Sing the Song of Saint John the Baptizer :: Luke 1:57-80

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[Introduction]

Not every song has a tune or is even sung. But there’s a song fathers like to teach their sons these days ... a song they sing, if not literally, nevertheless loudly and clearly. The lyrics vary from man to man, but the substance remains the same. They sing ...

Born to rise and own your flight /
Dreams aren’t wishes — they’re your light.

Build your own and lay it in stone /
Then the world will be your throne.

Yes, all too often these days, fathers invariably teach their sons to be strong but selfish ... successful but smug. And when they discover that their sons possess certain gifts or talents, they teach them to make these the focus of their lives, often at the expense of everyone and everything around them. 

Sadly, too many Christians these days also find themselves singing something similar, teaching their sons that Jesus should be the center of their lives UNTIL he gets in the way of something they NEED to achieve. They sing ... 

We build our altars out of silver and pride / 

With Jesus as the passenger along for the ride.

But when His cross collides with our upward climb / 

We leave Him behind for a throne of our time.

1.

In our Gospel reading this morning, Zechariah teaches his son to sing a much greater song, which is amazing when you consider the circumstances of the nativity of Saint John the Baptizer. 

Zechariah was old when he learned of John’s upcoming birth from the angel Gabriel. And his wife Elizabeth was barren. But in a miracle reminiscent of Sarah giving birth to Isaac, she too would bear a son, and his name will be YHWH is gracious, aka John, the angel said. He will be as Malachi wrote, the one who will be caused to turn the hearts of fathers to their sons, and the hearts of the sons to their fathers (Mal 4:6; Lk 1:16). ... And he will go in the spirit and power of Elijah, like Isaiah wrote, crying in the wilderness to clear away the path of YHWH and make smooth in the desert a highway for our God (Isa 40:3; Lk 1:17). 

Now ... I have to think that most, if not all of us, would happily receive that as great news. But Zechariah didn’t. For whatever reason, he had his doubts. And so he was silenced until he could sing a new song for all who gathered ’round. 

Upon the birth of John, went like this...

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel because he has visited and accomplished redemption for his people. And he has raised a horn of salvation [for] us in the house of his servant David, just as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, [that we have] salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all those hating us; to produce mercy with our fathers and to remember his holy covenant (vv 68-72). 

This is the song Zechariah taught his son. 

This is the song we should all teach our sons. 

It is the song that points us to Christ. 

Only then does Zechariah sing of his son. 

And you also, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, for the purpose of giving the knowledge of salvation to his people in the remission of their sins (vv 76-77).

And so he was and so he did. 

When all the world was cursed / by Moses’ condemnation / 

Saint John the Baptist came / with words of consolation (LSB 346:1ab).

The Gospels tell us, as he grew, he was strengthened in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel (v 80). ... Then all Jerusalem and Judea and the region of the Jordan were journeying to him, and they were baptized by him, confessing their sins (Mt 3:5-6). 

When he was finally asked why he was doing that, John’s song remained the same. He came baptizing with water so that we would all know who Jesus really is. As he himself testified, I did not know him. But the one who sent me to baptize in water, he said to me, the one upon whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, he is the one baptizing in the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and continue to bear witness that he is the Chosen One of God (Jn 1:33-34). 

So now we can join John in singing ...

Behold, the Lamb of God / that bears the world’s transgression.
Whose sacrifice removes / the devil’s dread oppression.

Behold, the Lamb of God / who takes away our sin.
Who for our peace and joy / will full atonement win (LSB 346:3)

Yes, Jesus is the one who fulfilled all righteousness in the waters of Baptism. 

Jesus is the one who has given sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf. 

Jesus is the one who ... on account of the cross ... died and has risen from the dead for you. He now lives in you and you in him. And blessed are you who are not scandalized by him. 

[Conclusion]

So if you want to know true glory, and if you want your children to know it too, then learn the song of John, and go where the Spirit points you ... back to your baptism 

That gladly we may walk / Upon our Savior’s way.

Until we live with him / in his eternal day (LSB 346:4cd)

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