The Work of the Good Shepherd (Zechariah 10:1-5)

Preamble:

Text: Zechariah 10:1-5

Zechariah 10:1–5 LSB

Ask rain from Yahweh at the time of the late rain— Yahweh who makes the storm clouds; And He will give them showers of rain, the plant in the field to each man. For the teraphim speak wickedness, And the diviners behold false visions And speak worthless dreams; They comfort in vain. Therefore the people journey like sheep; They are afflicted because there is no shepherd. “My anger burns against the shepherds, And I will visit punishment upon the male goats; For Yahweh of hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah, And will make them like His splendid horse in battle. “From them will come the cornerstone, From them the tent peg, From them the bow of battle, From them every good taskmaster, all of them together. “And they will be as mighty men, Treading down the enemy in the mire of the streets in battle; And they will battle, for Yahweh will be with them; And the riders on horses will be put to shame.

Pray

The Good Shepherd Sustains As He Saves

Intro: Through this passage we’re going to see not only something prophetic, something eschatological, we’re going to also see God’s process in how He saves His people.

How He redeems His people.

He alone is the good Shepherd.

He alone offers us salvation - and we saw last week He is more commited to our salvation than even we are.

God acts. God moves. God provides. He does all the work, we need only believe - and that belief will change our life.

From the inside out, it completely re-writes the software of our hearts, our minds, as we begin a journey in Christ, with Christ, for Christ.

The Apostle Paul wrote, Romans 8:13 “for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die, but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the practices of the body, you will live.”

If we are now living for Christ, if that belief, that faith we have placed in Him is true, it is right, and it is set on Him - His Holy Spirit begins to do something new inside us.

That is the work of the Good Shepherd, as He has encounters us, as He exposes sin, as He empowers us to walk in Him.

The Good Shepherd sustains us as He saves us.

God Encounters

Zechariah 10:1 LSB

Ask rain from Yahweh at the time of the late rain— Yahweh who makes the storm clouds; And He will give them showers of rain, the plant in the field to each man.

God Exposes

Zechariah 10:2 LSB

For the teraphim speak wickedness, And the diviners behold false visions And speak worthless dreams; They comfort in vain. Therefore the people journey like sheep; They are afflicted because there is no shepherd.

Zechariah 10:3 LSB

“My anger burns against the shepherds, And I will visit punishment upon the male goats; For Yahweh of hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah, And will make them like His splendid horse in battle.

God Empowers

Zechariah 10:4 LSB

“From them will come the cornerstone, From them the tent peg, From them the bow of battle, From them every good taskmaster, all of them together.

Zechariah 10:5 LSB

“And they will be as mighty men, Treading down the enemy in the mire of the streets in battle; And they will battle, for Yahweh will be with them; And the riders on horses will be put to shame.

Conclusion: