Zechariah (a 2nd in the advent serial)

By John Piper November 30, 1986

The priests and merchants in the hills,
And girls and women at the mills,
Had smiled at old man Zach as long
As many could recall. "The song!"
They'd shout, when he returned to them
From duty in Jerusalem,
"The song!" For twenty years they'd sung
The song, and put it on the tongue
Of children when they told the tale
Of how the "Desert John" was born.
That's what they called his son.

The corn
Would crush between the wheels
As women worked to make the meals
For half a dozen priests from old
Abijah's clan. Then they'd be told,
"The clan is back! And old man Zach
Is coming up the hill!" With pack
And staff and ninety years of life,
—Or more, some said—he'd climb.

His wife
Had met him on the ridge until
She died. Most say she'd taken ill
Because the desert took her boy.
She groaned for days and cried, "Destroy
Your snakes and vipers, wilderness,
But not my son!" The boy was less
Than twelve the first time he had not
Returned. And then before he'd got
A beard upon his face he ceased
To come at all. And facing east
Upon her simple mat she died.
But not the old man Zach. He'd cried
For her and John, but then he took
His staff and pack and sacred book.
And kept his yearly vigil for
Another fifteen years. "Adore
The God who gives and God who takes,"
He used to say. "The Sovereign makes
No large or small mistakes."

When he
And other hill-born priests would be
A furlong from the village mill,
The shout would rise, "He's on the hill!"
And girls would leave their grinding stones.
"The song! The song!" they'd shout. The tones
Were struck and all would sing—just four
Short lines for old man Zach, no more:

"A barren womb has given birth,
A desert boy from desert sprung.
Who can foresee the baby's worth,
The boy who made his father young?"

And it was true: the boy had made
His father young. Old Zach had prayed
That God would let him see the day
When John would lift his voice and say,
"Prepare! Prepare the way of God!"
Now thirty years gone by, he trod
This one last time the village hill,
And at the setting of the sun lay still
With fever in his face.

The men
Kept vigil through the night, and when
His breath was almost gone, he said,
"John, John." An old friend stroked his head.
For all they knew the boy'd been dead
For fifteen years. The sky turned red
Along the eastern ridge. His breath
Would pause, and then, evading death,
Return, each time more soft. And then,
Against the blood-red sky, the men
Saw silhouetted like a black
And brawny desert priest, with pack
And staff and sacred book, the frame
Of John. They knew it, for he came
Straight to the simple shelter where
He'd lived for half his life. And there,
Without a word to those who sat
Spellbound, he knelt beside the mat.
And as he bent, his long black hair
Fell ‘round their face like answered prayer,
And made a holy tent. He kissed
His father's eyes with glazen mist,
The first flesh he had touched for ten
Long, lonely years plus five. And then
He put his lips beside the old
Man's waiting ear and said, "Behold,
A voice that in the desert cries,
‘Prepare the way of God!'" The eyes
Of Zechariah twitched. His hand
Rose as if drawn from heaven, the grand
Gesture of a grateful priest.
And as the glory of the east
Began to shine, his arm fell ‘round
John's neck, then softly to the ground.

O God, our arms and hope are weak:
He has been gone so long!
But He alone is all we seek!

O that your bright and shining face
Would shine in candle one,
And grant by your almighty grace

That we embrace the Son.

© Desiring God

By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org

What is Advent?

What Is Advent?
December 2, 2009 | By: Noel Piper | Category: Commentary

We are a people of promise. For centuries, God prepared people for the coming of his Son, our only hope for life. At Christmas we celebrate the fulfillment of the promises God made—that he would give a way to draw near to him.

Advent is what we call the season leading up to Christmas. It begins four Sundays before December 25, sometimes in the last weekend of November, sometimes on the first Sunday in December. This year it was November 29.

1 Peter 1:10-12 is a clear description of what we look back to during Advent.

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. (1 Peter 1:10-12 )

For four weeks, it’s as if we’re re-enacting, remembering the thousands of years God’s people were anticipating and longing for the coming of God’s salvation, for Jesus. That’s what advent means—coming. Even God’s men who foretold the grace that was to come didn’t know “what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating." They were waiting, but they didn’t know what God’s salvation would look like.

In fact, God revealed to them that they were not the ones who would see the sufferings and glory of God’s Christ:

They were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.

They were serving us. We Christians on this side of Jesus’ birth are a God-blessed, happy people because we know God’s plan. The ancient waiting is over. We have the greatest reason to celebrate.

(Adapted from Treasuring God in Our Traditions)

Advent

The Advent season is upon us.

Wikipedia defines it this way: Advent (from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming") is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas.

The progression of the season may be marked with an Advent calendar,(our kids have received theirs from Abi's mum, as is her tradition every year, and they are dutifully and joyfully opening each widow, day by day). Advent starts on the fourth Sunday before December 25, the Sunday between November 27 and December 3 inclusive.

Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used in reference to the Second Coming. Christians believe that the season of Advent serves a reminder both of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting of Christians for the second coming of Christ. Many, like our family, have the tradition of creating an Advent wreath. Each week we light a candle representing something leading up to Christ's coming.

Author, pastor John Piper has written several poems ending each with a candle lighting verse. Over the next few weeks as we prepare for the advent of Christ, in his second coming, being reminded of it in the celebration of his 1st coming, I will be serializing some of Pipers Advent poems. The first is the following, I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Advent Beauty, by John Piper

November 28, 1982

Tilting on her yearly track
Advent beauty circles back,
Flying faster with the years,
Hardly giving time for tears
First to dry upon the cheek—
Has it been more than a week
In the ground now winter cold?
Has there really been a spring
When the birds began to sing?
Has there been both summer, fall
Since the Baby in the stall
Called us with a Christmas bell
to sing, O Come, Immanuel?
Tilting on her yearly track
Advent beauty circles back,
Flying faster with the years—
Ah, but overtaking fears.
Let the Lord of advent lift
Every care (an early gift!);
See the Savior and the Son
Shine in advent candle one.


© Desiring God

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Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org

3 Take aways from yesterday's sermon

Luke 6:36-42

1. Convert to God's Measuring system
2. Chose Jesus as your teacher
3. Stop posing & start dealing with the sin in your life

I was convicted and challenged.

When all seemed lost...

Where were you 8 years ago today? Abi and I were living in England and on our way to the hospital. We were about to have our 2nd child and we were going in for the last check before she was to arrive.

On the way to the L&D we heard a snatch of a news bulletin about a plane crash in New York. As we were nearing the end of our day with joy and anticipation in our hearts for our soon to be born baby girl, our friends and family were waking up to the horror that would shape a nation and shape world policies for years to come. We arrived at the hospital and it was strangely quiet. We discovered quickly that it was on Code Red, but no one really knew why. And no one knew actually what was happening 4,000 miles away on that gorgeous sunny Autumn morning much like the one here today. What followed was shocking, horrific and time altering. After this date 8 years ago, nothing would ever be the same. Security was shattered and fear became the emotion that infected everything.

It was a strange time for us. Abi and I were full of joy as we drove home anxious to call our friends and family back in the US with the good news that we would be parents again in a day or so. But instead, we returned to a news broadcast that wouldn't go away and images that are imprinted on my brain for ever. Our joy was dampened and our desire to share our news suddenly seemed inappropriate and callous. Even if we wanted to we couldn't because the lines were jammed with people calling looking for news on their loved ones. We eventually were able to communicate and later one friend told us, they were grateful because in the midst of great tragedy, our joyous news was something wonderful to look forward to and a reminder that God is still on his throne, creating, caring and bringing forth life when all seems lost.

Eventually we discovered that all of our friends, we had many who lived in DC and frequently traveled to New York, were safe and accounted for. We were pleased and we had our beautiful baby girl 2 days later. Oddly though, I felt strangely detached from all that was going on in the US. It almost didn't seem real. A book of condolences was opened in London at the US Embassy and daily people from across the country and from around the world lined Grosvenor Square for the chance to sign the book and express their condolences for our loss as a nation.

We still feel that loss in many ways don't we? In this mortal life 9/11 will shape us as individuals, as a nation and as the world. The day of condolences is over, a period of anger and hostility toward our nation is the new order of the day. And internally, we have withdrawn, we are more fearful, we feel however real or accurate that its us and them.

But the reality of that day is still true this day 8 years later, the God of Heaven and earth, the God of this life and the life to come is still on his throne, still ruling and still calling us to him and to share in his atoning mercy and sacrificial love. Yes, he allowed what happened 8 years ago to happen and yet what happened 8 years and 2 days ago he caused to happen. One resulted in the loss of many lives the other was the creation of one beautiful life. Do I understand it completely, NO. Do I trust he is in control regardless of my finite understanding, YES.

I have come to live with my detachment from the events of that day as it is a strong reminder to me that I am actually not meant for this world, I am a citizen of another Kingdom and another land. I am only sojourning here in this one for a time.

My condolences who lost someone that day. I pray you will know a peace that goes beyond our ability to understand.