Nativity Story Sermon One 2007

Series Title:  The Nativity Story

Sermon One:  Do you believe in prayer?

Text: Luke 1:5-23

Idea:  You may not doubt your belief in God but we mix our unbelief in our prayers to Him.

Purpose: To illustrate how belief and unbelief mixes in with our work as a priest and let God remove the unbelief inside us.

K/W: Prayers, belief, unbelief, doubt;

I.                   What do you find hard to believe about God?

Show a picture of that giant fish that was caught in the waters of Ontario. Do you believe it?

Who Cares?

What do you find hard to believe? About God?

-incarnation? –virgin birth? –Angels visit humans? –God’s ability to deliver you from your greatest fear?

Who Cares?

Did you know that Ignorance, Error and Inattention cause sin?

Illustration: Talk about this Christmas and conversations about Mulroney/Schrieber affair or the rising Canadian dollar

Realize that most of the information is based on 1-2 news stories therefore most of the communication is ignorant.

Likewise, our God talk can be much the same. (Based on a sermon or two, or prayer based on the Prayer of Jabez)

God wants to purge us of our ignorance, error and inattention to who He is and what He can do so to make our prayers more effective.

What do you find hard to believe about God?

II.                Zechariah didn’t doubt his beliefs about praying to God.

·         He was described as living in a right relationship with God.

24 Divisions in priesthood and Zacharias was division #8. They would serve 2 weeks per year.

V6 ‘did what God said’

Obedience is greater than sacrifice. Zacharias was obedient to his calling, so was Elizabeth.

V7 ‘Elizabeth could not have baby’

This had profound impact on the elderly back then. Who would look after them when they could no longer look after themselves? It is suggested that Zacharias worked part time as a farmer along with his duties as priest. Many pastors today are working part time and not looking after their churches because they have little or no support.

V8 serving as a priest because his group was on duty.’

It is believed up to 18000 priest were under service in the Temple.

V9 ‘chosen by lot’

1) All things are possible:

The possibility of being chosen once in a lifetime was extraordinary. It would be like being called out of Scotia Bank Place where Ottawa Senators play and asked to drop the puck for start of game. The feeling and odds are similar.

2) An act independent of human control

This means that God is in ultimate control and is involved in our day to day affairs. He may have an appointment set up with you.

Luke says that the crowd outside was praying, it shows that no one really retires from active service in the kingdom of God, they just get different assignments.

Illustration: The story of Winston Churchill's English army was short on metals for their weapons in WWII. Realizing some statues of saints of old were standing in churches he ordered the saints to be melted down and put back in circulation. Are you prepared to be melted down and put into circulation? They can use my body parts if I know it could lead someone to be given the chance of being saved.

V11-12 ‘angel of Lord appeared…was frightened.’

Only the command to fear not will remove this. 

V13 ‘God has heard your prayer.’

I can imagine Zacharias saying, ‘which one?’

My question is this; 'was the prayer for a son or for salvation of Israel?' In either event, both were answered with the news of his son John to reunite families to God. What an awesome prophecy. Are you a middle child, born to reconcile your family?.

V14-17 ‘Details of answer to his prayer”

  Seeing the answer to a prayer can be just as difficult to accept as not seeing the answer to our prayers.

V14-18

Do you pray for God to tell you or prophesy were your kids may be used by Him?

III.             Zechariah did have some unbelief mixed in with his prayers.

V18 ‘How can I know what you say is true?

-Isaac, Samson, Samuel are the OT examples that should help persuade him.

Maybe Zacharias is saying, ‘why are you so late?’ Or maybe he is saying, ‘Im not in the right situation in my life right now?’ In either event, it is unbeleif that is causing his question and it will be dealt with.

V19 “I am Gabriel. I stand before God, who sent me to you..’

Dumbness is sign that both punishes and provides grace. God leaves many people limping from past rebellion, but he doenst abandon them.

V20 ‘not be able to speak because you did not believe’

·         Contrast Mary’s response to the same angel, Gabriel, and you see a different response from the Mary and the angel.

Mary was willing to be melted down and used by God for his purposes.  How about you? Are you willing to re-prioritize your life, sacrifice things for God’s purposes? Maybe you need to start focusing your prayers to center on God's kingdom purposes.

(Play clip of Mary’s encounter with Gabriel from the movie, The Nativity Story.)

IV.             God purges the unbelief that is mixed in with your belief in Him.

If you pray for rain, bring an umbrella

If you pray for church, start coming and serving

If you pray for deliverance, start walking in freedom

If you pray for Canada’s spirituality, start getting involved

Belief and unbelief starts with  our prayers, if you pray for rain bring an umbrella.