Advent
December 5, 2018
Scripture Reading: Luke 1:68-79
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. –Luke 1:77-78
Zechariah, a Jewish priest, and his wife Elizabeth welcomed their first child apparently when they had given up on having children. This child, Jesus’ cousin, was to become a prophet, adopting a rather wild countenance as he proclaimed the coming of a Savior. The childhood story of these two cousins born six months apart was not shared with us. We know they lived in dangerous times. Jesus came from a very small-town, Nazareth, which was located about four miles from Sepphoris, a Roman city of some size and power thought to be the birthplace of Mary, Jesus’ mother. In 4 BCE Herod the Great died sparking thoughts among some Jews of overthrowing Roman rule. A rebel named Judas tired to take over Sepphoris setting in motion major turmoil. Scholars estimate that this is about the same time Jesus was born. Roman legions were sent to return order and control through violence.
We are all shaped by the events that surrounded us when we were born and as we developed. I was a post-World War II baby and remember sitting on my Uncle Harvey’s lap and counting the black odd shaped patches on his arms which were abundant and were shrapnel. He was gravely injured in the war. John, the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, and Jesus most likely had front row seats to the injustices of the occupation. No doubt the people of Galilee at that time recalled the prophecies made following the exile of the coming of one to save them from tyranny and longed for his arrival.
I can envision Zechariah holding his tiny newborn son and imagining him fulfilling his part in preparing the way for this savior to occur, a bold calling for such a helpless baby made possible only through the power of the Almighty God. Two thousand years later, we, too, are called to prepare the way for the saving power of God’s love through Jesus Christ and we are also helpless but lean on the mighty power of God.
Prayer: God of Might, God of Love, instill in us the strength of your love as we remind ourselves this Advent season of why we are here an what we are called to do. Amen.