Luke 1: 5-25
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
December 1, 2019
First Sunday of Advent
The Chrismon tree is up with all the ornaments. The lights are shining. Some of you already have your homes decorated inside and out. The children are excited about the count down to Christmas. It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
But I have to be honest. I am not ready to celebrate. My heart is heavy for so many who feel like they are walking in darkness. Many of us are navigating through uncertainty, grief, and deep questions for God. This is not an easy time of year.
The season of Advent gives us permission to be honest. This first Sunday of Advent reminds us that it is not time to celebrate just yet. These four weeks that lead to Christmas meet us in the darkness of humanity to shine the light of God’s promises into our lives. Advent meets us at this crossroads of searching for hope. Many of us need to know that God is with us and that God is still listening.
This Advent we will be sitting in four stories from the Gospels of Luke and Matthew where an angel of the Lord makes a divine visit to proclaim, “Fear Not!” And we will be uncovering the layers of these holy encounters with Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds to be encouraged that yes, God is indeed with us and listening. God’s Word will light the way for us to rediscover and celebrate the hope, peace, joy, and love that Jesus’ birth brings.
Listen to the story of Zechariah's encounter with the angel in Luke 1: 5-25:
In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.
Once when he was serving as priest before God and his section was on duty, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense. Now at the time of the incense-offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside.
Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him.
But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’
Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.’
The angel replied, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.’
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, and wondered at his delay in the sanctuary. When he did come out, he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak. When his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she remained in seclusion. She said, ‘This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favorably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people.’
Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth were a faithful couple and both descendants of priestly families. The integrity of their faith reminded the hearers of Luke’s Gospel of Abraham and Sarah and their faithfulness to God as told in Genesis.
Zechariah was blessed to be in the most holy place of the Jerusalem temple. He was among a group of priests that served in the temple once or twice a year. On this given day, Zechariah was chosen to enter the sanctuary and offer incense on the altar. It was a privilege that occurred once in a lifetime.
My commentary said the priests would always conclude this ritual with the priestly benediction from Numbers 6: 24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord make his countenance to shine upon you and give you peace.”
But Luke implies that Zachariah did not feel blessed. Elizabeth was barren. Zechariah had been praying and praying for God to act and work through this impossible obstacle. This couple was losing hope in God’s ability to give them a son to carry on the family lineage. Zechariah was getting weary as he and Elizabeth were getting on in years.
In ancient times barrenness was not only a dark shadow of disgrace to a couple. Barrenness also threatened the fulfillment of God’s covenant to Israel.
As Zechariah went through the motions of offering the incense, a divine messenger - an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared. “Fear not, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear a son, and you will name him John… before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God… He will make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:13, 15-17).
What a divine encounter of hope. The angel affirmed that God was listening deeply to Zachariah’s prayers. Not only would this priestly couple be blessed by God’s faithfulness, but God’s chosen people would be blessed as this anointed child John would prepare the way for the coming of Jesus Christ.
When Zechariah responded to the angel with a question of disbelief, I do not think Zechariah had expected God to answer his prayer.
No matter how big your faith and mine might be, we are all vulnerable to seasons of spiritual dryness. Have you ever felt like your faith is just going through the motions?
Maybe you feel like Zechariah and you are asking the Lord, “God are you here? Lord, are you listening?” When life is not the way we expected and we are being tossed by the waves of uncertainty, grief, and big questions, the light of hope within us can grow dim.
Sharyl is a minister and colleague in ministry. This past week has been a hard one.
She found herself going through the motions to make it through. It was her mom’s birthday. And Sharyl and her sister Kim had a ritual of getting Chinese food to honor their mother. But there was no time to hold that ritual this week. Sharyl thought, “I wish I had time to run out at least for soup today. My mother loved wonton soup. She always said ten wontons were just the perfect amount of generosity.”
Suddenly a man walked into the church. He had been attending the Griefshare group which the church hosted. In his hand was a child’s sock that he found left behind in the church parking lot. Sharyl and the man began talking.
During the conversation, the man shared that his wife had died around Thanksgiving. And Sharyl shared it was also the anniversary of her own mother’s death.
The man shared he was making his wife’s cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving and Sharyl replied that her mother always had wonton soup, but that was not something she was going to make.
The man then smiled saying, “It’s funny you mention wonton soup. I have three quarts in my car. I ordered the soup because I needed the containers for the cranberry sauce. I guess this soup is for you. So what are we going to put your soup in?”
This man came into Sharyl’s life like an angel. This holy encounter gave Sharyl a message of hope that God was indeed with her and God is still listening. They both experienced a gift of God’s grace.
On any given day there are angels among us whom God places in our lives to proclaim a message of good news. The compassionate actions and words of children, women, and men empower us to trust in God’s faithfulness.
They come alongside us in our times of need to shine a light of hope into the darkness. When we feel like we are just going through the motions, God’s hope empowers us to keep taking the next right step in God’s faithfulness.
The Lord once said to our spiritual ancestors and still says to us today, “Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
God’s victory to deliver us comes from a place of vulnerability. Ever since God breathed life into all creation and humanity, God has been with us and is deeply aware of our brokenness. God’s love for us is unparalleled. And God reveals such love in an expected and messy way. God became vulnerable, taking on human form as a baby to be one of us.
And once again we are waiting for God’s hope to be born among us and restore our faith in God’s steadfast love and faithful presence. Sometimes the only prayer any of us might have is, Lord, bless this mess.
Listen to your life this week. Look for God’s angels who may be divinely appointed to bring you a message of hope.
Pay attention to life happening around you this week. The Spirit just may be nudging YOU to be an angel and prepare another to receive the promise of the Lord’s hope. God’s promises are trustworthy and true. The Lord God is our rock and refuge.
As we enter into this first week of Advent, do not fear the uncertainty, grief, or deep questions. Do not fear your own vulnerability. Trust God.
In the name of God our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Amen.
Sources Referenced:
The Advent Sermon Series theme “Fear Not” is adapted from Get Lit Worship Resources
New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary Volume VIII: Luke and John (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2015), pp. 33-37.
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