"Sing Me The Story: Zechariah” | Rev. Roberto Chaple
What if God’s plan turns out to be very different from yours?
Have you ever felt like your season has passed? Like you missed your moment, or life simply didn’t turn out how you imagined? In this final week of Sing Me The Story, Pastor Roberto Chaple brings us into the song of Zechariah—a priest turned prophet—whose story reminds us that it’s never too late for God to do something new.
Watch the full worship service or listen to the sermon using the audio player to hear the full message.
Zechariah’s Story: A Song from Disappointment to Destiny
Luke 1:5–7 introduces Zechariah and Elizabeth as faithful, righteous, and obedient—but also barren and aging. In a time when priestly lineage was everything, the couple’s inability to have children wasn’t just heartbreaking—it was socially crushing. Still, they remained faithful.
Zechariah doesn’t walk away from his calling, even as life disappoints him. Instead, he continues to serve in the temple. And it’s there, right in the middle of his ordinary obedience, that an angel shows up to say: “Your prayer has been heard” (Luke 1:13).
But God’s answer comes with surprise. The son they’re promised, John the Baptist, won’t follow in Zechariah’s priestly footsteps. He won’t preserve tradition—he’ll prepare the way for Jesus. Zechariah dreams of more of the same; God answers with something revolutionary.
“God gave him a son who was His predecessor on earth… a new thing.”
Sometimes we settle for evolution when God wants a revolution. Zechariah’s song—his prophetic praise in Luke 1:67–79—is a father’s embrace of God’s bigger plan, even when it breaks his expectations.
Three Lessons from Zechariah’s Song
1. Stay faithful, even when dreams delay.
Zechariah continues to serve. His consistency becomes the place where God speaks.
2. Don’t let disappointment dull your hope.
Zechariah's trauma and doubt are real, but God still chooses him. His apathy doesn’t disqualify him.
3. Embrace the new thing God is doing—even if it costs your comfort.
Zechariah wanted tradition; God wanted transformation. Instead of clinging to “how it’s always been,” Zechariah hands off the torch to John, who hands it to Jesus.
Faith Application: Are You Open to a New Thing?
You may not be a priest, or elderly, or childless—but maybe you’ve given up on a dream. Maybe you’ve adjusted your expectations to avoid disappointment. But Zechariah's story teaches us to stay faithful, pray without ceasing, and remain open to the new thing God is doing in our lives.
Is there a dream you need to resurrect?
Are you trying to preserve something God wants to transform?
Don’t settle. Get ready. God is still writing your song.
Find support and encouragement through a Group or explore your next step with Jesus.
Mission Tie-In: We Sing the Story to Multiply the Movement
Zechariah's song isn't just personal—it's prophetic. It sets the stage for a movement of redemption, salvation, and peace that continues in Jesus. At New Hope, we believe in the power of this story—and in passing it on to the next generation.
This is how we live out our mission to Know Jesus. Grow Faith. Go Multiply! As we reach the lost and empower the next generation, we join a multi-ethnic movement of disciples who make disciples.
Learn more at findnewhope.com/whoweare
Listen to and subscribe to the audio-only podcast with your favorite podcasting app below.
Your giving is an act of worship. Your giving supports the mission and ministry of New Hope. We are changing lives, renewing the church, and transforming communities, here and abroad.
More Sermons in this Series
Other Sermons from Pastor Vicki
Zechariah wanted a son to continue his legacy—but God had bigger plans. In this sermon from Sing Me the Story, Pastor Roberto shows us how God turns disappointment into a prophetic declaration. Watch the full message or listen to the sermon today.