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Tuesday 4th Advent
St. Luke’s Institute
December 23, 2014
INSIGHTS ON
ZECHARIAH ++++++++++++++++++++++
Ø
Z
can B key 2 understand how R faith works
Ø
2
insights we might have easily missed in the Gospel account are worth noting
ZECHARIAH REFLECTS
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
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When
the angel Gabriel tells Z that Elizabeth will give birth to a child, at first,
he doesn’t believe
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Faith
isn’t strong enuf 2 trust words of messenger
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What’s
contributing 2 that lack of faith & trust is that he & Eliz have given
up trying 2 have child & they now advanced in years
Ø
Becz
of Z’s lack of faith, Gabriel says that he’ll B mute, unable to speak
Ø
1st insight: rendering Zechariah mute not a punishment,
rather opportunity 4 him 2 reflect
Ø
He
needs 2 reflect on his faith & come 2 trust G more & being unable 2
speak will help him do this
ZECHARIAH CONFIRMS ++++++++++++++++++++++++
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In
Gospel, Eliz gives birth 2 child that was foretold
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Of
course issue of naming the child arises again
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Elizabeth
says that the child’s name will be John
Ø
1-
Recall this is name Gab told Z to give the child
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2-
But there’s no indication that Z ever told Eliz
Ø
So
Eliz’s naming child John – w/o having learned it from her husband – is another
indication of hand of G at work in naming. Who told her? J’s mute!
Ø
Notice,
that when Zechariah confirms the name, immediately, he’s able to speak
Ø
So the 2nd insight is that in 9 months of being mute,
Zechariah’s reflected and grown in faith…
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And his confirming the name John is, in effect, an act of faith on his
part regarding the name
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Thus,
with faith he is now able to speak
APPLICATION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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1-Perhaps,
as we hear scripture passages and verses of the Psalms each day, we lack faith
to respond to the promises being made to us
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2-Perhaps
we need times of muteness and silence in order to ponder, chew, digest how God
is operating in R own lives. Put hearing 2 experience
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3-Perhaps
as Xmas Eve approaches, the silence of Advent can burst into profound act of
faith 4 us
CONCLUSION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Experiencing
that would be a Christmas like no other
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
