by Bill Randles

Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.

And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.
(Luke 1:57-64)

It is now nine months from the announcement in the Holy Place of the temple, to Zechariah and Elizabeth, that they would bear a Son who would be the forerunner of the Messiah.

Elizabeth, who had been considered barren, like her forbearer Sarai, brought forth a miracle baby. Her family and friends rejoiced with her, likewise her silent husband, and the Lord was glorified for shewing mercy to the pious couple in their old age.

On the eight day, according to the Law of Moses, the child underwent the ritual of circumcision, laying upon his shoulders the yoke of the Law of God, and bringing him into the covenant.

The room would have filled with family and friends, and the 1st century circumcision would have commenced with a benediction, something similar to this according to Alfred Eidersheim;

'Our God, and the God of our fathers, raise up this child to his father and mother, and let his name be called in Israel Zacharias, the son of Zacharias. Let his father rejoice in the issue of his loins, and his mother in the fruit of her womb, as it is written in Prov. xxiii. 25,

Let your father and your mother be glad,
And let her who bore you rejoice.

and as it is said in Ezek. xvi. 6,

"And when I passed by you and saw you struggling in your own blood, I said to you in your blood, 'Live!' Yes, I said to you in your blood, 'Live!

and again in Ps. cv. 8,

He remembers His covenant forever,
The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,

and Gen. xxi. 4;

then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him

… The prayer closed with the hope that the child might grow up, and successfully, 'attain to the Torah, the marriagebaldachino, and good works.

But when the Rabbi got to the point of the benediction which actually named the child, Elizabeth interrupted…saying, His name shall be John! Zechariah also motioned for a writing tablet and agreed with his wife, "His name shall be John"!

As soon as Zechariah named his Son, his tongue was loosed and he began to prophesy;

And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

The prophecy of Zechariah follows closely upon and is the spiritual expansion of a common prayer in the Jewish liturgy, the "Eighteen Benedictions”

Zechariah would have prayed this prayer on the day he was struck dumb for nine months, and perhaps he spent those months meditating on it;

'Speedily make to shoot forth the Branch of David, Thy servant, and exalt Thou his horn by Thy salvation, for in Thy salvation we trust all the day long. Blessed art Thou, Jehovah! Who causeth to spring forth the Horn of Salvation'

Eidersheim summarizes the main thoughts in the ancient liturgical prayer, and an examination of Zechariah's prophecy reveals that point by point, the Holy Spirit of God inspired the answer to this plea,

This analogy between the hymn of Zacharias and the prayers of Israel will best appear from the benedictions with which these eulogies closed. For, when thus examined, their leading thoughts will be found to be as follows: God as the Shield of Abraham; He that raises the dead, and causes salvation to shoot forth; the Holy One; Who graciously giveth knowledge; Who taketh pleasure in repentance; Who multiplieth forgiveness; Who redeemeth Israel; Who healeth their (spiritual) diseases; Who blesseth the years; Who gathereth the outcasts of His people; Who loveth righteousness and judgment; Who is the abode and stay of the righteous; Who buildeth Jerusalem; Who causeth the Horn of Salvation to shoot forth; Who heareth prayer; Who bringeth back His Shekhinah to Zion; God the Gracious One, to Whom praise is due; Who blesseth His people Israel with peace.(Life and Times of Jesus Messiah, Alfred Eidersheim)

by Andy Weaver

Gospel: Luke 1:57-80

Introduction:

Talk about our calling to ABC as a step of faith and obedience that led to many blessings.

Give background. Read Luke 1:57-80

1. Obedience is the measure of our faith (vv. 57-63)

"The Bible is a record of [the] radical obedience of people who listened and responded to the direction of God for their lives." Reggie McNeal in The Present Future

a. Obedience is joining God in what He is already doing and doing what He says to do.

b. Rights Surrendered (vv. 60-63) This has to do with Self. (App: Tithing)

c. Crowd Offended (vv. 61-62) This has to do with Others. We should be focused on others; it's called missions. (App: Missions)

d. Tradition Upended (vv. 61-62) This has to do with Customs/ Social acceptance. (App: Growth and Change)

We often cannot see what God is doing because we are too busy focusing on what we are doing or have done in the past. God is bigger than us. His vision is bigger. His plan is bigger. What He is doing is bigger than us. We gotta stop looking at things all wrong. We will never be truly obedient as long as we are not interested in what God's desire is for us.

Illustration:

In Dr. Suess's classic tale, "How The Grinch Stole Christmas", the malevolent main character discovers that Christmas cannot be stolen, stifled, or subdued. No, even the Who's who inhabit Whoville understood that the reason for the Christmas season is not bound up in gifts, feasts, or decorations.

While the good doctor's holiday story is not inherently Christian, it does illustrate profoundly that Christmas is a matter of the soul. For those familiar with the story know the reason the Grinch did not understand the Who's zeal for Christmas was that his heart was "two sizes too small".

Application:

The reality of Christmas does not exist in external symbols (trees, presents, Santa Clause, etc.). Christmas is a matter of the heart. Obedience is a matter of the heart. IF obedience is the measure of our faith, then how does your faith measure up? IF obedience is the measure of our faith, then what does our disobedience say about us. Surrender your rights. Don't follow the pressure of the crowd. Don't follow tradition for the sake of tradition.

2. Blessings are the fruit of Our obedience (vv. 64-80)

a. Promise Fulfilled (v. 64a)

i. There are many promises in scripture.

ii. The focus here is on the fact that obedience unleashes the blessings of God to counteract the effects of sin. Zacharias' speech restored.

iii. Restoration of what was lost. – Not exact replacement, but greater blessing. (Joel 2:25-32).

b. Praise Proclaimed (v. 64b)

i. Praise is a blessing because it is ignited by the activity of God in our lives.

ii. Praise begins with the heart and attitude, but praise is primarily and outward/ physical action. (words, song, posture, movements)

c. Power Displayed (vv. 65-79)

i. Why does God display His power? For the benefit of others.

ii. Zacharias' Prophetic Hymn/ Psalm

1. Z's prophetic word is not for God, but for the hearers.

2. (vv. 67-75) God's Plan is what is being displayed here. The Goal of His plan is to have people who will serve (latreuo) God with all of their life and being. Lives devoted and OBEDIENT to God. Holy Service to God. How will God achieve this goal. Through His visitation in Christ and by redemption through Christ.

3. (vv. 76-77) Enter John. He is to prepare the way for people to be redeemed by God. How will God do this? John's ministry connects salvation with forgiveness of sins that is achieved by repentance.

4. (vv. 78-79) Enter Jesus/ Messiah. Christ is the dawn of salvation for those in darkness. Light represents that which can guide us on the way to forgiveness of sins and peace with God. Darkness represents the effects of sin which leaves all persons spiritually dead and utterly depraved. It is the tender mercy of God that reaches down and brings life to the dead.

5. We recognize now from the witness of the NT that we can have peace with God by having our sins forgiven by God. It takes repentance and faith for us to be saved. We must admit our own sinfulness. And believe that God's plan in Jesus Christ was to rescue us from darkness and death through the cross. Jesus life, death, and resurrection are the only foundation for salvation. You must believe that these are enough. The cross is where God's wrath against sin was leveled against His own sin in order that we would not have to face the wrath of God in Hell.

iii. Reaction of the People – They recognized the power of God.

Illustration:

CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT THE UNEXPECTED.

I read about a children's pageant recently. The innkeeper was played by a boy named Ralph who had very much wanted to play the role of Joseph. He didn't get the part, and had refused to be part of the program -- but his mother and his director insisted that Ralph do his duty and be part of the pageant. So he was the innkeeper.

But Ralph decided on revenge. When that part of the pageant occurred in which Joseph inquired about a room, Ralph grinned and announced, "Come on in. We've got plenty of room!" The audience, especially Ralph's mother and the director, gasped. Joseph and Mary were stunned. They expected to be turned away. Obediently, they walked into the inn. But the young man playing Joseph was equal to the occasion. He looked around, turned to the audience, and said, "Hey, this place is a dump. We'd rather stay in a stable!"

Application:

If we want to experience the blessing of God, we have got to be obedient to Him. If we want to reach people and really make a difference, we have got to be obedient. The gospel itself is a call to obedience. Not that we do things to be saved, but when the call of God comes to us, we must obey it. When He says, believe and receive, we must repent and believe on Him.

Conclusion:

by Dr. Ray Pritchard

Gospel: Luke 1:67-80

The First Christmas Carols

Do you know where to find the first Christmas carols? Is it in colonial America? No. Is it in Merry Olde England? No. Is it somewhere in Europe? No. The first Christmas carols go back far beyond America or England or Europe. The very first Christmas carols go back 2,000 years - to the very first Christmas.

That's right. The tradition of singing at Christmastime is as old as Christmas itself. The first Christmas carols are written in the Bible as part of the Christmas story. When Dr. Luke sat down to write his gospel, he recorded four of the original songs of Christmas. They are found in Luke 1-2 - the story of the Nativity.

Over the centuries the Christian church has recognized the special significance of these four songs of Christmas. Depending on what church background you come from, you may have heard them sung in church. If you are from a Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran or Episcopal background, you have doubtless heard these four songs many times.

The Story Behind The Story

In the early centuries of the Christian church, the Bible was translated into Latin. From that time until the present, these four songs have been best known by their Latin titles. In each case, the title is simply the first word or two of the very first line of the song. The four songs in order are:

1. Mary's Song - called the Magnificat - which is found in Luke 1:48-55
2. Zechariah's Song - called the Benedictus - which is found in Luke 1:67-80
3. The Angels' Song - called the Gloria in Excelsis - which is found in Luke 2:14
4. Simeon's Song - called the Nunc Dimittis - which is found in Luke 2:29-32

With that as background, we begin our survey with Zechariah's Song - the Benedictus - found in Luke 1:67-80.

Two Introductory Facts

Before we jump into the text, we need to notice two introductory facts that will help us understand what the Benedictus is all about.

1. The Benedictus was composed by a man named Zechariah. You may or may not recognize that name. If you know the Bible, you probably know that there is a prophet by that name who wrote a book in the Old Testament named Zechariah. But that's a different Zechariah. The one we're talking about was a priest in Jerusalem. Luke 1 tells the story of how an angel predicted that he and his barren wife Elizabeth would give birth to a son who would be the forerunner of the Messiah. Zechariah didn't believe the angel, so his power of speech was taken away from him for the nine months of Elizabeth's pregnancy. When the baby was finally born, Zechariah named him John (as the angel had instructed), and his speech was immediately restored. In that joyous moment, as he held his son in his arms, Zechariah broke forth in a song of praise to God. That song is the Benedictus of Luke 1:67-80.

2. Zechariah was a priest who was steeped in the Old Testament Scriptures. As Zechariah breaks forth into song, his words reflect his Old Testament heritage. The Benedictus sounds partly like the Psalms and partly like the prophets, but it sounds wholly like the Old Testament. In some ways it doesn't sound like it belongs in the New Testament. Parts of it sound strange to our ears. But that's part of the great value of this song. Zechariah's song reveals the deep faith of the Jewish people on the eve of Messiah's birth. For hundreds of years the people of God had been waiting for Messiah to come. Now at last he is almost here. These words of Zechariah bring us to the very edge that separates the Old Testament and the New Testament.

The Visitor From Heaven

Here is a snapshot of Jewish faith on the eve of the Incarnation. These words, uttered a few months before Jesus' birth take us behind the scenes and into the heart of godly Judaism. They tell us what the coming of Christ meant to the people who had waited so long for him to arrive!

The theme of the Benedictus is not hard to find. Zechariah uses one key word at the beginning and ending of his song. Verse 68 says, "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people." Then verse 78 says "the rising sun will come to us from heaven." In both verses the verb phrase comes from a root word that means "to visit personally." It is the very word Jesus used in Matthew 25:36 when he said, "I was sick and you visited me." The word was used in the Greek Old Testament for God visiting his people in order to bring them great blessing. It has the idea of seeing someone in distress and intervening personally in order to relieve their misery. It's what happens when you hear about the death of someone you love. You don't just send a sympathy card. You don't just call on the tele-phone. You go over to the home in person. To "visit" means to be so moved by the misery you see all around you that you get personally involved in providing a solution.

All of that is on Zechariah's heart and is comprehended in this one single truth: At long last God has visited his people!! At long last God has kept his promise. At long last God has arrived on the scene. The Visitor from heaven has come to us.

It's hard for us to grasp the magnitude of this thought. For 4,000 long, dreary years God seemed to neglect his people. Nobody appeared more forgotten that the Jews chafing under Roman rule. Reduced to an obscure pro-vince in the Roman Empire, they were rejected, overlooked and despised. Nearly 1,000 years had passed since the glorious days of King David. Over 400 years had passed since their last prophet - a man named Malachi.

Has God Forgotten His People?

On the lips of pious men and women, one question towered above all the rest: Has God forgotten his people? Yes, the prophets spoke of One who would come from heaven. They spoke of One who would be born of a virgin, born in David's royal city, who would sit on the throne of his father David and rule over the house of Jacob forever. They spoke of One who would rule the nations and redeem his people and restore Israel to its former glory. They spoke of One whose name was called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

But perhaps the prophets were wrong. Perhaps it was not to be. Perhaps it all was a dream, simply wishful thinking by generations of mystics and seers. So many years had come and gone. Sons had buried their fathers. Then their sons had buried them, and their sons had buried them, and so the generations rolled on. Still there was no word from heaven.

So many indignities had been perpetrated on the Jewish people that a skeptical observer could be forgiven for concluding that the Jews had blown their chance centuries ago. Perhaps God had given up on his people Israel. Perhaps he was now working with the Greeks or the Romans. Perhaps Israel was relegated to the back bin of history, a second-rate country whose best days were long in the past.

No one took them seriously when they spoke of a Messiah. It looked like a cruel hoax. Had God forgotten his people? It appeared that way.

The Flickering Flame

But throughout the darkest of dark hours the faithful remnant in Israel never gave up believing that God would surely, somehow, sometime, some way keep his promises. The generations came and went without any word from the Lord, and though the godly were buried without ever seeing it come to pass, the hope of divine visitation never waned completely. There was always a flickering flame of belief that God would indeed visit his people and fulfill his ancient promises.

Now at last, after all those years, the moment has arrived. As Zechariah looks down at his infant son, he knows that the crucial moment of world history has arrived. In his arms he holds the baby who will grow up to prepare the way of the Lord. That could only mean one thing:

• The Messiah is on the way!
• The long wait is over!
• God has visited his people!

The Benedictus is all about this one great truth: That God has at long last visited his people! In the verses that follow we learn five specific facts about the Divine Visitation and the blessings that flow from it.

Fact # 1: Its Saving Purpose

Here Zechariah focuses on the great purpose for the coming of Christ to the earth. He came to save his people! Zechariah mentions God's saving purpose in four different ways:

A. He has come to redeem his people. "He has come and redeemed his people." (68)

B. He has raised up a horn of salvation. "He has raised up a horn of salvation for us." (69)

C. He has come to save us from our enemies. "Salvation from our enemies." (71) "To rescue us from the hand of our enemies." (74)

D. He has come to forgive our sins. "To give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins." (77)

Zechariah is telling us that God did not visit this planet simply to see how we were doing. He knew how we were doing. That's why he came! We were in trouble and he came to save us. That's what Christmas is all about.

Fact # 2: Its Predicted Fulfillment

As a godly Jew, Zechariah can't get over the fact that God has at long last kept his promises. All that he said he would do, he has at last begun to accomplish. Zechariah says three things about the promise of the Messiah:

A. It was promised by the prophets. "As he said through his holy prophets of long ago." (70)

B. It was cherished by the fathers. "To show mercy to our fathers." (72)

C. It was guaranteed by the oath to Abraham. "To remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham." (72-73)

The point is clear:

God is now doing what he promised to do. The prophets saw it coming. Not every detail, and no one saw it clearly, but they knew the day would come when God would visit his people. Micah spoke of it, and so did Isaiah and Jeremiah. Even old Abraham looked forward to this day, as did Moses and David. They all saw it coming! All of them looked through the dim mist of history and saw a bright glimpse of the day when God would visit his people. They knew it was coming; they just didn't know exactly when it would happen.

This truth leads me to a crucial conclusion about Jesus Christ: He must be great because the preparation for his coming took 2,000 years. This is no small event. His coming is the biggest event in history. History is really His Story! All that came before him pointed to him. All that comes after looks back to him. He is the centerpiece of history, the demarcation between yesterday and tomorrow. In the birth of Jesus Christ, we have come to the crux and pivot of history.

His birth is the focus point of time. Do you want proof? What year is this? It is 1991. Where did that number come from? It represents one thousand, nine hundred and ninety-one years after his birth. We don't do that for Confucius, Buddha, Mohammed, Zoroaster, or any other great leader - ancient or modern. How important is Jesus Christ? We measure time by his coming to the earth. Even unbelievers pay unconscious tribute to him every time they write 1991 on a check.

Zechariah is telling us something very crucial: God has visited the world in the person of Jesus Christ and nothing will ever be the same again.

Fact # 3: Its Transforming Enablement

In verses 74 and 75 Zechariah speaks of the transformation he will make in the lives of those who follow him:

1. His coming produces emotional transformation. "To enable us to serve him without fear."
2. His coming produces ethical transformation. "In holiness and righteousness all our days."
3. His coming produces spiritual transformation. "To enable us to serve him."

So many people live lives of quiet desperation. They feel there is no answer to the question - "Why am I here?" Zechariah makes the answer clear: Jesus Christ came to admit us to the joyful service of God. This is God's ultimate purpose for you. He saved you so that you might fulfill the highest calling in the universe - serving God without fear in righteousness and holiness forever!

• He came so that we who were lost in sin might be lifted up into the service of God.
• He came so that we who served another master might serve God our Creator.
• He came so that we who feared death might serve God free from fear forever.
• He came so that we who lived in fear of punishment might be so completely forgiven that we would never fear punishment again.
• He came so that we who were idle in the marketplace of life might be given a transforming purpose for living.
• He came so that we who once did not please God might be pleasing to him forever.
• He came so that we who were unholy might be made holy.
• He came so that we who were unrighteousness might be made righteous.

That's the transforming enablement brought about by the coming of Christ to the earth.

Fact # 4: Its Prepared Forerunner

Now Zechariah considers the significance of the infant son he holds in his arms. In verses 76 and 77 he speaks directly to his son and utters three specific predictions about his future:

1. You will be a prophet of God. "You, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High."
2. You will prepare the way of the Lord. "You will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him."
3. You will proclaim the knowledge of salvation by preaching the forgiveness of sins. "To give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins."

This is exactly what John the Baptist did. His whole mission was to make the nation ready for the coming of Messiah. He was a prophet, a preparer and a preacher of salvation. John began his ministry by going out to the desert region around the Jordan River and preaching the doctrine of repentance from sin. Multitudes of men and women flocked to hear his message, and many heard him favorably. He baptized many people and so helped prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. When John saw Jesus, he cried out, "Behold the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)

But at this moment John is just eight days old. But his father clearly sees the work God has called him to do. It's a wonderful thing to discover your place in God's plans and to fulfill your mission in life, whether your part be great or small. John was the man God chose to prepare the way for Jesus Christ. His father plainly saw it and included his infant son in his song of praise to God.

Fact # 5: Its Liberating Impact

In one final burst of praise Zechariah speaks of three great blessings that the coming of Christ brings to the earth:

1. It is Light to those who are in darkness. "The rising sun will come to us from heaven." (78)
2. It is Pardon to those condemned to death. "To shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death." (79)
3. It is Guidance to those who have lost their way. "To guide our feet into the path of peace."

His words picture a huge caravan moving along slowly through the Middle Eastern desert. Somehow the caravan loses its way and now is lost in the darkness. During the cold night the enemies draw near and make ready to attack. Death is not far away. Then at the darkest moment of the night, when all hope seems lost, a light from on high suddenly shines on the caravan. The enemies are scattered and death disappears. In the bright light the leaders of the caravan see the path they had lost. Taking courage, the travelers resume their journey, confident now that they are going the right way.

This is the difference that Jesus Christ makes.

• When he comes into a life, the shadows flee away.
• When he comes in, we find the path we thought we had lost forever.
• When he comes in, despair is gone for our feet have found the path of peace.

That is the liberating impact of Jesus Christ!

Nothing Like This Has Ever Happened Before

Let me draw my conclusion from the Benedictus of Zechariah. If we look at Christmas this way, we see it in a new light. Nothing like this has ever happened before. God has visited his people and nothing will ever be the same again.

• He has come to save his people
• He has come to release them from their fears
• He has come to forgive their sins
• He has come to guide them on the path of peace

These words are for you!

At the beginning of the Christmas season, we ought to ask some crucial questions:

1. Do you believe it really happened?

2. Do you believe he came with you in mind?

3. Have you ever entered into the things Zechariah talked about?

That's the key. These words of Zechariah are just words until they become true for you. Has that ever happened in your life?

Twenty-Four Days Till Christmas

My final word to you is this: Christmas is only 24 days away. "Deck the halls with boughs of holly." "Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock." "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas." Let's put up the tree. Let's wrap the presents. Let's drink some eggnog and stand under the mistletoe. But if that's all Christmas means to you, you've missed what this season is all about.

It strikes me that we have a wonderful opportunity to set our hearts right. Christmas is not about snow and candy canes and stockings by the chimney. Christmas is about the transcendent truth that God has at last visited his people. All the rest is window dressing.

As the commercials keep telling us, there are only 24 shopping days left until Christmas Day. But think about what else that means. There are also …

• 24 praising days until Christmas
• 24 singing days until Christmas
• 24 worshiping days until Christmas

How are you going to spend the 24 days that are left for you before Christmas finally arrives?

A Visitor Knocking At Your Door

I close with the dominant theme of Zechariah's song set clearly before us: God has visited his people in the person of Jesus Christ. Now that same Divine Visitor comes and knocks at the door of your heart. Will you open the door and let him in?

He come and knocks. Can you hear the sound echoing in your heart? He stands patiently at the door, waiting for you to open and bid him enter.

Good news, my friend. The visitor from heaven is here at last! Will you, like Zechariah of old, drop everything and welcome him into your heart? Or are you too busy this year to be bothered with Jesus?

The familiar words of Phillips Brooks are very appropriate at this point:

How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given.
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still, the dear Christ enters in.
So he does! May that be your experience this Christmas season.