The Messenger: Gabriel Gives a Promise

December 14, 2014 - Third Sunday in Advent

Luke 1:5-25

5 In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. 7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.

8 Once when Zechariah was serving as priest before God and his section was on duty, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense. 10 Now at the time of the incense offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. 11 Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. 14 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. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. 16 He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” 18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.” 19 The angel replied, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.”

21 Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and wondered at his delay in the sanctuary. 22 When he did come out, he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak. 23 When his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

24 After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she remained in seclusion. She said, 25 “This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favorably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people.”

“The Messenger: Gabriel Gives a Promise”

There’s a reason people picture cute storks announcing a birth: docile birds who bring you a sweet little bundle of joy.  Angels apparently terrify people when we try to do this.  You see, I’m not a stork – I’m Gabriel, the angelic messenger of God.  And I had a slightly different way of telling Zechariah and Elizabeth a little one was coming.

They were a lovely couple, really: very kind and devout, always serving and volunteering, an example to many.  And they were getting on in years, which is the kind way of saying they were getting AARP literature in the mail.

Old Zech was a priest (don’t hold that against him), and it was his turn to lead the incense offering.  This sounds like someone waving around something smelly – big deal, right?  Well, the thing is, it sort of was.  Zech got to go into the holiest place of the sanctuary, while everyone else remained outside.  It was a big honor, one not taken up lightly.

As he wafted that smelly stuff about the place to worship God (God made flowers – clearly God appreciates things that smell good!  Oh, God made skunks too -- I digress.), anyway as he waved that incense around, Ol’ Zech was in for a bit of a shock.

Me.  The stork angel.  Oh, I terrified him.  He dropped that incense jar, poor fella.  “Don’t be afraid, Zech,” I said.  “God has heard your prayer.”

I watched him screw up his eyes trying to think of what prayer that was:

A nice camel-parking spot near the door of the temple?

A full night’s sleep without having to get up to go to the bathroom?

The rest of his days, quietly spent with the love of his life, Elizabeth?

 “Elizabeth is going to have a baby!  He’ll be named John.”  Oh I just thought that dear old fella was shocked before.  He turned positively white, and I could hear him thinking (I am an angel, after all), “But that was my prayer years ago!  Not now!  I’m too old.”

I pretended I didn’t hear his thoughts (that would scare him more, after all).  “This is good news, Zech!” I said.  “Your son will bring you joy and gladness, and he will be great in the sight of the Lord.  He shouldn’t drink anything strong, for he’ll be filled with a better spirit – the Spirit of God!  An ancient power will go before him, and he will turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”  It was a big speech.

“But isn’t there a, err, logistical problem here?,” he asked.  “I mean, Elizabeth and I aren’t exactly spring chickens.”  I’ll admit I might have overreacted to this statement. 

You see, I, Gabriel, was telling him he would be father to the sort of child that would change the world – one who would prepare the world for an even greater child.  This was massive, exciting news.  And all he could think of was the logistical problems of it.  So, I made him shut up about all that.  In fact, I made it so he couldn’t talk at all until that baby boy was born.  Quite clever of me, I thought, that father and son would utter their first words together.  Then he would understand the magnitude of my message.

Elizabeth got on board rather quickly (funny how a growing belly will do that).  And I have a feeling she might have just enjoyed those months her dear old ball-and-chain was mute.  (Am I right, ladies?)

Anyway, this was one of my more fun messages to give.  Announcing a baby is pretty wonderful.  A baby means that life as you know it will change.  A baby means placing someone else in the center of your world.  A baby means not wasting time being less that who you want to be, because someone is watching and learning from you, all the time.  A baby means trying to be your best self, for them as well as for you.

And so, you see, before this John was even born, he was already turning the hearts of parents to their children, and making ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Make ready a people.  Prepared for the Lord.  Oh, those are complicated words.  Because, if the story of Ol’ Liz and Zech tell us anything, they tell us that you’re never really ready for the newness God brings.  There’s no “being ready” when an angel like me shows up telling you your world is about to turn upside down.  Though they longed for a child of their own, Liz and Zech weren’t really ready until that moment that father and son cried out – one with joy, the other with fear – at that birth. 

Perhaps that’s the wisdom of how God chose to work in their life.  You see, the only way to “be ready” for God coming in new and startling ways, bringing life when it seems like all is old and stale, is to shut your mouth and open your heart to the impossible.  That’s really why I shut Zechariah’s mouth (not just for Liz’s benefit): so he would stop talking so much and really listen.

So he would stop over-thinking the logistics of things and simply let events unfold as they should.  So he would let go of what he never really had control of anyway.  That is being ready – letting go of expectations, especially those that limit our ability to see God.

Letting go of the worry that our best days are behind us.

Letting go of the belief that we know exactly how God operates in this world.  Letting go of our need to be heard so that we can really listen.

Letting go of our assumption that God is limited by our own limitations.  There’s no expiration date on the work of God.

When we let go, then we are ready to receive what God is always ready to give: new life, even if that prayer is late being answered.  That baby John brought lasting life to many, and he did open hearts to the child who would come after him.  You’ll hear about that child next week, when I played stork once more, to Mary and Joseph. 

But for now, let this old angel Gabe leave you with this:  God is bringing something new, not according to your timetable, but according to God’s.  You need to be ready.  And you can only do that by letting go.  Unclench your hands and your heart.  Believe in the unbelievable.  Hope in the impossible.  And rejoice – new life is coming.  Amen.