Zechariah and Elizabeth waited a long time for their son John. When Elizabeth finally gave birth to this child people asked the inevitable question what then will this child become? Of course, as soon as a child is born people begin to speculate as to how the child will grow up and what the child will accomplish. Zechariah’s prophecy is a response to this common question and I am struck by how optimistic he is in his answer. Zechariah not only proudly announces the birth of his son John but he also expresses a supreme confidence in the saving power of God. When God brings new life into the world it is amazing the positive feelings that are generated. I do not remember the day of my birth but through family lore and Google I think that I have a pretty good idea of the situation. I was born on the night of February 3, 1974 in the small town of Aledo, Illinois and it was very cold. My parents were surrounded by their family and friends as they raised me in their hometown. I imagine that after my mom was discharged from the hospital that these family members and friends offered congratulations and maybe even brought some meals over to our house so that the new parents would not have to cook. When my dad was buying the Sunday Chicago Tribune at the Smoke Shop, he may have even picked up some celebratory cigars to hand out to his co-workers at the bank. The new parents spent quiet Saturday nights at home contentedly watching the Mary Tyler Moore show. Overall, it was a very happy time for the growing Anderson family. However, it was a tumultuous time around the globe and across the nation. Things going on in February of 1974 included Watergate, the Vietnam War, and the OPEC oil embargo which caused both a recession and high inflation. It was a pretty bleak time and unfortunately history seems to be repeating itself. Inflation is high again. Many people are still struggling just to eke out a modest living in a tough economic environment. Our entire world is losing badly in our war against COVID-19, and now the new Omicron variant has emerged. The United States is a deeply divided country and those peddling in misinformation have made it even harder for us to find common ground. In many ways it is even worse now than it was during the dark days of February 1974. During these difficult times how can we as Christians channel the optimism of new parents that my mom and dad had in February 1974 and that Zechariah is expressing here?
Today’s gospel text is very appropriate for Advent because Zechariah’s prophecy is focused on God’s promises. This text offers three very important lessons about God’s promises. First, God’s promises come into being through the Holy Spirit. The way of the Holy Spirit is amazing as it works through ordinary people just like you and me. Luke introduces this prophecy by stating that Zechariah was “filled with the Holy Spirit.” There was nothing extraordinary about either Zechariah or Elizabeth. They were just a couple of people that were working their way through life and they were struggling with the fact that they might never become parents which is something that they desperately desired. Earlier in Luke chapter one Zechariah is rendered mute because he expresses doubt that he and Elizabeth could actually become parents at their advanced age. Of course, Zechariah should not have doubted the possibility of having a son since as someone who served in the temple, he would have been well aware of the miracles that God had worked through Abraham and Sarah the parents of Isaac as well as Hannah and Elkanah the parents of Samuel. After John’s birth the Holy Spirit then turns the mute Zechariah into a powerful voice proclaiming a message of faithfulness, salvation, and peace. In this passage the Holy Spirit is working through the seemingly ordinary Zechariah, and later in the gospels the Holy Spirit will similarly work through his seemingly crazy son John who eventually became a wilderness preacher who survived on locusts and wild honey. If the Holy Spirit works through characters like Zechariah, Elizabeth and John then there can be no doubt that God works through every one of us in this congregation. We may be temporarily mute but eventually God helps us to find our voice. We may be barren but new life emerges from us. Even if we feel like we are that lone voice out in the wilderness struggling to be heard we should be confident that eventually someone will listen. The way of the Holy Spirit is that it can and often works through us when we least expect it.
The second lesson presented in this text is that God’s promises are not just for a select group of people but they are intended for all of us. When proud parents answer the question what then will this child become the answer often focuses on the individual child and that child’s future. Parents want their children to experience professional success, live in material comfort, and most importantly have a life filled with much happiness. I am sure that Zechariah and Elizabeth wanted all of these things for John. Like any good parents they were probably a bit concerned when John was roughing it out in the wilderness. However, this prophecy seems to indicate that they were aware of the significance of John’s role in God’s salvation story. Immediately after his son’s birth Zechariah realized that John was meant to serve a purpose greater than himself. Zechariah proclaims that God has looked favorably on his people and that John’s role is to give knowledge of salvation to God’s people. As we go through life, we often lose sight of our role in God’s salvation story. Many in our community are impoverished, lonely, and frustrated. These are people in need of salvation. There are many opportunities to help others during Advent. As Christians we are secure in the knowledge of our salvation and because of this we can offer grace to others. We do this not to earn our own salvation but because we serve a loving God who has saved the entire world. All of us experience God’s love and are part of God’s salvation story.
The third important lesson that we can learn from Zechariah’s prophecy is that we can rely on the promises of God because God is steadfast and faithful. Zechariah proclaims that Christ will bring both peace and salvation into the world and he is absolutely certain that God’s promises will be fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. I am amazed by Zechariah’s confidence in the promises of God. Zechariah had many reasons to doubt that peace and salvation were about to break into the world. At this time the people of Israel were facing very tough circumstances. Other than a few powerful rulers most people were peasants who lived very harsh lives which were full of struggle. The people suffered the daily indignity of living under Roman military occupation. It is astounding that Zechariah could be so confident when the Savior which he is proclaiming in this prophecy had not even been born yet. How could Zechariah so joyously proclaim that the promises of God had been fulfilled? Despite all of the tragedy and suffering that exists in the world we should be thankful that God made us to be people who are generally optimistic. It seems to be a human instinct that we look ahead to the future and for many of us it is actually natural to envision the end of something even as we are just beginning our journey. Students on the first day of class think ahead to their graduation. Travelers on a trip visualize the scene at their expected destination. The promise itself is never separated from visions of fulfillment.
Now the path through life is not always straight. Many of us experience setbacks and disappointments. Advent meets us right where we are at right now. It is the season of already and not yet. We are confident that the promises of God will be fulfilled but we also know that we have many issues to address including racial injustice, economic inequality, and the climate crisis. We want everything to be perfect right now but our time is not necessarily God’s time. It is easy to be discouraged but when we start to lose hope that things will be better, we draw strength from the fact that God’s promise of peace and salvation is a guarantee on which we can rely. During the time of Apartheid in South Africa Archbishop Desmond Tutu was preaching in worship and the Apartheid government’s security police entered the cathedral in order to intimidate those gathered including the archbishop who had recently been released from jail. During his sermon Archbishop Tutu addressed the police and said “you are powerful, but I serve a God who cannot be mocked. So since you have already lost, I invite you today to come and join the winning side.” Tutu’s incredible optimism in the face of oppression is proof that he has a deep faith in Christ and that he believes that the promises of God are always kept. It did not happen that particular day but eventually the Apartheid regime collapsed. Evil in the world often appears that it is entrenched and will last forever. As Christians we live confidently in hope that things will get better and that good will overcome evil. Especially during Advent, we prepare our hearts to receive Christ because we know that love, justice, and mercy are the way of God and that God keeps God’s promises.
Because God is faithful this hopeful prophecy of Zechariah rings true. John did become the prophet of the Most High just as Zechariah proclaimed. Despite all of the tumult and the turmoil that exists in the world whether it is a recession, war, natural disaster or pandemic we as Christians confidently rely on the promises of the God who lives among us and continues to bring new life and hope into the world. Thanks be to God.
- Vicar Kyle Anderson