Advent Stories

Zechariah

NOTES:  This worship drama is part 1 of a 4 part series on the Advent Story.  In this series Zechariah, Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary reminisce about their roles in the Advent of Christ.  In part 1, Zechariah talks about his memories about the angelic visit and subsequent birth of John the Baptist.

THE STAGE IS EMPTY.  ZECHARIAH ENTERS AND WALKS TO THE CENTER OF THE STAGE.

What an amazing God we serve!  As I look back on my part in the advent story I am in awe of the way God worked through the lives of ordinary people to change the course of human history.

My name is Zechariah, I am the father of the boy who became John the Baptist, God’s messenger for the coming of the Christ.  To have been the father of God’s special servant - what an honor that was.

It all started many years before, when Elizabeth and I were first married.  What a beautiful young woman she was.  We were so excited, we couldn’t wait to start our family.  I had always wished for a house full of sons and daughters.  One of my favorite Psalms was the one that said:

Sons are a heritage from the Lord,
         children a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
         are sons born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
         whose quiver is full of them.

How we dreamed of a table surrounded by our children.  I especially wanted to have sons.  As a member of the tribe of Levi, my sons would have followed me as priests or Levites.  When I read the stories of Eli and Samuel, and how their sons did not obey God and were rejected as priests, I vowed that my sons would be raised to honor God in their priestly service.

But as the years passed, we came to realize that Elizabeth was barren.  In our day, that was often seen as a sign of God’s displeasure.  That hurt us deeply because we both tried so hard to serve God in all that we did.  It was especially difficult for me because I was a priest.  Everyone wondered, why is God punishing one of his priests?  What great sins have Zechariah and Elizabeth committed?

I prayed every day that God would lift this disgrace from us, but nothing happened.  Years and years went by.  I kept praying, even after Elizabeth was beyond the time of bearing children, though I did it more out of habit than faith.  I was so disappointed in God.  Why would he not do this one simple thing for us?

Finally there came the most exciting and frightening day of my life.  My division was serving at the Temple in Jerusalem.  What a magnificent building the Temple had become.  During the rule of Herod the Great, God’s Temple was completely rebuilt.  It had been under construction for over 15 years when I was there.  It wasn’t nearly finished, but it was becoming an amazing building.  It was over 150 feet high, and on the temple mount it could be seen from almost anywhere in the city.  I never understood how a man as evil and corrupt as Herod could be part of such a wonderful undertaking as the rebuilding of God’s Temple.

When the lots were cast to select the priest to enter the Holy of Holies to offer incense, I was chosen.  I knew this would be the high point of my priestly service.  For the only time in my life I would be inside the Holy of Holies itself, almost in the very presence of God.  I was in awe, and somewhat frightened, when I entered through the curtain to make the offering.

Because I was already so nervous, I almost fainted with fright when I heard a voice beside me.  There shouldn’t have been anyone else there.  I turned around and saw an angel of God.  I couldn’t believe my eyes.  When he spoke to me I couldn’t believe my ears either.  He told me that Elizabeth and I were going to have a son at last.  And more than that, our son would have the power and spirit of Elijah, would be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth, and would prepare Israel for the coming of the Lord.  I was so shocked that I simply could not believe it.  An old man and his barren wife having a child?  How could this be?

If you think being in the presence of an angel is frightening, try being in the presence of an angry angel.  When I doubted, the angel said “I am Gabriel and I stand in the presence of God Himself!”  I felt so foolish.  How could I doubt God’s message of joy?  God was at last answering my years of prayer, and I wouldn’t believe it.  Because of my unbelief, I was unable to speak throughout Elizabeth’s pregnancy.

When I left the Holy of Holies, a crowd was waiting.  Because I had taken so long, they were curious.  When I was unable to speak they were amazed.  For me, it was unbelievably frustrating.  Here I had a great revelation to tell, and I couldn’t even speak.  How badly I wanted to tell of what I had seen and heard.  But of course the story of the coming Messiah was for my son to tell, not me.

For over 400 years God had been silent.  Since the time of His last great prophet, Malachi, there had been no revelations from God.  In Israel we began to wonder if God had forgotten his promise.  As wave after wave of conquering armies swept over our land, we asked “When will you deliver us Lord, when will you send your Messiah?”.  At last God had spoken.  Through Gabriel I learned that the prophecy of Malachi was about to be fulfilled: “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me.  Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple;  the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come, says the Lord Almighty”.  But because of my unbelief, I could tell no one. 

God had answered my prayer at last, and in a way that was beyond my wildest dreams.  I had asked for sons to follow me as priest.  What I got instead was as son who was to be the messenger who prepared Israel for the coming of the Christ.  What a magnificent God we serve!

Elizabeth

NOTES:  This worship drama is part 2 of a 4 part series on the Advent Story.  In this series Zechariah, Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary reminisce about their roles in the Advent of Christ.  In part 2, Elizabeth talks about her memories about her pregnancy with John the Baptist and her visit with Mary.

THE STAGE IS EMPTY.  ELIZABETH ENTERS AND WALKS TO THE CENTER OF THE STAGE.

What a magnificent God we serve!  The Lord our God is able to do marvelous things for His people because of His love and power.

My name is Elizabeth, the wife of Zechariah and the mother of John the Baptist.  I was astounded when Zechariah returned home from Jerusalem after his time of serving at the Temple.  I had never seen him so excited before.  But he was also very frustrated because he couldn’t talk.  Fortunately he could read and write, so he was able to communicate a little of what he wanted to say.

When he told me that we were going to have a son I was shocked.  I had been past the age of bearing children for years, and even when we were young I was barren.  Having a son at my old age?  Unbelievable!  Now I know how Sarah must have felt when the Lord told her and Abraham that they would have a son in their old age.  I laughed to myself just as Sarah did.

The Lord was faithful to his promise though, and the next month I began to feel nausea and tiredness (I mean being more tired than us old women normally are).  It became news throughout the entire region - Elizabeth the childless one was pregnant in her old age.  I went into seclusion as a sign of gratitude to God, and to escape from the stares and whispers of my neighbors.  It didn’t take long for the joy of God’s gift to be tempered by reality though.  Believe me, God was wise when He left childbearing to the young and strong.  Being pregnant at my age has some serious drawbacks.

The most wonderful time during my pregnancy was when my niece Mary came to visit.  I was about six months along by then.  When I heard Mary’s voice, something strange happened.  It was almost as though John was able to hear her from inside of me.  It seemed as though he lept with joy because she was here.  I don’t know how I knew it, but at that same moment I suddenly understood - Mary was with child too, with the Lord’s Christ.

What a pair we must have been, laughing, crying, hugging.  On the one hand, there I am.  This ancient withered old woman, with my big pregnant belly sticking out.  On the other hand, there’s Mary.  So young, still almost a child herself.  And off to the side stands Zechariah, not saying a word of course, with this gigantic knowing smile on his face.  He knew exactly what was going on, but he couldn’t tell anyone.

Who but our magnificent God could have planned such a scene?  Who but God would choose an old couple to raise the man who would announce the coming of our Savior?  Who but God would choose this one teenage girl, from among all the women of Israel, to bring His Son into the world?  Who but God would think of becoming a man so we could see him, touch him, be saved by him?

The three months of Mary’s visit must have flown by for her, but they were the longest months of my life.  Towards the end I could hardly move.  I felt like that giant fish that swallowed Jonah.  I thought John was never going to come.  I’d have tried to go for some walks to shake him loose, but that would have been too much of a spectacle.  Those who didn’t die from laughter would have talked about it for years.  Elizabeth, the ancient one, waddling around town nine months pregnant.

Finally the day came, and John was born.  All memories of the pain and discomfort vanished in a moment.  When I held him in my arms for the first time I thought I’d burst with joy.  What an amazing gift of new life from our amazing God.

When it came time to name him, several of our relatives expected us to name him Zechariah, after his father.  They didn’t understand when I told them he was to be named John.  I’m sure they thought that the old woman had gone completely crazy, but I wouldn’t change my mind.  Finally they gave Zechariah a writing tablet and he wrote “His name is John”.  As soon as he finished writing, Zechariah was able to speak, and he hasn’t stopped since.  Zechariah can’t stop praising God for all that He’s done.  We are both so excited to have been used by God as part of His plan to bring His Messiah to Israel.

Shortly after this, Mary had to leave.  I was so sad to see her go, but I was glad she had been able to come.  I kept thinking to myself “If God’s plan includes a child for us, what does He have in mind for Mary?”  God proved to me that He is a marvelously unpredictable God.  I prayed that God would strengthen Mary for the burdens she was to carry.

While we could only see a very small piece of God’s plan, it was amazing to watch it unfold.  With my unexpected pregnancy and Zechariah’s angelic vision, loss of speech and then regaining speech, the whole region was wondering about what John would become.  Even before John was old enough to speak, his ministry had begun.  People were beginning to ask if God was again at work among us.  Because of that, when John did begin to teach they were ready to listen, prepared to hear a message from God.

An old woman and a young girl, each bearing a son to fulfill the Lord’s plan of salvation.  One is born to prepare the people’s hearts, the other to pay the price for their sins.  What an incredible God we serve!

Joseph

NOTES:  This worship drama is part 3 of a 4 part series on the Advent Story.  In this series Zechariah, Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary reminisce about their roles in the Advent of Christ.  In part 3, Joseph talks about learning of the coming birth of Jesus and the journey to Bethlehem.

THE STAGE IS EMPTY.  JOSEPH ENTERS AND WALKS TO THE CENTER OF THE STAGE.

What an incredible God we serve!  When I look back on the events leading up to the birth of Jesus, I can hardly believe it.  The way God guided us through those events to accomplish His plan is simply incredible.

I’m Joseph, the husband of Mary and the legal guardian of Jesus during His childhood.  I had been living in the town of Nazareth my entire life.  I learned my trade of carpentry from my father, as he had learned it from his father before him.  Unlike Jerusalem, where there was frequent political upheaval because it was the power center of the region, Galilee had been a quiet area for decades.

Because Nazareth was a small town, I got to know almost everyone as I grew up.  Of all the girls in the town, Mary was the one I noticed the most.  She wasn’t the most beautiful girl in town, but she had a kind and gentle personality that I found irresistible.  We were both so happy when we were formally betrothed.  Once that happened we began making plans for our lives together.  That was a joyful and exciting time for both of us.

Then came the darkest day in my life.  Mary and her parents came to tell me that she was pregnant.  I was so deeply hurt I could barely stand it.  The thought of Mary in the arms of another man filled me with jealousy and rage.  And then there was this unbelievable story of a visit from an angel telling her she would miraculously bear the Son of God.  What foolishness!  What an insult!  If she had said that she had given herself to another man, that would have been bad enough.  But to try to hide her adultery behind this wild story made things even worse.  Unfortunately I lost my temper and said some angry and hurtful things to Mary and her parents.

It took several days for the shock to wear off, but I was finally able to calm down.  In spite of my feelings of betrayal, I still loved Mary deeply.  I decided that I should treat her gently even though she didn’t deserve it.  I met with her father and Nazareth’s rabbi and we agreed that I would divorce her quietly.  Of course in a town as small as Nazareth there are no secrets, so even a quiet divorce would have the gossips talking for weeks.  We agreed that after the divorce Mary would go and stay with relatives until the baby was born.  Once she left Nazareth, I didn’t expect to ever see Mary again.

A few nights later I finally was able to sleep soundly for the first time in weeks.  I was at peace with what we had decided to do about Mary.  Suddenly an angel appeared and told me exactly what Mary had said, that Mary’s child was of the Holy Spirit and that a son would be born.  We were to name Him Jesus because He would be the Savior of Israel.

When I woke I was thrilled, but also broken hearted.  I had doubted Mary and said such awful things to her.  When she needed me most, I had abandoned her.  That very night I went to her house to beg her forgiveness.  Her parents thought I had gone crazy when I came pounding on their door in the middle of the night.  But I couldn’t wait, I had to set things right.

A few days later we were wed and Mary came to live with me.  Shortly after that she went to visit her aunt Elizabeth.  This gave the town gossips plenty to talk about: rumors of divorce, a sudden marriage, a quick visit to another town.  All the old women of Nazareth were talking about how totally out of control the younger generation had become.

About this same time we began hearing rumors about a huge Roman census that was being planned.  Leave it to our Roman masters to come up with such an insane idea.  We were all to travel to our ancestral homes to register, no doubt for the privilege of having our taxes increased.  When I learned when the census was to occur, I couldn’t believe it.  We would have to travel all the way to Bethlehem in Mary’s ninth month!  I kept asking myself, why would God allow such a thing?  What would happen to poor Mary when she had to leave her family at this critical time?  Didn’t God realize the risk this would be to His child?

The trip to Bethlehem was an absolute nightmare.  We tried to leave early, but we traveled so slowly because of Mary’s condition.  Mary’s water broke and she started having heavy contractions when we were still several miles from town.  I was in a panic when we arrived, and then things got worse.  Because we traveled so slowly, the town was completely packed when we got there.  We tried desperately to find a place to stay, but there was no room, especially for a woman screaming with pain.

Finally we met an innkeeper who took mercy on us.  He let us stay in the stable behind his inn.  Because of the animals it was surprisingly warm and comfortable.  He also found the town midwife and sent her to help us.  I will never forget what that kind man did for us.  I’m sure that God used him to prepare for the safe birth of His Son.

Shortly after Jesus was born, the most amazing thing happened.  All of a sudden a group of shepherds came to the door of the stable, asking to see the Messiah.  I couldn’t believe my ears - the Messiah?  I had become so distracted by the pressure of the last few days I had forgotten the angel’s message from nine months ago.  The shepherds told of an entire army of angels announcing the birth of their Savior.  For the first time I truly understood what had happened.  God, in some way that I could not understand, had become man.  Here in a stable, in a remote backwater of the Roman Empire, God Himself had come to His people.

God’s plan of salvation had begun.  By the power of the Holy Spirit, a frightened teenage girl, with the help of her carpenter husband, at the command of the emperor of Rome, had given birth to the Son of God in the town of Bethlehem.  What a loving God we serve!

Mary

NOTES:  This worship drama is part 4 of a 4 part series on the Advent Story.  In this series Zechariah, Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary reminisce about their roles in the Advent of Christ.  In part 4, Mary talks about her memories about the angelic visit and the journey to Bethlehem.

THE STAGE IS EMPTY.  MARY ENTERS AND WALKS TO THE CENTER OF THE STAGE.

What a loving God we serve!  When I think about how much God must love us to send his only Son to live among us and take our sins upon Himself, it is almost beyond belief.

I’m Mary, the mother of Jesus.  I’ve never understood why I was chosen by God to bear His Son.  While I’ve always tried to serve God as best I could, surely there’s nothing so unique about me to deserve this great honor.  God is truly gracious to select a typical teenage girl to be His chosen maidservant.

There was nothing special about my childhood in Nazareth, I was just one of several young girls in town.  I’m sure my parents thought I was hopelessly irresponsible and immature, just like all my friends.  We’d spend hours and hours just sitting together and talking and giggling.  As we got older we of course spent most of our time talking about boys and who we might marry some day.

I’ll never forget the day my parents told me that they had arranged for me to marry Joseph the carpenter.  I was so thrilled.  He was probably the most sought-after young man in the entire region.  Having a skilled trade, everyone knew he would be a good provider.  But those were practical things for my parents to worry about, I was more concerned about other things.  I thought he was very handsome, and he was very strong and well built from years of learning the trade of a carpenter.  But he was also a gentle and godly man.  I felt that God was giving me a great blessing to be able to marry such a man.

Joseph and I had been betrothed for several months, we had so much fun planning our wedding feast and our life together.  Then one night I was wakened by an angel and everything changed.  At first I didn’t understand what the angel was talking about.  All this “The power of the Most High shall overshadow you” stuff was rather confusing.  Then I understood that I had been chosen by God to bear His Son.  It wasn’t as though God was demanding this, it was more like He was asking permission.  Would I be willing to be used by Him to bring His Son into the world?  I felt such honor.  Of course I said yes.

Little did I know what I was getting into.  Joseph did not respond at all like I expected.  When I told him about the angel’s message, he didn’t believe me.  It didn’t help that my parents were shuffling their feet and looking at the ground like they didn’t believe either.  At first Joseph was sad, but then he became angry.  It was awful to see the hurt in his eyes and hear the anger in his voice.

I was so confused, it was as though my entire world was falling apart.  One day I’m betrothed to a wonderful man.  And the next, after being open to God’s will for me, I’m branded as an adulterer.  I was so frightened.  I didn’t know what to do or what would become of me.  In our culture women had no legal standing.  What hope was there for a single woman with a child everyone believed was illegitimate?  How could I possibly raise God’s Son as a social outcast?

Fortunately God, in His timing and in His way, intervened.  An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him that what I had said was true.  I’ll never forget that night when Joseph came to our house, pounding on the door, begging to speak with me.  He was so sorry for how he had reacted.  At first my father wouldn’t let him in, but Joseph refused to leave.  It was so wonderful to see Joseph’s loving and gentle side again.

After we were wed, Joseph sent me to visit my aunt Elizabeth.  We had such a wonderful visit.  I was so happy for her that she was going to have a child at last.  We knew her son would somehow prepare Israel for the work of Jesus, but we could see only a small part of God’s plan.

God’s plan became even more confusing when we learned of the Roman census.  Why would God force us to travel so late in my pregnancy?  I was worried for the health of my baby.  I was also frightened to be so far away from my mother and family.  It was only much later that we realized that God was fulfilling one of His prophesies - that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.  God worked through the emperor of Rome to fulfill this part of His plan.  But at the time it made no sense.

Poor Joseph did the best he could on our journey to Bethlehem, but you know how men are, especially when pregnant women and babies are involved.  He tried to be gentle, but at the same time was trying to hurry us along.  I had been having contractions off and on for several days, then when my water broke the contractions came on fast and strong.  I almost completely lost control because of my pain and fear.  All I wanted was to be back home with my mother.

I don’t know how he did it, but Joseph somehow got us into Bethlehem.  He ran from house to house trying to find us someplace to stay, but it was no use.  The next thing I remember was being in a stable with the midwife leaning over me.  She was so gentle and patient, it was as though she had been sent directly from God.  A short time later Jesus was born.  What a joy and relief that was.  He looked so small and weak, just like a normal infant.  Could this really be the Son of God?

Then the shepherds came.  At first Joseph was defensive and protective and wouldn’t let them come in.  But when they told their wonderful story of the message from a host of angels, he stepped aside.  They knelt down and gently reached out to touch Jesus’ hands and hair.  How strange to see grown men bowing down to worship a newborn infant.

And this was all just the beginning.  There were so many amazing events in those first months - a prophet and prophetess praising God because of Jesus when he was circumcised, a visit of noblemen from the east, fleeing to Egypt, amazing and unbelievable events.  Truly it is an amazing, magnificent, incredible, loving God that we serve!