1:68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably
on his people and redeemed them.
1:69 He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his
servant David,
1:70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
1:71 that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of
all who hate us.
1:72 Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has
remembered his holy covenant,
1:73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us
1:74 that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might
serve him without fear,
1:75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
1:76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
1:77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness
of their sins.
1:78 By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will
break upon us,
1:79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of
death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."
Comments:
Hello, everyone. I'm preaching this text a week early - with the
children's program and the choir's Lessons and Carols, I only get
two Sundays in Advent for preaching, so I'm doing songs also -
Zechariah's this week, Mary's next. Good to find some previous
postings.
Just thinking - Cistercian monks sing this song every day at Lauds
... how good to start the day in confidence in a God who has visited
God's people and redeemed them. Mary's song comes at Vespers - and
all servants in their nothingness rejoice. How to communicate the
songs in a sermon ... there's the challenge. kbc in sc
Born as a middle baby boomer, draft age during the Vietnam War,
vivid memories of the sterile war in the Persian Gulf, watching a
middle east while watching terrorism coming closer to home, it would
almost seem ridiculous to talk about, "Perfect Peace." Yet the
Gospel of Luke raises the hope for peace. Things were as bad if not
worse then as they are today. I think I will give this scripture a
chance to take root in my own skeptical mind and will invite the
congregation to do the same. Tennessee Mack
I love verse 76, "You child, will be called the prophet of the most
high; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways."
I wish I could whisper these words to each of my parishioners. I
wish they would whisper it back to me.
DSS
It seems to me that talomg some time to consider Zechariah's
silence--after the angel put the gag onhim in the Temple--woud be
very helpful in terms of "preparing the way" for his song and
reception of God's truth, as well as for our own. The Society of
Friends employ silence as a way of listening to the Holy Spirit
within us. Speech--or song--comes only after sometimes a long
meditation. The fact that Z's silence was enforced is not so
important; there are monasteries that have silence as a regular part
of their spiritual discipline. If you can't observe it, you don't
stay there. The preparing that we do to "make Christmas in our homes
and feasts" is very different from a silent preparation of the
heart. The prayer, song, child, action that comes forth after such
inwardness is more meaningful because of that space and
unknowingness that preceded the expression, event. There were too
many priests in Z's day; they only got to serve in the Temple 2
weeks out of a year. The proliferation was due to priestly lines in
families. A lot of things in the supporting lections about unholy
clerical types. We who serve more than two times a year, yet who
resound with Z's doubt, have a responsiblity to deepen our hearts,
and to expand them to include especially the poor and the
brokenhearted, as well as a responsiblility to listen for God's
voice to us and the miracles God offers through Christ--not as a
show of power, but as a sign of the realm of God that we have been
called to regard and to represent: The realm, the kingdom within
each of us. bpa upstate N.Y.
DSS - sounds like a sermon idea to me! How are your church
acoustics? Could you actually do it? I know in my church, I'd have
to be a little dramatic to get a point across while whispering
because there are a number of hard-of-hearing people. The kids would
LOVE it, though!
Thanks for the idea.
revo
kbc - I guess I'm just full of ideas today. Why don't you do the
OPPOSITE of singing? Speak a few sentences in perfectly flat affect,
like a robot. The "melody" of speech might then be revealed?
revo (me, again)
DSS you got me thinking about the phrase Prepare the way in a new
light. What does it mean to prepare the way for the Lord? Elizabeth
and Zechariah prepared the way for John, John prepared the way for
Christ. Someone prepared a way for me, but the real question is for
who am I preparing a way? How do I know when I am preparing a way
and when I am putting up road blocks? It seems like a great
opportunity to challenge the congregation to be prophets of the Most
High and nuture someone else in the faith as they travel down the
road.
Friends, last week our small congregation faced the tragic loss of a
key leader who was killed in an auto accident. He was 50. His
funeral was on Sat, 12/2. That night we received nearly 8 inches of
snow. In rural NC, snow travel is most difficult, if not impossible.
All our services were canceled, including our Hanging of the Greens.
This week, we will have to deal with the loss of our leader, as we
decorate for and celebrate advent.
As I began preparing for this week, I learned of the death of a
former pastor who lives several houses down from the church. With
these two deaths, our people are seeking to find ways to celebrate
Advent and Chrsitmas.
I have chosen to incorporate several portions of the Hanging of the
Green services along with readings from the lectionary on both
Advetn 1 and Advent 2. This song of Z speaks wonderfully to the
sense of hopelessness and darkness that has clouded our church. See
verses 78-79. What a wonderful message of hope and light. And isn't
that the message of Advent/Christmas?
SE Loftis in NC
I find two facts to be very interesting. First, not many are chosing
this scripture for this Sunday in Advent. Luke 3, seems to be the
passage of choice. Second, no one else has commented on the peace
statement which seems to me to be the climax to which this passage
is building. To talk about Z's silence requires going back in the
storyline of Luke 1 that plays out before this passage although I
realize these are some of the first words which Z speaks after the
silence has ended. Which is more important? The end of silence or
the message that breaks the silence? Your response would be greatly
appreciated. Tennessee Mack
I noticed something strange when reading someone's comments on my
earlier post (and by the way, thank you, whomever you are).
The commentor was focusing on the phrase "prepare the way." This
phrase occurs in the other two texts my church will be reading this
Sunday, Mal achi 3:1 and Luke 3:4. But I noticed that the phrase in
Luke 1:76 is slightly different. Luke 1:76 says, "prepare his ways."
Ways is plural. Why am I struck by this?
Also, Malachi and Luke 3 speak of a savior who is coming and of a
prophet who must clear a path before him. by preaching purification
and repentance.
Zechariah does not mention repentance or purification. His song
emphasizes hope. The old prophets' promises have been fulfilled and
God has already raised up the savior (vs 60).
DSS
I love that verse (in the KJ) verse 78 is translated "through the
tender mercy of our God, from which the Dayspring on high has
visited us 79: To give light to those who sit in darkness and the
shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace"... i
looked up 'dayspring' on dictionary.com, and it says "the beginning
of the day, or first appearance of light; the dawn; hence, the
beginning." i think that's pretty powerful-- the first appearance of
light in the world... the beginning... it all starts here, right?
trelawney in boston
This Sunday I'll be preaching on "Q: Who's Comin' to Town A:The
Prince of Peace" I'd like to use the symbolism of the Dayspring from
on High. If we are preparing a place for Christ to dwell in our
hearts during this advent season, it may come like the creeping of
the dawn- when we hear the birds singing long before we see the dawn
fading into a sunrise. And with Christ in our hearts, comes the
peace that only the justice and promise of the Savior can bring. The
dawn draws us out of our sleep giving us the ability to discern
truth. That Truth puts us on the way of the Lord which John was
preparing (a baptism of repentance) and leads us into peace. Just my
beginning thoughts... Fisherfolk in OH
I've been thinking about that word peace I have been reflecting on
the reasons why so many people seem not to have peace, such as, "we
don't know who they really are"-Z gave a blessing to John telling
him exactly who he is--the prophet of the most high. I thought about
the fact so many people hurry and scurry getting ready for Christmas
without a time of peace tand reflection. STill working on this and
needing to give some directions on how to find peace in our current
world that seems not to be a peaceful place despite, "Peace on
earth.."
The sitting in darkness is not such a temporal idea to me but more
of an existential state for all human beings. It is not located in a
particular time in history but is a matter for all times. The
darkness is that of the soul and is in stark contrast to advent,
which also is not a temporal event. Where to next I'm not sure, but
maybe it is like the liberation the Hebrews sought which became more
a liberation to worship as thier hearts dictate and not literal
political freedom.
jg in atl.
I've been working on the idea mentioned in an earlier post on why we
don't walk in the way of peace (vs. 79) "To guide our feet into the
way of peace."
Here's some reasons:
1. We as human beings have an under appreciation for what God has
promised and done (verses 68-71, also John the Baptist's mission to
show in 76-79).
2. We as human beings have a preoccupation for the perceived power
of our enemies in our life (vs. 71, 74) "That we should be saved
from our enemies", "Being deliverd from the hand of our enemies."
3. We as human beings are not living within the framework of a Godly
mission for our life. (vs. 74c-75). Service, Holiness, Righteousness
Just some thoughts.
Alan Stokes (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
I to am a baby boomer and can remember the news at Christmas when
the newsreporter would annouce, it's Christmas day and not one shot
has been fired. At the beginning of this week, the news of violence
in the middle east came across the screen, "Becauce of the violence
in the middle east Jerusalem will be closed for Christmas", I will
be using this for my sermon title. It realy struck me that durning a
season when we speak and preach of peace, it's not happening and
probably never has. The prince of peace guiding us into the way of
peace, there still hope and I believe it. Pam
