Christmas Lessons(and Something Silly)

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and raised up a horn of salvation for us…that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days” (Luke 1: 68-69, 74-75)

These words come from Zechariah, the earthly father of John the Baptist, shortly after John was born. Zechariah had been a servant of the Lord all of his life. He was a priest, so this idea of living in service to God was no news. But learning to live without fear was. We don’t know much of Zechariah’s character, but we do know that he was a righteous man, who faithfully followed the Lord’s statutes (1:6-7).  He pointed the people to God, and he was married to a godly woman. But when an angel visited him and told him he would have a son in his old age (though he had prayed for this), “fear fell upon him”(Luke 1:12). He didn’t believe that it was possible. In fact, he demanded evidence (vs. 18). Because he doubted, his mouth was closed until the baby was born. That would have been embarrassing, wouldn’t it? Not being able to communicate with friends and family, or order your favorite tapas, pray at dinnertime, yell at a football game, or sing Christmas carols (well, they didn’t have football back then and they didn’t sing Christmas carols, because…uh…Christmas hadn’t happened yet…er…but you get the picture) and all because you just had to question God’s plan. But this was his lot for the next 9 months. I probably wouldn’t have been too pleased with the situation. I would’ve felt so helpless, and ashamed. And I think Zechariah probably felt that way, too, at first. But the verses above tell me that eventually he put on his “big boy pants” and decided to learn from his mistakes. Verse 63 tells us that while the family was arguing over what the baby should be called and came to him for the final word, he wrote “His name is John”. What happened next? His “tongue was loosed” and he began blessing God! Well, his friends and family members were stunned, and maybe a little scared, but Zechariah was not. He had been released from fear! Filled with the Holy Spirit, he  felt complete freedom, and humility. And he blessed the Lord.

“…That we, being delivered from all our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days…”- (vs.74-75)

I’m going to be transparent with you: I borrow fear. My vivid imagination sometimes expects or conjures the worst, and fear becomes my closest enemy. I fear the unknown…which means I fear the future, darkness, etc. You name it, and if I don’t have a plan marked out in my brain to tackle it, then I’m afraid of it. My husband and I were having a conversation about this last night. You see, I’m a little afraid of death. Though the thought of being with Jesus face-to-face excites me, death is still the unknown, so there is fear. This does not honor God. What Zechariah realized—and proclaimed—was that any fear God’s people harbor is not grounded. He knew that because of the sacrifice the sweet little one born of Mary would make, God’s people are wholly free, covered in the grace and righteousness of Christ.

Theologian Matthew Henry explains it well: We are therefore delivered from the iron yoke of sin, that our necks may be put under the sweet and easy yoke of the Lord Jesus. The very bonds which he has loosed do bind us faster unto him, Psa_116:16. We are hereby enabled to serve God without fear.We are therefore put into a state of holy safety that we might serve God with a holy security and serenity of mind, as those that are quiet from the fears of evil.

This is the Gospel. Because of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus, there is nothing to fear—in life and in death. We can trust him completely. All of these miniscule fears I create are not from Him and I cannot be bound by them. God has not called his children to live in fear, but to serve “in holiness and righteousness before him all our days”.  There is no time for fear when we’re happily, quietly resting in Him.

Geeze.  More and  more I realize how little I know and how unworthy I am apart from him.

Glory, glory, GLORY to this perfect Savior.

As promised: Something catchy Silly:

Sending a Very Merry Christmas to you and yours!