Sermon Text: Luke 1:67-79

What would you think about if you were Zechariah? Nine months without speaking?! Would you be frustrated or mad? Would you think your condition was permanent? Would you be overjoyed as you watched your wife prepare to give birth to your first child? Would you be fearful for her safety and the safety of the child? My guess for most of us: all of the above. Waiting in expectation isn’t a singular sort of experience. It can be complex and the mood can shift from moment to moment.

I wonder if Zechariah was silently sitting at home and happened to overhear his wife visiting with her relative, Mary – also pregnant with child – as Mary joyfully announced:

[The Lord] has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
    and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
    and sent the rich away empty. – Luke 1.51-53

What kind of God is this, who brings down the powerful and lifts up the lowly? What kind of God is this, who, in a culture which amplified the male voice and stifled the female, shuts the mouth of the righteous, older, male, priest and invites the praises of a (questionably) pregnant young woman?

What we know for sure, when Zechariah’s son is born and his lips are loosed he doesn’t respond with anger or frustration, but with an explosion of praise and wonder at the power of God shown in Israel’s past, present, and future. He praises the one who has

“shown us the mercy promised to our ancestors,
           and has remembered his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
            to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness
          before him all our days”. – Luke 1.72-74

As we enter into this first week of Advent – in the midst of this busy season of preparation – don’t forget to create some space for silence in the presence of God. We know that God’s rescue is coming, but given God’s track record – that rescue is likely to surprise us! Sometimes in the silence, we can draw closer to God’s nature and God’s love for us.

For some of us, Advent may be a time to start speaking up and letting your voice be heard, like Mary. For others, it may be a time to quit talking and start listening, like Zechariah. You never know who, or what, you might hear if you only take the time to listen. And if your silence leads to an outburst of spontaneous praise – well, you’re in good company.

Additional Readings: Jeremiah 33:14-16, Psalm 25:1-10, 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13, Luke 21:25-36

Will start on December 1st.