St. Timothy's Church

The Season of Miracles

Advent 4, 2009 (HUGE snowfall – 14+ inches)

Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)

The Rev W Terry Sweeney

In the Name of God: + Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Kit Valentine and I were involved in a three-way negotiation the other day and at the end one of the persons involved noted how grateful she was that this was the “season of miracles”! We had just put the finishing touches on the sale of the UCP building behind us, along St. Timothy’s Lane, along with the promise to pay the full payment of the remaining seven years of a 30 year lease of the our land that some of the UCP building sat on.

Those present were very happy to see this come to a fruitful and gracious resolution.

It took a miracle for all of us to walk away believing we had all gotten what was fair for each party. We walked out of there thanking God – something initiated 30 years ago had in fact turned out good.

In the Spirit of Advent and Christmas being a season of miracles I want to look at Luke 1:39-45, and to refer back to two additional stories: that of Gabriel’s visit to Zechariah (John’s father) and Mary (Jesus’ mother).

Along the way today we’re also going to look briefly at three incidences where someone questioned God’s promises: Abraham (Gen. 18.13), Gideon (Judges 6.36-40) and King Hezekiah (II Kings 20.8-11).

To frame this we find Mary has traveled to visit her kinswoman, Elizabeth, and upon arriving called out a greeting to her. When Elizabeth heard Mary call out to her, the baby (John) leapt in her womb and at the same time the Holy Spirit rested upon Elizabeth.

Part of the work of the Holy Spirit is to teach us – give us spiritual insights – reveal truth to us.

The Holy Spirit has just opened Elizabeth’s mind to know that Mary is also pregnant, that Mary is carrying God’s Son and that Mary is highly favored by God for such a purpose.

What Elizabeth’s natural mind could not have known, God blessed her with Spiritual knowledge through the Holy Spirit. (Word’s of Knowledge)

Filled with joy and excitement Elizabeth called out: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb (Jesus).

She expressed her humility and overwhelming surprise that God would be so good to her as to bring the mother of her Lord to her! (Already she knows that Jesus is her Lord!)

Elizabeth went on to say that her baby leapt in her womb – he too knows that his Lord is near him!

Elizabeth ended by saying: You, Mary, have believed in God’s word as truth – and look His very words to you are being fulfilled . . . you will bear a son and call Him, Jesus.

For those of you who think you’re too old to be of much good to God – or that you’ve done your duty as a Christian and are now retired from active service – I’d like to remind you of Zechariah.

A priest of the temple – evidently childless – his wife, Elizabeth, called barren and evidently as a couple too old, in their minds, to have children is impossible.

They’ve resolved themselves to childlessness even though in the depth of their secret desires one or both of them continues to pray for a child.

Sometimes we think someone may be too young to be of much good to God – they have to grow up – mature in several ways – I’d like to remind us of Mary.

Probably no more than 13 or 14 at the time, God out of His infinite knowledge of her character chose her to be the mother of Jesus – making her the theotokos: the Mother of God.

In this story we have the convergence of the miraculous: an old woman and a young virgin both carry children given to them through the miracle of God’s desire and plan to save His people from their sins.

If we were to place the story of Gabriel coming to Zechariah next to the story of him appearing to Mary we’d find they have virtually the same story line

V .8 Zechariah serving in the Temple, in the appointed order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, had been chosen by lot to burn incense at the altar while the congregation stood outside. . . V. 26 In the sixth month Gabriel, sent by God, sent to Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgins name was Mary.

 

V.11 There appeared to him an angel (standing on the right side of the altar of incense) . . . V. 28 Gabriel appeared to Mary—Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you.

 

V. 12 Zechariah was troubled when he saw the angel and fear fell upon him . . . V. 29 But she was greatly troubled—tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.

 

V. 13 Angel said, “Don’t be afraid”, your prayer has been answered, your wife Elizabeth will bear a son and you shall call him, John. . . . V. 30 Angel said, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His Name Jesus.

 

V. 14-17 describes John’s stature . . . V. 31-33 Describes Jesus’ stature

 

V. 18 Zechariah said, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years. . . . V. 34 Mary said, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

 

 

V.19 Gabriel responded: I’m Gabriel, sent by God, to bring you this good news. You will be silent until to speak until the day these things take place because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time. . . . . V. 35 Gabriel responded, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. Elizabeth, your relative, in her old age has conceived a son, and this is her sixth month (who was called barren) - for nothing is impossible with God.

 

Both Zechariah and Mary are doing normal activities; both are frightened by Gabriel’s appearance – both are told not to be afraid and both ask how is it possible.

Zechariah asks – How shall I know this? Implying are you telling me the truth? To which Gabriel announces who he is (the same Gabriel found in the Book of Daniel 8-9) – God’s personal envoy and servant – the one trusted by God to reveal divine mysteries.

Zechariah is using his and Elizabeth’s age as a barrier to belief . . . It’s impossible therefore the creature before him must not be telling the truth.

What Gabriel brings to Zechariah is the good news – the announcement that God is breaking into time and space to bring His kingdom. God is about to fulfill that which has been anticipated for centuries: the coming of a savior.

Mary’s wonderment was because she was young and a virgin yet her spirit was open to the LORD and every possibility that meant in her life . . . . Zechariah, whose service was to the Lord, apparently had developed a boxed in understanding of God whereas Mary had not.

Is it okay for believers to ask God how something can happen?

(This by the way implies you have heard God say something to you – something is going to happen – that seems impossible or very far fetched!)

If God is with us – if He inhabits His people through the Holy Spirit – If He has a desire and will for us – would we not, even occasionally, hear something from God that would make us wonder, “How is that going to happen?”

Go with me back to Genesis 15.8. God appeared to Abraham and made a covenant with Abraham – among other things he was given a renewed promise of an heir – a child from Sarah.

Abraham, a man of faith, an old man with an old wife, asked, “How am I to know. . . . ? God them gave Abraham of a vision of a ritual that involved a self-cure if it was not fulfilled. . . God was willing to place a cure upon His self if He did not fulfill His promise to Abraham.

Later in Chapter 18 – time has passed and Sarah is still childless. The Lord once again appeared to Abraham in the form of three visitors. While they were eating the men asked where Sarah was? They went on to say that by this time next year Sarah would have a child! Sarah was listening and said to herself, “12 So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, "After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?" 13 Then the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD ? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son." 15 Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, "I did not laugh." But he said, "Yes, you did laugh."

God had the last laugh – Sarah gave birth to Isaac a year later.

God’s announcements are beyond comprehension and defy human reason or logic –

God doesn’t lie or stretch the truth and He pushes the boundaries of what we think is possible.

I don’t think He minds us asking “How”? I’d suggest going to Him in a question and listening for an answer is a statement of faith.

Not asking Him – just shrugging off the possibilities of God shows a distinct lack of faith – that’s where the real problem arises.

It is amazing that Gabriel said – for your prayer has been heard and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son . . . . Giving Zechariah some benefit of doubt – we don’t know if he was praying for a child or if Elizabeth was.

In either circumstance, aren’t we always amazed when God answers our long-shot prayers – I think we’re stunned to begin with – maybe in a bit of denial sets in and finally the full effect of His majesty hits us.

Stop using your old age as a reason for doubt.

Not only that, why pray for something you wouldn’t think God could handle?

Turn with me to Judges 6.36-38 – Gideon is chosen and sent by God to save Israel from the Midianites. He asked, “Please Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” The Lord said, “But I will be with you and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” Gideon then said , “. . . . show me a sign that it is you who speak with me.”

God then showed Gideon a sign by spontaneously consuming by fire burning up some meat and unleavened cakes placed on a rock. Later as he’s about to come up against the Midianites Gideon once again asked God for a sign – actually two signs – the well know Fleece story. . . .

A fleece thrown on the threshing floor – dew on the fleece only and dew on the ground only.

We know after tat God then paired down Gideon’s army of 32,000 to 300 to demonstrate it was HE who defeated the Midianites and not and army of men.

How do I know it’s you, God? Show me a sign . . . . . not only is God’s word to us a miraculous challenge but so are the signs he gives us to verify it is He speaking.

The miracles of God are for His glory. Gideon I will use your leadership to preserve Israel but it is I behind the defeat – it’s because of God’s strength and will the enemy lays waste.

God not only says He will use Gideon – but He’ll do it with 300 soldiers – so all will know it was Israel’s God who is behind the victory

One more -

II Kings 20.8-11. Hezekiah is king of Judah, the time period is prior to Jerusalem’s fall in 722; Isaiah is prophesying as is Micah, the Assyrian army has been struck down by an angel of the Lord and has retreated home.

Jerusalem, for the moment is safe . . . . . Hezekiah however has become very sick. Isaiah came to him and told him he was going to die. Hezekiah turned to the Lord in prayer and asked to be healed, God responded by assuring Hezekiah he would live another 15 years. Hezekiah then asked for a sign –

He is so ill that he cannot imagine being healed based upon a word from Isaiah claiming to be from God.

The possibility stretches Hezekiah’s imagination regardless of how welcoming the prophecy had to be.

Does the sign show a lack of belief? Or is it faith looking for a confirming word or token?

20:9, “ Isaiah answered, "This is the LORD's sign to you that the LORD will do what he has promised: Shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or shall it go back ten steps?" 10 "It is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps," said Hezekiah. "Rather, have it go back ten steps." 11 Then the prophet Isaiah called upon the LORD, and the LORD made the shadow go back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.”

Zechariah asked, “How shall I know this?”

Mary asked, “How will this be since I am a virgin?”

Abraham wondered how an old man and woman could realize the promise of God.

Gideon wondered if he was hearing God or not – the odds of defeat were huge given the circumstance . . . . .God is that really you?

Hezekiah – I’m so sick I don’t see how anything or anyone can heal me.

Too Old, barren, outnumbered, tired and weak . . . . .

In this season of miracles we cannot ever forget or quit believing that God is present among us; that He is sovereign – merciful – and active all around us.

IF YOU EVER WANT TO KNOW WHAT GOD IS UP TO – JUST LOOK AROUND YOU.

This is the season of miracles. . . . they are all around us.

Turn back to Luke Ch. 1, v. 39 and following.

Somewhere in a hilly region of Judea two women stood embracing one another – both women with miraculous conceptions promised by an angel.

I suppose the HOW question is the first thing anyone would jump to.

What is perhaps the more important question is WHY?

To fulfill His purposes in such a way to demonstrate that He is the author of the Good News about to come. . . . .

I find it absolutely amazing that progressive interpretation of the Birth Narratives (such as this) claims these stories are fiction or literary ways to describe something that never happened.

What is actually before us this morning is a clear picture:

Gabriel, God’s envoy, has made a promise to an old man and a young girl – two extremes.

The words before us take us through a narrative possibility to its real and historical conclusion.

If God can in fact cause these woman to conceive isn’t it possible that the rest of Gabriel’s announcement will also come to pass . . . . listen: therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

Elizabeth’s identification of Mary’s unborn child as “my Lord” is Luke’s way of saying the Season of Miracles is upon us . . . . . .

We never hear why Mary traveled 70+ miles, alone, to visit Elizabeth . . . . we can assume it was to see if she really was pregnant. . . . we’re never told any of the details about how or when Jesus was conceived.

What we do know is that God’s plan of salvation included an old woman, a relative of Aaron, the wife of a priest and therefore Mary’s elder and superior, and God used Mary, also from the house of David . . . s simple, righteous woman.

The miracle of life God brought about in these woman would also see tragedy – John beheaded at a birthday party; Jesus hung on a cross outside the walls of Jerusalem.

The Season of Miracles stretches our faith and shows us that God works His ways and His ways are Good news . . . . . Elizabeth suffered childlessness beyond the normal time of childbearing years . . . . . Mary gave birth to a child before her marriage was consummated which gave rise to concern by Joseph (and others?)

The story of salvation is rich and full inasmuch as it leaves a two thousand year trail of the miraculous covered with God’s promises to send a savior who would save His people from their sins.

The Season of Miracles will include the impossible – listen carefully for God’s voice – look around you – keep your eyes open – God is as work – He could very well use you!

Amen.

 

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