Today I want to tell you about an amazing woman named Elizabeth. We don’t talk a great deal about Elizabeth because she is often overshadowed by the men in her life. Her husband Zachariah was a well-known and respected priest among the people of a little town in the hill country of Judea. But among us Zachariah is famously remembered as the man once visited by the angel Gabriel. “Do not be afraid, Zachariah!”, the angel Gabriel told him, “your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son… who will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah.”[1] You might recall how Zachariah doubted Gabriel’s message and how as a result Zachariah was unable to speak until the promised child was born. We tell the story of Zachariah and talk about the importance of trusting the Lord’s promises, but when we tell that story we don’t say much, if anything, about Elizabeth.
For decades Elizabeth lived life in her husband’s shadow, but as the angel promised Elizabeth became pregnant with a son. This pregnancy was notable. Elizabeth was, as her husband boldly described her, “well along in years”. Which meant she was probably in her 50s or 60s, past the age of menopause and unable, medically speaking, to conceive or carry a child. Yet, to the amazement of all, a child was conceived, carried, and delivered. You would think Elizabeth would be the talk of the town, and perhaps for a time she was, but she was quickly overshadowed by her son. Elizabeth’s son was John the Baptist. According to Jesus Himself, “Among those born to women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.”[2] We talk a great deal about John the Baptist; about his camelhair coat, grasshopper diet, and his baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, but when we talk about John we don’t say much if anything about his mother Elizabeth.
Elizabeth is often overshadowed by the men in her life, but this morning I want to bring her out of the shadows and show you what a God fearing, faith sharing, source of comfort Elizabeth was and how God used this amazing woman at a pivotal point in the salvation story.
Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron; she came from a family of priests and was herself married to a priest. This does not mean she was herself a Master of Theology, I know my wife gets frustrated when people assume she can wax eloquent about all things spiritual and divine because she is married to a pastor, but I do think it is safe to assume Elizabeth had a good understanding of Scripture and the prophecies and promises they contain. But Elizabeth didn’t just know the Scriptures, she lived them. It would not have been easy for Elizabeth to remain childless in a culture that assumed a woman remained childless because of a specific sin. However, Elizabeth observed all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. The Holy Spirit describes Elizabeth as “upright in the sight of God”.[3] Elizabeth endured the scorn of others patiently and when she became pregnant as the angel had promised Elizabeth graciously proclaimed, “The Lord has done this for me. In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”[4] Elizabeth was a God-fearing woman and for this reason alone she deserves our attention, but there is still more to tell.
As if the shadow cast upon her by her husband and son were not enough, Elizabeth’s cousin was a young virgin girl, by the name of Mary who had recently become the mother of the promised Messiah and savior of the world. In our gospel lesson from Luke 1:39-45 Elizabeth receives a visit from that cousin. We read, “39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.” Mary lived about 120 miles away from her cousin Elizabeth. That’s about the same distance from Johns Creek, GA to Chattanooga, TN. To get there Mary would have to walk and it would take her about a week, but, in Mary’s estimation, Elizabeth was worth the effort. You see, the angel Gabriel told Mary about Elizabeth’s pregnancy. Mary knew if anyone would understand what she was going through it would be Elizabeth. So, Mary hurried to Elizabeth’s home full of eager excitement and no small amount of anxious fear.
It appears Mary told no one about the child that was growing in her womb, after all who would understand, who would believe her. Mary believed the angel, she trusted in her God, but still we can imagine how anxiety filled the young girl as she prepared to share the news of her child with another. Upon arrival at her cousin’s house, we can imagine Mary offering Elizabeth a timid שָׁלוֹם. What comfort must have filled Mary when she heard Elizabeth’s reaction to her greeting. Luke tells us when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, she shouted a great shout, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!” No human had yet spoken of this child. His existence was a secret known only to Mary, Gabriel, and God. Yet before Mary utters a word, Elizabeth is proclaiming blessings to both mother and child.
Luke explains how this pious housewife was privy to such private information. Luke writes, “41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” The angel Gabriel had said Elizabeth’s child would be “filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth”[5]. Here we see an example of what the angel was talking about and as a side note we take comfort in the knowledge that the Holy Spirit can work in the heart of a child that is not yet fully formed. However, it was not just the heart of an unborn child in which the Holy Spirit worked. The Holy Spirit filled Elizabeth and like the great prophets before her, Elizabeth proclaimed the promised Messiah birth.
Elizabeth proclaimed, “43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Elizabeth called the baby in Mary’s belly “Lord”. She identified the yet unborn Baby to be her Lord! So far in Luke’s gospel the title “Lord” has only been applied to the one who sits on the throne of heaven as creator and preserver of the universe. Elizabeth’s husband went into the temple to offer incense to the “Lord”, it was an angel of the “Lord” who announced the birth of Elizabeth’s son. Yet, Elizabeth calls the baby in Mary’s belly “Lord” and in so doing Elizabeth identifies the baby in Mary’s belly as the creator and preserver of all things who has come from the throne of heaven to take up residency in a woman’s womb.
Further still Elizabeth confesses how unworthy she is to stand in the Lord’s presence, she calls herself “favored”. Favored not because she who has spent her life living in the shadows of others now stands in the presence of the Lord but favored because she who is a sinner now stands in the presence of her savior. It is unlikely Elizabeth knew how Mary’s baby would secure her salvation, after all at this point in time Mary’s Baby was about the size of a poppy seed. However, Elizabeth identified Mary’s baby as the source from which her salvation and all salvation would come.
Elizabeth prophesied about her Lord and savior; Elizabeth was a faith sharing woman who deserves our attention but there is one more thing I want tell you about her. As a prophetess Elizabeth spoke to Mary on behalf of the Lord and the words she spoke were words of comfort. “45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” Elizabeth knew from first-hand experience how easy it was to doubt the promises of the Lord, her husband’s silence the past few months was a reminder of that. Elizabeth praised Mary for her faith and assured Mary that her faith was well founded; that what the Lord said would be done, would be done. Both Elizabeth and Mary knew the Lord had promised that the seed of Eve would one day save the world. Both Elizabeth and Mary knew the Lord had promised that the virgin will be with child and give birth to a son. With these words Elizabeth was assuring Mary that in her these promises were being fulfilled. The seed of Eve had now been planted in Mary’s womb, though she was a virgin, Mary was with child and would give birth to a son. What the Lord had said was being accomplished. The words of Elizabeth must have comforted and encouraged Mary for as soon as she heard them Mary’s soul began to glorify the Lord, and her spirit rejoiced in God her Savior, Mary began to sing what we now call the Magnificat.
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. The Christmas story follows Mary back to Nazareth and Elizabeth once more is overshadowed, but her words of comfort and encouragement were not forgotten. It is not difficult to imagine how once more the old anxiety filled Mary as she prepared to share the news of her child with her mother, father and her betrothed. No doubt the words Elizabeth had spoken to her were a constant source of comfort and encouragement as Mary made her way to Nazareth, then Bethlehem, then Egypt, then back to Nazareth, and ultimate to a blood stained cross and an empty tomb. Elizabeth might have faded into the shadows but at least to Mary, Elizabeth was a source of comfort.
I want to tell you this story of Elizabeth; a woman who spent most of her life being overshadowed by others, because maybe sometimes that is how you feel. Whether it’s a shadow that is cast form a parent, a sibling, a spouse, a coworker, or classmate maybe you feel overlooked, unseen, and unnoticed. If so, you are probably tempted to believe you don’t play any significant role in the lives of people around you; that you don’t matter; that nobody would notice if you were just gone. If you have ever felt that way, if you are feeling that way right now, I want you to think of Elizabeth; a God fearing, faith sharing, source of comfort whom God used at a pivotal moment in the salvation story. There are about 6 verses in all of scripture dedicated to Elizabeth, yet God used this often-overshadowed woman to bring comfort and encouragement to the mother of our Savior when she needed it the most. This is not a small thing, this is not an insignificant thing, Elizabeth mattered to Mary. So maybe you are not the main character in your community, maybe you live in the shadow of a parent a sibling or a spouse, maybe you don’t spend as much time in the spotlight as others, but that does not mean God can’t use you. You; a God fearing, faith sharing, source of comfort can be used by God to encourage others when they need it the most. This is not a small thing, this is not an insignificant thing, you matter.
A woman like Elizabeth is easily overshadowed by others, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t amazing. Anyone and everyone who is a God fearing, faith sharing source of comfort can be used by God to encourage others when they need it the most. Which means even if you spend most of your life being overshadowed by others, God can use an amazing person like you. Amen.
[1] Luke 1:13-20
[2] Matthew 11:11
[3] Luke 1:6
[4] Luke 1:25
[5] Luke 1:15