Because You Did Not Believe
Notes
Transcript
Opening Illustration
Opening Illustration
A “confident” salesman in the city of Bodoe, Norway, recently lost a sixteen-car sale.
The story goes as follows.
A young man in a sweater, overalls, and rubber boots entered a car dealer’s shop in this city just north of the Arctic Circle.
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“Have you got cars on hand?”
“Sure we have,” the salesman answered.
“I want sixteen cars, if I like the model.”
“I have no time for jokes—buzz off,” answered the salesman.
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The man did—right across the street to another car dealer, selling a different make of cars.
He made similar inquiries and got full service.
The man in overalls really wanted sixteen cars and paid in cash.
You see, he belonged to a sixteen-man crew of a Norwegian trawler that caught record quantities of herring last season.
They decided to buy new cars and to buy all sixteen at once, to get the highest possible discount.
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So, please turn your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke.
We will conduct our study in Chapter 1 and focus on verses 18 through 25.
Our message this morning is called, “Because You Did Not Believe”
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As you are finding your place in God’s Word...
I want to share that this message this morning will focus on...
Doubting....
Disciplining...
And...
Fulfilling.
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Additionally, it should be noted that today’s message is a continuation of our message from last week...
And our second message in Luke’s narrative of the the announcement of the birth of the Forerunner...
John the Baptist.
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Opening Prayer
Opening Prayer
Before we consider our text, please join me in prayer...
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To remove doubt from our hearts...
To discipline us to keep us on the narrow road...
To remind us of how You always fulfill Your promises...
To give strength, boldness, and discernment to Your people to do Your will...
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Let’s turn to our text for today:
Reading of the Text
Reading of the Text
18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”
21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple.
22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute.
23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying,
25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
So, let’s look at our first point...
1) Doubting
1) Doubting
Verse 18: And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
Previously, in our study we left off with a angel appearing to Zechariah and telling him that his prayers have been answered...
His wife will no longer be barren and will now give birth to a child...
But not just any child...
Zechariah and Elizabeth will be the parents of John the Baptist...
The Forerunner of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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As the angel finished describing the amazing ministry that John the Baptist will have...
Zechariah reveals his doubts due to his and his wife’s old age.
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Consider how the NASB translation renders Zechariah’s question:
“How will I know this for certain?”
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So, we see that although Zechariah was a priest that believed in the Lord...
And was considered righteous in the sight of God...
And who was a man who walked blamelessly in all the commandments of the Lord...
He still had some doubts in God’s ability to do what he as a human thought was too impossible for even God.
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Throughout the Word of God...
We have seen similar events play out...
As the Scriptures do not hide the reality that we are not perfect beings...
And even those who walk with the Lord fall short.
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For example, let’s take a look at the father of faith, Abraham...
And let’s see what God reveals in His Word in Genesis 15:1-8:
1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”
2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”
3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.”
4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.”
5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
7 And he said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”
8 But he said, “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?”
Notice that Abraham did truly believe in the Lord...
And his faith was counted or accredited as righteousness...
Yet, even with saving faith in the Lord...
Abraham wanted certainty that this would happen...
Revealing his doubt...
In fact, Abraham and Zechariah use nearly the exact same language.
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Now let’s look at Genesis 17:15–19:
15 And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.
16 I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.”
17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”
18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!”
19 God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.
Again, Abraham trusted that God would keep his promise...
He did have faith...
But his human mind had to rationalize it...
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That is why Abraham thinks well God must have made a mistake when He said Sarah...
Even laughing to himself that there is no way it can be accomplished like the Lord is saying...
So, in his head he thinks that God must mean his child through Hagar which was Ishmael...
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The fact that Abraham even had a child through Hagar was based on this unfaithful thinking that God can’t really do what He says in the way He says it...
So, we as humans have to help God out...
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Yet the Lord made it clear...
It will be Sarah who will bear Abraham a son and barrenness is no obstacle for our Great and Mighty and Amazing God!
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Sarah had her doubts just like Abraham and despite all this...
She still did not learn to doubt how God will accomplish His promises...
Genesis 18:10–14 records:
10 The Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.
12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?”
13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’
14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”
Church, let me be clear...
Nothing is too hard for our Lord...
No mountain is to high...
No ocean is too deep...
No situation is to difficult...
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Simply put...
Nothing is impossible for our God!
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Like I said before...
This very human behavior is see throughout Scripture...
And we see this attitude in other great Heroes of Faith like Moses...
Just look at Exodus 3:11 to see what the Scriptures record:
11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
And in Exodus 4:1:
1 Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’ ”
So, again we see how even when God gives instruction...
Sometimes His servants have doubts in the manner in which those tasks will be complete...
Instead of realizing the God can even turn rocks into an audience to praise Him...
Moses look at himself and saw an unqualified man...
Yet it is not our ability but God’s we must focus on...
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Although God keep assuring Moses that he did not make a mistake in choosing him to be His servant...
Moses kept showing his doubts...
Exodus 4:10-13 says:
10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.”
11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?
12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”
13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.”
And in Exodus 6:12 Moses continues his doubts as it says:
12 But Moses said to the Lord, “Behold, the people of Israel have not listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?”
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Gideon was another individual God used in a mighty way who had many doubts...
And he keep asking for signs...
Over and over again...
Judges 6:15 says:
15 And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”
And Judges 6:17 says:
17 And he said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, then show me a sign that it is you who speak with me.
And Judges 6:36–40 which shows Gideon's asking for multiple specific signs to be made so that he can be convinced :
36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said,
37 behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.”
38 And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water.
39 Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.”
40 And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.
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With all that in mind...
Consider this note from the New International Commentary on the New Testament on Luke...
Regarding Zechariah’s doubts in comparison with other in the Old Testament:
“His doubts are, however, not justified, for had he not himself often read in the Old Testament how God had given Isaac as a son to the barren wife of the aged Abraham, and how Samuel was given as a son to a formerly barren woman?
In former times, indeed, signs had been given, without reproach or punishment, to people like Abraham and Gideon who had asked for them in the same manner.
But they still lived in the twilight period of the divine revelation and had not had as many opportunities as Zacharias to know God in His might and mercy.
On him, therefore, there rests a greater responsibility, and his unbelief merits chastisement.”
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In the up coming weeks we will cover this to a greater degree...
But take a look at the difference in Zechariah’s doubtful response...
In comparison to Mary’s faithful response to the angel Gabriel's message to her.
In Luke 1:34 it says:
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
Notice that Mary’s question shows not a lack of unbelief or doubt...
Instead, she expresses her confusion in which Gabriel will go on to explain...
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We don’t have to have it all figured out...
But if God says something...
We know it is true even if we at the moment can’t fully explain it...
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For to doubt God...
Is to bring the discipline of the Lord...
As Hebrews 12:6 says:
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
And this truth takes us to our next point.
2) Disciplining
2) Disciplining
Verses 19-23: And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
Consider this note...
Again from the New International Commentary on the New Testament on Luke which says:
“In contrast with the words of Zacharias, ‘I am an old man’, the angel declares:
‘I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God;
And I was sent to speak unto thee, and to bring thee these glad tidings.’
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In this manner the angel points out to him the foolishness of his doubts.
For he draws attention to his dignity as a divine messenger.
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He is not merely one amongst numbers of equals, but Gabriel, who stands in the immediate presence of God.
Accordingly it is a special favour accorded to Zacharias that God sends such a special messenger to him.
How can he then still doubt the truth of his words?
For by this attitude he distrusts not only him but the Almighty Lord who sent him.”
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Regarding verse 20, the Reformation Study Bible says:
“Zechariah is granted the sign he seeks to confirm God’s promise but in the form of a mild judgment:
He will be mute until his son is born.”
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So, in verse 22 when Luke writes Zechariah is “mute”...
It should be noted that “mute” in ancient Greek is “kōphos” which can mean either “mute” or “deaf”...
However, relying on the context of verse 62 which we will encounter later in our study...
We see clear evidence that Zechariah was both deaf and mute as Luke 1:62 says:
62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called.
If Zechariah could hear normally than they would not be making signs to communicate to him.
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Church, let me clarify this again...
One can have a saving faith in the Lord...
Yet due to their weakness...
Due to their flesh...
They may doubt an aspect of a promise of the Lord...
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However, this doubt is in reality a distrust of God...
And those who are the followers of the Lord cannot stay in this mindset...
God will lovingly discipline...
Sometimes severely...
His followers who doubt Him...
And that discipline will produce a stronger faith.
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If you want to save yourself some heartache...
Just don’t doubt anything about our Lord that He has clearly spoken about in His Word.
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In our text we also discover that...
After Zechariah was to complete his service of offering incense...
He was to come out of the people who had gathered and issue a familiar blessing...
This is the blessing found in Numbers 6:23–27 which in which God says:
23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,
24 The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
27 “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”
So, the people who were waiting in the temple court where wondering of the delay in this blessing...
Offering incense does not take a long time...
If fact, priests would complete their service quickly for fear of doing something to offend God that close in proximity to the Holy of Holies and be struck dead.
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Beloved, do you remember what happened to Aaron’s sons?
Look with me at what is says in Leviticus 10:1–3:
1 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them.
2 And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.
3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’ ” And Aaron held his peace.
Notice that all that Aaron’s sons did was offer unauthorized fire or strange fire to the Lord...
However, we as humans do not get to decide the manner in which we worship the Lord...
God’s commands...
His Word is our guide...
And Aaron’s sons will forever be an example of that truth.
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So, this delay from the conversation with Gabriel and Zechariah was not just very puzzling to the people...
But filled them with anxiety for they feared for what may have happened to Zechariah.
Then, when Zechariah finally did show up he was not able to speak but instead makes gestures to try to communicate to the people...
This leads everyone to the realization that Zechariah must have seen a vision of some sort.
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Zechariah’s muteness and deafness was the first sign of the fulfillment of the promise of good news that Gabriel delivered...
And with that let’s look at our third and final point.
3) Fulfilling
3) Fulfilling
Verses 24-25: After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
Again the NASB translation offers a helpful clarity to this passage...
In verse 25 it says...
“This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men.”
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Even before the full prophecy of John the Baptist was fulfilled...
Elizabeth just by becoming pregnant thanked and praised God...
All with a solid reassurance that the full completion of the good news that Gabriel delivered to Zechariah will happen.
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God was not just sending the Forerunner...
He had removed the shame Elizabeth felt in a time and culture that looked down upon a women who was barren.
Remember how Hannah was bullied over being barren in 1 Samuel 1:6:
6 And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb.
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Many believed bareness was a sign of God’s punishment on that person...
Yet, God made it know that that assumption was false...
Not only did God open Elizabeth’s womb...
The child to be born was to make ready the people for the long awaited Messiah...
Our Lord and Savior, Jesus!
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As is evident in Genesis 21:2...
God is sovereign over everything including a mother’s womb:
2 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him.
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Elizabeth’s reaction is also similar to others from the Old Testament...
Those who as dealt with the shame of bareness and then the joy of God making the impossible happen.
Elizabeth’s reaction is almost word for word the same reaction by Rachel as seen in Genesis 30:22–23:
22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.
23 She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.”
Closing Illustration
Closing Illustration
As this message comes to a close...
I would like to share this:
Pastor and former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, Dr. Herschel H. Hobbs, once said,...
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“I watched as my favorite college team won the mythical national championship in football.
Team members and fans alike rejoiced in the achievement.
However, the greatest joy came to those who had suffered the bumps, bruises, and hurts in actually playing the game.
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Likewise at the Lord’s return the greatest joy will be for those who have striven and suffered for Christ in the interim prior to His return.
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So, as we get ready to conclude our time together...
Remember that even if the Lord’s will is for us to experience shame...
God has a purpose for it...
The key is not to doubt the goodness of our God...
The key is not to doubt the promises of God...
And to always look at His past faithfulness to strengthen our faith.
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I would like to leave you with a story from the Gospel of Mark...
It can be found in Mark 9:14-24...
And the Word of God says:
14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them.
15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him.
16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”
17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute.
18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.”
19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.”
20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.
21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.
22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
23 And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
Church, remember those words...
“I believe...
Help me with my unbelief!”
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To God be all the glory.
Amen.
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Please join us for one more song from the Praise Band.