Luke: The Indiana Jones of the Bible, Luke 1:5-10

Devotional

Day 1: God Finds and Uses the Faithful

God delights in using those who are faithful, even when the world overlooks them. Zachariah and Elizabeth were not famous or powerful, but they consistently walked with God, served Him quietly, and remained steadfast in their devotion despite their circumstances. Their story reminds us that God sees the heart, values faithfulness over fame, and often chooses the humble and overlooked to accomplish His greatest purposes. You may feel like an extra in your own story, but heaven knows your name, and God can use your faithfulness in ways you cannot imagine. [23:51]

Luke 1:5-7 (ESV)
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

Reflection: Where in your life do you feel unseen or overlooked? How can you choose to remain faithful to God in that area today, trusting that He sees and values your faithfulness?

Day 2: Patience When the Answer is “Later”

Waiting on God’s timing can be one of the hardest tests of faith. Zachariah and Elizabeth prayed for years for a child, and God’s answer was “later.” In the waiting, they did not give up, grow bitter, or try to force their own solution; instead, they kept praying, serving, and trusting. God’s delays are not His denials—He is often preparing us for something greater than we can imagine. When the answer is “later,” it is an invitation to deeper faith and trust in God’s perfect timing. [36:49]

Luke 1:13 (ESV)
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.”

Reflection: What is one prayer you have been waiting on God to answer? How can you continue to trust and pray with expectation, even when the answer seems delayed?

Day 3: God Turns Nobodies into Instruments of His Plan

God often chooses those the world would never pick to play a part in His story. Zachariah, an ordinary priest from a small town, was chosen for a once-in-a-lifetime moment that would change history. What seemed like a random event was actually a divine appointment, orchestrated by God. Every ordinary day holds the possibility of a divine encounter, and God can use anyone—no matter how insignificant they may feel—to accomplish His purposes. [46:54]

Proverbs 16:33 (ESV)
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

Reflection: Think about a routine or “ordinary” part of your life. How might God be inviting you to see it as a place for His purpose or a potential divine appointment today?

Day 4: God Removes Our Shame and Reproach

God not only sees our pain and shame, but He also comes to take it away. Elizabeth lived for years under the weight of cultural reproach and judgment, but God’s miracle in her life silenced every whisper of shame. In Christ, our shame, pain, and reproach are carried to the cross and removed forever. No matter what others have said or what burdens you carry, Jesus invites you to bring your shame to Him and walk in the freedom and dignity He gives. [55:52]

Hebrews 12:2 (ESV)
Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Reflection: Is there a place of shame, regret, or reproach in your life that you need to bring to Jesus today? What would it look like to let Him carry it for you?

Day 5: Keep Praying and Believing—God Hears

Persistent prayer is not pestering God; it is an act of faith that refuses to give up. Zachariah and Elizabeth kept praying for a child, even when it seemed impossible, and God heard every whispered prayer. We are called to pray with expectation, believing that God is able and willing to answer, even if the answer comes in a way or at a time we do not expect. Don’t stop praying—your “later” might be closer than you think. [01:01:44]

Matthew 7:7-8 (ESV)
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Reflection: What is one area where you have stopped praying or lost hope? Will you commit to bringing it before God again today, believing that He hears and cares?

Sermon Summary

This morning, we witnessed the beautiful act of baptism, a public declaration of faith and a symbol of new life in Christ. As we gathered, we continued our journey through the Gospel of Luke, focusing on how God delights in using ordinary, often overlooked people for extraordinary purposes. The story of Zachariah and Elizabeth, a faithful but childless couple, reminds us that God’s plans often unfold in the quiet corners of life, far from the spotlight and applause of the world.

Zachariah and Elizabeth lived in a culture that prized status, family, and outward success. Yet, despite their years of unanswered prayers and the social shame of barrenness, they remained steadfast—serving, loving, and trusting God even when it seemed He was silent. Their story is a powerful reminder that faithfulness in obscurity is precious to God. Heaven knows the names of those who are faithful, even when the world does not.

We explored how God’s timing is rarely our own. Sometimes, His answer to our prayers is “later,” not “no.” The waiting can be painful and confusing, but it is often in these seasons that God is preparing us for something greater than we could imagine. Zachariah’s years of faithful service culminated in a single, divinely appointed moment—chosen by lot, but orchestrated by God—when he was called to serve in the temple and received a message that would change history.

God’s ways are not random; He is sovereign over every detail. What seems like chance is often a divine appointment. Zachariah and Elizabeth’s faithfulness, patience, and purity in waiting became the very soil in which God planted a miracle. Their story also confronts the idol of the “perfect family” and the shame that can come from unmet expectations or the judgment of others. God does not measure us by worldly standards but by our faithfulness and trust in Him.

Finally, we saw that God is the one who removes our reproach—our shame, our pain, our sense of being forgotten. Through Christ, every burden, every wound, and every regret can be brought to Him and left at the cross. Whether we are waiting for an answer, carrying shame, or longing for a miracle, we are invited to keep praying, keep believing, and trust that God sees, remembers, and will act in His perfect time.

Key Takeaways

1. Faithfulness in Obscurity is Precious to God God often chooses those who are overlooked by the world to accomplish His greatest purposes. Zachariah and Elizabeth were not famous or celebrated, but their quiet, consistent faithfulness was seen and honored by God. In a culture obsessed with recognition, we are reminded that heaven values steadfastness over status. [27:15]
2. God’s Delays are Not Denials When God answers “later,” it is not a rejection but a season of preparation. The waiting tests and refines our faith, teaching us to trust God’s wisdom and timing. What feels like silence or delay may be God setting the stage for a greater work than we could imagine. [36:49]
3. Purity and Perseverance in the Waiting Zachariah and Elizabeth did not try to “help God out” or compromise their integrity during their years of waiting. They remained pure and faithful, trusting that God alone opens and closes doors. True faith is revealed not just in what we do, but in how we wait. [33:44]
4. God Removes Shame and Restores Dignity Elizabeth’s story shows that God sees our pain and shame, even when others judge or misunderstand us. Through Christ, our reproach is taken away—not by our own efforts, but by His grace. We are invited to bring both our sin and our suffering to Jesus, who alone can heal and restore. [55:52]
5. Every Day Holds the Possibility of Divine Appointment What seems like an ordinary day can become a turning point in God’s plan. Our role is to remain faithful, expectant, and ready, trusting that God’s purposes are unfolding even when we cannot see them. [43:46]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:49] - Baptism and Opening Prayer
[07:00] - Introduction to Luke: The Indiana Jones of the Bible
[17:08] - God Uses Ordinary People
[20:30] - Herod’s Spotlight vs. God’s Focus
[23:51] - Zachariah and Elizabeth: Faithful in Obscurity
[27:15] - The Value of Small, Faithful Service
[30:31] - The Idol of the Perfect Family
[33:44] - Perseverance in Unanswered Prayer
[36:49] - God’s Delays and Divine Preparation
[40:22] - The Priest’s Lot: Divine Appointments
[43:46] - An Ordinary Day, an Extraordinary Call
[46:54] - God Turns Nobodies into Instruments
[49:43] - Breaking 400 Years of Silence
[52:29] - God Removes Reproach and Shame
[55:52] - Jesus Carries Our Shame
[59:02] - Invitation to Respond and Closing Prayer
[61:44] - Altar Call and Next Steps

Bible Study Guide

Small Group Bible Study Guide: Faithfulness in Obscurity – The Story of Zachariah and Elizabeth

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### Bible Reading

Luke 1:5-7, 8-10, 24-25 (ESV)

> 5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
> 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.
> 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

> 8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,
> 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
> 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

> 24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying,
> 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

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### Observation Questions

What do we learn about Zachariah and Elizabeth’s character and situation from Luke 1:5-7?
According to the sermon, what was the significance of being “chosen by lot” to offer incense in the temple? ([40:22])
How did Elizabeth describe what God had done for her after she became pregnant? ([52:29])
In the sermon, what cultural pressures and judgments did Zachariah and Elizabeth face because of their childlessness? ([23:51])

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### Interpretation Questions

Why does Luke emphasize that Zachariah and Elizabeth were “righteous before God” even though they had no children? What does this say about how God views faithfulness? ([23:51])
The sermon says, “God’s delays are never his denials.” How does the story of Zachariah and Elizabeth challenge our understanding of unanswered prayer? ([36:49])
What does it mean that “faithfulness in obscurity is precious to God”? How does this contrast with the world’s view of success and recognition? ([27:15])
How does God’s removal of Elizabeth’s “reproach” point to the way Jesus deals with our shame and pain? ([55:52])

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### Application Questions

The sermon described Zachariah and Elizabeth as “background extras” in the world’s eyes, but known and chosen by God. Have you ever felt overlooked or unimportant? How does their story encourage you to see your own faithfulness differently? ([27:15])
Zachariah and Elizabeth kept praying for a child for decades, even when it seemed hopeless. Is there something you have been praying for a long time without an answer? How do you handle the “later” seasons in your life? ([33:44])
The sermon warned against making an idol out of the “perfect family” or other good things. Are there areas in your life where you feel pressure to appear perfect or meet others’ expectations? How can you bring those pressures to God? ([30:31])
Zachariah and Elizabeth didn’t try to “help God out” or compromise their integrity during their waiting. When you are waiting for God to act, what temptations do you face to take matters into your own hands? How can you remain pure and faithful in the waiting? ([33:44])
The sermon said, “Every day holds the possibility of divine appointment.” How can you live with expectancy that God might use you in an ordinary day? What would it look like for you to be ready for God’s purposes, even in small things? ([43:46])
Elizabeth said, “The Lord has taken away my reproach.” Is there shame, regret, or pain you are carrying that you need to bring to Jesus? What would it look like to let Him carry it for you? ([55:52])
The pastor challenged the church to “keep praying, keep believing.” What is one specific area where you need to renew your trust in God’s timing this week? ([59:02])

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Sermon Clips

We live in a world today that delights in acknowledging and rewarding those that are loud those that have the platform those that have the spotlight but the reality is what we see time and time again throughout God's word is that he delights in using the faithful God delights in using those that are faithful this morning we meet a couple background extras in God's heavenly story like a couple background extras that the world at the time didn't know but heaven knew heaven knew them by name heaven knew them intimately and heaven chose to use them in this amazing story. [00:20:06]

They're just a couple faithful people that have chosen to love God regardless of the circumstances that they have found themselves in right they're loving each other they're remaining faithful they're serving faithfully in a little corner of the kingdom that nobody even really knows about. [00:22:20]

The amazing story that we're about to look at doesn't start with the powerful it doesn't start with the popular or the political it starts with a faithful pastor and his wife who think that their best days are behind them right they think that the best days are behind them but the reality is God's just about to start the story right God's just about to take this couple and to use them in an amazing and a powerful way when they think the best days are behind us. [00:22:38]

They're old right well stricken in years modern translation like the AARP card has been laminated right they're old okay they're old we also know that they're godly righteous and blameless before the Lord they're not perfect but they're living with integrity they're living with righteous righteous motives God sees the heart God knows that and so they're blameless in that aspect not perfect they're also barren meaning hey they can't have children okay three things that we know about them right off the bat. [00:24:39]

Zachariah is not the fancy high priest there in Jerusalem right he's not that kind of priest he's not the celebrity pastor with a mega church that everybody knows he's just an ordinary priest he's just the guy who shows up punches a clock and serves the Lord when no one else seems to be watching he's faithful he's steady he's he's dependable he's the guy that shows up early unlocks the doors turns on the lights and prays before anybody else even shows up that's Zachariah. [00:26:38]

You know I think of all these small town pastors and their wives that are scattered across this world even today the ones that are serving in places that you're never going to find on Google maps right places nobody's ever even heard of right their names are not going to be flashed across a billboard they're not going to appear on the front page of a newspaper in fact the only time they may appear in a newspaper is in the obituary section and that picture is going to be three decades old and you guys know what I'm talking about. [00:28:27]

The reality is friends they love God though they're faithfully serving him right they've spent their lives praying worshiping visiting preaching to a handful of people who sometimes forget to turn off their cell phone and will answer the phone when it rings right there in service right you know who you are okay but they love them they're faithful right they show up week in and week out nobody may know their name but the important thing is heaven does that's Zachariah and Elizabeth by the world standards they're they're Mr. and Mrs. Nobody but yet here they are they made the Bible that's a pretty impressive thing. [00:29:06]

They were faithful they walked with God when it would have been much easier to just quit when other people were busy complaining they were busy remaining right they chose to be faithful and God said hey I can use a couple like that I can use a couple that's going to be faithful and boy oh boy did God did God use them. [00:30:02]

Idolatry of course is when a good thing becomes a God thing right it's when something that is created takes the place of the creator in our hearts it's when we look at anything or or anyone else to give us what only Jesus can give to us right we look to them or that for our identity for our security for our purpose for our worth that is idolatry and the reality is we can make an idolatry out of just about anything. [00:30:40]

There are no perfect families because there are no perfect people some of us just hide it better than others but what happens oftentimes especially in church culture as we look at the social media posts we look at the families that we see all dressed up and got it all together on Sundays and we strive for that there are no perfect people there are no perfect families. [00:32:04]

They don't have the Instagram kids they don't have the polished holiday photos they don't have the nursery full of all the baby toys that they're posting on social media and celebrating do you know what they have they have empty arms they have decades and decades and decades of perceived unanswered prayers yet you know what they're faithful yet they still choose to be joyful right they still choose to serve they didn't blame God they didn't walk away they didn't do any of those things friends they didn't pout they didn't protest they didn't post about how unfair life has been to them they kept praying they kept serving they kept trusting because that is what faithful people do. [00:32:43]

They stay when everybody else is straying they stay put they stay faithful they keep showing up even when heaven seems silent that's our second point patience when the answer is later see I imagine Zachariah and Elizabeth never quit asking God for a baby never quit right every time they they prayed over a meal I bet they they included that in that prayer you know every time they walked past the nursery there at the synagogue I bet a little silent prayer was whispered. [00:33:34]

Persistence isn't pestering persistence is faith that is refusing to give up there is nothing wrong with continuing to ask God someone told me a long time ago God always answers prayers he answers prayers in one of three ways he answers those prayers yes no or later now we have no problem with the first one yes that's what I wanted we can handle the second one if we're mature but when it comes to that third one we hate that third one later and the reason we hate that third one later is because that's where our faith is put to the test. [00:34:42]

God's delays are never his denials just because it's delayed does not mean it is a denial when he makes you wait it is not punishment it is often preparation for what is to come sometimes that season of waiting is what every one of us as believers need because it is preparing us for the yes it is preparing us that when the yes comes we know it was from him and we celebrate him we worship him all that more so stay faithful keep praying don't stop believing that is what this couple does. [00:37:10]

They didn't just wait patiently they waited purely okay and this is important they waited purely you see in that day and age in that culture that Zachariah and Elizabeth lived in it wasn't uncommon if you were unable to have children for the husband to try to help God out right to go take another woman to try to produce an heir that way I'm sure you all remember Abraham and Sarah Sarah comes to Abraham and I'm paraphrasing of course but she says God's taking too long how about you take Hagar how about we help God out here. [00:37:48]

Zachariah and Elizabeth they don't try to send their way out of their suffering they stay pure they stay faithful they stay together in spite of what they're going through instead they say to God they say God you open and close the womb if you give us a child man we're going to rejoice but if you don't we're still going to love you we're still going to serve you we're still going to trust you see that's what faithfulness is they remain faithful until one day one day after decades of praying after years of serving quietly off in the shadows Zachariah wakes up to a morning that he thinks is just like any other ordinary day. [00:38:42]

Let me tell you something this is just a side note here you never know what ordinary morning might become your divine appointment none of us do every day is a possibility for another divine appointment we never know when the answer is going to be yes we just need to be faithful we need to continue to be pure we need to continue to pray and continue to ask because that date is already circled on a calendar we don't know when it is God does and any day could be that divine appointment Zachariah woke up on this day thinking it was just business as usual right but heaven had quite the surprise waiting for this this old priest. [00:46:11]

You stay faithful you stay faithful in those small things when you think nobody's even watching and one day without warning he opens the door and he says now's the day you just got to stay faithful that brings me to our next point God turns nobodies into instruments of his plan. [00:46:57]

God shows up after 400 years and where does God show up he doesn't show up in the big wigs palace he doesn't show up in Herod's palace he doesn't show up in the Roman senate no he shows up beside an old priest who has been faithful when no one was watching because you know that's who God loves to use oftentimes God loves to take the nobodies and turn those nobodies into instruments of his plan he takes people that the world would overlook and God says hey I choose you God chooses them. [00:51:17]

God removes the reproach I want you guys to jump down to verses 24 and 25 we'll fill in the blanks next week so if you look down to verses 24 and 25 the Bible says this and after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived and hid herself five months saying thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me to take away my reproach among men that word reproach right there basically means that Elizabeth was was reviled right she was disgraced in that culture she was shamed of her inability to have children. [00:52:21]

While the world was saying God must have forgotten you God was saying later later because I'm saving you for something greater later I'm preparing you to stay faithful and when later finally came God gave her a miracle that silenced every one of those religious women in town God gave her a miracle that amazed everybody that left no doubt that God was moving in their life. [00:55:02]

Maybe you're sitting here today and you feel like Elizabeth must have felt all those years ago maybe you are someone who has been shamed abandoned betrayed lied about hurt humiliated maybe you have been judged by those around you misunderstood by those around you mistreated by those around you maybe you're here this morning and you have been carrying years and years of reproach and you wonder like does God even see me anymore does God see what has happened to me does God know the pain and the hurt and the suffering the shame and all these things that I've gone through does God even care anymore I want to tell you something he sees. [00:55:32]

He sees and I want to assure you something he not only sees he comes to take it away you see some two thousand years ago when the Lord Jesus Christ went to that cross of Calvary he did not just carry your sin he carried your shame as well the book of Hebrews says that Jesus endured the cross despising the shame you know that means he took your reproach your disgrace your humiliation he took all of that and he nailed it to that cross with himself so if you've been sinned against do you know what Jesus wants he wants to take that shame away if you've sinned he wants to take your guilt away if you've been carrying years of pain and rejection and regret and anger and bitterness he wants to carry all of that for you today he wants to carry it it is not yours to have to carry. [00:56:17]

Elizabeth said the Lord has taken away my reproach not I've taken away my reproach she said the Lord has taken away my reproach that exact same testimony can be yours today right because of Jesus you can walk out of this place with your head lifted high not because of who you are but because of whose you are when you belong to the King of Kings the Lord Jesus Christ anything is possible. [00:57:13]

If you've sinned bring your sin to Jesus that's where it needs to go if you have sinned bring your sin to Jesus if you have been sinned against bring that shame bring it to Jesus and friend if you're here this morning and you've been waiting waiting for a miracle waiting for an answered prayer just waiting like Zachariah and Elizabeth I want to tell you this morning you need to follow their example and you need to keep trusting you need to keep praying don't stop praying about it keep praying and you need to keep believing. [00:57:43]

So often we pray a prayer but we never believe that God is going to answer it we need to believe that we serve a God that answers prayers we need to pray with an expectation that he is going to answer that prayer we are so guilty today to pray but in our mind in our heart we don't believe he's ever going to answer it that's our fault right he is a God who answers prayers we need to pray in faith that he's going to answer those prayers so I challenge you today keep praying keep believing because your later might be closer than you think could be today could be tomorrow none of us know that date that circled on his heavenly calendar. [00:58:21]

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