When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.
(Luke 1:5-7)
When the world was upside down
an Arab wore the Jewish crown.
Herod the Great was not a Jew
but from Edom, he and his crew.
A murderous villian, his reign
was one of treachory and disdain
for anything but raw power and the almighty shekel.
Fifteen or twenty thousand priests
worked at the Temple this Herod built
as much a monument to himself
as to any Biblical legacy.
Priests were divided into 24 orders,
each served two weeks a year
with great reverence and fear.
When not on duty they had to work
at a trade to earn their bread and way
but this was Zecharaiah's special day.
Priests were only allowed to marry
pure-blooded Jews from Aaron's line,
no denying they were perfectly complying
with the Biblical design.
Yet they had no children, this couple,
for Elizabeth was barren, infertile,
which made her the object of ridicule
among the other priestly wives;
for barrenness was the sign of curse,
some sin still obviously lurked
in their background else
why would Yahweh punish them?
When the world was upside down
God perpetually wore a frown,
displeased with those in poverty
and righteousness was about success,
or so said the religious police.
But Zech and Lizzy would soon discover
that God was not their Cursor, but Lover
and bring good news -- God's final prophet
would be their son, Messiah's time had come.
When the world was upside down,
not a single prophet had come to town.
in more than four hundred years of longing.
Had God abandoned his sacred throng,
his own people, his holy nation,
back from Babylonian slavery, chastened
for a time, but now returned
to faithlessness and unconcerned
about Messiahs and other folklore.
The Romans all but closed the door
on hope and joy and David's crown
when the world was upside down.
Help us, Lord, in this Advent season
when days are short and so is reason
that we not despair for Your reviving
of your people and our Gatherings.
When our worlds are topsy-turvey
calm our souls with Your great mercy.
Let us know that you are near
though we see no evidence clear,
when the heavens turn to stone
and prayers seem unanswered and we're alone,
yet we trust that one day soon
we shall see the blood-red moon (Acts 2:20)
and hear the shouts of angelic hosts
announcing Christ's return and Earth's final Easter.
Lord, our world seems upside down
politicians are such clowns
hope is as sparse as wisdom
what can we do, we feel like victims.
Help us trust in You to bring
the great age for which we sing
our carols and our anthems blend
of peace on earth, goodwill to men,
and put the world upright again.
Amen
One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying. While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. (Luke 1:8-13)
Providential God:
Shift Abijah reports for duty,
they can see the Temple's beauty
gleaming in the morning sun,
the first day of their shift begun.
800 men relieve last weeks' crew,
glad their work was through.
Down Zion they went, yelling "Hallelujah."
Hundreds of duties were required it seems
for Zechariah and his team
to maintain the Temple and provide
for its daily worship and supply.
Duties were assigned by drawing lots.
Some got to pray, others cleaned pots,
while still others butchered animals all day long
and worst of all, some carted off dung.
Temple worship was such a mess.
How could anything so bloody bless?
The greatest honor chance could bestow
was for the priest who got to go
into the the Holy Place to bring
the daily offerings:
fresh show bread, there could be no mold,
oil, to keep the menorah burning
and incense for the prayers of yearning.
Only once in a lifetime could someone serve
so Zechariah was filled with verve.
But men had been known to falter
while tending to this hidden altar
and even die while on this job. (Leviticus 10)
Zechariahs' heart surely throbbed
both with fear and awe-filled reverence
that fate chose him, a righteous preference.
But this lot wasn't chance at all,
it fell on one You planned to call
through Gabriel for special grace
standing in the Holy Place.
What does this mean to our view
of probability and chance? This is news!
The lots are loaded toward providence;
nothing happens by blind chance
to those God has chosen for his own.
Luck is so over-blown. No wonder gamblers lose.
A million typing monkeys given eternity
could never produce a sentence you could read,
apart from God's willing, even with spell checker.
We aren't random stardust but special to Your plan
for creation and the destiny of Man.
Help us see You, Lord, not only in second chances
but in those one-in-a-million circumstances
that are not at all circumstantial
but filled with glory more substantial,
as You move, or when You call.
You are Sovereign over all,
cause and effect and chance alike
obey Your providence, prove Your right
to control our destiny and worth
to bring Your Kingdom soon to earth.
If my genetics mean my body is decaying
it's Your perfect will it is obeying.
I will not fear what doctors tell me
for no calamity can befell me
that You are not completely in control
of my body, mind, and soul.
You are my perfect Healer,
Friend, and Lord and life's Redeemer.
Help us our daily duties do
for we know not when we may encounter You
or some angel in the course of living.
Your Spirit is loose in the world, giving
knowledge of your Son no Temple can contain.
Thank you that you hear our prayers
and answer every one;
so save us from the myths of chance
and let Thy will be done.
Amen.
While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”
(Luke 1:11-17)
Heavenly Father:
When Zechariah entered Your Holy Place
on his once appointed day
and there saw Gabriel face to face
he was speechless, didn't know what to say.
It had been half a millenium since Israel knew
any angelic visitation;
four hundred years since a prophet spoke
"Thus saith the Lord" without hesitation.
Like us, they were tempted
to think that You had gone away,
tempted, too, to disbelieve
You were counting down the days.
Then Heaven's silence was shattered
and Gabriel himself appears
in the smoking inscence sweet
and Zechariah shakes with awful fear.
Whatever righteousness Zech might have claimed
evaporated at the sight
of this visitor from God's own throne,
robed in radiance, crowned with light.
Had Zechariah's eyes had time to adjust
from the dust and bright desert sun
to the darkness of the inner chamber
and the silence, like a tomb,
except for soft sputtering flame
from the menorah in the room.
What petition did Zechariah make?
Did he pray selfishly for a child
or had he given up that dream?
Surely a ritual prayer had been prescribed
for priests on such holy duty,
for those rendered speechless by the sight.
Psalm one hundred forty two, verse two:
"Let my prayer be as incense to You,
and the lifting of my hands
as the evening sacrifice."
But this was more than ritual
for this childless priest and wife.
Zechariah had prepared
for this moment his whole life.
What would he say, what could he do
to let God know how much he cared,
But You, Lord, took the initiative,
sovereign grace and mercy shared.
Gabriel says, "You're prayer's been heard."
Remember, not his selfish petition
for an heir, but for God to vindicate
Israel in in all its affliction.
Gabriel announces Elizabeth
will bear a son and God has named him John;
the name itself a sign
that God is gracious in this one.
He will be Spirit-led in the womb;
he will jump in Christ's unborn presence, (Luke 1:44)
giving a prophetic sign
to those two Nazarethan peasants.
Greater than any Herod, he
will spark a great revival.
John will be the final prophet,
Elijah come announcing Messiah's arrival.
His message will be so earth shaking
Some might think him mad, untamed.
He cannot drink wine or alcohol,
Nothing but God's Spirit can be blamed
for his exuberence and gall.
Turning father's hearts to their children
John will fulfill the very last prophecy
of Malachi, the Old Testament ending,
hearlding the Kingdom's amnesty for sinners who repent.
Just as You promised joy and gladness
at the coming of Messiah's prophet,
in this Advent preparation
grant us joy, let nothing stop it.
May we hear the good news of Christ
come to earth, our sacrifice
for sin and deliverance from death,
grace us like Zechariah and Elizabeth.
Amen.
Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be
fulfilled at the proper time.” Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long. When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary. (Luke 1:18-22)
Heavenly Father:
Thank you that You know our human condition,
that we are frail, that we are dust,
that we do not seek You or do what is just,
yet you hear and forgive our humble petitions.
So it should come as no surprise Zechariah
responds with doubt to what God had sworn,
to Gabriel's news of a son to be born
who will be the very first to identify Messiah.
But why is the priest struck deaf and dumb
when Mary asks the identical question
and she's not punished for a transgression?
Why is doubt ok for one and wrong for some?
There are different kinds of doubt it seems,
from lack of knowledge to skeptical incredulity.
God sees the heart presumably
and makes allowance as grace might deem.
Zech's response more than mere amazement contains,
Such as "Since we're old, how can this be?"
But he says to Gabriel, "Look, don't you see
I am an old man with aches and pains."
And Gabriel shoots back, "Look, don't you see
that I'm an angel standing here!
It's not every day angels appear,
This Word is straight from God through me."
Suddenly Zechariah's tongue lost precision.
As he stumbles back outside,
making gestures, eyes open wide,
some deride, but others know he's seen a vision.
Those outside the Temple had been praying,
worried something had gone wrong,
burning incense shouldn't take this long.
What could have happened? Why is he delaying?
Then Zechariah stumbles out, blinded by the sun,
making gestures frantically,
pointing inside anxiously.
The New Testament has begun.
So, back to his Temple routines he goes,
butchering animals all day long,
hopeful, joyous but he makes no song.
God's got his tongue and Zech's on his toes.
So may the doubts that in us surface
prod us to deeper faith in your holy Word,
and by Your Spirit stirred
may we follow where you spur us.
Zech should have known what You could do;
You did it before in another era,
with Father Abraham and barren Sara.
Your Word is faithful and ever true.
So, doubt's answer is to rely
upon God's faithful promise,
not become a doubting Thomas.
But to our doubts, your Word apply.
As it worked out with Zechariah
his silence was more eloquent
than any words he might have said
to prepare the way for God's Messiah.
You speak and worlds fly from your hand,
every promise you have said,
every prophecy we have read
will happen at the proper time in Your plan.
In this Advent our hearts prepare
to come before the Son of God,
now King with praise and laud,
and overcome doubt and despair.
Amen.
When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.” When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son. And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her. When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!” “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him. He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.” Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God. Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.
(Luke 1:23-25, 57-66)
Gracious God:
This story zooms past so fast
we easily miss the wonder.
Your plan from time's creation
is set in motion at last,
a Gospel so vast
the cosmos cannot contain
the glory of Your love
that overflows in angel chorus.
Elizabeth stays in seclusion
until her belly starts to grow.
Why doesn't she announce to everyone
she's going to be a mother, have a son?
Isn't Elizabeth a lot like us,
uncomfortable with sharing
what we believe, faith conceived
from heaven's bounteous wonder?
But after five months pass
her robes show the undeniable protrusion,
now confirm the conclusion
that the angel's news is true,
the stigma of barrenness removed,
no more disgrace from nosy neighbors.
She delivers her first born son.
She may be seventy or eighty years of age!
Every Omar and Jedidiah
wink and nudge Zechariah.
"Children he can produce with ease,"
they chide, "but not a sound proceeds
from his throat or tongue."
Pay attention here -- it's eight hundred years
since Israel's seen any documented miracle.
God is certainly in arrears,
and many were the fears
that God wasn't even real,
or perhaps had made another people
the object of his favor.
On the eighth day after little John's birth
the Law required circumscision.
A day of celebration and mirth,
the relatives gather, give gifts of great worth.
Then comes the time for giving a name
and everyone expects to hear
"Zechariah Jr." loud and clear,
but Lizzy says no, his name is John.
Family members, confused, decree
"We can't remember a single John
anywhere on our family tree."
Then in a move without precendent
John grabs the tablet and scrawls
"His name is John" and instantly
his tongue is freed and praise erupts like Pentecostal fire.
Sometimes our tongues get tied
though we can speak perfectly.
But our witness seems to die
in our throats. We don't or won't
tell others of our Savior's love,
even if they ask, we stumble over words
that should pour out in gratitude.
Has our ritual worship taught us
that we must perform in a certain manner,
say magic words or read from a book
our evangelism to perform?
Is it fear we will mess up the norm?
Here's the truth -- Jesus is already Savior and Lord,
my words don't accomplish his grace,
his presence has already been out-poured
on those who cross my path.
It's not up to me to prove Christ's worth.
I don't need to be an expert,
but all authority in heaven and earth
belongs to Jesus Christ alone. (Matthew 28:18)
The Great Commission does not mean
I have to sell to others what I've bought.
Evangelism is not a pyramid scheme.
The mandate for giving witness
is not to benefit the other guy
but for me, to open myself to the divine
appointment that has already claimed the world.
This Advent open our lips and hearts,
let us say with political incorrectness
Merry Christmas, not some inane
Happy Holidays as if all relligions
and philosophies are equal and the same.
Help us name the precious name
above every other name on earth,
the name of Jesus and his claim
on everyone, not just those who call him Lord,
or who need their hope restored,
but to all the tongue-tied to our pride.
Let our words be of Your grace,
Your mercy and Your abiding love,
to share Good news in every place.
Help us not to fear or cower
when the skeptic invokes the power
of man-made philosophy or science;
we need not feel shame to keep our silence
like some frightened Zechariah.
Loose our tongues to tell the news
This world does not belong to Gaia.
Christ isn't waiting for you to choose;
Jesus is already King and Judge,
and faith is not a crutch
but the gift of Christmas come.
Amen.
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