Zechariah and Mary, and Spiritual Shock
(Luke 1)
Here is a bulletin insert I wrote to add to the sermon, which follows:
Zechariah the Priest and Father of John the Baptist
The Christmas narrative really begins by setting the stage for Jesus’ coming through explaining how his forerunner, John the Baptist, was miraculously conceived. Our narrative begins with Zechariah and Elizabeth, an older couple (probably mid to later 50’s) who had never been blessed with children.
Zechariah was a priest, but not of the high priestly family. This meant he was one of many hundreds of priests who only occasionally served at the Temple. Today Jewish men with the last name of Cohen, Conn, Cohan (or similar names based on the Hebrew word for priests) are likewise priests, descendants of Aaron. These priests did not receive much compensation for their work but supported themselves through a trade or skill; they were what we might call "lay priests."
Since there were so many male descendants of Aaron (and therefore priests), the priesthood was divided into divisions. Twice a year, a lay priest would take his turn to journey to Jerusalem and serve by offering sacrifices, etc., for one week. Anne Punton writes:
The priests did far more than offer daily sacrifices, burn the incense, care for lamps and provide the weekly shewbread. In addition, there were special sacrifices ordained for Shabbat, new moons and other festivals and fasts. They also dealt with the public…. Practically every aspect of a religious person’s daily life focused on the Temple. The priests received freewill gifts, tithes, offerings and firstfruits. They absolved vows, supervised rituals to do with the redemption of the firstborn, the conclusion of a nazirite vow or for a cleansed leper…" (from The World Jesus Knew, p. 171)
The priests cast lots to determine the special task of offering incense. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity; after a priest served, he was no longer involved in the lot. Zechariah’s turn had come.
While the priest offered incense, the Jewish ma’amad would gather outside the Temple and bow down before the Lord with outstretched hands offering silent prayer while the incense was offered. The entire Temple area was in a hush. These ma’amad were laymen who were likewise organized in divisions. Other devout Jews would gather in synagogues throughout the land during the time of the incense offering. Revelation 8:1-5a describes the exact same scene in the heavenly sanctuary:
When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth…
***********Sermon Proper*******
Intro
1. What significant events happened the year you were born?
2. 1956…
3. About 5 B.C., some significant events occurred before John the Baptist and Jesus were born…
4. Two related families: Zechariah and Elizabeth and Mary and Joseph…
4. Zechariah and Mary responded differently to God’s promise of a miracle…
Question: Can we be walking with the Lord, be strong in some areas and horribly weak in others, or does spiritual maturity mean we have grown evenly?
TS-----à Let’s contrast the responses of Zechariah the priest and Mary and then return to this question.
I. Zechariah’s Response to Gabriel’s Message
1. His background
--what kind of man was he?
(1)What characteristics did Zechariah and Elizabeth have in common? (1:5-7)
(2) How well did Zechariah and Elizabeth handle the frustration of childlessness? (1:6, 13, 25)
2. His turn to offer incense
3. Gabriel appears on the scene
(1) miraculous conception
(2) What instructions did Gabriel give Zechariah about his and Elizabeth’s role as parents? (1:14-16)
4. Zechariah does not ask for clarification, but states an objection
5. Zechariah is literally left speechless
(1)
(2)How did Elizabeth react to Zechariah’s news? (1:25)
(3) How do you think Zechariah or Elizabeth felt during those extraordinary days?
6. About 10 or 11 months later, when his son, John the Baptist, is dedicated, his speech returns….
7. He is ready to be used of God and now prophesies….
Question: Can we be walking with the Lord, be strong in some areas and horribly weak in others, or does spiritual maturity mean we have grown evenly?
II. Mary’s Response to Gabriel’s Message
1. Setting: Mary knows of her relative, Elizabeth, 6 mos. Pregnant
2. A virgin, engaged to Joseph
3. Angel says she will have a child, Jesus, Son of God
4. How can this be? A question of clarification, not an objection
5. Note that Mary believed without fully comprehending
6. She hurriedly visits Elizabeth
----faith spans the generation gap----
(1) What benefits have you derived from personal relationships with older people?
(2) What two remarkable things happened as soon as Mary called her greeting to Elizabeth? (1:41)
(3) In what ways could we describe both Mary and Elizabeth as "blessed" women?
(4) How would you describe the mood in Zechariah’s home during the time Mary visited?
(5) What significance do you think it had for Mary that Elizabeth knew the importance of Mary’s baby?
7. Elizabeth prophesies and makes a telling remark in vs. 45
8. Mary praises God in Psalm
Question: Can we be walking with the Lord, be strong in some areas and horribly weak in others, or does spiritual maturity mean we have grown evenly?
YES!!!
III. Zechariah and Mary Were Both Godly People
1. Zechariah was probably more spiritually mature than Mary, but less trusting…
(1) as a priest, Zechariah would have valued details, planning, order, and organization and logic
(2) But God does not always work that way….
***(3) Man was created in God’s image, but sinful man tries to recreate God in his image---part of discipleship is learning to adjust ourselves to the reality of Who God is….
(4) actually, this is often the cause of many marriage difficulties and child-rearing difficulties…we want others in our image….
2. Like Father Abraham, Mary believed God in this instance; like Sarah, Zechariah doubted (laughed)
3. Again, the key verse is verse 45…
4. But note this: both Zechariah and Mary ended up at the same point: trusting God, being filled with the Spirit, and prophesying of the blessings of the Messiah; actually, Zechariah’s prophesying actually addressed the Messiah more directly than Mary’s…
5. You and I are different from one another; we are not equally mature in all areas. We can become bitter and skeptical as we age. BUT GOD WANTS TO WORK IN EACH OF OUR LIVES….
6. Both Mary and Zechariah were sincere, devout, and spiritually "diligent." They set themselves up for God’s use….that’s the secret…
7. The issue is not who has the most faith, who has the better disposition, but rather who is in a position for God’s use…who is available and in training?
CONCLUSION
1. It doesn’t matter if you are a Zechariah or a Mary. What matters is that you are seeking God and growing.
2. God will do the rest.
