“The Trouble of a Doubting Heart”
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Good Morning. I hope you have your Bibles today. Turn with me to Luke chapter 1. The title of our message today is, “The Trouble of a Doubting Heart.” Throughout God’s Word, we see that people actually heard God and the very words of God, and yet as they did, they continued too stagger in unbelief. And yet how often do we do the same thing??? We don’t believe that God can fill in the blank.
-We are promised that through the strength of the Holy Spirit we can overcome addiction and yet many doubt.
-We doubt when it comes to trusting God with the money that He has given us. How will i pay the bills? How will I still be able to give God a tithe?
-We doubt that God can help us through a messy marriage or heal our marriage. We are promised that God is for our marriage and hates divorce.
-What about a wayward child? There are many today that doubt God can turn their child around.
-We doubt God can help us with our loneliness or sustain us through the loss of a loved one. It may seem impossible to even get through the day and so you need to be reminded that God is with you. Will you trust Him? So why don’t we trust? Maybe someone has lied to you or caused you pain. Maybe you feel as if God has let you down, but often we need to take a look within. We have unbelieving hearts.
There are so many things today that many believers doubt the Lord in. And yet even in unbelief we see that God is still patient and tender and kind. So what exactly is troubling your heart today? Let’s begin in verse 18.
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.”
Here in our text today we see 3 major truths that stand out to us. Here is the first thing I want you to see today.
1. The Seriousness of Unbelief.
1. The Seriousness of Unbelief.
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.”
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.”
Zechariah expressed his doubt by asking the question, “How shall I know this?” What this helps us to see today is that he refused to believe the given answer that he truly desired from God and that God had then answered. When we go back to verse 6 we see that Zechariah and his wife were known for their character. They were righteous before God and even walked blamelessly. But now we see another side to his life. This was a serious problem. But why? Why is this such a big deal? There are two reasons.
A. Unbelief is sinful.
Think about this with me. The Gospel itself requires a response of faith and trust in what Christ has done for us. And yet, the good news of Jesus has come to fulfillment in spite of human unbelief.
Here we see Zechariah’s two responses.
-First of all he says, “How shall I know this?”
-His second response is, “For I am an old man.”
Filled with doubt, Zechariah tells the angel that this can not be happening. Me and Elizabeth can not have children because we are too old. What this shows us is that Zechariah did not trust God and His Words. He didn’t trust in an omnipotent God and in the authority and reliability of His Holy Scripture.
You may say, but why was this so serious??? What made this so serious is that Zechariah did not believe this message. The angel who was speaking was a credible witness who was God’s messenger. And we know that God has never lied to us or too anyone for that matter. When we don’t believe God or trust what His word tells us, we are assaulting the very integrity of the Lord. Zechariah’s unbelief was an accusation against God Himself, basically saying, “I can’t trust what you say.” That is why this was so serious and sinful.
Verse 20 reveals that the question was asked in doubt. How can I be sure of this? You didn’t believe my words.
B. Unbelief has consequences.
There are consequences too unbelief. Even though Zechariah was known as a righteous man, the Lord was going to take away his ability too speak. In verse 20 we are told that because of Zechariah’s unbelief he will be silent and unable to speak. This was the consequence of his sin. He would be unable to tell others about his angelic experience in the temple or to even tell his wife the unbelievable news that they were going to have a child. Of course he could make signs or draw pictures but it is not the same as speaking good news. This would have been great news to share but unfortunately he could not do this. Zechariah would also not be able to do his priestly duty which also involved teaching the people in the town. All of these consequences came about because Zechariah did not believe. Even though the angel of the Lord presented Zechariah with good news, he was not able to speak because of his unbelief. I don’t think we take seriously today the sin of unbelief. There are many people today even within the church who think belief in Christ or unbelief in Christ is not that big of a deal or even optional. They have missed the fact that sin has eternal consequences. If people do not turn from their sin and trust in Christ they will spend an eternity in hell. Let us be quick to learn here from Zechariah’s doubt. There have been many people down through the ages that have struggled with a lack of faith. The stories of Abraham wondering if he would have a child of his own, Gideon and the fleece, and of Hezekiah wanting proof that he would be healed and the city delivered, all show us that a true believer at times can be overwhelmed by unbelief. One of the very first sins recorded in God’s word detail Eve’s lack of faith in a good God. She bought into the lie of Satan and was deceived. If you find yourself today distracted and full of doubt than call out to the Lord and be reminded of this great prayer from Luke chapter 17.
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
Let us ask and pray as the disciples did, God increase my faith, and then let us trust that whatever we see in God’s word to be true it will be fulfilled.
2. The Reminder of what is True.
2. The Reminder of what is True.
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.
1. The first lesson that stands out to us here is that an angel of the Lord stood in Zechariah’s presence. It’s not everyday that someone has an encounter with an angel. Last week we learned that it had been over 400 years of silence since God last spoke to His people. The angel here announces himself to Zechariah by sharing his name. “I am Gabriel.” In other words, this was no ordinary angel. Gabriel is one of two angels named in Scripture. The other angel is Michael. Gabriel was God’s messenger sent to communicate some of the most important announcements in history. In fact, many times throughout Scripture we see that God’s angels carry His message too individuals and even the church. We now see the response and the reminder of God’s ambassador. Keep in mind that this was God’s authorized messenger. This heavenly messenger appears to Zechariah and reminds him of some important truths. However the angel also rebukes him for his unbelief.
2. Zechariah said that he and his wife were too old to have children. The second lesson that is even more astounding is the fact that Gabriel announces here in verse 19 that he stood in God’s presence to tell Zechariah that he was going to have a son. Gabriel was sent for this very reason to speak to Zechariah. Having heard God say this good news, Gabriel would not discount what God had said and went and delivered this trustworthy news to Zechariah. To not believe the word of God is a sin. God wants us to trust Him or to live by trusting in Him.
4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him,
but the righteous shall live by his faith.
It is not by accident that this statement by Habakkuk is repeated 3 times in the New Testament. It is not by accident that the reformers made this the core issue between them and the Roman Catholic church. To be justified is to live by faith. It’s not faith plus something else. By trusting the Word of God and trusting in God alone for salvation is the only way anyone can be saved. The reason for Zechariah’s doubt here was his abiding sin. The reason we doubt God’s Word today is not because God and His Word are not credible, but because of our own lack of faith.
3. The final lesson that stands out to us here is the importance and reminder of the truth. What truth is that? The angel was sent to give him some good news. Good news here means in the Greek form to evangelize or to announce the good news. The good news for Zechariah is that he was going to have a son and John would go before Christ, and John would prepare the way for him. It also refers in other verses to proclaim the good news that God sent His son Jesus to die for the sins of all who believe in Him. We talked earlier about the things we doubt God can do. However there is one area we must not get wrong and it’s this one. Let me ask you today as there come a time where you have you trusted in Jesus to save you from your sin? If not then call upon the Lord today in faith and trust in the finished work of Jesus.
3. The Grateful acknowledgment of the Lord’s grace.
3. The Grateful acknowledgment of the Lord’s grace.
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.”
We know that after Zechariah completed his time of service at the temple he went home and then his wife Elizabeth became pregnant. The conception of John the Baptist reminds us of Isaac. It took a miracle or a work of God to open Sarah’s womb. We also see this with Mary. In physical terms Jesus had no human Father at all, because God was His Father. The point here is that Elizabeth conceived and had a son by the Lord’s grace. God’s promises never fail. Luke tells us here that for 5 months she kept herself hidden from public. She did not go out again into public until the time came near that people would be able to see that now the Lord had looked upon her with favor. People would be able to see that she was having a baby and God had taken away her barrenness. Elizabeth openly confesses that her pregnancy was a divine blessing that the Lord has graciously given her. We see this in verse 25.
There are many times in this life that we must take time to count our blessings. Why should we do this? Because everything in this life and the life to come can be traced back to the giver of life. May we take time this week to acknowledge and give thanks to God.
43 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Conclusion: As we come to an end today we should be reminded that as Luke and the other gospel writers began the New Testament they did so by helping us see that the story of redemption began with a miracle. It began with an elderly couple having a child who would become the forerunner to Christ. This miracle would be the first of many to come. Luke gives us this wonderful picture of Zechariah and Elizabeth. And even though it was a flawed picture we see that they were genuine believers. They loved God and served the Lord and yet at the same time they were doubting and fearful people just like we are and even disciplined by God. But God used Zechariah and Elizabeth despite their flaws. He gave them a son in John the Baptist. Because of John many were pointed to Christ who was the good news because He came to take away the sin of this dark world.
So how do we deal with a doubting heart? What can we do when unbelief is still there?
Remember that Jesus has taken our grief and our sin when He died on the cross for us.
Remember that even now Jesus is preparing a place in heaven for you.
2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
3. Remember that one day Christ will take us to be with him where there will be no more sin or heartache. In heaven there will be no more unbelief.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
(Close in Prayer and Lead into Communion)