Hi, it’s Mick here and welcome to Friday’s Podcast. We hope you have enjoyed this weeks reflections on Luke’s account of the Christmas story and we are so grateful to our guest speakers this week, Brian, Sally and Mark from the St Hild faculty. Its a busy season for St Hild and we so appreciate our friends giving their time to bring us the Lord’s message to us this week. I wonder, what has Jesus been saying to you this week?

REFLECTION

Today’s reading is Luke 1:67-80 – the story of Zechariah. Again, you can hear the whole reading at the end of the worship song.

There is so much happening in Luke chapter one! Angels tell of the two new babies who are come into the world – John the Baptist and Jesus. Mary the mother of Jesus has a pre birth visit to Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist – it’s what pregnant mums do. Mary is so happy and full of joy she sings – her song has an original title, it’s called ‘Mary’s Song’ or the Maginificat – this is Latin for the first word or phrase, ‘magnify’.

The Magnificat is one of the three canticles, Latin for song, in the opening chapters of this Gospel, the other two being the ‘Nunc Dimittis’ – Simeon’s Song in chapter 2 and our reading today, Zechariah’s Song, also called ‘The Benedictus’ from the Latin (Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel”.

So why did Zechariah sing this song? God’s people at this time were not in a good place; they felt abandoned and alone as they lived under oppressive Roman rule. They were waiting for the promised Messiah, the one who would come to set them free and put things right. To be released from burdens, live in peace and have a purpose in life to see what all people are looking for, not just then, but now. They had been waiting a long time. Do you feel you are waiting for something to happen in your life? For a breakthrough? Read on!

Elisabeth was John the Baptist’s mother and Zechariah was his father. He had been unable to speak for 9 months – see v19-20 – never argue with an angel! Then John the Baptist is born and we read that it was a time of great celebration and joy (v57–66). Then Zechariah, who cannot speak writes, ‘“His name is to be John” – his mouth is now opened and he begins by praising God!’ (v63–64).Even John’s name was an expression of God’s blessings – it means ‘the Lord is a gracious giver’.

I have read these verses many times over the years and each time there is a fresh message from the Lord – today verse 68:

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.”

The Message translation says this:

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he came and set his people free.”

or even more specifically. ‘Blessed be the Lord … he came and set us free’

What kind of freedom is this? Zechariah’s words describe many of the freedoms that Jesus would bring to us: Freedom to really know God and be forgiven (v77); freedom to walk with him through life and to receive his wonderful guidance (v79b). Jesus came to set us free and in particular to free us from the two great burdens that humanity carries – freedom from fear (v74b) and freedom from death(v79b). This is why Zechariah is singing – he can see that God is coming to bring salvation, bring freedom to his people!

My wife Tricia and I have been involved in church leadership over many years, which means being involved with people. We have seen for ourselves what fear can do in people’s lives – fear of other people, the future, money, health … and the greatest fear being that of death itself. However, we have also seen people being set free from these things as they have experienced the life changing love of Jesus. They, like us can say ‘Blessed be the Lord … he came and set us free’ bu...