Merry Christmas, I am Vince Miller. Today’s text is from Luke 1:11-22.
And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been 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 before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will 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 for the Lord a people prepared.” And Zechariah said to the angel, /”How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years./” 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. 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./” And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. — Luke 1:18-22
So, here’s the situation.
Zechariah was married to a woman named Elizabeth. Elizabeth was the older cousin of a woman named Mary, who would soon become the mother of Jesus. Zechariah served as a priest in the temple. He was one of about 60 priests who served on a regular rotation on the temple grounds. On this particular day, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple to offer incense on the altar to the Lord—a job a priest was only allowed to do once in a lifetime. While he is in the temple performing his duties, an angel appears. The angel tells him that God has heard his prayers and that he and his wife are going to have a child. Then, the angel tells him that this child’s name will be John. The details of this event are pretty remarkable? How Zechariah was selected. The appearance of an angel. Prayers are heard by God. The promise of a child, a boy, who would be the herald of Jesus.
But Zechariah has a hard time believing all this.
There are two reasons why. First, because they had tried to have children but couldn’t. Second, because they were both around the age of 80 or potentially older.
So Zechariah says something stupid. Standing in the temple of God, talking to an angel and chosen by a divine lot, he responds with, /”How is this possible when we are so old./” And in his verbal response to a spiritual reality, something is spoken that should not have been spoken—unbelief. The disbelief in his heart is made known by the unbelief that comes from his mouth. So the angel strikes him speechless.
And why does the angel choose speechless as his punishment? Maybe to silence the duplicity of Zechariah’s speech, who by his mouth asked God for decades for a child, and now, when promised one in the house of God delivered by divine providence, he questions his power and ability to provide it.
The next nine months of silence are going to change him forever. In a natural sense, it will change how he listens and communicates with people. But even more, it will change how he listens and communicates with God.
God eventually healed Zechariah’s muteness. It was healed at that moment his son was named. At that moment, Zechariah wrote on that tablet the declared name of his newborn child, “His name is John,” his muteness lifted. From a muted priest was born a son, who proclaimed for the Great High Priest—John the Prophet, who prepared the way for the Lord.
Here’s the takeaway: Don’t get so wrapped up in your routine that you miss the moment God makes your lifelong requests a reality. Be alert, and stay amazed!
ASK THIS:
Zechariah, despite his devout life, struggled to believe the angel’s message about the birth of his son, John. Have you ever faced a situation where, despite your faith, you found it hard to believe in God’s promise or plan for your life? Share a time when you experienced this kind of doubt and discuss how you overcame it or are still working through it.
Zechariah and Elizabeth were well beyond the age of childbearing, yet God performed a miracle in their lives. In what ways have you seen God work through your own limitations or in situations that seemed impossible? How does this story encourage you to trust in God’s power and timing, even when circumstances seem bleak or unlikely?
DO THIS: Stop doubting and confess b
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