Untitled Sermon (12)

MIT: The people are defiled, but God keeps and blesses them to accomplish His plan of complete cleansing through David’s line (Jesus).

MIM: We are defiled before a holy God, but His grace provides hope through Jesus’ perfect cleansing.

Take Away: In Christ we find complete cleansing.

Intro

Harder to get unclean than clean in life.

Perfection vs imperfection.

Point 1 — You’re Defiled Through Sin (2:10-14)

What is God’s estimation of the people?

He uses a set of equations to show them or word picture.

Long robes that they could fold up to carry things in.

Go ask the priests…the ones who know the law.

This is from Leviticus

Priests were there to “distinguish between holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean.” (Lev 10:10)

Transmitted holiness doesn’t work like transmitted defilement

Lev 6:27

How is this a picture of the people?

They are defiled.

Define defiled. (Corrupts)

What’s the ‘dead body?’

Their past idol worship has made them defiled

Their repeated breaking of the covenant has made them defiled

Sin has left them imperfect

Their works aren’t doing it (cleaning)

What about you?

Differ between unbeliever and believer

Your sin, outside of Christ, has left you imperfect

The thoroughness of sin.

Your sin, inside of Christ, is like playing with a dead body. This false worship is an affront to God. Unholy. ‘How far can I go?’

Perfection vs imperfection.

This isn’t a scales game.

Obedience is better than sacrificing.

Even true religion can’t fix a corrupted person. Their works are defiled. Religious acts don’t save. The God who acts does.

Point 2 — You’re Blessed By Grace (2:15-19)

What is God going to do in the immediate?

They’ve turned to God to build this temple, and they’ve laid the foundation.

Remember what was happening in chapter 1?

Covenant curses.

Verse 16 refers to the past.

Grain production was down 50%

Wine was down 60%

What was the purpose of the curses?

To bring them back.

Didn’t work.

But they’ve finished the foundation, showed that they’ve turned to God.

Encouragement to keep working. Don’t stop now.

Now show them grace and bless them in spite of their defilement.

Encouragement to keep working.

God’s people didn’t own the land, God did. He decides when it grows and doesn’t

For His purposes to cleanse them and the world through Jesus.

God’s grace in order to accomplish His plan.

Doesn’t say He’s cleansed them or is going to.

God still loves them.

You’re defiled, but I’m going to bless you as my people.

People won’t become holy just by touching and finishing the temple. God desires inward-heart holiness.

God blesses them but leaves them in their defilement. This begs for the solution.

How does this apply to us?

God has kept a sinner alive through common grace to come to Jesus.

God brings rain on the good and the bad.

Even though you don’t deserve it he’s kept you.

There’s more here.

Point 3 — You’re Cleansed In The King (2:20-23)

What is God’s ultimate solution?

‘On that day’ God is going to shake the nations.

Overthrow thrones, kingdoms, armies.

He’s shown that He can do it. Exodus, Joshua, Judges.

Solution is through Zerubbabel. On that day I’m going to make you my authority/representative.

What’s a signet ring?

This was taken from Jehoiachin in Jer 22 when his grandad was cut-off from God, just before they were taken over, and everything seemed lost.

My servant — obedience

“My servant” is less about his position as governor, more about his heart inclination toward obeying the Lord.

Said of David a lot.

Son of Shealtiel — Line of David

God is bringing back the Davidic Covenant.

“Make you like a/my signet ring” ‘indicates that Z will carry the authority to act as God’s legitimate Davidic ruler a right that God removed from the evil King Jehoiachin (Jer 22:24). This no doubt gave some hope about a future Davidic ruler who would someday rule on David’s throne. CSB Study Bible

This was the ending of the punishment of the exilic curses? Blessing promised to the people and a reinstated Davidic king in Z? NIV Grace Truth

Z is not the messiah, but one of His descendants will be.

Matthew 1:6-12 — Gene of Jesus, Z is mentioned.

Jesus through Zerubbabel, His servant, descendant of David, His signet ring.

Jesus’ interaction with the unclean, making them clean.

Palm Sunday — Crucifixion week

Jesus providing ultimate cleansing through the cross and resurrection

Jesus is the one who makes it possible to be in the House of God.

The point of the book being building up the House of God.

Without Him, there is no more house. Without Z, there is no more house. Without God’s continued preserving of the people in spite of their sin, there is no more house.

God committed to keep them to accomplish His plan in Jesus.

Faith and repentance is all it takes to join the household of God.

In him we find complete cleansing, past, present, future. Have your sins washed.

We have been changed in Jesus. Before him, everything we did was defiled, but now we’re His.

If you’re saved, today is a day to look back and celebrate. This week is a week to look back and celebrate the work Jesus did for you to bring you into the house, clean as a whistle.

Romans 8 nothing can separate us.

Close

The temple was finished in 516. But that wasn’t the ultimate solution.