Miracle Birth: John the Baptist

It’s Christmas eve, 1945, Bedford Falls, New York, and George Bailey is suicidal. George’s Uncle Billy, the one with the crow on his shoulder, had gone to deposit $8,000 (that’s equivalent to about $100,000 today) for George’s building and loan business that morning. But he mistakenly places the envelope of cash in evil Mr. Potter’s newspaper.

And matters just continue to get worse from there. George Bailey is a desperate man, in a desperate situation, so, he begins to pray.

With tears in his eyes he prays, “Oh God, Oh God. Dear Father in heaven, I’m not a praying man, but if you’re up there and you can hear me show me the way. I’m at the end of my rope, show me the way oh God.”

Now, God doesn’t answer his prayers immediately and so George takes matters into his own hands. He heads to the bridge and standing there on the bridge, in a blizzard, staring into the river, he’s about ready to jump.

We can all relate to James Stewart’s character, George Bailey, in It’s A Wonderful Life. His discouragement and loss of hope. What if we don’t have a “Clarence” to show us the way?

What if it feels like all our prayers are just bouncing back off the ceiling? What if all we hear in our pain is silence?

We’re going to be in Luke chapter 1 today. We’re going to see what God’s word has to say about His silence, His promises, and how we should respond.

Because, that’s the situation the nation of Israel found itself in around 2,028 years ago. Give or take a few years.

Luke 1:5–7 KJV 1900

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

This couple were both from very prominent priestly lines. And even though they were called righteous, walking in all the commandments of God. That doesn’t mean sinless, it means their hearts were surrendered to God for His service.

At this time in Israel’s culture, most didn’t believe in eternal life. They considered having children was their way to eternal life. For them to not have children would have caused others to believe there was sinfulness in their lives. Sin that caused God to shut Elizabeth’s womb.

Luke uses the phrase “righteous before God” to emphasize Elisabeth’s sin didn’t cause barrenness.

Zechariah and Elizabeth must have wanted children in a desperate way. How many times did they pray in their pain, sorrow, and grief for a child? But the answer they received, was silence. There weren’t even any crickets, it was just silence.

And that experience wasn’t just for this couple. The nation of Israel hasn’t heard God speak through a prophet in 400 years. How many Israelites just moved on with their life? Many have moved on and built lives on the here and now with little or no thought to God. I mean He’s been silent for 400 years, right?

The promised Messiah hasn’t come. There’s no glorious temple. Just Rome, ruthlessly in control, burdening them with exorbitant taxes.

So, the voices of family, career, survival, politics, social justices, and holidays spoke much louder than God. It makes a lot more sense for us to base our lives on what we can see, taste, and touch, than on things we hear about from long ago.

You see Zechariah and Elizabeth believed God’s words from long ago actually had meaning to them both in the presence and in the future. They were “walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” They were living and doing God’s words. They based their lives on God’s words.

Here’s where the Bible is refreshingly honest about our struggles in life. A “blameless” and “faithful” couple have much pain and sorrow in their lives. They even have doubts about God’s word. We tend to be like the rest of Israel, we want that wonderful life right now?

You know the life I’m talking about. The one we can control, the one with tangible results instead of long periods of silence and disappointment. We have to ask ourselves what life are we currently going after?

Are we striving for the wonderful life we can see and feel? Or are we striving for the one based on God’s promises?

As we continue we’ll see how God fulfills His promises and how we’re supposed to respond with trust and joy.

Trust in God’s Promises

Luke 1:8–9 KJV 1900

8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, 9 According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

These two verses are easily skimmed through to the “more important” parts of this passage. But the reality is the job of burning incense was the highest of honors for a priest. They would cast lot to see who had that honor. There were many priests who would go their entire lives without ever having the lot fall upon them.

Luke is emphasizing God’s hand in having the lot fall upon Zechariah at the exact time God chose to end His silence.

Luke 1:11–17 KJV 1900

11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

While Zechariah’s in the middle of what seems to be the highest honor of his life and probably floating on cloud nine. Poof, the angel Gabriel appears out of nowhere.

That’s not normal. And as much as I would like God to speak clearly to me, I’m not sure that would be my first choice of communication.

Every time we hear about an angel appearing to people in the Bible, they are overcome with fear. The angel has to reassure them. Don’t be afraid, I come from God and I carry a message.

Now this isn’t just any ordinary message to a prophet, and this isn’t just any angel. This is Gabriel, considered by some scholars as God’s highest angel.

He says, your prayer has been answered. However, Zechariah and Elizabeth’s prayer for a child came with more than they could have ever dreamed. As faithful and blameless servants they probably prayed for God’s promised Messiah as well.

Zechariah is specifically told to name the child John. You see, the name John means gift from God, or Yahweh has been Gracious. And the reason why? Because John will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb. John is going to be the last of the OT prophets.

However, there’s a new concept that hasn’t been seen before. Other prophets as we have seen, Samson, and Samuel were to be set apart for God from conception. But John is going to be filled with the Holy Spirit, in the womb. Samson was stirred by the Spirit, and others had the Spirit come upon them, but none have ever been filled with the Spirit.

John, the last OT prophet is preparing the way for God’s salvation plan. He will turn many children of Israel to the Lord their God verse 16. But look at verse 17. And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias. The KJV says Elias, but it is actually Elijah, which is important to Gods’ fulfilling prophecy.

But I want to point you to where it says, go before Him because this is qualified later in the same verse with “to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Gabriel just told Zechariah that your son is going to usher in the king of kings, the coming Messiah.

Look at how Zechariah responds to God’s promise.

Luke 1:18 KJV 1900

18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

Zechariah’s like “yeah, right?” Do you know how old I am? And have you seen Elizabeth? She’s old too. Which is a hurdle in itself. But, as a faithful righteous Jew, he would have known that the Angel in verse 17 was quoting Malachi. Malachi said God will send a messenger of the Lord, Elijah the prophet, and he will prepare a way for the Lord. Those are the last words God spoke to Israel before 400 years of silence. And Zechariah basically says, I think you’re a little loony.

Why is it that we can see and believe God doing great miracles in the past, even in others around us, but when He comes to us with something. We automatically think that’s not possible, it can’t happen.

Zechariah the most faithful of servants finds himself in the middle of disbelief. How much easier is it for us to be in disbelief? Think about it!

I don’t know about any of you, but I haven’t had any angels materialize in my office. I think I’d have a much harder time not believing that angel, than how God seems to speak to us in our lives every day.

His disobedience brings some punishment. God is still answering his prayers, John will still be born and do all God promised.

Luke 1:19–20 ESV

19 And the angel answered him, “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. 20 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 tells Zechariah who he is and why he has come. Then the light bulb comes on and Zechariah realizes the truth. Have you ever had a time when realization, the light bulb comes on a moment too late? Zechariah’s light bulb turned on a moment too late, and because of disbelief, he won’t be allowed to tell anyone the good news. He has to sit dumbfounded and mute until John is born.

This all kind of reminds me of those times we are at a fast food drive through. It should only take a couple minutes at most. Then, they tell us to go wait in whatever numbered parking spot and our food will be right out.

We get a little bristled right? We get impatient and maybe even a little angry. The 2 minute fast food rule just became a 10 or 15 minute wait.

And to top matters off, the order we receive isn’t what we ordered in the first place. What are the first words usually out of our mouths? I can’t believe it, they screwed up our order again, right?

Just like Israel and Zechariah we do the same thing with God. We pray, we have expectations about when that prayer should be answered. Usually immediately, and we have expectations about how that prayer will be answered.

When God is silent and we have no answers to our prayers we become impatient and sometimes angry. Then, when God does answer our prayers and we look at the order He delivered. I can’t believe it, that’s not what I ordered.

How often do we treat God and our prayers like we’re going through McDonald’s drive through? We want our Mcprayer now and exactly how we visioned it. How often do we treat God as McGod instead of trusting in His timing and purpose for our lives?

God’s not silent. He has spoken to us. The problem is we all too often either don’t hear what He’s saying, or we just don’t believe what He’s saying.

When He says, “I have come to give you life abundantly,” we say “Really? You call this abundant life?” He says, “Delight in the Lord and I will give you the desires of your heart.” And we say, “When? I have desires of my heart, right now? I don’t seem to be getting those?”

Gabriel gives Zechariah the promise of answering his prayer. It’s not that there was anything lacking, the problem was that the order didn’t match what Zechariah imagined. The problem is that the promise was so amazing that Zechariah couldn’t believe it.

God’s promises have always been beyond human understanding. God fills our mcprayers with answers beyond belief. Sometimes those answers come through difficulty and suffering. But we can be thankful for the difficulties and suffering He allows in our lives. Because that season causes us to trust not in ourselves or our circumstances, but to trust in God’s promises and in His Word as a foundation for our lives.

God promised to send a great prophet to prepare the people for the Lord. That promise is the soon to be Holy Spirit filled baby in the womb of a barren elderly faithful, righteous woman.

We often have doubts about God and even His promises. But just consider the miraculous births of Samson, Samuel, and now John the Baptist. We have a God who has proven to fulfill His promises in miraculous ways and that should give us confidence. We should embrace and rejoice in God’s promises, especially His promised salvation.

Joy in God’s Salvation

Luke 1:39–43 KJV 1900

39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; 40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. 41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: 42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

At this point Mary had just conceived Jesus by the Holy Spirit. She has heard, via the angel, about her cousin Elisabeth’s pregnancy. So, Mary goes to see Elizabeth.

The very moment Elisabeth hears Mary’s voice, her baby, John the Baptist, leaps in her womb. John recognized Jesus immediately and at that moment Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. This is the moment John the Baptist is filled with the Spirit in the womb. God’s promises are fulfilled.

Notice Elisabeth’s response when she recognizes Jesus. “Why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” She’s overjoyed because she knows Mary’s baby is God’s promised salvation. Is God Himself. She knew her baby was the one to come before the Lord.

Luke 1:57–66 KJV 1900

57 Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. 58 And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. 59 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. 60 And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. 61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. 62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. 63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. 64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. 65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea. 66 And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.

When Elisabeth gives birth all her relatives and neighbors were rejoicing with her. But at circumcision when it;s time to name him their joy turns to bitterness and anger.

They want to name him after the father, but Elisabeth isn’t having it. She stands firm that his name will be John. They’re so bitter they go to the mute. They want him to just shake his head yes, name him after me. But instead with pen and paper he affirms the name John.

They know this isn’t their child. This child belongs to God, and God gave them the name for His child. What’s amazing here is that their joy isn’t in having a child after being barren for so long. No, their joy is rooted in God’s promises being fulfilled for His people. Their joy was in knowing salvation was here.

The Holy Spirit revealed to Elizabeth that Mary was carrying “her Lord!” This wasn’t just joy to us, we’re having a baby. It was truly joy to the world.

Our greatest joy should be in God’s salvation. We claim it is right? Is our joy in salvation rubbing off on others? Do we show our joy of Christ even in our suffering?

Conclusion

At the end of It’s A Wonderful Life George Bailey and his family are beaming as they sing “Auld Lang Syne,” which is Scottish for “times long past.”

In verses 68-79 Zechariah sings his own version of “Auld Lang Syne.” He’s rejoicing that God kept His promises from times long past and brought them to fulfillment in these days.

Zechariah’s song is all about where our joy is found. God has provided redemption for His people. A Savior is born, He is Christ the King. That’s our joy this Christmas season.

John the Baptist prepared the way for this King. Prepared the way for all nations to receive the grace of God. The only price? Complete surrender of our hearts, souls, minds, and entire lives to the one John prepared the way for, Jesus Christ. Have you fully surrendered your heart, soul, mind and life to Jesus Christ?