December 24, 2023 @ Trinity Bixby
Rev. Lucus Levy Keppel
Luke 1:5-17, 57-80
Today is a day of unexpected things
happening – it is, after all, “Christmas Eve” – but right now, it’s morning. Our
story from the Bible is about a Holy Family – but not the Holy Family. And that
holy family – of Elizabeth and Zechariah – had given up hope of having a child,
yet God has acted to bring about John’s birth. The unexpected continues in the story
– Zechariah doesn’t expect to be struck mute, nor do the friends of the couple
expect them to name their son Yehochanan, which means, “God is Gracious.” And I
highly doubt that anyone expected Zechariah to burst into song after at least
nine months of silence!
In our context today, telling the
story of John’s birth is unexpected, because for so many of us, John seems like
an ancillary character in the Christian story. Supporting cast – important, but
maybe not all that memorable without the crazy costume and diet. But in the ancient
world, John was the one who was widely known – and his connection to Jesus was
the surprise! The historian Josephus, who was Jewish and writing in the first
century, described grown-up John this way: “…John, that was called the Baptist…
was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as
righteousness towards one another and piety towards God, and so come to baptism,”
washing their bodies to indicate that their “soul was thoroughly purified beforehand
by righteousness.”[1]
Of course, all of that is about John
later in life than we greet him this morning, at his birth, circumcision, and
naming. Luke’s story of John’s birth intertwines with Jesus’ – John is born
first, and is ready to “prepare the way” for Jesus. John is the forerunner –
the vanguard – the trailblazer – and he knows it. His birth is very much a
miracle to Elizabeth and Zechariah, and they have been warned to raise him as
one dedicated to God, never touching alcoholic drinks, just as the prophets of
old. Indeed, he has no need for spirits, since he’s filled with the Holy
Spirit![2]
I should note here, by the way, that not drinking alcohol was considered risky
in the first century CE – it’s not like they had water filters, or pop, or even
coffee or tea! Unfiltered water from wells and rain caused a great deal of
sickness – whereas that same water, mixed with wine or beer, was much safer to
drink. Fresh-squeezed juice – and milk – would have been available at least for
part of the year, though.
So, Zechariah hears all of this from
an Angel while he tends to the temple – and like Abraham and Sarah before, Zechariah
doubts that he and his spouse will be able to have a child. He’s struck mute –
perhaps as an encouragement to listen more carefully – but is able to
communicate through writing. When Elizabeth becomes pregnant, you can picture
the great hope and expectation with the couple – and a few months later, she
learns that her young cousin, Mary, is also pregnant. Elizabeth is better at
interpreting the signs that God sends her way – when she feels John leap within
her womb, she recognizes it as a sign that Mary’s child-to-come will also be holy.
The birth of John and Jesus, she figures, will be the beginning of a great time
of transformation. And John will blaze the trail for Jesus to follow, recognizing
that anything he does to prepare the way for Jesus will make that transition
all the smoother.
Here's another unexpected moment: John
is tasked with preparing the way for the Way – for Jesus says, “I am the Way,
the Truth, and the Life.” But Zechariah’s song, his Holy-Spirit-Inspired-Prophecy,
contains the instructions for John’s great task:
My child, as prophet of the Lord
you will prepare the way,
to tell God's people they are saved
from sin's eternal sway.
Then shall God's mercy from on high
shine forth and never cease
to drive away the gloom of death
and lead us into peace.
That’s why we tell John’s story, even
on Christmas Eve – because he shares the way with Christ Jesus. He shares the
way to Jesus – recognition of ways in which we have fallen short of God’s plan
for us – and he shares the way with Jesus – in the total immersion into God’s radical
grace and peace. And John shares the Way itself, as we’ll see in a few weeks
when we get to the story of John baptizing Jesus at the river Jordan.
Now, as we ponder the unexpected – in all
the ways that John is set to prepare the Way – we can be reminded of the
unexpected ways that God works in our lives, too. Just as John was tasked with
guiding hearts toward forgiveness and grace, we too are called to embrace unexpected
paths, to prepare and make room for the transformative power of God’s grace in
our lives. Just as John’s family recognized the unexpected power of God working
in their lives, so too should we see God at work with us. And just as John listened
to God’s call to share the Way, we are also called to pave the way for
reconciliation, forgiveness, and peace – even immersing ourselves in the
radical love and grace of God, every time we remember our baptisms.
As we approach the celebration of
Jesus’ birth, let us remember that this season is not merely about the expected
trappings of tradition, but about embracing the unexpected grace that God
offers. May we, like John, become heralds of hope, sharing the Way of love and
peace in our communities and our hearts. I encourage you, when you have a quiet
time in the midst of the holidays, to ponder on all the ways that God is
calling you. How are you being led to prepare the Way – to live the Way – to share
the Way? Where do you feel God’s grace most in your life?
May you hear the voice of the Holy
Spirit, see the love of Jesus Christ, and live in the righteous grace of God. Amen!
