Sermon Audio
Mark Smith
Israel has not heard from the Lord in 400 years. All of that begins to change the moment the lot fell on Zechariah, selecting him to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. The prayers of God’s people have not ceased being offered though they have not yet been answered. Specifically, Israel has been yearning and praying for the Messianic age to be ushered in for they have been suffering for too long under the disgrace of Roman occupation. They continue to live without the promises of God being fulfilled. Israel’s shared struggle is illustrated in Zechariah and Elizabeth’s personal struggle. Despite being devoted to the Lord, they remain childless and have moved beyond child-bearing years. Their prayers for a child have not been answered. But now that will all change. For the Lord will not only give them a child, but this child will also serve God’s saving purpose by ushering in the Messianic age. By removing Elizabeth’s disgrace, the Lord is working to remove the disgrace of His people. The promised Messiah is on His way!
SERMON OUTLINE
- Devotion and Desires (vv. 5-7)
- Prayer and Provision (vv. 8-17)
- Silence and Signs (vv. 18-23)
- Grace and Disgrace (vv. 24-25)
Additional SERMON and passage study guide
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