Application:
It's wise to listen and obey what God says and promises.
Text:
Luke 1:5-25 and 57-80.
Lesson:
When Herod was still king of Judea, there lived a priest named Zecharias and his
wife Elizabeth. Both of them were upright in God's sight and they kept
all the Lord's commandments faithfully. However, they had no children and
now were getting old. One day it was Zecharias's turn to be on duty in
the temple and he went into the temple to burn incense. As he was busy,
an angel of the Lord appeared to Zecharias. When Zecharias saw him, he was startled and
was filled with fear.
The angel said to him, "Don't be afraid, Zecharias, your prayer has been heard,
and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son. You are to give him the name
John. And he will be a joy and delight to you and will be filled with
the Holy Spirit from birth and will bring many of the people of Israel back to
the Lord their God."
Zecharias asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this, since I am an old man and
my wife getting old?" The angel answered, "I am Gabriel and I stand in
the presence of God, and I have been sent to tell you this good news. And
now you will not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not
believe my words!"
Zachariah Loses His Voice!
Meanwhile, the people outside the temple were waiting for Zecharias and wondering
why he stayed inside so long. When he came out, they realised he had seen
a vision, for he kept making signs to them but was unable to speak. Can
you imagine what it was like because it was nine long months before he would be
able to talk again. What a terrible and frustrating time that must have
been!
All he could do was just point to things and wave his arms about trying to get
across what he wanted. In those days they didn't have a sign language
and so Zacharias must have got angry and stamped his feet many times! At
last his time of duty was completed and he returned home. His wife
Elizabeth in due time gave birth to a son.
Her neighbours and relatives gathered together to celebrate the birth, and were
going to name the baby after his father Zecharias. Elizabeth said, "No,
he is to be called John." They said to her, "But there is no one among
your relatives who has that name." They made signs to his father to find
out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet,
and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John."
He can Talk!
Immediately he could speak again and began praising God. The neighbours were
amazed and this story spread throughout the hill country of Judea.
Everyone who heard this wondered, "What is this child going to be?"
His father Zecharias was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, "And you, my
child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go on before the
Lord to prepare the way for Him (Jesus), to give His people the knowledge of
salvation through the forgiveness of their sins."
And the child grew and the Lord was with him. He lived in the desert and
ate locusts and wild honey until he started preaching to Israel as John the
Baptist.
Application:
Boys and girls, it's wise to listen to what God says and promises. God
always keeps His Word and never lies. Zecharias refused to believe, and
was struck dumb for his unbelief. God doesn't want us to be like
Zecharias. He wants us to listen and obey what He tells us to do in the
Bible. God wants us to believe and trust Him to keep His word, and His
many promises.
God bless!