Luke 1:57-80, 1 Peter 3:15-16.

When Elizabeth first stated that her child would be called John, it wasn’t expected because it broke with the traditions and customs of the time. Those who had gathered at the naming ceremony turned to John who had been unable to speak since the angel of the Lord had met with him, and he had questioned the Lord’s plans. But now, as Zechariah revealed his obedience to the will of God, “his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak” (Luke 1:64). In that moment, the Lord’s promise was rooted and established through Zechariah’s obedience and was declared in his song of thanksgiving for the Messiah (68-70), the great deliverance he would bring (71-75), the place of John (76-77), and a declaration of Messianic salvation (78-79).

Zechariah was ready at just the right time to give his spoken and sung response to the Lord, in much the same way as we are encouraged in 1 Peter 3:15-16 to, “always be ready to give the reason for the hope that we have in Jesus”.

So are we? Are we ready this Christmas season to share the truth of Jesus as our Messiah in ways that show that we are rooted and established in him, and he is us?