Purifying The Prophet

Purifying The Prophet

(Zechariah 13:1-6)

Introduction:

I need to take a minute to put our text in its historical setting so that everyone will know what is going on.  But, before we do that, I want to give you another passage of scripture that we will reference in this study.

(Reference Passage: Romans 7:14-25)

(Need for reading the passage)

That’s the way we learn.  Those who are educators (There is an educating tool)

That is a pyramid shape and it talks about how learning takes place.

Now, I am not preaching just to stir you up, we really want some learning to occur.

So, in this learning tool, it begins with knowledge (having certain facts)

Point:  There are people that know a lot of facts (That’s the first level of learning)

Then you move to comprehension (Understand the facts that you think you know)

To Application (If you never apply what you learn then it doesn’t do you any good)

So, people start out with knowledge.

You’ve seen people that know a lot of different things. They have a lot of facts

(Every time you say something – They say “I know”)

You can’t tell them anything (I know)

You can’t through a conversation without them knowing everything

And then you feel when they say they know to everything

The question is do you understand what you know.

And are you applying what you know

So this pyramid goes from (Knowledge, Comprehension, Application)

Then as you apply what you know, you analyze it.

That’s how you get better.  The more you make application the better you should become.  You should be improving.

(Move from Comprehension, Application, Analysis) Then finally synthesis

That’s where it becomes a part of you.

Point:

So, when you give people some knowledge

You need to help them comprehend what you are giving them

And then you want them to apply what they comprehend

And you want them to analyze what they have been applying

Until it becomes a part of their life.

Illustration:  Sisters learning to cook

Well, that’s where you want to get to in your Christian life.

You want to be able to take the bible and know some facts

And then you want to be able to comprehend what you know

And apply it in your life and as you apply it, analyze it, so you can get better

Until it just becomes a part of who you are.

Point:

So, that’s why we need to read it again.

Body:

Read: Zechariah 13:1-6

(V1 This fountain is for a specific people / the house of David and the Jerusalem)

This is particularly pointed to God’s people so we are going to encourage

And stir up the people of God

(V2 (The first part that we talked about is Idolatry)

See, if we don’t get idolatry out of our lives then we can’t get idolatry out of the church.

And if we don’t get idolatry out of the church, we will never complete the temple.

And if we don’t complete the temple, then the Glory of God will not return.

(Review)

(V2 (The prophet) – We will deal with him today/tonight)

Point:

The fountain is going to be open to clean up some stuff

(What needs to be cleaned up)

Idolatry (We have to cleanse ourselves of idolatry)

2nd We have to deal with the prophet (His problem was immorality)

Point:

We can never be a people that makes an impact on the community if the lives of the people in the church is no different than the person outside the church.

If your life doesn’t resemble some form of hope

Then why would the person that’s struggling outside the church want to come in?

(We can’t walk around with our heads down all the time)

We need to know where I blessings come from

And your blessing come when you are in God’s purpose.

(Lastly, He says you have clean up the unclean spirit)

(V2-3) (This is the prophet prophesying after he has been exposed)

(V3-4) (This prophet would normally wear his prophet clothes)

Yet, they walk to the table and ask him (aren’t you the prophet)

He can’t even acknowledge that he’s the prophet

Because of some of the places he’s been and some of the things he’s doing.

Point:

This prophet is out there where he doesn’t belong

And while he is out there, he gets wounded.

(V5-6)

Point:

When you are out there. When you are somewhere you don’t belong

You will end up getting bruised.  You will end up getting wounded.

And then when someone asks you (why are you wounded? Why are you cut up)

(What are these wounds between thy hands)

And you can’t tell the truth. 

Now, you would like to tell the truth, but sometimes you can’t even tell your friends.

So they asked the prophet (What are these wounds.  Why are you all cut up)

Point:

(Why do you keep getting fired off your job. Why are you always borrowing money)

(Why is your wife crying all the time)

Point:

Now, when read this passage about the prophet in some circles

We would like to limit it to the preacher.

We want it to be about the church leader (elder / deacon)

But really this could apply to any person of influence.

It apply to anyone who is in a position where you know others are looking at you

And you know that you are not what you need to be.

(What are these wounds between thy arms)

(V6 – In the house of my friends)

Point:

The truth of the matter is your friend didn’t hurt you.

You got messed up out there.

What happened with this prophet is he got involved in pagan worship of Baal

Explain: Baal (Elijah & 450 false prophets) / Self inflicted wounds

And the prophet in Zechariah 13 has been practicing Baal worship

And then he comes back to the Lord’s people and the Lord’s people see the evidence

Of him being out there.  You may not see the evidence on yourself

But the people that know God, when you come back they can see the evidence

That you have been out there, somewhere you didn’t belong.

And they will ask you (What are these wounds between your arms) / He can’t tell it

Conclusion

Point:

Now, all of us have done some things that we are ashamed about.

This prophet was ashamed of what he had become and the things that he’s done

That he would rather lie than to own up to the error of his ways.

So, all of us have done some thing that we are ashamed of doing.

But, if you want to do something about it.  If you want to get better.

If you don’t want to be left out there and end up all cut up

Some of the questions you may want to ask is:

1.     Why does that happen?

2.     What can we do about it?

Now, let’s go to Romans 7

Read: Romans 7:14-15 (What I am doing I do not understand)

(V16) – What I want to do, I don’t do.  What I hate to do. That’s what I do

(V16) – The Law is good

Point:

This started out by saying that the Law is spiritual, but I am carnal

My problem is not that I don’t know that the bible is right

I know that the bible is right. The problem is not the bible

The problem is doing what the bible tells me to do

(V17) – That is difficult statement

What do you mean it is not you doing it?  It is you that is doing it.

(Now if the sin is in you then it is you that is doing it)

But, I want to help you understand this. (That which I should do. I don’t do it)

(Paul) What I figured out is it is no longer I that do it but sin that dwells in me

Now, to understand that, let me share a principle with you.

(Knowledge, Comprehension, Apply…)

We need to see ourselves like God sees us. God sees us as three dimensional beings

(You are spirit, You live in a body, & You have a soul)

Illustration: Three men (God is not a one dimensional God) He is a triune God

(Father, Word (Son), Holy Spirit) – Gen. 1:1 (Elohyim) Gen. 1:26 (Let Us make man)

(Soul is the real you) / (Spirit is your life source) / (Body is the house you live in)

(Reference: No longer I that do it, but sin that dwell in me) – Which me?

(V18) – In my flesh

(V18-25) (Who will set me free from the body of this death?)