In the first week of Advent, we hear the story of Zechariah, one of over 18,000 priests whose responsibilities included offering blessings and sacrifices at the temple. Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth are both well advanced in age and are without children. In that time and culture, they are seen as being cursed by God even though they are noted as being upright before God. Zechariah stands in the temple offering up incense to God when he encounters an angel. The angel proclaims that he and Elizabeth will have a child, and when Zechariah asks for proof, he is struck so that he cannot speak. Part of Zechariah’s responsibility as a priest is to bless people on God’s behalf and his lack of trust prohibited him from doing so. In this time of silence, Zechariah is humbled by God’s presence and through his humility is able to join his voice with Mary in announcing his son’s name as John.

Dig Deeper: 

Do you at times pray to God without expecting God to answer? If so, would you be shocked like Zechariah if God did answer?

Speaker: Pastor Mike Sager

December 1, 2024

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