Second Sunday in Advent

Second Sunday of Advent Dec 6, 2009 Nancy Meehan Yao
Communion Sunday
Candle of the Holy Family

Malachi 3:1-4
See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?
For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.* Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.

Luke 1:68-79
‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has looked favourably on his people and redeemed them.
He has raised up a mighty saviour* for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
Thus he has shown 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.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
by the forgiveness of their sins.
By the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon* us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.’





Advent is the time when we are all on the way to Bethlehem. The prophets, who listened to God, can show us the way. The Holy Family, who also listened to God, can show us the way.
But the family of God doesn’t always listen very well. Zechariah was Jesus’ uncle, and was the father of John the Baptist. He was a priest, serving in the Temple at Jerusalem. His wife, Elizabeth, was also of a priestly family- she was “a daughter of Aaron”, we are told in the text. They are described as righteous before God, living blamelessly. Zechariah was in Jerusalem, serving his priestly duty, when, by lot, he was called to go in to the Temple and offer incense. So, he did. When he didn’t come out for a while, the people outside, waiting and praying, began to get worried. It was thought, that if you came face to face with God, you would be struck dead. That God was so holy that you could not survive an encounter with God- Malachi asks “but who may endure- who may stand- the day of his coming?” People were so worried about this, that the high priest who had the duty of going into the Holy of Holies, on the holiest day of the year, the Day of Atonement, had a rope tied around his ankle—in case he was struck down, or fainted, or something, and so could be hauled out again after his encounter.
When Zechariah went into the Temple, he saw an angel—and, suitably, Zechariah is afraid- terrified--. The angel says “do not be afraid.” But he is told good news—he and his wife will have a son. Zechariah is told that God has heard his prayers….and this son will not be like any other child- this child will turn many to the Lord their God. This child will have the spirit and power of Elijah, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
And what does Zechariah answer? “How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years….” Zechariah, a priest, serving in the Temple, gets a message from an angel—and he responds not by praising God, not by saying thank you, but by asking “How will I know?” The angel Gabriel essentially pulls rank on Zeke, then, and says that since Zeke has not believed, he will be voiceless until these things take place. More than 9 months of silence. So, Zechariah ends his term of service, and goes home. How he explained all that to his wife, Elizabeth, the text doesn’t say.
What we do know, though, is that Elizabeth, even in her old age, becomes pregnant. God gives them a child. Like Abraham and Sarah, these two old people are about to become parents. Sara laughed. Zechariah doubted. But long past the time when any of them reasonably could be said to have a child, they do: “For nothing is impossible with God”.
When the baby is at last born, Zechariah’s voice is unleashed. He bubbles over with joy—he begins to speak, praising God. If he were dancing, he might look like the characters in the Charlie Brown Christmas special, bopping away. But Zechariah sings.
Zechariah sings a new song. There are lots of songs in this section of the gospel of Luke: Mary’s song, the Magnificat, which begins “My soul magnifies the Lord”. Elizabeth’s song, which she sings to Mary: “Blessed are you among women!” . The angels sing in the heavens the night Jesus is born. Later, in the Temple, when the baby Jesus is brought for his dedication, Simeon sings upon seeing the baby. Apparently this is what the family of Jesus- the family of God does- they sing. We sing.
And Zechariah’s song? After being silent for more than 9 months, he has a lot to say. First, he begins with “blessed be the Lord God of Israel”. This song is traditionally known as the Benedictus- because the first word he says, is Blessed. “Blessed be the Lord!” When Zechariah stepped out of the Temple, his first act would have been to bless the people waiting there. (Numbers 6:34) Probably the Aaronic, the priestly, blessing: “ The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you, the Lord give you peace.” But Zechariah, because of his disbelief, his questioning, had lost his voice. Until now—now, he erupts into a whole hymn of blessing. His first word are blessing and praise.
Zechariah goes on, singing a song of remembrance, and of hope. Zechariah first recounts the fact that God has looked favorably on us, remembered God’s covenant that God had spoken thru the prophets. It is essentially a recitation of God’s acts and history. We do this today; we will do it at the Table. In the Great Prayer of Thanksgiving- we recount God’s saving history with us and with our ancestors.
Zechariah then moves to the present—and what we are to do. What is our response to this good news? As God’s people, we now will serve God “without fear” all our days. Because of the mighty savior, the dawn breaking in from on high, we will be able to stand when God appears- we may endure the day of his coming.
Zechariah then speaks about the future, turning to the baby in his arms—and you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most high…..that baby in his arms would grow up to be John, who would grow up to tell people to change their ways, tell people to repent- John who “proclaimed the good news- the gospel—to the people…”
When we come to the Table, the Lord’s Table, we often talk about it in much the same way Zechariah does. We call it a feast of remembrance, and of communion, and of hope. We remember God’s gracious acts. We think about Christ, who is the light of the world, inviting us and all creation to come to this Table. We look forward, in hope, to the day when that same Christ will come again.
There is a Quaker hymn, entitled “How can I keep from singing?’
My life flows on in endless song:
Above earth's lamentation,
I catch the sweet, tho' far-off hymn
That hails a new creation.
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that Rock I’m clinging
Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth,
How can I keep from singing?

How can we keep from singing? Even if you don’t have a good voice, even if you can’t carry a tune in a bucket, you have good news – you have a song to sing. We, who have heard the good news. We, who are fed around the Lord ’s Table. We, who are called the family of God, are called to sing. Like Zechariah, like Mary, like Elizabeth, like John. Like the Holy Family. Let us sing.

note: the lyrics found above are from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 2006, # 763.