Zechariah's Answered Prayer Series

“ZECHARIAH’S ANSWERED PRAYER” Luke 1:5-17

FBCF – 12/7/25

Jon Daniels

INTRO – Laine Kiffin last wk. Lots of strong feelings felt. Lots of strong opinions voiced. Lots of strong words spoken. Some of you already had feelings stir up inside you as soon as you heard his name. Be clear: I’m not taking sides today – just using that situation that took the college football world by storm last week as a jumping off point today to get us thinking about some things that are a lot more important than college football. To prove I’m not taking sides (show socks).

Lots of folks wanting their prayers answered last week:

- Some OM fans – “Lord, please let him stay.” Others: “Lord, please let him leave.”

- MSU fans – “Lord, please let us win the Egg Bowl.” (didn’t happen) “Lord, please let us win it again one day.” “Lord, please let us just get bowl eligible again one day.”

- Laine Kiffin: “Lord, please let me get out of here alive” as he left Oxford. Same prayer he’ll be praying on Sat nights in Tiger Stadium when he loses a game.

- Southern Miss fans: “Lord, thank you that we didn’t go 1-11 again this year!”

Don’t know how much God cares about college football or about who wins the Egg Bowl or any other game for that matter. But I do know that He cares about His children & hears us when we cry out to Him in prayer.

EXPLANATION – Luke 1:5-17 (855)

Going to be in Luke 1 & 2 for next 3 wks.

- “Zechariah’s Answered Prayer” today

- “Mary’s Assignment” next week

- “The Angel’s Announcement” on the 21st

Gospel of Luke – One of the Synoptic Gospels – Matthew, Mark, & Luke. Word “synoptic” lit means “together sight.” These 1st 3 books of NT are called the Synoptic Gospels b/c they “see together w/ a common view.” All 3 tell the story of Jesus’ earthly life & ministry covering many of the same events in Jesus’ life. Nearly 90% of the material in Mark’s Gospel is found in Matthew, & about 50% of Mark is found in Luke’s Gospel. John’s Gospel is not a synoptic Gospel b/c he did not write his Gospel as a chronological narrative of Jesus’ life but to display the deity of Jesus.

Luke was a Gentile & was a physician, which likely explains why his Gospel is very detailed. It’s been called the most beautiful book ever written as it takes the reader through Jesus’ life & emphasizes His love & compassion for all people, & the forgiveness & salvation He offers to all people.

Early on in Luke, we are introduced to Zechariah & Elizabeth. He was a priest in the temple & would serve 2 times a year, a week each time. In v. 8 – “his division was on duty” which was a high honor. But v. 9 tells us that “he was chosen by lot to enter the temple & burn incense.” This was an even higher once-in-a-lifetime honor. And in The Holy Place, he had a once-in-a-lifetime experience that changed him forever. The angel Garbriel appeared on the right side of the altar of incense & gave him some good news that he longed to hear: God had heard his prayer & his wife was going to have a son who would be John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus.

APPLICATION – God answers the prayers of His children.

Establish that truth in your heart right now: God answers the prayers of His children. Answers in 1 of 3 ways: Yes – No – Not right now (maybe hardest) – “Trusting God means trusting His timing. When the door stays closed…When the healing doesn’t come…When the silence is deafening, it doesn’t always mean ‘No.’ Sometimes, God is simply saying, ‘Not yet…Grow first…I have better. He’s not late. He’s just working behind the scenes.” (https://www.facebook.com/TLonFB/posts/you-pray-but-gods-answer-isnt-always-yes-sometimes-its-not-yet-or-i-have-better/1250772780423062/)

Matthew 7:11 – “So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him.” (NLT) Since we know that God wants to answer the prayers of His children, let’s talk about some ingredients we need to have in our prayer life:

POSITION – v. 6-7 – Z & E “were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments & statutes of the Lord”” – in other words, their position before the Lord was a position of righteousness. They were faithful, elderly followers of the Lord. This doesn’t mean that they were sinless, but that they conscientiously lived according to the Law of the Lord. Their lack of children was not due to sin but was part of God’s “not yet” answer to their prayers for a child. “God often brings or allows suffering in the lives of His people for His glorious purposes & for our sanctification” (Tony Evans).