In Luke, chapter 1, we see how three people reacted to the Word of God. First of all, there was a man named Zacharias. He was a priest of the temple. It was his month to burn incense in the temple of the Lord. On this particular day, however, God showed up and began to unfold His plan for the world.
Keep in mind what I just said. God was beginning a plan, not only for Zacharias and Elizabeth, but for the whole world. God needed a forerunner for His son, and He had handpicked two faithful servants. As He looked into their hearts, God knew that they would be faithful in what He called them to do. God is still the same and He still operates the same way. If you wonder why He hasn't called you into a particular area of ministry, it is because He has seen your heart and knows you better than you know yourself. He knows that you have some more growing to do for the task HE has for you to do. We should be waiting on HIS promotion and not try to manufacture our own.
Back to Zacharias. Notice that he was faithfully doing the job that he was assigned to. (Now there is a sermon in itself. Be faithful in what God has you doing.) He didn't have his application in to be the "Forerunner Parent." He wasn't sitting on the bench and "waiting for the call." He was busy, faithfully doing what he was called to do. He wasn't criticizing others for not being as good as he was. Do you want God to take notice of you? He doesn't need you to fill out an application with Him. He needs you to be faithful to Him. That not only gets you to first base with God, it get's you a home run, and as many homers as God wants you to have.
Now, How did he react to the Word of God. We see that he met God's first qualification, faithfulness. An angel appeared to him while he was burning incense on the altar. This angel told him that Elizabeth and he would finally have a child in their old age. This child was going to be special. This child would be great in the sight of the Lord and would turn the hearts of the children of Israel to God. (See Luke 1:11-17) He also told him that this child would come in the spirit of Elias and prepare the way for the Lord. Pretty heavy stuff, huh?
Zacharias reacted by asking this question, "Whereby shall I know this?" About this time, the angel probably would have wanted to answer him by grabbing him up by the scruff of his neck, lifting him about five feet in the air, popping him on the butt a few good times, setting him back down and yelling in he ear "BECAUSE GOD SAID SO YOU BIG DOOFUS." But this angel was sweet and politely said, Luke 1:20-And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. You see, contrary to popular belief, God is smart. Zacharias had already started off spouting his doubts. If God didn't shut him up, he would have talked his way out of a miracle. "Why, Bro. Henry, I would never do anything like that." To which Bro. Henry would answer, "Oh, really?"
Okey-dokey then, let's read further on in this chapter and see how believers acted and we will see. Even though Zacharias could not speak, we know that he could write. After John was born, every one wanted to name him Zacharias. (See verses 59-64) I am sure he conveyed the message of the angel to Elizabeth. So what did she say? She began to tell everybody (vs 25) that God had taken away her reproach. She began to praise God not only for the child but for what God had said about the child. She lived in the same house that Zacharias did, under the same set of circumstances that he did, surrounded by the same daily events that he did. However, she chose to not only believe God that what He said was true, she talked to everybody as if it was going to come to pass like God said. I am sure that when she prayed, she thanked God for bringing it to pass.
Mary had a similar experience. The angel came to her and told her that she would have a child, His name was to be Jesus and that God would give Him the throne of his father David. Mary's question was about it coming to pass was simply, "But I'm not married yet." The angel simply said to her (vs 35) The power of the Highest shall overshadow thee. The angel then told her the good news about her cousin Elizabeth who was now six months pregnant and he ended by saying in verse 37 For with God nothing shall be impossible. Look at Mary's answer, in verse 38 Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to Thy Word. When she called herself the handmaid of the Lord, she committed the performing of the miracle to God. Her answer to God was, 'I'm going to do everything You ask me to do, because I have faith that You are going to do everything You said You would do.'
Let's look quickly at how Mary and Elizabeth talked to each other. As soon as Mary stepped inside the house, the Holy Spirit came on Elizabeth. She began speaking about the goodness of the Lord to Mary. She ended by saying in verse 45, Blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
Mary, through the unction of the Holy Spirit, began speaking about all the great things of the Lord. Never was there a question as to how God was going to do it. They began to talk excitedly about what God was going to do. The question of how these things were going to come to pass was not in the conversation. Read the remainder of this chapter to refresh your memory of everything that was said and see if they questioned God or not.
Zacharias wanted to know how God was going to perform His word before he would believe it. Elizabeth and Mary got so excited about what God had promised that they declared themselves servants. In other words, they said "God, I believe what You said. I don't know how You will accomplish these things. I haven't got a clue how you will get me from here to this miracle. However, I believe You are smart enough and big enough to take care of every situation that will come up between now and then. Whatever I need to do, I am Your servant."
Their conversations became words of joy and praise as they waited on the promise of God. As we accept the promises of God, we too, should let our conversations be filled with the praises of the Almighty. He doesn't want us to get labored down with the 'how to's' and the 'whatevers'. That's what He wants us to trust Him for. When we make plans to buy something for our children that we know that they will love and bring them joy, do we do it with sadness or joy? Even though we have some work to do to provide the funds to buy it, we constantly think about how much joy it is going to bring to our child when we give it to them. When our children come to us and ask us how we are going to do such-and-such, what do we say? "You just let me worry about that." You know that they probably would not understand if you went into every detail that it would take to give them the present. It gives God great pleasure to provide for His children the same way that it gives us great pleasure to provide for ours. Let's quit the doubting and join in with Elizabeth and Mary and begin praising Him for the answer. Let's talk about the answer just like they did.
How does it make you feel when your child tells people, "My mom and dad are going to buy me a such-and-such." You break out into a big smile in front of everybody because of the joy of your child that believes you and is telling everyone of your goodness to them. When they praise you in front of other people, it solidifies the fact in your heart that you will give them the gift that you promised. Matthew 7:11-If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Your heavenly Father knows how to give you good gifts, just like you know how to give your children good gifts. Why don't we just praise Him for a while?
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