December 22, 2019 | Text: Luke 1:5-13, 18-25, 57-80
Debbie Jorgens
Brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace to you and peace, from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus, who is the Christ. Amen.
It seems that God is always using unlikely candidates to accomplish God’s mission in the world – and usually in ways we least expect! It wasn’t that long ago that we heard the story of God’s promise to Abraham that he and Sarah would have a son and descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven.
You might remember that they were more than just a little skeptical at the news. After all, they had been childless for years, and finally, in an act of desperation, Sarah had given her maid-servant, Hagar, to Abraham so that she could bear a child for him. And now, when Sarah is 90 and Abraham nearly 100 they are going to have a child of their own? I’d be more than a little skeptical, too! But God is faithful, and in time Sarah conceives and gives birth to a son, Isaac.
In our text today, we hear of another unlikely couple who God chooses to be part of God’s divine plan. This time it’s an old priest named Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth – devout Jews who Luke says are both “righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord.” Despite their great longing and prayers for a child they, like their ancestors Abraham and Sarah, have remained childless after decades of marriage.
But God has a surprise in store for them, too…a promise that is revealed to Zechariah while he’s on duty at the temple. His group of priests had cast lots to determine which of them would enter the innermost part of the temple, where God was believed to dwell. This might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a priest.
So Zechariah enters into this quiet, holy space and is making an incense offering to God when suddenly, out of nowhere, an angel stands right in front of him. No wonder Zechariah is terrified! But Gabriel says:
“Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord….”
“Even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before the Lord, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
Zechariah asks: “How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.” Seems like a reasonable response to me! But based on that one question, Gabriel renders Zechariah mute for the next nine months!
Never mind that when God told Abraham that he and Sarah would have a child, the Scriptures tell us that Abraham “fell on his face and laughed!” And Abraham didn’t get his speaking privileges revoked! It seems Gabriel may have over-reacted a bit!
Nevertheless, as Zechariah learns, God is faithful to God’s promise.In due time and againstall odds, Elizabeth conceives and bears a healthy baby boy. Eight days later, according to custom, relatives and neighbors gather around Zechariah and Elizabeth for their son’s circumcision and naming.
Audrey West, a professor of New Testament, writes:
On this day, when John is barely a week old, his father is filled with the hope that accompanies new life. It is the hope of salvation for ALL people: Jews and Gentiles, insiders and outsiders, rich and poor, blind and lame, tax collectors and sinners, women and men, old and young, fishermen and farmers, Samaritans and soldiers, lepers and lawyers, and countless others….As Zechariah waits – as we all wait for the unfolding of God’s purposes in John – we look ahead to the one who will come after him, the one in whom all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
But for now, it’s time to name the child born to Elizabeth and Zechariah. The crowd fully expects him to be named after his father. And when Elizabeth tells them he is to be called “John,” they protest! What do you mean, “John?” Nobody in your family is named “John!” Why would you name him “John?”
(I’m reminded why so many expectant couples, if they’ve decided on a name for their baby, keep it a secret!)
When they’re not satisfied with Elizabeth’s answer, the crowd’s attention shifts to Zechariah. Surely he doesn’t agree with Elizabeth! But to their amazement, when he holds up the tablet on which he has written, it says: “His name is John.”
And immediately, Luke says, “…[Zechariah’s] mouth was open and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God.” And the word spread throughout the neighborhood and the village and the entire hill country of Judea…
Something new and surprising is happening! “What is going to become of this child,” the people wonder.
After nine months of silence, the first word out of Zechariah’s mouth is a song of praise – traditionally known as the Benedictus – one of the most beautiful proclamations in all of the Scriptures: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.”
Zechariah recognizes that in the birth of his son John, God is fulfilling the promises made long ago to their ancestors. God is raising up a savior for God’s people, and Zechariah’s son, John, will go before this savior to prepare his ways, “to give knowledge of salvation to God’s people by the forgiveness of their sins.”
Professor Elisabeth Johnson writes:
The entire story of God’s covenant relationship with Israel, beginning with the promise to Abraham and Sarah, is coming to fulfillment in this story Luke tells—this story that begins, once again, with a promise and a birth against all odds. Fulfillment has been a long time coming. Israel has been through wars, captivity, exile, and domination by foreign rulers, and in Luke’s time has been crushed by the Romans. But remembering how God has proven faithful in the past—even when all hope seemed lost—builds confidence that God can be trusted in the present and the future. Even while Herod and Caesar rule with an iron fist, God’s reign of justice and mercy is breaking into this world in the unlikely births of two infants in obscure Judean villages—John the Baptist, and Jesus.
“By the tender mercy of our God,” Zechariah proclaims, “the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
When I was growing up and even in my early adult years, the color used for Advent was purple, the color of royalty, to remind us of the King who was coming into the world. But a number of years ago, many liturgical churches began using blue as the color for Advent to distinguish it from the season of Lent (which also uses purple) and to emphasize the HOPE of Advent rather than the penitence of Lent.
This deep blue is the color of the sky just before dawn. It’s called “the blue hour” but in reality, it only lasts 20-30 minutes. According to wikipedia, it happens “…when the sun is at a significant depth below the horizon and residual, indirect sunlight takes on a predominantly blue shade.”
In all honesty, I didn’t understand any more of the article than that because scientific jargon is not my strong suit. I only know that the beautiful dark blue sky of early morning is a sign that the light is beginning to break through the darkness.
As many of you are no doubt aware, yesterday – December 21st – was the Winter Solstice for all of us living in the northern hemisphere. And I can’t help but wonder if it’s more than sheer coincidence that today, as daylight begins to lengthen, we’ve been given this marvelous text:
“By the tender mercy of God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Our circumstances are obviously very different than those of the audience that Luke was writing for. We don’t know the constant fear and humiliation of living under occupation. Our sacred place of worship has not been destroyed. Daily existence is not a life-and death struggle for most of us.
And yet, if we’re at all attuned to what is going on in this country and around the world, we see the heartbreaking images and hear the gut-wrenching stories of those who live in places of deep darkness.
The truth is, of course, that none of us can escape the darkness altogether. Some of you may be in the midst of it even as I speak. You may be…
- grieving the death of a beloved spouse, family member or friend
- waiting for the results of a biopsy or fighting for your very life
- struggling with an addiction that won’t release its grip on you
- suffering from the pain of a broken relationship
- weighed down by constant worry as you try to make ends meet from one month to the next
Darkness is part of the human experience. But the good news is that God does not abandon us to the darkness! In his boundless love and by his tender mercy, God breaks into the darkness of our world and the brokenness of our lives to bring light and healing and hope in the person of Jesus Christ, our Savior and our Redeemer.
And so, dear friends, Zechariah’s song is our song, too! Because God has been – and will always be – faithful to God’s people! Let us hold fast to this promise and, like Zechariah, let us sing for joy!
Thanks be to God!
Amen.
