Birth of John the Baptist

Context

Advent means “coming”. As we move toward Christmas, we remember that God sent his Son, Jesus the Christ, into the world and we always want to welcome him into our lives and into the world.

Over the past several Sundays of the four-Sunday season of Advent, we have been cultivating the Advent virtues that prepare us to receive Christ and that Christ brings to us: Peace, Hope, Joy, and Love.

Our guide has been Luke, whose gospel tells the infancy stories of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ.

Luke has previously described for us how the angel Gabriel appeared to the aged priest, Zechariah, and promised him that he and his wife, Elizabeth, barren though they had been, would have a son. They would name him John. John would be the forerunner of the Messiah — the chosen one of God. Zechariah, however, doubted the angels message, and so Gabriel took away Zechariah’s power of speech.

Over the next 9 months, Zechariah mutely witnessed his wife’s pregnancy progress. In the sixth month, a young relative, Mary came to visit Elizabeth. Mary, though a virgin, was pregnant by the power of God, with the Messiah, the Son of God.

All events were unfolding just as the angel Gabriel had promised.

Now we pick up the story.

Text

Luke 1:57–80 ESV

Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him. And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

Introduction

Are you ready for Christmas? You’ve probably been asked that question a few times recently. I know I have. Am I ready? My mind spirals into several directions: Are the kids home, have the parents arrived, does everyone have somewhere to sleep, is work done, are present purchased and wrapped (are they wrapped again after dog-zilla strikes), can we make it to all the holiday events, did we send out cards to everyone…oh my gosh, what have I forgotten…? Am I ready?

Today, is an invitation to get ready. Not get “things” ready, get ourselves ready.

A deeper challenge.

Exegesis

Elizabeth bears a son, as Gabriel had foretold.

The community rejoiced with her — exceedingly so because it Elizabeth and Zechariah had been barren for decades, and finally had a son. Plus, Zechariah had seen some sort of vision when he was last on priestly duty and had been mute for the better part of a year.

So, on the eighth day after the child’s birth, all the family and friends gathered for the ritual of circumcision, a rite commanded by Moses long ago.

On the day of circumcision, the baby was officially given its name. In ancient Israel a parent — mother or father or both — would name the child on the day of birth. The name would be ceremonially granted on circumcision day.

For the past week, Elizabeth had been saying that the boy would be called John.

The community is pushing back against Elizabeth. He should have a family name…such as Zechariah, or a grandfather’s name. Maybe “John” could be just a nickname…

They appeal to Zechariah. What do you say?

Unable to speak, Zechariah takes a wax tablet and writes: His name is John. It is a decisive statement. Agreeing with Elizabeth…but even more: Zechariah, along with Elizabeth, is putting into effect the angel Gabriel’s direction — “You shall call the child’s name John.”

When Zechariah affirms that the baby is to be named “John”, Zechariah’s time of penance is completed and his tongue is set free — presumably by Gabriel who was listening though he was unseen.

In my imagination, the moment Zechariah was turning the tablet to show the people what he had written, his lips opened and he said, “John!!”’

And the people were amazed! A miracle had just happened in front of them!

Who will this child be? in other words: What should we be getting ready for?

Zechariah is filled with the Holy Spirit.

Zechariah begins to prophesy, to interpret events from a divine perspective and to answer the people’s question.

The people ask, what does this mean?

Zechariah answers: It means — God has visited his people!

When we first met Zechariah earlier in chapter 1 he could not say that. He had been a priest struggling to have hope. He was carrying a millenium worth of doubt and pain.

Over the centuries, Israel had been enslaved by Egypt in the south. They had been invaded by the Assyrians from the North. The Babylonians had come from the East and deported them. Now the Romans were ruling with an iron fist.

The Jews had been crying out to God,

Your promised our ancestor Abraham that his descendants (us) would have this land and worship you without fear — yet foreign and hostile powers overrun us over and over again!

When will you save us?

How often Zechariah as a priest to his people must have borne this pain before God.

But now, Zechariah is filled with the spirit of God.

Holding the baby John in his arms, Zechariah says to the gathered people: God has heard our prayers and has visited his people.

Finally, the priest was speaking to his people with spirit and hope.

All ears tuned to Zechariah as he offered two intertwined messages in his prophecy.

First: Raised up a horn of salvation in the House of David.

In ancient Israel a “horn” was a symbol of strength.

In other words: God has raised up a powerful Savior from among the descendents of King David of old!

This savior will rescue God’s people from their enemies, he will bring mercy, he will fulfill the covenants, and enable people to worship God in righteousness and holiness.

Note: Zechariah is NOT talking about the infant John.

Zechariah, Elizabeth, are of the house of Aaron. The priestly house. Therefore their son, John, is not of the house of David but of Aaron.

Zechariah is talking about Jesus. Jesus soon to be born of Mary. For Mary was of the house of David.

Zechariah knew Mary had been commanded by the angel to name her child Jesus which means “savior”.

So, in the first portion of the prophecy, Zechariah not talking to John, but to the crowd.

This child means that another child is coming. God is sending the savior!

Then Zechariah changes focus. Speaks to John, and the crowd listens in.

Second: You, my son, will be the prophet of the Most High.

you will prepare the way before the Lord. Before this Savior, before Jesus.

You will make people know salvation by the forgiveness of their sins.

Son: you have mission — get people ready and point them to christ!

8 days old, John receives two messages that would shape his life: 1) God has raised up a Savior, Jesus. 2) You, shall prepare his way!

The friends and relatives gathered around Elizabeth and Zechariah, ask: What is happening and what should we be ready for?

Zechariah’s divinely inspired answer: God had come among us and what you should be ready for is to place your faith in the one John, when he grows up, shall point out to us!

The crowd then realizes how fitting it was that the angel should insist and Elizabeth and Zechariah insist — that the child’s name must be John: For the name “John” means “God is gracious!”

John’s naming day turned out to be more than a ritual — The birth of John is the sign, that the grace of God has come.

Interpretation

At Christmas, we say, “Jesus is the reason for the season!”

In moments like this, gathered in spiritual community, we acknowledge that we long for Christmas to be more than just a ritual or a slogan.

We want it to be a sign that points us to a deep truth and gives hope

Because like the Jews of Zechariah’s day, we live in a world that is full of troubles,

We are not under the thumb of the ancient Roman Empire.

But we struggle with what the Romans, Egyptians, Assyrians, and Babylonians, represent in the Bible — everything that obstructs life and peace.

It is Christmas..and also:

Another school shooting

A scandal at the high office

There is a war and bodies.

And like Zechariah of old, our hearts are burdened…these are deep problems that need a powerful answer.

“My grown up Christmas List” lyrics addressed to Santa…

Do you remember me

I sat upon your knee

I wrote to you with childhood fantasies

Well I'm all grown up now

And still need help somehow

I'm not a child but my heart still can dream

So here's my lifelong wish

My grown up Christmas list

Not for myself but for a world in need

No more lives torn apart

That wars would never start

And time would heal all hearts

And everyone would have a friend

And right would always win

And love would never end, no

This is my grown up Christmas list

Santa brings many wonderful gifts,

but peace for the whole world is a prayer that must be addressed to God.

On Christmas we celebrate that Jesus is the reason for the season, because it is in Jesus that God has heard our prayers and sent a Savior.

We look to the one that John points to! Jesus.

Paradox of Christmas: our longing for something deeper is not a sign that we are not ready for Christmas…but that we are!

At Christmas we hear the prophecy of Zechariah addressed to us today: God has heard our prayers and answered them in Christ.

In Christ, God has visited his people.

When Jesus came, he said the kingdom of God had come.

When he died on the cross, forgave sins,

when he rose from the dead he showed that all lives torn apart will be mended.

Jesus visited powerfully….God hears, God loves, God saves!

He did not stay permanently. He went back into heaven. But he promised one day to return and establish his kingdom forever.

So we something in common with Zechariah.

We hold the truth that God has visited his people in our arms, as Zechariah held the infant John, in his arms.

and we look forward to when the Savior will be revealed.

He has visited and he will come! That is ready for Christmas!

Application

I want us to imagine Zechariah speaking to us.

He would say two things.

First, Zechariah would tell us remember to bless God.

He has raised up Jesus to be our savior. That has already happened. It is a done deal.

No matter how long he tarry to return, know that God will fulfill his promise.

So never stop praying for the world, for the hurts. Always have hope.

scrolling through the news. Pray. We need you. Come, Lord Jesus. Thank you for Christmas, and that you have come!

Out and about shopping. We need you. Come, Lord Jesus.

Into family. We need you. Come, Lord Jesus.

Longing for Christ is getting ready for Christ.

Second, he would say: be like my son John. For others sakes’

Be gracious and point to Jesus.

Every day in Daily Prayer, the prophecy of Zechariah is recited, as if to make his words come to us:

You child are the prophet of the most high, prepare his way, and give people the knowledge of salvation through the mercies of God.

You have a divine calling, like John, point to Christ. The Savior has come and will come again.

Conclusion

Are you ready for Christmas?

Not talking about all the stuff. Things. Plans.

Let us be ready for Christ.

Soon he will visit his people!