Fear Not: Unanswered Prayers

Silence Illustration - “Silence is golden” - Joanna and me when we had kids at grandmas

But not all silence is golden. What about when God is silent?

“Bless us Lord, curse us; but do not remain silent!” - Martin Luther

Of all the things that weigh us down, perhaps no burden is greater than the silence of God.

Psalm 13:1–3 CSB

1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long will I store up anxious concerns within me, agony in my mind every day? How long will my enemy dominate me? 3 Consider me and answer, Lord my God. Restore brightness to my eyes; otherwise, I will sleep in death.

Psalm 10:1 CSB

1 Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide in times of trouble?

Have you ever felt like David did?

This was David’s greatest hour of need, and yet, he felt like his prayers were hitting the ceiling.

“God where are you?” “God why don’t you answer me?” “God what is going on?”

I am sure if we are honest, we have all, at one time or another, felt that way.

It’s the same way Zechariah and Elizabeth feel in our passage we are going to read this morning.

They have waited their entire lives for a child.

Now you have to understand something. In our culture, we don’t think much of a couple not having children. It’s not an issue.

But in 1st century Jewish culture, it was seen as a punishment. God had punished you by not opening your womb.

And Zechariah and Elizabeth have prayed their entire lives for a child.

Think about it - they started when they were first married. They prayed for the joy of a child. They prayed for the running of little feet through the house. And yet, nothing happened. No child.

Then they got into their mid 20s and 30s, still an opportune time for a child. They could feel that this was the time that God was going to answer their prayer. Maybe they had started picking baby names. Elizabeth’s mother began to knit baby clothes in hopes that they would have a child. But it didn’t happen. The dream of having a child started to get more distant.

And then came their 40s and 50s and they still held out hope that it COULD happen! They continued to pray. They prayed fervently. They remember the story of Abraham and Sarah and they have hope that it COULD happen. God COULD open her womb. Those little feet still could run the house. That baby laughter still COULD be heard.

But now….well, now when the story picks up they are later in life. We aren’t exactly sure how old Elizabeth and Zechariah are. The Bible says they were “advanced in years,” but does not tell us directly. Most scholars believe anywhere from 60-80 years old. Well beyond the child bearing years.

At this point, they probably felt like their prayers were unanswered. They felt like David did in Psalm 13. They felt like some of you here this morning. “God, where are you?” “God, why don’t you answer me?” “God, what is going on?”

Their prayers had stopped. They quit praying and believing. It wasn’t going to happen. It’s impossible.

But then something happens. Let’s first read Luke 1:5-12

Luke 1:5–12 CSB

5 In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest of Abijah’s division named Zechariah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 Both were righteous in God’s sight, living without blame according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord. 7 But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years. 8 When his division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 it happened that he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 10 At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. 11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified and overcome with fear.

The Bible tells us here some background of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Zechariah was in the family lineage to be a priest to God.

There were a lot of priests during the first century. There were said to be about 20,000 priests in the time of Jesus.

There were certain jobs that the priests had to perform each day. And since there were so many of them, they would be chosen by lot (think small stick or certain color rock) to do the most sacred duties.

The first lot would determine who would go in and cleanse the altar and prepare its fire.

The second lot would determine who would kill the morning sacrifice and sprinkle the altar, the golden candlestick, and the altar of incense.

The third lot (which was the most privileged duty) would come into the Holy Place (Not the most Holy Place or the “Holy of Holies”) and present incense.

The first and second lots would be repeated at the evening sacrifice. The third lot would not be repeated.

To be cast the third lot would be a ONCE IN A LIFETIME opportunity. You were considered extremely blessed if you were allowed to partake of this just one time.

All 3 of the priests who were chosen would walk in to the temple together, but the third one would be left alone to go into the Holy Place.

When the first two priests came out those outside the temple would know that the incense was being burned in God’s presence. Those hundreds of people outside would bow or kneel before the Lord and spread their hands out in silent prayer. They knew at that moment the incense priest prayed in the very presence of God for the nation.

Can you imagine what an honor this would have been for Zechariah? This is his once in a lifetime opportunity.

And Zechariah begins to pray. Probably had something written down to say and pray. He’s praying for the nation.

And then Zechariah is STARTLED when he opens his eyes.

He realizes that someone is in there with him.

Luke 1:13–17 CSB

13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. 14 There will be joy and delight for you, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or beer. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb. 16 He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.”

Notice vv. 13 - “Don’t be afraid! God has heard your prayer!”

Those times you prayed. Those times you agonized. Those times you begged. Those prayers you offered in doubt. God heard.

And God is going to BLESS those prayers in a way far beyond what you can imagine! You will get to be the father of the “Elijah” who prepares the way for the Lord (a.k.a. John the Baptist)

Which leads us to some truths about unanswered prayers that we can bring into our life in 2024.

1. We can have confidence that God hears us.

Regardless of how we feel or think - God hears us.

I know this is an elementary lesson about faith - you learned this in children’s Sunday School. But do you believe it?

1 John 5:14–15 CSB

14 This is the confidence we have before him: If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked of him.

Not a single prayer slips by God, because there’s no time of day He isn’t listening.

God heard you ten years ago, and He heard you last week, and He hears you right now, and He’s already listening for you tomorrow. In fact, He’s listening so well, He already knows what you’re going to say.

God hears you praying when you walk outside in the dark and when you walk down the school hallways. God hears you when you aren’t sure what to say and every time you feel left out. God hears every whispered prayer you say about your family—the ones that reach your lips—and the ones that don’t. He knows how deeply you long to be loved.

You see, God not only hears but he is listening - there’s a difference between the two.

Joanna - Are you listening or choosing to ignore? I will reply “I hear you.” That’s not the same.

God listens AND hears.

Ask God for the the desires of your heart. Ask Him for the things you need AND the things you want. A good father loves to hear both! And we have a good, good father!

Jesus gives us permission to go to the Father in His name.

Illustration - “Yes, you can use the playground. Use my name if anyone asks you. Tell them Jason said it was okay.” —> Jesus says “If you need anything from God, all that the Father has belongs to me; go and use my name.”

Sometimes we have not because we ask not.

2. God rewards persistent prayers.

The thing that is insinuated about Zechariah and Elizabeth is that this prayer for a child was a persistent prayer. It was one they made all the time to God.

God rewards those types of prayers.

Luke 18:1 CSB

1 Now he told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not give up.

Persistent prayer keeps praying until God tells us to stop or God answers.

Some years ago, a young girl was very sick and not expected to recover. Because of her love for Jesus, she was troubled that she had not been able to do more for Him in her short life. Her pastor suggested that she make a list of people in their little town who needed Christ and pray that they might put their faith in Him. She took his advice, made a list, and prayed often for each person.

Some time later God began to stir a revival in the village. The girl heard of the people who were coming to Christ and prayed even more. As she heard reports, she checked off the names of those who had been led to the Lord.

After the girl died, a prayer list with the names of 56 people was found under her pillow. All had put their faith in Christ—the last one on the night before her death.

3. There really is no such thing as unanswered prayers.

This is a real bummer of a sermon point - it literally destroys the whole Garth Brooks song.

… Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs And just because He doesn't answer, doesn't mean He don't care 'Cause some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers

Technically there’s no such thing as unanswered prayers. Instead, there may be prayers that you don’t like the way God answered.

God answers in 3 different ways.

A. Sometimes the answer is denied.

God knows what is better for us. Sometimes he simply says “no.”

You say to your child “My son, I will give you anything that is good.” And he says “I”d like to go play with your razors.” You’d say “no, that isn’t good for you!”

Do you believe that God knows best?

Paul asked God 3x to take away the thorn in the flesh and 3x God said “No, my grace is sufficient for you.”

B. Sometimes the answer is delayed.

God is not on your time table.

Sometimes it is like Zechariah and Elizabeth (or Abraham and Sarah) and it takes a long time for the prayer to be answered.

C. Sometimes the answer is different.

Sometimes the answer is different than what you expect. It may be challenging. But ultimately God knows it sis in our best interest and aligned with HIs greater plan.

Isaiah 55:8–9 CSB

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.” This is the Lord’s declaration. 9 “For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

We have to TRUST that God knows best.

CLOSING:

From C. S. Lewis’s The Magician’s Nephew. In the book, a boy named Digory begs the Lion, Aslan, to give him something to make his dying mother well. “It’s a heart-rending request—a prayer of desperation—and yet, at the time, Aslan appears to ignore it completely: ‘He had been desperately hoping that the Lion would say “Yes”; he had been horribly afraid it might say “No.” But he was taken aback when it did neither.’ … But a little while later, Digory dares to ask Aslan for help again: ‘He thought of his Mother, and he thought of the great hopes he had, and how they were all dying away, and a lump came in his throat and tears in his eyes, and he blurted out: “But please, please won’t you—can’t you give me something that will cure Mother?” Up till then he had been looking at the Lion’s great feet and the huge claws on them; now, in despair, he looked up at its face. What he saw surprised him as much as anything in his whole life. For the tawny face was bent down near his own and (wonder of wonders) great shining tears stood in the Lion’s eyes. They were such big, bright tears compared with Digory’s own that for a moment he felt as if the Lion must really be sorrier about his Mother than he was himself.’ Digory’s prayer remained unanswered, but everything had changed. Now, he knew that the great Lion—in whom all his hopes were resting—truly cared.”

I am here today to tell you, God cares. He loves you. Those unanswered prayers he heard. He knows your heart. He knows what is going on in your life. And he cares, more than even you do!

So today, may we learn from the life of Zechariah and Elizabeth. May we continue to pray and may we never lose hope.