Zechariah's Song: We sing of His Redemption
Notes
Transcript
Warren Brosi
December 17, 2023
Dominant Thought: We bless the Lord for His redemption (Luke 1.68).
Objectives:
I want my listeners to have more knowledge about salvation in Jesus (Luke 1.77).
I want my listeners to feel the compassion of our God through the Christmas story (Luke 1.78).
I want my listeners to walk in the path of peace (Luke 1.79).
It has been said, “It’s always darkest before the dawn.” This week where we live, we will experience the shortest amount of daylight and the longest hours of darkness. In addition to the physical darkness of this week, you can look around and see the effects of darkness. Words such as Hamas, war, hostages, trafficking, cartels, and abuse punctuate the darkness of the world around us. Throughout history people have struggled through the darkness: Assyria, Babylon, and Rome. Stories from the Great War, World War II, Vietnam, and the Cold War highlight generations who have encountered darkness, hurts, and hatred.
During those days of darkness, people ask, “Where is God?” “Why doesn’t He stop this evil?” “Why is He silent?” “Does he even care?”
The people living in the opening chapters of Luke’s gospel knew what it was like to live under oppression. Luke tells us in Luke 1.5, “In the time of Herod king of Judea...” Herod built many fortresses because of his paranoia. He thought his sons were going to mutiny against him, so he ordered for his sons to be strangled (Source: “Herod the Great” in The Lexham Bible Dictionary, quoting Josephus, Jewish War, 1.27.6). Herod married 10 women and fathered 15 children by them. As his health failed, Herod issued two commands to be performed upon his death:
1. To execute the recently imprisoned Jewish elders so that the people would be mourning during his death.
2. To execute his son Antipater. (Winstead, M. B. (2016). Herod the Great. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, L. Wentz, E. Ritzema, & W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press.)
It is in this context that we pick up our story in Luke 1.57. Two weeks ago, we read about how the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah, the priest as he was offering incense in the Holy Place. The angel announced to Zechariah that he and his barren wife, Elizabeth, would have a son and name him John. He will make ready a people for the Lord. Zechariah asked the qestion, “How can I be sure of this?” (Luke 1.18). The angel replied to Zechariah, “Since you didn’t believe, you will be unable to speak until the day this happens” (Luke 1.20). Nine plus months of voice rest for Zechariah.
Then, the angel Gabriel appears to the virgin Mary in her hometown of Nazareth and announces to her she will have a child through the power of the Holy Spirit. She is to name her son, Jesus, the son of the Most High. Mary goes to visit Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, the baby in Elizabeth womb leaped and Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit and blesses Mary in a loud voice, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!” (Luke 1.42).
Mary, then praises God for His mercy and His mighty. She said, “My soul glorifies/magnifies the Lord…the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is His name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation” (Luke 1. 46, 49-50).
And now we come to our text today, Luke 1.57-80. It is time for Elizabeth to give birth. Let’s read Luke 1.57-66. After the baby is born, the “neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared in her joy.” God magnified his mercy to Elizabeth (same word Mary used in Luke 1.46).
Dr. E. T. Sullivan shared, “The greatest forces in the world are not the earthquakes and the thunderbolts. The greatest forces in the world are babies” (Warren Wiersbe, Be Compassionate, p. 19).
When it came time to name the child, they were going to name him after his father, Zechariah. Elizabeth spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John” (according to the words of the angel in Luke 1.13). Then, they made signs to Zechariah. So apparently, Zechariah was deaf in addition to mute during Elizabeth’s pregnancy. Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and to everyone’s amazement he wrote, “His name is John.” Then, immediately Zechariah’s tongue is loosed and he began praising God. If you couldn’t speak for nearly a year, what would your first words be? For Zechariah he praised God. The neighbors were in awe and marveled about these things. Then, they had a question, “What then is this child going to be?” Then Luke comments, “For the Lord’s hand was with him” (Luke 1.66).
For 400 years, the people were waiting a word from God. During those years, empires rose and fall, but deliverance from enemies and adversaries always seemed out of reach. Yes there were moments of relief, but the darkness still clouded the light of day.
And now, as Zechariah receives His voice again, he blesses God. It is set apart in a poetic structure. Many call it a song. As we look at this song of Christmas, we’ll summarize it by saying, “We bless the Lord for His redemption.”
Listen to the words of Zechariah’s song. (Read Luke 1.67-80).
First, the Lord has redeemed us from our enemies (Luke 1.71, 74). Two times Zechariah mentions “enemies” and another time he says, “all who hate us.” I wonder if Zechariah is borrowing imagery and language from Psalm 18. As you read through Psalm 18, it begins with the words, “I love you, LORD, my strength” (Psalm 18.1). In Psalm 18.3, “I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.” “He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me” (Psalm 18.16-17).
David who wrote Psalm 18, says, “He [the LORD] reached down from on high and took hold of me.” Zechariah says, “He [the Lord, the God of Israel] has come to his people to redeem them.”
Zechariah sings of how God has come to His people to redeem them. For generations, people have been waiting for deliverance from political forces of evil. And now, Zechariah can see and sing of how God has shown up to redeem his people. To redeem means to purchase. It is a marketplace term. In this season, buying and selling bombard throughout the day. Christmas lists and wishes to be filled. Zechariah sings of a purchase, a gift wrapped, signed and paid in full by the Lord, the God of Israel. It’s not available on Amazon, Facebook marketplace, ebay, or Wal Mart. It is a gift of freedom from enemies.
Zechariah describes it as a “horn of salvation.” Again, maybe borrowing language from Psalm 18.2 where David sings, “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” In that ancient world, and even today, horns on the animal represent power and strength. Why did the University of Texas choose to be the “Longhorns”? I’m not sure the formal answer, but who would like to be on the receiving end of one of those longhorns?
There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
Zechariah sings about the royal king from David’s line who will have the power to overthrow the enemies of God.
Zechariah sings about the power and strength of the Lord to rescue and redeem us from our enemies?
So who are the enemies? In short, an enemy is someone who is against you or hostile to you. It may be the bully at school, the political system at odds with the kingdom values of Jesus. Remember, the one true enemy is the evil one.
Second, the Lord has redeemed us from ourselves (Luke 1.68-70, 72-73, 76-79). Zechariah celebrates that God has come to visit His people. To redeem us from our enemies and ourselves. At points the song talks about them—enemies and those who hate us. But many times he sings about us: salvation for us (Luke 1.69), our enemies and those who hate us (Luke 1.71), our Father Abraham (Luke 1.73), rescue us from our enemies (Luke 1.74).
Not only does Zechariah celebrate the royal throne of David, but he also celebrates the oath God made to Abraham in Genesis 12. God says, “I will bless you…and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12.2-3). Jesus is the coming king in the line of David who will fulfill God’s promise to Abraham to bless all peoples.
At times this song is political and at other times this song is spiritual. Zechariah prophesies about his son whom they are dedicating to the Lord in Luke 1.76-77. John will be a prophet of the Most High and prepare the way for king Jesus. John will give the people “the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of sins” (Luke 1.77). John would be the one to prepare the way of the Lord from Isaiah 40 and recorded in Luke 3. In Luke 3.3, “He [John] went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”
We can receive forgiveness of sins through the “tender mercy of our God” (Luke 1.78). This gift of mercy is the compassionate mercy of our God. It is a deep internal compassion from your insides.
Zechariah shares that this forgiveness and compassionate mercy will come to us by the rising sun of heaven. Last week, Michael encouraged you to look at the stars to remember God’s greatness and care for you. This week, maybe look to the sunrise. [Show picture of sunrise.] As you welcome the new morning, pray, “Come Lord Jesus.”
Third, the Lord has redeemed us for His service (Luke 1.74-75, 79). The Lord has rescued us from our enemies and ourselves for His service. We have been redeemed and rescued for a mission. In Luke 1.74-75, Zechariah sang how God rescued us from the hand of our enemies and to enable us to serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.” Zechariah was a priest. He knew something about serving God. He was serving in the temple in the Holy Place when the angel appeared to him.
So, my friends, how are we serving our families, our church, and our community in the name of Jesus? Have you come to the place where you serve Jesus from a place of joy? Or, do you serve him out of fear? We must serve with a holy reverent fear, but not a fear like God is always displeased with us. This phrase could be understood as “serving God fearlessly” (Darrel Bock, Luke 1.1-9.50, ECNT, p. 185, quoting Hendricksen). What does it look like to serve God fearlessly?
Zechariah prays we will serve without fear in holiness and righteousness in front of the Lord all our days. My friends for those who love Jesus, we will never stop serving him.
In Revelation 7.15, we hear another song of victory of those who have been washed in the blood of the Lamb, Jesus. They serve Him day and night.
Zechariah closes with another commission in Luke 1.79 describing how Jesus will shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death (sounds like Psalm 23) to guide our feet into the path of peace. We serve our king and we walk in His peaceful path. If you know anything about the ministry of Jesus, there were many times when life for Jesus was busy, hectic, and hostile. He had numerous showdowns with the religious leaders. He gave many sermons and lessons, and healed numerous people. He eventually died on the cross. But through His coming, life, ministry, death, and resurrection, He showed light into the darkness and guides our feet in the paths of peace.
As we look back over Zechariah’s life recorded in Luke 1, we see some helpful lessons for those seeking assurance in following Jesus. Remember in Luke 1.1-4, he writes this gospel so Theophilus may have assurance of the things he had been taught.
1-Silence is a good teacher. Zechariah spent months in silence. God worked on him in those quiet moments.
2-Doubt can transform into praise. He lost his voice and apparently his hearing because he doubted the angels message. “Zechariah also responds in obedience, obedience that Mary gave without hesitation. Faith for some comes more slowly and for others more naturally, but in the end, the call is to emulate these saints [Zechariah and Mary] with their notes of joy, expectation, and belief” (Bock, Luke 1.1-9.50, ECNT, p. 196). It helped that he saw the evidence of the angel’s message through his wife’s pregnancy and holding his baby boy. Still, after months of silence the first words out of Zechariah’s mouth were praise to God.
3-God’s redeeming love overflows with fearless service. Zechariah is introduced to us in Luke 1.6 as righteous in the sight of God and observing all the commands blamelessly. He doubts and is silent, then praises God who helps us serve him fearlessly in holiness and righteousness all our days (Luke 1.75). From what Luke records, we see Zechariah faithfully serving God all the days of His life. May the same be true of us.