FLIPPING THE CHRISTMAS SCRIPT
One of the most unique characteristics of God is His desire to take those who are forgotten and lift them up. Taking what the world views as unimportant and making it the center piece to His plan. The story of Christmas is one of those unique moments where we are able to see how God “flipped the script” on the social traditions of the day by prioritizing and highlighting an underlining theme which can be found throughout the entire Bible, which is that God loves the forgotten and lost. 1 Corinthians 1:17, “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.” In fact the book of Luke opens with such an amazing lesson of God’s character.
Today we are going to look at how God silenced the strong and brought forth the forgotten.
During the days Herod, King of Judea, when Caesar Augustus would soon call for census of the Roman Empire, a priest by the name of Zachariah was performing his duties at the temple in Jerusalem when he was confronted by Gabriel, the angel. It had been almost 400 years since the Prophet Malachi, and many of the Jews believed God had forgotten His people. Yet, just like in the Old Testament a familiar character shows up and we find that God is about to do something wondrous.
“In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zachariah, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. 7 And yet they had no child, because Elizabeth was infertile, and they were both advanced in years.” Luke 1:5-7.
Zachariah and his wife Elizabeth were both believers, “both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.” This did not mean that they were perfect, but rather they believed in the coming Jesus Christ and what He would do on the cross for their sins. Much like us today who are living AFTER Jesus has performed the ultimate sacrifice and resurrection. We are saved by FAITH, but that does not mean we cannot be used by God in certain ways. Zachariah was saved but he doubted the message of Gabriel who was sent by God.
“Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering. 11 Now an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 Zechariah was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. 14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice over his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 And it is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers back to their children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her years.” 19 The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
21 And meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple, and he repeatedly made signs to them, and remained speechless. 23 When the days of his priestly service were concluded, he went back home.
24 Now after these days his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, 25 “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among people.”
Luke 1:8-25.
Zachariah was a priest, and yet he didn't believe what Gabriel had told him. Because of his lack of faith he was silenced, he would not be able to tell the world the greatest news ever told. The priests, the individuals who should have known the time was coming of the Messiah and making the world ready for His arrival, were silenced. So what does God do? He flips the script, He uses others who would believe His angelic messenger to proclaim the good news of what is to come.
“Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also the holy Child will be called the Son of God. 36 And behold, even your relative Elizabeth herself has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called infertile is now in her sixth month. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. 39 Now at this time Mary set out and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. Luke 1:26-40.
At first you might be thinking, “Mary questioned Gabriel also” but her question wasn’t a question of doubt but rather confirmation of how this was going to happen. As believers we need to understand the difference. When God is working in our lives we have the capacity, through prayer, to ask God how He is going to do it. Asking not in doubt, but rather in curiosity of how He will do something is alright as long as we are still willing servants. Marry confirms this by saying, “May it be done to me according to your word.” God has decided to take a woman who was betrothed and use her as a witness to proclaim the good news of what God was going to do. While she would be blessed to be known as the mother of Jesus Christ, we forget to recognize that Marry is the first person to tell the world of what was going to happen. What an honor and privilege!
Yet, God is not done!
During this timeframe and society, a women was considered to be a second class citizen. For those women who had not had a child, they were even further looked upon with shame. Elizebeth confirms this by stating, “Now after these days his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, 25 ‘This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among people.”” Luke 1:24-25.
It can only be speculation, but the fact that Elizabeth secluded herself for six months indicates she was possibly afraid of losing the unborn child. This might be a clue to the couple being distraught with miscarriages.
Yet, God decided to upturn the whole system. When Elizebeth hears Mary’s greeting she is immediately filled with the Holy Spirit and proclaims the good news. At this point, the news of the coming Messiah has been proclaimed by only two humans on the planet and both are not only women, but women who have never had children. They would have been looked at even by other women in that society as lower. Yet, what does Elizebeth say?
“Now at this time Mary set out and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And how has it happened to me that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.” Luke 1:39-44.
Elizebeth is the first person to bless the Lord on earth as a baby, even if unborn. What an honor Elizebeth is given! What an incredible testimony from God showing how His plan of redemption is for anyone who is willing to accept Him. However, God is not done here, we see that He has planned to flip the script for when it comes to the entire world! Where the proud stood, God will bring up the humble into a place of honor. Not a replacement, but rather a grafting of a wild branch! Next week we will see just how God has used the story of Jesus’s arrival as a way of testifying to the greatness He is about ready to do!
Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,
JL