Grace Congregational UCC

“Power of Doubt, Power of Faith”
Luke 1:5-23
Luke 1:67-69

December 10, 2006 - Kim M. Henning

Augustine, a great pastor of the Christian faith, once described himself as a “Merchant of Words.” That is what pastors do: they talk. A preacher talks because that is what God does, God talks.

In the beginning God said, “Let there be light.” And there was light. God said, “Let the earth bring forth vegetation: plants yielding see, and fruit trees of every kind.” And it was so. God talks. At another time, the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” So Abram went. God speaks. And again, God spoke to Moses, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt...Let my people go.” And the Exodus began.

Admittedly, human words are more difficult to listen to than God’s Word. That is why sermons can be so difficult. Who am I, who are you, who is anyone to speak after listening to God?

In this morning’s Bible story, Zechariah is introduced to us as a priest. Simply stated, he was ‘a merchant of words.’ Like the other priests in Israel at that time in history, we’re told there were about 8,000, he preached and he prayed, he visited the sick and the dying, he spoke of God.....

Now Zechariah was well along in age and he was married to Elizabeth who was also well along in age. According to every testimony, they were righteous before God, living blameless according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord, but they had no children.

Now on one occasion, Zechariah was specially chosen to enter the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies is where the Ark of the Covenant lay. The Holy of Holies is where an altar stood that was made of acacia wood that was overlain with gold. The Holy of Holies was an area of the temple that was partitioned off from the rest of the temple and was only rarely visited for holiness.

Zechariah was chosen to enter. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. With 8,000 priests in Israel, many would never visit the Holy of Holies. But Zechariah was selected.

And when he entered that space to pray.....an angel appeared. Zechariah was terrified. The angel said, ‘do not be terrified.’ But how can you not be? Gabriel said, ‘your wife, Elizabeth will bear you a son and you will name him, John. He will turn the hearts of parents toward their children and he will turn many people toward God.....”

I’m not sure what the voice of the angel sounded like–high, low; tinny or bass-like. But the angel used words, just as I am right now. “Your wife will bear you a son. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink. Even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Need I say, Gabriel’s words were too much. What do you do with words like that? Zechariah, who himself was a great pontificater was beside himself.

All he could think to say was, “How will I know that this is so? I am an old man, and my wife is old.”

And the angel replied, “I am Gabriel and I have been chosen to speak to you. But because you did not believe my words, you will become mute.”

And he did. Not a word, thereafter, came from his lips. Zechariah was a talker of the faith but when an encounter with holiness happened, his first response was, ‘how can this be?’ And the angel became rather impatient real quick. “Because you do not believe, you will become mute.”

Zechariah had been so dedicated but then when a moment of real, live holiness happened–an encounter with an angel, some very ordinary, human doubt crept in. You and I know how easy it is to get all wrapped up in doubt; one leads to another. It is so easy to ask a zillion and one questions. It is so easy to spend a life time challenging, arguing, thinking, weighing the evidence. It is so easy to discredit it all as being irrelevant.

Imagine for Zechariah, imagine for you----having words taken away. Imagine for Zechariah, imagine for you....

Not being able to say the words, “I love you.” Not being able to say the words, “I’m sorry.” Or, “I really disappointed you, didn’t I?” or “I really appreciate you.”

Imagine for Zechariah, imagine for you—not being able to sing, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow....” What would happen to the human heart, what would happen to our faith if the sanctuary turned ‘mute’ when we all stood to sing? What would happen to the human heart, what would happen to our faith if when we prayed out loud, it was all silence?

Imagine, if all there was—was silence.

Well, here we have Zechariah ‘mute.’ Like many of us who jabber far too much, Zechariah will experience a far different world with time to think, and to discern within himself the importance of faith, the depth of God’s love, the wonder of God’s majesty.

Zechariah must contemplate what an empty world this would be, if God would have never spoken. What an empty, vain world this would be if there was no Word of God! What an empty, meaningless life this would be if we could not sing, if we could not pray, if we could not talk about the incredible wonders of God.

Zechariah is mute. Here during Advent, consider....just consider.....no music, no greetings of love, no forgiveness, no words of understanding.

For nine months....all of the time that Elizabeth is pregnant, Zechariah will be silent. He will have time to reconsider his doubts. He will have time to reconsider his faith. He will have time to reconsider the validity of history without God. He will have time to reconsider the validity of history with God: a history resplendent with miracles, and songs, and resurrections, and hope and joy.

In nine months, Elizabeth will give birth to a son. And when the son is born, Zechariah will noddingly give his approval to this son being named, “John.” And when Zechariah gives his approval, his voice miraculously returns.

Imagine having voice after having lived with no voice. Imagine what one would want to say after being unable to speak for nine months. You know, those who ‘talk too much’ often don’t have a lot to say because none of those words ever come from much thought, or much prayer, or much suffering, or much bleeding.

There’s a whole lot to be said for those who have discerned the importance of quiet, and silence, and listening.......if in fact, they want to grow stronger in faith. There’s a whole lot to be said to those who would just be quiet, so that a Word from God could seep into the heart, into the soul, into the mind of the believer.

Now when Zechariah spoke again, among his very first words were those that were read earlier in our worship. These words, remember are spoken after silence. Would you look in your bulletins again, and read with me those words of faith?

Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.

HE HAS RAISED UP A MIGHTY SAVIOR FOR US IN THE HOUSE OF HIS SERVANT DAVID,

as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,

THAT WE WOULD BE SAVED FROM OUR ENEMIES AND FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US.

Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant,

THE OATH THAT HE SWORE TO OUR ANCESTOR ABRAHAM, TO GRANT US

that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear,

IN HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE HIM ALL OUR DAYS.

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.

By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us,

TO GIVE LIGHT TO THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH, TO GUIDE OUR FEET INTO THE WAY OF PEACE.”