July 23, 2024 Text: Luke 1:57-80
Dear Friends in Christ,
Do you remember from the 1980’s the show The A-Team? On the show was the character Colonel Hannibal Smith played by George Peppard. His famous line was, “I love it when a plan comes together.”
We all like to see our plans be successful, right? Work schedules. Financial plans that meet or exceed our projections. Career plans – school that leads to job that leads to promotion. And there are some in the pews this morning waiting for a vacation plan to Germany come together that began in April 2023.
The Bible shows that God is also a planner. Isn’t it nice to have Him in charge of the universe and human history and human destiny? Our text is the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, a festival day in the church celebrated tomorrow. We get to . . .
“SEE AND HEAR GOD’S PLAN COMING TOGETHER”
We know that plans don’t always work out. We might lose focus or procrastinate. Sometimes we have a plan but because of expectations it is not what we intended. Haven’t you had a great time somewhere, when initially you dreaded it. Or vice versa, you have great expectations for something and then the big letdown. Then sometimes plans are foiled because we live in a messed up, sinful world. Plans blow up in our faces. We get discouraged. Or we put too much trust in people. This happens in politics. You pray and vote for leaders and then they follow their own agenda instead of the one you voted for.
We have all seen plans fail. Hopes dashed. In our text, Zechariah had experienced this sort of thing too. Zechariah was sure God’s plan wouldn’t work.
You remember the big announcement. The angel Gabriel had come to Zechariah and Elizabeth, his wife, and told them they would have a son. His name was going to be John and he would prepare the way for the Messiah. This plan was promised throughout the Old Testament.
Except experience, or what I call our sociological history, was telling Zechariah that this was a long shot. Elizabeth and I are way too old. God must be distracted. Surely this coming Messiah can’t overcome the pagan rulers of Rome and religious leaders of Jerusalem.
So, Zechariah didn’t believe in the plan of God. Not now. Not through him. Zechariah was struck speechless because he didn’t believe in God’s plan. Now pay attention to this for our modern times. The pagan Roman rulers and corrupt religious leaders carried on with no apparent ill effects or consequences. Zechariah had a lot of quiet time to contemplate what was happening around him.
The plan is starting to come together. John is born. Zechariah is speaking. Zechariah’s song, his prophecy was a fulfillment that God’s Old Testament plans were coming together. John means “The Lord has shown favor.” He and Elizabeth were highly favored to have this child in old age. They had been in God’s plans all along.
Verses 67-79 is called the Benedictus. It has been part of the church’s liturgy since the 9th century. How did these words pop in his head? God caused him to remember over a dozen Old Testament passages filled with promises that were now being fulfilled. God’s plan had come together.
Zechariah’s prophesy talked about a Lord who was on the way. Isaiah spoke about Him. Malachi spoke about Him four hundred years before his coming. God hadn’t forgotten. God’s grand plan was now coming to completion: to send Jesus, the Messiah. Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, came at just the right time. Jesus lived the perfect live that mankind had failed to live. Jesus suffered and atoned for all the sins of mankind, who had failed to keep God’s perfect Law when He died on the cross. Jesus rose from the grave to demonstrate his victory on our behalf. This plan is not over. Jesus will come again at just the right time to usher in the kingdom of heaven in all its fullness.
You and I, as the Church, have been commissioned to prepare the world for Jesus’ final coming. Do not doubt the plan. Do not be “speechless” with those who need the Gospel in preparation for that day. Remember God’s promises. Praise God like Zechariah did, for the plans in your life. Study the Bible so you know the promises and can declare the Lord’s mighty works of love and salvation. I love it when a plan comes together.
Amen.