Reading: Luke chapter 1 verses 5-24 & 57-80.
Ill:
• I do not want to worry you but you have 36 shopping days to Christmas.
• Just over 5 weeks!
• Including today we have three Word & Worship services.
• Countdown to Xmas: Character’s in the Xmas story: Zacariah & Elisabeth
(a). Unbelief (verses 5-25).
Ill:
• Turn to the beginning of your New Testaments.
• Normally between the Old & New Testaments there is a blank page (look at it!)
• No I haven’t flipped. That blank page is an important reminder;
• The people had not heard a prophetic Word from God for 400 years.
• That blank page covers a 400 year old chasm.
• 400 years of heavenly dumbness, heavenly silence.
• No prophet, declaring: “Thus says the Lord”.
• No prophet, writing on a scroll; “The word of the Lord came to me saying…..”
• Just 400 years of stillness,
• A voiceless heaven.
Now that does not mean God has not been working, controlling the world he has made:
• During that 400 year silence six flags throw over the nation.
• Six occupying governments.
• God was behind the scenes orchestrating these governments;
• Preparing his world for the coming of his son.
• e.g. Alexander the Great united the world with a trade language
• ‘Koine’ Greek.
• So that when the message of Christ was to be preached and written down;
• It was in a language everyone could understand.
• e.g. God used the Romans to build roads all over Europe;
• Allowing the gospel to be able to spread across the civilised world.
Quote David O’Brien:
“The events, literature and social forces of these years
would shape the world of the New Testament”.
• History is ‘His Story’;
• And God is always (silently or visibly) working his purposes out!
During those 400 years of silence:
• A variety of influences appeared;
• That splintered Jewish society in religious fractions.
• The three primary groups were the Essenes, the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
• The Essenes are not mentioned in the New Testament (fame was preserving Dead Sea scrolls).
• The Pharisees and the Sadducees of course get lots of mentions;
• But instead of helping the people find God they merely put hindrances in their way.
• ill: Jesus would describe their leadership skills as ‘the blind leading the blind’.
• ill: And even worse he says of them; ‘Like white washed tombs’.
So the religious condition of the nation was not good:
• Yet no matter how dark the day,
• God always has His devoted and obedient people – enter Zechariah & his wife.
Incredible as it may seem:
• God choose to end the 400 years of silence;
• Not with a word to the nation.
• But by selecting an ordinary priest and his wife as choosing to speak to them!
• God chose after 400 years to publicly speak to what we might call two nobodies!
(1). A faithful priest (verse 5-7).
(1). Their names (verse 5a):
”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
• His name ‘Zechariah’ means; "Jehovah has remembered".
• He was married to Elisabeth ’("God is my oath").
The meaning of Zechariah’s name is a great expression ‘God remembered’:
• This means much more than God recalls something to his mind.
• It means much more than refreshing ones memory (not that God forgets!).
Quote: Ronald Youngblood:
“To remember someone means to express concern for someone,
to visit someone with gracious love”
• God was always conscience of Zechariah & Elizabeth.
• And when the time was right he would show that concern in visible ways.
(2). Their occupations (verse 5b):
• Aaron the Levite (the brother of Moses) was Israel’s first High Priest.
• Every descendant of Aaron the Levite was automatically a priest.
• The priesthood was something you inherited whether you wanted to or not.
• This meant that there was far too many priests than were needed.
• In Zechariah’s time the priesthood bulged with more than 20,000 members.
• These were divided into twenty-four-divisions (1 Chronicles chapter 24),
• Only at Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles did all the priests serve.
• For the rest of the year each division did two stints a year, each stint was a week long.
Note: A priest was only allowed to marry a woman of pure Jewish family background:
• It was especially meritorious, praise-worthy to marry a woman;
• Who was also a descendant of Aaron.
• Elizabeth the wife of Zechariah was a descendant of Aaron.
• And so this was very commendable.
(3). Their character (verse 6):
“Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly”.
• In spite of the godlessness all around them,
• Which was ripe especially among the religious leaders.
• Zechariah and Elisabeth were faithful to obey the Word of God and live blamelessly.
• They practiced what they preached!
Quote:
“Reputation is what people think of you,
character is what you really are”.
Quote: William Hershey Davis
• “Reputation is what you are supposed to be;
• Character is what you are.
• Reputation is what you have when you come to a new community;
• Character is what you have when you go away.
• Reputation is made in a moment;
• Character is built in a lifetime.
• Reputation grows like a mushroom;
• Character grows like an oak.
• Your reputation is learned in an hour;
• Your character is does not come to light for a year.
• A single newspaper report gives your reputation;
• A life of toil gives you your character.
• Reputation makes you rich or makes you poor;
• Character makes you happy or makes you miserable.
• Reputation is what men say about you on your tombstone;
• Character is what angels say about you before the throne of God.
• Your character is what God knows you to be.
• Your reputation is what men think you are.”
• Zechariah and Elisabeth were faithful to obey the Word of God and live blamelessly.
• They practiced what they preached! They had great character!
(4). Their sorrow (verse 7).
“But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren;
and they were both well along in years”.
• Their only sorrow was that they had no family,
• As well as being a heart-ache to them, it was also a social & spiritual stigma.
Quote: William Barclay:
• “The Jewish Rabbis said that seven types of people were ex-communicated from God;
• And the list began;
• A Jew who has no wife;
• Or a Jew who has a wife and who has no child”
• In fact childlessness was a valid ground for divorce.
• As well as being a heart-ache to them, it was also a social & spiritual stigma.
Zechariah and Elisabeth no doubt made this a matter of constant prayer:
• And God heard that prayer.
• And he would answer that prayer in his time and in a special way!
• God did not just give them a son (who would follow on as a priest),
• But God would give them a prophet!
• And no ordinary prophet;
• For their son would be the ‘for runner’ and herald of the coming King!
• Jesus would one day describe him as (Matthew chapter 11 verse 11);
• “Among those born of women there has not risen any greater than John the Baptist”
(B). A fearful priest (verses 8-17):
(1). A duty to perform (verses 8-10):
“Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.”
• The incense in the temple was offered daily;
• Before the morning sacrifice and after the evening sacrifice,
• The priests on duty drew lots to see which ministries they would perform,
• And Zechariah was chosen to offer incense in the holy place.
• This was a high honour; which some priests never receive;
• And no-one was permitted to do it more than once.
• As the sacrificed animal burned outside,
• The offering priest poured incense over a live coal on the altar of the holy place.
• As the smoke arose,
• He prayed some set prayer for the blessing, peace & messianic redemption of Israel.
(2). An unexpected visitor (verse 11):
“Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense”.
• Angels is a spiritual creatures, who acts as messengers for God.
• Luke mentions angels twenty-three times in his Gospel.
• There is little attempt to describe them in the Bible;
• Apart from the fact they have a radiance, a lustre, a brightness.
• Although there are innumerable angels (Revelation chapter 5 verse 11),
• Only two of which are actually named in the Bible:
• Michael (e.g. Daniel chapter 10 verse 13)
• And Gabriel (e.g. Luke chapter 1 verses 19 & 26).
• And if you want a useless pieces of information regarding angels:
• They all have men’s names and they never sing they only speak!
• Note: “Didn’t they sing ‘Glory to God in the highest”
• Read again! They “SAID glory to God in the highest!”
When Gabriel appeared by the altar,
• To say he was frightened by this supernatural manifestation is an understatement.
• His face paled, his knees went weak, his heart pounded! (“he was startled and was gripped with fear”).
• When anyone encounters an angel,
• You can almost guarantee the angels first words to them;
• “Don’t be afraid” or "Fear not";
• This is a repeated statement in the Gospel of Luke;
(3). A message to embrace (verse 13b):
“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.”
• Imagine how excited Zechariah must have been;
• When he heard the news that he and Elisabeth were to have a son!
• He must have pinched himself to see if this apparition was actually real.
• Then Gabriel goes on to tell Zechariah that this son will be special;
• Verse 15a: He will be “Great in the sight of the Lord”.
• This really is the only sort of greatness worth having.
• Verse 15b: He would not drink alcohol;
• This may mean he took the vow of a Nazarite (lived dedicated to God - Num. 6:1-21).
• Verse 15c: He would be filled with the Spirit before birth.
• Up to now the Holy Spirit came in short doses to ‘perform’ and then left again.
• Verse 16a: He will have an effective ministry;
• So effective that it will turn many people back to the Lord,
• Verse 16b: He would be the one who would present God’s Son to the people of Israel.
• What an incredible privilege this would be.
You can imagine how excited Zechariah must have been;
• Any God-conscience parent would be thrilled;
• If their child could fulfil even a few of these things mentioned.
• Ill: Arlo’s & Kathrine’s parent teacher nights.
• I was just as happy to hear they were kind & caring kids as well as their education standards!
(3). A faithless priest (verse 18-22).
(1). An unbelieving heart (verse 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."”
• You would think that the presence of an angel and a word from God;
• Would set Zechariah up for life. But sadly they did not;
• Instead of looking to God by faith, and trusting his promise.
• The priest looked at himself and his wife and decided that the birth of a son was impossible.
• He wanted some assurance beyond the plain word of Gabriel, God’s messenger,
• He wanted yet another sign from God.
This, of course, was unbelief, and unbelief is something God does not accept
• Doubt is when we are not sure;
• Unbelief is a refusal to believe despite the evidence! (e.g. evidence of an angel!)
• Zechariah was really questioning God’s ability to fulfil His own Word!
• He looked at his body (& his wife’s) and said ‘impossible’.
• Had he forgotten what God did again and again and again;
• For barren parents in the Old Testament.
• e.g. Abraham and Sarah? (Gen. 18:9-15; Rom. 4:18-25)
• Did he really think that his physical limitations would hinder Almighty God?
This is so ironic:
• That Zechariah a priest whose duties involved bringing people closer to God;
• Through the various offerings and prayers he performed.
• Finds it hard to believe that God might actually respond to his own prayer!
• Ill: Like a chef refusing to eat his own food or a doctor refusing to take his own medicine!
(2). A judgement pronounced (verse 20):
“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. 20And 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."”
• There is a good principle that runs through the Bible:
• ‘Faith is blessed, but unbelief is judged’;
• Zechariah wanted a sign and he got one;
• Only it was not the sign he wanted.
Note:
• The judgement for Zechariah was two-fold:
• He was temporarily struck dumb (verse 20) and possibly deaf (verse 62).
• The judgement was simple:
• Zechariah did not believe; therefore he could not speak.
• And when he left the holy place to give the priestly benediction to the people (verse 22):
• He was unable to do this or even tell them what he had seen.
• Just imagine his frustration;
• As a priest he had been God’s spokesman all his entire life.
• Now he had an exclusive on the most incredible news to hit Israel for 400 years;
• And he couldn’t say a word about it!
• Don’t forget that Zechariah would remain in this condition for the next nine months.
• Until just after his son was born.
(3). A message shared (verse 23-25).
“When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24After 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 favour and taken away my disgrace among the people."”
• Zechariah must have bad a difficult time completing his week of’ ministry,
• Not only because of his handicap, but more because of his excitement.
• He could hardly wait to return "to the hill country" where he lived(verse 39),
• And to somehow tell his wife the good news Gabriel gave to him.
• Shortly after returning home;
• God kept His. promise and Elisabeth conceived a son in her old age.
• Zechariah had learnt the hard way that;
• "There is nothing too hard for the Lord"
ill:
• A bishop of a century ago;
• Pronounced from his pulpit and in the periodical he edited;
• That heavier-than-air flight was both impossible and contrary to the will of God.
• Oh, the irony that Bishop Wright had two sons,
• Orville and Wilbur!
• A classic case of ‘Wright’ being wrong.
(D). A changed Priest (verses 57-80).
(1). A promise fulfilled (verse 57).
“When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.”
There are four words that every Christian should never forget:
• ’God keeps his word’.
• He will not tell us one thing and do another!
• He will never use the expression that we often use;
• "Oh well, promises are meant to be broken".
• God traffics in truth!
• God keeps his word, always!!!
For Zechariah and Elisabeth:
• God granted them a baby boy. As expected he kept his side of the bargain!
• In that part of the world, the birth of a boy was an occasion of great joy.
• When the time of the birth was near;
• Friends and local musicians gathered near the house.
• When the birth was announced and it was a boy,
• The musicians broke into music and song – it was party time!
• That is why there is a crowd mentioned in verse 58:
• Note: Zechariah and Elisabeth were quick to give all the glory to the Lord:
“Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy,
and they shared her joy.”
(2). An instruction obeyed (verse 59-63):
• God had kept his side of the bargain;
• And they kept theirs.
“On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."
61They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name."
62Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, "His name is John."
In a Jewish family in New Testament times;
• Boys were named on the eighth day at his circumcision;
• Girls could be named anytime within thirty days of their birth.
• It was traditional to name the newborn baby boy;
• After his father or someone else in the family;
• So Zechariah and Elisabeth’s relatives and neighbours were shocked;
• When they break with tradition and insisted on the name John.
• So strong was the tradition and the disbelief of family and friends;
• Zechariah actually had to write it down on a slate!
• John is a shorter form of the name ‘Jehohanan’ which means ‘Jehovah’s gift’.
• It was a good description of the parents gratitude for an unexpected bundle of joy.
(3). A tongue loosened (verse 64):
“Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God.”
• The moment Zechariah wrote "His name is John" on a tablet,
• God imediate1y opened the old priest’s mouth,
• And he sang a song, words that are sometimes called the ‘Benedictus’.
• The Latin of the opening phrase.
The song would have confused the family & friends of Zechariah & Elisabeth:
• Because although Zechariah must have been the proudest father in Israel;
• The song is not about his son but someone else. The song is not about John but Jesus.
Notice even though Zechariah was the centre of attention:
• He was a new father of a miracle child.
• This was also his first words for nine months.
• In the song Zechariah is not taken up with himself;
• But with the Lord (verse 68-73)
• And he praises the Lord because he has at last fulfilled his promise;
• And the Messiah has come.
Zechariah uses some vivid phrases to describe the coming child:
VERSE 69: ‘A HORN OF SALVATION’.
• A horn is a symbol of strength. A symbol of destructive strength.
• It is the image of a ram, a wild ox, or a bull.
• And this coming one would strong;
• He will destroy and save his people from their enemies.
• With hindsight we know those enemies to be; ‘Sin’, ‘the devil’ and ‘death’
• Through the weakness of the cross our enemies were defeated!
VERSE 76: ‘A PROPHET OF THE MOST HIGH’;
• This child would be God’s mouthpiece.
• A messenger from the most high God.
• People recognised both the message and the messenger;
• “He taught as one who had authority…” “He had the words of eternal life…”
VERSE 78: ‘THE RISING SUN….FROM HEAVEN’.
• Zechariah may well be echoing the words of Malachi (chapter 4 verse 2);
• “The sun of righteousness with healing in his wings”.
• As the sun gives light to the earth,
• So Jesus gives light & health to the soul.
And finally:
• So Zechariah in his song is not taken up with himself or even his new born son.
• But with the Lord (verse 68-73)
• And he praises the Lord because he has at last fulfilled his promise;
• And the Messiah has come.
This morning may we too be focussed on ‘THE SON’:
• Verse 69: ‘A horn of salvation’.
• Verse 76: ‘A prophet of the Most High’;
• Verse 78: ‘The rising sun….from heaven’.
• We know him as Jesus, saviour, rescuer!
• “The one who loved us and gave himself for us!”
