Author: Jerry Wirtley

³⁹ Mary got up and hurried to a city in the Judean highlands. ⁴⁰ She entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² With a loud voice she blurted out, “God has blessed you above all women, and he has blessed the child you carry. ⁴³ Why do I have this honor, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ As soon as I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. ⁴⁵ Happy is she who believed that the Lord would fulfill the promises he made to her.” ⁴⁶ Mary said, “With all my heart I glorify the Lord! ⁴⁷ In the depths of who I am I rejoice in God my savior. ⁴⁸ He has looked with favor on the low status of his servant. Look! From now on, everyone will consider me highly favored ⁴⁹ because the mighty one has done great things for me. Holy is his name. ⁵⁰ He shows mercy to everyone, from one generation to the next, who honors him as God. ⁵¹ He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered those with arrogant thoughts and proud inclinations. ⁵² He has pulled the powerful down from their thrones and lifted up the lowly. ⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty-handed.⁵⁴ He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, remembering his mercy, ⁵⁵ just as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and to Abraham’s descendants forever.” (Luke 1:39-55, CEB)

Mary went to see Elizabeth and John lept when he heard Mary’s voice!

John knew that Mary was the mother of Jesus even before he was born.

This is hard for us to fathom. This is hard for me to believe.

But the Scripture says this. So it must be true, right?

Do you know any of your family’s stories? Are they all 100% true?

Sometimes details are embellished or changed ever so slightly to help make the story better.

John prepared the way for Jesus in many ways and was a great person of faith. John did many things to help many believe in Christ and to be followers of the way. John gave his life for the faith.

And this story tells of cousins who had babies and both were over joyed in the circumstance, one being “too old” and one being “too unwed” for babies, but their lives were changed, as our lives were changed by their babies.

Love the story. Share the story of a baby born in Bethlehem, in a stable, to show the world how to love.

Loving People. Loving God.

³¹ At that time, some Pharisees approached Jesus and said, “Go! Get away from here, because Herod wants to kill you.” ³² Jesus said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Look, I’m throwing out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will complete my work. ³³ However, it’s necessary for me to travel today, tomorrow, and the next day because it’s impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’ ³⁴ “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who were sent to you! How often I have wanted to gather your people just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But you didn’t want that. ³⁵ Look, your house is abandoned. I tell you, you won’t see me until the time comes when you say, Blessings on the one who comes in the Lord’s name.” (Luke 13:31-35, CEB)

There is a great image of peace and protection in this section about death and wanting power.

Herod wants to kill Jesus and so do Pharisees because they are losing their power because of Jesus. And Jesus says that he won’t run away and that he wishes he could gather the people of Jerusalem together like a hen gathers her chicks under her wing. They are safe there. Protected from the world.

God wants us under her wing. Protected.

Do we want that?

Do we trust God enough to gather there?

Can we help others see the promises and the love God has for the world?

Can we help others know that they are loved by God?

Loving People. Loving God.

³¹ “To what will I compare the people of this generation?” Jesus asked. “What are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the marketplace calling out to each other, ‘We played the flute for you and you didn’t dance. We sang a funeral song and you didn’t cry.’ ³³ John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ ³⁴ Yet the Human One came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ ³⁵ But wisdom is proved to be right by all her descendants.” (Luke 7:31-35, CEB)

It seems no matter what we do someone will be upset. That is life, and that is shown here.

John didn’t eat or drink and they said he had a demon and Jesus came eating and drinking and he is a glutton and a drunk. So neither of them made the religious folk happy.

It seems religious folk are really only happy when they get their way which is always, however, they want it at that point in time. And that isn’t how any of this works.

God is in control, not us. We need to love everyone and allow God to be God.

Loving People. Loving God.

⁷ Then John said to the crowds who came to be baptized by him, “You children of snakes! Who warned you to escape from the angry judgment that is coming soon? ⁸ Produce fruit that shows you have changed your hearts and lives. And don’t even think about saying to yourselves, Abraham is our father. I tell you that God is able to raise up Abraham’s children from these stones. ⁹ The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be chopped down and tossed into the fire.” ¹⁰ The crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” ¹¹ He answered, “Whoever has two shirts must share with the one who has none, and whoever has food must do the same.” ¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized. They said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” ¹³ He replied, “Collect no more than you are authorized to collect.” ¹⁴ Soldiers asked, “What about us? What should we do?” He answered, “Don’t cheat or harass anyone, and be satisfied with your pay.” ¹⁵ The people were filled with expectation, and everyone wondered whether John might be the Christ. ¹⁶ John replied to them all, “I baptize you with water, but the one who is more powerful than me is coming. I’m not worthy to loosen the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷ The shovel he uses to sift the wheat from the husks is in his hands. He will clean out his threshing area and bring the wheat into his barn. But he will burn the husks with a fire that can’t be put out.” ¹⁸ With many other words John appealed to them, proclaiming good news to the people. (Luke 3:7-18, CEB)

You brood of vipers who told you to flee from the judgment that is coming! That is the version from the NRSV, a great text to read and preach to a congregation.

We all wonder what we have to do when really there isn’t anything we can do to merit the kingdom. But we all should be people of integrity. Say what we mean, mean what we say and treat all people with honor and justice and hope.

We shouldn’t sheat or harass or do anything for unmerited gain. We need to be above reproach and love all people.

No one is worthy of the kingdom and yet we are all loved by God.

Let us be the light in the dark world that shows others how God is love and loves us where we are.

Loving People. Loving God.

⁵⁷ When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a boy. ⁵⁸ Her neighbors and relatives celebrated with her because they had heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy. ⁵⁹ On the eighth day, it came time to circumcise the child. They wanted to name him Zechariah because that was his father’s name. ⁶⁰ But his mother replied, “No, his name will be John.” ⁶¹ They said to her, “None of your relatives have that name.” ⁶² Then they began gesturing to his father to see what he wanted to call him. ⁶³ After asking for a tablet, he surprised everyone by writing, “His name is John.” ⁶⁴ At that moment, Zechariah was able to speak again, and he began praising God. ⁶⁵ All their neighbors were filled with awe, and everyone throughout the Judean highlands talked about what had happened. ⁶⁶ All who heard about this considered it carefully. They said, “What then will this child be?” Indeed, the Lord’s power was with him. (Luke 1:57-66, CEB)

They wanted to name the child Zechariah after his father and they were confused when Elizabeth said his name would be John. But when Zechariah confirmed John as the name and then began to speak again after not being able to speak since seeing the angel in the inner sanctum of the temple.

That would make me go, what then will this kid be too!

When God has a plan, we will not get in the way.

God’s will will be done through us or in spite of us.

Do you get in the way or let God work through you?

Loving People. Loving God.