“How Can I Be Sure“

Matthew 1…²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”)

Romans 8… ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Luke 1… ⁵ In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. ⁶ Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. ⁷ But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. 

Luke 1… ⁸ Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, ⁹ he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰ And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. ¹¹ Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. ¹³ But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.¹⁴ He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. ¹⁶ He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” ¹⁸ Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” ¹⁹ The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.

3 THINGS TO REMEMBER IF YOU’RE DISAPPOINTED…

(POINT ONE) DON’T BE DISHEARTENED

(SCREEN ONLY) Luke 1…¹⁴ He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. ¹⁶ He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.¹⁷ And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

God’s will…

He doesn’t say wait without a different WAY

He doesn’t say yes unless it’s the BEST

He doesn’t say no unless you still need to GO

(SCREEN ONLY) Luke 1…¹³ “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.

1 Peter 3…¹² For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

(POINT TWO) DON’T “DIE” THERE

(SCREEN ONLY) Luke 1…¹⁸ Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

Romans 4… ¹⁷ He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.

(POINT THREE) DON’T DO DISAPPOINTMENT DECLARATIONS

(SCREEN ONLY) Luke 1…¹⁹ The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. ²⁰ And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

(SCREEN ONLY) Luke 1…²³ When his time of service was completed, he returned home. ²⁴ After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. ²⁵ “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

Proverbs 18…²¹ The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Declaring Scriptural Truths

I don’t worry about anything. Instead, I seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and I trust that all of my needs will be met. 

(Matthew 6:31-33)
I humble myself before God and trust that He will promote me in the right time. I cast all of my worries, fears and anxieties on Him, because He cares for me. 

(1 Peter 5:6-7)
I’m not anxious about anything. Instead, I make my request known to God through prayer and thanksgiving. The peace of God guards my heart and my mind in ways that I can’t even understand. 

(Philippians 4:6-7)
I have the peace of Jesus, which is far better than what the world offers, and so my heart is not troubled or afraid.

(John 14:27)
I have the Holy Spirit and He has freed me from fear. I’m not afraid of anything because I’m protected and taken care of as a child of God.

 (Romans 8:15)
I have nothing to fear because my God is with me! He protects from all sides and in Him I am secure! 

(Psalms 23:4)
No! God has not given me a spirit of fear or shyness. I have power, love and self-control! 

(2 Timothy 1:7)

Key Points:

• Summarize the main points or key messages of the sermon.
• Highlight any memorable quotes or phrases from the sermon.

Scriptural Foundation:

• Discuss the Bible passage(s) that were the basis of the sermon.
• Explore the context and significance of the chosen scripture.

Personal Reflection:

• Share your personal thoughts and feelings about the sermon.
• How did the sermon impact you? What resonated with you?
• Were there any moments of conviction, inspiration, or clarity?

Discussion Questions:

List a set of open-ended questions to facilitate discussion. These questions can help attendees engage with the sermon’s content on a deeper level.

Example questions:

1. What do you think the main message or takeaway was from the sermon?

2. How does the scripture relate to the sermon’s message?

3. Were there any practical applications or actionable insights that stood out to you?

4. Did the sermon challenge any of your beliefs or perspectives?

5. How can we apply the sermon’s teachings in our daily lives?

Group Sharing:

• Encourage participants to share their thoughts, questions, or personal experiences related to the sermon.
• Create an open and respectful environment for discussion.

Additional Resources:

• Provide information about any recommended books, articles, or further readings related to the sermon’s topic.
• Mention upcoming events or opportunities for Group members to explore the sermon’s theme further.

Conclusion:

• Summarize the key takeaways from the discussion.
• Emphasize the importance of applying the sermon’s teachings in daily life.
• Announce any follow-up actions or future discussions related to the sermon.

Closing Prayer:

• Take the time to ask members of the Group if they have any prayer requests.
• Conclude the discussion with a brief prayer, asking for guidance and wisdom in applying the sermon’s message to be on mission.