Sermon Tone Analysis

Well, good morning again, everyone.

I think it is totally safe to say that we have now entered my favorite time of the year.

I love Christmas time.

I love the carols, I love family gatherings, I love the fact that we get to eat sausage balls and, for some reason, that’s only acceptable this time of the year.

As you know, Kristy and I have three young kids - 8, 6 & 3.

This time of year is really fun with kids.

Every morning, though, one of the first things out of their mouths is “Is it Christmas yet?”

I mean, it’s guaranteed someone will ask that within the first 10 minutes of being awake.

They’re waiting - not so patiently - on Christmas.

Why?

What is it that kids are most excited about?

The presents.

Waiting is hard, isn’t it?

We like to talk about kids having a hard time waiting to open gifts but we adults have a hard time with waiting, too…don’t we? Waiting implies that we aren’t in control.

For us to have to “wait” on something means that someone or something other than ourselves dictates when what we’re waiting on will happen.

What makes waiting hard?

Circumstances (explain).

Anticipation (explain).

Now, my kids - as young as they are - know that they’re not allowed to open the presents unless it’s Christmas.

They know that they can’t open them any sooner and they definitely know they won’t be waiting a second longer.

They know there is an exact - or appropriate - time they can tear open the presents.

For centuries, God’s people, Israel, waited on the Messiah God had promised to send them.

You see, God’s promise to send the Messiah didn’t originate with the formation of Israel as a people - it goes even further back.

Israel’s history is very “up and down” in terms of their relationship with God.

They would live in obedience and blessing and then they would rebel and experience God’s discipline.

They had good kings who led them in obedience to God and then they had really bad and corrupt kings who led them to rebel against God.

They would be faithful in worship of God and then the next thing you know, they’re turning their backs on him, worshiping idols and doing really horrendous things.

Israel’s story in the OT is one of obedience/blessing - disobedience/discipline.

The worst came in 605 BC when King Nebuchadnezzar invaded the southern kingdom of Judah and, then, in 597 when he destroyed Jerusalem and took many of the Jews as slaves.

After 70 years of Babylonian rule, Persia conquered Babylon and took over.

It was King Cyrus of Persia who allowed the Jews to begin returning home to rebuild their city and temple.

It’s during this time period - after God’s people had been totally wrecked, exiled, after God had allowed them to be handed over to their enemies - that a group of prophets - called Minor Prophets - were used by God to call the people of Israel to repentance and restoration.

It’s in the writings of these Minor Prophets that we really see - more than really any other scriptures - the longing of God’s people for the promised Messiah…the one who would restore Israel, heal the land, destroy their enemies and lead Israel as the eternal king.

One of these prophets - Zechariah - really gives us a look at the deep longing of God’s people for the coming of the Messiah.

We’re going to spend the next 4 weeks going through this book because, it may seem unlikely to you, but we’ve got a lot in common with them.

Zechariah lived and prophesied during the rule of the Persian King Cyrus - you know, the one who was kind to the Jews and allowed them to return home and rebuild.

God’s promises of restoring His people were beginning to be fulfilled - BUT ONLY IN PART.

Yes, they were more free than they had been but they were still under foreign rule!

They still had the burden of Persia on them.

They were on a leash!

They were longing for the coming of the Messiah to fully deliver and restore them.

Zechariah

We’re caught in that same tension…some call it “the already but the not yet.”

You see, Zechariah’s people were longing for the FIRST coming of the Messiah.

But, as we know, that’s already happened.

Christianity is about 2 ARRIVALS, though.

Jesus’s first coming was to REDEEM.

His second coming will be to REIGN.

We look back at his first coming with remembrance.

We look forward to his second coming with longing.

BUT! Listen to me - we long WITH HOPE for...

The DEATH of DEATH

(vs.

3-5; 12-15)

The PERMANENT DWELLING of God’s PRESENCE.

(vs.

6-7)

The REBIRTH OF CREATION.

(vs.

8)

The UNIVERSAL REIGN of Jesus.

(vs. 9 - )

Let me remind you of something I said at the beginning - something I want to urge us on toward this Christmas - we look BACK with remembrance and we look FORWARD with longing.

Our HOPE in the future is anchored in the past.

Our hope that Jesus will return, rule in power, destroy all sin and death, dwell with us for all of eternity, make all things new…this isn’t just wishful thinking.

This is a HOPE rooted in the finished work of Jesus and the character of God Himself - who is TRUTH and in him there is no falsehood.

No matter what I am facing right now…now matter what

No matter what I am facing right now…now matter what the enemy is throwing my way…etc…We long with hope…we patiently await the return of Christ.