Christmas:  God Remembers to be Merciful
December 2      When God speaks…  Luke 1:5-38
Dennis Mullen

            Last Christmas Eve, after the candlelight service here was done, Cindy and I drove to Turkey Creek and saw the movie The Nativity Story.  Some critics were disappointed with The Nativity Story because they expected director Catherine Hardwicke, who had made a racy and provocative film a few years back that critics loved, to bring her own special twist to the story of Mary and Joseph.  She didn't.  The Nativity Story sticks closely to Scripture and fills in the blanks with solid historical knowledge of first century Jewish life.  So, what the critics disliked, I LOVE.  The Nativity Story is now out on DVD and during the Sundays leading up to Christmas I plan to show you a few brief excerpts from the film and I encourage you to check out the whole production yourself.

            The series title:  God remembers to be merciful…  Not at all meant to be disrespectful, as in “God FINALLY remembers…”  Rather, a quote from the song of Mary that some call The Magnificat, from Luke 1:46-55.  In that song, Mary reflects on the miracle of John the Baptist and Jesus, how her cousin Elizabeth is carrying the prophet John in her old age and how she herself is with child, carrying God’s son, and Mary says in Luke 1:53-55:

53 “He has filled the hungry with good things
   but has sent the rich away empty.

54 He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful

 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    even as he said to our fathers.”

             By the time these things take place, Israel has been heavily oppressed for a long time.  Has God forgotten them?  No he has not.  With the birth of Jesus that he remembers to be merciful to his people forever.  A rescuer is coming.

            In Luke 1, two people receive messages from God.  One of them is a priest.  The other is a young woman, a girl somewhere in her teens.  One of them is an official representative of the religion, well-trained in the Scriptures and the ways of God.  The other is a simple peasant, probably without much education simply because of her gender.  One of them is told about something unusual that God is going to do, and yet it is something that God has done before, and that one is slow to believe.  One of them is told about something impossible that God is going to do, something that God has NEVER done before, and yet that one accepts God’s word in faith simply because of God’s character.  And I probably don’t need to point out to you that, as usual, it is the religious professional who comes off looking bad and the peasant girl who gets it right!  The two people I’m speaking of are, of course, Zechariah the priest, and Mary.  My title this morning is “When God Speaks…” and their reactions to God speaking show us how to respond to God…and how NOT to.

            Let’s start with Zechariah:

LK 1:5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.  (All the priests were descendants of Aaron, Moses’ brother, and having a wife of the same lineage was no doubt beneficial in that profession). 6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly. 7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

This wasn’t an unheard of situation in the Bible, and of course it was the opportunity God used to get his people’s attention on several occasions in the OT.  Remember Abraham?  God promised him that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky, and yet God let him and his wife Sarah get old without having children.  And then when it was too late by human standards, God gave them Isaac. 

            Remember Hannah?  She was married to a guy named Elkanah, and she had no children and it grieved her, and Elkanah, who had a healthy male ego, tried to cheer her up by saying:  “Why are you downhearted? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?” (1 Samuel 1:8)  Of course he didn’t, but God heard her prayers and gave her Samuel.  So when we read that Zechariah and Elizabeth are old and have no children, it almost sounds like a set-up in a movie, but if you are living it, it doesn’t seem that way, which helps explain Zechariah’s response.

8 Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

            11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, (this isn’t because he’s going to be the first Baptist J but rather it’s part of an OT vow called the Nazirite vow (Numbers 6:1f), where someone on a special assignment from God really lived differently from the world.  This John was going to be a prophet, someone who stands outside of culture and speaks God’s Word into culture, and this separation from strong drink would be part of that)…  and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. (That sets John apart too.  The time when we are promised the Holy Spirit is when we come to Christ in faith, and Acts 2:38 promises us:   “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”  Sometimes in the Bible, God’s Spirit comes over a person in a special way and that person goes out and prophecies, but that usually happens with an adult, someone who is already following God.  With John, God is doing something new.)  16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

            In response to this surprising but not unprecedented vision, Zechariah asked a seemingly reasonable question:  LK 1:18 Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."  It may sound reasonable, but when you’re a man devoted to God and God’s angel gives you a promise, you ought to be able to recognize it as such.  Zechariah comes pretty close to asking for a sign, for proof.  And he will get it, but not like he hopes.

            LK 1:19 The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."

            LK 1:21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

            LK 1:23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25 "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people."

            Now, with a bit of reading between the lines and addition from history, the makers of The Nativity Story offer up a very good rendition on this scene…

Video:  2:52 – 5:30 – Zechariah in the temple receives the angelic announcement about John.  Look for the stopping point when Elizabeth asks:  “What's wrong, Zechariah?” and someone replies:  “He has seen a vision...a vision from God.” 

            Now that is how the religious professional reacts when God speaks.  Religious pros have a bad rep in the Bible, but at least Zechariah is a good and Godly man.  He just has a trust issue with God.  He has allowed his faith to be weakened by disappointment.

            It wasn’t long before the angel Gabriel appeared again to another Israelite, a relative of Elizabeth in fact, a young woman named Mary…

            LK 1:26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

            LK 1:29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words (Troubled?  At the fact that she was highly favored and that God was with her?  Absolutely.  If you read enough of the Bible, you begin to see that being chosen by God is a sure path away from a comfortable life.  It certainly was for Mary, just as it was for Moses, John the Baptist, Elijah, etc.)  and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

            LK 1:34 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

            Compare that with Zechariah, who said:  “How can I be sure of this?”  To me, they sound a lot alike, but not exactly the same.  Mary is puzzled.  “Tell me how.”  Zechariah insists on proof.  “Make me believe you.” 

            There is an important time in every believer’s life when it is appropriate to ask:  “How do I know God is real?  How can I be sure the Bible is reliable?  Why should I turn my life over to Jesus Christ?”  Our faith isn’t a fairy tale, after all, and so no one should have to close their eyes and turn off their reason to accept it.  But there comes a time when we have put our trust in God, and stepped out in faith into his will, and then it’s important to listen to and obey His clear Word. 

            LK 1:34 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

LK 1:35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God."

And then this most important response from Mary…

LK 1:38 "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

            That is FAITH that is strong enough to accept and follow God’s clear word.  What we KNOW about Mary was that she accepted God’s will.  Did she like it?  Was she excited about it?  Was it easy for her?  These things we DON”T know.  The makers of The Nativity Story show some of the difficulties that MIGHT have been part of Mary’s life, difficulties that make her strong faith all the more remarkable.  The scene we’ll watch now begins by reenacting Luke’s simple words that Mary was “pledged to be married to a man named Joseph”. 

Video:  The start of chapter 6 (16:17) to 22:05 – Mary is betrothed, receives the annunciation.  Look for the stopping point when Mary says:  “Let it be done to me according to your word”.  Then a dove flies through, the angel disappears, Mary looks around and FINALLY the dove is shown against the sky.

            Now my point is a very simple one.  When God speaks, the response of a person of faith is to listen, trust and obey.  Zechariah, a good man, a godly man, did not (and I see a lot of myself in him).  Mary did.

            Now in general, I'm not talking about us receiving a vision from the Lord, which is what happened to Mary and Zechariah.  I believe God still deals with us today in a living way and Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to guide us.  My concern is a lot more basic, though.  What I want you to see is that once you decide to stake your faith, your life, and your eternity on Jesus Christ...then when God speaks in his Word, the only sensible thing to do is to obey.

            When his word says, for example, to be an honest person (which it does say in a hundred ways) the only proper response for me is to be an honest person, even when it costs me.  When his word says to pursue purity, the only sensible thing to do...  When his word says to abide in Jesus, to live my life in close fellowship with him, the best way I can live my life...

            I became a Christian 36 years ago.  Yet sometimes even now I find myself struggling with this most basic issue of who I am going to follow today.  That's a sure way for me to get the least out of my faith that I possibly can.  Having once made the decision to follow God, the only way to find out that he knows what he's talking about, the only way to receive that abundant life that Scripture promises is to decide that when he speaks, I will listen trust and obey. 

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."

            I want you to think about one situation in your life where you know you're struggling between following his word and wisdom and following your own.  A persistent temptation.  A relationship.  A money decision or a job, or something with your parents...I want you to offer it to the Lord in prayer and ask him for the help to listen to, trust and obey him.

 Morrison Hill Christian Church
P.O. Box 59 - 1008 E. Race St.
Kingston, TN  37763   (865) 376-5205