Christmas Prayers

Background to passages: places of prayer or implied prayer

Luke 1:8–20 ESV

Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,

according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

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.

And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,

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.

And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,

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.”

And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”

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.

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.”

Opening illustration: How long do you keep your Christmas decorations up?

Main thought: Jan Month of Prayer and Fasting 2024 is upon us. The Christmas Accounts provide us with some principles of reminder and encouragement as we begin

1) Unbelieving Prayer (Luke 1:8-20)

Luke 1:8–20 ESV

Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,

according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

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.

And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,

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.

And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,

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.”

And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”

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.

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.”

1) Unbelieving Prayer (Luke 1:8-20)

Explanation: Zechariah and Elizabeth had been praying for years that God would give them a child. As they got older, their faith got smaller. Doubt crept in, unbelief began to take over, and by the time the angel came, his faith was found lacking that he didn’t believe an angel!

Mark 9:23–24 ESV

And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

Matthew 13:58 ESV

And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

Illustration: Richie Jenkins

Application: Tomorrow we will begin a concerted effort as individuals, as a church to fix our eyes on God, ask God to increase our faith, confess our unbelief, and watch him do mighty works. We ask God for things, but do we really believe He will do them. Nah.