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Zachariah said to the angel, “Do you expect me to believe this? I’m an old man and my wife is an old woman.”

Tom Wright, in his commentary on Luke, says we shouldn’t be afraid of finding the Bible funny when it is. There is certainly ironic humour here, don’t you think, and if we laugh it is probably at ourselves. We are looking in a mirror and seeing what is frequently our own ‘half-faith’, as Wright puts it.

This reminds me of Acts 12: 12-16 – the story of when Peter was miraculously sprung from his prison cell:

Still shaking his head, amazed, he went to Mary’s house, the Mary who was John Mark’s mother. The house was packed with praying friends. When he knocked on the door to the courtyard, a young woman named Rhoda came to see who it was. But when she recognized his voice—Peter’s voice!—she was so excited and eager to tell everyone Peter was there that she forgot to open the door and left him standing in the street.

^15-16 But they wouldn’t believe her, dismissing her, dismissing her report. “You’re crazy,” they said. She stuck by her story, insisting. They still wouldn’t believe her and said, “It must be his angel.” All this time poor Peter was standing out in the street, knocking away.

That is so funny, and true to life!

PRAYER: Lord, I have to confess I see myself in these passages. I believe, but please help my unbelief. Have mercy on me, and increase my faith.

 “He’ll drink neither wine nor beer. He’ll be filled with the Holy Spirit from the moment he leaves his mother’s womb. He will turn many sons and daughters of Israel back to their God. He will herald God’s arrival in the style and strength of Elijah, soften the hearts of parents to children, and kindle devout understanding among hardened sceptics—he’ll get the people ready for God.”

In the early days of our church planting initiative in Boston Spa, I was invited to speak to a group of older people about the work we were involved in. One man I knew well came up to me after I’d spoken, fixed me with a steady gaze, and said, ‘What you need over there are ‘soul-winners.’ I instinctively knew he was right. Thank God, there came a time when He gave us such people, and is there any joy like seeing genuine conversions?

We might say that John the Baptist had a ‘soul-winning’ ministry. But note how this flows on from the words about him being filled with the Spirit. He could not do what He did out of his own resources.

While all Christians have a responsibility to be witnesses to Jesus (by life and by lip), some are especially gifted to be evangelists. They seem to have a God-given knack of bringing people to Christ. However, we all need the Holy Spirit’s power to fulfil our calling (Acts 1:8).

“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.” (Zech.4:6).

‘Our high and privileged calling is to do the will of God in the power of God for the glory of God.’ J.I. Packer

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. ¹³ But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. ¹⁴ He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 

Note three things:

• The naming of a baby was usually performed by the father, but God told Zechariah the name of his boy. This showed that He was making John His responsibility.
• We again see, in this chapter, that true greatness is to be found ”in the sight of” God – regardless of human opinion;
• There is no formula for being ”filled with the Holy Spirit”. John’s situation was unique, and he wasn’t in a position even to seek this fullness, but an anointing was sovereignly given him even before his birth. I don’t think anyone can read the New Testament, and then come up with ‘one sure-fire way it always happens. There are a variety of ‘being filled with the Holy Spirit’ stories. ”The wind blows wherever it pleases” (John 3:8a). I heard that one well-known Christian leader said this about the Spirit’s fullness: ‘It doesn’t matter how you get it, just get it!’ ”Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with Spirit…’ (Eph.5:18). (Note, there was a particular prohibition on John drinking wine or other fermented drink, because of his special calling. From Paul’s words we see that the general restraint on Christians pertains to drunkenness).

But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard.

This story of persevering in prayer sent me searching for something I remembered reading about George Mueller. I found it on the GeorgeMuller.org website:

​”In November 1844, I began to pray for the conversion of five individuals. I prayed every day without a single intermission, whether sick or in health, on the land, on the sea, and whatever the pressure of my engagements might be. Eighteen months elapsed before the first of the five was converted. I thanked God and prayed on for the others. Five years elapsed, and then the second was converted. I thanked God for the second, and prayed on for the other three. Day by day, I continued to pray for them, and six years passed before the third was converted. I thanked God for the three, and went on praying for the other two. These two remained unconverted.
​
Thirty-six years later he wrote that the other two, sons of one of Mueller’s friends, were still not converted. He wrote, “But I hope in God, I pray on, and look for the answer. They are not converted yet, but they will be.” In 1897, fifty-two years after he began to pray daily, without interruption, for these two men, they were finally converted—but after he died! Mueller understood what Luke meant when he introduced a parable Jesus told about prayer, saying, “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1).”

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. ¹³ But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 

‘Sometimes regular duty provides the context for extraordinary visions.’ Tom Wright: ‘Luke for everyone’, p.7.

‘Prayers of faith are filed in heaven, and are not forgotten, though the thing prayed for is not presently given…’ Matthew Henry.

Jesus taught the necessity of persevering in prayer (e.g. Lk.11:1-13; 18:1-8). How long had Zechariah and Elizabeth been praying, we wonder?

Gabriel’s words to Zechariah may refer to his prayers, as a priest, for the salvation of his nation. If so, these prayers, along with those of many others, had been heard. Deliverance was about to come in the form of the Messiah. However, I believe the most natural way to understand them is in relation to his – no doubt their – prayer for a child.

Tom Wright comments:

‘This story, preparing us for the even more remarkable conception and birth of Jesus himself, reminds us of something important. God regularly works through ordinary people, doing what they normally do, who with a mixture of half-faith and devotion are holding themselves ready for whatever God has in mind.’ (pp.7,8).

Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, ⁹ he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰ And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

¹¹ Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

It is quite some years ago that our church held its first ‘house party’. We came away from it though, having no doubt about the guest preacher’s main theme. He kept repeating it through the week-end: ‘Things can change!’ It sort of became part of the vocabulary of the church for a time afterwards, and we would remind one another, ‘Things can change!’

‘Things’ were about to change for Zechariah and Elizabeth – big time. For years they had longed for a baby of their own, but biology had been against them. Now age was. But when they got to be old enough to be grand-parents, they found they were about to become ‘dad’ and ‘mum’.

Yes, ‘things can change!’

Please understand me, I’m not saying we have a blueprint here for everyone who wants a baby. There are people who have longed for children of their own who never received the miracle they so earnestly sought. Although we find stories like Zechariah and Elizabeth’s in a number of places in the Bible, I know it doesn’t always happen. Only God knows why.

But let’s hold on to the principle that, with God, ‘Things can change.’

‘Prayer changes things.’

But even in those times when nothing seems to change at all, prayer can change me, and maybe that is more important.

God may not always give the thing asked (although He regularly does), but He will always give the grace to face the circumstances we are called to accept.

 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, ⁹ he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰ And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

The burning of incense is emblematic of prayer.

While Zechariah was ministering inside the temple, God’s people were praying outside – and something happened! I’m not saying it will always be an extraordinary or spectacular thing that will occur, but we Christians need to understand that our prayers can make a material difference to what happens in the services, and in the ministries of those who lead. When Charles Spurgeon, often dubbed ‘the prince of preachers’ was asked the secret of his great success, he replied, ‘My people pray for me.’

I understand that someone was asked about the most important lessons he had ever learned. He replied, ‘Number one, pray! Number two, pray! Number three, pray!’

Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 

‘It is a happy thing when those who are joined to each other in marriage are both joined to the Lord.‘ Matthew Henry.

There is something very powerful and precious about a married Christian couple seeking first God’s Kingdom together.

Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labour:
¹⁰ If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
¹¹ Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
¹² Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).

But, of course, this principle doesn’t just apply to ‘marrieds’. Think about the potential of prayer partnerships. Also, what about close spiritual friendships, where people bond in a common commitment to Christ, help each other along the way, and hold one another accountable?

Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Mt.18:19,20).

I’m aware that in Christ’s church, some have the calling of marriage and others receive the call to singleness, and I’m not arguing that one state is superior to another. I’m also conscious that, not so much by calling, more by force of circumstances, there are many people who find themselves alone. Nevertheless, the principle of ‘Both of them’ can be applicable in various ways within the church family. We can all know the power and beauty and strength of Christian fellowship.

PRAYER: Lord, may no-one in your church feel friendless. Forgive us if we allow any to be lonely. Help us to nurture strong communities of togetherness.

 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 

In just a few verses time, we are going to read some words of the angel Gabriel concerning John:

… he will be great in the sight of the Lord. (15).

The godly Scottish preacher, Robert Murray McCheyne said, ‘What a man is on his knees, before God, that he is and nothing more.’

Similarly, someone observed that ‘Character is what you are in the dark.’ It’s what we are when no-one else is looking.

Most of our lives are hidden to others: our desires, motivations, ambitions, etc. But ”Thou God seest me” (Gn.16:13).

People may judge, or misjudge us, but God knows our hearts, and we are ultimately answerable to Him. Who we are before Him is what matters most.

Jesus said to some religious leaders in His day:

… you gladly honour each other, but you don’t care about the honour that comes from the one who alone is God (John 5:44 NLT).

PRAYER: Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting (Ps.139:23,24).