Can you believe it? Is it even possible? How can it be that today we begin our sermon series for the Christmas season?

With Thanksgiving now behind us and Christmas now only 28 days away, we switch gears as we aim to say thank you to God for the greatest gift this world has ever received. Christmas is my favorite time of the year… not because of the music and decor… but because it marks the arrival of our Lord and Savior.

Jesus came to this earth in the most humble way. Jesus, the promised Messiah, came to bring victory, not over political or national concerns, but over sin, death and the grave. Jesus came to fight… and to win the battles we could not overcome on our own!

Jesus came… as the sacrificial Lamb… and He would give His life that all would have the opportunity for redemption and forgiveness.

And as we study the events that surround His birth, we are going to look at something interesting… a phrase that is found in the stories of Christmas that we know and treasure. It might seem like a crazy topic to focus on for a Christmas season, yet it is there… it is there plain as day and it should be taken to heart. This series is going to focus on five words that are found within this Christmas stories. Those words are: Do not be Afraid.

Ever been there? Ever found yourself in a position of fear? Have you ever felt that feeling? It’s not a fun feeling to experience that is for sure. Yet, everyone in this room and all who are listening online know what it means to be afraid.

Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat. It is a powerful emotion as it can cause a person to make rash decisions in the face of fear… decisions that will hopefully steer that person away from the assumed danger.

Interesting point, the science guys, through all their research, tell us that when we are born, we are born with only two fears:

One, the fear of falling.

Two, the fear of loud, unexpected noises.

What this tells us then, is that all the rest are learned fears. These fears are learned either through experience or through someone’s coaching.

For instance, there was a time when Mason was terrified of dogs. When he was around 3 years old, we lived in a house and we were neighbors with a family who had a large yellow pit bull in their back yard. a chain link fence separated the yards but Mason’s hand could easily fit through the fence.

I caught him one day trying to reach through the fence to pet the dog. I didn’t know the dog and its demeanor so I gave Mason a warning. “Son, let’s not do that. We do not know that dog… we don’t know if he is mean or not, and he might bite you.” In that one moment of coaching… I sewed a fear into my son’s heart. It took several years to help him not to be afraid of dogs.

So why focus on fear as we draw closer to Christmas? Because Jesus came to calm all our fears! In Christ, we have NO REASON TO FEAR, but every reason to rejoice!

It is no coincidence that this theme is seen throughout the Christmas story. God does NOT want us to be afraid! And as we are going to see throughout the stories… when the heavenlies make contact with the humans, fear was the initial response. What we are going to study is how God chose to help them overcome the fear that they faced.

Consider this for a moment: The first mention of fear in the Bible is found where? In Genesis. This fear is experienced by Adam and Eve when God is heard walking through the garden. This took place AFTER they had sinned. When they heard God, they hid from Him because they were naked and afraid (Genesis 3:10). This fear wasn’t learned… it came as a wage for their their sin.

Fear wasn’t a thing until sin entered the picture. And when Adam hid from God, he wasn’t hiding because God spoke… he was hiding because God was present. His fallen state had broken his fellowship with God.

So, let’s recap and rephrase a bit. Science would tell us we are born with two fears and the rest are learned. Yet the Bible would suggest that fear wasn’t learned… but earned as a consequence of our sin. Humankind chose to step out on their own. In our rebellion, our fellowship with Almighty God was severed… we walked out from under God’s covering of blessing and protection.

So it should not surprise us when we see the same kind of fear grip the hearts of the main characters throughout the Christmas story. When the heavenlies make contact with humans in their sin-fallen state, fear was the initial response.

Let’s move to our story for today. Zechariah was a priest who was very good at upholding the Lord’s commandments. In fact, Scripture tells us both he and his wife, Elizabeth, were upright in the eyes of God and were blameless in walk with Him.

Zechariah and Elizabeth were God-fearing people. They were well along in years and had no children. Elizabeth was barren.

Now this is a hard place to be in yet this situation never caused their faith to waver. As you read the story, it is clear they longed to have children… but those days had clearly passed. How do we know of their desire? Because here in a moment, we will see Scripture stating that their “prayer had been heard.”

Zechariah is doing his thing as priest. he is carrying out his duties flawlessly. And one day, after he was chosen to to go into the temple to burn incense, an angel, Gabriel, would appear to him.

Now this would be pretty cool, right? You’re going about the things of God and a messenger from God appears before you! But Zechariah feels something else come over him. Let’s look at the situation in Luke 1:12-13

The New International Version Chapter 1

12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Zechariah’s prayer had been heard! A baby would be on the way! This child will be a delight, many will rejoice because of him! He will be set apart, filled with the Spirit of God and will make ready the people of God for the arrival of the Son of God! That’s some awesome news!!!

But… Zechariah is having a hard time hearing that news because his fear… leads him to do something that is very crippling to faith. Zechariah… speaks doubt over the proclamation. Luke 1:18

The New International Version Chapter 1

18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

Do you see it? Gabriel spoke of the things of God… but Zechariah… even being a man of God… stepped out on his own instead of stepping into what God was about to do. “How can this be? Look at me… look at my wife… look at my situation and circumstance.”

And church… it is in that emotional trap that God’s people often get stuck. A person becomes more focused on their inability and lose sight of God’s record of doing the impossible!

Zachariah speaks doubt… so the angel… does what is necessary… he silences the doubt. From this point, dear ole’ dad will not be able to speak, physically speak, until his son, John, is born. Zechariah’s speech is not restored until his faith overcomes his doubt that was brought on by fear.

In doing this… a powerful lesson can be learned. God wants to silence any and all doubt… especially doubt concerning a move of His power and Spirit.

Silence the Doubt

Now… let’s be clear today on what kind of “doubt” we are looking to silence.

Doubt comes in many forms… and it is something that we feel and voice quite frequently. For instance,

I doubt that the Broncos have any shot of doing anything great in football this year. Just a doubt that I have.

I doubt that I will EVER have a good time going to the dentist. No offense to any and all dentists out there but… I do not enjoy sitting in your chair! I need the cleanings but… it’s not an experience I enjoy?

I doubt that I will ever develop a liking for mustard or mayonnaise. They are just not anything I will ever like!

I used to joke with my youth students that mustard was made from the devil’s toe jam and mayo from his armpit goo. I know.. it was gross, but they were teenagers. I stopped doing that,however, when a student approached me and said, “nowhere in the Bible does it say that.” Kiddos for her Biblical literacy!

These kind of doubts are formulated by what we know of ourselves and what we know of this world.

These kind of doubts are grounded in our physical surroundings.

So what happens when the spiritual comes into contact with the physical?

Now… I do not know if God is going to deliver me of my feelings regarding going to the dentist! But church, there have been other fears and concerns that God has certainly delivered me from! He silenced the doubt within me as He led me to take steps of faith!

God has never frozen my tongue for speaking doubt over a situation… but I can tell you that fear… at times… has frozen my faith. I am not happy in admitting that this morning but yes… there have been times when I spoke doubt regarding the things of God in my life.

How often has doubt caused a person to not step out in faith? How often has doubt caused a person to hesitate… to withhold or withdraw? How powerful is doubt… especially doubt that is birthed out of fear? If left unchecked, doubt can rob us of experiencing the blessings of God.

How POWERFUL can speaking doubt over a situation be? Go back to Zechariah for a moment… what kind of damage could he have done to Elizabeth's faith by speaking doubt regarding the angel’s words? THIS IS WHAT THEY HAD BEEN PRAYING FOR!!! This is what they had been believing God for! And when the announcement comes… Zechariah moves to what he knows of the world instead of trusting in what he knows about God.

He knew both he and his wife were beyond the conventional years to have. Plus… he knew that even in those years they were not able to have a child.

He knew that it would be difficult to raise a child in their older age. Kids require a certain level of energy to keep up with.

Zechariah was lining up his circumstance with that which had been proclaimed. HE was setting the terms and by his understanding… this just wasn’t possible.

So the angel shows him what is possible… by silencing his doubt. Gabriel reminds Zechariah that nothing is impossible for God!

Now, Don’t leave this place thinking that if you doubt, God will freeze your tongue and keep you from speaking… BUT I do believe God will work to silence your doubt regarding what He has spoken over your life!

God has blessed all believers with the presence of His Holy Spirit! Remember how Zechariah was fulfilling his duties at the temple when the angel spoke to him? Watch this: YOU are now the temple where God’s Spirit resides! The same Spirit that the angel said John (Zechariah’s soon coming son) would be filled with is the Spirit living in the hearts of believers today.

God is still speaking in ways similar to what we see in Luke chapter one. He may not send an angel… but church He frequently speaks through His Spirit to our lives. WHEN He speaks, you can be assured of these two things:

What He says will line up with His Word.

What He says will line up with His plan.

When He speaks, we need to make sure that fear and doubt do not crowd their way into the conversation! We need to make sure we receive what is spoken to us by faith! And we need to also make sure we are taking active steps to silence any and all doubt regarding what the Lord would say to us.

Number one: Silencing the doubt requires that we listen to the right voice.

There was nothing confusing about what Gabriel had to say to Zechariah. His words were clear, his words were an answer to the prayers of this family… his words came within God’s perfect timing for their situation.

Consider this: God was sending John to prepare the way for the soon coming Savior… but He was also answering the prayers of this family according to His timing. Church… things may not always work out how and when we want them to, but that doesn’t mean that God doesn’t have a plan!

Fear caused Zechariah to question and gave voice to his doubt. He listened to the reasoning voice of the world that was saying it’s too late. It will never happen. We are well past the time. GOD SAID OTHERWISE!

When it comes to silencing doubt this needs to happen in two different places.

One, we need to silence the doubt in our minds.

Two, we need to silence the doubt we may speak. ARREST those words. Bring both mind and word into submission of God’s Word and truth. TRUST that God knows what He is talking about! Proverbs 3:5-6

The New International Version Chapter 3

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths straight.

Number two: Silencing the doubt requires that we stop looking only to our current circumstance.

Fear and doubt are powerful persuaders. What exactly are they trying to persuade us to do? To conform. To not step out of what is known, but to conform to our feelings and understanding. Fear and doubt would rather hide in their “comfort” instead of believe in the promise of what is proclaimed.

Church… we need to fully embrace the Word of God. We need to fully embrace the mission and vision of God. We need to fully embrace the will of God.

And in that embrace, we need to understand that God… at times… will ask us to do THE IMPOSSIBLE. Elizabeth… in her old age, give birth to a son? This is a taxing experience even for young mothers. Yet God’s hand would be with her.

We need to STOP allowing our circumstance to circumvent the POWER of our God!

The key is to stop conforming! The key is to be transformed and renewed! Step out of the old worldly way and step in to what the Lord would have for you today! Romans 12:2

The New International Version Chapter 12

2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Lastly, Silencing the doubt requires that all fear is overcome by faith.

This means instead of talking about what we can’t do, we talk about what our God is ABLE to do. This means that when that fear tries to kick in… no matter how justified it might be according to the world… we allow for our faith to take control, not our fear.

This means we NEVER forget what our God is capable of doing. Ephesians 3:20-21

The New International Version Chapter 3

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Church… when we speak doubt regarding what the Lord would speak to us… we’re not throwing ourselves under the bus… we’re throwing God’s ability to overcome under the bus. He is ABLE to do far more than we can even imagine! Yet so often, we question...

We question how, why, when. We question because we’re afraid of not measuring up. Listen, Zechariah and Elizabeth did not have what it would take to see this miracle happen… but God did.

The real question is: where are you willing to place your faith? In your limited understanding or in the limitless power of God?

Speak Faith

As we close, I want you to see one more very important point in this story. Zechariah’s doubt was physically silenced throughout his wife’s pregnancy. He did not receive his voice back when his son was born… he got his voice back when he spoke in faith.

When it came time to name his son, Zechariah obeyed the word of the Lord when he wrote on a tablet that his boy’s name would be… John. Zechariah’s heart was now in alignment with the will of God. And when his tongue was loosed… what did he do? He didn’t curse God for silencing his doubt. He offered praise to the Lord and was filled with the Spirit and even began to prophesy!

This Christmas season, and in every season we have in this life, let’s choose to speak FAITH regarding the things of God and silence any and all doubt that our flesh or this world may try to put a voice to.

And as God moves as only He can… let’s give Him praise! Let’s allow His Spirit to move freely in us and through us and… let’s get ready for His next miracle!

God is on the move! Will we move with Him or… will fear and doubt cause us to miss what He has in store for us?

God was setting the stage for the soon coming arrival of His Son… for the arrival of the one who was coming to calm ALL our fears.

Consider what I just said… Jesus came to calm or address ALL our fears - even our greatest fear caused by sin.

Adam and Eve hid from the presence of God for fear of what they had done. Jesus came to fix that fear for good. We would never measure up… so He took on our sin that we might take on His righteousness.

Jesus desires to wash away your sin, your fear, and your doubt. But you have to be willing to listen to His voice. You have to be willing to stop conforming to the world. You have to be willing to speak faith over your circumstance.

Curios… is there anyone here today who is struggling with doubt? Is there anyone that would say, “I’m working hard to trust, but I just can’t see a way through?”

Jesus IS that way. And He is here to deliver you from fear… to deliver you from doubt… and to lead you to victory. Are you ready to receive from Him today?