Summary
In the opening chapter of Luke’s Gospel, we encounter a profound story of waiting, faith, and divine timing that speaks directly to our deepest longings. Zechariah and Elizabeth—righteous, faithful servants of God—had prayed for decades for a child, yet their prayers seemed to go unanswered. This narrative invites us into the tension we all experience: the gap between our prayers and God’s response. What makes this account so compelling is the revelation that our unanswered prayers are not unheard. Gabriel’s message to Zechariah—’ your prayer has been heard’—reminds us that God’s silence is not absence, and His delays are not denials. The names themselves tell a story: Zechariah means ‘God remembers,’ Elizabeth means ‘God’s promise,’ and their son John means ‘God shows favor.’ Together, they form a living testimony that God remembers His promises and shows us favor, even when we cannot see it. This passage challenges us to examine our own seasons of waiting and to recognize that God may be doing something far greater than we can imagine. Just as John became the hinge between the Old and New Testaments, our seasons of waiting may be preparing us for purposes beyond our understanding. The call is clear: keep praying, keep serving, and trust that God is working even when it seems He isn’t.
Key Scripture
Luke 1:5-25, 39-80
Ice Breaker
Share about a time when you had to wait for something important. How did the waiting period change you or teach you something unexpected?
Discussion Questions
- Have you wrestled with the following statement? “Our obedience to God, does not obligate God to do as we want him to do.”
- The sermon mentioned that “sometimes God is doing something, and we just can’t see it.” Can you share a time when you later understood why God answered a prayer differently than you expected?
- Is there something you are currently “expectantly waiting” for in your life? How long have you been praying about it?
- Read Luke 18:1 together. What makes it difficult to “pray and not give up”? What helps you persevere in prayer?
- The sermon states: “Maybe the work that God is doing is not in our situation. Maybe the work that God is doing is actually inside of us.” How have you seen God work in your character during a season of waiting?
- Zechariah and Elizabeth “kept praying and kept serving” even during their long wait. How can we maintain faithful service to God when we’re discouraged about unanswered prayers?
- The people of Israel had been waiting 400 years for the Messiah. We’ve been waiting 2,000 years for Christ’s return. How should this “expectant waiting” shape how we live today?
Scripture Reference
- Luke 1:5 – Introduction to Zechariah and Elizabeth
- Luke 1:6 – Both were righteous in God’s sight
- Luke 1:7 – They had no children; Elizabeth could not conceive
- Luke 1:8-9 – Zechariah chosen by lot to burn incense
- Luke 1:11 – Angel appears to Zechariah
- Luke 1:12-13 – Zechariah’s fear and angel’s message
- Luke 1:15-17 – Prophecy about John the Baptist
- Luke 1:18-20 – Zechariah’s doubt and Gabriel’s response
- Luke 1:39-44 – Mary visits Elizabeth
- Luke 1:56-66 – Birth and naming of John
- Luke 1:67-79 – Zechariah’s prophecy (Benedictus)
- Luke 1:80 – John’s growth
- Luke 18:1 – Parable about persistent prayer
- Daniel 8 & 9 – Gabriel’s appearances to Daniel