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Sunday, 10 December 2017
Daily Scripture:
Luke 1:39 Without delay, Miryam set out and hurried to the town in the hill country of Y’hudah 40 where Z’kharyah lived, entered his house and greeted Elisheva. 41 When Elisheva heard Miryam’s greeting, the baby in her womb stirred. Elisheva was filled with the Ruach HaKodesh 42 and spoke up in a loud voice,
“How blessed are you among women!
And how blessed is the child in your womb!
43 “But who am I, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy!, 46 Then Miryam said,
“My soul magnifies Adonai;
47 and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior,
48 who has taken notice of his servant-girl
in her humble position.[Luke 1:48 1 Samuel 1:11; 2:1]
For — imagine it! — from now on, all generations will call me blessed!
49 “The Mighty One has done great things for me!
Indeed, his name is holy;, 52 brought down rulers from their thrones,
raised up the humble,
53 filled the hungry with good things,
but sent the rich away empty.
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Prayer Tip:
Matthew 7:7: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
I am struggling with my relationship with my step-kids. They are teenagers and things have been challenging. I lamented to my therapist, “Don’t they know how much I love them, how much I have sacrificed for them and how much this is hurting me?”
She responded kindly and empathetically, “No, they don’t have the capacity yet as teenagers to understand. Their brains are not developed enough to understand these things and they are at a place in their life where they are very self-centered.”
This introspection made me think of my limited human capacity to understand God’s love. God’s love is so much larger than my brain will ever be able to comprehend. I will never be able to understand fully God’s love for me and his other children. Sometimes I find myself treating my relationship with him like an errant teenager. My brief prayer life feels like the equivalent of, “Thanks for the dinner, I’m off to spend time with my friends, can I get some gas money?”
The fact that I can’t fully comprehend God’s love doesn’t mean that I get to just give up. While full comprehension may elude me, I can learn more about God's love by spending time in his presence. God promises that if we seek him we will find him. The more time we spend in his perfect presence feeling his love, the more of his goodness and grace we are able to grasp. This allows us to then pour out his love into others. In the presence of God is where we find our greatest joy and he is ready and waiting to spend time with his children.
I encourage you this holiday season to spend some time in prayer, to carve out time to pray with the ultimate Creator. The author of every good story. The artist behind every beach, sunset and snowflake. The original breath behind each baby, friend and family member in your life. You might find yourself resting in his perfect peace or jumping up and down with new inspiration. Each encounter is different, but each can be meaningful, life changing and full of joy.
Dear God,
You are love and light.
You are the reason for everything merry and bright.
Our hearts long to sing, glory to the king.
Glory to the light of the world.
Amen. (Ashly Cooley, Counseling & Support Ministries)
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"Good news: a son who will be a joy and a delight" for Monday, 11 December 2017
Daily Scripture
Luke 1:5 In the days of Herod, King of Y’hudah, there was a cohen named Z’kharyah who belonged to the Aviyah division. His wife was a descendant of Aharon, and her name was Elisheva. 6 Both of them were righteous before God, observing all the mitzvot and ordinances of Adonai blamelessly. 7 But they had no children, because Elisheva was barren; and they were both well along in years.
8 One time, when Z’kharyah was fulfilling his duties as cohen during his division’s period of service before God, 9 he was chosen by lot (according to the custom among the cohanim) to enter the Temple and burn incense. 10 All the people were outside, praying, at the time of the incense burning, 11 when there appeared to him an angel of Adonai standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 Z’kharyah was startled and terrified at the sight. 13 But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Z’kharyah; because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elisheva will bear you a son, and you are to name him Yochanan. 14 He will be a joy and a delight to you, and many people will rejoice when he is born, 15 for he will be great in the sight of Adonai. He is never to drink wine or other liquor, and he will be filled with the Ruach HaKodesh even from his mother’s womb. 16 He will turn many of the people of Isra’el to Adonai their God. 17 He will go out ahead of Adonai in the spirit and power of Eliyahu to turn the hearts of fathers to their children[Luke 1:17 Malachi 3:23–24(4:5–6)] and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready for Adonai a people prepared.”
18 Z’kharyah said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man; my wife too is well on in years.” 19 “I am Gavri’el,” the angel answered him, “and I stand in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, to give you this good news. 20 Now, because you didn’t believe what I said, which will be fulfilled when the time comes, you will be silent, unable to speak until the day these things take place.”
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Reflection Questions
“Because there were [an estimated 18,000] priests, special duties had to be assigned by lot…. This occasion was likely Zechariah’s only opportunity to perform this service during his lifetime.”* It seems likely that when Zechariah awoke on this morning, he already thought this would be a day he’d remember for the rest of his life. Yet little did he know how true that would be!
Lord God, you know how often doubt and fear tug at my heart. Send your message of promise and joy across my path, reminding me to trust and not to fear. Amen.
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Kaelin Hill
Kaelin Hill is 13 and in 8th grade. He serves at Resurrection on the Tech Arts team and loves running the lights during the 9:15 am service. He has 3 younger sisters so he has a healthy respect for fear. Kaelin’s mom Melanie works with the Guest Connections team and often ropes him into helping out.
During my social studies class this week we got onto the topic of current events. What started with a simple assignment instruction quickly led to a heated debate over politics and current events in the United States. My teacher stepped in to mediate the debate but even he had a problem controlling the tempers of my classmates. Debate quickly turned to name calling and shouting. Gestures led to detention.
It all happened so fast that it left my head spinning. I found myself wanting to hide or at least become invisible to stay out of the chaos. It left me thinking that if we act like this as kids, what does that mean for when we are adults? And how did this all start anyway?
Later that day as I talked about it with my friends we all wondered the same thing. Those that had gotten the most verbal during the debate said that they had regretted their actions. I’m not sure even they knew what had really caused the uproar.
When I think of this incident in light of the command to “do not fear,” I find that hard to do. There are so many things in my life to fear, or at least that cause me concern. Where should I look for hope when I see adults in the world modeling this same behavior? As a kid I often feel powerless to change the things I fear. I look to adults to cast hope that things can be different. If the adults in my life seem overwhelmed with these fears too, how do I have faith that things can be different?
I guess the best that I can say is that the challenge “do not fear” isn’t just for me, but for everyone. Grown ups too. Adults, please remember that we are watching how you handle fear and it’s teaching us whether you want it to or not. We need you to also teach us about hope and peace in the midst of fear. We need to see that at school and at home and in our community. Thank you to the adults who allow me to see the way to fulfill the challenge of “do not fear” by listening to me, by reassuring me, and who remind me that God is in control. Thank you to those who teach me that the worst thing is never the last thing. When I remember that, fear doesn’t seem so powerful.
* HarperCollins Christian Publishing. NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, eBook: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture(Kindle Locations 232061-232065). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
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"The Lord’s doing: 'He has shown me his favor'" for Tuesday, 12 December 2017
Daily Scripture:
Luke 1:21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Z’kharyah; they were surprised at his taking so long in the Temple. 22 But when he came out unable to talk to them, they realized that he had seen a vision in the Temple; speechless, he communicated to them with signs.
23 When his period of his Temple service was over, he returned home. 24 Following this, Elisheva his wife conceived, and she remained five months in seclusion, saying, 25 “Adonai has done this for me; he has shown me favor at this time, so as to remove my public disgrace.”
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Reflection Questions:
In Zechariah and Elizabeth’s day, “Childless parents lacked support in their old age, and many people assumed that such a condition reflected divine punishment for sin.”* That’s probably why Luke stressed in Luke 1:6 that “they were righteous before God.” And it was what Elizabeth meant when she said God had showed favor by “removing my disgrace among other people.”
Lord God, you worked out your plan through ordinary people like Zechariah and Elizabeth. That gives me hope. I hold myself ready for whatever you have in mind for me. Amen.
* HarperCollins Christian Publishing. NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, eBook: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture(Kindle Locations 232054-232055). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
** N. T. Wright, Luke for Everyone. (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004, pp. 7-8.)
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Randy Greene
Randy Greene is a part of the Communications team at the Church of the Resurrection. He helps develop and maintain the church's family of websites. He is also a student at Central Baptist Theological Seminary and loves to write stories about faith for his blog.
Have you ever lost your voice? Talking is a natural part of my existence – I don’t even think about the mechanics of it. There must be something about the way I flex my vocal chords as I breathe out that produces the sounds of speech, but all of it happens instinctively. So when my voice doesn’t work the way I expect it to, I’m surprised and a little frightened. What’s wrong with me?
Any time I lose my voice, I feel lost and powerless. Besides carrying around a pen and paper, I don’t know how to communicate with people. I can’t participate in conversations, can’t give my opinions or ideas. I can’t correct people when they’re wrong or encourage them when they’re right. Talking is such a fundamental part of my life that it’s scary when it doesn’t work.
But maybe it’s good for me to lose my voice once in a while. Pastor Adam mentioned in his sermon this past weekend that most of us at Church of the Resurrection are probably in places of privilege to some degree. I’m not an extraordinary person by any means – not rich or influential – but since I’m a white, middle class American guy, my voice does carry some weight in our society just by default.
But that is not true for every voice. Many of our brothers and sisters have had their voices systematically silenced for generations. Minorities of all kinds have been trying to speak for hundreds of years, but society has typically not listened.
In the past few weeks, we have seen evidence that our society is slowly changing. It seems like we may have reached a tipping point where the voices of those silenced groups are finally being heard. Our society is listening to their stories and taking them seriously.
As I see all of this unfolding, I feel as if the silenced are finally being heard and I have a deep desire to celebrate with them. I want to laugh with them as they laugh and cry with them as they cry. I want to join with them and help lift up their voices.
Yet I think, at this time, I need to lose my voice. I think the celebration is theirs, not mine, and although I am filled with joy that their voices are being heard, I cannot add my voice to theirs without drowning them out. Even if I have the right words to say, it is not my turn to speak.
Choosing to quiet my voice is not the same as having my voice taken away from me, and doing this doesn’t put me on equal moral footing with those who have been silenced. Not even close. And when I see oppression – for it is far from gone – I am committed to speak up for the broken.
But for now, in the moments when these new voices are being heard, I think it is important for me to sit back and simply listen. They have much to teach me.
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"Rejoice, favored one!" for Wednesday, 13 December 2017
Daily Scripture
Luke 1:26 In the sixth month, the angel Gavri’el was sent by God to a city in the Galil called Natzeret, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man named Yosef, of the house of David; the virgin’s name was Miryam. 28 Approaching her, the angel said, “Shalom, favored lady! Adonai is with you!” 29 She was deeply troubled by his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Miryam, for you have found favor with God. 31 Look! You will become pregnant, you will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Yeshua. 32 He will be great, he will be called Son of Ha‘Elyon. Adonai, God, will give him the throne of his forefather David; 33 and he will rule the House of Ya‘akov forever — there will be no end to his Kingdom.” 34 “How can this be,” asked Miryam of the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered her,
“The Ruach HaKodesh will come over you,
the power of Ha‘Elyon will cover you.
Therefore the holy child born to you
will be called the Son of God.
36 “You have a relative, Elisheva, who is an old woman; and everyone says she is barren. But she has conceived a son and is six months pregnant! 37 For with God, nothing is impossible.” 38 Miryam said, “I am the servant of Adonai; may it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
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Reflection Questions:
As he did to Zechariah and Elizabeth, God’s messenger promised that Mary would have a baby. Different biological facts (Elizabeth was too old, Mary was a virgin) ruled pregnancy out in both cases. Like Zechariah, Mary struggled to believe the angel’s words—but she did. Young as she was (probably early to mid-teens), Mary knew she served a God who is free to do very unusual things.
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Kari Burgess
Kari is a part of Resurrection's ShareChurch team. She is involved with the marketing, guest registration, and volunteer coordination for the conferences we host, and she considers it a joy to serve, using her gifts to help renew God's church. She enjoys running and hiking and loves being a cheerleader for her girls at all of their sporting, music and school events.
After five years of marriage, it was time to start our family. We had been trying to conceive for several months. Our doctor told us to come back for a visit to discuss potential fertility treatments if we had not conceived by September. Every month that year, our glimmer of hope for good news was extinguished once again. I know so many couples who waited and struggled for much longer than us, but as we were going through this process the wait felt so long.
And then 9/11 happened. Suddenly, our world was in chaos. I can remember the day so clearly. I was walking into my office building and a co-worker simply said, “Did you hear?” My office was less than mile from the house, not long enough to hear the news on the radio. We had just moved into our new home the week before; our living room furniture hadn’t even been delivered yet. I remember sitting on the floor with my husband watching the news coverage that week-–shocked, confused, afraid, distraught, prayerful.
As I was trying to process the tragedy and all that was happening in our world and how it related to us personally, all I could think was perhaps this was why we hadn’t been able to get pregnant. Maybe we were not meant to bring a child into this world which will never be the same. The emotions I was feeling were really confusing and yes, I suppose, a bit dramatic. My mind would dart from one thing to another. But I kept coming back to the idea that perhaps God was trying to save us from raising a child in a post-terror attack world.
Then, 3 days later--a positive pregnancy test. The emotional roller coaster really shook me up. What was I supposed to do with this news? On the one hand, I was so relieved. Our prayers had been answered and we would finally have the baby we had hoped for. But then, I had convinced myself God was saving us from bringing a child into this broken world. Will the child be safe? Are we bringing a child into a world of chaos? What was God doing?
I’d love to share with you that in this very moment of confusion, an angel appeared before me and said, “Fear not!” or “Rejoice, favored one!” But, alas, this was not the case. Instead, I was left reeling and uncertain. We kept the news to ourselves for a few weeks, so I spent too much time in my own head trying to make sense of it. I felt confused and conflicted, much like Mary must have felt when she came to understand the circumstances in which she would have a child. Eventually, prayer led me to a place of calm and confidence that God would lead us through this scary time and give us an amazing life with our new child. It might have been simpler to receive a visit from an angel (or maybe not – it might have freaked me out even more!), but I did come to a place of peace which felt God-given. I could turn my attention to the joy of becoming a mother and to the normal, everyday nervousness of having a child.
Each year during Advent, I cherish the stories of Mary and Elizabeth. I think many moms feel this way. I feel like a kindred spirit to Elizabeth when the child leaped in her womb when Mary arrived at her door--I remember fondly what it feels like! And I relate to Mary as she held her precious newborn baby and “treasured up these things and pondered them in her heart.” The children I bore are not the Son of God (=)), but I feel incredibly blessed and “My soul glorifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he been mindful of the humble state of his servant,” because he answered our prayers and entrusted us with two beautiful children to raise.
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“Happy is she who believed” for Thursday, 14 December 2017
Daily Scripture
Luke 1:39 Without delay, Miryam set out and hurried to the town in the hill country of Y’hudah 40 where Z’kharyah lived, entered his house and greeted Elisheva. 41 When Elisheva heard Miryam’s greeting, the baby in her womb stirred. Elisheva was filled with the Ruach HaKodesh 42 and spoke up in a loud voice,
“How blessed are you among women!
And how blessed is the child in your womb!
43 “But who am I, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy! 45 Indeed you are blessed, because you have trusted that the promise Adonai has made to you will be fulfilled.”
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Reflection Questions:
Pastor Hamilton wrote, “I traveled to the Holy Land and retraced Mary’s steps from the Annunciation to the birth of Jesus. I was surprised to discover that Mary’s journey to Elizabeth’s home would have taken her eight to ten days.”* Mary desperately needed the faith, affirmation and joy that Elizabeth, herself living with an unexpected pregnancy, gave her. Elizabeth summed it up by saying, “Happy is she who believed that the Lord would fulfill the promises he made to her” (verse 45).
O God, keep reminding me that you kept your promises to Elizabeth and Mary—and that you still do that today. Give me opportunities to give to others as Elizabeth and Mary gave to one another. Amen.
* Adam Hamilton, The Journey: A Season of Reflections. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2011, p. 78.
** Ibid., p 97.
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Janelle Gregory
Janelle Gregory serves on the Resurrection staff as a Human Resources Specialist. Janelle finds that her heart is constantly wrestling with the truth that she needs a Savior, and the times when she's at her very best are when she's just too tired to put up a fight.
“Did you hear about Mary?”
“Mary, from down the road?”
“Yes, that Mary.”
“No, what about her?”
“She’s pregnant.”
“I didn’t realize that she and Joseph had gotten married.”
“They haven’t!”
I can just imagine the judging whispers Mary must have heard. I can see the glares and the turning heads. I can feel the dread she must have experienced in leaving her house. For Mary, the dread wasn’t just about the town gossip. Being pregnant out of wedlock was against the law, and it meant that her life was at risk.
How terrifying. How lonely. We don’t know how her parents responded, but I can’t believe they were excited. The news would have certainly meant an end to her engagement. In fact, it almost did end it. Without angel intervention, Joseph would have left her (Matthew 1:18-19).
How many people in Mary’s town do you think believed Mary and her wacky story of divine conception? Any? Probably not. This is why it must have felt like heaven to see Elizabeth. At the moment they greet one another, Elizabeth proclaims, “Blessed are you among women!” And just like that, Mary’s soul felt relief. Someone finally believed her, and on top of that they encouraged her for being faithful. Thank goodness for Elizabeth!
We all need an Elizabeth – someone who will cheer us on in our spiritual journey, someone who will be excited for us when God calls us to do something out of the norm or challenging. It’s highly doubtful that any of us will be called to birth a Savior, but we may be asked to go on a mission trip, to give generously, to switch careers, to forgive an enemy, or to do something else that society would deem wacky. These aren’t always easy things to do, especially if your life is full of naysayers.
Who is it in your life who will be there to cheer you on? Who will celebrate with you? Who will encourage you to be faithful? I hope you have at least one person. If not, call the church. We’ll make sure you get plugged into a small group where you can find this kind of encouragement. It’s important that you find someone, because the Christian journey isn’t meant to be walked alone. God desires for us to have others in our life who have the same eternal perspective, who will lift us up when times get hard, who will come along beside us, and perhaps even be the first person to say, “Yes, what you’re doing may seem wacky, but blessed are you for being a faithful follower!”
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“In the depths of who I am I rejoice” for Friday 15 December 2017
Daily Scripture:
Luke 1:46 Then Miryam said,
“My soul magnifies Adonai;
47 and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior,
48 who has taken notice of his servant-girl
in her humble position.[Luke 1:48 1 Samuel 1:11; 2:1]
For — imagine it! — from now on, all generations will call me blessed!
49 “The Mighty One has done great things for me!
Indeed, his name is holy; 50 and in every generation
he has mercy on those who fear him.[Luke 1:50 Psalms 103:17; 111:9]
51 “He has performed mighty deeds with his arm,
routed the secretly proud,
52 brought down rulers from their thrones,
raised up the humble,
53 filled the hungry with good things,
but sent the rich away empty.
54 “He has taken the part of his servant Isra’el,
mindful of the mercy
55 which he promised to our fathers,
to Avraham and his seed forever.”
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Reflection Questions:
We often call Luke 1:46-56 "The Magnificat" because magnificat is the first word of Mary’s song in the Latin Bible. The first part of Mary's song was full of hope, excitement, anticipation, and joy. It was Mary’s praise-filled response to the realization that she would bear the Redeemer Israel had long waited for. But she also rejoiced that her child would fulfill God’s promise to bring justice to an unjust world, and to care for the lowly, hungry and oppressed.
Lord Jesus Christ, I choose you to be king in my life. I gladly take up the freedom and challenge of wrestling with the implications of living by your values, which are so different from ours. Amen.
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Darren Lippe
Darren Lippe helps facilitate Journey 101 “Loving God” classes, guides a 7th-grade Sunday school class, is a member of a small group and a men’s group, and serves on the curriculum team.
Growing up a Royals fan, I always enjoyed hearing the “Walk Up” music at Royals Stadium, “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” whenever relief pitcher, Mark Littell of rural Missouri, entered the game. (“Walk Up” music is played at a stadium when a batter steps up to the plate or pitcher takes the mound.)
Today, we get to read about Mary’s self-composed “Walk Up” music captured in the lyrics of her Magnificat. There are so many fascinating elements to this passage, let’s run down a quick list. (As a service to our readers, we’ll suggest “Walk Up” songs for our other biblical friends as well. Oh my – Editor.)
I hesitate to ask… – Editor. Walt Disney’s “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” - today is going to be a wonderful day. Sigh.
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"Celebration, praise and awe" for Saturday, 16 December 2017
Daily Scripture:
Luke 1:57 The time arrived for Elisheva to have her baby, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard how good Adonai had been to her, and they rejoiced with her.
59 On the eighth day, they came to do the child’s b’rit-milah. They were about to name him Z’kharyah, after his father, 60 when his mother spoke up and said, “No, he is to be called Yochanan.” 61 They said to her, “None of your relatives has that name,” 62 and they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. 63 He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is Yochanan.” 64 At that moment, his power of speech returned, and his first words were a b’rakhah to God. 65 All their neighbors were awestruck; and throughout the hill country of Y’hudah, people talked about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard of them said to himself, “What is this child going to be?” For clearly the hand of Adonai was with him.
67 His father Z’kharyah was filled with the Ruach HaKodesh and spoke this prophecy:
68 “Praised be Adonai, the God of Isra’el,[Luke 1:68 Psalms 41:14(13); 72:18; 106:48]
because he has visited and made a ransom to liberate his people
69 by raising up for us a mighty Deliverer
who is a descendant of his servant David.
70 It is just as he has spoken
through the mouth of the prophets from the very beginning —
71 that we should be delivered from our enemies
and from the power of all who hate us.
72 “This has happened so that he might show
the mercy promised to our fathers —
that he would remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath he swore before Avraham avinu
74 to grant us that we, freed from our enemies,
would serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness
before him all our days.
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Reflection Questions:
Zechariah doubted the angel’s word that he and Elizabeth would have a son (Luke 1:5-17). But they did. When Zechariah wrote that they would name the baby John, as the angel instructed, he was able to speak again. Zechariah said, according to Luke, “[God] has raised up a mighty savior for us in his servant David’s house, just as he said through the mouths of his holy prophets long ago. He has brought salvation from our enemies and from the power of all those who hate us.” Luke said “everyone throughout the Judean highlands talked about what had happened”—today we’d say there was “a lot of buzz” about John’s birth. The unusual birth and naming had people asking, “What then will this child be?”
Lord Jesus, you came quietly, humbly, softly. You lived with joy and freedom. You baffled most of the powerful who heard you. Not only the whole world, but MY world, began to change when you were born. Thank you for offering me your better, more joyous life. Amen.
Family Activity:
God surprises us with unexpected joy every day! Gather your family and share times you have each experienced God’s unexpected joy. Maybe you have received a special gift, seen a beautiful sight or heard a favorite song. Pause for a moment, remember the feeling of that unexpected joy and thank God for those joyful experiences. Next, create a list of individuals or groups whom you would like to surprise with unexpected joy this season. Then share ideas on ways you can bring unexpected joy to these people. Include ways to bring joy to your immediate family members as well! Decide together how you will spread unexpected joy to others, then pray and ask God to help you! Also in your prayers, remember to thank God and others when you are the recipients of surprising, unexpected joy!
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Lori Trupp
Lori Trupp is the Director of Children’s Ministries at Resurrection Leawood.
I have always loved the story of Elizabeth. In fact, I even named one of my girls after her (shout out to my Elizabeth Grace)! Much of the focus of Elizabeth’s story is on her mentoring relationship to Mary, and rightfully so. We all definitely need an Elizabeth in our lives and should strive to be an Elizabeth in someone else’s life. Today, though, I’d like to focus on a smaller part of her story, one that often goes unmentioned.
In today’s Scripture, as was Jewish tradition, Elizabeth and her husband gathered with their friends and family for the circumcision of her 8 day old baby boy. Everyone assumed the child would be named after his father, as was the custom. However, when the discussion of the child’s name begins, Elizabeth disagrees saying, “No, his name will be John” (Luke 1:60).
This statement actually started what today would be called a full-blown “family feud.” You see, Elizabeth’s insistence that the boy be named John renounced the family, its work, and its perpetuation through the next generation.
This fact by itself is a really big deal. But let’s take it a step further. Elizabeth made that declaration--and she was a WOMAN. It was extremely unusual and frankly, socially unacceptable for a woman to be so outspoken. I love this about her! She was so faithful to God’s message and plan that she found her voice and spoke up, even though she knew it would cause a family feud of epic proportions and that it was socially unacceptable.
What I find hilarious is that they were so flabbergasted they went to Zechariah for confirmation. I can almost hear them saying, “Look, buddy, your wife has forgotten her place. You need to straighten this out.” Seriously? The man couldn’t even speak at the time!
Of course, Zechariah provided confirmation by writing the name John on a tablet and then miraculously could speak again. THEN everyone is “filled with awe.” Whatever, people! I love it that God kept him silent even though the baby was already 8 days old. Just my opinion, of course, but I like to think this was on purpose so Elizabeth could make the declaration! (Lol!) I love God, and I especially love it that God made women the heroes in his stories time and time again. So for all of us, man or woman, in a world that wants our silence about so many things, be an Elizabeth!
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"Good news: a son who will be a joy and a delight" for Monday, 11 December 2017
Daily Scripture
Luke 1:5 In the days of Herod, King of Y’hudah, there was a cohen named Z’kharyah who belonged to the Aviyah division. His wife was a descendant of Aharon, and her name was Elisheva. 6 Both of them were righteous before God, observing all the mitzvot and ordinances of Adonai blamelessly. 7 But they had no children, because Elisheva was barren; and they were both well along in years.
8 One time, when Z’kharyah was fulfilling his duties as cohen during his division’s period of service before God, 9 he was chosen by lot (according to the custom among the cohanim) to enter the Temple and burn incense. 10 All the people were outside, praying, at the time of the incense burning, 11 when there appeared to him an angel of Adonai standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 Z’kharyah was startled and terrified at the sight. 13 But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Z’kharyah; because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elisheva will bear you a son, and you are to name him Yochanan. 14 He will be a joy and a delight to you, and many people will rejoice when he is born, 15 for he will be great in the sight of Adonai. He is never to drink wine or other liquor, and he will be filled with the Ruach HaKodesh even from his mother’s womb. 16 He will turn many of the people of Isra’el to Adonai their God. 17 He will go out ahead of Adonai in the spirit and power of Eliyahu to turn the hearts of fathers to their children[Luke 1:17 Malachi 3:23–24(4:5–6)] and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready for Adonai a people prepared.”
18 Z’kharyah said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man; my wife too is well on in years.” 19 “I am Gavri’el,” the angel answered him, “and I stand in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, to give you this good news. 20 Now, because you didn’t believe what I said, which will be fulfilled when the time comes, you will be silent, unable to speak until the day these things take place.”
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Reflection Questions
“Because there were [an estimated 18,000] priests, special duties had to be assigned by lot…. This occasion was likely Zechariah’s only opportunity to perform this service during his lifetime.”* It seems likely that when Zechariah awoke on this morning, he already thought this would be a day he’d remember for the rest of his life. Yet little did he know how true that would be!
- We might think Zechariah and Elizabeth had given up their hope for a child. The angel’s words in verse 13 (“Your prayers have been heard”) implied otherwise. As in Abraham and Sarah’s story (Genesis 18:1-15, 21:1-7), God’s messenger said Elizabeth would bear the child they’d prayed for all those years. Was that “good news” (verse 19) “too good to be true”? Zechariah struggled to believe it. Are you ever tempted to see faith and hope as naive and foolish? Have you known any people of faith who were anything but naive and foolish?
- We find this reaction several times in the Advent story: “When Zechariah saw the angel, he was startled and overcome with fear” (verse 12). Zechariah’s fear obscured the joy in the angel’s “good news” (verse 19). Yet the angel’s first words were, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah” (verse 13). “Don’t be afraid” is the most common command God and God’s messengers give in the Bible. This Advent, in what part(s) of life do you most need to take in the message, “Do not be afraid”?
Lord God, you know how often doubt and fear tug at my heart. Send your message of promise and joy across my path, reminding me to trust and not to fear. Amen.
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Kaelin HillKaelin Hill is 13 and in 8th grade. He serves at Resurrection on the Tech Arts team and loves running the lights during the 9:15 am service. He has 3 younger sisters so he has a healthy respect for fear. Kaelin’s mom Melanie works with the Guest Connections team and often ropes him into helping out.
During my social studies class this week we got onto the topic of current events. What started with a simple assignment instruction quickly led to a heated debate over politics and current events in the United States. My teacher stepped in to mediate the debate but even he had a problem controlling the tempers of my classmates. Debate quickly turned to name calling and shouting. Gestures led to detention.
It all happened so fast that it left my head spinning. I found myself wanting to hide or at least become invisible to stay out of the chaos. It left me thinking that if we act like this as kids, what does that mean for when we are adults? And how did this all start anyway?
Later that day as I talked about it with my friends we all wondered the same thing. Those that had gotten the most verbal during the debate said that they had regretted their actions. I’m not sure even they knew what had really caused the uproar.
When I think of this incident in light of the command to “do not fear,” I find that hard to do. There are so many things in my life to fear, or at least that cause me concern. Where should I look for hope when I see adults in the world modeling this same behavior? As a kid I often feel powerless to change the things I fear. I look to adults to cast hope that things can be different. If the adults in my life seem overwhelmed with these fears too, how do I have faith that things can be different?
I guess the best that I can say is that the challenge “do not fear” isn’t just for me, but for everyone. Grown ups too. Adults, please remember that we are watching how you handle fear and it’s teaching us whether you want it to or not. We need you to also teach us about hope and peace in the midst of fear. We need to see that at school and at home and in our community. Thank you to the adults who allow me to see the way to fulfill the challenge of “do not fear” by listening to me, by reassuring me, and who remind me that God is in control. Thank you to those who teach me that the worst thing is never the last thing. When I remember that, fear doesn’t seem so powerful.
* HarperCollins Christian Publishing. NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, eBook: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture(Kindle Locations 232061-232065). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
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"The Lord’s doing: 'He has shown me his favor'" for Tuesday, 12 December 2017
Daily Scripture:
Luke 1:21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Z’kharyah; they were surprised at his taking so long in the Temple. 22 But when he came out unable to talk to them, they realized that he had seen a vision in the Temple; speechless, he communicated to them with signs.
23 When his period of his Temple service was over, he returned home. 24 Following this, Elisheva his wife conceived, and she remained five months in seclusion, saying, 25 “Adonai has done this for me; he has shown me favor at this time, so as to remove my public disgrace.”
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Reflection Questions:
In Zechariah and Elizabeth’s day, “Childless parents lacked support in their old age, and many people assumed that such a condition reflected divine punishment for sin.”* That’s probably why Luke stressed in Luke 1:6 that “they were righteous before God.” And it was what Elizabeth meant when she said God had showed favor by “removing my disgrace among other people.”
- Scholar N. T. Wright wrote, “Luke is careful not to dress up the story by making Zechariah a great hero of faith…. God regularly works through ordinary people, doing what they normally do, who with a mixture of half-faith and devotion are holding themselves ready for whatever God has in mind.”** What helps you to hold yourself ready for whatever God has in mind? Has God ever surprised you and brought you joy by doing something through you bigger than you thought you were capable of?
- Luke’s story was no “once upon a time” tale. It was about real people and places, which he said he’d verified with eyewitnesses (cf. Luke 1:1-4). He began, as we read yesterday, “During the rule of King Herod of Judea.” Does it help you to trust Luke’s story that he gave many names and dates that people in his day could easily have verified? Why or why not?
Lord God, you worked out your plan through ordinary people like Zechariah and Elizabeth. That gives me hope. I hold myself ready for whatever you have in mind for me. Amen.
* HarperCollins Christian Publishing. NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, eBook: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture(Kindle Locations 232054-232055). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
** N. T. Wright, Luke for Everyone. (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004, pp. 7-8.)
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Randy GreeneRandy Greene is a part of the Communications team at the Church of the Resurrection. He helps develop and maintain the church's family of websites. He is also a student at Central Baptist Theological Seminary and loves to write stories about faith for his blog.
Have you ever lost your voice? Talking is a natural part of my existence – I don’t even think about the mechanics of it. There must be something about the way I flex my vocal chords as I breathe out that produces the sounds of speech, but all of it happens instinctively. So when my voice doesn’t work the way I expect it to, I’m surprised and a little frightened. What’s wrong with me?
Any time I lose my voice, I feel lost and powerless. Besides carrying around a pen and paper, I don’t know how to communicate with people. I can’t participate in conversations, can’t give my opinions or ideas. I can’t correct people when they’re wrong or encourage them when they’re right. Talking is such a fundamental part of my life that it’s scary when it doesn’t work.
But maybe it’s good for me to lose my voice once in a while. Pastor Adam mentioned in his sermon this past weekend that most of us at Church of the Resurrection are probably in places of privilege to some degree. I’m not an extraordinary person by any means – not rich or influential – but since I’m a white, middle class American guy, my voice does carry some weight in our society just by default.
But that is not true for every voice. Many of our brothers and sisters have had their voices systematically silenced for generations. Minorities of all kinds have been trying to speak for hundreds of years, but society has typically not listened.
In the past few weeks, we have seen evidence that our society is slowly changing. It seems like we may have reached a tipping point where the voices of those silenced groups are finally being heard. Our society is listening to their stories and taking them seriously.
As I see all of this unfolding, I feel as if the silenced are finally being heard and I have a deep desire to celebrate with them. I want to laugh with them as they laugh and cry with them as they cry. I want to join with them and help lift up their voices.
Yet I think, at this time, I need to lose my voice. I think the celebration is theirs, not mine, and although I am filled with joy that their voices are being heard, I cannot add my voice to theirs without drowning them out. Even if I have the right words to say, it is not my turn to speak.
Choosing to quiet my voice is not the same as having my voice taken away from me, and doing this doesn’t put me on equal moral footing with those who have been silenced. Not even close. And when I see oppression – for it is far from gone – I am committed to speak up for the broken.
But for now, in the moments when these new voices are being heard, I think it is important for me to sit back and simply listen. They have much to teach me.
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"Rejoice, favored one!" for Wednesday, 13 December 2017
Daily Scripture
Luke 1:26 In the sixth month, the angel Gavri’el was sent by God to a city in the Galil called Natzeret, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man named Yosef, of the house of David; the virgin’s name was Miryam. 28 Approaching her, the angel said, “Shalom, favored lady! Adonai is with you!” 29 She was deeply troubled by his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Miryam, for you have found favor with God. 31 Look! You will become pregnant, you will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Yeshua. 32 He will be great, he will be called Son of Ha‘Elyon. Adonai, God, will give him the throne of his forefather David; 33 and he will rule the House of Ya‘akov forever — there will be no end to his Kingdom.” 34 “How can this be,” asked Miryam of the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered her,
“The Ruach HaKodesh will come over you,
the power of Ha‘Elyon will cover you.
Therefore the holy child born to you
will be called the Son of God.
36 “You have a relative, Elisheva, who is an old woman; and everyone says she is barren. But she has conceived a son and is six months pregnant! 37 For with God, nothing is impossible.” 38 Miryam said, “I am the servant of Adonai; may it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
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Reflection Questions:
As he did to Zechariah and Elizabeth, God’s messenger promised that Mary would have a baby. Different biological facts (Elizabeth was too old, Mary was a virgin) ruled pregnancy out in both cases. Like Zechariah, Mary struggled to believe the angel’s words—but she did. Young as she was (probably early to mid-teens), Mary knew she served a God who is free to do very unusual things.
- The angel’s greeting (“Rejoice, favored one!”) confused Mary, who lived in Nazareth, a village so minor it did not even appear on any map of Palestine we’ve found from that time. Does your life experience of love and trust in close relationships help or hinder you from taking in the good news about God’s incredible love for you? What helps you trust that God is with you and for you through all the ups and downs of life?
- People in Mary's day understood the basics of human reproduction as well as we do—a virgin could NOT be pregnant. Yet that was what Gabriel promised (verse 31). Mary didn’t try to hide her puzzled questions (verse 34), but she was open to the angel’s answer. Her final response was an awe-inspiring model for us: “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be with me just as you have said.” What does it take for you to respond to God’s call as Mary did?
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Kari BurgessKari is a part of Resurrection's ShareChurch team. She is involved with the marketing, guest registration, and volunteer coordination for the conferences we host, and she considers it a joy to serve, using her gifts to help renew God's church. She enjoys running and hiking and loves being a cheerleader for her girls at all of their sporting, music and school events.
After five years of marriage, it was time to start our family. We had been trying to conceive for several months. Our doctor told us to come back for a visit to discuss potential fertility treatments if we had not conceived by September. Every month that year, our glimmer of hope for good news was extinguished once again. I know so many couples who waited and struggled for much longer than us, but as we were going through this process the wait felt so long.
And then 9/11 happened. Suddenly, our world was in chaos. I can remember the day so clearly. I was walking into my office building and a co-worker simply said, “Did you hear?” My office was less than mile from the house, not long enough to hear the news on the radio. We had just moved into our new home the week before; our living room furniture hadn’t even been delivered yet. I remember sitting on the floor with my husband watching the news coverage that week-–shocked, confused, afraid, distraught, prayerful.
As I was trying to process the tragedy and all that was happening in our world and how it related to us personally, all I could think was perhaps this was why we hadn’t been able to get pregnant. Maybe we were not meant to bring a child into this world which will never be the same. The emotions I was feeling were really confusing and yes, I suppose, a bit dramatic. My mind would dart from one thing to another. But I kept coming back to the idea that perhaps God was trying to save us from raising a child in a post-terror attack world.
Then, 3 days later--a positive pregnancy test. The emotional roller coaster really shook me up. What was I supposed to do with this news? On the one hand, I was so relieved. Our prayers had been answered and we would finally have the baby we had hoped for. But then, I had convinced myself God was saving us from bringing a child into this broken world. Will the child be safe? Are we bringing a child into a world of chaos? What was God doing?
I’d love to share with you that in this very moment of confusion, an angel appeared before me and said, “Fear not!” or “Rejoice, favored one!” But, alas, this was not the case. Instead, I was left reeling and uncertain. We kept the news to ourselves for a few weeks, so I spent too much time in my own head trying to make sense of it. I felt confused and conflicted, much like Mary must have felt when she came to understand the circumstances in which she would have a child. Eventually, prayer led me to a place of calm and confidence that God would lead us through this scary time and give us an amazing life with our new child. It might have been simpler to receive a visit from an angel (or maybe not – it might have freaked me out even more!), but I did come to a place of peace which felt God-given. I could turn my attention to the joy of becoming a mother and to the normal, everyday nervousness of having a child.
Each year during Advent, I cherish the stories of Mary and Elizabeth. I think many moms feel this way. I feel like a kindred spirit to Elizabeth when the child leaped in her womb when Mary arrived at her door--I remember fondly what it feels like! And I relate to Mary as she held her precious newborn baby and “treasured up these things and pondered them in her heart.” The children I bore are not the Son of God (=)), but I feel incredibly blessed and “My soul glorifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he been mindful of the humble state of his servant,” because he answered our prayers and entrusted us with two beautiful children to raise.
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“Happy is she who believed” for Thursday, 14 December 2017
Daily Scripture
Luke 1:39 Without delay, Miryam set out and hurried to the town in the hill country of Y’hudah 40 where Z’kharyah lived, entered his house and greeted Elisheva. 41 When Elisheva heard Miryam’s greeting, the baby in her womb stirred. Elisheva was filled with the Ruach HaKodesh 42 and spoke up in a loud voice,
“How blessed are you among women!
And how blessed is the child in your womb!
43 “But who am I, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy! 45 Indeed you are blessed, because you have trusted that the promise Adonai has made to you will be fulfilled.”
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Reflection Questions:
Pastor Hamilton wrote, “I traveled to the Holy Land and retraced Mary’s steps from the Annunciation to the birth of Jesus. I was surprised to discover that Mary’s journey to Elizabeth’s home would have taken her eight to ten days.”* Mary desperately needed the faith, affirmation and joy that Elizabeth, herself living with an unexpected pregnancy, gave her. Elizabeth summed it up by saying, “Happy is she who believed that the Lord would fulfill the promises he made to her” (verse 45).
- Even before Jesus’ birth, Elizabeth was the first person to call him “Lord”: “Why do I have this honor, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (verse 43) (The gospels also recorded that women were the first witnesses and proclaimers of Jesus' resurrection.) In what ways does calling Jesus “Lord” involve giving up the right to live your life any way you please? In what ways has Jesus' lordship changed your life, and brought a different kind of joy into it?
- Pastor Hamilton wrote, “We all need an Elizabeth we can turn to for advice, wisdom, and encouragement. And we're all called to be an Elizabeth for someone else—to invest in that person and pass on what we've learned.”** As you reflect on this lovely story of support and sharing, remember (and remember to thank) those who have blessed you with love and understanding when you really needed it. And ask, “Who could my caring support help this Advent?”
O God, keep reminding me that you kept your promises to Elizabeth and Mary—and that you still do that today. Give me opportunities to give to others as Elizabeth and Mary gave to one another. Amen.
* Adam Hamilton, The Journey: A Season of Reflections. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2011, p. 78.
** Ibid., p 97.
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Janelle GregoryJanelle Gregory serves on the Resurrection staff as a Human Resources Specialist. Janelle finds that her heart is constantly wrestling with the truth that she needs a Savior, and the times when she's at her very best are when she's just too tired to put up a fight.
“Did you hear about Mary?”
“Mary, from down the road?”
“Yes, that Mary.”
“No, what about her?”
“She’s pregnant.”
“I didn’t realize that she and Joseph had gotten married.”
“They haven’t!”
I can just imagine the judging whispers Mary must have heard. I can see the glares and the turning heads. I can feel the dread she must have experienced in leaving her house. For Mary, the dread wasn’t just about the town gossip. Being pregnant out of wedlock was against the law, and it meant that her life was at risk.
How terrifying. How lonely. We don’t know how her parents responded, but I can’t believe they were excited. The news would have certainly meant an end to her engagement. In fact, it almost did end it. Without angel intervention, Joseph would have left her (Matthew 1:18-19).
How many people in Mary’s town do you think believed Mary and her wacky story of divine conception? Any? Probably not. This is why it must have felt like heaven to see Elizabeth. At the moment they greet one another, Elizabeth proclaims, “Blessed are you among women!” And just like that, Mary’s soul felt relief. Someone finally believed her, and on top of that they encouraged her for being faithful. Thank goodness for Elizabeth!
We all need an Elizabeth – someone who will cheer us on in our spiritual journey, someone who will be excited for us when God calls us to do something out of the norm or challenging. It’s highly doubtful that any of us will be called to birth a Savior, but we may be asked to go on a mission trip, to give generously, to switch careers, to forgive an enemy, or to do something else that society would deem wacky. These aren’t always easy things to do, especially if your life is full of naysayers.
Who is it in your life who will be there to cheer you on? Who will celebrate with you? Who will encourage you to be faithful? I hope you have at least one person. If not, call the church. We’ll make sure you get plugged into a small group where you can find this kind of encouragement. It’s important that you find someone, because the Christian journey isn’t meant to be walked alone. God desires for us to have others in our life who have the same eternal perspective, who will lift us up when times get hard, who will come along beside us, and perhaps even be the first person to say, “Yes, what you’re doing may seem wacky, but blessed are you for being a faithful follower!”
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“In the depths of who I am I rejoice” for Friday 15 December 2017
Daily Scripture:
Luke 1:46 Then Miryam said,
“My soul magnifies Adonai;
47 and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior,
48 who has taken notice of his servant-girl
in her humble position.[Luke 1:48 1 Samuel 1:11; 2:1]
For — imagine it! — from now on, all generations will call me blessed!
49 “The Mighty One has done great things for me!
Indeed, his name is holy; 50 and in every generation
he has mercy on those who fear him.[Luke 1:50 Psalms 103:17; 111:9]
51 “He has performed mighty deeds with his arm,
routed the secretly proud,
52 brought down rulers from their thrones,
raised up the humble,
53 filled the hungry with good things,
but sent the rich away empty.
54 “He has taken the part of his servant Isra’el,
mindful of the mercy
55 which he promised to our fathers,
to Avraham and his seed forever.”
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Reflection Questions:
We often call Luke 1:46-56 "The Magnificat" because magnificat is the first word of Mary’s song in the Latin Bible. The first part of Mary's song was full of hope, excitement, anticipation, and joy. It was Mary’s praise-filled response to the realization that she would bear the Redeemer Israel had long waited for. But she also rejoiced that her child would fulfill God’s promise to bring justice to an unjust world, and to care for the lowly, hungry and oppressed.
- In verse 46 Mary said, "With all my heart I glorify the Lord!" Mary began her song with a glowing expression of gratitude. In this season when we remember and celebrate the birth of God's Son, Jesus Christ, who or what in your life are you thankful for? What aspect(s) of your life cause you to glorify the Lord with “all your heart”?
- Mary’s song went on to recognize that the eternal king God was sending would turn upside-down many human values that had always tended to rule the world. How willing are you to use your God-given ability to lift the burdens borne by people who have fewer of life’s good things than you have? When have you found joy in lifting up “the lowly,” in filling “the hungry with good things”? (Click on your campus name—Leawood, West, Downtown, or Blue Springs—to find ideas about for doing that this Advent season.)
Lord Jesus Christ, I choose you to be king in my life. I gladly take up the freedom and challenge of wrestling with the implications of living by your values, which are so different from ours. Amen.
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Darren LippeDarren Lippe helps facilitate Journey 101 “Loving God” classes, guides a 7th-grade Sunday school class, is a member of a small group and a men’s group, and serves on the curriculum team.
Growing up a Royals fan, I always enjoyed hearing the “Walk Up” music at Royals Stadium, “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” whenever relief pitcher, Mark Littell of rural Missouri, entered the game. (“Walk Up” music is played at a stadium when a batter steps up to the plate or pitcher takes the mound.)
Today, we get to read about Mary’s self-composed “Walk Up” music captured in the lyrics of her Magnificat. There are so many fascinating elements to this passage, let’s run down a quick list. (As a service to our readers, we’ll suggest “Walk Up” songs for our other biblical friends as well. Oh my – Editor.)
Peter (The Impulsive Disciple) - I Can't Drive 55
With whom did Luke consult to record this New Testament psalm? Our options would seem to be Mary, herself, or Jesus. I like to think that this wasn’t a one hit wonder, but rather a tune Mary sang/hummed throughout the years - just to remind/comfort herself of God’s great love in times of stress/anxiety.
John the Baptist - Wild Thing
Mary doesn’t have any self-esteem issues. She is well aware of her humble earthly status; yet that in no way interferes with her sheer joy at being honored by God as the mother of His one and only child. I suppose once you know you are on God’s list (like all believers), People Magazine’s “Beautiful People” or Barbara Walters’ “Most Fascinating” lists don’t carry the same weight.
Joseph (Of Coat of Many Colors Fame) - Sharp Dressed Man
Interestingly, Luke includes this psalm in his “orderly account” of Jesus’ life and ministry. Like his recounting of John the Baptist as the forerunner to Jesus, perhaps Luke is also using Mary’s hymn as a precursor to Jesus’ ministry – succinctly introducing the very themes Jesus would emphasize 30 years later: warning the arrogant, the tyrannical, and the wealthy, comforting the poor and the hungry, and even referencing the long holy relationship with God going back to Abraham. Oddly, none of these themes are addressed by the angelic pronouncements to Mary recorded by Luke, but they are subjects considered important in the Torah, in the writings of the prophets, and the foretold Messiah. Mary is dropping some profound theological/sociological concepts in her brief hymn – suggesting there is much more to her than first meets the eye.
Matthew (The Tax Collector) - I've Got Friends in Low Places
Mary’s thoughts probably vacillated throughout her 60+ mile journey to Elizabeth’s home – ranging from joy to worry, from excitement to fear, from satisfaction to discomfort. Yet upon hearing Elizabeth’s exuberant declaration, Mary now feels complete confidence to just bask in the joy of God’s amazing love. Wouldn’t it be awesome if we, too, had an Elizabethan encourager as we boldly consider God’s call on our lives or, even better, if we could serve as such inspiration to someone else’s faith walk?
David (Of Sling Shot Fame) - We Will Rock You
As we wrap up, what might be our selection for our own “Walk Up” music? A song that captures our essence that would make everyone say, “Yep, that’s him/her.” (Hopefully, it won’t be like Queen Jezebel’s selection, “Bad to the Bone” – 1 Kings 18-19.)I hesitate to ask… – Editor. Walt Disney’s “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” - today is going to be a wonderful day. Sigh.
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"Celebration, praise and awe" for Saturday, 16 December 2017
Daily Scripture:
Luke 1:57 The time arrived for Elisheva to have her baby, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard how good Adonai had been to her, and they rejoiced with her.
59 On the eighth day, they came to do the child’s b’rit-milah. They were about to name him Z’kharyah, after his father, 60 when his mother spoke up and said, “No, he is to be called Yochanan.” 61 They said to her, “None of your relatives has that name,” 62 and they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. 63 He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is Yochanan.” 64 At that moment, his power of speech returned, and his first words were a b’rakhah to God. 65 All their neighbors were awestruck; and throughout the hill country of Y’hudah, people talked about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard of them said to himself, “What is this child going to be?” For clearly the hand of Adonai was with him.
67 His father Z’kharyah was filled with the Ruach HaKodesh and spoke this prophecy:
68 “Praised be Adonai, the God of Isra’el,[Luke 1:68 Psalms 41:14(13); 72:18; 106:48]
because he has visited and made a ransom to liberate his people
69 by raising up for us a mighty Deliverer
who is a descendant of his servant David.
70 It is just as he has spoken
through the mouth of the prophets from the very beginning —
71 that we should be delivered from our enemies
and from the power of all who hate us.
72 “This has happened so that he might show
the mercy promised to our fathers —
that he would remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath he swore before Avraham avinu
74 to grant us that we, freed from our enemies,
would serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness
before him all our days.
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Reflection Questions:
Zechariah doubted the angel’s word that he and Elizabeth would have a son (Luke 1:5-17). But they did. When Zechariah wrote that they would name the baby John, as the angel instructed, he was able to speak again. Zechariah said, according to Luke, “[God] has raised up a mighty savior for us in his servant David’s house, just as he said through the mouths of his holy prophets long ago. He has brought salvation from our enemies and from the power of all those who hate us.” Luke said “everyone throughout the Judean highlands talked about what had happened”—today we’d say there was “a lot of buzz” about John’s birth. The unusual birth and naming had people asking, “What then will this child be?”
- When Zechariah and Elizabeth’s son grew up, people called him John the Baptizer (or Baptist). His life ended when Herod had him beheaded, as a result of Herod’s inner weakness and his wife’s malicious plotting (see Matthew 14:1-12). Did John live up to God’s purposes for him—was he “great in the Lord’s eyes,” as the angel said in Luke 1:15? For that matter, did Jesus bring Israel “salvation from our enemies and from the power of all those who hate us” in the way Zechariah seemed to expect? How closely do your personal definitions of “power” and “greatness” match God’s?
Lord Jesus, you came quietly, humbly, softly. You lived with joy and freedom. You baffled most of the powerful who heard you. Not only the whole world, but MY world, began to change when you were born. Thank you for offering me your better, more joyous life. Amen.
Family Activity:
God surprises us with unexpected joy every day! Gather your family and share times you have each experienced God’s unexpected joy. Maybe you have received a special gift, seen a beautiful sight or heard a favorite song. Pause for a moment, remember the feeling of that unexpected joy and thank God for those joyful experiences. Next, create a list of individuals or groups whom you would like to surprise with unexpected joy this season. Then share ideas on ways you can bring unexpected joy to these people. Include ways to bring joy to your immediate family members as well! Decide together how you will spread unexpected joy to others, then pray and ask God to help you! Also in your prayers, remember to thank God and others when you are the recipients of surprising, unexpected joy!
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Lori TruppLori Trupp is the Director of Children’s Ministries at Resurrection Leawood.
I have always loved the story of Elizabeth. In fact, I even named one of my girls after her (shout out to my Elizabeth Grace)! Much of the focus of Elizabeth’s story is on her mentoring relationship to Mary, and rightfully so. We all definitely need an Elizabeth in our lives and should strive to be an Elizabeth in someone else’s life. Today, though, I’d like to focus on a smaller part of her story, one that often goes unmentioned.
In today’s Scripture, as was Jewish tradition, Elizabeth and her husband gathered with their friends and family for the circumcision of her 8 day old baby boy. Everyone assumed the child would be named after his father, as was the custom. However, when the discussion of the child’s name begins, Elizabeth disagrees saying, “No, his name will be John” (Luke 1:60).
This statement actually started what today would be called a full-blown “family feud.” You see, Elizabeth’s insistence that the boy be named John renounced the family, its work, and its perpetuation through the next generation.
This fact by itself is a really big deal. But let’s take it a step further. Elizabeth made that declaration--and she was a WOMAN. It was extremely unusual and frankly, socially unacceptable for a woman to be so outspoken. I love this about her! She was so faithful to God’s message and plan that she found her voice and spoke up, even though she knew it would cause a family feud of epic proportions and that it was socially unacceptable.
What I find hilarious is that they were so flabbergasted they went to Zechariah for confirmation. I can almost hear them saying, “Look, buddy, your wife has forgotten her place. You need to straighten this out.” Seriously? The man couldn’t even speak at the time!
Of course, Zechariah provided confirmation by writing the name John on a tablet and then miraculously could speak again. THEN everyone is “filled with awe.” Whatever, people! I love it that God kept him silent even though the baby was already 8 days old. Just my opinion, of course, but I like to think this was on purpose so Elizabeth could make the declaration! (Lol!) I love God, and I especially love it that God made women the heroes in his stories time and time again. So for all of us, man or woman, in a world that wants our silence about so many things, be an Elizabeth!
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