Advent isn’t just about counting down; it’s about cultivating expectancy. In this first message of the Expecting series, Mark Medley opens Luke 1:57–80 and lingers with Zechariah, the aging priest whose silenced voice is restored in a rush of praise and prophecy. Mark shows how God remembers the prayers we forget, and how worship becomes the space where His covenant faithfulness turns personal. Zechariah blesses the God of Israel for visiting and redeeming His people—and then, mid-song, hears a Spirit-given word over his newborn son: “And you, child…” Praise turns prophetic, and purpose is unveiled.

Mark frames worship with a simple, weighty pattern: revelation, response, and relationship. God, in mercy, discloses Himself; we respond with heart, mind, body, and voice; and that response reshapes our lives with Him. The size of our worship mirrors the size of our view of God. That’s why pondering His attributes—holiness, mercy, wisdom, sovereignty—matters. Steeping in Scripture through the week makes Sunday sing; truth inside us resonates with truth we declare. Worship, Mark insists, is not about what I like—it’s about who I love.

Drawing a thread through Scripture, Mark connects Paul’s call to sing “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” (Ephesians 5:18–19; Colossians 3:16) with the pattern in Exodus 15. Israel celebrates what God has done, moves into adoration to God, and then declares what God will do—a Spirit-led word that never contradicts the Bible. The same dynamic appears in Zechariah’s song. We sing about God, we sing to God, and then, filled with the Word and the Spirit, we receive from God. Zephaniah 3:17 reminds us that He is a singing God; as we lift our voices, He rejoices over us with singing.

Along the way, Mark offers practical ways to lean in during Advent: choose one attribute each week and saturate your mind with Scripture; expect your worship to move from celebration to intimacy to timely, biblically faithful encouragement. Parents can expect God to speak about their children. All of us can expect Him to give hope, correction, and direction as we gather at home and in church. If you’re at a low point, take courage—Zechariah’s silence ended in a song that shaped history. Emmanuel means God with us, and worship helps us notice.

If this message helps you reframe Advent, share it with a friend and stay with us for the rest of Expecting. What is God inviting you to expect from Him this week?

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