The Sin of Unbelief - 12/14/25 - Pastor Charlie Branch

Welcome to Meadows Baptist Church

[music] of Walnut Cove, North Carolina.

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Pastor Charlie Branch [music] with a

word from God.

I ain't been very down the road alive

very far, but I can tell you this, what

I have seen, I know I can't make it

without him.

>> Amen. And uh I appreciate them letting

me sing with them tonight. I was

honored, too. I appreciate those ladies.

If you have a Bible, I want you to turn

with me to the Gospel of Luke. Luke's

Gospel, chapter number one.

Luke's Gospel, chapter number one.

I appreciate the young people of our

church and uh they've really stepped up

here the last several months in our

church and I really do. I mean it. I

appreciate them and their faithfulness

and their desire to serve. I tell you

that's not everywhere, church. And uh

you ought to thank God for it. And I'll

tell you this, y'all do more than just

thank God for it. Y'all to support them.

Amen.

>> Amen. Y'all to support them. And uh

a lot of different things that I could

say about that, but I tell you this, the

Lord has blessed our church. Amen.

>> He's been so good to us. And uh good

families, good children.

I bless his name for it. Luke chapter

number one. And I'm going to read just a

few verses here and uh really cover a

lengthy portion of text. Not going to

read all of it, but I want to read just

a few verses here and then we'll give

you the thought tonight. Luke chapter

number one. Uh let's begin reading verse

number 57. Luke chapter 1 verse 57.

Luke 1:57

Hope that you're familiar with this this

text. And uh be honest with you, I

really have never heard any preaching

out of this chapter uh all that much.

I've heard some preaching on Mary, but

the text I'm going to deal with tonight.

Never heard a whole lot of preaching on

heard my dad preach on it. Um but never

really heard much preaching out of this

text. I pray the Lord will help us

tonight. Let's look chap Luke Luke Luke

in Luke chapter number one verse 57.

And the Bible says, "Now Elizabeth's

full time came that she should be

delivered, and she brought forth a son,

and her neighbors and her cousins heard

how the Lord had showed great mercy upon

her, and they rejoiced with her. And it

came to pass on the eighth day that they

came to circumcise the child. They

called him Zacharias after the name of

his father." And his mother answered and

said, "Not so, but he shall be called

John." And they said unto her, "There is

none of thy kindred that is called by

this name." And they made signs to his

father how he would have him called. And

he asked for a writing table and ropes

saying, "His name is John." And they

marveled all. And notice verse number

64. This where I want to end up tonight

with the help of the Lord. Look what he

says. And his mouth was open

immediately. And his tongue loosed and

he spake and praised God. And fear came

on all the all that dwelt round about

them. And all these sayings were noised

abroad throughout all the hill country

of Judea. And all they that heard them

laid them up in their hearts, saying,

"What manner of child shall this be, and

the hand of the Lord was with him."

Father, I come before you tonight, and I

want to say thank you for the good

service we've had thus far. And Lord, I

pray, Father, tonight that you would

allow us to worship you tonight. I pray

that you would, Lord, break the

hardness, God, of this flesh.

Lord, the coldness that we get so

complacent sometimes, God, I I thank you

for the spirit, Lord, those songs, those

ladies just sang. God, the fact of the

matter is, Lord, every one of us in this

life's been through a lot of things, but

there's never been a thing we've went

through that you weren't there with us.

And I thank you for that. And Lord, I

pray, God, that you would help us

tonight as we consider this text, Lord,

and give us wisdom, give us discernment,

help us to receive with meekness the

engrafted word. And Lord, may we lift

our eyes under the hills from whence

cometh our help. Lord, I pray you'll

move. Clothe me in my calling. I pray

give us liberty and vocabulary. We'll

give you thanks for what you do because

we ask it in Jesus name. Amen. Luke

chapter number one is the introduction

of a man by the name of John the

Baptist. Now we know John the Baptist,

Isaiah chapter number 40 spoke of this

man that would be the forerunner of our

Lord. He would come to prepare the way

of the Lord. the Bible says, "And make

his path straight." And we are

introduced first not to John, but we're

introduced to his family. And I I find

that interesting in Luke's gospel. Of

course, when you study the personality

of Luke in the scripture, we know that

he was a doctor. Luke was interested uh

in lots of things. He's very detailed in

his writings. And that's why there's a

lot of events that Luke records,

particularly the birth here of John the

Baptist, as well as factors concerning

the birth of Jesus Christ that the other

gospels do not record. And so I find it

interesting here in this text to

highlight some things by way of

introduction tonight in verse number

five of chapter number one. The Bible

says there was in the days of Herod the

king of Judea a certain priest named

Zachcharias of the course of Abaya and

his wife was of the daughters of Aaron

and her name was Elizabeth. And I want

to notice four things about this family.

This husband and wife here in this text.

Of course, this is the mother and father

of John the Baptist. And they are aged

at this point in their life. Both of

them are elderly at this time and they

are past the age of child rearing much

like uh Abraham and Sarah in the book of

Genesis. Of course, we know we're not

given their age in this time, but we do

know that Elizabeth is barren. And and

we notice in this text some things about

them is said of them. I want you to

notice four things said about them in

this text. The first thing that's

mentioned here in verses five and six is

their virtue. And look what the Bible

says there. He is a certain priest. His

wife was of the daughters of Aaron.

Verse six. And they were both righteous

before God, walking in all the

commandments and ordinance commandments

and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

And so they were walking with God. So

much so that nobody could bring an

accusation against their service. They

were faithful in the ordinances. That

had to do with the ceremonial law. Of

course, we know that Moses law had two

parts mainly, the sacrificial and the

ceremonial law. And so, or the

ceremonial law and then the uh the phys

moral law and then the sacrificial law,

those three parts. And so, they were

faithful in all parts, the commandments,

that moral law and the ordinances have

to do with that ceremonial law. And they

were blameless. They were walking. They

were virtuous in their marriage. Both of

them. He was a priest, righteous before

God. and she was a righteous a believing

wife that was married to him according

to the text. And we notice not only

their virtue is highlighted, but we note

their vice is highlighted in verse 7.

The Bible says that they had no child

because that Elizabeth was barren and

they both were now wellstricken in

years. And so all their life this man,

he was coarse raised in the house of

Aaron. that course of Abaya. That's one

of the 24 courses that David installed

in the book of 2 Samuel there to reign

over the house of Aaron to keep order in

the house of God. The priest there, the

course of Abaya and then his wife of the

daughters of Aaron. And so they had

lived their whole life in the ministry

so to speak and they had no children.

And let me say this to you this this

evening. And I I was thinking about it

this afternoon considering this text.

Just because somebody does not have what

we have, does not mean that they have

sinned or some reason has brought their

vice upon them. Not every person that

gets cancer is a sinner. Somebody say,

"Amen." You say, "Preacher, we're all

sinners." You know what I'm saying? Not

every person that gets sick, not every

time a individual gets out of gets out

of shape physically has to do with the

sin that's in their life. Now, we know

many times that's the case. But in this

text, these people were not barren to

any fault of their own. But they were

barren just because God wanted to work a

miracle in their later years. Amen. I'll

tell you what, they got to see that

barrenness bring a blessing in their

life. Amen. And so I note their virtue

and their vice here that's mentioned.

She is barren. But we consider the

biggest part of this chapter deals with

the vision that her husband Zacharias

has. and he is in his office there in

the the temple and he is offering the

incense there in verse number nine verse

number 10 the multitude is praying there

in this time of incense and in verse

number 11 as he is offering this incense

offering there in that holy place the

Bible says that there appeared unto him

an angel of the Lord standing on the

right side of the altar of incense and

so he has a vision here in this text he

sees the angel Gabriel and the Bible

says that out of this vision He is told

that his wife him he and his wife are

going to have a son and his name shall

be called John in verse number 13. And I

think what I find interesting about this

is that there was prayer made. Verse 13,

look what he says. But the angel said

unto him, "Fear not, Zachcharias, for

thy prayer is heard." Amen. I'll say

this. The only prayers God don't hear

the prayers you don't pray. Amen. That's

exactly right. Tonight, if you refuse to

pray, don't expect God to hear it. Amen.

God is listening. His ears are open unto

his children. And his heart is attended

unto the prayers of his people. And God

has heard the prayer of Zacharias and

his wife that they would have a son. No

doubt in my mind probably they have

decided that at this point in their life

that they wouldn't be able to have a son

just simply because their age. But I'm

thankful that where the flesh gives up,

God just gets started. Amen. Hey, when

we get too old, we think we're aged out.

Hey, that just might be the time for God

to use you in the biggest way. Amen.

Hey, if you still GOT BREATH, YOU STILL

got ability to do something for God.

Amen. Hey, don't ever quit on God. Don't

ever give up on him. Amen. Too

prematurely. And so I consider out of

this vision there is victory that is

wrought for them their prayer is

answered. Verse number 24, the Bible

says, "And after those days, his wife

Elizabeth conceived and hid herself five

months, saying, thus hath the Lord dealt

with me in the days wherein he looked on

me to take away my reproach among men."

And so God has blessed their home. And

you say, "Preacher, well, where are you

headed with this?" Well, uh, in this

vision tonight, what you're going to

discover, the angel speaks to this man,

Zachcharias, and there's an event that

takes place in this scripture that I

want to zero in on tonight with the help

of the Lord. Notice this in verse number

14, 15, and 16. His birth is revealed.

He is going to bring rejoicing. He's

going to have a burden of righteousness.

And he's also going to build the

religious world of Jesus Christ. In all

of these verses, his purpose, his

administration is going to be to prepare

the way of the Lord and make his path

straight. And the beginning of the

church of God begins with this man, John

the Baptist. Amen. The first preacher,

the reason why we're Baptist, is because

everybody else says, "Well, we can trace

it all the way back to Jesus." Well, we

go back before him. Amen. To John the

Baptist. Somebody say, "Amen." Right

there. I ain't got time to preach that

tonight, but we will sometime. Amen. But

I notice in this text, there's an event

that happens after the angel gives this

man Zachcharias all these glad tidings.

Notice Zachchariah's response in verse

number verse number 18. Look what the

Bible says. And Zachariah said unto the

angel, "Whereby shall I know this? For

I'm an old man and my wife well stricken

in years." Now, on the surface right

there, it does not sound like a

statement that would be doubting. But I

submit to you this statement is more

than doubting. This is complete

unbelief. You say, "Preacher, how is

that?" Well, notice verse number 19 and

20. And the angel answering said unto

him, "I am Gabriel that stand in the

presence of God, and am sent to speak

unto thee, and to show these glad

tidings. And behold, thou shalt be dumb

and not be able to speak until the day

that these things shall be performed."

Listen to it now. because thou believest

not my words which shall be fulfilled in

their season. And tonight with the help

of the Lord I want to I want to take to

preach to you on this subject tonight

the the problems that accompanied

unbelief.

Problems that accompany unbelief. You

say preacher well I'm saved tonight and

I love Jesus. Well I'll tell you what I

really believe Zacharias and his wife

are saved. Amen. Bible says that they

were righteous. They were righteous

before God, walking in all the ordices

and commandments of the Lord, blameless.

God had blessed their home. No doubt in

my mind. But I'll say this, just because

you are saved does not mean that

unbelief cannot creep into your life.

>> Amen. And I want to show you tonight

with the help of the Lord some things

that happens when unbelief takes

control.

Y'all pray for me. My throat's done.

You see in this text number one we we

considered this this thought the

introduction what all this angel reveals

his birth the rejoicing the burden the

building all that that John the Baptist

is going to be able to do and

Zachcharias has heard all of this but

he's not focused on that look what he's

focused on again in verse 18 whereby

shall I know this all right what's the

sign what how are you going to prove to

me that this is really going to happen

in my life look what He says, "Whereby

shall I know this, for I'm an old man

and my wife well stricken in years." And

what you find in this text is that

Zachcharias refused to believe the

message that the angel gave to him. He

refused to believe it. How is that,

preacher? Well, I would say first of

all, he did not believe the messenger.

Notice verse 19. What does what does the

angel say? He says, "And the angel

answering said unto him, I am Gabriel."

Why did Gabriel feel the need to

vindicate himself?

because Zachcharias didn't believe the

messenger.

You know, I think a lot of times in this

day and time, a lot of the reason

there's a lot of preachers, they may get

get real uptight, real upset preaching

because when their congregation will not

adhere to the preaching, they will not

submit to that thing. And it's simply

because they do not they will they are

not accepting of that preacher. You say,

"Well, what is that? Who's wrong in that

state?" Well, I'll say both of them is

in that place, but in this place,

Zachcharias is wrong. Amen. You say,

"What's wrong about it?" Well, he did

not believe [snorts] that this messenger

was from God. He believed he saw a

vision. But you know what? Gabriel says,

"All right, let's just remove all doubt

right here. I'm Gabriel." Look what he

says about himself that stand in the

presence of God. He vindicates his

person. He also vindicates his

authority. Look what he says. That stand

in the presence of God. Hey, don't be

casting down on me, Zacharias. I come

from God above. Look what he says. And

am sent to speak unto thee and to show

thee these glad tidings. He said in

Zachcharias, you should be happy. Boy, I

can't tell you how many times I preached

a sermon and the church ought to be

happy.

>> Amen. But it don't excite no. It don't

excite nothing. There's no stirring.

There's no excitement. There's no

rejoicing. Amen. Because what? We miss

the point

>> of the message. Zachcharias has just

been told they're going to have A BABY.

THE PRAYER'S BEEN ANSWERED. EVERYTHING'S

been done. GOD HAS COMPLETED THE WORK

AND IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, but he's so

focused on himself. I'm too old. And I

just don't know about you. You know,

that's our problem, isn't it?

>> We look too much on the messenger and on

the one receiving the message and just

forget about the message.

>> We look at oursel and the one giving the

message, but we don't take the message.

Amen. Just take the message. Somebody

say, "Amen."

>> He didn't like the me. He didn't believe

the messenger, but he also did not

believe the message. Notice verse 20.

And behold, thou shalt be dumb and not

able to speak until the day that these

things shall be performed because thou

believest not my words which shall be

fulfilled in their season. He did not

believe the Holy Ghost by in inspiration

the Holy Ghost that's recorded.

Zachcharias did not believe the message.

I want to give you four things tonight

on what unbelief will bring about. The

problems that come along with unbelief.

Notice number one tonight I would say

the Bible says in verse 20 he said

behold thou shalt be dumb and not be

able to speak until the day that these

things shall be performed. I would say

number one is presented here he did not

believe the message. He did not believe

the messenger but he also would not be

able to speak. What happened out of

this? Well number one he could not

respond to the angel.

Look what the Bible says. He said

because thou believest not my words

which shall be fulfilled in their

season. And the people waited for

Zacharias and marveled that he terried

so long in the temple. And when he came

out, he could not speak unto them. So

when the angel pronounced this curse on

him for this time period, you know what

happened? He couldn't respond. You know

why people can't say amen in the house

of God? Because they don't believe what

the preacher's preaching.

>> Amen. You know the reason why he

couldn't talk? Because he didn't believe

what the preacher said to him. Amen.

That's real simple, but that's real

good. Amen. You know, the reason why he

got shut off, cut off, and zipped up.

Amen. Is because he did not believe. The

reason why it gets quiet down at the

house of God so many times is because

you really don't believe what the

preacher's preaching. And you couldn't

what? What is it? He could not respond

to the angel. There was no ability to

respond to the truth that was presented

to him because he did not believe. There

was no desire to respond at first. But

then when he wanted to say something,

the angel said, "All right, you can't

say nothing now." You know, here's the

way this thing works. The Bible says

that every mouth may be stopped at what?

The law of God. He's the final

authority. Let God be true and every man

a liar. And when the preacher, the

messenger, the teacher, whoever it is,

amen, the soul winner gives the message,

you know what? That sinner, that person

out of the will of God, whoever it is,

when they're in the wrong, when they're

in unbelief, what's the best thing for

them to do? Not say anything.

>> And so, you know what? He does the work

for him here. He's not able to respond

to this angel. Many of the reason I'll

say it again, the reason why people

can't say amen to preaching is because

they don't believe it. Amen. I noticed

this. Not only he couldn't he couldn't

uh respond to the angel, but he also

could not reveal anything to the people.

Notice verse 22. And when he came out,

he could not speak unto them. And they

perceived that he had seen a vision in

the temple. For he beckoned unto them

and remained speechless. Now think about

this for just a minute with me. He's

just been told he's going to have a

baby. This man's old. No doubt his hair

is gray and he's tired. Amen. He's been

serving. I believe this feast goes for

about a week long here that he's been

serving in. And at the end when he comes

out, he's been tearing a long time at

this vision. And he comes out and what

happens? He can't say anything. He can't

tell them about the angel. He can't tell

them about the blessing. He can't tell

them about anything because he's been

cut off.

You know what happens when you're in

unbelief? Not only it cuts you off being

able to respond to the message, but it

also cuts off you being able to reveal

anything to anybody else. Let me say

this to you. You say, "Preacher, well, I

believe the gospel and I believe the

truth and and this that and the I

believe what's right, but that one thing

that you said, there's just one thing

you said. I just don't believe that."

You know what happens when it comes down

to the truth of this word of God? If you

don't take it all, you lose it all.

>> Amen. If you do not take God at his

word, A to Z, front to back, amen,

beginning to end, you do not have rights

to any of it. You've got to take it all.

And so, in order to be able to impart

truth, you've got to be able to receive

it. Paul said, "For I delivered unto you

first of all, that which I also

received, how that Christ died for our

sins according to the scripture, and

that he was buried, that he rose again

the third day according to the

scripture." You have to receive it in

order to give it. AND BECAUSE HE WOULD

NOT BELIEVE IT, he was not able to give

it.

You know, I think the reason a lot of

people don't witness because they don't

have anything to witness about.

>> I think that's true. I think a lot of

people will not testify of the grace of

God is because they don't have anything

to testify about. Amen. What I'm saying

is Zachcharias got closed off not only

to the angel, but he got closed off to

the people. Here's what'll happen to you

when you get an unbelief. You'll get

closed off to the church. You'll get

closed off to the preacher, closed off

to the people, closed off even to your

own family members when you're living in

unbelief. I'm going somewhere. Stay with

me. He could not respond to the angel.

He could not reveal anything to the

people. He couldn't tell the miracle. He

couldn't tell the message or even about

the messenger. He couldn't speak about

the fact that he had saw an angel.

Notice this. He couldn't only not reveal

uh anything to the people, but he also

couldn't rejoice with his family.

I'm telling you, this is real stuff.

Notice chapter number one, verse number

57. A lot of stuff that I could preach

in between this, but I want to give you

the message tonight. Look what he says

in verse 57. Now Elizabeth's full time

came that she should be delivered. And

she brought forth a son, and her

neighbors and her cousins heard how the

Lord had showed great mercy upon her.

Notice this. And they rejoiced with her.

You see, Elizabeth's old, wellstricken

in years. She's conceived John the

Baptist in her womb. And they no doubt

these Jerusalem, these ladies of

Jerusalem, they knew the scripture. They

knew what Isaiah 40 said that this

promised one would be the forerunner of

our Lord. And they're rejoicing that

she's pregnant, but they're also

rejoicing that prophecy is fulfilled.

And they're also rejoicing that a prayer

has been answered. You think about the

blessing of this event, all the

excitement, all the blessing, all the

goodness of what's taking place in this

text. And who's standing on the

sidelines can't get in on it? Look what

the Bible says. Verse 59. It came to

pass that on the eth day they came to

circumcise the child, and they called

him Zacharias after the name of his

father, and his mother answered and

said, "Not so, but he shall be called

John." And they said unto her, "There's

none of thy kind that's called by this

name." Notice verse 62. There he still

can't talk. Look what this says. And

they made signs to his father how they

would have him called. And he asked for

a writing table and wrote.

He couldn't rejoice with them. You see

what's happened here? Not only is he

couldn't talk, but he also couldn't

understand their rejoicing. Notice it

again, verse 62. And they made signs

to his father. He was on the outside of

all the rejoicing. You ever been like

that? Been to service, people get saved,

saints getting help, God's moving in a

big way. You know what? You're sitting

on the outside of it. You know why?

Unbelief.

You say, "Preacher, what is it I don't

believe?" Well, most time what it comes

down to is you don't believe the sin

you're living in is really sin.

>> It's not. You say, "Preacher, I'M

SAVED." WELL, I'M GLAD YOU'RE SAVED. But

if you are living in sin, and when GOD

POINTS THAT THING OUT IN YOUR LIFE, you

say, "Well, I just don't know about

that, Lord." You say, "Preacher, I

wouldn't say." That's what you say by

the way you respond to it. Amen. You

respond. And so, THERE IS NO REJOICING.

MAN, I HATE it for people when God

blesses like he did here on last Sunday

and we had two ladies get saved and yet

isn't it amazing that still some people

set stone face and dryeyed not even weep

and not even bothered a little bit by

the fact that other people WERE HERE

LOST IT DOESN'T AFFECT THEM AT ALL

>> THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO REJOICE THEY'RE NOT

EVEN ABLE TO WEEP BECAUSE THEY ARE IN

UNBELIEF well I just don't believe that

was real preacher

>> how many times you heard that

>> what I'm saying is is you can't rejoice.

You living in unbelief.

>> He he he didn't know what their

rejoicing was about. They made signs to

him. Give you this fourthly and we'll

move on here. I I consider he could not

rejoice with his family. I'll say this.

Unbelief will keep you from rejoicing

with the people of God. Fourthly, I

consider this. He also he could not

rebuke those who are wrong about naming

his son. You say, "What is that?" Well,

notice the verse again. Verse 59. And it

came to pass that on the eighth day, the

eighth day, all Jewish boys were

circumcised.

They came to circumcise the child, and

they called him Zacharias

after the name of his father. Notice who

speaks up in verse 60. Zachcharias knew

what he was supposed to be called. Amen.

But you know what? He's still living in

the consequences of his unbelief. Notice

verse 60. And his mother answered and

said, "Not so, but he shall be called

John." Verse 61. They're arguing with

her. They said unto her, "There's none

of thy kindred that's called by this

name." But you see, none of them's heard

the promise.

None of them's heard the blessing. Who's

the one that got told the promise?

Zacharias did. But what's his problem?

He can't tell it.

Why? He's bound up by unbelief.

You know what happens? Verse 62, they

made signs to his father how he would

have him called. And he asked for a

writing table and rope saying, "His name

is John." Here's the miracle of this.

Verse 63 is where it turns. You see, the

miracle of unbelief for a child of God

is you don't have to stay there.

>> Amen. Boy, ain't that good, Brother

Rick? Man, I'm telling you, when you get

when you get out of sorts with God, I

like old preacher said, you need to keep

short accounts with God. Amen. Hey, when

you got sin in your life, the best thing

you can do is deal with that thing the

moment that it gets pointed out. Amen.

Deal with it as quick as you can. If you

know it's wrong, you confess it and

forsake it. Amen. Zachariah suffered for

the consequences of this the entirety of

his wife's pregnancy.

>> Notice the text. He asked for riding

table and wrote, saying his name is

John. And they marveled. They could not

understand. You see, he couldn't rebuke

those that were wrong about naming his

son. You know what you lose the ability

to do? And I'm going to get on with the

message here. You know what you lose the

ability to do when you are in unbelief

to correct somebody that's wrong?

You say, "What is that, preacher?" Well,

you try to chasen your children when

you're wrong.

You try to correct them. I mean, it's

like that text said Jesus said, "Hey, if

you got a beam in your own eye, quit

worrying about the moat that's in your

brother's eye." Amen. Hey, if you got a

2x4 sticking out of your head, don't

worry about the splinter at somebody

else's God. You ought to try sometime to

rebuke somebody and you're not right

with God. You lose all ability to bring

correction because you're not right.

>> This good preaching. Amen. If I am doing

it. Amen. Notice this. I'm not being

proud tonight. I'm just, you know how I

am. I'm sorry. Notice this. All right.

You see, his belief is seen the moment

that he agrees with his wife. Verse 63.

He asked for riding table and rope,

saying his name is John. You know what?

It's at this moment that the curse is

lifted. Notice verse 64. And his mouth

was opened what? immediately and his

tongue loose and he spake and praise

God. Could you imagine living the entire

nine months? Now, I can't verify this,

but I tell you, I believe it's what the

text teaches. The entirety of her

pregnancy, he's an unbelief. She's

walking around in the 39th week about to

pop and he's still not believing. Amen.

John, he makes his entrance into the

world.

He still can't talk. Eight days he's

circumcised. Eight days later,

circumcised. Verse 61,62 they're asking

him, "What are we going to name him?" He

still can't talk. But the moment when he

writes it down, you know what? That

manifest is belief.

I believe. What happens? His mouth was

opened immediately. His belief is seen

the moment he agrees with Elizabeth. He

gives the writing in verse 63. But out

of that writing, he then gives his words

in verse 64. What's the first thing that

he says in verse 64? His mouth was

opened immediately and his tongue loose.

What's this say? And he spake and what?

Praise God. Hey, when you get out of

unbelief, you know what the first thing

you'll do?

>> Bless his name. Amen. Hey, I'll tell you

what, it's miserable to live and walk in

unbelief knowing God's dealt with your

heart about something. Hey, when you

finally turn loose to that thing and God

sets your tongue loose, boy, I'm telling

you, man, I'm saying there's been times

in my life where I refuse to do or

believe what God told me to believe or

do. And man, the moment when I let go of

THAT THING, IT'S LIKE GLORY OPENING MY

SOUL AND IN MY HEART JUST A WELLING UP

OF THANKS UNTO HIM. WHY? BECAUSE WHEN

I'M SHUT DOWN FOR SO LONG, HEY, I MISS

THE FELLOWSHIP WITH THE ONE THAT I LOVE

MOST. I MISS THAT OPPORTUNITY TO PRAISE

HIS NAME OF THE BEST. THE HALLELUJAH.

HE'S THE BEST THING THAT'S EVER HAPPENED

TO ANY OF US. And I'm telling you, your

unbelief will hinder you

>> from praising him. Oh, but when you get

it settled, the first thing you'll do is

you'll bless his name. Amen. His words,

note the witness in verse 65, look what

happens out of this. Isn't it

interesting? This that this is

completely reversed.

He couldn't respond to the angel first.

Now he's praising God.

Second of all, he couldn't reveal

anything to the people. But now notice

verse 65. And fear came on all them that

dwelt around them. And all these sayings

were noised abroad throughout all the

hill country of Judea. Where he couldn't

talk before, now the people's hearing

what he's got to say. Notice it again.

Verse 66. And all they that heard them

laid them up in their hearts, saying,

"What manner of child shall this be?"

And the hand of the Lord was with him.

You know what? He got to rejoice with

his family.

>> Everything you lose in unbelief, you can

gain back the moment that you choose to

believe.

>> Amen. Notice it in the text here.

There's the witness in verse 65. Fear

came on all them that dwelt around about

them. Then there's the wonder in verse

66. What manner of child shall this be?

And in verse 67 all the way down through

verse 79, Zachcharias gives a prophecy.

And what's interesting about this

prophecy is Zachcharias is not talking

about John at first, but he begins

talking about the salvation of Jesus

Christ. Look what he says. Verse 68 is

verse 67. His father Zacharias was

filled with the Holy Ghost and

prophesied saying, "Blessed be the Lord

God of Israel, for he hath visited and

redeemed his people and hath raised up a

horn of salvation for us in the house of

his servant David." That wasn't John the

Baptist. That's Jesus. He's praising God

not for his son, but for God's son.

Amen. Hey, the blessing of John the

Baptist, you know what John did? EVEN

BEFORE HE EVER PREACHED A SERMON, John

the Baptist pointed his own daddy, to

the real son of God. HALLELUJAH. POINTED

him to Jesus and said, "He's the one

that's worthy. HE'S THE HORN OF

SALVATION. HE'S THE MESSIAH." LOOK WHAT

HE says in verse 70. as he spake by the

mouth of his holy prophets, which have

been since the world began, that we

should be saved from our enemies and

from the hand of all them that hate us.

And through all the way through verse

number 75, he speaks of Jesus. But then

in verse 76, he gets to his own son. He

speaks of the salvation of Jesus, but he

gives the service of John in verse 76.

And thou child shalt be called the

prophet of the highest. For thou shalt

go before the face of the Lord to

prepare his ways to give knowledge of

salvation unto his people by the

remission of their sins through the

tender mercy of our God. Whereby the

dayspring from on high visited us. I'm

telling you, when you get out of

unbelief,

you'll have a shouting spell, a praise

fest. Amen. For lack of a better way to

put it, you'll have an oldtime

bentecostal shouting fit. Amen.

>> Let me say this to you tonight as we

close.

Let me ask you something. What's

unbelief hindering you from?

You see, unbelief brings about a lot of

problems with it. But I tell you, here's

the number one problem with unbelief.

You know what what it brings? It brings

it brings a a disunityity and a lack of

fellowship. Bible says if we say that we

have fellowship and we walk in darkness,

we lie and do not the truth.

If you're walking in darkness, walking

in unbelief, let me tell you, he's still

the light of the world. And if he's

light enough to save you, he is light

enough to secure you and to satisfy you.

>> Amen. There is nothing worth living in

unbelief. Amen. Every head bowed and

every eye closed. Father, thank you for

this time tonight. Lord, I know it's

been different service, but God, I thank

you for it. And Lord, I pray tonight,

Lord, that you would please help us all

take inventory,

God. What things is, Lord, these these

remnants of unbelief are in all of our

hearts many times. God, help us just to

be fully submissive to you,

God. Whatever it is we need to turn over

to you, Lord. If it's our life, if it's

our job, if it's our family, if it's our

time, God, help us not be in unbelief.

[music] But Lord, let us just simply

trust you. Cuz Lord, I don't want to

miss out on fellowship with you. I don't

want to miss out on fellowship with this

church and the people that I love, God,

because of unbelief.

I don't want to be able, Lord, I don't

want to be hindered from sharing about

the blessings that you have given me

because of my unbelief. [music]

Lord, I sure love you. I thank you for

loving me.

Every head still bowed, every eyes

closed for just a moment of time. I'm

going to give you time if you want to

come pray and come do that.

I tell you this tonight, unbelief will

keep us from the blessings of God.

Unbelief is the cardinal sin of

humanity.

Bible says there in the book of John,

Jesus talked about the country. He re he

reproved the world of sin and of

righteousness and of judgment. He said

because they believe not on me. Let me

tell you this tonight, child of God. If

you can trust him for your salvation,

you can trust him for everything else.

Amen. If you can trust him to get you to

heaven, I can promise you you can trust

him for the small matters of this life

and he'll be enough. Amen. Father, thank

you once again for this time. Thank you

for these truths tonight from the word

of God. Lord, I sure love you. Thank you

for our church. Pray you bless us as we

depart tonight. We ask it in Jesus name.

Amen.

>> Thank you for joining our service today.

We'd love it [music] if you join us in

person the next time you are able at

Meadows Baptist Church. Our physical

[music] address is 2988

Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. Our service times are Sunday

[music] school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday

morning worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday

evening worship at 6:00 p.m., and

Wednesday evening [music] Bible study at

700 p.m. For more information, visit us

at meadowsbaptisturch.com. [music]

Thanks again for tuning in.