During the weeks of Advent, we prepare to welcome the Christ by remembering prophesies and predictions about the coming of the Messiah the first time around. There are Old Testament prophesizes that were uttered about the coming messiah hundreds of years before his birth, like the prophesy we focused on last week from the Prophet Jeremiah. This morning, we turn to a prophesy that was proclaimed only a few months before Jesus’ birth by Zachariah.
Zachariah and his wife Elizabeth are important figures in the birth narrative of Jesus. They were an older, infertile couple...somewhat reminiscent of Abraham and Sarah, another older, infertile couple in Jewish history. Zachariah and Elizabeth were very faithful to God...Zachariah served God as a priest in the Temple of Jerusalem.
Even though Elizabeth didn’t have children (yet), she was a generous and kind nurturer within her extended family. When Mary discovered she was pregnant with Jesus, she left Nazareth and went on an extended visit with Elizabeth and Zachariah. Perhaps the people of Nazareth would have been unsupportive of the young, unmarried, pregnant girl – Mary found safety and care in the loving home of Elizabeth and Zachariah.
As a Jewish priest, Zachariah had to serve in the Temple on a rotation with the other priests. About a year before Jesus was born, Zachariah was on duty in the Temple. The angel Gabriel appeared to Zachariah and told him he would soon have a son. Zachariah was to name him John and was not allowed to give him alcoholic drinks because John would be a Nazarite. Zachariah questioned Gabriel and asked him how this pregnancy could possibly happen, since he and Elizabeth were so old. Gabriel silenced Zachariah....Zachariah was not able to speak during Elizabeth’s entire pregnancy.
When baby John was born, Elizabeth and Zachariah’s relatives were prepared to name him after his father. Zachariah wrote a note – he wrote that the baby’s name was to be John. And, then, Zachariah was able to speak once again....his words are the song we now read....listen to Zachariah’s song as it is written in Luke, chapter 1, verses 68 through 79:
The Scripture Luke 1:68-79
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
69 He has raised up a horn[a] of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David
70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
71 salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us—
72 to show mercy to our ancestors
and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him without fear
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79 to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
Here ends this reading of the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Amen
Let us pray.....
The Message The Promise of Compassion
Zachariah and Elizabeth experienced a miracle, a life changing miracle. The became geriatric parents.... perhaps they became the epitome of geriatric parents. They welcomed a very special baby into their family – John would grow up to be a prophet, following in the steps of the prophets of ancient Israel, and would proclaim the way of the Lord and reveal the Messiah to the world.
Zachariah was also a prophet in his own right. Today, we focus on the prophetic words of his song. In our scriptures, specific songs and psalms are attributed to people who have experienced miracles – Mary’s song that she sung when she arrived at Zachariah and Elizabeth’s home; Miram’s song that she sung after the parting of the Red Sea; David’s psalms he composed after God delivered him safely from King Saul and battles with foreign armies; the song the angels sung to announce the birth of baby Jesus. Songs celebrate miracles and proclaim appreciation for God’s works and love.
Zachariah’s song celebrates the many ways God has blessed humanity since our creation. The blessings continue with the birth of baby John and the coming birth of the messiah. These births are the result of God keeping God’s promises, which God faithfully does. God offers us salvation through the forgiveness of our sins. And, when we follow God, God will guide our way in the path of peace.
Some churches are very cautious about singing Christmas carols during the Season of Advent. I have known pastors who insist on Advent songs during the Advent season and Christmas carols only starting on Christmas Eve. But, I personally have trouble in December – the days feel short, the sun goes down at about 4:30 pm, and the weather outside is literally frightful for people who can’t handle the cold.
Even though I am not much of a singer, singing is an activity that lifts spirits and improves our mood. And, on these cold and bleak days, when we sing Christmas carols, we are reminded of the promises Zachariah also sang about – God keeps God’s promises. God is the source of our salvation. And God’s way is the way of peace. In light of the message of Zachariah’s song, we should have no hesitation to lift our voices in praise and sing out the songs of the Christmas season, even if Christmas is still a few weeks away. These songs remind us of the steadfast love we receive from God, who keeps promises, forgives sins, offers salvation, and leads us in paths of peace.
So, even if we just need to sing by ourselves in our cars or our showers, let us lift our voices and praise our God. Amen.
