Sermon for first mid-week Advent service - Lk 1:5-25

 

        Mid-Week Advent 1

                                                                                    Lk 1:5-25

                                                                                    12/4/24

 

            “And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.” That’s how Luke introduces Zechariah and Elizabeth to us in our text. He tells us that they were faithful people of God. 

            Yet our text immediately adds another piece of information: “But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.”  We learn that Elizabeth had been unable to have any children, and now they were too old to expect that it could happen. 

            Infertility continues to be a burden in our day, and we have great compassion for couples who struggle with this.  But we also live in a world that takes it for granted that we should be able to control how many children we have – that we should be able to avoid having children.  God’s Word taught his people to view children as a blessing, and to desire as many as the Lord would provide.  And when this didn’t happen, people drew the conclusion that the woman was somehow at fault before God. Elizabth refers to the reproach among people that she experienced when barren.

            We learn in our text that Zechariah was a Levite, and was part of the division of Abijah. The Levites had been divided up into groups. They did not live in Jerusalem but instead came there to serve in the temple when their division was on duty.  Available evidence indicates that this would take place twice a year, for a week at a time.

            Incense was offered twice a day in the temple, and this was a time of prayer.  As we sang tonight from Psalm 141, “Let my prayer rise before you as incense.” We learn that following the custom of the priesthood, Zechariah was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.  This was probably one of the few times – if not the only one – when Zechariah would have this honor.

            It turned out to be a memorable experience in a way that Zechariah could not have imagined.  While he was in the temple an angel of the Lord appeared standing on the right side of the altar of incense. Zechariah was fearful, but the angel said, “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.”

            The angel announced that Zechariah and many others would rejoice at the birth of this child.  He said that the child would be great before the Lord and would be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. Then the angel described the work that John would do. He said, “And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 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.”

            It all seemed to be too much to Zechariah. He said, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” But the angel responded, “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. 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.”

            Gabriel spoke the truth.  Zechariah was unable to speak when he emerged from the temple.  He could only make signs to people outside. And when Zechariah had completed his duty and returned home to Elizabeth, she did conceive a child. She kept herself hidden for five months, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

            In our text tonight, Gabriel announces that John the Baptist will be born.  He says that John will be uniquely endowed with the Holy Spirit - filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.  Set apart for God, he will carry out the work of a prophet as he turns many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God.   This language of “turning” indicates that he will call the people to repentance. He will exhort them to turn away from their sin, and to turn back to God.

            This endowment with the Spirit sets John apart.  And then we learn from Gabriel that “he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah.”  Here, “him” refers to “the Lord their God” in the previous statement.  John the Baptist will go before the Lord God in the spirit and power of Elijah. And Gabriel says that he will “make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

            These words are drawn from the end of the book of Malachi.  There Yahweh announces, “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple.”  God said that he would send his messenger who would prepare the way for him – for God – as he came to his temple.  And then later God adds, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.”

            Gabriel reveals that John the Baptist will be the promised Elijah figure – the prophet sent by the Lord to prepare the people for his coming.  John’s ministry will be part of God’s end time action.  It will set the stage for the great and awesome day of the Lord.

            The season of Advent draws our attention to John the Baptist.  During his ministry, John was the one who prepared the way for God’s coming.  He was the Elijah sent by God. He did make ready for the Lord a people prepared.

            But when God came, it was as the man, Jesus Christ. During Advent we are getting ready to celebrate how God came into the world.  Yahweh, the God of Israel, did not arrive in the might and power that we would expect.  Instead, God the Father sent his Son into the world through the work of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit caused the virgin Mary to conceive and give birth to Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

            During Advent we are preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ – the One who is true God and true man.  The baby in the manger on Christmas Eve is God present to bring forgiveness and salvation.  But he is God present in the humility of a helpless infant.

            This humility points forward to the way in which he will bring God’s saving reign. As we heard in Sunday’s Gospel lesson, he did not enter Jerusalem on Palm Sunday as a conquering warrior.  Instead, he entered on a donkey.  Jesus came to Jerusalem to offer himself as the sacrifice for our sin.  He came to be nailed to a cross as he fulfilled the Father’s saving will. 

            Jesus Christ was the presence of God’s end time work as he brought salvation. God demonstrated this as he raised Jesus from the dead on the third day.  He vindicated Christ as the Savior and began the resurrection of the Last Day in him.

            John the Baptist was sent to turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He was called to preach repentance in preparation for the arrival of God’s reign.  He was to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.

            During Advent, we prepare to celebrate Christ’s birth.  We do so, not by putting up a Christmas tree or buying presents. We prepare by repenting.  We confess our sin which was the reason that the Son of God entered our world.  And we turn in faith to Lord who was crucified for us and then rose from the dead.  For when we do this, we are ready to celebrate the birth of the Savior.  We are ready to celebrate why the Son of God entered into our world.  We are ready to celebrate what he has done by redeeming us from sin.  And we are ready to celebrate what he will yet do when he comes again on the Last Day and gives us a share in his resurrection.