Jesus, needed yet unexpected

My next passage is Luke 1:5-25, which doesn't necessarily teach me about Jesus Himself, but I don't want to skip over it, so I'll just mine it a paragraph at a time for what wealth it provides...

In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest of Abijah’s division named Zechariah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both were righteous in God’s sight, living without blame according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord. But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years. [HCSB]

During the rule of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest assigned service in the regiment of Abijah. His name was Zachariah. His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth. Together they lived honorably before God, careful in keeping to the ways of the commandments and enjoying a clear conscience before God. But they were childless because Elizabeth could never conceive, and now they were quite old. [MSG]

My customary note on this paragraph is that this couple was childless though they were righteous in God's sight, and that we need to avoid the errors of Job's friends, who assumed that bad circumstances automatically meant God's judgment for sin. But this time as I read this I think, wait a minute... "righteous in God's sight, living without blame according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord."?!?!? I thought you couldn't do that. I thought that's why we need a savior. What's the deal?

Then I remember that God made much the same claim about Job.  “Have you considered My servant Job? No one else on earth is like him, a man of perfect integrity, who fears God and turns away from evil.” And Paul, who called himself the "worst" of sinners [1 Tim 1:15], also said that he was, "regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless."

There are other verses we could look at, but these are enough to draw this conclusion: you could keep every law God ever gave, and still be a sinner in need of a savior. One of the primary teaching missions of Jesus was to help people see that God's concern for sin went beyond the mere letter of the law. This is one reason when we focus in our religion on our need to "do better," we are missing the point of the gospel. The one who does not steal may covet. The one who does not commit adultery may lust. We are all sinners. We all need Jesus.

When his division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, it happened that he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and overcome with fear. But the angel said to him:

Do not be afraid, Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard.
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you will name him John.
There will be joy and delight for you,
and many will rejoice at his birth.
For he will be great in the sight of the Lord
and will never drink wine or beer.
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit
while still in his mother’s womb.
He will turn many of the sons of Israel
to the Lord their God.
And he will go before Him
in the spirit and power of Elijah,
to turn the hearts of fathers
to their children,
and the disobedient
to the understanding of the righteous,
to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.

“How can I know this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.” [HCSB]

It so happened that as Zachariah was carrying out his priestly duties before God, working the shift assigned to his regiment, it came his one turn in life to enter the sanctuary of God and burn incense. The congregation was gathered and praying outside the Temple at the hour of the incense offering. Unannounced, an angel of God appeared just to the right of the altar of incense. Zachariah was paralyzed in fear.

But the angel reassured him, “Don’t fear, Zachariah. Your prayer has been heard. Elizabeth, your wife, will bear a son by you. You are to name him John. You’re going to leap like a gazelle for joy, and not only you—many will delight in his birth. He’ll achieve great stature with God.

“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 skeptics—he’ll get the people ready for God.”
Zachariah said to the angel, “Do you expect me to believe this? I’m an old man and my wife is an old woman.” [MSG]

Among the things that John will do is this: He will turn the hearts of fathers to their children. What kind of time was this, then, when such turning was needed on a large scale? Are we not in such a time again today? So many fathers, and mothers, who walk out on their families... The Gospel of the Kingdom is as relevant today as it ever was.

The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news. Now listen! You will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.” [HCSB]

But the angel said, “I am Gabriel, the sentinel of God, sent especially to bring you this glad news. But because you won’t believe me, you’ll be unable to say a word until the day of your son’s birth. Every word I’ve spoken to you will come true on time—God’s time.” [MSG]

I don't think I've ever met an angel, though I can't be sure. Certainly, none has ever made any kind of pronouncement to me about what I was supposed to do next. But I would like to think that if one did, I'd listen. I spoke with a pastor friend of mine and asked him if a message from an angel would have as much authority in his life as Scripture does, and he said no. I think we have to be ready to hear from God however He chooses to speak to us.

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. When he did come out, he could not speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept making signs to them and remained speechless. When the days of his ministry were completed, he went back home. [HCSB]

Meanwhile, the congregation waiting for Zachariah was getting restless, wondering what was keeping him so long in the sanctuary. When he came out and couldn’t speak, they knew he had seen a vision. He continued speechless and had to use sign language with the people. When the course of his priestly assignment was completed, he went back home. [MSG]

God interrupted the "normal" ministry of the day. I for one, would be happy for God to disrupt our Sunday morning expectations, how about you?

After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months. She said, “The Lord has done this for me. He has looked with favor in these days to take away my disgrace among the people.” [HCSB]

It wasn’t long before his wife, Elizabeth, conceived. She went off by herself for five months, relishing her pregnancy. “So, this is how God acts to remedy my unfortunate condition!” she said. [MSG]

Yay, God! The God Who decrees and fulfills, Who gives life and calls it back to Himself, Who establishes boundaries and brushes them aside, Who hears every prayer, knows every hurt, and loves every heart. Glory to His name! He is wonderful, and worthy to be praised!!! He is the one and only living, eternal, all-wise King, infinite in justice and mercy, able to caress the weakest among us and crush the strongest. Though I may know Him only faintly, though I may strain to hear His voice and miss it more than not, though I may only comprehend fragments of His plan, still He is my God and He will be mine to worship forever and ever! Amen.