Majoring in the Minors Part 11 - Zachariah
Majoring in the Minors • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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In ancient times, a king had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon reaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand, every obstacle is really an opportunity in disguise.
Background
Background
Name
Name
Zechariah means: “Yaweh Remembers”
Family History
Family History
Priestly family
In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying,
Born in Babylon
Brought to Judah with
Zerubbabel
Call to be prophet as
a young man.
and said to him, “Run, say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it.
Likely Zechariah himself.
520 BC
Jesus said
Zechariah was
martyred by Jews.
so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.
Possibly around 510 or after..
Theme
Theme
Return to God and
Live His plan
He will bless you.
Historical Context
Historical Context
Return from Babylon/Persia
Jerusalem in destruction
Temple destroyed
Tried to build but made to stop.
No wall of protection
People in danger
drought occurred
God allowed hardship
to get their attention
They should have
moved forward in
building temple.
Been through hard times
if they obey
push forward in the
building project
God will bless!
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.
God promises
Temple build
Bless His people!
They were in hard times.
They couldn’t see blessings.
Seemed like distant
unrealistic dream.
We often don’t see.
promised blessings
current blessings.
Even though I clutch my blankets and groan when the alarm rings each morning, thank you, Lord, that I can hear. There are those who are deaf.
--
Even though I keep my eyes tightly closed against the morning light as long as possible, thank you, Lord, that I can see. There are many who are blind.
--
Even though I huddle in my bed and put off the physical effort of rising, thank you, Lord, that I have the strength to rise. There are many who are bedfast.
--
Even though the first hour of my day is hectic, when socks are lost, toast is burned, tempers are short, thank you, Lord, for my family. There are many who are lonely.
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Even though our table never looks like the pictures in the magazines and the menu is at times unbalanced. Thank you, Lord, for the food we have. There are many who are hungry.
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Even though the routine of my job is often monotonous, thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to work. There are many who have no work.
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Thank you, Lord, for the gift of life.
God Measures Jerusalem
God Measures Jerusalem
And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand! Then I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.” And behold, the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him and said to him, “Run, say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it.
Measuring means:
judgment...
Usually a negative context.
But what if,
they were obeying
God judges them
righteously.
And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord, and I will be the glory in her midst.’ ”
Look at the promise.
If they obey
build temple
God will bless.
God will be a
wall of fire
(to protect them)
they will be glorified.
God will bless!!!
A young boy went to the local store with his mother. The shop owner, a kindly man, passed him a large jar of suckers and invited him to help himself to a handful. Uncharacteristically, the boy held back. So the shop owner pulled out a handful for him. When outside, the boy’s mother asked why he had suddenly been so shy and wouldn’t take a handful of suckers when offered. The boy replied, “Because his hand is much bigger than mine!”
If we try to take
everything in this world
We won’t get much.
But when we obey
and let God give
we get so much more!
God has bigger hands!!!
Up! Escape to Zion, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon. For thus said the Lord of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye:
Babylon will be judged
get out of there!
But God’s people
apple of His eye!
God will bless
make all things right!
Going through hard time
God will lead you
if you love, surrender, obey
God will bless you
in the end.
Raluca’s Parents
For them
move forward with
Building Project
For us,
move foreward with
building project and
Lord will bless you.
Marquis de Lafayette was a French officer who provided invaluable assistance to George Washington and the struggling American army. After the war was over, he returned to France and resumed his life as a farmer of many estates. In 1783, the harvest was a terrible one, and there were many who suffered as a result. Lafayette’s farms were unaffected by the devastating crop failures. One of his workers offered what seemed to be good advice to Lafayette, “The bad harvest has raised the price of wheat. This is the time to sell.” After thinking about the hungry peasants in the surrounding villages, Lafayette disagreed and said, “No, this is the time to give.”
God blesses us not just for our own benefit, but also so that we can be a blessing to others in need. The tendency to hoard and try to build up more and more is a dangerous one, and the best antidote to greed is to be a generous giver. There is certainly no shortage of people in need today, and while we cannot meet every need, if we do what we can, God will multiply resources so that it is enough.
Vision of Accuser and Defender
Vision of Accuser and Defender
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. 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?”
Joshua - high priest
mediator of Israel
Represents nation.
History
taken to Babylon
because of sin.
What now?
Satan accusing them.
You are too wicked!
Satan loves to do
this process
temp to do evil
“try it… not so bad”
Once you fail
“You are worthless.”
“You are wicked.”
“God won’t accept you anymore.”
Notice Lord’s response
to Satan’s accusations:
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?”
God defends,
He knows they are
repentant...
Tells Satan
“leave them alone.”
Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. 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.” 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.
Book of Zecharaiah
is about
Grace of God.
They sinned
they go punished
but they have repented.
They were rebuked
for not building temple
they are obeying
God promises
protection
blessing
righteousness!
The Branch
The Branch
Messianic Prophecy
Messiah called “the branch”
like a “shoot”
Tree cut down
shoots coming from
trunk of tree
Through My Spirit
Through My Spirit
They were going
through hard times.
Hard to see future:
Can you relate?
Building Project
how will it happen?
God’s promise:
promise for us:
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.
Don’t look with eyes
physical eyes.
Look with eyes of faith.
Mendelssohn once visited the cathedral at Fribourg, and having heard the great organ, went into the organ loft and asked to be allowed to play it. The old organist, in jealousy for his instrument, at first refused, but was afterward prevailed on to allow the great German composer to try the colossal “thunderer” of the cathedral. After standing by in an ecstasy of delight and amazement for a few moments, he suddenly laid his hands on the shoulders of the musician and exclaimed: “Who are you? What is your name?”
“Mendelssohn,” replied the player.
“And can it be that I had so nearly refused to let Mendelssohn touch this organ!”
Christians often refuse to let God have His way in their life because they are afraid of the outcome. Little do they know that if they would let God do as He sees fit the outcome would be much greater than anything they could dream of.
Starting and Finishing Project
Starting and Finishing Project
Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “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.
This is my prayer
here at start of
building project
still here when it is done!
Trouble in the Church
Trouble in the Church
Paul and other said,
what hurt them most
not outside persecution.
betrail and faithlessness
among “brothers.”
God had promised so much
Change garments ->
given Christ’s righteousness
Lead by Spirit ->
accomplish all hard work.
Apple of eye ->
cherished by God.
Protected by God ->
“wall of fire” around them.
Nonetheless,
there are always those
who don’t repent
don’t change clothes
don’t allow spirit’s leading
forfeit God’s blessings
hurt whole congregation.
God promises to
root them out...
Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land. For everyone who steals shall be cleaned out according to what is on one side, and everyone who swears falsely shall be cleaned out according to what is on the other side. I will send it out, declares the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of him who swears falsely by my name. And it shall remain in his house and consume it, both timber and stones.”
God will remove
evil from land.
As a result
blessings flow in.
Evil Out -> Righteousness In
Evil Out -> Righteousness In
And say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord.
Branch is Jesus.
Who build church?
Jesus does.
Not just physical building.
Spiritual building
congregation.
Prophecy of Jesus
Prophecy of Jesus
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
500 years in advance
prediction of Jesus
entering Jerusalem
on donkey.
(humble)
After World War II, two families were waiting in line after a church service to greet the pastor. The church was preparing to build a building at that time.
The first family in line said, “Pastor, as you know, our son was killed in the war—we would like to give $200.00 as a memorial gift.”
The second family said, “Pastor we were going to give $200.00, but our son came home—we’ll give $500.00.”
Appeal
Appeal