Zechariah's Song

Well, good morning. Great to see so many of you here this afternoon.

If you've got a Bible, and it will really help you if you have a Bible that you can sing.

And we're going to be reading a song by Zechariah.

Zechariah, John the Baptist's dad.

And you'll find it in Luke chapter 1 and verse 67.

Luke 1 · chapter mention

Last week we heard about Mary singing a medley as she bursts forth, singing a song full of scripture.

She's been told that she is going to be the mother of Jesus, mother of the Messiah.

She goes to see her relative Elizabeth.

And Elizabeth gives her all these confirmations that God is really in this.

And she sings this amazing song about how she is blessed, how she will magnify the Lord.

And between that song and the song we're going to look at today, one thing has happened.

And that is that Elizabeth has given birth to a baby.

And there's a bit of a kerfuffle about what they should name him.

Everyone in the community says you should name him Zechariah after his dad.

But Elizabeth's very adamant, you must call him John.

And then Zechariah who can't speak because he's been struck dumb because of unbelief, writes on a tablet.

You shall name him John.

And we break into our story right there.

So let's read Luke chapter 1 verse 67.

Luke 1:67

His father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied.

Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.

He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.

As he said through his holy prophets of long ago, salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.

To show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant.

The oath he swore to our father Abraham.

To rescue us from the hand of our enemies and to enable us to serve him without fear.

In holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High.

For you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him.

To give his people the knowledge of salvation.

Through the forgiveness of their sins.

Because of the tender mercy of our God.

By which the rising sun will come to us from heaven.

To shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death.

To guide our feet into the path of peace.

And the child grew and became strong in spirit.

And he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

Let's pray.

Father God, we thank you for this amazing song.

We thank you that it shows us so much about the work and person and mission of your son, the Lord Jesus.

So, Father, as we look at it this morning together.

Father, would you show us great things?

Would you apply its truths to our hearts?

And would we leave rejoicing in God, our saviour?

Father, bless us in the name of your son, we pray.

Amen.

Amen.

So, yesterday, last week Mary sung a medley.

This week, Zechariah sings a distracted lullaby.

Zechariah sings a distracted lullaby.

And hopefully I'll show you why.

I think that's a good title.

I want you to think of something you've had to wait a long time for.

Perhaps if you've got children and they've been talking about what they want for Christmas since about August.

And they think the anticipation, they're going to burst.

Perhaps you could think of when you were small and you wanted something for your birthday.

So you said, Mum, I want a new bike.

But it was March and your birthday wasn't until October.

And you had to wait and wait and then one day you opened it.

I don't think you opened bikes, they're a bit big.

Perhaps it was a proposal.

You were dating for a long time.

And you thought any day now.

I'm just assuming.

Not being a female, this was not my experience.

I was more the ditherer.

Waiting for a proposal.

You've been dating for a long time.

You thought any day now there's going to be a muddy knee.

And a little box.

And a question.

And it's going to be great.

But the weeks passed.

And the months passed.

And you thought, would this ever happen?

Or perhaps you were waiting for a clean bill of health.

There's a few really interesting looks going on.

Of wives looking at their husband and nodding.

Or a clean bill of health.

You know, you've been ill for seemingly forever.

Struggling, sore, pained, desperate.

And then one day you woke up and energy had returned and the medicine had worked.

The operation was a success.

How did you feel when the waiting was over?

Something you'd wanted for so long had now arrived.

Well, Zechariah is in that position.

Zechariah has been married for decades.

Zechariah wanted children.

But it turned out that Elizabeth was barren.

And just as hope was fading,

Zechariah went and did a stint in the temple.

And he waved an offering before the Lord.

And an angel appeared and said, Elizabeth is going to give birth to a son.

That's amazing.

Something that Zechariah had waited so long for was now on the horizon.

But because hope was so slim,

he said, I don't really believe you.

And the angel strikes him dumb.

And says, you will not be able to speak again until your wife gives birth.

And he's waited for nine months in silence.

Not able to speak.

And this day,

Elizabeth gives birth.

Just imagine how we feel.

So excited.

Finally, it's happened.

Everything God told me is true.

And I have a son.

And I can just imagine the scene in the hospital,

although I don't think it was a hospital.

That Zechariah is handed this newborn baby John.

And he's overcome.

And he's so excited.

And full of the Holy Spirit,

he sings a prophetic praise.

He sings a song where he's literally bursting

because all that he's hoped for has finally arrived.

He sings a lullaby to his new son.

But it is a distracted lullaby.

Because I don't know if you clocked as we read it.

He doesn't really sing about John the Baptist.

In fact,

John gets one verse,

verse 76.

Where Zechariah says,

and you,

my child,

finally,

after he's gone on for a bit,

like the fifth verse,

he says,

and you,

my child,

will be called a prophet of the most high.

For you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way.

Zechariah sings a distracted lullaby about his son,

John,

but seems to be focusing on someone else all the more.

And even when he gets around to mentioning John,

it's only really to say that you're a warm-up act.

You're really only part of Jesus' entourage to go before him.

You know that joke,

don't you,

that the Queen thinks that all of Britain smells like fresh paint.

Because everywhere she goes has been newly painted.

And,

yeah,

I guess it's the same.

That John was going to be that advanced party

to prepare people's hearts and minds

to see their God.

Just as John the Baptist,

this baby,

will bridge the gap between Old Testament prophecy

and the Old Testament prophets and the Lord Jesus.

So John the Baptist's song,

the song that Zechariah sings,

is going to bridge the gap between

all that God promised in the Old Testament

and all that is now available in the Lord Jesus.

Zechariah sings a distracted lullaby

about a greater son given by his glorious God.

See as well that Zechariah sings in the past tense,

everything Zechariah sings about

as though it's already happened.

Even though all the events he sings about

are still to happen

because Jesus is still three months away.

Still haven't had that first Christmas

in Bethlehem.

But because this is God's plan,

guaranteed by God's faithfulness,

he can sing with prophetic assurance.

Because it's God who's going to do it

and therefore it is

as guaranteed as though

it had already happened.

And as I was thinking about this week,

I think this is exactly the song

that John would have wanted his dad to sing.

The whole of John's life was about

pointing away from himself

to the Lord Jesus.

And therefore the first words

that come to his ears,

I'm sure he would have been so delighted

that his dad doesn't sing a lullaby

about him to him.

But he sings a lullaby to him

about the Lord Jesus who was to come.

Zechariah sings

a distracted lullaby

about a greater son

given by his glorious God.

So let's have a look

at what this baby,

this son,

this other son

is going to look at like.

Look at verse 69 with me.

He has raised up a horn of salvation for us

in the house of his servant David.

It's a pretty odd image, isn't it?

A horn of salvation.

This is Old Testament imagery.

Let's remember,

Zechariah is a priest.

He is a trained priest.

His job is to teach people

the Old Testament.

Therefore,

when he's describing Jesus,

he uses

a very

provocative

Old Testament image.

He says,

Jesus is going to be

a horn of salvation.

Time and time again,

God in the Old Testament

is described as

Israel's horn of salvation.

All through the Psalms

in 2 Samuel and Ezekiel

says,

God is the horn of salvation

for Israel.

And the horn image

is one of a mighty warrior.

It is like the top trump

of military personnel.

The image we're supposed

to think of

is a wild bull

with flared nostrils,

head down,

horns showing,

ready to go into battle

and decimate

all

of his enemies.

Zechariah says

he's also from

the line of David.

So put those two together.

What we have

is a warrior king.

We have a marauding Messiah,

a conquering

Christ.

We have someone

who's going to come

and fight

for his people.

Someone who's going

to come and fight

and win for us.

Is there anything better

than to know

that God is fighting

for you?

That God has fought

for you.

He's come

and he's engaged

in a battle

that would cost him

his life

in order that you

might be his forever.

That's the truth

of the gospel.

Our God fights for us.

Our God has won us.

And we are his

because of what he has done.

And in this quite

dense passage

and we'll go through it

very, very quickly

I promise.

We have five pictures

of all that Jesus

fulfills.

Of all that this

divine champion

will do for his people.

As Zechariah sings

this distracted lullaby.

And the first one

is this.

Jesus will bring

redemption

from slavery.

It's there in verse 68.

Praise be to the Lord

the God of Israel

because he has come

to his people

and redeemed them.

The first stanza

of Zechariah's

distracted lullaby

is about God

visiting his people

and God

redeeming his people.

And we're supposed

to read that

and think Exodus.

We're supposed

to think

of Exodus chapter 3

Exodus 3 · chapter mention

where Moses

is at the burning bush.

And God said to Moses

I have heard

my people's cries

and I have come

to visit them

that I might

rescue them

and redeem them

from Egypt.

God's people

at this time

are enslaved

in Egypt.

They are under

the foot

of a cruel Pharaoh

who is making

them slave away.

making bricks.

And God said

I have come down

to rescue them.

And Zechariah

is saying

this son

who is coming

is doing

exactly the same

thing in a new

and better Exodus.

He has come down

not just to rescue

his people

from slavery

in Egypt

but come to

rescue them

from slavery

to sin

and death

and the prince

of the power

of the air.

He has come

to rescue them

fully and finally.

And we know

that though

the Israelites

left Egypt

the first opportunity

they got

they turned away

from God

and worshipped

themselves

and golden idols

so although

they were free

geographically

spiritually

they were still

enslaved.

And Zechariah

sings

and says

this

Jesus

who is coming

this horn

of salvation

from the house

of David

is coming

to set people

free

fully and finally

in a new

and better

Exodus.

won't Jesus

grow up

and say

if the son

sets you

free

you shall

be free

indeed.

Graham's

going to go

into this

much more

this evening

as he talks

about free

in Christ

being freed

to love

Christ

and worship

Christ

and turn

from sin.

but no

there's only

two

Facebook

statuses

when it

comes to

redemption

slave

to sin

or free

in Christ

there's no

halfway

house

there's no

middle ground

we're either

in Christ

Jesus

or we're

slaves

to sin

and Zechariah

sings and

says the only

freedom available

is in Jesus

Christ

the first

picture is

is that

Jesus is the

one who brings

redemption

from slavery

the second

thing we see

is that

Jesus is the

fulfillment of

promise

look at

verse 70

as he said

through his

holy prophets

of long ago

verse 72

to show mercy

to our ancestors

and to remember

his holy covenant

the oath he swore

to our father

Abraham

Zechariah sings

that God is

faithful

he's saying

none of this

that is happening

is God playing

jazz in

redemption history

he's not making

it up

this is not

a new thing

that God

is doing

this is

something that

God has

always said

that he

would do

he knows

that the

covenants

initiated by

God

when we get

to the

Old Testament

have only been

partially and

temporarily

realized

and only for

sporadic

periods

and he knows

that God

completes

everything

that he

starts

he knows

that God

is good

for his

promise

and therefore

he sees

all of these

promises

tied up

in the birth

of this

son given

by a greater

saviour

he knows

that the

Old Testament

has only been

shadows

and pictures

and incomplete

promises

and he knows

that God

is good

and will do

all that he's

promised to do

and that is

why Zechariah

sings of this

greater son

that's why

he sings

of the

promise

to Abraham

the promise

to Abraham

is that

you will be

the father

of a great

nation

you will have

a land

I will be

your God

and you

will be

my people

and that

all nations

of the world

will be

blessed

through you

and Zechariah

knows that's

not really

been fully

fulfilled

it's been

partial at

best

and temporal

at most

yes they've

been in

Israel

for 120

years

there was

just

kind of a

golden age

particularly

in David's

reign

but he knows

they were

exiled

he knows

that even

now

Israel

is conquered

by the

Roman Empire

and so

Zechariah

proclaims

that that

promise to

Abraham

will be

fully

fulfilled

in Jesus

that it

is in

Jesus

that God's

people will

finally and

fully be

his

blessed

it's in

the better

and eternal

promised land

of the new

heavens

and the new

earth ushered

in by this

Jesus

it's only

when Jesus

has come

that God's

people will

finally be

his people

with an

undivided

heart

and he

knows

that it's

only in

Jesus

the descendant

of Abraham

that all

the nations

of the earth

will be

blessed

you see

Jesus

wasn't

plan

B

God

didn't

have a

stab at

it in

the old

testament

and when

it didn't

work he

kind of

drew a

line

got his

tit picks

out and

said right

I'll send

my son

God

from the

very beginning

said all

of creation

has always

and only

been about

Jesus

I gave

you this

stuff in

the old

testament

so you

know who

Jesus

was and

what he's

come to

do when

we got

to the

new

testament

the whole

old

testament

is

God

getting

us

ready

to see

exactly

who his

son

is

and

exactly

what

he

would

do

Zechariah

sings a

distracted

lullaby

about a

greater

son

because it

is in

God's

gift

of his

son

that the

bible

finally

makes

sense

it's only

in Jesus

that the

square of

the old

testament

is finally

circled

and that

we say

yes

God

you are

faithful

to your

promises

because you've

sent your

son to

make them

all real

and applicable

to us

thirdly

Zechariah

says

there's

deliverance

from

danger

verse 71

salvation

from our

enemies

and from

the hand

of all

those

who

hate

us

verse 74

to rescue

us from

the hand

of our

enemies

and to

enable us

to serve

him

without

fear

the old

testament

God

does some

incredible

things to

deliver his

people

he ambushes

people

God

fights for

his people

we've just

been going

through

Joshua

and we've

seen how

he does

that

we saw

the judges

that time

and time

again God

raises up

someone

and that he

fights and

delivers his

people from

danger

Zechariah

knows that

old testament

history has

been about

God delivering

his people

from danger

he knows

that his

God is the

God who

fights for

us

protects us

and defends

us and

ensures that

no bad

will come

to us

but he knows

that that

deliverance has

not been

full

he knows

that again

an enemy

came

a difficulty

came

a nation

came

he knows

even now

that the

Romans

have occupied

Israel

and yet he

sees that in

Jesus there's

final and full

deliverance

Zechariah

sees forward

that this life

might be painful

and enemies

might seem to

be winning

that in this

life there may

be casualties

but he says

but know this

that in Jesus

there is real

eternal

deliverance

and the

wounds

that have been

inflicted in

this life

will be but

fleeting memories

and the scars

that we've

suffered

will shine

like the stars

in the glory

of Jesus

Christ

Zechariah

says that

do you want

to be delivered

from all your

enemies

will trust

Jesus

because he's

the one

who does it

do you see

as well

that he just

doesn't deliver

us so we

can sit in

the hammock

smoke a cigar

with our

slippers on

verse 74

rescued from

our enemies

to enable us

to serve him

without fear

he's rescued

us and

delivered us

so we can

be that

kingdom of

priests

that God

has been

looking for

since the

creation

of the

world

we are

now in

Jesus

able to

be

holy

righteous

servants

in his

kingdom

know that

God didn't

save you

to give

you an

easy life

he didn't

save you

for your

own

self

advancement

he saved

you to

be his

holy

his

to serve

him all

of your

days

with all

that you

are

Zechariah

sings a

distracted

lullaby

because the

deliverance

brought by

this other

son will

elevate God's

people to

be a royal

priesthood

to Jesus

Christ

forgiveness

from debt

he says in

verse 77

that he's

come to give

his people

knowledge of

salvation

through the

forgiveness

of sins

John the

Baptist will

tell people

about a

greater sacrifice

how does

John first

introduce

Jesus

behold the

lamb of

God who

takes away

the sins

of the

world

Zechariah

has been

a priest

he's killed

a lot of

animals in

his life

year in

year out

people bring

him animals

and he

kills them

and he

throws blood

everywhere

it just

seems to

go round

and round

and round

and round

and yet

Zechariah

says finally

finally

a son

will come

finally

there will

be a

great

high priest

who himself

will get

onto the

altar

and be a

once time

sacrifice for

all that

sins will be

forgiven

that the

debt that

we have

accrued by

consistently

falling short

of God

will finally

be wiped

clean as

it's paid

for by

another

in the

Lord Jesus

we have

categorically

failed

we are

absolutely

bankrupt

because of

our sin

and Zechariah

says

now in

Jesus

there's

forgiveness

now in

this one

who is to

come into

the world

there is

hope

and

reconciliation

as debt

has been

paid in

full

we are up

sin creek

without a

paddle and

the waterfall

of death

is lurking

downstream

and we

are careering

towards it

and the

only hope

we have

is this

son

whom

Zechariah

sings about

the birth

of this

greater son

means that

our cosmic

treason

performed

against a

holy God

can be

wiped

clean

by the

mercy

of a

benevolent

and gracious

God

who would

give his

son

for us

now

Zechariah

sings at

the top

of his

lungs

his

distracted

lullaby

saying that

in Jesus

there is

forgiveness

forgiveness

to all

who will

come

and turn

from that

sin

and to

Christ

and then

lastly

we have

the dawning

of a

new day

these last

two verses

are incredible

because of

the tender

mercy of

our God

by which

the rising

sun

will come

to us

from heaven

to shine

on those

living in

darkness

and in

the shadow

of death

to guide

our feet

into the

path of

peace

finally

Zechariah

brings home

his distracted

lullaby by

singing of a

new dawn

he sings

of a

heaven filled

sunrise that

will never

set

as the

sun of

righteousness

rises to

shine life

giving light

to all who

walk in

darkness

he says

it's Jesus

for whom

Isaiah 9

is fulfilled

saying

Psalm 23

even though

you walk

through the

valley of

the shadow

of death

I'm there

and he's

saying that

is Jesus

he's pulling

all these

old testament

images of

darkness

and saying

that in

Jesus

the new

sun has

risen

and it's

totally

obliterated

though

Zechariah

knows that

the coming

of Emmanuel

is the

dawning

of hope

the birth

of Jesus

is the

heralding

of eternal

hope

to mortal

humanity

and I love

this phrase

to guide

our feet

into the

path of

peace

you get to

Isaiah 59

one of the

lesser known

songs in

Isaiah

and Isaiah

spends the

first 15

verses just

categorically

listing

all the

ways that

humanity

has fallen

short

he says

things

like their

hands have

been defiled

with blood

their fingers

with iniquity

their lips

are overflowing

with lies

their tongues

muttered

wickedness

justice

honesty

are absent

from them

Isaiah

writes

their feet

run to

evil

and they

are swift

to shed

innocent

blood

their thoughts

are thoughts

of iniquity

desolation

and destruction

of their

highways

the last

thing he

says in

Isaiah

59

the way

of peace

they do

not know

and there

is no

justice

in their

path

they have

made their

roads crooked

no one

who treads

on them

knows peace

Isaiah

writes

they don't

know the

way of

peace

best thing

about

Isaiah

59

is that

from verse

16 to

the end

of the

chapter

it's like

God says

I'm coming

down to

do something

about that

it's like

he's getting

suited up

to do

something

himself

he talks

about putting

on a

breastplate

and a

helmet

he talks

about coming

as a

warrior king

to fight

for his

people

and he

says if

they don't

know the

way of

peace

I'm going

to come

down and

show them

I'm going

to come

down and

give them

the ability

to walk

in my

ways

finishes by

saying that

a redeemer

will come

to Zion

to those

in Jacob

who turn

from

transgression

it's an

incredible

verse

and Zechariah

says I'm

going to

piece all

this together

in Jesus

a sun

will rise

in Jesus

death

will be

banished

in Jesus

those who

don't know

God and

sit in

darkness

will finally

know God

for themselves

and they

will finally

be able to

walk in

my ways

as in

my son

my spirit

is poured

out

Zechariah

sings a

distracted

lullaby

as his gaze

is filled

with Messiah

as his

mind is

flooded

with Jesus

the warrior

king

who comes

to fight

for his

people

and usher

in God's

perfect

inaugurated

kingdom

of promise

Zechariah

is in

essence

just singing

the words

that the

apostle Paul

would pen

to the

Corinthians

in 2

2 Corinthians 1 · chapter mention

Corinthians

chapter 1

he says

for no

matter how

many promises

God has

made

they are

yes

in Christ

and so

through him

the amen

is spoken

by us

to the

glory of

God

Paul is

saying that

the whole

Old Testament

is about

Jesus

Zechariah

is saying

the whole

Old Testament

is about

Jesus

Zechariah

sings of

Jesus

our redeemer

our promised

Messiah

our deliverer

our forgiveness

and the

eternal sunrise

of our new

day

Jesus

our everything

the one

who like

Zechariah

is to be

the distraction

of all

of our lives

let me pray

Father God

thank you

for this

great song

Father

thank you

for this

great song

that focuses

our minds

on Jesus

Father

thank you

for this

great song

that centres

all of the

Old Testament

on Jesus

Father

thank you

that this

song

shows off

Jesus

in all

of his

glory

the one

who completed

redemption

the one

who forgives

us of

sins

the one

that you

promised

of long

ago

and now

at Christmas

we celebrate

that he's

finally come

and Father

I thank you

that because

of him

we can live

in the dawn

of new

day of

Messiah

a day

where death

has lost

its sting

a day

where sin

no longer

rules

and a day

where Christ

can truly

be our

all

in all

so Father

bless these

things to

us

Father

distract

our minds

this Christmas

with things

of your

son

and that

we might

cling to

him

and love

him

and serve

him in

righteousness

and holiness

the very

thing that

he's freed

us to do

Father

thank you

for Jesus

and may

we love

him more

and serve

him most

amen

I

will

Bob

take

him

do

anything

never

he

I

will

take

him

to

see

him

a

them

in

quez

he

eu