A grandmother was playing Christmas carols on the piano for her 4-year-old great-granddaughter, Natalie. When she played “Away in a Manger,” the grandmother started to sing as she played. After just a few words, Natalie tugged on her grandmother’s sleeve and said, “Just let the piano sing it, Grandma.”
Do you ever feel that way when you sing? That nobody wants to hear your voice? Well, when you sing, you aren’t singing for others. You’re singing for God. And God always wants to hear you sing. Mary’s song in Luke 1:46-55 is one of the verses in this grand musical introduction to Luke’s Gospel. Another verse in this musical masterpiece is the song of Zacharias. It is found in Luke 1:67-79. It is the second verse.
One lady tells of the time she was directing the children’s church musical Christmas play. She asked one of her daughters and another little boy if they would be willing to play two verses of “Silent Night” on their flutes. The boy answered and said, “But Mrs. Anderson, I only know the first verse.”
This is the way it is with the song of Zacharias. It’s the second verse of this song, and it picks up where Mary left off, but really, it’s more of the same.
It’s the same song, second verse, with the same theme, similar ideas, and related words. Both verses focus on the greatest theme ever found. Both songs focus on Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world.
If you had not been able to talk for a year, what would you say when you finally could speak? The first words Zacharias spoke were: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people..." - Luke 1:68 (KJV) After nine months of silence, he praised God and prophesied about the future.
The best lights, food and drinks are not the revelation of Christmas. You can get into the celebration and miss the reason why. Luke 1 explains why Jesus came: For all those who have been hated, rejected, and bound. Do you understand the pain of being hated, rejected, or being bound? If you do, then Christmas has a meaning for you. This is the message of Christmas - that Jesus was born to redeem His people.
Zacharias did not say, Lord why did you do this to me? He praised and blessed the Lord for the joy that had come through Christmas. In the place of silence he had learned to hear God. After today, you are accepted and deliverance has come. You are no longer for sale - you are redeemed. When Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, he praised God and prophesied two things:
First, the salvation that was to come through the Messiah (Luke 1:68-75)
Second, praise for his own newborn son, the prophet who would prepare the way for the Messiah (Luke 1:76-79).
These verses are an essay on salvation. They tell us of the greatest gift God ever sent to mankind – the gift of salvation through the person of Jesus Christ.
Luke 1:67 -75 - Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied.
PRAYER:
O Lord, Teach me the discipline of silence. I believe I am accepted and I am delivered.
Fill me with the Holy Spirit. I lend my voice for you to speak through me in Jesus name.