From Intent To Reality - Part II
From Intent To Reality – Part II
(Zechariah 13:1-6)
Introduction:
I want you to put your bookmarker at Luke 4 and I want to explain why we are putting Luke 4 in the context of what we discussed this morning from Zechariah 13:1-6
Now, there is a component in Luke 4 that we need to talk about tonight.
But right now, let’s look at Zechariah 13 to put this in its context.
So, if we can cover this tonight, next time we will discuss the concept of idolatry.
Body:
(Review)
Read: Zechariah 13:1-6
(V1 – This fountain, this cleansing mechanism is designed to cleanup Jerusalem)
In order to get Jerusalem and their inhabitants where I need them to be (do 3 things)
(V2-(Idols-cut them off so good that you want even remember their names)
(Illustration: Seeing people that you don’t remember / Some I don’t want to remember) Some of them I am glad I don’t remember (I cut off their name)
(V2 (False prophet) – Now this is points 2 & 3 and He’s going to do the same thing
To both of them
Point:
You have the prophets (the conjunction “and”) unclean spirit
(Emphasis) – Read 1st part of conjunction / Read 2nd part of conjunction (same thing)
I am going to get these false prophets. These prophets that are about themselves
And not the people. I am going to get them out of the land.
Because I have to open up a fountain that is going to clean up some stuff.
Point:
And the reason I have to clean it up is they cannot accomplish the vision I’ve given them, as long as they are idolaters. So I must get rid of them
See, if these people are going to accomplish the vision (God given vision)
That’s why we are looking at Luke 4
See visions are God given. Visions (not dreams) are God given
Not only are they God given, but the fulfillment of God given visions
Is a blessing, but the blessing is predicated upon present obedience
Point:
If you want obey now, you won’t accomplish the vision and you lose the blessing.
(Just laying some foundation)
Question: So what I am going to do with the prophet?
I am going to cause him to depart from the land. I’m going to get him out of here
Point:
Everybody is a blessing. Everybody is a blessing.
Some are blessings when they come. And some are blessings when they…
Now, there are some people that in order for you to accomplish the God given vision
There are some people that need to depart!
(And all that says is we need to be able to accomplish the vision)
Point:
See I love the church of Christ with all of my heart / And the best days are not behind
But we need to make sure that we are in a position to accomplish God given visions
Now, the false prophet is not the only one that has to depart.
God says, (I have deal with idolatry, (false prophet has to depart) and with him unclean spirit. Because you will see them get together
(V3 – Still prophecies (he’s a false prophet) his life is not right
He has been tolerated.
And when he comes in he will wreck the congregation.
(V3 – If he still prophecies (he’s running) but if he still prophecies (parents say)
Point:
See there are people that know you.
When you stand up there, showing out (preaching down to people)
Up in front of the class with your hallo on (like you never done anything)
You’re in brother’s meeting & you want to crucify this brother (not consider yourself)
But the people close to you know you.
Your wife knows what time you came in. You clean up and act like it’s alright
But there are some people that know you. You are not fooling everybody.
(I know some of you)
Point: We’ve been talking about brotherly kindness (honesty, forgiveness)
But you can’t talk about forgiveness until we talk about being honest
See you can’t forgive because you can’t be honest
And if you could really get honest with you and God
I wouldn’t have to try to manipulate you, because I can’t manipulate God
So if I get honest with God, I don’t have to worry about manipulating somebody else
(V3 – If you are still prophesying I will tell your parents to kill you)
(V4 – Some visions are not completed because the people that are to complete the vision can act one way in this house and another way in another house)
(V4 – (Clothing) Prophets were known by their clothing
But he is now in some places where he can’t look like the prophet
Because he doesn’t need anybody coming up to his table… (aren’t you…)
(V5 – (I’m no prophet) – You just got through talking real ugly to somebody)
(Aren’t you the prophet (preacher/leader??)
(I’m no prophet I’m a farmer) – You will tell him about your other job
(V6) – What are these wounds between your arms (Why are you all cut up)
(Answer) – V6 (Those with which I was wounded…)
Point:
We have a tendency to blame others for the consequences we are going through
So that’s where we are and we will be there a few Sundays.
So next week we will deal with idolatry
(God) – In order to get them to complete the vision I have to deal with
- Idolatry
- False Prophet
- Unclean Spirit
Question: So, why are we going to study this?
We need to be able to bring our intent into reality (finish what we started)
(Real quick) – Zechariah is prophet in Jerusalem during a time when a couple of his predecessors and one of his contemporaries (Haggai)
And they have been commissioned to work there with Zerubbabel
And they are there to stir up the people to work on the temple.
The temple is in ruins because Nebuchadnezzar and some if his successors
Destroyed Jerusalem (walls torn down / gates burned / city destroyed / temple)
Point:
The temple was important to them. They couldn’t imagine life going on without the temple.
(Illustration: Jesus talking about the temple / metaphorically)
(Lord look at the temple. Isn’t it magnificent. ) – You’re impressed with that
(Jesus) – The time will come when they will tear down this temple (3 days)
(People) – Lord tell us when shall these things be. What is the time of your coming
That brings forth the end of the world
Well, Jesus didn’t say anything about the end of the world
But they are so focused on the temple that if you are going to destroy the temple
It must be the end of the world
Point:
So the temple has been destroyed and Nehemiah and Ezra were amongst the first
To go back and start the work of rebuilding the temple.
So initially, all the people were excited about rebuilding the temple (city)
(Getting clothes, money, equipment)
But after a time, they got distracted. After a while nobody is talking about it anymore
And the work is not progressing as quickly as it was.
So these two prophets (Zechariah & Haggai) go to remind the people
That we have to get this vision completed.
Point: Every congregation needs a vision (Know what it is / Get it completed)
Now, in our text, their vision was not being completed because of
- Idolatry
- False prophets
- Unclean spirits
So if we can understand how they got rid of it there, it may help us to understand
How to get rid of it here,
So we can finish what we started.
Conclusion:
We are not in competition with one another (all of us have some light)
(But this little light of mine)
(Reference) – Luke 4
You don’t have hunt for a vision (God gave you the vision)
(V16-17) – Now He is looking for His place. He doesn’t want just preach anything
He is looking for His place
Now He could have preached a number of things from Isaiah
(Isaiah 6:9 (Unto us a child is born…)
(Isaiah 7:14 (Behold a virgin shall conceive…)
(Isaiah 53 (Who shall believe our report…)
But He kept looking because that wasn’t it
(And He found the place in Isaiah 61)
Read: Luke 4:18-19 (Not just preach to the poor) – Holistic ministry
I came to heal…
(Yes we baptize, but lives are still falling apart)
Our vision needs to be a God given vision and if we are going to
Bring our intent to reality and sustain it (finish what we started)
We are going to have to
- Remove Idolatry
- Get the false prophet to depart
- Get rid of the unclean spirit
That God may open a fountain to cleanse our impurities