Christmas Characters: Zechariah
Luke 1:5-80
November 29, 2020
I want you to think about all of the words you have spoken in your lifetime! Most likely, it’s a lot of words and the majority of us can’t remember what we’ve even said. Out of all the words you’ve said since you first began speaking, up until right now, think about all of those amazing words of encouragement, words of wisdom and truth you’ve spoken to help others.
On the other hand, have you ever uttered a word or two that you regret? If we were to be really honest, we’ve all said a word or two that is helpful and encouraging and we’ve said some really not so good words as well.
Consider what James, the brother of Jesus said. This is from James 2 and I’m using The Message translation --
"We get it wrong nearly every time we open our mouths. If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you'd have a perfect person, in perfect control of life.
A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything — or destroy it! It only takes a spark to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke.
This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can't tame a tongue — it's never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women He made in His image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth! My friends, this can't go on."
Well, with the advent of technology, we don’t always speak those words, we tend to write them on our social media posts. Technology hasn’t helped us.
During the Advent season, we’re going to look at some of the people who were involved in that first Christmas. Today, we’re going to look at Zechariah. He was literally speechless after hearing some great news! Has that happened to you? You wanted to share great news, but were speechless. Let’s look at Luke 1, in which we learn about Zechariah and what happens. Listen to what Luke tells us --
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.
7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
So, we know that Zechariah was a priest in the division of Abijah. Without getting into all of the details, in 1 Chronicles 24, David organized the priests according to their duties in the temple, according to the procedure established by Aaron as the Lord commanded. Elizabeth was also in the line of Aaron. Both were righteous and walked blamelessly. That would be great to have that said about us. But they did not have any children because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
Let’s continue with the story --
8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,
9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
Whenever anyone saw an angel, we always read the angel telling the person, “don’t be afraid!” I mean, seriously, if we saw an angel, we would freak out! I think I’d be more than afraid!
This is one of the really great parts of this story. Zechariah is going about his business of being a priest. He’s focused on the task at hand, and God sends the angel, Gabriel to him, telling him, you and your wife are older, but, “good news! You’re going to have a baby boy!”
What strikes me is the angel telling Zechariah, your prayer has been heard. I’m sure there was a time long ago, that Zechariah and Elizabeth prayed for a child. We often do the same for whatever our needs are as well. We pray, and we pray and we pray! Then after time, we often stop, we believe that God has said, ‘you’re not getting what you wanted.’
We sometimes will say, well, God didn’t hear my prayers. But here is an instance where Zechariah and Elizabeth both may have felt that way. God didn’t hear! Or God’s silence was a resounding NO! BUT!! It wasn’t the right time for Elizabeth to become pregnant. If John came 20 years earlier, he wouldn’t have been the one paving the way for Jesus.
God heard the prayers and NOW, now was the time for the fulfillment of that prayer. Zechariah, I know you’re an old guy, and you think you’ve lived a good life serving the Lord, but it’s gonna change big time.
When God says it’s time and includes people in His plan, age isn’t an issue. God isn’t worried about age. If God calls you to do something, He will see you through it, no matter what age you are.
We need to keep an open heart, spirit and mind when it comes to God leading us. Don’t ever disqualify yourself from serving Him for any reason. I never would have thought I would be standing before people talking on a regular basis. You didn’t know what I sounded like in high school and college speech classes. Even when I first started seminary - - I didn’t want to talk in front of anyone.
When God calls you, be ready. And I really believe we need to keep an open mind for younger people as well. It’s not just for the older more mature Christians, the younger folks have callings as well, and we need to be open and respectful to all who are called by God.
So, Zechariah is told he’s going to be a dad. The story continues ---
14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,
15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.
16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,
17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
The angel, Gabriel is telling Zechariah the plan, but Zechariah doesn’t get it. On the surface it doesn’t sound so bad. It’s a natural reaction from Zechariah. “Hey, I’m an old guy and my wife is too old to have children. How will I know this is going to really happen?”
But Zechariah is really doubting what the angel is telling him. He’s questioning and let me give you a little advice, if you meet up with an angel of the Lord’s don’t question him. It never turns out good when you do.
So, the angel answered ---
19 “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”
21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple.
22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute.
23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying,
25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
We’ve also learned that John the Baptist will be great before the Lord, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb, which shows God’s power.
I often wonder how I would responded. I don’t think I would have jumped for joy if the angel told me I was having another child. I’d be shocked more than happy! I might have been tempted to run the other way or ask the angel for another sign to show me that this was real. Maybe, Lord, can you find the Bears a good quarterback for a change! Then, maybe I’d believe.
You know, we wait and we wait and we wait for God to give us a sign about something, yet, every time I open His Word, every time I call out His name in prayer, I am drawing nearer and nearer to His throne of grace.
You know I do these daily online devotions that have gone on since March. I was doing my favorite scriptures and it’s evolved into more and more and more scriptures, because there are so many favorites. With every video devotional I do, I learn more and more about God. Because I actually study more about what those passages represent and mean.
Here’s a shameless plug, you can watch the videos on the church FB page Monday - Friday!
So, as the angel, Gabriel communicated with Zechariah in person, know that God communicates with us in many was as well, usually through prayer and Bible reading. But it can also be through a song or a book or a comment from a friend. We need to keep ourselves open as well.
Because Zechariah questioned Gabriel, he’s told he will not speak again until the baby is born. Nine long months.
When he comes out of the temple, the people are wondering what’s going on, because even in that day, they had it timed as to how long they should be in the temple. And Zechariah is unable to speak. He goes home and Elizabeth becomes pregnant.
I think we can all relate to Zechariah’s action as God revealed His plan. Maybe you’re there right now, and you’re wondering about that plan God has for your life. Lord, is this really what you want for me? Maybe the best part of God’s calling is to embrace it, to be obedient to God’s calling and trust His plan over yours.
Finally - it’s time for the baby, and let’s see what Luke tells us later in Luke 1 —
57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.
58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father,
60 but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.”
61 And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.”
62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called.
63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered.
64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.
65 And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea,
66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.
According to Jewish law, on the 8th day after a boy is born, you bring him into the temple to be circumcised and to give him a name. It’s a commandment and it’s a celebration for the family! (Leviticus 12:3)
Everyone expected this boy to be named Zechariah. However, God instructed them to name him, John. The people were confused as to why he was named John. Since Zechariah couldn’t speak and maybe couldn’t hear, because they were motioning him - - - -
Zechariah responded, with what would be the first text message, by writing, “His name is John” At this moment, after nine months of silence, Zechariah was able to speak as he opened his mouth. His first order of business was not to question God, but to bless God.
The forerunner of the Messiah has been born and his task is set before him. As John grows and develops his life is prepared for a very important task, to prepare the way for the Messiah.
You may find yourself connecting to a character while being challenged. Zechariah was praying that God would give him and his wife a child. As Zechariah performed his duty as priest, God interrupted his task with a divine announcement. You may be praying for God’s leading in your life and God is calling you to change jobs, not marry a person, or go into ministry. Maybe you are thinking as Zechariah did, how can this be? God knows about your life, what are you putting in that space that is causing you to miss out on God’s plan?
As we seek and pray for God’s will and plan in our lives, and we step out to obey regardless of what we think is a deficiency we begin to see the amazing work of God in our lives which causes us to magnify and glorify him, which is the ultimate purpose of his calling in our lives. May we look beyond our issues and trust God for his work to be done through our lives for his glory.
