Luke 1:1-25
1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, 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 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. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 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. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘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.”
18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
19 And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. 20 But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”
21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. 22 But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.
23 So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. 24 Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
Like Abraham and Sarah of Old Testament times, Zaharias and Elizabeth were also advanced in years and had not yet received any children from the Lord. So, while he was taking his turn burning incense in the temple (as per the OT duties prescribed for priests to do), Zacharias prayed to God for a child. In a miraculous way, an angel of the Lord appeared to him and delivered the marvelous and wonderful news that yes, his dear wife Elizabeth would indeed bear him a son whom he was to name John. This, of course, is John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, the last Old Testament prophet to testify of the coming of the Messiah.
John’s job was simply “to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Lk 1:17). And John certainly went on to do just that. He pointed people to Jesus as “the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (Jn 1:29). That, by the way, is always the job of the Holy Spirit – to point people only to Jesus. If you ever need to determine whether a preacher or teacher is doing the Spirit’s work, ask yourself whether that person is pointing to Jesus. If he is, then great! If not, then follow the advice of Scar in The Lion King: “Run away and never return.”
This Advent season continue to make certain that you are being pointed only to Jesus in His first Coming as the incarnate God in the flesh, as well as His second and final Coming at the end of all time. And while waiting in faith for that blessed event, receive Jesus in all the ways He wants you to have Him: in His Gospel preached, in your Baptism wherein He gives you forgiveness, rescue from death and the devil, and eternal salvation, in His holy Supper wherein He gives you His very body and blood, and in Holy Absolution which is yet another giving of Christ into your ears for your comfort and certainty.
Let us pray: Lord, we pray You, give ear to our prayers and lighten the darkness of our hearts by Your gracious visitation; who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
