Do Not Be Afraid: Zechariah

The church before I introduce the summa pastor who's gonna be speaking today. Let me just go over a few quick things with you a pretty important way and you should've received our summer update that includes everything that's going on here. The summit of that small you want to take some time.

When you get home today. Look through it and cannot look at it during the sermon because we've asked God to put the plagues of the apocalypse on anybody who will do this during the sermon, but when you get home. Your lunacy and there are a number of things are important. You'll see challenge to those of you who made all in faith commitments to finish strong in the next few weeks. I want to say thank you to all of you who beliefs are strong in the mission that you gave generously of these past couple of years. I want to challenge you to go along with this is the all and is never been about raising money for some specific projects that growing in our devotion to Jesus saving mission here in Raleigh-Durham and then through us in the world. I want you to be only an opera season, but for a lifetime of Veronica and I prayed about this were not going to reduce our giving. Now that we fulfill our faith commitment order to maintain it and try to even increase in the coming days only challenge you to do the same thing. Of course that will involve continual sacrificial giving, but life is about living for his kingdom and leveraging what we have the see salvation come to others as we show you this past month you're all in.

Giving helps make everything we do around here. Possible from a kids ministry or local outreach ministry to domestic and international church planning for the most exciting things are giving makes possible to happen this month where we think of Christmas and Deepak as a gift from the summit to the entire triangle an opportunity for thousands who experience the celebration of the gospel in the true joy of Christmas. You'll see all day details of how you need to reserve tickets before they're gone and how you can serve by the way, that usually more fun than even going and attending is a great chance to get to know other people discharge the story in your update is going to talk about a couple in our church who was reintroduced to the gospel and to the summit through Christmas and Deepak two years ago. This is why we do it like pastor Jason talked about last weekend.

I want you to ask again, who is your one who is your one who is the person that you're praying that God will transform the next year everybody should have one who is the person you are invited to join this year. Deepak, Veronica and I will be with people that only attend our church to this event and I hope that you will this week will be starting a new seriously: do not be afraid which really go to the gospel of Luke and look at the statements I were the angel said to not be afraid. Christmas is supposed to be a time of joyful celebration, but the truth is the time to just put the spotlight on the things that we hear and disappointment to our lives. I'm very excited that that in to kick off the series this weekend. Will you be hearing at all of our campus is from her own pastor Chris Greene pastor Chris Lees or Chapel Hill campus and he's the newest member of our directional elder team before he comes I will tell you how grateful I am for Chris and Erica family is leadership here.

Recent events in the last month made a lot of people question where we can really find justice. It highlighted some of the racial division that still exist now is a time for leaders to lead with grace and truth demonstrated peaceable beauty of the body of Christ to work. Swift to hear and slow to speak. No one embodies those things more than Chris Greene. So summit at all of our campuses on what you put your hands together and thanks to God and is a warm welcome to pastor you submit family nicely was sent to you like to give the sellouts all campuses in Raleigh Durham and Carrie received you warmest warm is welcome from your family that is in chapel you so glad to see you there. I'm glad to be or become a kick off this this Christmas season as fast as they descended with the series. In the book of Luke, so that if I was going through to Luke chapter 1 we notice that in the Christmas story that Luke has an angel appearing and saying do not be afraid or three separate occasions we wanted today is focus in on the life of a man named Zachariah there was Zachariah. He deals with God giving him a promise would wrestling simultaneously with his fears. Sometimes fears to create doubt and unbelief for us to think about fear right now is well with you Gothic to get a little picture of what fear looks like. So what you think a look at my family right here yes vote for this is a picture of fear right here. My wife was actually to simply try to take a picture of the family sitting on the steps in unit B shows a high priest shows up. Please show the you know everybody is going crazy and pointing everything you know if you want to see the act that way. Let me see a snake. I may not just here now. I grew up in the country, you know.

He knows that if the slave rose up in my yard cannot keep a man caught him have to deal with this make you not like the food snakes not only know being outside know know about being outside. I know we have to campus pastors you know it is some of our locations that came over diabetes games baths agon blue camping trip and you and I'm not going to say their names with their initials are RJ Hoggart Ron Donnie Todd Hunziker and Daniel Simmons know that if there was going came through them coming there white wife I might do was open so you want to go camping what you know their likable Crisco Christmas. Imagine being outside in the presence of God, but I can't find gazing upon the heavens like no imagine being in the presence of God with central heat in a hotel room looking at ESPN I really can we can find a way to know I made this note, no question, no question.

I had dreams about life without camping I heard a coyote you know a bear or something you know to bring the snake up in there thing I Christopher God snake is granted by his neck.

You know, having that what you talking about the problem that the problem I made.

The problem is I got a fear of snakes and my fear of snakes is directly connected to my doubt being able to handle a snake situation to what we did learn that Donnie to pray for black people because we have a faith issue with the company can't help of the help of the two people afraid of a lot of things in those fears and doubts the impact what we believe about God and how we can intervene in our lives as we walk through this passage. My prayer today the gospel will make aware those promises in the face of your fears for the three who won first father sit in the days of Harriet Keegan's idea. There was a priest named Zachariah of the division of Abbott and he had a wife and the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth and they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statues of the Lord, but they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years seek this couple in the midst of their their faithfulness. They live every day and every night with the reality they were bearing they they were old they live with the reality of disappointment in this culture you must understand it being childless, childless, with socially and economically disastrous.

Economically, it was disastrous because if you had children that men in your older age could be taken care of. This is pretty 401(k) days. I was socially. It also people viewed not being able have a children is a defect of the scene we know it. That is not the case with them because they're walking blamelessly but people look at them that way is something wrong to God is not like you. There's something very wrong with the situation so so you can see how they could face a lot of social disgrace so often mean were counsel in this situation if their wives can bear children to have a divorce to repel them in a better financial situation to many of us here today, we face the same type of challenge you been faithful but it seems like around every corner there disappointments we have disappointments personally. We have disappointments financially, physically and socially personally.

Some of us here are single were disappointed there were not married yet and there's other services that are married and were disappointed in our marriage to some of us are disappointed in our inability to be able to have children while others were disappointed in the way that we raise the children that we do have financially were disappointed that is taken so long to break through this career path is some of us have obtained the career that we had that we wanted this dream job, but has admitted to his expectations physically were disappointed in how my health is failing us. Some of us are disappointed in watching the hills fail in the lives of our loved ones socially are you kidding were disappointed right now with the racial divide is alive and well in our country and it would be crazy to ignore the hurt, the pain, disappointment, the fear that that is going on the places that have taken national attention of recent Ferguson in New York. Everyone is hurting people are disappointed with the grand jury decisions of the disappointed with the reaction of people to the city officials and officers while others are disappointed with this lack of awareness of this issue altogether with we disappointed in this world. We believe this should be a war the city exists.

We deeply desire for it to exist when it doesn't exist at all. We ask ourselves, we are we going to have peace we now are we really going to be united is that is it possible all be afraid this will never happen, please easily let our circumstances are disappointments and pain eat away at the very fabric of our faith makes us question our faith is that of trusting and believing in our heavenly father you believe that even in the midst of your disappointment right now that your heavenly father still has your best interest in mind to what we learned so far from this couple is what we learned so far from never let your fears redefine your faith.

Never let your fears redefine your faith to celebrate this couple, despite their their ongoing cycle of disappointment because they trust and obey God. How do we know this. They think her divorce pending divorce. Zachariah could had an easy way out. He was man enough to stay with his wife. Despite the social ramifications and even the financial repercussions. Then he commit adultery. They honor their vow. They stay together despite his sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer for better or for worse and become bitter towards God. Remember Zachariah was a priest. That means that he often took people's prayers to God often want their prayers being answered while he is was not even being answered. But though their faith was very marble there was still missing something. They were missing something very important to look at verse 11. There appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense and Zachariah was troubled when he saw him in fear fell upon him, but the angel said to him, do not be afraid to not be afraid, Zachariah, for your prayer has been hurt your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. You shall call his name John.

Verses 14 through 17 goes on to explain that it will give birth to a son is delivering great joy because going to be a great prophet is going to lead the nation to repentance. But he's gonna prepare the way for an evening greater child Jesus the Messiah, even as our bodies seek we've been playing at things, but God wants to give us a better answer than what we can even ask for want to give us something better than monster even asked the core magic. He's trying to give us Jesus while we sit around and we wonder why God has answered our prayers. It God is doing something greater.

But guess what were limited related because guess what thoughts are not installed in ways not as waves. He wants to show her something right here, but because we are so limited in our thinking and we have finite minds, but I God is infinite is because Zachariah's response pay attention to how is disappointment. Tag teams with this fear it creates this doubt and unbelief. Verse 18 Zachariah said to the angel, how shall I know this form an old man and my wife is advanced in years. I can't believe it is now actually to say I'm also but my wife only sees more advanced me. She has a Masters degree in the paeans a PhD in geriatrics. I am so glad that Elizabeth was in there that I notice you have a few choice words for this duplicate. No dude in his right mind would ever used were O and wife in the same sentence noted that we could be written down to Scripture because he knows that MEC could go down as the and that all OT you know now.

Now what is that we often react to God's promises to. There's over 3000 promises of God's word.

It when ever the Holy Spirit whispers one of these promises enemies right there whispering to you fear. There are two types of responses towards God's promises. One is grounded in faith with other is grounded in hopelessness and bitterness to the responses that come from faith might sound like this.you confuse me you frustrate me but I know your real you have my best interest at heart. Even though I'm just not feeling this right now.

Those are the kind of prayer that you can read all in Psalms because these were the con authentic prayers that David Paris within on the flip side their responses. They come from hopelessness in bitterness you doubt God's character you doubt his love. You begin to doubt his existence in the first you're looking at God looking at God, even if it's with confusion and anger. But in the second you're looking at your self and self pity. Zachariah is basically telling his messenger in self-pity and bitterness. I don't believe it's too late onto all this sounds too good to be true. Yes, your message from God which are junk mail, messenger from God never got junk mail for underpinnings and mail you the junk mail check. This is hey you know Christopher Granger got $5000 not know is like some kids are some crazy enough talk all my kids over know my hey guys, look, we just got a check for 5000 stuff right now not take that check right in front of Michael and of course my son is not all my God that he wanted to get rid of that one Sunday when the TransCanada put it back together.

Now I do not believe that this junk mail this junk mail are you here today you hear God's word and God's promises. You believe that this junk mail.you believe that his promises are junk mail you really believe Jeremiah 2911 if you really believe that God has a hold and a plan for you in your future. You believe that for states not merely you believe in Zephaniah 317. When I God tells us that he's in our midst that he's saying is a form of appeal believed to serve a God like that you believe that promise.

You believe that you believe that if if if God's people would humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways that God will heal and forgive us our sins, do you believe that or that junk mail.you believe Zachariah has his pity party in the angel speaks of us listen to what Diane's website. Verse 19 the angel answered him and him. Gabriel is staying in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and bring you this good news, so Gabriel said. In the immortal words of Beyoncé. You must not know about me. He said you are priest you should know about me is a pretty significant appearance. I also up on sleep. He was there looking Daniel desiderata failure by mail Zachariah are you to understand I don't check Scott. I don't look is a histogram post. I stand in the very presence of God. You understand that the gospel that we have is from the presence of God.

How dear.

We doubt see, it is understandable he was afraid of the presence of an angel, but he should be more free and fear the one that was space sickness see it is okay for me to be known afraid of snakes, a little bit but you know what us a few more to snakes when it created snakes. So when he's talking I need to listen and believe. So guess what is he has doubts and is afraid. Verse 20 God says I'm going to help you believe, how does he do verse 20 and behold, you will be solid and unable to speak. This is like the first God ordained timeout. I until the day that these things take place because you did not believe my words which will be for feeling their time and I'm sure that when Lou got back to Elizabeth.

She would like who the old chick now who knows Cigna verse 21 says, and the people were waiting for Zachariah.

They were wondering at his leg in the temple and he came out he was unable to speak to them and they realize the scene imprisoned in the temple, and he kept making signs and he remained mute and when is Thomas service was ended, he went to his home with a quick caveat really quickly noticed that his faith he remained until his time of service. It ended MEC immediate route.

He immediately realized that after his discipline in his little pity party that that he needed to be faithful in the midst of his discipline so he persevered his God continue to do his priestly duties. Even though he now has a newfound disability universe 2420 5F Zachariah returns home. The couple finds out there pregnant sedated grateful and now things might be able to change economically and socially. But nevertheless Zachariah is still discipline for nine months. He can't speak or hear you like Chris said he couldn't speak where's they could hear Wayne overdosing a verse 62 that when people wanted to communicate with him. They make signs back to him and if he could hear loud in making signs back but doesn't this consequent seem a little harsh and unfair for our rights as men I meet people like Avraham and Gideon in Ezekiel.

They didn't believe in angels. They made a request to Lasix security Zachariah is because he is being disciplined for responding.

God with hopelessness and bitterness sees that church. He followed all the rules, but he had no joy in the promises of God ARE not here today. You follow all the rules, but do you really have joy in the promises of God, so God had to shut him up literally. Why because he wanted to bring him back. He wanted to love and he wanted to heal him to God is working out our salvation is waste some time to feel foreign to us, which was believed to have a loving father that will love you back into his presence back to date. He said it like this.

He said discipline is not God, trying to pay you back is God trying to bring you back to what it may feel like punishment. God is already punished his son Jesus. The Bible says there is no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus. He already poured his wrath out on his perfect, blameless, sinless son, you know who's trying to destroy you is the enemy. He seeks to kill the steel and destroy it. And guess what he makes you do first dimension question the promises of God. He makes you question the severity of your sins. He makes you remain uncertain about how much her God loves you, but as believers we can be punished for our sins were discipline, but the reason why God can discipline us because he already punished a substitute for us and his name is Jesus.

That's why we see Jesus in our place met Taylor say like this, he said the wrath of God is more clearly seen in his allowing us to continue in our seen, but the love of God is most clearly seen when he steps in and disciplines us for our seen jump down to verse 62 Elizabeth gives birth to John everybody's excited but with regulated name the child she says laser beyond alignment now know about that because we got Hezekiah really got Obadiah there.

We doubt we know we got Herod but John noting center-right. I so persecuted they may science was fathered require what he wanted to be call and he asked for a writing tablet so he quickly rising right.

His name is John and they all wondered and immediately his mouth was opening the stone loose and he spoke blessing God he spoke blessing God. You can learn a lot timeout numbers right. Seriously, what is God been teaching you in these lands number can you hear him as he soften your heart enough for you to receive his word, betrayed his lesson.

Zachariah could've learned here was the start looking at himself beginning days to the power and the promises of God to write his lesson here is that we even in bewilderment. Confusion that we should look at God that even in federal relationships that we should look at God even when our health is beginning to fail to look at God.

Even though Audrey is often feel we should look to God. We have to get off myself for self-pity begin to put our focus on hope and faith in our God to God to bring is slow to speak, quick to listen to new levels flopper the Zachariah you notice that the only functioning they would keep his eyes so he quietly had to watch things take place for nine months. One of the things he was able to see with the love of his life.

Elizabeth, despite her old body overcome barrenness day by day for nine months is that Zachariah was so M and the birth of John. He pulled out his notebook and is any good rapper would do to him about his little freestyle about everything he does have right now I look at verse 68 is what he said as he began his singing Blessed be the Lord of got the Lord God of Israel, for he is visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David. So after nine months of being quiet and having to watch everything what comes off his lips first answer for our people. This is the answer right now for our people. The answer for the nations I deliver the horn. The common goal of salvation that comes from the line of David is Jesus is Jesus.

He will further speak more about Jesus in Kenyan. He prophesied about John uncertain when he finished singing the song before like that Muzak he got bars and exact up bars make up her image on the Lobaugh czar that means you probably do a lot of camping but is one of the things that we learn here when encourage let your faith conquer your fears that your faith conquer your fears. Some of you may say Chris Zachariah got what he was praying for. Yes, I hear you. You say he was discipline for his unbelief and he persevered.

But let's be real. Right now, 2014 I'm struggling because I have some unanswered prayers and alms rounding over here disappointment.

How in the world can this help me.

How can this help me read what he said carefully as you read what his song was about.

You notice what his joy was his joy was emphatically grounded first on the birth of Jesus and being on his baby boy job while because Jesus is the only hope for salvation for his people. The first few were to come out of his mouth anomalous mama points his people to Jesus for Jesus Jesus God is the best gift to give Jesus can take away our pain. He could take away our sadness and despair. You can fill it with true joy. The security is not the things is God himself, for God is not to try to give us why think even cars and houses. He try to give us something better than all that is trying to give you life.

Listen, he can give you a life.

No one ever take away not even death. So, if God chooses to shut you up for nine months in silence to birth a love for Jesus. The greatest gift and you you're going to say is worth it is worth to the greatest birth in this passage is not of John.

It was the birth of the one that would the birth it will come through faith in Jesus Christ is not about away that this Thomas silence was nine months out here paying your despair. God is birthing a love and the true Messiah. The greatest gift you can never have see the birth of Jesus answers all of our fears and answers all of our fingers so you don't have to be afraid you could be born again is close which you write one more thing down. Don't let fear and doubt create disillusionment about the presence of God. God's words come from his very presence. So let disillusionment come from your fear and doubts. One thing I did mention earlier this was Zachariah name means Zachariah name means God remembers God remembers summit family. God remembers he is not forgotten you.

He is not forgotten your prayers. He is not forgotten any of his promises for you, so don't stop believing don't stop praying. Don't stop crying out from your heart to your God because he is answer your prayers.

He desires to give you his presence, not be afraid, not be afraid my name in your value here is right now I want you to examine your heart. You should feel free right now, the professor fears right now to God. Similar view God's spirit is spoken. You you notice you have not trusted Jesus is Lord and Savior. Don't be afraid to trust him right now there's many of us right now. I believe God in certain areas in our lives without nonbelief are screaming in our ears right now what you trust the promised right now nursing begin to pray, cry out to pray for ourselves, but you guys know here at Summit.

We believe that we are called to love God, to love each other, to love our world right now our world is hurting our world is hurting right now is what I want to do right now and take the focus off of us. God right now own us pray for our nation someone everyone in all of our campus right now staying with me right now as we begin to intercede for our nation is intercede right now for our family all throughout the country.

I want you to remember the promise that Jesus gave pray this prayer for us in John 17 six God help them to be 113 complete unity among them. They'll know that I was sent by you.

We believe that we struggling right now is like Zachariah we believe is too good to be true in light of everything is going on in Ferguson everything is going on in New York and even in our own communities. The racial divide exists.

We having God speak right now is just in the praying is begin intercede for our world right now your praises, your prayers know the guy right now. Bring Evelyn Montague Jesus Moran with those that know God teach us how to mourn Jesus out of the home and ourselves, not even as none of us that staying here right now as we stand in the gap for our nation. None of us deserve your grace and mercy given to us anyway. God we pray right now. We pray for our nation, not even utility sink intimidating. We should pray for those that are in high positions now reframe justice or just God will change your ways.

Now we need you more than them speech our heart speech on the bus always free from this day forward boldfaced field prayers about your promises presence on song line in our generation how we on your name referring a man