Week One

Luke begins his Gospel with an angel announcing the upcoming birth of a child. The child in question was not Jesus, but John the Baptist, Jesus’ relative and friend who helped set the stage for Jesus’ ministry. Like the announcement of Jesus’ birth, news of John’s birth came as a shock to his future parents, Elizabeth and Zechariah, because they were both very old. At one point in their lives they likely expected to have children and likely had dreams for those children. But they had long since set aside those plans and had settle into a life of humbly serving God.

God, however, had not given up on Elizabeth and Zechariah’s dream of having children and chose them to be the parents of John the Baptist, who would “prepare the way for the Lord” (Luke 3:4). Likewise, many of us discover that our lives don’t turn out the way that we had hoped or planned. But, regardless of our expectations, God still has plans for us. God blesses us and works through us, often in surprising ways.

In this session, we’ll get to know Elizabeth and Zechariah. We’ll consider our dreams and the ways that God changes our plans.

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

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

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 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. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 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. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous – to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”  

Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which come true at the appointed time.”

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained to speak.

When his time of service was completed, he returned home. After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “in these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” Luke 1:5-25

Billups writes about Elizabeth and Zechariah,” I imagine that through the decades this faith-filled couple was wondering, “What if I missed it?”

When have you wondered if you missed out on something or if an opportunity had passed you by? How did you deal with this disappointment?

What does it mean that John prepared the way for Jesus?   How did he do this?

One way to teach people to dream is to show them what is possible. How does our congregation show people what is possible with God?

Closing prayer: God, thank you for bringing us together for this time of study and discussion. We know from the story of Elizabeth and Zechariah that, through you, all things are possible. Open our hearts and minds, eyes and ears, to all the ways that we can answer your call even if it requires us to change our plans. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen