Building God's House #20: 7 Blessings of Building God's House, Zechariah 8

INTRO: For 5 months, & 20 sermons, we’ve been studying the books of Haggai & Zechariah to encourage us, and challenge us, to build God’s House. My daddy always tells me you don’t want to be a serial killer, so we’re going to end this series today.

The big idea of this series is- The LORD will build His House, & here is how He does it: 1) On His Word, 2) through His Spirit, 3) By His Son, & 4) with His People. Haggai 1-2, Zechariah 1:1-6are 5 messages, i.e., the Word of God; Zechariah 1-6 are 8 visions, given by the Spirit of God; Chapters 9-14 are messianic prophecies about the Son of God; in the middle is Zechariah 7-8, narrative about the people of God.

I know there are a lot of things in your life, many opportunities to be a blessing & receive blessing, a lot of ways you can invest your time, talent, treasure, & your testimony, but there’s only 1 place where you can invest your life & get an eternal return- God’s House. I want to encourage you with 7 blessings of building God’s House:

1. The Blessing of God’s PRESENCE, 1-3

Zechariah 8: 1-3, Again the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, 2“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I am zealous for Zion with great zeal; With great fervor I am zealous for her.’ 3“Thus says the Lord: ‘I will return to Zion, And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, The Mountain of the Lordof hosts, The Holy Mountain.’

Zion- another name for Jerusalem; Zealous- to be jealous, desire exclusivity in a relationship. The Lord is zealous for Zion, or jealous for Jerusalem. Refers to God’s place, where His presence will be. The place of God’s presence was to be the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem.

For our purposes, the place of God’s presence is within His people individually, and in the church collectively. Ephesians 2:21-22, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. The 1st blessing of building God’s House is that He is in you, and when we gather, He is among us- the blessing of His Presence.

2. The Blessing of God’s PEACE, 4-6

 4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, Each one with his staff in his hand Because of great age. 5 The streets of the city Shall be full of boys and girls Playing in its streets.’ 6 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, Will it also be marvelous in My eyes?’ Says the Lord of hosts.

This describes a time when the city would be repopulated & the ruins rebuilt.It will be so peaceful that the elderly could safely sit in the streets while the children played. At the time of the prophecy, it seemed impossible to these people that such a time could ever exist again, but what seems impossible to men is never impossible for God!

God is the one who gives us peace- peace with Him & peace with one another. Where there is peace, there is play! I can’t tell you how much I long for this scenario to happen for us- to be a church where grandparents & grandchildren go to church together, for the halls of our children’s wing to be so full of kids that we’re out of room, for parents & grandparents to sit on the sidelines of our ballfields & watch their kids play. A peaceful church is a generational church & a generational church is a biblical church- where the older people teach the younger people & God is glorified by all! The Blessing of God’s peace among His people.

3. The Blessing of God’s PROMISE, 7-8

7“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west; 8I will bring them back, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. They shall be My people and I will be their God, In truth and righteousness.’

These verses refer to how God was bringing His people back from exile, their captivity in Babylon & dispersion among the nations.He will bring them back to His place, and they will be His people again and He will be their God. This is a renewal of God’s covenant with His people, a covenant that promises salvation. The promise of salvation is only found in one person- Jesus Christ.  Acts 4:12, …there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

Jesus is the way, the truth, & the life. When we receive Him, He takes our sin & we get His righteousness. The blessing of God’s promise is only found in the person & work of His Son, & our Savior, Jesus Christ.

4. The Blessing of God’s PEOPLE, 9-13

9“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Let your hands be strong, you who have been hearing in these days These words by the mouth of the prophets, who spoke in the day the foundation was laid for the house of the Lord of hosts, That the temple might be built. 10 For before these days There were no wages for man nor any hire for beast; There was no peace from the enemy for whoever went out or came in; For I set all men, everyone, against his neighbor. 11 But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ says the Lord of hosts. 12 ‘For the seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give its fruit, The ground shall give her increase, And the heavens shall give their dew— I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these. 13And it shall come to pass That just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, So I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Do not fear, let your hands be strong.’

Let your hands be strong-an inclusio that brackets this section. These verses contrast the time before they started rebuilding the temple when they were lacking provisions & peace because of their disobedience with the blessed state after rebuilding the temple. Now that they were doing God’s will, He would bless them with abundance- seed, vine, ground, heavens, & there would be growth.

You do know this is how growth happens in the church, right? God’s people must do what He says to do, & then God does what He does.

Some people plant, some people water, but God gives the increase. If we don’t plant or water, there is no increase. If we plant & water, but God doesn’t give the increase, there is no growth. 1 Corinthians 3:7, So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase… 1 Corinthians 3:9, For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. We do what we can do, but we are totally dependent upon God for the growth. The blessing of God’s people comes down to the blessing of God’s purpose.

5. The Blessing of God’s PURPOSE, 14-17

14“For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Just as I determined to punish you When your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’ Says the Lord of hosts, ‘And I would not relent, 15 So again in these days I am determined to do good To Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear. 16 These are the things you shall do: Speak each man the truth to his neighbor; Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace; 17 Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor; And do not love a false oath. For all these are things that I hate,’ Says the Lord.”

These verses describe how God determined to punish them for their disobedience, & they were sent into exile, but now He is determined to do good to them. God’s purpose was to do good to them, & they are to do good to others- speak truth; judge truthfully, fairly, & peacefully; not think evil against others, or love a false oath. God hates these things.

God’s purpose is to do good to us, and we are to do good for others. Galatians 6:9-10, And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.The blessing of being God’s people is His purpose of doing good to us so that we will share His goodness with others.

6. The Blessing of God’s PRAISE, 18-19

18Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 19 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘The fast of the fourth month, The fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, Shall be joy and gladness & cheerful feasts For the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.

These verses answer the question that was first asked in Zech 7:3. They had been observing fasts that God didn’t command, self-imposed rituals God didn’t ask for, keeping themselves in mourning over the disaster that befell them when the Babylonians took them. God says that He will turn their fasting into feasting- there will be joy, gladness, & cheer.

The Lord’s House is to be a House of Praise! God promised His praise as part of the New Covenant- Jeremiah 33:11, the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say: “Praise the Lord of hosts, For the Lord is good, For His mercy endures forever”— and of those who will bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord… This is the House of the Lord. We bring the sacrifice of praise. God gets the glory!

7. The Blessing of God’s PURSUIT, 20-23

20“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Peoples shall yet come, Inhabitants of many cities; 21 The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, “Let us continue to go and pray before the Lord, and seek the Lord of hosts. I myself will go also.” 22 Yes, many peoples and strong nations Shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, And to pray before the Lord.’ 23“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” ’ ”

Describes a time when peoples will come to God because God’s people are going to them.Isaiah prophesied about just such a happening-  Isaiah 56:7, Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations. That time is here, that time is now.

It’s the church’s job to pursue people so that people will pursue the Lord. Jesus didn’t just die for Jews, or Europeans, or Americans, He died for people from every tribe, tongue, people, & nation (Rev 5:9). That’s why Jesus sends His church to the nations- Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations… (Matthew 28:19). As the church goes out into the world, the world will be brought into the church.

Jesus said I will build My church (Matthew 16:18), & He really has done that here (50+ additions in the last 14 months). How does He do it?

On His Word, through His Spirit, & with His People. The Lord will build His House; He will use you to do it. There are a lot of things you can be involved in, but none of them are as important as building God’s House.

Will you be part of what God is doing here & around the world?There is no bigger blessing.