The Spirit of God makes way for the presence of Christ.
For reflection:
1. Has there been a time in your life where you have faced the ” terror of the terrific” like Zechariah? How did you respond? If given another opportunity, would you respond differently?
2. Does Zechariah’s encounter show us anything about the importance of obedience to God? What about the importance of trusting God?
3. Often in life, we can best step forward into God’s calling by looking back at God’s faithfulness in our own lives and in the lives of those around us. It’s recalling this faithfulness that often leads to both patience and praise. Who or what situations come to mind as examples of enduring patience?
4. In this message, a football analogy is used to describe the strategic and moving parts and positioning that allow God’s plan to shine. How might a culture of self reliance work against this concept?
5. The angel uses a story that was familiar to Zechariah—the story of the prophet Elijah—to reassure him of God’s activity in his circumstance. Can you think of a time when God used a story or testimony that was familiar to you to help prepare you for the changes in your life?
6. One “blocker” will make a path barely wide enough to fit through, with opponents on all sides. Can you think of a time where you had to follow the Way cleared before you even in the midst of fears and resistance?
7. It wasn’t until Zechariah was alone in the sanctuary that he encountered the angel of the Lord. Where might we find “sanctuary?” Are there ways we can cultivate spaces that allow us to hear from God in our lives?
8. You can tell your team apart from the opposition by the uniforms you wear. In what ways are our “uniforms” like the “good fruit” Jesus says good trees produce in the Sermon on the Mount?
If you’d like to dig a little deeper:
1. In Luke 1:17, the angel tells Zechariah that John will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and turn the disobedient to the righteous. What might this tell us about the concept of “discipleship” in the coming Kingdom?
2. Big. Strong. Athletic. These traits are important to building a football team, but the ability to learn and listen are far more important to being a successful teammate. When we pray, how much of our time is spent listening? Can you think of a time when the “play” that was called in your life was changed at the last moment? How did you “hear” that “audible”?
3. You can tell your team apart from the opposition by the uniforms you wear. In what ways are our “uniforms” like the “good fruit” Jesus says good trees produce in the Sermon on the Mount?