GOD'S CALL TO US THIS CHRISTMAS PART 1

Zechariah: A Call to Prepare

Luke 1:1-25

When Zechariah went to work that day, he did not expect to encounter an angel. He had been a priest for decades and served faithfully in his priestly responsibilities for as long as he could remember. However, God regularly works through ordinary people doing what they normally do in their life. Although Zechariah was in the midst of a once in a lifetime opportunity to offer incense inside the Temple, angelic encounters are not as unique as we might expect. From the first chapters of Genesis in the Garden of Eden to the final descriptions in Revelation and all throughout the pages of the Bible, there are hundreds of references where the activities of angels are recorded.

Historical reviews of virtually all nations and cultures demonstrate some belief in angels and angelic beings. The ancient Egyptians constructed their tombs with ornate and extravagant furnishings because of their belief that angels would visit the place where the dead resided in the ages to come. Early religions apart from any connection from the pages of the Bible taught about the existence of angels. Later religions that developed apart from Christianity, such as Islam, speak to the subject of angels. Some Islamic scholars suggest each person on earth is assigned at least two angels that are tasked to record the good and bad deeds of a person's life. Angels are prominent in art throughout the ages and a subject often seen in films and television scripts today. Volumes of stories every year are shared by people concerning angels active in present day situations.

Is there validity to the claims of such stories? Perhaps there is angelic activity in some, if not all of these instances. As we consider the subject of angels, let's remember what the writer of Hebrews stated.

"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels

unawares." Hebrews 13:2

In other words, you may have been visited by an angel and you didn't even know it! So be nice and hospitable to all and take the advice we sing at Christmas time: "So be good for goodness sake!"

Speaking of Christmas songs, it would not be Christmas without singing songs that speak of angels and their activity such as Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Angels We Have Heard On High, and Angels from the Realms of Glory just to name a few.

In his book, Angels: God's Secret Agents, Billy Graham says, "I believe in angels because the Bible says there are angels; and I believe the Bible to be the true Word of God." He goes on to write about how "the Bible testifies that God has provided assistance for us in our spiritual conflicts. We are not alone in this world! The Bible teaches us that God's Holy Spirit has been given to empower us and  guide us. Also, the Bible – in nearly three hundred different places – also teaches that God has countless angels at His command. Furthermore, God has commissioned these angels to aid His children in their struggles against Satan….If the activities of the devil and his demons seem to be intensifying in these days, as I believe they are, should not the incredibly greater supernatural powers of God's holy angels be even more indelibly impressed on the minds of people of faith?...After all, references to the holy angels in the Bible far outnumber references to Satan and his subordinate demon. If you are a believer, expect mighty angels to accompany you in your life experiences…I also believe in angels because I have sensed their presence in my life on special occasions."

Without question, Zechariah, the priest, sensed the presence of an angel in his life on one special

occasion that is recorded in the Bible. He was just doing his job, and the divinely orchestrated encounter with the angel took place in the stillness of his workday when he least expected it. He

received the Call of Christmas. It would be a Call to Prepare.

Let's begin by wading through the first four verses together that actually is only one, really long sentence.

"Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught." Luke 1:1-4

This awkwardly worded and cumbersome sentence to start Luke's letter was considered to be legitimate formal writing in the first century that quickly earned respect. Give me a little latitude for a couple of paragraphs to talk about why this intro is so important and what it means to our primary subject of exploring the angelic call that helps prepare us for Christmas.

The structure of Luke's introduction almost is identical to well-known writers in the first century

Mediterranean world of that day such as Josephus, the Jewish historian. N.T. Wright has an interesting perspective on the opener of Luke's first letter, (as well as his second letter known as Acts) that was written to his friend named Theophilus. We know very little about Theophilus other than that he is referred to as "most excellent. Some suggest this was a title of an important Roman official who was learning about Jesus." We don't know specifics about Theophilus other than Luke was writing a well-researched account of the story of Jesus for his friend, as well as any others who likely would read the story.

Wright says, "Luke opens his gospel with a long, formal sentence, like a huge stone entrance welcoming you impressively to a large building. Here, he is saying, is something solid, something you can trust. Readers would know they were beginning a serious, well-researched piece of work. This wasn't a fly-by-night or casual account. It would hold its head up in the world at large."

In other words, the educated masses would know Luke's writing was a serious study that would hold up due to his thorough research, sources that could be checked, not to letter. Wright goes on to suggest that possibly the most important input to his letter was from the accredited teachers within the local communities that were known as the official ‘storytellers.' This is what is incredibly important to the Call of Christmas that comes from the angels. Let me explain more about the significance of the storytellers and their role in giving credibility to what Luke recorded in his official, well-researched and documented account of the life of Jesus.

In biblical days, they did not have printed newspapers or books or media outlets such as television, radio or the internet to share stories. Instead, the people relied upon official storytellers. It was primarily an oral communication culture in that day. Whenever an event took place that got the people to talking such as an earthquake, a battle or a visit by a royal person, the story quickly would spread around the village and settle into an agreed upon form. While everyone would know the story, some had a gift of being able to tell the story better and more accurately than others.

Everyone in town knew who the recognized storyteller was and thus gave that person the final say to communicate it the best. Once the story was set, there were no modifications or licenses to elaborate or fudge on details. Because the rest of the people knew the story so well, if a storyteller went off script, the crowd quickly would correct him. For a modern example, at this time of year, many people read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. It is not a new story. It  is an old story that everybody knows how it goes and how the story rhymes and flows to the very end. Some may know the story so well they do not even need to read it off the page. Imagine the official storyteller of the family beginning the story like this:

"'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house. Not a creature was stirring except for a mouse."

Immediately the people listening to the story would stop the storyteller and say: "Wait. Stop. That's not how the story goes. You said not a creature was stirring EXCEPT for a mouse. The story goes like this: not a creature was stirring…NOT EVEN a mouse. Come on, get it right! Now start over!"

In Luke's day, everybody in the crowd would know the story just as well as the official story teller. If there were any details that were embellished or out of sorts, the crowd, and the story teller who would have told Luke the accounts of the stories concerning Jesus' life, would have corrected anything in his letter that was written down as an official account. The reason this is so important is that as we continue reading Luke's story of the arrival of the Christ-child before we get to his birth, we encounter an angel in the story.

Within the first couple of paragraphs of the story, Luke brings an angel into the narrative. He does the same thing in his second letter to Theophilus in Acts. Both letters begin with the formal long and wordy intro that lets everybody know this is well-researched and credible writing that has been fact-checked by official story tellers and eye-witnesses. And then within the first scenes in both letters Luke introduces us to angelic activity. What is important for us to consider is that nobody blinked at the mention of the angel. In other words, angels were believed to be real, credible and a part of historical accounts that the masses would have accepted as fact. There is no reason we should not do the same today!

With that context, let's keep moving through the story and get to the angel's Call to Prepare. "In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense." Luke 1:5-10

This portion of the story introduces us to a faithful couple in ministry who loved God and lived lives of integrity and honor before the Lord. They were the poster-couple for what it looked like to be in a marriage that honored God and one another. However, there was deep sadness in their hearts and judgmental eyes from all who looked on their lives because they did not have any children. In that day, not having children was viewed as a curse from God because of some sin in a person's life or past. But that was not the case. Their time to have children had not yet come even though they were past the traditional childbearing and child-rearing years. They had prayed their whole marriage for a child as all Jewish couples would have done. Every Jewish woman dreamed of having the blessing and honor not only of having a child but also of possibly being chosen to carry and give birth to the long-awaited Messiah.

That dream was long gone for Zechariah and Elizabeth. Nevertheless, they continued to pray and

live faithfully before God in their lives. As a priest, Zechariah would invest 50 weeks of the year at his home town teaching and serving in his local synagogue. However, two weeks out of the year he and all other priests who were a part of his division of Abijah would head to Jerusalem to serve within the temple area and perform various priestly duties. There were 24 different priestly divisions in biblical days. Each division consisted of hundreds of priests to help with the various responsibilities that were needed both in their hometowns as well as at the temple in Jerusalem. Throughout the year there was a rotation that enabled each of the 24 divisions of priests to serve two-one week terms that enabled a fair share of the work load in Jerusalem at the temple to be done with equitable sharing.

During the time of service in Jerusalem, one of the more noble duties that occurred twice a day,

morning and late afternoon, was the burning of incense on the altar inside the Holy Place of the

temple. The way such a responsibility was assigned was by a method known as casting of lots. Think in terms of a rudimentary way to draw a name out of a hat to see who among the hundreds of entries might be selected for a special prize. Zechariah was selected for a literal once in a lifetime opportunity to preside over this holy, priestly duty. Moses spoke about it in Exodus 30. The burning of incense by the priests even tied back to the Ark of the Covenant, sacrifices and how God would meet with his people in that day of their ancient ancestors of the faith.

"You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth. It shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And you shall make a molding of gold around it. And you shall make two golden rings for it. Under its molding on two opposite sides of it you shall make them, and they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it. You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you.

And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. You shall not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it. Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord." Exodus 30:1-10

As Zechariah was chosen to experience the culmination of his life's training and priesthood responsibilities, verses 11 and following unfold what happened on this unique day when the Call of Christmas would come to Zechariah after the prayers that were prayed. Zechariah was about to encounter the angel and be given the Call to Prepare.

"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.'" Luke 1:11-20

Zechariah was so overcome in this angelic encounter; it likely took his breath away. His emotions raced from fear to consternation as he tried to understand what the angel was calling him toward.

How could he be a part of receiving a call to prepare the way for the arrival of the Messiah when he and his wife were so far past the season for being parents? At this point the angel asserts himself and shares not only his name, Gabriel but also a sign of his power that would limit Zechariah's speech until after John would be born.

Billy Graham goes on to write about the importance of Gabriel and his ministry with great insight. He says, "Gabriel is primarily God's messenger of mercy and promise. He appears four times in the Bible, always bearing good news (Daniel 8:16, 9:21, Luke 1:9, 26). We may question whether he blows a silver trumpet, since this idea arises from folk music and finds only indirect support in Scripture. But the announcements of Gabriel in unfolding the plans, purposes, and verdicts of God are of monumental importance."

Graham goes on to write, "Gabriel first appears in the New Testament in Luke 1. He identifies himself to Zachariah, announces the birth of John the Baptist, and describes his life and ministry as the forerunner of Jesus." In other words, the Call of Christmas from Gabriel to Zechariah is a Call to Prepare the way of the Messiah and his upcoming arrival. The birth of John the Baptist dynamically was connected with the Call of Christmas that embodied the good news of God's salvation in Jesus Christ.

When Gabriel appeared to Zechariah to announce the good news that Elizabeth would, despite her age, give birth to a son, his words were immersed in the good news. Gabriel communicated the Call to Prepare as he predicted John's ministry recorded in verses 16-18.

"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." Luke 1:16-18

The Call of Christmas to Zechariah was all about preparation. And now he could not speak. "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 1:21-22

Perhaps Zechariah was good at the game charades. When you get home in the privacy of your room, with nobody allowed to record you on their cell phone, just try and communicate to your family and friends by waving your hands and arms around that an angel met you in the temple as you were making the incense offering on the altar.

By now this Call of Christmas had been received. The buzz around the temple surely made its way through the streets of Jerusalem and beyond as storytellers heard and retold the story of the angel who encountered Zechariah, the old priest. Now it was time to go home and begin the preparation for John's arrival.

"And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, ‘Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.'"

Luke 1:23-25

This Call of Christmas could not have happened to a more deserving couple. In a quiet moment of his job, an angel appeared during Zechariah's workday in the temple and speaks his message from God. These were ordinary people doing their ordinary jobs in their ordinary lives and being faithful to God and one another through it all. As N.T. Wright notes, "The story is about much more than Zechariah's joy of having a son at last or Elizabeth's exultation of being freed from the scorn of the mother's in the village. It is about the great fulfillment of God's promises and purposes. But the needs, hopes and fears of ordinary people are not forgotten in this larger story, precisely because of who Israel's God is – the God of lavish, self-giving love…When God acts on the large scale, he takes care of smaller human concerns as well."

As we prepare our homes, church, communities and workplaces for Christmas, may we invest time preparing our hearts for the Advent of the King. Trimming the tree, stringing lights on the house, hanging the wreaths, lighting the candles, cooking the Christmas foods, singing the Christmas carols and enjoying the festivities of the season are preparations that are meant to be savored. But preparing our hearts to encounter the Savior is something that is a meant to be life-changing both for our neighbors and us. It's the Call of Christmas.

It's a Call to Prepare just as the angel said.

How do you need to respond to this Call to Prepare during the Christmas season?