Title: Advent One: Renewed Hope

Date: 2007-12-02

Reference: Luke 1: 5-25

First century Nazareth was not a place most of us would choose to spend our Christmas holiday. The city catered to transient soldiers and tradesmen accessing its port. The district’s sullied reputation led Nathaniel to ask: “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46) Nazareth was home to Mary, mother of Jesus.

Over two thousand years ago Mary and Joseph traveled nearly 90 miles on foot from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Mary arrived in Bethlehem nine months pregnant, having made an incredibly difficult journey across the desert. The city was teeming with weary travelers and the young couple could not find a vacant room. Desperate for a place to rest, they resorted to a stable.

It was here in the darkness of a damp and dreary stable that Jesus entered the world and hope was renewed. There was no ceremony when this King arrived, no trumpets announcing His entrance, no entourage to escort Him no welcoming committee to receive Him. Only Mary, Joseph and a few animals were present at His birth.

We always wonder why a sovereign heavenly Father would chose to deliver the Savior of the world to the world in such a humble fashion. Couldn’t He just as easily have been born in the temple and presented to the Jewish High Priest or even to the Pharisees and Sadducees? Why not send thundering angels into the palace of King Herod or Caesar Augustus and demand homage to the King of Kings? Why use lowly commoners from Nazareth to usher him in?

I think the reason must be God’s mercy reaches to the poorest of the poor as well as to the very richest among us. The angel said to the shepherds: “Do not be afraid; for I bring good news which will be for all people.” Jesus came for all of us. On that extraordinary night in Bethlehem the world was transformed. The love of Christ strips away boundaries of class, race, economic status and every other category that divides us. There is not one person alive for whom Christmas is not meant.

The true message of Christmas is God comes to meet us regardless of where we are. In order to finally make himself understood, God came among us. Had Jesus not lived among us God would still be unreachable. Astronaut James Irwin once said: “The most important day in human history was not when the first man set foot on the moon, but the day when God’s Son came to earth.”

Christmas announced to a despairing, hopeless, frustrated world the coming of hope. The Hebrew Prophets all worshiped God and believed God could be seen in nature. They believed God created the world. But all through the Old Testament,

God’s people wished God would become personal. That’s just what happened at Christmas. The Word of God was made flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14) Because of what we celebrate at Christmas we have a wonderful renewed hope.

It is usually still dark when I sit down for my morning prayers. I look forward to that quiet time alone with God. During my prayer time the sun rises over the prairie. The rising sun is a visual image of hope. The dawn comes with the hope of light. Hope keeps us going. I have many hopes this day. I hope for a cure for cancer, aids and other diseases. I hope the war in Iraq ends soon. I hope for lasting peace in the world.

I hope that one day every child will be wanted and welcomed into the world. I hope for an end to famine and hunger. I hope our church will again be full and overflowing. I hope God allows my children to grow into happy, satisfied, productive adults. I hope God will help me become a better person. I hope we will all keep Christ in Christmas. I hope people everywhere will refuse to see violence as an option. I hope many more will come to know Jesus Christ who is the source of our hope.

Hope is important, but hope must be followed by action. God has always worked through the efforts of ordinary human beings in this world. That is certainly true in the Christmas Story. God came into the world and ordinary common folks were here to greet Him. Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, you and me. God moved through the lives of ordinary people who became central characters in the Christmas Story.

Zachariah and Elizabeth were both getting older. They had no children. They wanted a family they just couldn’t have one. One of the great injustices of life is why so many people who would make wonderful parents are unable to conceive while so many others who are terrible parents conceive so easily. The bible says Zachariah and his wife Elizabeth were both good people, right before the Lord. The name Zachariah means: “The Lord Remembers.” The name Elizabeth means “My God is an absolutely faithful one.” Later they named their son John which is “Gift of God.”

The Christmas Story begins with an angel appearing and speaking to Zachariah. Zachariah was taking his turn serving in the Temple, lighting incense on the Altar.

Suddenly an angel appeared and said: “Your prayers have been answered. You and Elizabeth will have a son. His name is John.” “Many people will rejoice at the birth of this child.” said the angel.

John The Baptist is the Morning Star that announces the dawn. The birth of John is an important part of the Christmas Story. God used the willingness of Zachariah and Elizabeth to help the Christmas Story unfold.

The Bible says: “And when the time was right, God sent His Son and a woman gave birth to him. The Son of God obeyed the law so He could set us free from the law and we could become God’s children.” The birth of Jesus happened at exactly the right moment. (Gal. 4:4)

Before the birth of Jesus God set all things into motion. The prophets all looked ahead and tried to explain what would happen. A thousand years before the birth of Jesus Isaiah said: “The Lord Himself will give you a sign. ‘Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a Son and you shall call His name Immanuel which means God with us. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness on them has light shined. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. The government will be upon his shoulder. His name shall be called wonderful counselor, mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Is. 7:14, 9:2, 9:6) Isaiah and others didn’t know how or when God would send the light, only that God had promised to do so. Many of those who predicted the coming of the Messiah did not live to see the birth of Jesus. Zachariah was aware of all these prophecies. He just didn’t know what his part would be in seeing them unfold.

In the Temple that day, Zachariah was left speechless. Nine months went by and the baby was born. On the day when he was dedicated Zachariah got his voice back and said.”My son’s name is John.” Later the Apostle John wrote: “In the beginning the one who is called the word was with God. And He was truly God. Everything that was created received it’s life from Him and His life gave light to everyone. The Light keeps shining in the darkness and the darkness has not put it out. God sent a man named John who came to tell about the light. John was not the light he came only to tell about the light. The Word became a human being and dwelt among us.”

The world waited with patience until God acted. Each person God called became a willing participant in the whole redemption drama. Today we thank God for the faithfulness of Elizabeth and Zachariah. When Mary found herself in the uncomfortable position of being pregnant before her marriage she went to her cousin Elizabeth who was of great comfort to her during this difficult time.

I believe the whole thing could have been so much easier. God could have come in a blaze of glory but this is how He chose to make His appearance. We don’t need to understand it any more than Isaiah, Zechariah, Elizabeth, or the Apostle John understood it. We are simply to recognize the Divine Drama unfolding all around us as we make room in our hearts for the coming again of the Christ Child. Anyone who has really understood that God became a human can never speak and act in an inhuman way.

Hope was born on Christmas. No other word better illumines the Advent Story. Hope that Mary would say yes. Hope that Joseph would not reject Mary upon hearing of her pregnancy. Hope that the long journey to Bethlehem would be safe.

Hope for a room at the inn. Advent could not be Advent without hope. Without the birth of hope in Jesus the world would descend into deadening discouragement. Hope opens something in the human heart. During Advent we prayerfully hope for what is to come. Our prayer is: “Come O Hope, focus on our blurred and distracted sight. That we might see clearly the one who is coming.