Faith and Obedience: Embracing God's Miracles in Silence
Summary
The sermon explores the themes of faith, obedience, and the recognition of God's work in our lives, even during periods of silence or doubt. The speaker emphasizes the importance of believing in miracles and trusting that God will show up as promised, suggesting that doubt is a significant barrier to experiencing miracles. The congregation is encouraged to make room in their hearts for God and to create space in their lives to hear His voice, with the reminder that God can restore what is broken.
Obedience and submission to God are highlighted, particularly during times when God seems silent. The speaker advises focusing on doing the next right thing and being obedient to God's will, rather than waiting for something big to happen. The story of Zechariah, whose name means "the Lord remembers," is used to illustrate that God has not forgotten His people, even in silence.
The speaker asserts that nothing is impossible with God, referencing biblical miracles such as the parting of the Red Sea and the resurrection of Lazarus to encourage the audience to have faith in God's ability to perform miracles today. The traps of grief, shame, hopelessness, envy, and comparison are discussed as obstacles that can prevent individuals from seeing God's work in their lives. The story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, who were childless and faced societal shame, is used to offer hope to those who have given up.
God's silence is sometimes a means to get our attention, and the speaker encourages those feeling God's silence to lean in and see what God does. The Gospel of Luke is mentioned as an orderly account of Jesus' life, written to address skepticism and doubt. The speaker acknowledges that doubt is natural and not offensive to God, but warns against crossing into disbelief, as seen in Zechariah's story when he doubted the angel's message and was silenced.
The speaker calls for recognition of the miracles happening around us and the importance of belief to bring glory to God. The encounter between Zechariah and an angel after 400 years of divine silence is highlighted as a significant event, with Zechariah's disbelief and struggle to process the angel's words being acknowledged. The story of Elizabeth's pregnancy at an advanced age and Mary's visitation is used to emphasize God's faithfulness in fulfilling promises.
Zechariah's role as a priest and his selection to burn incense in the temple is described, with the speaker suggesting that Zechariah may have had doubts about the impact of his actions after centuries of waiting for a savior. The speaker shares a personal experience of doubt and relates it to Zechariah's story, questioning whether we truly believe that God can perform miracles in our lives. The story of Lazarus is used to illustrate that doubt and skepticism are common, even among Jesus' disciples.
Finally, the speaker reflects on society's lack of patience and the discomfort of waiting for God's guidance. They propose that silence may be used by God to get people to listen again, suggesting that it is not that God has stopped speaking, but that people have stopped listening.
Key Takeaways:
- Doubt can be a significant barrier to experiencing God's miracles, but creating space in our lives to listen to God can lead to restoration and hope. [40:35]
- Obedience to God's will, especially during times of silence, can lead to a closer relationship with Him, as exemplified by the story of Zechariah in the temple. [22:50]
- The biblical accounts of miracles serve as reminders that the same God who performed wonders in the past is still capable of doing so in the present, encouraging believers to maintain their faith. [38:41]
- The emotional traps of grief, shame, and hopelessness can obscure our view of God's work in our lives, but stories like that of Zechariah and Elizabeth remind us that God may have unexpected blessings in store. [17:56]
- Encounters with God should challenge and transform us, and when God calls us to do something that seems outlandish, it is likely from Him, as seen in Zechariah's eventual obedience in naming his son John. [35:59]
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Luke 1:5-25 - The story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, focusing on Zechariah's encounter with the angel Gabriel and the promise of their son, John.
2. Psalm 121:1-4 - A prayer of trust in God's help and protection, often recited by those entering the temple.
#### Observation Questions
1. What was Zechariah's initial reaction when he saw the angel in the temple? How did the angel respond to his fear? ([23:19])
2. According to the sermon, what were some of the emotional traps that Zechariah and Elizabeth faced due to their childlessness? ([15:12])
3. How did Zechariah's role as a priest and his act of burning incense symbolize his obedience to God, even during a time of silence? ([19:28])
4. What was the significance of Zechariah's name, and how did it relate to the message of the sermon? ([22:50])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Zechariah doubted the angel's message despite his knowledge of past biblical miracles? How does this reflect common human reactions to divine promises? ([27:32])
2. How does the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth illustrate the idea that God's silence can be a means to get our attention? ([11:05])
3. In what ways do the emotional traps of grief, shame, hopelessness, envy, and comparison obscure our view of God's work in our lives? ([16:22])
4. How does the sermon suggest that obedience to God's will, especially during times of silence, can lead to a closer relationship with Him? ([21:04])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt God's silence in your life. How did you respond, and what might you do differently now to "lean in" and listen more attentively? ([11:37])
2. Zechariah's story shows that doubt is a natural reaction but warns against crossing into disbelief. How can you differentiate between doubt and disbelief in your own faith journey? ([31:53])
3. The sermon emphasizes the importance of creating space in our lives to hear God's voice. What specific steps can you take this week to make room in your heart and life for God? ([39:20])
4. Consider the emotional traps mentioned in the sermon. Which one do you struggle with the most, and how can you address it to better recognize God's work in your life? ([16:22])
5. The speaker shared a personal experience of doubt and related it to Zechariah's story. Can you think of a personal experience where you doubted God's promises? How did it affect your faith, and what did you learn from it? ([20:31])
6. The sermon calls for belief in miracles and God's ability to perform them today. Do you believe that God can do miraculous things in your life? Why or why not? ([28:03])
7. How can you support someone in your life who is struggling with doubt or feeling God's silence? What practical steps can you take to encourage them to lean in and listen to God? ([33:17])
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing Faith Amidst Doubt
Doubt can cloud the heart's vision, obscuring the miracles that unfold around us. By intentionally creating space to listen, one can find restoration and hope in the midst of uncertainty. Faith is not the absence of doubt but the choice to trust God's promises despite it. [40:35]
Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."
Reflection: What doubts are you currently wrestling with, and how can you create space in your life to listen and trust in God's promises?
Day 2: Obedience in Divine Silence
In the quiet moments when God's voice seems distant, obedience becomes a profound act of faith. It is in doing the next right thing, guided by His will, that one can draw nearer to Him and experience His presence in silence. [22:50]
1 Samuel 15:22 - "But Samuel replied: 'Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.'"
Reflection: What is the 'next right thing' you can do today to demonstrate your obedience to God, even if His guidance feels unclear?
Day 3: The Continuity of Miracles
The God of biblical times who parted seas and raised the dead is unchanged and still active today. Believers are called to hold onto faith in His power to perform miracles in the present, just as He did in the past. [38:41]
Daniel 6:27 - "He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions."
Reflection: How can you cultivate a heart that expects and recognizes the miracles God is performing in your life today?
Day 4: Overcoming Emotional Obstacles
Grief, shame, and hopelessness can blind us to God's work and the blessings He has in store. By looking beyond these emotional traps, one can see the unexpected ways God moves in our lives, just as He did for Zechariah and Elizabeth. [17:56]
Psalm 34:18 - "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
Reflection: What emotional obstacles are you facing that may be preventing you from seeing God's work in your life, and how can you seek His perspective on them?
Day 5: The Challenge of Divine Encounters
When God interrupts our lives with His plans, it can be disorienting and challenging. Yet, these encounters are meant to transform us and align us with His will, as seen in Zechariah's obedience to name his son John. [35:59]
Isaiah 55:8-9 - "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Reflection: What is God calling you to do that seems outlandish, and how can you step out in faith to obey His direction?
Quotes
"Do we believe that God can do miraculous things? I'm not asking you do we believe that he has. I'm asking you do we believe that God can do miraculous things in your life?" [28:03] (Download)
"Some of us, if we're being honest, our answer to that would be no. Like Zechariah, we've heard the stories, we've read about them, somebody told us, we heard it in Sunday school when we were kids, but it doesn't feel real. It can't be my story." [28:43] (Download)
"It is time for God's people to start believing in Miracles again, to believe that He still shows up the way He has promised that He will because He is good for His word." [39:20] (Download)
"Let every heart prepare him room. Are you too busy in your life to hear or to see how God's working or what He's saying to you? Maybe you need to create some margin in your life or you need to calm some noise so that God can speak to you." [39:58] (Download)
"The same God who turned a Rugged Cross into an empty tomb in three days can take what's broken in your life and make it good again." [40:35] (Download)
"Maybe the thing you need to do if God is silent in your life right now is just the next right thing because what that will do is one small step at a time you will walk toward Jesus and let me tell you he is not very far." [21:38] (Download)
"He may be silent but he hasn't gone to sleep on us and he hasn't forgotten us. The name Zechariah means the Lord remembers, and I don't believe it was any coincidence that it was Zechariah who got to go into the temple on this day." [22:50] (Download)
"This is a message to any of you who've given up hope. If you need a breakthrough in some area of your life, you're wrestling with something and you just can't seem to overcome it... God may have something in store." [17:56] (Download)
"The theme is nothing is impossible with God and so again the question I have for you this morning is do we believe this, do you believe that the same God who parted the Red Sea... can part waters in your life to lead you out of some kind of oppression or captivity?" [37:05] (Download)
"Sometimes God's silence in your life is meant to get your attention because there's something he wants to say to you and you're not listening, and so he's quiet because he wants you to lean in." [11:37] (Download)
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Dec 04, 2023. Do you have any questions about it?