Zechariah, a priest, and his wife Elizabeth were righteous but childless. An angel told Zechariah that Elizabeth would bear a son named John who would bring people back to God. Zechariah doubted and was made mute until John's birth. John would prepare people for Jesus' ministry of proclaiming good news to the poor, freedom for prisoners, and recovery of sight for the blind. Zechariah's song prophesied that Jesus would redeem people through his blood, save them from enemies, and call them to a holy life through grace. John would give people knowledge of salvation through forgiveness of sins and act as a light to guide people from darkness.

1. Songs of advent
Today
Zechariah’s song of prophecy

2. Zechariah
A faithful priest
… 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 – Luke 1:5-6

3. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old
Luke 1:7

4. Zechariah
A fearful priest
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him … 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’ – Luke 1:11-13

5. 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.’
Luke 1:16-17

6. Zechariah
A faithless priest
‘How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well on in years’
Luke 1:18
‘your prayer has been heard ...’
Luke 1:13

7. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time
Luke 1:20

8. ‘The Lord has done this for me …
In these days he has shown his favour and taken away my disgrace
among the people’
Luke 1:25

9. Zechariah’s song of prophecy
Ministry
of Jesus
Luke 1:67-75
Message
of John
Luke 1:76-79

10. Zechariah’s song of prophecy
Ministry of Jesus - Redemption
Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them
Luke 1:68

11. ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free
Luke 4:18

12. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son …
1 Peter 1:7 NLT

13. Zechariah’s song of prophecy
Ministry of Jesus - Salvation
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us … salvation from our enemies … to rescue us from the hand of our enemies … and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days
Luke 1:69-75

14. He has saved us and called us to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace
2 Tim 1:9

15. Zechariah’s song of prophecy
Message of John - Forgiveness
And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins
Luke 1:76-77

16. Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
John 1:29

17. Zechariah’s song of prophecy
Message of John - Illumination
because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace
Luke 1:78-79

18. ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’
John 8:12

19. 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
Luke 1:14