Our Wednesday Evening Message for November 30, 2022

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                               "Prayer of Zacharias in The Temple"

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                                                 Text: Luke 1: 5-25

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In our Wednesday night Bible study, we are walking you through the various prayers found in the Old and New Testament. There are 100 of them found in your Bible.

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In this study, we look at the prayer of Zacharias in the temple.  Luke's recording of this event opens us to the New Testament with the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist. In this text, we have the prayers of a husband and wife who have been praying for a long time that they may have a son. They are now up in years, and Zacharias' wife, Elizabeth, has past the child bearing years. The angel Gabriel, a messenger from God, brings this couple good news that their prayers are going to be answered by God.

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With this good news, you would assume Zacharias would be thrilled that his prayers is finally going to be answered. You would think he could not wait for his priestly duties to be over so he could share the good news with his wife. Well, not exactly, his response to this good news was to the angel, "show me proof!" In other words, Zacharias said give me a sign that what you are telling me will come to past.

 

What is ironic about this event is that Zacharias is in the temple praying. He is praying for the sins of Israel, and praying that God would give his wife a son. At the same time, the people outside of the temple were praying. While he is praying, and angel appears to announce to him  that his prayers are going to be answered. What is Zacharias response? He says, "Show me proof that God will answer my prayers?"

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The reason for Zacharias skepticism is the fact that he and is wife is old. Now, Zacharias is a religious and righteous man being obedient to the law of Moses.

However, Zacharias is looking at the circumstances in his life, and saying God cannot do this. It is impossible situation is the reasoning of Zacharias, but we read in this chapter, "For with God nothing shall be impossible. (v.37)

 

The problem  with Zacharias is his faith, he fails to believe God is capable in keeping His promises. Not only that, he fails to believe that God is faithful in keeping His word. As a result, he faced a penalty with God and became speechless and deaf until John the Baptist is borne.

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Remember, my friend, God always keeps his promises, and He is always faithful in keeping His word. There is not much that you can count on in this world, but the faithfulness of God is one thing that Heaven will always deliver for us as His children.

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​​                                                          Pastor Michael R. Martin

 

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