This year has felt like Narnia: “Always winter but never Christmas.” Yet Christmas is finally arriving, and we need the hope of the historical truth it represents. We begin a new series called, “The Weary World Rejoices: Responding to Christmas.” With all of the emotions 2020 has elicited, it's important to remember that Christ's original coming also evoked a variety of responses. For the next month, we're going to look at how Christmas silenced a priest, troubled a teen, led roughnecks to rejoice, and consoled an old man. So, however you might be feeling right now, how does Christmas lead us back to our joy? May God show us with the true hope that answers all our longing and dissatisfaction - Himself.
Discussion Questions
Zechariah & Elizabeth were older, she was barren, they had no child (vs. 5-7) - and yet they were “righteous and blameless before God.” Considering Zechariah's later response to Gabriel's good news (v.18) and Elizabeth's relief (v.25), have you ever felt like God was withholding from you, only to learn later He was really giving you the gift of His timing? When has God’s solution worked out better than the solution you were praying for originally?
struggle
Throughout the Old Testament, God repeatedly weaves redemptive history through families experiencing the struggle of “bareness” (e.g., Abraham & Sarah, Isaac & Rebeka, Jacob & Rachel, Samson's mother, Hannah). In light of the shame felt acutely in these ancient cultures (not so strongly in ours), why might God choose to move through these families? What does that reveal about God's character? How has God worked through your struggles versus your strengths?
How is Israel's national history (including 400 years of silence) a parallel to Zechariah & Elizabeth's situation? Have there been times in your life which felt similar? How do you stay connected with God when He appears to be silent with you?
surprise
Why is Zechariah so surprised by Gabriel showing up? Isn't that ironic for a people of faith - much less a priest? How might a long silence make us cynical? Would you say you don’t expect to hear from God more than you expect to hear from Him? Do you expect to witness His inactivity more than you expect to see Him involved and active?
How does our culture think of angels? How is the biblical depiction different? Why might Gabriel's appearance rightly terrorize Zechariah (v.19)? Have you ever encountered what you believed to be the presence of an angel? Were you comforted or made afraid?
What is the good news that Gabriel announces (v.13-17)? Read Malachi 4:5-6. Why might Gabriel make this connection from the end of the Old Testament? Why the need for John the Baptist; why couldn’t Jesus just show up on His own?
Consider the literal meaning of the word 'angel.' What gives Gabriel such authority? Why would it be wrong for us to demand Zechariah's experience (i.e., angels to visit us) today? How is having the Bible better than experiencing an angelic visit? Similarly, how might we help the "City of Angels" become a 'city of messengers'?
sermon
What are the doubts that Zechariah expresses (v.18)? Are they substantive in light of this message and messenger? How has Zechariah lost sight of God's grace and power? Which of our excuses for doubting God in the moment equally ring hollow in light of what he has done and is doing?
Does Zechariah's doubt defeat the miracle? What consequence does he experience for this open doubting? How does God even co-opt Zechariah's silence in announcing his grace to the people? Throughout Scripture, God often uses his people's weakness to demonstrate his power. Why would he do that? How might that be encouraging to us in the midst of our weakness and doubts?
song
Read Luke 1:67-80. As soon as Zechariah regains his speech - at his son's birth - how does he direct his joy? How is this an echo of Zeph.4:17? Despite the beauty of this outburst of fatherly joy, what do we know happens to his son John the Baptist? Does that dampen the promises here or only further highlight them? Talk about a time when God’s ways certainly weren’t your ways, but you trusted Him because you knew His complicated plans were better than your narrow desires.
Zechariah quotes the Old Testament 33 times in only 11 verses. Aside from showing a strong awareness of the Scriptures themselves, how is Zechariah actively addressing his past cynicism - not just in the moment, but even potentially in the future? In what way has he changed the lens through which he's reading his own life experience?
GOSPEL: God does not wait for us to stop doubting to send His Son. Though we wrestle with the silence, He has not let us alone. Through His birth, life, and even death, Jesus shows us his willingness to meet our weakness with His own human frailty. Yet where we fail, He is faithful. And that's the beauty of how Christmas silences us - and then, through breaking the silence, Christ's coming leads us to sing. "He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found..."
