Tag: Zechariah

An Angel at the Altar: Zechariah’s Encounter with Gabriel

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Blake - Zecharias and the Angel.jpeg
William Blake, The Angel Appearing to Zacharias, pen and black ink, tempera, and glue size on canvas; 1799-1800.

an angel at the altar
heaven’s glory shatters earth’s sanctity
a voice indescribable yet understandable
a promise of hope unimaginable
confusion for old Zechariah
“our age – my wife – a baby – God – now?”
his call and God’s response
no utterance or voice now
his silence itself a testimony
that speaks of the ineffable
what has happened
what is happening
the first flutter of life within Elizabeth
gestates a voice of hope for humanity

I wrote these words after reading and reflecting on Luke 1:5-25 as part of my Advent readings and shared it in my message this past Sunday. Zechariah has always struck me as a figure we all could relate to from Scripture. He encounters an angel of the Lord in the Temple, the place of all places that it seems like such a thing should happen. Yet Zechariah is so overwhelmed and confused by the message the angel brings that he doubts it could be possible. Struck dumb until the birth of the child, his silence becomes a message, even as the baby that his wife, Elizabeth, carries in her womb will be “a voice of one crying out,” directing attention to the Messiah. There is so much in here about speaking and silence, hearing and responding, as part of God’s work in relationship to humanity.

“Praise Be to the Lord” (Benedictus)

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This past weekend at Eastbrook, we continued our journey of Advent and preaching series entitled “Canticles of Christmas” This third week of the series I preached from Luke 1:67-80 on Zechariah’s song of praise, traditionally known as the Benedictus.

You can find the message outline and video below. You can access the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.” (Luke 1:68)

The Gift of Appropriate Humbling (Luke 1:5-22)

The gift of discipline and silence

The gift of time and reflection

The gift of knowing who we are and knowing who we’re not

The Gift of God’s Redemption in the Coming Messiah (Luke 1:67-75)

The gift of redemption and salvation through David’s line

The gift of mercy and rescue

The gift of serving God without fear and with goodness

The Gift of the Miracle Child Who Prepares the Way (Luke 1:76-80)

The gift of knowing God’s ways

The gift of receiving God’s forgiveness and mercy

The gift of God’s light over death’s darkness

Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

  • Memorize all or part of today’s text, Luke 1:67-79.
  • Continue with the devotional that accompanies Advent and this series here.
  • Draw, ink, or paint Zechariah exclaiming his message or the content of what Zechariah describes in his song in Luke 1:67-79. Take time to talk with God as you depict the scene in your own way. What is God speaking to you through this? 
  • Listen to a musical rendering of this song, such as: “Benedictus” by Ralph Vaughan Williams as performed by the Choir of St. Michael at the North Gate.

Eastbrook at Home – December 11, 2022

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Eastbrook-At-Home-Series-GFX_16x9-Title

Join us for worship with Eastbrook Church through Eastbrook at Home at 8, 9:30, and 11 AM. This weekend we continue the journey of Advent and our preaching series entitled “Canticles of Christmas.”

Here is a prayer for this third Sunday of Advent from The Book of Common Prayer:

O Lord Jesus Christ, you sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise make ready your way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient toward the wisdom of the just, that at your second coming to judge the world, we may be found a people acceptable in your sight; for with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

If you are able to do so, let me encourage you to join us for in-person services at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 AM this weekend at the Eastbrook Campus.

If you are new to Eastbrook, we want to welcome you to worship and would ask you to text EBCnew to 94000 as a first step into community here at Eastbrook.

Each Sunday at 8, 9:30, and 11 AM, you can participate with our weekly worship service at home with your small group, family, or friends. This service will then be available during the week until the next Sunday’s service starts. You can also access the service directly via Vimeo, the Eastbrook app, or Facebook.

If you are not signed up for our church emailing list, please sign up here. Also, please remember that during this time financial support for the church is critical as we continue minister within our congregation and reach out to our neighborhood, city, and the world at this challenging time. Please give online or send in your tithes and offerings to support the ministry of Eastbrook Church.

Bibliography for God in the Ruins: The Message of the Minor Prophets

Matt Erickson2 Comments

When I conclude a sermon series, I usually share the resources I used to help me study and prepare my sermons. Here is that bibliography for our recently completed series, “God in the Ruins: The Message of the Minor Prophets.”

Bibliography for “God in the Ruins: The Message of the Minor Prophets”

Elizabeth Achtemeier. Minor Prophets I. NIBC. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996.

________. Preaching from the Minor Prophets. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1998.

Robert Alter. The Hebrew Bible, Volume 2: Prophets. New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 2019.

Joyce G. Baldwin. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. TOTC. Downers Grove, IL: 1972.

Stuart Briscoe. Taking God Seriously: Major Lessons from the Minor Prophets. For Washington, PA: CLC Publications, 1986.

Andrew E. Hill and John H. Walton. “Introduction to Prophetic Literature.” In A Survey of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009.

Paul R. House. Old Testament Theology. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2018.

Walter C. Kaiser. Preaching and Teaching from the Old Testament: A Guide for the Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2003.

James Luther Mays. Hosea. OTL. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1969.

A. Schart. “Twelve, Book of the: History of Interpretation.” In Dictionary of the Old Testament Prophets. Eds. Mark J. Boda and J. Gordon McConville. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2012.

Douglas Stuart. Hosea-Jonah. WBC. Waco, TX: Word Books, 1987.

M. A. Sweeney. “Twelve, Book of the.” In Dictionary of the Old Testament Prophets. Eds. Mark J. Boda and J. Gordon McConville. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2012.

Bruce K. Waltke. A Commentary on Micah. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2007.

Nicholas Wolterstorff. Justice: Rights and Wrongs. Princeton, NJ: Princeton U. P., 2008.

A Prayer inspired by the prophet Zechariah

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

Lord our God, you are great.
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
glorious beyond our comprehending
and always worthy of praise.

Even as we seek You,
we admit our limitations.
Our life is like a vapor upon this earth,
yet You are eternal.
Our understanding is limited,
yet You are the all-wise God.
Like Job, we often speak words without knowledge
as we try to peer into Your ways that are higher than ours.

Give us vision, like Zechariah,
to see, through the mists of our limitations,
the glory of Your presence, blazing like the sun,
which brings light and life to all things.

Strengthen us to persevere in seeking You,
that, like a deer panting for streams of water,
our needy souls might be satisfied in You alone,
who is our Creator, Savior, and Sustainer.

All this we pray, through Jesus Christ,
to whom, with You and the Holy Spirit
be all honor and glory, now and forever.
Amen.

 

This is part of a series of posts with prayers based upon the message of the Minor Prophets: