The Gift of Salvation
Sunday,
December 6, 2009
Rev. Janice Palm
Luke 1:68-79; Luke 3:3-6
Colder temperatures, snowflakes falling yesterday and last night, Christmas Songs being sung Friday evening, and a Tea this afternoon: these all are contributing to it beginning to look like Christmas. And the tune, ‘All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth’ starts to play in our heads and it begs the question, what do you want for Christmas? What do you want for Christmas?
For years and years, in fact, it had seemed a lifetime; all Zechariah had ever wanted was a child, a son, most likely. For years and years now, his wife Elizabeth did not conceive a child. All both of them had wanted was a child. The years and their experience seemed to indicate, it was not meant to be.
But, here in this text from the first chapter of Luke that we just heard John Lamitie read this morning, Zechariah is shouting out in praise of God who has saved a people who have lived in fear and oppression. God, after all, has not forgotten his people; God offers a Savior from the house of David; God remembers God’s covenant, shows mercy so the people might serve God without fear. Zechariah is raising his voice in thanksgiving for a son given to him, his wife and the people of God. This is Zechariah’s gift of salvation – a promise fulfilled. This is God’s gift of salvation – a promise fulfilled in the form of a remembering his people, not leaving them abandoned and living in fear. But rather, God offers freedom to his people so they may worship and serve God without fear.
As soon as Zechariah realizes the good news of a son, who was just born, and his naming is about to happen, Zechariah through the Holy Spirit finds his voice and shouts the great news to all who are standing around and willing to listen. Zechariah is clear about what his son should be named, John, and about the tasks his son shall be called, the Baptizer.
When we have good news with whom do we share it: spouse, sister, brother, friends, mom, dad? How do we share it: e-mail, land telephone, cell phone, through text messaging, face book, twitter, a real live person to person conversation? How do we share good news of a personal nature? How do we share about faith matters? Some of our news comes by way of the Telescope. Do you realize that I share the good news of sermons each week on the church’s website? Did you realize that I am now sharing a question for each one of us to ponder each week and talk about? How might you be in conversation around these questions? How/do we communicate news, ideas and events and questions at First Church in an efficient and effective manner? Watch for/help create new ways to communicate, coming soon.
But it wasn’t always so that Zechariah was in tune with what God was about. Zechariah wasn’t always praising God. For nine months Zechariah, a holy priest, had been silenced because of his doubt around what God had planned. How could God actually promise something so impossible as a child at his and Elizabeth’s ages, Zechariah asked the angel Gabriel. It makes me think of the times we ponder/try to understand what God might be offering to us – can our dreams or visions possibly happen, given what we alone calculate? How we question what God might be leading us toward because it seems too difficult or seems impossible under our terms or within the realms in which we normally move and operate within our daily tasks.
Zechariah was silenced for nine months. Gabriel relegated Zechariah to listening – to others: to Elizabeth perhaps, to his colleagues in the priesthood perhaps, and to God most likely. He was moved to stop giving his opinions and perspective, and because he was a priest, I imagine he read Holy Scriptures. In his forced silence, he was moved to look around and beyond himself and what was self-evident in his eye, and to give no comments. He was mute until what God had actually promised came about. I wonder what that says to us when we are faced with impossible seeming dreams and visions. Might it be we listen more carefully, more fully? Might we listen for the possibilities rather than hear only the impossibility? Ponder that a while.
But let me right now get back to the gift of salvation: God’s gift to Zechariah. I must admit that when I chose the title for today: the gift of salvation, I winced thinking how many people will tune out or fear what might be said because I’m speaking of salvation. I admit that wincing comes out of my experience. For a while the‘s’ word – salvation was much like the ‘e’ word - evangelism. Evangelism and salvation were used as tools or threats. So the terms became triggers for me. Are you saved? Are you born again? For me, the answers are never a one-time, either or answer of yes or no that was expected by the one asking. But rather, it is yes - again and again and again until I go on to perfection.
The New Interpreters’ Dictionary of the Bible has sixteen pages written on Salvation. I’m not going to preach on all that but just raise this. Salvation is God’s deliverance from a situation of need where one’s well being is restored to wholeness. Salvation was promised by God before Jesus. The word shares its roots in the word salve – healing. For we who believe in Jesus the Christ, we come to wholeness and healing and well-being through our belief in and knowledge of Jesus and our growing relationship with Jesus. Jesus offers Himself to us as our Savior.
God’s saving actions for Zechariah and the people of God turn Zechariah’s doubt into belief and praise. God visits in the midst of oppression: for Zechariah it is living under the dictatorship of Herod. For the coming of Jesus, the oppression comes under the dictates of Caesar Augustus. God through the gift of a son restored Zechariah and Elizabeth to wholeness and health for themselves and within the community. Salvation was personal and for the community. God’s gift of a son restores the community of God’s people. Zechariah, Elizabeth, the people: they are not alone; they are encouraged to move more deeply in their relationship with God. They are free now - to serve God.
For the coming Messiah, Mary, Joseph, shepherds, wise men, kings find salvation as they hear the impossible message of good news in the midst of oppression and crises.
For we, who know the good news proclaimed and yet, we are waiting in the time of Advent, to celebrate once again the coming of our Savior, what is it that we are looking for right now to save us? What are we looking for in the coming Savior? We once needed a friend, a comforter, one who helped in ways of righteousness and justice, reconciler, lover, a companion. Today, we need you, Jesus … in the deepest way. What dear friends, dear God, do we need that will make us whole as a person, a family, a community, and beyond? Who will heal us and redeem us in our God’s sight and in our own eyes as well? What will help us come closer to you O God?
And finally we ponder: What keeps us from pursuing you, Savior Jesus? How might we change that?
You know that in Hebraic history and legend, names are important. The name Zechariah means - God remembered. God remembered the people of Israel; God remembers His promise. I would turn that around just a bit more to say also that God remembered by Zechariah/ by us is One who becomes truly Savior for us all. And thus, God becomes gift for us all.
We remember our Savior as we come to His Table remembering all that Jesus has done for humanity, this world. May this Table help make our Advent path toward Christmas a sacred, holy path to a Savior born again.
