INTRODUCTION: It is great being able to learn from other people’s successes and failures especially when it comes to the task of honoring God in your marriage. We are going to learn from some seasoned mentors in the following weeks. Please prayerfully consider these married couples from the Bible. Study them, discuss them, and learn from them.
Zechariah & Elizabeth, Luke 1:5-14
1. Read the following passage together.
Luke 1:5-14 When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. 6 Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. 7 They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.
8 One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. 9 As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 10 While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.
11 While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. 13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. 14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth
2. Zechariah and Elizabeth were faithful and prayerful. It has been said that a couple that prays together stays together. Make a list of things that you will pray about together as a couple.
3. They remained faithful to each other and to the Lord even though their circumstance were getting increasingly difficult. They longed for a child and yet they were getting older and less likely to be able to get pregnant. What have you been waiting on for a long time but are still waiting for a miracle?
Conclusion: We will be adding Zechariah and Elizabeth to our ALFC lovescape as an example of a married couple that locked in their love and were faithful to their marital commitment. Stop by the display in front of the church and remember the lessons learned from their lives.