Zechariah's Lesson
Majoring In The Minor Prophets • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 10 viewsNotes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Introduction
Introduction
Greetings...
There is an old saying about preachers and preaching, “His job is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.”
Haggai was the one that afflicted the comfortable.
Zechariah was the one that comforted the afflicted.
How do we know Zechariah was meant to comfort?
Because Zechariah prophecies about Jesus so much portraying Him as...
The Angel of the Covenant
The Righteous Branch
The High Priest
The Ruler
The Good Shepherd
The One who would make the Atonement.
The Champion of His people & frustration of His enemies.
Comfort In God’s Promises
Comfort In God’s Promises
The remnant had a comfort not found with their forefathers
The remnant had a comfort not found with their forefathers
There was a continuous revolution of faithfulness to unfaithfulness with these peoples forefathers.
9 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, 10 do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” 11 But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear. 12 They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the Lord of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the Lord of hosts. 13 “As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear,” says the Lord of hosts, 14 “and I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations that they had not known. Thus the land they left was desolate, so that no one went to and fro, and the pleasant land was made desolate.”
Zech
Unlike their forefathers this remnant could find comfort in the promises of God.
3 Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts.
9 For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.
14 For thus says the Lord of hosts: “As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the Lord of hosts, 15 so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not.
We can have the same comfort as the remnant had.
We can have the same comfort as the remnant had.
Unfortunately today many of God’s people are like the Israelites with a revolving door of faithfulness and unfaithfulness.
In the Bible we see Jude and Paul were trying to combat this.
3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
We see this even today where many have given up teaching “sound doctrine.”
Whether it’s divorce & remarriage, mechanical instruments, fellowship with the denominational world...
Thankfully even though there are many congregations that have “fallen from grace” we can still find comfort in the same promises as the remnant.
5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? 7 The Lord is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
Summery
Summery
Brethren what a comfort it is to know that we have a God that will never leave us nor forsake us if we seek after Him.
That isn’t to say we won’t struggle with sin (), or that we shouldn’t strive for perfection, because we should () but if we “walk in the light” () we can have comfort knowing God is there.
Comfort In God’s Clean High Priest
Comfort In God’s Clean High Priest
The Jews needed the priests to be in good standing with God.
The Jews needed the priests to be in good standing with God.
It was the priests that offered the sacrifices for the people.
It was the high priest who offered up the sin offering.
Whether the sacrifice was for individual sin () or for everyone’s sins () the priests were needed.
As anyone could imagine, having your intercessor corrupt would be of an utmost problem.
God, being the great God He is cleaned up the the High Priesthood.
1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. 4 And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.”
Zech
5 And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by. 6 And the angel of the Lord solemnly assured Joshua, 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here.
Zech
We, the church, find comfort in knowing our High Priest is clean and perfect.
We, the church, find comfort in knowing our High Priest is clean and perfect.
Remember Jesus is our High Priest today.
26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
In the same way the Jews found comfort in a clean/holy High Priest () we can find comfort in our High Priest.
The reason we can have so much comfort in Jesus, our High Priest is because...
He knows our weaknesses.
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
He knows our weaknesses and intercedes on our behalf.
25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
Heb
34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
Summery
Summery
Brethren is there a greater comfort than knowing we have God the Son who knows our weaknesses and is willing to be our advocate for us to the Father?
1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Comfort In God’s Rebuilt Temple
Comfort In God’s Rebuilt Temple
There was comfort with the Jews that came from knowing the temple would be rebuilt.
There was comfort with the Jews that came from knowing the temple would be rebuilt.
God not only tells them it will get built He tells them He will be there helping them.
16 Therefore, thus says the Lord, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.
6 Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.
9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you.
With all the difficulties there had been with trying to build the temple one can see why the Jews would have been discouraged.
Yet they receive a guarantee that it would be completed and that God would be the one helping them.
Today we have a temple, not built with hands, and what a comfort it is.
Today we have a temple, not built with hands, and what a comfort it is.
The church, is the temple of God.
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Eph
Notice .
We have a guarantee that...
The church will be everlasting.
44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
The church is lead by the one and only Savior.
eph 2:23
23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.
Ephesians 2:23
Eph 2:23
22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
The church is the family that has the eternal inheritance of heaven.
13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Summery
Summery
Brothers and sisters let us know, understand, and hold great comfort in this temple not built by hands but by our Lord and Savior ().
Comfort In God’s Holy Nature
Comfort In God’s Holy Nature
The Lord of Hosts told Zechariah that the Jews would completely be holy.
The Lord of Hosts told Zechariah that the Jews would completely be holy.
20 And on that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “Holy to the Lord.” And the pots in the house of the Lord shall be as the bowls before the altar. 21 And every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holy to the Lord of hosts, so that all who sacrifice may come and take of them and boil the meat of the sacrifice in them. And there shall no longer be a trader in the house of the Lord of hosts on that day.
There is no doubt that the faithful Jews would look forward to such a day as this and would have found comfort from it.
We have also been told to find comfort in being holy.
We have also been told to find comfort in being holy.
Comfort in holiness is seen in the peace Christians experience on earth.
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
How can we be so peaceful in Christ?
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Comfort in holiness is seen in the confidence we have in truth.
I don’t have to worry about if I’m doing the right things I can know if I am or not.
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
This idea that we are simply to “hope” we are getting it right is found in the church all over and it is ludicrous.
Our confidence and faith in God and His Word is not based on some leap in the dark but facts and truth ().
Summery
Summery
Brethren, you can be confident in holiness because you know you are doing the right things.
Be separate from the world and follow your God.
15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
Conclusion
Conclusion
The LORD spoke with good and comforting words to the angel which Zechariah took note of and was expected to speak in the same manor.
13 And the Lord answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.
17 Cry out again, Thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’ ”
My hope this evening is that we you have found some comfort in the words of Zechariah who was inspired by our great and awe inspiring God.