond, S., Clendenen, E. R., Butler, T. C., & Latta, B. (2003). Holman Illustrated
Bible Dictionary (173). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
The Salvation Army: Australia Southern Territory 4
Transforming Lives Sermon Outline
God is able to overcome the impossible (v18)
1. In the Old Testament there is a long line of childless couples that God gave children to. Abraham and Sarah
(Gen. 11:30; Gen. 15:2–3; Gen. 16:1–2; Rom. 4:19); Isaac and Rebekah (Gen. 25:21); Jacob and Rachel (Gen.
29:31; Gen. 30:1–2); Samson’s parents (Judg. 13:2); Samuel’s parents (1 Sam. 1:2)3.
2. “The barrenness of Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel (the mothers of the Israelite nation) is significant in that their
ability finally to bear children is a sign of the grace and favor of God toward His elect people”4
3. So Zechariah had a lot of history to rely on, to know that God was able to give children to the childless.
Zechariah, as a priest, had to have known that God was able and also in the practice of helping childless
couples have children. So it is odd for him to challenge the angel saying “How can I be sure of this? I am an
old man and my wife is well along in years” (v18).
4. Zechariah knew that in almost identical circumstances, God had given Abraham and Sarah a child. Abraham
was 100 and Sarah was 99 when Isaac was born (Gen 17:17). Age was no barrier for God then, why did
Zechariah doubt Him in his and Elizabeth’s situation? There was plenty of good reason to believe that God
could and would do it again. Zechariah should have known better.
5. The lesson for us here is that God is able to overcome the impossible, regardless of our doubt. What we
think is possible does not constrain what God is actually capable of. If God says He is going to do the
impossible, the appropriate response is to believe Him. He is able to transform impossible situations; He is
able to transform lives.
God is willing to overcome the impossible (v24-25)
1. After Zechariah returned home, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant. “The Lord has done this for me,”
Elizabeth said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people” (v25).
2. Elizabeth saw and understood that God was not only ABLE, but also WILLING to overcome the impossible.
“The Lord has done this FOR ME” she said. She understood that God is a gracious and merciful God, and
received what God had to give her; a child (John the Baptist) and a new life.
3. Sometimes it can be difficult to believe that God would do something nice FOR ME. Of course He would do
things for other people, but He wouldn’t do that for me would he? We make the mistake of believing that
we are not good enough, like “being good enough” is a qualifying standard God uses for pouring out His
blessings. If God was waiting for the perfect person to be kind to, He would have only had the one shot at
being nice – because Jesus is the only person in history who was ever “good enough”. God’s blessings are
free and gracious. We don’t have to do anything to deserve them. God is not only ABLE to transform lives;
He is absolutely WILLING to transform lives.
3 Day, C. A. (2009). Collins Thesaurus of the Bible. Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
4
Brand, C., Draper, C., England, A., Bond, S., Clendenen, E. R., Butler, T. C., & Latta, B. (2003). Holman Illustrated
Bible Dictionary (173). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
The Salvation Army: Australia Southern Territory 5
Transforming Lives Sermon Outline
Conclusion
1. The birth of John the Baptist was an important part of God’s plan to send Jesus. At the end of the Old
Testament, God had promised that “I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of
the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their
fathers” (Mal 4:5-6). Here the angel tells Zechariah that his son would “go on before the Lord, in the spirit
and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of
the righteous” (v17). The birth of John the Baptist was a necessary precursor to the coming of Christ.
2. In Revelation, Jesus says, “Behold, I am making all things new” (Revelation 21:1 NIV). This is what he came to
achieve, the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth, to make ALL THINGS NEW. In the story of Elizabeth
and Zechariah, we see two things; the unfolding of God’s promise to send his Son and the power and
willingness of God to transform lives.
3. The Salvation Army mission intention of “Transforming Lives” is one way in which Jesus came to make ALL
THINGS NEW. The good news of the birth of Jesus Christ is that in Him all things can be made new. There are
no impossible situations that God cannot overcome. God is able and He is willing to transform lives.
4. Invite people to the Mercy Seat