Launching into Luke Part 2

Once when he was serving as priest before God and his section was on duty, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense. Now at the time of the incense offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.” The angel replied, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.” Luke 1:8-20

From the first post, we know that Luke after careful investigation wants to add his voice to the mix of Good News...gospel tellers...out there int he world.  We know that there is some sense of being a God-lover (Theophilus).  This might refer to a particular person who maybe funded the writing or a general name for all who this good news take root, grounds their lives.

Luke then moves on to telling us not about Jesus...but a priest named Zechariah.  Huh?  This is an orderly account?  I thought the Gospels were all about Jesus...why this focus on a priest.  Seriously, nothing interesting happens to clergy!  Only in Luke it does.  An angel named Gabriel appears to Zechariah when he was serving in the Temple.  Zechariah had been selected to go into the holy of holies to offer a sacrifice to God.  This would have been a once in a life time experience for most priests.  It was his Superbowl/Grammy nomination/best day ever moment.  There are stories that they tied a rope around the priest's ankle when he went in least he was struck dead...there is a cheery thought for you today.  And Zechariah does encounter God...just as Abraham did under a starry sky; Moses did before a burning bush; just as Isaiah did when he was in the temple.  This holy moment the angel tells Zechariah to get the baby room ready...he is about to be a father.  Like Abraham and Sarah, Zechariah was "advanced in age", what a kind way of saying he had his AARP card.  Zechariah isn't sure about this.  And for his moment of uncertainty, the angel struck him mute (worst punishment for a pastor...ever!).

This story, found only in Luke, is one of the reasons why I love this Gospel so much.  Zechariah and Elizabeth will eventually give birth to John the Baptizer (sorry...spoiler alert).  But introducing us to John's parents is an echo of Abraham and Sarah and also gives us a sense of Jesus' family tree.  Plus this is just a great story.  There are moments I've encountered God that have left my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth, unable to speak.  There are moments something happens, goosebumps race down my arms, and I sense God's presence.  These are Zechariah moments.  And they are difficult to explain to any one else...so we tend, like Zechariah, to remain mute about them.

Even as 2017 is young, has there been a Zechariah-like moment for you?  A moment - perhaps fleeting and fading, but nevertheless real - that causes you to stand transfixed and in a trance before the sacred?  How might you stay open to moments like that?  After all...even though Zechariah went into the holy of holies, I don't think he expected this!!  In the coming days, weeks, and months, if God is still creating, can we stay open to that holy truth?  Zechariah is a sign post of the invitation to stay awake/alert to God here and now in the journey of life.

Grace and peace ~~