Christian Worship Fellowship Prayer (EHF Logo)



I'm honored that you've allowed me to be a part of your Christian life.  Please return often for fellowship, study and prayer.  Thank you very much for visiting.
Love & Hugs,
Glen

The Angel Gabriel, Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary reveal a lot about the qualifications of God' servants.  This lesson reveals the truth about them, and us, as servants of God. 

Zechariah-Elizabeth-Gabriel-2

Continued from Zechariah-Elizabeth-Angel Gabriel

2. Handling Pressure:

Lk 1:12-13 'When Zechariah say him (the angel Gabriel), he was startled and was gripped with fear.  But the angel said to him 'Do not be afraid, Zechariah, your prayer has been heard.'

Lk. 1:29-30 'Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.'

Neither Zechariah nor Mary seem to have been people who could handle pressure very well. Of course, I say that not having a clue of what kind of pressure they were under. My limited imagination can offer only this as a way of trying to understand their predicament. What if the President of the US were to personally send one of his cabinet members to discuss a matter of US policy with you? Would that be pressure? We all know God is much higher and more important than the President. What kind of pressure must it have been to have an angel who stands before God be personally sent to you? Just like we would, they choked!

It's kind of like the basketball playoffs. I've been watching the last few weeks. We see these amazing athletes who seem to be able to lift off at the top of the key and float through the air to drop the ball in the basket. Some of them can jump, do a double pirouette and dunk the ball over their head. Some seem even to do amazing angles around people and, with their feet on one side of the basket, curve their body around a couple defenders and make a basket from the other side. Some of them make 85-90% of their free throws. But, when it's the last 5 minutes of the seventh game of a playoff series, with the score tied at 90, many of these guys miss both of their free throws. Did they forget how to shoot? No! The pressure of the moment was too much for them. Our passage teaches that Zechariah and Mary couldn't handle the pressure of the moment…and that ability to handle pressure doesn't matter.

3.  Can-Do-Attitude:

Lk 1:18 'Zechariah asked the angel, 'how can I be sure of this? I'm an old man and my wife is no spring chicken either.'
Lk 1:34 'Mary asked, 'How can this be since I'm a virgin?'

Imagine how frustrated Gabriel must have been with us humans. The angel tells Zechariah, 'You'll have a baby, this baby will be Elijah reborn, he will lead the fathers back to their children, the sinful back to repentance, the nation of Israel back to God, and he will prepare the way for the Savior of the world!' Zechariah asks, How can I have a baby? So Gabriel goes to Mary six months later. He says, 'You'll have a baby, the baby will be God's Son, The Messiah that Israel has waited for hundreds of years, He will be the Savior of the World and He will take the throne of King David and rule forever.' Mary asks, 'How can I have a baby?' Having a baby seems the least of what Gabriel had to say.

It's kinda like Moses, you know, Prince of Egypt? Moses is tending his sheep and sees this bush on fire. When he goes over to it, it starts talking to him. God speaks through this burning bush and tells Moses, 'you'll go to Egypt, get the king to release Israel, lead them through the sea, dessert and river to the promised land, flowing with milk and honey and they will possess that land forever.' Moses says, ' Bu-bu-bu-bu-bu-ut I can't talk so good.' God says, 'Do you see a mouth on this bush I'm speaking through? Get a clue! This is God speaking!"

You see, if it's God's plan, it doesn't matter if we think we can. It may be that God will choose someone who knows they can't do it, because they will know they have to depend on God.

4.  Willingness:

When Gabriel told Zechariah his prayer was answered (Lk 1:13) he was acknowledging Zechariah's willingness to have a son. But the real story of willingness was on the part of Mary who said, "I am the Lord's servant…May it be to me as you have said" (Lk1:38) In the culture of that time, if you were pledged to be married and became pregnant by someone else, the penalty was death. When Mary said yes to God she knew her life depended on His protection and faithfulness.

Conclusion:

When God calls us…experience doesn't matter, self-confidence doesn't matter, courage doesn't matter, family, education, position…none of that matters. If we're willing, we're qualified to serve God. It doesn't matter what you've done in the past, what struggles you have now or what talents you think you lack…if God has given you a dream…if He's called you to do something special…He will give you what you need to get it done, if you're willing.

Related Topics:

RSS Feed Logo  Bible Studies
Zechariah, Elizabeth...
The Childhood Of Jesus
Life Of John The Baptist
The Temptation Of Jesus
Jesus Begins His Ministry
Jesus And Nicodemus
Jesus...Woman At Well
Jesus Rejected At Home
Pool Of Bethesda
New Wine...Wineskins
Sermon On The Mount A
Sermon On The Mount B
Sermon On The Mount C
Sermon On The Mount D
Jesus Anointed With Oil
Parable Of The Sower
Jesus Calms The Sea
Jesus Sends The Twelve
Jesus Walks On Water
Clean And Unclean-Blind
Jesus Is The bread Of Life
Jesus And The Canaanite
Jesus Heals On Sabbath
Who Do You Say I Am
Mustard Seed Faith
Who Is The Greatest
Giving God Honor
The Truth...Set You Free
Jesus The Good Shepherd
Treasure-Heart In Heaven
Lost Sheep, Coin, Son
The Shrewd Manager
Destiny Of Judas...Mary
Meaning Of Palm Sunday
The Greatest Command
Prophecy...The Last Days
The Last Days Parables
Analysis Of  Last Supper
The Real Easter Story
Bible Questions Forum
New Testament Studies
Study Bibles
Bible Study Software
Bible Study Books

Web-Church News!