Having A God Given Vision
Idolatry (From Intent To Reality)
(Zechariah 13:1-6)
Introduction:
Read: Zachariah 13:1-6
(V1 – The purpose of opening this fountain/source of cleansing is for sin/impurity)
(Three Things)
- Cut off the names of the idols from the land / no longer be remembered
- Cause the false prophets
There are some prophets that are not right. Not only are they prophecying falsely, but they are not living right.
So, I am going to deal with idolatry and then I will deal with the false prophets
- The unclean spirit
And I am going to cause the false prophet & unclean spirit
(Unclean Spirit) – Singular
There is a kind of common spirit there that is unclean
And when we get to him, we will name him and deal with him.
But first we have to deal with idolatry.
Before addressing the false prophet and the unclean spirit.
Because once we deal with the idolatry
We are going to cause the false prophet and the unclean spirit
To depart from the land.
(V3 – Why use his mother & father / the people close to him)
See, you may be able to fool some other people
But the people close to you know what you are doing
And they have a responsibility
Point:
If you are a preacher, elder, deacon, man amongst the leaders
You should have somebody in your life that holds you accountable
There should be somebody in your life that loves you enough
To tell you when you are wrong.
(V3-6)
Body:
Just briefly I need to share with you a little background on the text and some of you will remember the background from our last gathering.
Overview:
Zachariah is writing this along with his contemporary, Haggai
(You probably should read Haggai and Zachariah together)
They have the come to Jerusalem because Zerubbabel has come back
And he has a charge/mission.
This governor has followed great men like Nehemiah & Ezra
Who went back to Jerusalem to restore that great city
Reference: Babylonian Destruction / Captivity
Under Nehemiah & Ezra, they had restored much of the city
And worked on it for approximately 18 years
They had even laid the foundation of the temple
But like so many of us, we can start a good work, but then we get distracted
And the work does not get finished.
Point:
And the point we are making through this study (Bring your intent into reality)
So, they had started rebuilding the temple. The foundation had been laid
But then they got distracted, and Haggai tells you why they got distracted.
(Haggai)- Got distracted because they started building their own houses
They started working on their own stuff
And they forgot about God’s house.
Point:
And any time people begin to put themselves ahead of God
God’s work will go undone.
So they recognized that and here comes Zechariah
(Zechariah / Ze char weh) – Means God remembers
See, while we may forget, God remembers.
So Zechariah & Haggai, along with Zerubbabel return to Jerusalem
And their mission is to stir up the minds of the people so that they recommit
To the work God has given them to do.
And one of the areas of emphasis that we have made in this study
Is every congregation should have a vision
And we need to do some things to avoid becoming irrelevant
And what will stop us from becoming irrelevant
Is we need to have the right doctrine (And we have the right doctrine)
I preach the doctrine
I preach the one church
I preach the absolute necessity of baptism
But in addition to having the right doctrine, we need to have some works
We need to have some ministries (And this is totally biblical)
Point:
We need to have a vision and the vision has to go past next Sunday
(If the biggest thing you work on is –preparing a lesson for Sunday/Communion/Prayer and not thinking past next Tuesday)-
You got trouble
Question: Where is the preacher going to get vision?
You get from the bible!
Point: (Reference Luke 4)
When we recognize the opportunities that we have to do some things
That God has His special people there to do…
Let me show why we are here
(I’m going to give you two passages from the OT first & then the NT)
And let me spend a few minutes on vision
And when I leave vision I am going to idolatry.
Because the notion is, if we can have the right vision & get rid of idolatry
Just like the children of Israel, we might get back to doing what God
Really desires for us to do
Point:
The Jews that went back to Jerusalem couldn’t get the temple built.
They had clear vision. They were supposed to restore the temple.
(Reference: Haggai 1:2 (the time has not come) – they are there to rebuild
(V2-9) – God is saying I not playing with you!!!
(Working two & three jobs) – still can’t make ends meet
(Hesitate to give because I won’t be able to pay my light bill)
Learn to put God first
(V9-11)
Point:
If you have a God given vision you need to complete
Because your future blessings are based on it.
(Reference: Isaiah 58)
Read: Isaiah 58:1-2
Now, when I first read this, I thought I was getting ready to see some real abomination.
(V1- Cry loudly) – He wants everybody to hear it.
So naturally, I am anticipating hearing something about grave sins.
That God’s people are committing
(V2-3) They are so pious. Why have fasted and you have not seen
(Talking to God)
(V3 – Don’t you see us coming to worship) – You should be patting me on the back for coming to worship.
Point:
And there are people that will come to worship like they are doing God a favor
(God speaks) (V3 Day you fast) Hypocritical
(V4) – There are people that come to worship so they can look down on somebody else
(V4-5)
(V6 – Let me show you the real fast that I have chosen)
(V6-9)
It’s not just about coming to worship. Service is not about what you do on Sunday.
It’s what you do on Monday
(You should have a vision like that)
(V9 – You remove the yoke from your midst…)
(V9-14)
Read: Isaiah 61:1-4 (That’s ministry)
That’s why when Jesus came to Nazareth to read. They gave Him the scroll
He quoted two verses from Isaiah 61. Handed them back the scroll and sat down.
Everybody looked at Him.
And He said to them, “Today, this scripture is fulfilled. This is what I came to do.
(Holistic ministry) – minister to whole man (spirit, body, & soul)
Conclusion:
If we are going to complete the vision, you have to deal with idolatry
We looked at the definition of idolatry
That God detest idolatry
The danger in idolatry
Idolatry is when you allow anything or any person to usurp the position in your heart
That only God should have.
You may not have a shrine in your house. You may not have graven image.
But whenever you allow anything or anybody to usurp the position…
When you think about how good God has been and His grace He has granted
There ought to be a place that only belongs to God and nobody can take His place
So let me show you the danger of idolatry
Point:
Whenever you allow something or someone to take that place.
You begin to take on the characteristics of that which you love to that point.
Illustration:
The problem with idolatry is when you have something or someone you look up to more than God, you begin taking on those characteristics.
(Education – Won’t come because you have a test)
Every time you do that you put God behind the education
Example: People traveling and won’t go to church
If you put pleasure before Him (seeking pleasure)