Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. Zechariah and Elizabeth will learn about the answer to their prayers. This couple have a specific request, and we're going to see how the Lord answers it. God, is at work. Welcome to the verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe.
Previously, we began exploring the extraordinary account of Zachariah and Elizabeth, a godly couple who prayed for years without seeing their prayers answered. Today, we'll see how God is working on His own timing, bringing about purposes far greater than we could imagine. Continuing in Luke chapter 1 with the story of the birth of John the Baptist, here's Pastor John Monroe. Last time I introduced the gospel according to Luke. Luke, as well as being a doctor, is a keen historian.
and I love the way he sets out the story of Jesus. In his gospel, He gives information such as the birth of John the Baptist, which is not found in the other Gospels.
So we thought of this godly couple. Zechariah and Elizabeth, Luke writes, they had no child because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years. But an angel of the Lord appears to Zechariah and announces that they will have a son called John. who will be great before the Lord. In fact, he's coming in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.
Yeah. In spite of this supernatural announcement, Zechariah has his doubts.
So let's continue the story. We want to think, first of all, the life of this godly couple. Zachariah and Elizabeth. Here's a couple. They are wholeheartedly following the Lord.
Luke tells us. But in their life, there is a heartache, there's a disappointment, there's a shadow over their lives, as it were, because they have no child. And Dr. Luke. is saying that medically speaking It is impossible for them to have a child.
They're too old. Notice what happens. Zechariah is in the temple. And then the angel appears to him. He's very fearful.
And the angel Tells them, Zachariah, don't be afraid. Notice what he says. Verses 12 and 13. Your prayer has been heard. And your wife Elizabeth will bear a son.
Furthermore says The angel to Zachariah. You're gonna call him John. And this son Notice verse 15. He's going to be great before the Lord. And Jesus is going to say, Years later.
Among those born of women. There has arisen no one greater than John. Testimony from the Messiah himself regarding his forerunner. What an answer to prayer.
Now what would be your response? You've been praying for a child. The angel comes from the very presence of God. He says, I stand in the presence of God, and I'm giving you this great news, and people are going to rejoice. Zechariah the priest, no less.
has doubts. Instead of this priest Zechariah accepting the word of Gabriel, who stands in the very presence of God and is sent by God Himself to communicate this good news. Zechariah does not believe. Verse twenty. Behold, You, Zechariah, will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place because you did not believe my words.
A priest worshiping God. Praying with his wife for a child. And the word comes and he does not believe. What about you? You ever had any doubts?
Isn't this sometimes true? that you and I sometimes doubt the word of God.
So here's Zachariah. People outside are waiting. They're wondering what the delay is. As the priest comes out of the temple, normally he's going to pronounce a blessing on the people. And when he comes out, they recognize something unusual has happened.
This priest cannot speak. His prayer is heard. And it will be answered. But his inability to speak For nine months, is going to be a sign of his unbelief. That's pretty humbling, isn't it?
A priest with a voice. What kind of priest is this? Yes, Akariah. God graciously is going to answer your prayer. But you're gonna be unable to speak.
For nine. months.
Now isn't it interesting that Elizabeth Isn't that the case, man, that often their wives are more trusting than we are. Notice what it says of Elizabeth. Inverse. Twenty-five. Thus The Lord has done for me.
In the days when he looked on me to take away my reproach among people. She knows. Yes, she's old. Yes, she's barren. She knows this conception is miraculous.
It comes from God Himself, and the Lord has looked. on me. That is a look of compassion, a look of grace. Not wonderful that God does that. looks on us It answers prayer.
Here are extraordinary events taking place in the lives of ordinary people. And so I want to make the obvious point that God is not dead, God's alive. And God is active in the lives of His people. God is active in the life of this church. God is active in your life and mine.
Sadly, we often don't see it. No, I've never seen an angel. I've met people who claim to have. Um Obviously God can do anything He wants. I've never seen an angel.
But I have experienced something greater than seeing an angel. They say, what could be greater than seeing an angel? Central to the Christian faith. is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. We sang he lives.
And one of the wonders of the Christian gospel. is that when we come to saving faith in Jesus Christ, The living Christ who was bodily raised from the dead, he lives in his followers. Paul says this: It's no longer I who live, but Christ who lives. Get this in me. Philippians 2:13, for it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
It is not that as we trust Christ Christ is out there. Yes, He's out there before we believe. But now, as we place our trust in Him, we are united, and I am united with my Lord Jesus Christ forever, and He lives in me, and He's at work in me, and He's at work in you if you're a follower of Jesus Christ. What am I then to do? What are you to do?
When we pray, We're to trust God. Not only trust God. This is difficult for us. We are to be ready for the answers God gives us. Maybe even some of the.
He's praying. His prayer is heard, but he's not ready for the answer. See, God is at work. Zachari doesn't believe. Instead of joyfully shouting, hallelujah, Thank you, God.
He's dotes. And he's unable to speak for nine. Months. This is an important lesson for followers of Jesus Christ. Expect God to work in your life.
Expect God to answer your prayers. This is the joy of being a Christian. God working in our lives, working in our marriages, working in our homes. Didn't we acknowledge with the dedication of these children that unless the Lord builds a house, they labor in vain? But as they commit their children, their lives, their marriages, To the Lord Jesus Christ, God is doing his work.
God is at work in our lives. God working in our lives, God guiding us. Think back in your life. Don't you see how God guided you? Don't you see how God provided for you?
Don't you see how God granted you peace in a very, very troubled situation? Don't you see how the Lord strengthened you? Don't you see how the Lord comforted you? Don't you acknowledge that God has been hearing your prayers and answering them according to his purposes? Often we can't see it at the time.
Look back. Since that day, You knelt. and cried out to Christ to save you. Think of his greater journey. In all of the circumstances of life, God is at work.
God answers our prayers, yes. But his Timing. And how he does it are often different from ours. Isn't that right? Let me say the obvious.
God's timing And God's way of answering Your prayers are much wiser than yours. Aren't you glad in the past that God didn't answer some of your prayers? Think of some of the foolish things we sometimes pray for. And think of how God answers our prayers. in his own way.
And his own timing. And the way God answers our prayers is often totally unexpected by us. Darrell Bog, professor at Dallas Seminary. Right, sometimes A roadblock is not a dead end. But a fresh turn in the road.
I like that. We go through life and we sometimes think this is a dead end. We think the situation is hopeless. We get frustrated because God has not answered our prayer the way that we expected or in our timetable and we look at it as a dead end and no, it's a fresh turn in the road. that God is still at work.
See if when we get a patio impatient, we get ahead of God. When our prayers are not answered. We get discouraged, don't we? And perhaps A lack of faith. Like Zachariah.
Zachariah and Mary and Elizabeth have been married for a long time, no children.
Now God is answering their prayers in a way they could not possibly have imagined. Gabriel himself. comes from the presence of God and gives this wonderful good news. personally and directly to Zechariah. What more could you want, Zechariah?
You've prayed. Here's the answer. Not wonderful to know that even in the midst of our doubts, and there are missed turns in the road. and our lack of faith. And how we stumble sometimes that God often surprises us with his grace.
We have a very, very gracious God. We have a good God. We sometimes get fed up with each other. God never gets fed up with us. Oh, yes, He disciplines us.
But he surprises us. with his grace and in the darkest of hours And in the bleakest of circumstances, His light, the light of God, shines in our lives in new and brilliant ways. And righteous people Who walk blamelessly in all of the commandments and statutes of the Lord, as this couple did, sometimes experience disappointments. Heartaches. Tragedies, enigmas in their life.
I mean, think of Elizabeth's pain of not having a child. At that time in that culture, That was not only just humiliating for this woman.
Some would have interpreted it as a judgment of God. You're not godly enough, Elizabeth. and you're without child. Here is their next door neighbor who's got six children and you don't even have one. And although Elizabeth and Zechariah.
experience the distress and the pain of not having a child. One thing I admire about them is, in spite of that heartache and that shadow of their lives, they continue to serve God. They continue to walk blamelessly before him. Zechariah does not resign from the priesthood because he thinks God hasn't answered his prayer. No, he continues to serve.
Some people In the face of disappointments, Loss. injustice and suffering. They withdraw.
Sometimes, when our prayers are not answered, we become very bitter. This couple did not allow the fact that they did not have a child to paralyze them. to be overcome by self-pity. To opt out of serving the Lord. And I appeal to you that you've had some perhaps injustice or heartache.
Or difficulty in your life. I don't minimize the pain and the distress that you've gone through, but do not withdraw. Do not opt out of the Christian life. Don't stop coming to the services of the Lord. Don't stop serving the Lord.
Continue and wait patiently on God.
Some of you have been married for a long time? And you don't have a child?
Some of you are single who would love to marry.
Some of you have had children, but that child has died.
Some of you have a serious illness, some of you have a very difficult family situation, all kinds of disappointments. And struggles, yes, and tragic circumstances blow into our lives. Zechariah and Elizabeth, while we can perhaps. question why a priest was lacking in faith at the time, but it's very understandable, I think. Zechariah and Elizabeth are good examples of standing firm in the face of suffering.
Clearly. We're going to see more and more that this woman, Elizabeth, was a very, very godly woman. There's no trace of bitterness in her. Yes, there was a sense of reproach in that culture. Understandable.
But she continued to serve the Lord. And through our pain and through our weakness. Isn't it the case that God reveals? His strength And his grace? Think of it.
This couple prayed for a child. And in spite of Zechariah's doubts, They received. A child, not just a child, they received into their own home the greatest of prophets. How's that for an answer to prayer? How would you like?
Someone who's filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb. How'd you like to raise that kind of boy? What a joy he must have brought into their home. Although he had this tremendous craving for locusts and wild honey, I don't know. Uh where did they get that from?
But here it is. A barren woman. And an old man Not only have you have a baby, but one who's the forerunner of the Messiah. Isn't that how God acts? John the Baptist.
John the Baptist born of a barren woman.
Next week, we're going to see that the Messiah is born of a virgin. The miraculous God Acting in ways which, to our thinking, are unimaginable. And these purposes are being filled. And this man, John, the son of Zachariah and Elizabeth, will preach repentance. He'll call people to confess their sins.
He's a strong man. You can just picture him as we'll see him in the wilderness and standing against the Pharisees with his strong preaching, saying, get ready, the Messiah is coming. Repent. And then when the Messiah comes, John with great humility says, He must increase. I must decrease.
Look. Look to the Lamb of God. Don't look to me. Look to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin. Of the world.
What a great man. Repentance. You say, well I would like. To know Christ. Is your heart being prepared?
Just what the Holy Spirit does in us, doesn't he? Prepares our heart, convicts us of our sin. realizes the mess we've made in our life. Unless you acknowledge your failure. Unless you repent.
and understand your need of a Savior, there will be no salvation. Jesus said, I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. You repentance of your sins? Have you humbled yourself? Before God?
Have you received the Savior? Have you bowed to the Lordship? of the Lord. Jesus Christ. If not, do it.
The Messiah has come. The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Who dies on the cross is buried, he rises again, and he will save you. If you call upon the name of the Lord, you'll be saved. And your sins will be forgiven.
And in the wonder of redemption, the living Christ indwells us. And God Here's our prayers. And we pray that God would look on us. and that God would bless us. And that God's grace would be not just on these families that we saw.
but on each of us. and that He graciously would bless us as a church. And how we need the blessing of God on us. And for God to act. in ways that We could never have thought.
Because he's a living God. And he's with these people. And he wants to bless us. And he wants us to walk in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
So pray. What are your specific prayers? If I asked you, if I called you up here and said, now, what are you praying for? Would it just be clichés? Would it just be platitudes?
What are we praying for as a church? What are we looking to God to do? Of all of these wonderful opportunities coming up, What are you asking God for? You're wanting God to act. You're wanting, surely, for God to look on us.
And for the salvation and the mighty power of God to come. To revive us, to open our eyes, and to reach out to the fields which are white unto harvest. And what are you asking for in your family? What are you asking for in your individual life? Be specific and don't lose heart.
When your prayer is not answered in your timing. Don't give up when God doesn't answer your prayers in the way that you would like. Keep praying. Keep trusting the Lord. Realize he's great and greatly to be praised.
Realize is a God who loves you. Realize That is infinite in his wisdom. And perhaps the reason he's not answered your prayer the way you like. Because that's not according to his will. And the newer way.
We are all apt, aren't we? to advise God. To think we know better than God. You know, wiser than God. God can do all things, can send his angel with a message.
Gives a child to a woman who's barren. Of course God is not only powerful and not only all-loving, He is wiser.
So what do we do? We surrender don't we We bow down. and acknowledge. that you are my Lord. Guide me, yes, here are my requests.
Here are the desires of my heart. I cry out to you, Lord, to answer this prayer. And yes, God wants to hear us. And the wonderful fact is, He does hear. And in his own way.
And his own purposes, he will answer it because he's a God who works all things. After the council. Of his will. Humble yourself. Be specific in your prayers.
And look. to God. to answer these prayers. In his timing. and his way.
And we will say to God, Be the glory. This is the verdict with Pastor John Monroe, and the conclusion of a message about trusting God's timing and purposes in our lives. Be sure to keep listening, because John will return in just a few moments with some closing remarks for to day's lesson. Have you ever wondered whether salvation can be lost? or what it really means to be saved in the first place.
and not alone. To help you address these important questions and to find the biblical answers, John wrote a booklet titled Eternal Security: Finding Certainty in a Chaotic World. He shares a bit of his own testimony and does a careful examination of scripture to help you grapple with your own doubts or questions and better understand the nature and depth of salvation by grace. This booklet is completely free by mail or download. Just visit our website at theverdict.org.
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If you're looking for authentic Bible-based teaching and a community of Christ-centered fellowship, and we encourage you to visit us this coming Sunday. For more details and directions, visit theverdict.org.
Now, here's Pastor John Monroe.
Well, what's your verdict? Have you ever had a prayer answered? I'm sure you waited for God to answer your prayers as we all have. Don't be discouraged. if your prayer is not answered immediately.
God is alive. He cares for you. And we praise him that he does act in the lives of people like you. And me. Remember the quote I gave in the message?
Sometimes a roadblock is not a dead end. but a fresh turn in the road.
So keep praying. Be patient. and trust a God who can do the impossible. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict. I'm Michelle Davies.
Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
