The Love That Works While We Wait

Luke 1:68–79 NKJV

68 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, 69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, 70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began, 71 That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us, 72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant, 73 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham: 74 To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. 76 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, 77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins, 78 Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; 79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

The Love That Works While We Wait

Waiting, even if only for a few hours, is hard. Think of waiting for a call back from a job interview or standing in line at the DMV to get your license renewed. Waiting weeks, months, years? You might ask God to heal your body and wait for him to. Think about a relationship that has been broken and how long you wait for it to be restored. How about trusting God’s provision for future occurrences? The passage of time is sometimes painful, and the questions that emerge from the silence are no less painful. Does God still see me? Does he still care? Will He answer my prayer?

Waiting wasn’t just a season for Zechariah and Elizabeth. It was a lifetime. They had followed God and had obeyed but had a desperate, unmet desire. They longed for a child. In a world where children were seen as a token of God’s grace, their infertility was shameful. They’d prayed for years, and God was silent.

And then, one day, all that changed. Zechariah was doing his job as a priest in the temple when Gabriel came to him. Gabriel brought the kind of news that Zechariah and Elizabeth had long hoped for; their prayers had been answered, and they would be blessed with a son. Not just any son – but John, who would open the way for the Messiah.

But in that holy, miraculous moment, Zechariah did not believe. He didn’t quite believe God would do something after all these years of inaction. And because he doubted, Zechariah lost his ability to speak. Zechariah was speechless when Elizabeth’s belly grew with God’s promise for nine months.

What must it have been like to be waiting in that silence? To struggle between the joy of God’s promise and the pain of his doubt?

And yet, when the voice of Zechariah was returned to him, the first words he spoke were not those of regret but praise. In Luke 1:68–79, we have Zechariah’s song: a declaration of God’s faithfulness, celebrating His covenant love, and announcing the Lord’s working plan to save the world.

This song also reveals something important about God’s love: it’s never idle. God’s love is in action, in the silence. His word is being delivered despite the wait. Zechariah’s hymn is not only a personal testimony — it’s a message to acknowledge that God’s covenant love is for all men and to cooperate with Him in His mission to change the world.

When we celebrate God’s love, this Advent lets us realize that God’s love isn’t only to be received but lived out as well. As Zechariah did, we must move out of the waiting and into God’s mission. Let’s look today at how this narrative challenges us to open our hearts to God’s covenant love and let it pour through us into the world desperate for salvation.

Let’s walk with Zechariah together and see how the action of love beckons us out of slumber and into action.

Who Was Zechariah?

We have to start with his story to get the gist of Zechariah's praise song. It wasn't that Zechariah was a random name plucked out of thin air; he was a priest who gave his life in service to God and His people. But beyond his position of honor, there was a heavy burden Zechariah had – a burden he and his wife Elizabeth had shared for many years.

Children were not only a personal blessing in their culture but the gift of God's grace. Not having children was not a private tragedy; it was a public embarrassment. Zechariah and Elizabeth had prayed and desired a child for decades, but after so much time, the opportunity passed and they found themselves with questions unanswered and their hearts broken.

And yet, even in their suffering, there is something remarkable about this: Zechariah and Elizabeth were Luke 1:6 “both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” Their unanswered prayer did not descend into bitterness. They remained faithful to God, even while waiting.

Think of what Zechariah and Elizabeth must have experienced. There had to be whispers every time Zechariah entered the Temple to do his job: "If he's such a good priest, why hasn't God given him children?" Their faithfulness did not keep them from the judgment of others or from the pain of being disappointed.

But their story shows us that God's love is not transactional. Their infertility was not a curse or evidence that God had forgotten about them. Instead, their faithfulness amid their suffering was the beginning of something far more than they could have imagined.

When Zechariah was doing his priestly work, his whole world was turned upside down one day. He was selected by the casting of lots to go into the Temple and sacrifice incense – a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a priest. It would have been the most important day of work for many priests, but it was something far more profound for Zechariah.

Gabriel appeared to him when he was in the Temple burning incense before the Lord. Gabriel spoke an even better message than anyone could possibly imagine: Luke 1:13 “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.”

Can you imagine the flurry of emotions that must have been in the mind of Zechariah at the time? Joy, shock, hope, and fear all at once. After decades of silence and unanswered prayer, God's angel appeared to him and said his dream would be realized.

But Zechariah's response illustrates the conflict of trust in the waiting. But instead of bursting into happiness right away, he says, Luke 1:18 ““How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.””

His doubt wasn't unfounded – in human terms, the thought of him and Elizabeth having a child together at their age felt unthinkable. But it also demonstrated the difficulty of believing God's timing when it differs from ours.

Gabriel's answer was firm but gracious. For Zechariah's skepticism, he was made to mute until the promise came true. For nine months, Zechariah was silent – not to be punished but to contemplate God's faithfulness.

We are invited to consider our own waiting based on Zechariah's story. When God is silent, what do we do? And do we cling to God's timing, as Zechariah and Elizabeth did, clinging to the promise that God would always come on time? Or do we begin to doubt, become discouraged, and believe God has forgotten about us?

The narrative also shows us that God's love doesn't abandon us in our doubt. Even when Zechariah doubted Gabriel's message, God didn't pull the plug. Instead, He led Zechariah gently to a better appreciation of His goodness.

There was the story of one couple praying for years to have children. Doctors said they couldn't, so they prayed despite becoming discouraged. And then, nearly 10 years later, they heard the news they'd been waiting for. They were overwhelmed with joy that day, but what made them remember more was how God had been there for them as they waited. They say: 'God didn't just give us a child — He taught us to put our trust in Him, the way we never could have done without the waiting.'"

Zechariah's account shows the power of God's covenant love, which performs itself in the stillness and waiting. In the next section of the sermon, we will discover how this love wasn't merely for the fulfillment of Zechariah's own desire. It was about something much bigger: the birth of John the Baptist, the precursor of the Messiah, and the fulfillment of God's promise to save the world.

Now, let's look at God's promise to Zechariah and how he proclaims his love and faithfulness not only for one family but for the entire world.

God’s Promise to Zechariah

In Zechariah's story, it all comes to a head in God's temple, one of the most sanctified places possible. For decades, he and Elizabeth had suffered from the heartbreak of sterility and the unspoken accusations of others who felt they were out of God's good graces. But they remained faithful, prayed, and ministered. And now, in the hushed whispers of his priestly duties, God punctured the hushed whispers with an astonishing promise.

It was just a regular day of service in the temple. Zechariah had been selected by lottery to serve in the temple and sacrifice incense, a once-in-a-lifetime privilege. Imagine the reverence with which he entered the sanctuary, the glow of candles. Thousands prayed on the street, their prayers mixed with burning incense.

When Zechariah went about his business, he was greeted by the extraordinary. The angel Gabriel showed up at the right side of the altar. Gabriel's message was shocking and transformative:

Luke 1:13–15 “13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.”

The hope was wider than Zechariah and Elizabeth. Their son, John, would set the stage for the Messiah, fulfilling ancient prophecies and opening a new chapter in God's redemptive plan.

God heard Zechariah and Elizabeth's prayer. Despite decades of desire and pain, God showed that he hadn't forgotten them. This was a profoundly personal promise, and it would change their lives.

John would be the Messiah, the man who would call Israel to repentance and prepare them for the coming of the kingdom of God. Gabriel's words, echoing those of Isaiah and Malachi, revealed this child to express God's plan to redeem his people.

The promise required faith because it just wasn't possible from a human point of view. Zechariah and Elizabeth were already well beyond childbearing years, and the facts did not agree with the revelation.

That is sometimes the thing about God's promises — they bring us to something much more significant than ourselves. They challenge our faith, challenging us not to believe what we can see but who God is.

At the prospect of this great promise, Zechariah was reluctant. And he did not respond with immediate exhilaration or joy but doubt:

Luke 1:18 “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”

It isn't hard to imagine how Zechariah felt. Years of disappointment made it better not to believe again. He did not simply question his age or Elizabeth's – he wondered whether God could be active in his existence's empty, broken places.

Gabriel's reply was blunt: Zechariah would be silent, unable to speak, until the promise came true. And this was not just the product of doubt but the blessing of reflection. That silence gave Zechariah time to witness God's plan unfold, see Elizabeth's pregnancy as a tangible sign of God's sovereignty, and prepare his heart for God's purposes.

While Zechariah struggled with his faith, God's love did not waver. The promise wasn't canceled because Zechariah was in doubt. Instead, God went ahead with it, illustrating that His purpose is not our perfection but His constant faithfulness.

Zechariah had remained silent for nine months, but the silence was not empty. It was all God's work. Elizabeth's expanding belly was a daily reminder of the miracle at work, a visual proof that God's word is faithful.

We are invited by Zechariah's story to consider how we walk with God's promises.

Sometimes, as with Zechariah, we feel forgotten while waiting. But his story tells us that God works in all things, even in silence. His timing is perfect, and His plans are never delayed.

Trusting God sometimes goes beyond our capacity to understand and control. It's about trusting Him to make a life out of barrenness, restoration out of brokenness, and meaning out of waiting.

Zechariah's doubt didn't disqualify him from God's promise, and our doubt doesn't disqualify us. God is more than what we doubt, and God's love continues to work in us and through us as we learn to trust Him.

One guy prayed for years to be reconciled with his estranged son. They had not spoken to one another for decades, and nothing seemed different. Then, all of a sudden, his son called. That conversation was awkward, but it was a start. They eventually reconciled. 'I didn't think God could repair it,' the man says, 'but He worked while I waited. His timing was perfect.'"

And when God promised a blessing to Zechariah, it wasn't just about a personal blessing – it was part of his more significant promise to save the world. As we turn to Zechariah's song, we will see this prophecy come to fruition through the arrival of John and, ultimately, through the arrival of Jesus.

Zechariah's silence will be replaced by praise, and his story will remind us that God's covenant love invites us to come alongside him in transforming the world. Now, let's look at how this love takes us from waiting to doing in the sermon's second part.

Zechariah’s Song: A Declaration of God’s Covenant Love

The silence had been long-term – not only the nine months Zechariah had been silent, but the centuries of waiting Israel had lived through. The prophets' prophecies had become faint, and people began to wonder whether God had forgotten them. However, with the birth of John, all this changed.

When Zechariah took his miracle son in his arms, the silence was broken — not only his but the silence of a world in waiting. His opening words were not complaints nor self-examinations but praise. Zechariah's song of Luke 1:68–79 thunders with God's covenant love, a love that labors in the hope and reshapes the earth.

The Fulfillment of God's Promises

The song Zechariah sang, also known as the Benedictus, is a song of praise and prophecy. It opens with a burst of thanksgiving for God's goodness:

Luke 1:68 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people,”

For Zechariah, John's birth wasn't merely about the joy of fatherhood. It was evidence that God's redemption plan was in full swing and that His covenant promises to Israel were being carried out. It wasn't the beginning of something new but the continuation of a story God had been writing all along.

It was clear to Zechariah that God's love is not a passive, but an active one. God had "come to His people," walked into history, and saved them.

The context for Zechariah's words comes from God's Covenantal Commitment to Abraham and David. For him, John's existence was woven into the story of God's everlasting love for His people.

But as Zechariah goes on, his song takes on a reference to his son, John. Zechariah tells us that John will be a prophet of the Most High to prepare the way for the Messiah:

Luke 1:76–77 “76 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, 77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins,”

The awe and wonder in Zechariah's voice would have been palpable when he uttered these words. His long-awaited son wasn't simply an answer to prayer; he was part of God's plan to save the world. John would call on people to repent and prepare their hearts for Jesus, the promised Messiah.

The song comes with a soaring message of optimism:

Luke 1:78–79 “78 Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; 79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.””

And this is the climax of Zechariah's song: The love of God is like a rising sun that shines in the dark to bring light to the lost. It's a love that doesn't just meet us where we are; it brings us peace with God.

This isn't a song about Zechariah's personal reaction to his son's birth, but the song of God's greater purpose. The same love that bursts his waiting is the same one that summons us to action today.

Zechariah praised God for saving His people. Redemption is the heart of God's covenant love. It is not just about redeeming us from sin but about restoring what was broken and bringing us into a right relationship with him.

As the forerunner of Jesus, John reminds us that the love of God prepares us for action. In the way John paved the way for Jesus, we are called to pave the way for others to experience God's love.

The rising sun reminds us that God's love isn't only for those in the church building – it is for the whole world. We are called as Christians to be the bearers of that light into the deepest dark places and to live out God's love in all that we say and do.

Zechariah's song encourages us to leave the waiting and enter God's mission.

How has God's covenant love changed your life? Are you like Zechariah, praising Him for his works?

We're called to make way for people to experience God's love in the way that John made way for Jesus. How do you make a difference in your community and bring light to the darkness?

Zechariah's song reminds us of the bigger picture of God's work in the world. And how might we be part of His mission to redeem and deliver those who dwell in the shadow of death?

There's this story about how one church in a struggling neighborhood decided to become a beacon. They opened their doors to people experiencing homelessness, began a food bank, and set up places for children to learn and play. In time, their little love projects changed the neighborhood. Those forgotten people had hope. As the pastor will tell us, 'We just chose to love God in the way He loves me — live sacrificially and for his praise.

Zechariah's song is not just a praise-song, but an invitation to follow God into his covenant love. This is a love that saves, restores, transforms. It takes us from stillness to announcement, from waiting to act.

The story of Zechariah starts in silence and waiting and builds to a chorus of praise and purpose. His words tell us that the love of God never sits idle. God works when we feel forgotten, our faith is shaky, and the world around us feels like darkness. His covenant love is a redeeming, saving, and transforming love — and He asks us to share it and accept it.

The marvel of Zechariah's experience is that it resembles our own. We all have times of silence when God seems far away, and things are not as promised. But waiting, as Zechariah's song teaches us, is well-spent. Even during silence, God's love prepares us for something more.

When the silence is finally broken, Zechariah does not dwell on his doubts nor the agony of the wait, but he proclaims the faithfulness of God. God is come, he announces, to save His people, to keep His word, and to bring light into the darkness.

When our waiting is over, we must ask ourselves, what will we sing? Like Zechariah, will we lift our voices to proclaim God's love and follow Him in His mission?

Advent is preparation, not only for celebrating Christmas, that Jesus has come, but also for living in expectation of His return. We need to get into God's story, take the light we've received, and spread it into the world.

The first thing Zechariah did after the silence was to proclaim God's faithfulness. Who needs to hear about the redeeming, transforming God in your life? Advent calls us to speak unabashedly of his love.

And just as John was to prepare the way for the Lord, we too are to prepare the way for others to see Him. How could you reflect God's heart and direct people to him through love, service, or justice?

Zechariah's hymn concludes with the picture of the rising sun, setting our feet on the road to peace. How are you that light in the darkness, that source of hope for the hurting and lost and the redemption?

Zechariah's song does not cease with him – it continues with us. God's covenant love is not a love we keep for ourselves, but a love that seeks us out, into the world's brokenness. This Advent, let's ask ourselves:

Where is God calling me to share His love?

Who needs to be led into the Christ-likeness by my words and deeds?

How can I get involved in His redemption, healing, and reconciliation work?

Think of the sunrise breaking on the horizon after a very dark night. Its light saturates all things, lifts the darkness, and begins to warm an icy world. That is God's love, a love that does work in wait, a love that never fails, a love that asks us to reflect its glory.

May we bring that light when we leave here and go into the world. Let us be people who, like Zechariah, transition from silent to proclaiming, waiting to do. With our whole being, let us say God is trustworthy, his love is everlasting, and his promises are true.

This Advent, let's not wait for Christmas; let God's love live in your life daily. Let us be a people that prepare the way, shine His light, and go with Him to change the world.

Go then, with the morning sun in your heart, to say:

Luke 1:68 NKJV

68 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people,

Amen.