Doing The Right Thing The Wrong Way Part 3 Series

Doing the right thing the wrong way

Questioning God: When Zachariah and Mary questioned God

Introduction

A. We are continuing our sermon series about doing the right thing the wrong way. It is so easy to excuse bad behavior by saying, “Well I did the right thing.” It is good to do the right thing, but it is more important that we do the right thing THE RIGHT WAY.

B. Doing the right thing the right way sometimes is determined our attitude at the time we do it. We have looked at the two men who did the right thing. They both believed in God. They both prayed but one prayed the wrong way and the other prayed the right way. It was not the words that were spoken that made one right and one wrong. It was their attitude.

C. Doing the right thing the right way sometimes is determined by our values. We looked at the two men who built houses; one did it the right way and the other the wrong way. One built on sand, worldly ideas and values. The other built on the ways of God.

D. Today we are going to talk about questioning God. If you were to take a tour of the Bible you would find it is filled with people questioning God, some do it the right way and some do it the wrong way. The Book of Job has over 330 times where God is questioned. The first book of the bible, Genesis, has 160 questions. The book of Psalms with its 150 chapters has 160 questions for God.

E. Religious people aren't used to questioning God. The Psalmist says: "The Lord is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings." Which, in real language means: "Being God means never having to say you're sorry!" We just kind of accept that. We're not used to questioning God, we're used to defending him! It never occurs to us that God can probably take care of himself!

F. Today we are going to look at two people who questioned God. One did it the right way and one did it the wrong way. Some believe that to question the Bible, God's direction, or even God Himself is tantamount to blasphemy or, on a smaller scale, a sign of disbelief. Some people think that it is always wrong to question God. They believe that you follow God and do whatever He says, without question. As a rule that is good, but there are times when it is correct to question God. But there is a right way to question God and there is a wrong way to question God. Today we shall look at both.

G. We will be reading in the Gospel of Luke.

Zacharias questions God Luke 1:18-35

A. Two people had angels appear to them and tell them something impossible was going to happen in their lives, Zacharias and Mary. They both were amazed at what they were told and both asked questions about how it was going to happen, but Zacharias was struck dumb for the way he asked and Mary was blessed! So there must be a ‘right’ way and a ‘wrong’ way to ask God questions! When Zacharias was told his wife was going to bear a son in her old age, he did not believe it was possible.

B. Isn’t it amazing that there are events in past history that we accept without question as having happened in a most marvelous way but should the same thing happen to us we would be inclined to doubt! Zacharias is an old man and his wife has been barren. No doubt they have wanted children. No doubt they have prayed and asked God to give them children, but it never happened.

C. Here is a man who believed in God. He was a priest of God. He was a man who studied and taught God’s word to the people. He was like all the Jews since Abraham, waiting for the coming of their Messiah. He had spent his whole life telling others that someday the Messiah would come. He told people that when the Messiah would come He would change the whole course of the world and mankind. Then when God comes and says that the Messiah is coming now and you are going to be a part of that happening, well, he questions, "How can this be? How can you use me? How can you answer my prayers? Can you really do all the things I have always said You could do, for I am old?

D. Angels are very powerful beings and it seems they can be short-tempered when they sense someone challenging them or challenging God. Apparently this angel picked up something in the way Zacharias asked the question. This one certainly reacted quickly.