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LUKE 1:20

"THE PRICE OF UNBELIEF"

Intro: The sin of unbelief has destroyed many lives. It robs and debilitates any life. As  a
       Chittian it will rob you of comfort, deprive you of joy, cause you to fear. Zechariah
       good example of the price of unbelief to a believer.

I. ZECHARIAH WAS A MAN OF GOD, STILL GUILTY OF UNBELIEF.
        A. He was a man of faith.
                1. Verse 6 called "Righteous before God."
                2. No one has attained that position apart from faith.
        B. He walked blameless in the ways of God.
        C. As a priest his duty was to bring the people to God and God to the people. A leader
           in spiritual things.
                1. "Unto whom much is given, much is required."
                2. Greater know ledge creates greater responsibility.
                3. God thus uses harsher measures in dealing with our faults.
        D. He had been especially favored by God, the angel Gabriel appeared to him.
                1. He brought to him fabulous news - his wife was to conceive and bare a son 
                   who would be the forerunner of the Christ.
                2. What exciting words of soothing comfort.
                        a. God was going to soon visit His people.
                        b. His wife's reproach was to be removed.
                3. The angel assured him his prayer was heard.
                        a. He must have been praying for years.
                        b. It is a wonder he still prayed about this matter.
                Nothing would surprise us more than to receive an answer to some of our own
                prayers.

II. THE REASON FOR HIS UNBELIEF.
        A. He was looking at the difficulty rather than to God.
                1. "I am an old man and my wife is well stricken in years."
        B. How often we are guilty of this same mistake.
                1. We look at the circumstances, the difficulties.
                2. I would rather take the position of the three Hebrew children.
                        a. Our God is able.
                        b. Even if He doesn't.
                3. What if God doesn't answer your prayer.
                        a. What if your loved one dies.
                        b. What if you lose your job.
                        c. Will you still trust the Lord?

III. THE RESULT OF HIS UNBELIEF.
        A. He sought for a sign.
                1. "Now faith is the substance. . ."
                        a. Yet he desired to see some evidence.
        B. God gave him a sign, he was struck with dumbness also deafness.
                1. God was merciful, He could have struck him blind also. "I was going to say
                   dead."
                2. I am surprised that God doesn't strike me deaf and dumb sometimes.
                        a. "God has failed me."
                        b. Ok if that's your witness about Me.
        C. It did not invalidate the promise "which shall be fulfilled."
        D. He lost the blessing.
                1. When he came out he could not bless the people
                2. He could not hear their psalms of praise.
        E. I fear lest that this has happened to many of you.
                1. You have become deaf, you no longer hear the Word as you once did.
                2. You have lost your speech, no longer witnessing for Christ.
                        a. The singing of His praises doesn't excite you as it did once.
        F. Are you weak in faith?  Don't be satisfied.