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In 1991, Bonnie Rait released a song entitled “Somethin’ to Talk About.” It became her highest ranking song on the billboard lists - topping out at #5. This song also became instrumental in helping her win a grammy.
The song addresses rumors that had been going around about two people being secret lovers. It then makes the argument that the two should go ahead and give them something to talk about - “love.”
The song is a cute play on relational dynamics and may not be the best dating advice. But this song came to my mind this week as I was studying the passage we’re looking at today - especially this verse:
Luke 1:65 ESV
And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea,
There was something worth talking about and it had captured people’s attention.
Open your bibles to Luke 1:57.
Two weeks ago we learned about the news that Zechariah and Elizabeth would have a son and that Elizabeth was finally able to conceive in her old age. Last week, we got to hear about how Mary received similar news, but that this was not going to be her fiancee’s son, it would be the Son of God. So Mary and Elizabeth spent several months together.
Which brings us to the passage we’re considering today. As if the pregnancies of an elderly woman and an unwed teenager weren’t enough to talk about, the birth of John sparks speech in ways that should encourage us to verbalize things about our faith as well.
First of all, we get to see that we can speak of…
Joy for God’s mercy (57-58)
Luke 1:57–58 ESV
Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.
And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
These neighbors and relatives recognized God’s mercy in Elizabeth’s life - allowing her to finally have a child after decades of dashed dreams. It was truly of God and so they rejoiced with her.
There are a variety of circumstances that God places in our lives, circumstances that give us cause for joy and a reason to celebrate. We could include in this things like marriages and births, promotions at work, success at school, answered prayer, victory over temptation, and so much more. One of the great joys we have as a church is that we get to be a community of faith that does life together - we get to communicate with one another about God’s mercies in our lives.
Not only did they talk about God’s mercy, but …
An unlikely name (59-63)
… also sparked some conversations.
Luke 1:59–63 ESV
And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered.
There is something significant that goes into a name. I mentioned in the midweek email about how we came up with the names for our kids. We wanted the names to have good meanings. We wanted to be able to honor family members, so all of our kids have grandparent’s names for their middle names. We also ended up with names that end in a “y” sound. On top of all of that, we wanted to like the names. But one thing we didn’t do was talk about names very much with others before our kids were born. We found that some people have a way of casting judgment on a name before the child is born.
And yet, in Zechariah and Elizabeth’s culture, typically the naming of a child would happen when he or she was presented in the temple or tabernacle. As we can see from these verses, it was expected that they would choose a family name. These friend and neighbors didn’t seem to care for the name that had been chosen for this boy.
I can just imagine a small group of people accompanying Elizabeth and Zechariah in the temple, sharing their joy and delighting in this great event! When the priest would turn to the parents to ask for the name, all of these others would respond, “of course, his name is Zechariah.” What better way to mark this momentous occasion than to name the child for his elderly father!
And yet that was not God’s plan. God had decreed that his name would be John.
John’s name means “Yahweh is gracious” or “Jehovah has graced” which is appropriate given the role he will play in God’s plan. He is given the assignment to prepare the way for the Messiah - the embodiment of God’s grace. To let people know that the kingdom of God was at hand.
The crowd protested when Elizabeth provided the name, so they turned to Zechariah who had been mute for nearly 10 months. Some have speculated that he may have been deaf as well since people made signs toward him. No matter the case, his hands could communicate what needed to be said so he wrote out “His name is John.”
This was the name that the Angel Gabriel had given Zechariah at the initial announcement (1:13). Remember, at that time, Zechariah seemed to doubt that this could happen, and so his silence resulted. But here, upon this act of obedience, naming his first born (and likely only son) John, became a talking point in another way because his tongue was loosed and he began to speak.
Which brings the third thing worth talking about in this passage,
Wonderful events (64-66)
Luke 1:64–66 ESV
And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, 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.
There were so many wonderful, miraculous, even startling events surrounding the birth of John that prompted people to pay attention. Initially Zechariah was struck speechless, then Elizabeth conceives a child in her old age. Now, upon the birth of this child and declaring his name, Zechariah is able to speak again! This was certainly something to talk about. And so throughout the region people began to wonder, “what then will this child be?”. They could tell that the hand of God was on this child in some way.
Now, in the coming weeks, we’ll learn more about John’s life and ministry, but there may have been some other parts of John’s life that became the topic of conversation - his preferred clothing of camel hair, his diet of locusts (Mt. 3:4), eccentric sermons, and convicting rhetoric.
Verse 80 summarizes much of his childhood by stating:
Luke 1:80 ESV
And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
Luke here summarizes roughly 30 years of John’s life in one sentence. It’s unclear where this wilderness is. Some have suggested the desert-like region west of the Dead Sea. In many ways, this is not too far from his home - in the Judean hill country (1:39). John’s childhood became the preparation for his brief but profound ministry.
So, there has been a lot to talk about in the birth of John the baptist - Elizabeth’s joy, the unlikely but appropriate name, wonderful events surrounding his birth. Finally, the man who has been silent for the better part of a year speaks up and talks about…
God’s salvation (67-80)
In verse 64, Luke notes that Zechariah began to bless God. Here in verse 67 he states:
Luke 1:67 ESV
And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
Zechariah’s Spirit-inspired song speaks about God’s salvation in several ways. The following outline of Zechariah’s Psalm is adapted from Thabiti Anyabwile’s commentary on Luke. Zechariah begins his prophecy by looking back at…
The promised salvation (68-73)
Luke 1:68–73 ESV
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
Time and time again God promised to keep his covenant. First to Abraham, to bless his offspring and to bless all nations through him (Gen. 22:16-18, 26:3). While John is only the forerunner of the anointed one, the Promised Salvation will be realized in Jesus Christ, who will draw people to himself from every tribe, nation and language.
God also promised that this redemption would come from the royal line of David - a horn of salvation.
Realization of God’s promises were on the horizon.
Next, Zechariah prophesies about…
The purpose of salvation (72-75)
Luke 1:72–75 ESV
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
So the purpose of this salvation would be a fulfillment of the things promised, but would also have a present realization - deliverance and service.
For years, the people of Israel had been in exile or lived as subjects under foreign rulers. They were looking for these promises to have political and nationalistic implications.
Now, looking back, we can see that Jesus’ salvation was not a nationalistic or political or military salvation, but rather a spiritual salvation - a salvation from our true enemies - sin and Satan. Now, some may look at that and see it as a bait and switch - God promising one thing but delivering another. However, when salvation delivers us from the eternal consequences of our sin and the satanic threat, then we are truly free to serve without fear - no matter what the political or national environment might entail. So in essence, the purpose of this salvation would be to bring true salvation.
As Zechariah continues his prophetic song, I can imagine him leaning over and picking up his newborn child, hoisting him in the air as he talks about…
The prophet of salvation (76-77)
Luke 1:76–77 ESV
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
A couple of months ago, I got to have lunch with Secret Service agent. We were at a preaching workshop together. He was assigned to Vice President Harris’ detail. One of the things that struck me about his work in protecting her is how much preparation goes into it. They would have people on the ground weeks in advance of a visit (no matter how long or short) to a location - scouting routes, coordinating with local law enforcement, planning contingencies, all for the work of keeping her safe. There would likely be other people working on an advance team to make sure that whatever meetings would take place were ready to go.
This child will be like the advance team of a dignitary - preparing the way for the arrival of the Lord. As prophet of the “Most High” he would speak on behalf of God to the people.
Notice, he would also prepare the way of the Lord. Now that word “Lord” in Greek can mean master, ruler, owner, or God. Given the context, it seems like Zechariah is speaking of God - implying that this one who would come after John, would be God.
Notice too, he will “give knowledge of salvation”… “in the forgiveness of their sins.” Michael Wilcock suggests that John would work to correct misconceptions about this salvation. John would call people to repent and not rally.
The final portion of Zechariah’s song talks about…
The peace of salvation (78-79)
Luke 1:78–79 ESV
because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
This salvation that comes from God is an expression of his mercy. As the sun breaks through the horizon to usher in a new day and as light pushes back the darkness, this salvation brings a new way, a new hope.
As Zechariah shared these words, I wonder if he or his listeners would have been reminded of Isaiah’s prophecy:
Isaiah 9:2–7 ESV
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.
You have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned as fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
The light of the world is coming, and this child that has been born, John, would prepare the way for him, would prepare a people for him.
Now that is something to talk about!
Closing thoughts
Zechariah, Elizabeth and their neighbors and relatives, certainly had a lot to talk about. They got to see in real time the fulfillment of prophetic promises. They got to realize hopes long forgotten. They got to witness miraculous and wonderful events. We have these words written for our benefit because they talked about it and the Spirit inspired Luke to write it down in an orderly account.
How will the people around us get to hear of this good news unless we talk about it? Beloved, we certainly have something to talk about.
Joy
Just as Elizabeth had the joy of the birth of her son, we have the joy of the birth of our savior. He is the true reason that we celebrate Christmas. He is the reason we have eternal hope. He is the reason that we can live lives that are free from the consequences of our sin. Let’s talk about the joy that we have!
Name
Just as there was much conversation surrounding the name of this child that we know as John the Baptist, we have so much to talk about regarding the One Name above all names. Peter noted in one of his fiery sermons that: Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”” That is the name of Jesus! Let us not be afraid to talk about the name of Jesus. Let us not be afraid to talk about his life and why he came and the freedom he offers.
Wonderful Events
The people around Zechariah and Elizabeth marvelled at the miracles they witnessed - open wombs, open mouths, ordained future for this baby. We too have wonderful events to talk about - the miraculous birth of Jesus, the miracles he performed, the life he lived, the death he died. Beyond that, the open tomb that once held our savior’s body is now empty - there are no remains because he is risen. He conquered the punishment of our sin. That’s something to talk about.
God’s Salvation
Finally, we get to talk about God’s salvation. Just as Zechariah discussed so many details of God’s salvation, as people who have experienced it, we get to sing with joy about the life that we have in Jesus. We get to proclaim it on the mountain tops - not just that Jesus is born, but that salvation is here.
Friend, if you don’t know Christ as your savior, then come to him today. Ask anyone around you after the service and they would be glad to share, because we have something to talk about!
Let’s pray.
Benediction:
1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 ESV
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
Questions for reflection and discussion
Read: Luke 1:57-80.
1. What is the significance, meaning, or story behind your name?
2. How do parents often choose names for their children?
3. Why did the relatives and neighbors think that God had shown Elizabeth great mercy? (1:58)
4. Why was Zechariah’s voice restored? (1:63–64)
5. What was the effect of all these events on the people in the region in which Zechariah and Elizabeth lived? (1:65–66)
6. What are the parts of Zechariah’s song? (1:68–79)
7. Who is described in the first part of Zechariah’s song? (1:68–75)
8. What two results did Zechariah say were guaranteed by God’s oath? (1:74)
9. Who is the subject of the second part of Zechariah’s song? (1:76–79
10. In what way do we need to have the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of our sins?
Sources:
Anyabwile, Thabiti. Exalting Jesus in Luke. Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2018.
Bock, Darrell L. Luke 1:1-9:50. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999.
Gibson, Jonathan. O Come O Come Emmanuel: A Liturgy for Daily Worship from Advent to Epiphany. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2023.
Martin, John A. “Luke.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
McKinley, Mike. Luke 1–12 for You. Edited by Carl Laferton. God’s Word for You. The Good Book Company, 2016.
Wilcock, Michael. The Savior of the World: The Message of Luke’s Gospel. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1979.
