Christmas Portraits

Date – Wednesday, December 2, 2020 – Focus on Zacharias

Bible Reading: Luke 1:13-20 – “But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. ¹⁴ And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. ¹⁶ And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, ¹⁷ and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” ¹⁸ And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” ¹⁹ And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. ²⁰ And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”

Observation Question:

1. What was the angel’s promise to Zacharias?

2. What was Zacharias response to this promise?

3. How did God chasten Zacharias for his unbelief?

Application questions

1. Are there any commands to obey?

2. Are there any sins to avoid or confess?

3. Are there any examples to follow?

4. Are there any promises to claim?

Quote of the Day: “If an angel said to you, ‘Your prayer is heard,’ what would it mean for you? What is the “too good to be true” news in your life? You may have given up believing God can bring it about.” – Dr. Bruce Larsen in The Preachers Commentary