Zechariah 7 1-7 Heat of worship and relationship to God,

Zechariah 7 1-7 Heat of worship and relationship to God, part one dealing with fasting. Why do we do things? For God? For ourself?

Recap – short overview. - What time is it:

4 year of King Darius (King of Persia 522-486. BC.) 4 day of the 9th-month Chislev (Babylonian name) November-December 518 BC. It has been about 2 years from the night visions to this time. (+ 3 month from Gods call).

Men come from Bethel- or from a false God, come to entreat the favor of the Lord, and ask if they should fast and weep, abstain, in the 5th month, as they had done many years. (The hope is that they would get a no)…

But first things first why were they fasting? In memory of the fall of Jerusalem/destruction of the temple. But God left the temple and made Jerusalem fall and the temple be destroyed, because of the people’s sin.

God did not command this fasting, so this is a made up by man fast, to weep and sorrow, over what God did in judging his people in righteousness, it would seem the opposite of what God had in mind, not to fast and the judgment of sin, but instead weep for one’s sin and repent and turn to God. Not keep weeping and abstaining because they got judged. What they had done for the last 70 years was made up and was not what God wanted them to do, they did not remember God had brought judgment on them, and why. This fast did not lead to repents and did not honor God. As we can see as Zecharia speaks again the word of God. (PPT Godly and worldly sorrow).

God tells Zechariah to say to all the people, not just the ones that asked, “When you fasted and mourned in fifth and seventh, for 70 years was it for me that you fasted?” PPT x 3 about Why the fast. PPT 5 and 7. 5 month – destruction of the temple, 7 months killing of governor and flight to Egypt.

Good question, why did the people observe and abstain on these days? Was it for them self? Was it for God? Why did they do this? God asks about their motives for this. Why did you make up a day of fasting, because I judged you, because you did not listen to the prophets that was calling you to repentance, you did not listen, then for 70 years you abstained because? Why?

Was it for yourself that you were sad about the destruction of the temple? It was not for me, I did it… It was good and right to do because you did not listen to my prophets. Instead of obeying my law and my words you make up your own commandment of man and obey them… instead of my words. My law and my prophets that have spoken to you but you did not listen. Then you did fast for yourself.

When you eat and drink do you do it for yourself? (Yes, we all do, right?). Or is that misunderstanding our life and relationship to God. Did they focus so much on them self that they were very religious about their own made-up rituals that they forgot the law and God’s word, form the prophets. Very religious about traditions, that was against God, living and receiving form God food and drink to use it for one self, and not give glory to God. (Taking things for granted, not being thankful, and give God glory for what God does, also correction, rebuke, judgement).

The question, leads God to rebuke the people for their selfish/self-absorbed life, and their made-up religiousness and fast that God did not ask for. Instead, God by Zec say Were not all the words of the Lord proclaimed, when Jerusalem was full of people and rich like the rest of the city’s and villages around it, and the temple was intact. But because of your unrepented hearts, and sin and choosing the curse, false Gods, idol worship, oppression, etc. I left the temple and it was destroyed, and the people was taken away in to exile, - and you in the north have been worshiping in Bethel and Golden calf’s images since the division of the kingdom.

It is not like you did not know the word of God, and that you did not have the law, - you did, and I send many prophets, and you did not listen, instead, you killed and mocked, them, and chose the prophets that said what you wanted them to say. You were judged, - you were sad that it happened, but not why it happened. (Worldly and Godly sorrow.) Next week God responds with what they should have done.

Then what does any of this have to do with you and me… Good question, - What does it teaches us about God? (About us?)

Are we just as religious as the people? From Culture to Church to us? (A day for everything, pancake, trees etc.)

Culture in Denmark is based no a Christian year calendar, with many holidays in the spring, most people would have on idea, why they have off from work or school. Including me growing up. There is nothing wrong with observing a church calendar, or have religious holidays. But if they are a way to celebrate ourself, and take from God the glory that is his we might be wrong. (Christmas, Lent, Palme Sunday, Mondy Thursday, Good Friday Easter Sunday, Ascensional, Pentacost). All good events in Jesus’ life, and all good to give God glory for, we are not commanded to celebrate the days.

I guess a parallel to the story we read; would be to only remember that Jesus died, and be very sad about that. And 70 years later ask God if we need to keep fasting because Jesus died. And I think God would respond, so you have no idea why Jesus died? It was because he was punished so that you have a chance to be set free and redeem to God.

(Warning about my bend) What about Christmas, oh it is so cozy, Well it is a time for extreme rebellion against God, in culture, gluttony, drunkenness, overspending, sexually immorality in a crazy rampant scale, a lot of false teaching, reminders of demonic figures in old religions, and pagan worship rituals, all mixed in with a hit of religiousness, that we somehow at some point Jesus came to give us peace on earth and good will to all man. The gospel og Jesus is so misunderstood to that he came to give peace so we could do whatever we wanted to do… Forgetting that angles sang his praise, and people worshiped him at his birth… Jesus is not just bring peace, he is king.

Busyness, TV shows, the hungering for gifts for me… Accelerated by TV, Internet, adds. You are worth it.. they are worth it, celebrate spend, worship… People not God… I am sure God is not out to be celebrated in that way, for the gift of his son… (The Jehovah witness got it right? Muslims? Idd. Jews Honica).

Okay it is easy to find faults with a post Christan culture… Okay what about the church?

What do we celebrate what are we called to celebrate? What rituals do we have? Baptizem and Communion, fasting – PPT on Jesus on fasting. (Okay, two joins together, one could ague that killing sin and confession also should be in there also).

Okay, Baptizem – can it be done wrong? Yes, for my glory for myself, and or for others pressure, for salvation, for acceptance. (If there is no repentance from sin and turning to Christ)…

But it is to obey Jesus, because we have repented form sin and turned to God, as we see Jesus as Savior Lord and God, and we what to show others what has been done by the Holy Spirt in us. We are lowered in to the water as a symbol death to sin or old self, and raised to new life in Jesus Christ. A beautiful picture.

The Lords supper, can it be done wrong, yes… easy, bad motives, unrevent, un thankfull, un greatful, disregarding other people, with no repentance of sin, with no worship to Jesus for his life and work, offering and concurring of sin, death, wrath of God. Lacking joy of Jesus coming again.

What about your self what rituals do you have? What times and seasons do you observe? And why? Is it about you? What about each day of your life? Are their days that are your you only? Not for God?

When God asks in the text today “when you eat did you eat for yourself and drink for yourself?” What will we say?

If we lack joy, thankfulness, it this why? We take all Gods many blessings for granted and do not worship for them. (Food, housing, health, sun, rain, wind, friends, enemies, school, job, glasses, being able to talk, you might object now you are being silly, we all have this, no not all, and us taking things for granted by common grace, does not make us less stealers of Gods worship, )

Then what is the antidote. Worship, give thanks in all circumstances for that is the will of God in Christ Jesus, do all things without grumbling, what every you do in word or did to it to the glory of God… PPT Paul on life as worship on to God.

A life style of worship, all praise to Jesus that will God glory by the power of the Holy Spirt.

God is not after religious observances rituals days, - but after a heart that loves and worships his son, by the Holy Spirt not because we have to but because we want to… And a life lived like that, not like you have to do this don’t do that… - But yes I get to live for God, all moments of my life, to and for his glory, and not mine… That is the beautiful life we are called to… Jesus. Gospel.