DAY TWENTY ONE: John's Unique Role

Today we look at the second part of the Benedictus, the song of praise and prophecy spoken by Zechariah, the Spirit-filled father of John the Baptizer (Luke 1.67-80). After praising God for keeping his First Testament promises and bringing to fulfillment what people throughout Israel's history were longing for, Zechariah now looks at his baby boy and foretells his unique role in introducing the Messianic salvation.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
For you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
⁷⁷To give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins.
⁷⁸By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us,
To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.

When John grows up, he will be the penultimate prophet, the final voice before the Voice of God himself is heard among his people once more. He will prepare the way for the glory of the Lord to be revealed in Israel (Isaiah 40.3-5).

How will he do this? His ministry will involve announcing the coming salvation and encouraging the people to seek forgiveness of sins. This, of course, John fulfilled in his ministry of baptism when he gathered people at the Jordan River (the place where Israel first entered the Land) and called them to repentance.

And then the Light of God himself will arise in the darkness that has enveloped the Land. The "the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings" (Malachi 4.2), and Isaiah's words will be fulfilled: "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined." Zechariah's song reflects these and other prophecies that had long awaited fulfillment in Israel.

The result? Peace. Peace on earth, goodwill toward men. An end to enmity with God and between warring factions among men. John will be the final herald calling God's people to ready themselves for the dawning of eternal light and peace.

DAY TWENTY: The God of Israel Has Visited His People

Luke must have been a singer, or at least one with an ear for singing. In Luke 1.67-80, he records another song of praise and prophecy, the "Benedictus" of Zechariah, John's father. This song blesses God for his faithfulness in fulfilling his promises. It is a song that announces that the long-awaited day of salvation has dawned, and that the herald of that dawning day will be Zechariah's newborn son, John.

The first part of the Benedictus announces that...

God's silence is broken.
Not only does Zechariah's song represent the opening of his own mute lips, but also the restoration of God's Word to Israel. For 400 years the voice of prophecy had been silent, but now the Holy Spirit fills this man and he speaks forth a prophetic word about the dawning day of redemption.

God has visited his people.
Zechariah blesses God for coming personally to fulfill his promises. The word the NRSV translates, "looked favorably upon" is usually understood to mean, "has visited"—God has visited his people. The priest sees the birth of his son as a sign that the true and living God himself has arisen and come to do something new in the midst of his people.

God has redeemed his people.
In language reminiscent of the Exodus, Zechariah speaks of what God has come to do. He has come to redeem; he has come to save us from our enemies and the hand of all who hate us; he has come to show mercy to us; he has come to rescue us.

God has raised up the Messiah.
God's activity in delivering his people from their enemies will happen through a Savior from the family of David. Here he looks beyond his own baby son to the soon birth of another Son, one even greater than John, who will rule on David's throne.

God has kept his promises.
Zechariah alludes to the entire First Testament story of Israel in his song. What God is doing now fulfills the oath he made to Abraham. What God is doing now is the ultimate rescue operation, which reflects what he did under Moses. What God is doing now brings to fruition the word he gave to David. What God is doing now was predicted by the prophets. This is the mercy he promised to our ancestors. This is God keeping his covenant promises.

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel!

DAY NINETEEN: Mighty Works, Amazed Responses

In Luke 1.57-66, the story of John comes back in view. This passage revolves around the events of his birth, circumcision and naming, and is organized in a pattern of (1) event, and (2) response. Each event represents a mighty work of God in the lives of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Each response shows the gladness and astonishment of the people who witnessed these events and recognized the hand of God in them.

Event #1—God gives Zechariah and Elizabeth a baby.
"Nothing will be impossible with God," and this aged, infertile couple here experiences the humanly impossible. They have a baby! Their neighbors and friends acknowledge this as a gift of God's mercy to Elizabeth, and they respond by rejoicing with the happy mother.

Event #2—God gives Zechariah faith to name the baby.
For nearly a year, Zechariah has lived in silence as a sign of doubting God's Word. Now, in a decisive act of faith, he goes against the custom of the community and gives his son the name John. The response? The neighbors are amazed! An unusual birth, an unusual naming. With each new event, the wonder of what's happening grows.

Event #3—God gives Zechariah speech again.
Note the torrent of response that gushes forth when Zechariah receives his speech again and begins praising God. Throughout the entire region, his surprising outburst provokes a profound sense of awe. His renewed voice becomes a piece of exciting news that spreads like wildfire through all the neighborhoods of Judea. His actions form a riveting public event that gets the spiritual attention of everyone who hears about it and they can't get it out of their minds.

Their question? "What then will this child become?" If the first events of his life when he is just a little baby are so amazing, what mighty works will God do through him when he grows up?

DAY EIGHTEEN: God's Faithfulness to Israel

Thus far, as we've considered Mary's Magnificat we have heard this young woman praise God for the remarkable personal blessings he bestowed on her, and we have remarked upon her profound theological insight into God's new order of life as it was dawning in the Child she would bear. Mary herself, a lowly country maiden, saw her personal experience as an example of Kingdom values—in his mercy God had somehow chosen her, an obscure village girl, for the greatest vocation in salvation history. And so the meek inherit the earth!

Today we look at the final stanza of Mary's song:

He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵According to the promise he made to our ancestors,
To Abraham and to his descendants for ever.

God's plan of redemption was channeled through a specific people, Israel. The promised "seed of the woman" (Genesis 3.15) would be a descendant of Abraham (Genesis 12.1-3). God chose one nation, that all the nations might be blessed (Exodus 19:5-6). Jesus' coming was the climax of the long story of Israel. It represented God's ultimate act of reaching out to his chosen people, and through his people to the world, to bring them home to himself and to inaugurate a new creation. Theologian N.T. Wright puts it like this:

The God of Israel is the creator and redeemer of Israel and the world. In faithfulness to his ancient promises, he will act within Israel and the world to bring to its climax the great story of exile and restoration, of the divine rescue operation, of the king who brings justice, of the Temple that joins heaven and earth, of the Torah that binds God's people together, and of creation healed and restored. (Simply Christian, p. 88)

This young, poor woman from Galilee somehow understood all of that with astounding clarity. In her own body, through her own life, the hope and promise of all generations was being fulfilled! Mary, the ultimate matriarch of Israel, became the Mother of our Lord.

DAY SEVENTEEN: God's Upside-Down New Way

In Mary's Magnificat in Luke 1.46-55, the young woman continues her song by moving beyond the personal blessings God has bestowed upon her to meditate on God's plan of the ages—his salvation plan to overthrow the world system and make a new heavens and new earth.

His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
⁵² He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;
⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.

God's plan is one of judgment—he scatters the proud, as at Babel, and takes into account not only human actions, but also the thoughts and intentions of our hearts. The powerful, who rule over humankind through selfish ambition, deceit, corruption and violence, are stripped of their authority and humiliated. The rich, who have enjoyed the luxuries of life at the expense of the poor, are given no seat at the table.

Those who have lived by and advanced the world system—"the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life" (1John 2.16)—that is, those who have lived pursuing the triune idol of sex, money and power; lust, covetousness and hubris, will find themselves with nothing in the end.

God's plan is also one of salvation. Those who fear the Lord; that is, those who see themselves as accountable creatures who live only by the sovereign mercy and grace of their Creator, who owe their lives and all they have to his kindness and generosity, who trust in his Word and his salvation, who seek to live in his presence with faithful devotion, who are often denied satisfaction or "success" in this world—to these folks God's mercy will come. The lowly will one day be exalted. The hungry fed.

We see glimpses of this now, but will one day experience it in its fullness. This upside-down value system invaded our world and became evident in a newer, clearer way when Jesus walked the earth, and when the apostles carried his Good News to the ends of the earth. It should be continually manifested even today in the lives of those who have his Spirit.

Is it being manifested through you? Through me?

DAY SIXTEEN: Mary's Blessings

And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
⁴⁸for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.'

In her song we call the Magnificat, Mary first praises God for his personal blessings.

She begins by rejoicing in God as her Savior. Having been chosen to give birth to the Messiah, Mary praises God by expressing her joyous trust in the salvation he is bringing her. Though selected for the highest vocation any human could fulfill, at the same time she took her place before God with all people as a sinner in need of his grace, forgiveness and justification.

She continues by marveling in the great privileges God has granted her. Though Mary was a simple country maiden without position or privilege, God in his divine favor has bestowed upon her the title of "Mother of the Lord." Though she would have otherwise lived a quiet, obscure life, Mary recognizes that this assignment will give her a notable place in salvation history, and all generations will call her "the blessed one" who was given such honor.

Mary concludes by giving all the credit to God. He is the Mighty One who did all these great things for her. He alone is the Holy One who has magnified his name in and through this faithful woman.

DAY FIFTEEN: Song of the New Order

In Luke 1.46-55, we read one of the great songs of Scripture, Mary's "Magnificat"—so called because of its translation in the Latin Vulgate. Used in liturgical worship since the fourth century, the song is sung or recited in the Vespers (evening prayer) service in those churches which keep the practice of Divine Hours. A few general observations about this prayer today...

The Magnificat shows that Mary was a young woman who meditated on Scripture. This song is filled with Scriptural allusions, most notably from the Song of Hannah in 1Samuel 2.1-10.

Secondly, as Scot McKnight observes in his book, The Real Mary, the Magnificat reveals Mary as a young woman who was dangerous in her world. Her song proclaims the dawning of a new order in the world, one in which all categories are redefined. The poor are made rich; the powerful are cast down from their positions of authority. The proud are humbled, and the meek rule the earth. The Magnificat is a revolutionary vision of God judging the world and making it anew.

Thirdly, the Magnificat portrays Mary as a young woman of humility, submission and worship. She recognizes her own lowliness and the Divine favor which has come unbidden upon her. She worships God as the Mighty One who has done great things for her. She magnifies the Lord and rejoices in God her Savior.

Holy is his name.

DAY FOURTEEN: The Old Passing, the New Arriving

Luke has written his Gospel in a most interesting way. In the early chapters, Luke alternates the stories about John and his family with the stories about Jesus and his family. By presenting them this way, the author encourages us to compare and contrast what happens in each case.

Reading these passages in this fashion helps us primarily to see the differences between (1) Zechariah and Mary, and (2) John and Jesus.

1. Zechariah represents the people of the old, First Testament era. An official in the religious system of Israel, he is righteous and blameless, but he and his wife are barren, unable to produce life. Though he lives faithfully under the Law, he cannot receive the prophetic word given to him by the angel. Zechariah therefore ends up silent until the day of Good News dawns.
2. Mary, on the other hand, represents God's new order of things. She holds no official position in Israel; in fact she is one of the poor of the land, living on the fringes of society as a Galilean woman. Yet it is Mary who receives the word about Messiah, responds in simple faith, and her mouth is filled with praise.
3. John, the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, is presented as the last prophet of the old era. His birth story is reminiscent of the patriarchs and other great ones in Israel. He is presented as God's servant, as Elijah, as one filled with the Spirit who will prepare the way for the Lord's coming.
4. Jesus, however is clearly portrayed as the promised Messiah—son of David, Son of God. Born in unique fashion, he is portrayed as uniquely great, the One who will rule forever as the holy Son of the Most High God.

Glory to the newborn King!

DAY THIRTEEN: The Virgin Conception

For today's post, I will simply refer you to an extended quote from Tom Wright's excellent little commentary, Luke for Everyone*. A central truth in Luke 1.26-38 is that of Jesus' virginal conception. I doubt that this teaching can be stated more simply or clearly than Wright does here:

"Let's begin with the obvious point: The story makes it clear that Jesus was conceived in Mary's womb before she had had any sexual relations. Many people today find this impossible to believe, but they often think that this difficulty has only arisen in modern times, because of all we now know about the precise mechanics of conception and birth. Not so. The ancient world didn't know about X chromosomes and Y chromosomes but they knew as well as we do that babies were the result of sexual intercourse, and that people who claimed to be pregnant by other means might well be covering up up a moral and social offence. Yet Mary's story is told by both Luke and Matthew, in versions so different that they can hardly be dependent on one another; in other words, the story seems to have been widely known in the very early church, rather than being a fantasy invented several generations after the fact. Why would these two writers, and devout Jewish Christian congregations that passed on such stories, have done so, giving hostages to fortune in this way, unless they had good reason to suppose that they were true?

"It's important to stress that the story says nothing about Mary remaining a virgin after Jesus' birth. That's a much later idea. Nor does it say anything about the goodness or badness of sexual identity or sexual relations. Whatever Luke (and Matthew) are trying to say with this story, they aren't saying that virginity is a morally better state than marriage. They are simply reporting that Jesus did not have a father in the ordinary way, and that this was because Mary had been given special grace to be the mother of God's incarnate self."

With God's people over all the centuries, we confess: I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary...


*Book information: Luke for Everyone, by Tom Wright, Westminster John Knox Press/SPCK. Copyright 2001, 2004 Nicholas Thomas Wright.

DAY TWELVE: The King

Commenting on the announcement of the angel to Mary in Luke 1.26-38, Joseph Fitzmyer said, "It has been composed by Luke in a highly dramatic way to get across to the reader of his Gospel who Jesus is." The main message of the Annunciation account is the extraordinary identity of the Child Mary will bear.

Let's note what this passage says about him:

1. "He will be great"—Many have noted the different way John was described in 1.15, "He will be great in the sight of the Lord." In contrast to the relative greatness of John as an ordinary human before God, Jesus' greatness is absolute. He is the Great One. When used in this absolute form, it is a title for Divinity.
2. "And will be called the Son of the Most High"—He will be recognized not only as Mary and Joseph's son, not only as the Son of David or the Seed of Abraham. He is God's beloved Son, sent from heaven.
3. "The Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David...and of his kingdom there will be no end"—He is here identified as the Messiah, the chosen King from David's line who will fulfill God's promise of an eternal reign (2Samuel 7, 1Chronicles 17). "When your days are fulfilled to go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom...his throne shall be established forever" (1Chron 17.11).
4. "The child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God"—This description is linked with the Child's virginal conception. Because "the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore..." the Child will be holy and called Son of God. This manner of conception guarantees that the One brought into human existence is the Divine One.

This passage highlights two primary identifications of Jesus: (1) The Davidic Messiah, the promised King, born a child in the line of David, and (2) The Son of God, born as the Divine One sent from heaven.

O come, let us adore him!

DAY ELEVEN: Two Proclamations

In Luke's story of the Annunciation, we have thus far made observations about character qualities of Mary, the woman God chose to bear his Son. For the next several days, we will expand the text of our meditation to Luke 1.26-56, and our focus will be on the two proclamations made in this passage.

The first proclamation is an announcement of the King. Gabriel delivered this message to Mary. She will bear a son and name him Jesus ("God saves"). People will recognize his greatness and call him "Son of God." He is the promised Davidic King who will rule forever over God's eternal Kingdom. Since Mary is a virgin, the Child will be conceived by divine intervention, and so he will be holy, God's own Son.

The angel's words provide rich material for meditation, and this we will do in days to come. Suffice it now to say that the true focus of this passage is on Jesus himself—who he is and his royal vocation. Mary's hope and the hope of the world is a Person, a Child who will be born to fulfill the First Testament promises of Messiah, the "Offspring of the Woman" (Genesis 3.15) who will crush sin, evil and death forever.

The second proclamation is made by Mary herself in the song we call the "Magnificat." It is an announcement of the Kingdom. In verses 46-55, the Virgin praises God by describing the mighty acts that bring about his rule in the new creation. Her words define and describe the nature of God's reign—God is Savior, who bestows his grace and mercy on the lowly, and brings down the proud and powerful with his mighty arm. He keeps his covenant promises and displays his faithfulness.

The King and the Kingdom. God's rule has arrived in the Person who will exercise dominion over God's new creation forever. This is the message of Advent and Christmas.

DAY TEN: Let It Be with Me

The third characteristic of Mary that we see in Luke 1.26-45 involves her willingness to obey, no matter the cost.

When the angel Gabriel delivered the divine assignment to be the mother of Messiah, Mary replied, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." With one word of obedience, Mary laid her future, her reputation, and her life on the line.

Let no one doubt that this was a costly "let it be" for Mary. It was entirely possible that she would be put to public shame, lose her husband to be, be marked as an adulteress for life, perhaps even face severe judicial penalties under the law. For a young teenager to say "yes" to God with such dire consequences in view is astonishing and remarkable.

Apparently, Mary's God was big enough to take care of the fallout. She was going to be the vessel to carry the Savior of the world! This prospect made all other considerations pale in comparison.

God may have given Mary the most demanding assignment in history. By his grace, through faith, she accepted it. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we would all learn to accept God's assignments, big and small, with such faithful obedience?

DAY NINE: A Thoughtful Faith

When the angel Gabriel greeted Mary, he dropped a bomb in her world. When God broke in and began speaking to her, Luke says that Mary was “much perplexed by his words.” That is a rather tame translation of a description that indicates a mixture of extreme confusion and fear. I think we can understand that reaction.

But where does Mary go with that? The text goes on to say that she “pondered what sort of greeting this might be.” She took the experience deep into her heart and thoughtfully considered its significance. Mary is pictured acting like this also in the Christmas story in Luke 2, where it says, “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2.19).

This young woman was apparently a thoughtful, meditative person, who carefully considered God’s Word and the things he did in her life. Given her culture, this is a rather surprising feature of Mary’s life, for women traditionally did not study as men did. Yet she is portrayed here and throughout Luke's Gospel as a disciple, a learner—a blessed person who meditated on the Word day and night (Psalm 1.3). If you read the Magnificat later in this chapter you will discover a hymn of praise that is filled with profound theological understanding of God and his plan of salvation.

Mary was apparently a woman who loved the Lord with all her mind, as well as with her heart and soul. She carefully considered God and his word and actions in her life.

We've already talked about this when looking at Elizabeth, but it bears repeating: don't miss the opportunity this Advent and Christmas season provides to meditate on God's words and works in bringing us salvation and filling our lives with his blessings in Christ.

DAY EIGHT: Favored by God

As we consider some general character qualities of Mary in Luke 1.26-45, we begin with the observation that Mary was filled with God's grace.

In human estimation, Mary was a nobody. A country maiden from the backwoods. A woman in a man's world. A young person (probably about age 14) in a world that revered those with age and experience. Poor. Her marriage was not yet finalized and she had no children, so she had nothing to validate her identity in society. In the world's eyes, Mary was invisible, without any characteristics that would give her prominence or recognition.

What sets Mary apart in the Bible is this word: “Greetings, favoured one, the Lord is with you…You have found favour with God.” She is the object of God’s grace, and it is God’s grace alone that makes her great.

1. In God’s grace and favor, Mary was born into a devout family and grew up in the faith. When you read her Magnificat of praise in Luke 1.46-55, you see that she had been well instructed in the Scriptures and that she longed for God’s salvation to come.
   
2. In God’s grace and favor, he had also preserved her in health and purity.
   
3. In his grace and favor, God had given her a righteous fiancée in Joseph, who treated her with the utmost respect, kindness and understanding.
   
4. Finally, God called Mary to the most honored vocation in Israel’s history—to be the mother of the Messiah.

The Lord was with her. Grace was upon Mary in an incomparable way.

DAY SEVEN: Let Us Bless Faithful Women

In many ways the story of God's plan of salvation in the Bible is a history that hangs upon the contributions of faithful women.

1. It starts in Genesis 3.15, with the first proclamation of the Good News. This word, addressed to the serpent, foretells the coming of a child born of a woman who will crush the serpent's head. This pictures Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, who was wounded for our sins, but who triumphed forever over all sin, evil and death.
2. It continues in the stories of the matriarchs, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel and Leah, women who faced insurmountable odds but proved God through faith.
3. One such woman, Tamar of the tribe of Judah, saved the chosen line, by unconventional means to be sure, and was hailed as a righteous woman of faith.
4. In Egypt, it was the faithful midwives who saved Israel by protecting the Hebrew male children, including Moses. It was even a foreign woman, Pharaoh's daughter, who drew him from the water and gave him a home in the palace.
5. Rahab, a woman of poor reputation, saved herself and her family from God's judgment, joined the people of Israel and became a forbear of the Messiah.
6. A foreign woman named Ruth practiced great determination and faithful love, and in the process experienced God's providence, which brought her to Boaz. She became a mother in the family line of David, and ultimately the Son of David.
7. Bathsheba, a woman cruelly used as a pawn in royal intrigues, became David's wife and Solomon's mother, a queen who prepared the way for the King of kings to come.
8. As we read the first page of Luke's Gospel, we meet Elizabeth, mother of the Messiah's forerunner, John the Baptizer. Like the matriarchs before her, she overcame impossible circumstances through faith in the living God, who provided a son for her.
9. And then, the ultimate woman of faith—Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary is the preeminent woman in God’s plan, the ultimate faithful woman whom God would use to bring Jesus to the world. From the angel’s first words to her, “Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you” to Elizabeth’s exclamation, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb,” Mary is identified as the final one in the line of faithful women that began in Genesis and advanced God's redemption plan.
   

Let us now bless faithful women!

DAY SIX: Resting in Grateful Faith

The final scene in Luke 1.5-25 portrays Elizabeth, resting in quiet repose, expressing thanks to God, who had shown such profound favor to her. Like Sarah (Genesis 21.6), Rachel (Genesis 30.23) and the women who formed a chorus of praise for Naomi (Ruth 4.14-15), Elizabeth humbly acknowledges God's gracious intervention in allowing her to conceive, and thus removing the shame that came with being childless in her community.

Why did Elizabeth seclude herself for five months? Perhaps special physical precautions were in order because of her age. The text also seems to indicate that this was time when she sought solitude, in order to process the amazing miracle that God had done in her life. In the following passage, it is the angel who reveals to Mary that her cousin is pregnant (Luke 1.36-37). Perhaps it was God's intention that the news not be made known until Mary received the annunciation.

Whatever the reason, Elizabeth is pictured here as one who had received God's wonderful work in her life and took the time to meditate on it and offer worship and thanksgiving.

Ironically, time for solitude, quiet reflection and personal worship is often hard to find in the midst of the Advent and Christmas season. Commenting on the busyness and stress of the season has become cliche, so we won't cover that ground again here. Suffice it to say that one of the most counter-cultural activities we can pursue at this time of year is that of seclusion, privacy, serenity and a quiet resting in the God who loves us and provides for us.

How can you and I order our lives so as to make room for this?

DAY FIVE: Hesitant to Believe God Can Use Me

In Luke 1.5-25, Zechariah has a once-in-a-lifetime experience with God.

First of all, he is chosen by lot to offer incense in the Holy Place at the Temple. Since there were thousands of priests to choose from, any individual minister might never get the opportunity to do this for his entire life. Zechariah must have felt quite privileged to be singled out to perform this sacred service.

Then, when Zechariah enters the Temple, the angel Gabriel appears to him! Finally, to top it all off, Gabriel announces that Zechariah and Elizabeth are going to have a baby in their old age, and not just any baby. Their child will be the promised forerunner to the Messiah, foretold by the First Testament prophets. He hit the jackpot!

Well, all of this is too much for poor Zechariah. He just can't bring himself to believe that God would have such an assignment for his wife and him. People of humble faith like this often have a hard time accepting that God wants to use them for something great. With a gentle rebuke, the angel tells Zechariah that he will have nine months of silence to come to grips with this new reality; he will be mute and his mouth opened only when the baby is born.

The transformed priest stumbles out of the Temple and plays charades with the crowd outside, who realize that something must have happened in the sanctuary. How would you communicate, without words, an experience like that?

Our God is not only One who sustains us day by day through all the ups and downs of our lives. That had been this faithful couple's testimony for many years, and it is a wonderful fact of spiritual experience. But God is also the living One who may intervene to surprise us in ways we cannot imagine. It is understandable that we might be taken aback when that happens. But we must also be ready to accept the revelation.

Beware! You never know when there might be an angel around the corner with an assignment for you.

DAY FOUR: Faithful in Disappointment

The first story in Luke's Gospel is about Zechariah and Elizabeth, parents of John the Baptizer. Today, let's think about one characteristic in their life revealed in Luke 1.5-25.

Zechariah and Elizabeth’s great sadness was that they were never able to conceive and have a child. We've had many friends over the years who have never been able to have children. We’ve also known folks whose children have died tragically. There is an indelible sadness in their lives. Maybe some of you have had an experience like that.

People struggle with disappointments of all kinds. Some are under constant financial stress because their dreams of success and prosperity never worked out. Others are dealing with the disillusionment of a marriage that fell apart, or of a child who has gone astray and is in trouble. People who were perfectly healthy a year ago now find themselves facing a diagnosis that they are seriously ill. I deal with folks every day who are now entering the holiday season knowing that a loved one might not live more than a few days or weeks.

The Christmas season tends to be a difficult time of year for those who have suffered in these and a thousand other ways. Some churches are now conducting what are called “Blue Christmas” services to help people with their disappointments, sadness and grief during the holidays.

Zechariah and Elizabeth were ordinary folks who lived most of their lives with deep sorrow and disappointment. Yet one of the things that impresses me about them was that they remained faithful. The text says that they lived righteously before God, they sought to keep his Word, they kept praying and seeking God.

Somehow they were able to receive God’s grace and persevere, even in the midst of long disappointment. They didn’t grow bitter. They didn’t give up. I’m sure there were many times when they cried out to God, expressed their anger to God, and questioned God. But they never forsook their faith in God.

Do you think there might be a lesson in that?

DAY THREE: Pastoral Concern

As a final thought on Luke 1.1-4, we note that Luke, who wrote carefully as an historian and author about credible events, also wrote his Gospel out of love and pastoral concern.

The book is addressed to a man named, "Theophilus." Theories abound as to who he was. Some have suggested he was a Roman official, others the patron or sponsor who had agreed to publish the Gospel. Others think he may have been a Jewish high priest or leader. It is clear that he had received some instruction in the Christian faith, but was he a believer? Some think he may have been a new believer, a catechumen who was in the early stages of learning to be a Christ-follower. Others suggest he may have been a God-fearer, a Gentile attached to the synagogue who had been introduced to the idea of Jesus as Messiah, trying to come to grips with the message. Others have thought him simply a seeker, one "loved by God" (the meaning of his name), that Luke was trying to reach with the Gospel.

Bottom line? We don't know much about Theophilus. The text simply records that Luke accorded him respect in his address, and that Theophilus had received some instruction in the Christian faith.

Why did Luke write this Gospel for him? The NRSV puts it this way, "so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed." The words "know the truth" carry the idea of becoming certain or gaining assurance about something. Luke wrote so that Theophilus (and those like him) might have a deeper sense of certainty in their faith.

We all need that, don't we? No matter where we are on our individual spiritual journeys, don't we long for greater assurance--a faith that will endure the ups and downs of life?

That's why Luke wrote his Gospel. In pastoral concern, he provided this book to give us a solid basis for a lasting faith.

DAY TWO: A Careful Writer

In our first meditation on Luke 1.1-4, we saw Luke's claim that the content of his Gospel is credible. The message about Jesus is grounded in public facts, proclaimed by trustworthy eyewitnesses. In the same passage, Luke also discloses how he wrote—he wrote as a careful historian and author.

We see his concern for historical accuracy in the statement, "I investigated everything carefully." Luke did his homework, which, according to the text, apparently included reading other accounts about Jesus, talking to those who had written them, interviewing eyewitnesses and listening to the proclamations of those who were taking the Jesus message around the world. Luke was careful to give us accurate accounts of what happened.

Luke was also a careful writer. He tells Theophilus that he put together an “orderly” or systematic book. The idea of this word is that Luke's Gospel is a record of Jesus' life and ministry that has logical and literary coherence. Readers of Luke have long noted its eloquence and quality as literature. Luke makes his case with integrity, skill and style.

As we prepare to celebrate Christ's birth, isn't it good to know that we have a book like the Gospel of Luke to tell us his story—not only an inspired book, but also one that has been rigorously researched and thoughtfully written?

DAY ONE: Faith is Credible

In Luke 1.1-4, the author tells us the what, how and why of writing this Gospel. Today, on this first day of the Advent season, we consider an important concept regarding the Good News about Jesus—it is a credible record of events. We can rely on Luke as a trustworthy source to learn about Jesus.

Luke was not some isolated crackpot who was making up a strange new religion. He says that he was one of many who had set out to write about “the events that have been fulfilled among us"—events that were part of the great history of God's work among the Jewish people and the nations. The accounts of these events had been passed along by “eyewitnesses and servants of the word,” who had seen them transpire. Luke and his community understood these events as public “fulfillments” of God’s plan and promises that took place openly in real space-time history. They were “not done in a corner” (Acts 26.26).

The Christian faith is not an esoteric mystery religion, where only the initiated may learn its secrets. It is based on events that took place publicly, and is communicated to us in the Bible by eyewitnesses and those who carefully investigated its claims.

Check it out! The Good News about the Jesus who came at Christmas is credible.

Advent Blog Coming 12/2/07

This week, I'll be preparing a new blog for the Advent season. The first post will be next Sunday, the first day of Advent.

It will consist of daily thoughts related to passages from the Gospel of Luke. In my church, I will be preaching on Luke, and the posts will reflect what I'm learning in my studies for those messages.

I hope you will join me for a few moments each day, as we prepare our hearts and minds to celebrate the incarnation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.