Zechariah

All right. I turned to the book of Zechariah. Whichever Bible you're using your own your phone or the one in the seats and turn to that profit because we're continuing our Series going through the prophets. And these were guys in the Old Testament who God used to bring his message to his people and we've been walking out of the profits for a couple months maybe even longer than that, but I lose track of time pretty easily. And so we're coming so close to the end and I hope that this week you had an opportunity if you knew that's where we're going. I hope you have an opportunity to either read the book of Zechariah or to watch the summary video that we post on our Facebook group because Zechariah is one of those prophets who is not the most accessible to us. It can get a little bit confusing. Actually. I'm going to put Bryant on the spot this morning. You guys need to know. I'm not the only path We have for pastors of this church, and I could not be more grateful for the Brotherhood that that we share together. I can't could not be more grateful for having these men to serve you alongside. I just want to give you a brief glimpse into our relationship together and so it we try to pray for one another we try to encourage one another this morning. I got a text from Bryant's and he is talking about today's sermon. I said just want to know is Zechariah 5 7 going to be your Yorkie verse and I'm like Zechariah 5:7. I don't even think I'm addressing Zechariah 5 7 And then I turned there and red.

Somebody else just read it ahead of me. And behold the lamb Legend cover was lifted and there was a woman sitting in the basket. And with no context that was the encouragement Bryant gave me for today's message. We're not looking at Zechariah 5 7 this morning. There is Derek Zechariah. He's got these Visions like that come all at once and some of you, you know, you eat too many brownies before you go to bed and you have some really crazy dreams while Zechariah puts you to shame he has this series of 8 visions that are just remarkable and and because we don't have time this morning, we're not going to get to go into them has these messages messages of Hope messages of judgment that for lack of time we're not going to be able to cover in Daphne has these proclamations for the future that again for lack of time. We're not going to go into but with Zechariah as with all of the other prophets that we've looked at one of my goals as your pastor has been as we've gone through this this series is to show how what the prophets had to say in their day to their original audience. Still applies to us today and it snows different with Zechariah because as we look at Zechariah, we see a ton of things that could apply to us today, but especially because today is kind of Christmas Sunday, right not as big of a deal throughout the history of the church, but we've made it a big deal here in our own special way. You can thank Charles Dickens for our celebration of Christmas. Although some would argue Shakespeare started that but what we have is this holiday that's kind of been built up that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ and we celebrate it in all kinds of different ways. Right Christmas music is the one that comes to mind, right? We've been singing what we would call Christmas music. I live in Courage you think about it is worship music here the last few weeks, right? It comes on the radio and even even secular radio station start playing songs that talk about the coming of the Messiah. And the gospel going forth to all creation. It's crazy and we put trees up and we wrap presents up and and and all of that that and it can be easy to miss. What's true? What matters in all of that easy to miss Christ and so is we look at how the what the prophets had to say speaks to us today? It's appropriate come to Zechariah because he has a ton to say about the Messiah who is going to come. He tells us a lot about this promised one who was going to come to Israel and who is going to save them from their sins. But it could be hard for us to latch onto how that works. So in Zechariah, our focus is not going to be honest crazy Visions. It's not going to be on his message of Hope open judge minutes going to be on what did he have to say about the Messiah who would come and as we focus on that as we look at Zakaria through that lens, my secondary goal is for us to focus our eyes on Christ here in this Christmas season in to not let ourselves get distracted. We're going to see The promises that God made about this king who would come we're going to see the promises that God Made To His People Israel and we're going to see how in Christ's those promises are fulfilled and we're going to see how in Christ's a message to the nation of Israel can be a message of Hope to us Gentiles. So you've got Zechariah open today. And before we get started sometimes in your Bible you have like this little introduction section. It's not it's not scripture right is it? It's not it's not inspired word of God says, he's a Leonard actions in yours might say something like Zacharia and he was X number of years to X number of years. He was prophesying to this people is a contemporary of haggai. I'd encourage you to read those that's important lot of the prophets we looked at they were talking to the nation of Israel before God brought judgment on them Zechariah and his contemporary haggai. We're sharing the gospel with people who is Just come back from Exile. They had spent 70 years captive to Babylon taken away from their Homeland and through a miracle. God brings them back to the nation of Israel. But the problem was they got back to Israel and they forgot everything that God had tried to teach them and so a guy comes in. He says you need to get your priorities straight you need to do the Lord's work now that he's brought you back Zechariah comes as long as his don't fall back into Rebellion. Like your father's did God has been gracious to you respond to him in obedience button interspersed all throughout this message given to this returned people given to this people who experience God's judgment and had come home and now face the hard work of rebuilding a life that have been torn apart. He gives this message of the coming Messiah. One who would set things right and end as we move through the book we catch these glimpses these pictures of what this Messiah what this promise was going to be like in the first one. I want us to look at it then chapter 2 sauternes from chapter 5 verse 7 to chapter 2 with me. and it in chapter 2 we get this this glimpse of what God is going to do. Look at first 10 with me.

Sing and Rejoice O Daughter of Zion for behold I come and I will dwell in your midst declares. The Lord in Many Nations will be joined to you. You will know in the end to the Lord in that day and she'll be my people and I will dwell in your mitts and you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you and the Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem is zechariah's laying out this hope for this returned Exile people. We see that the promise that God has made is it God himself will dwell with his people that the hope that they're waiting for is that is the fact that God would come and would dwell with his people. This is this is big. This is big. Wee wee sing songs that Christmas the talk about Emmanuel. What's Emmanuel mean? God With Us right and we've gotten kind of used to this idea, especially those of us who grew up in church and if you didn't grow up in church good news for you today you get to experience. What is one of the greatest realities with fresh eyes that God himself would come to dwell with man. And this is something that happened in Jerusalem before earlier in the history of Israel. We saw that the temple was built and the the glory of God inhabited the temple But then there was this rebellion of God's people and we we saw in Ezekiel this vision of the glory of God leaving the temple and and hear Zechariah says good news, Israel. God will one day dwell with you again, but what if you're not in Jerusalem? What what what if you're not there by the temple what good is it to have God dwelling with man if he's stuck in one place? and Zechariah seems to Envision this day when It's not just going to be Jerusalem, but there are going to be many nations involved in this God will dwell with his people and it's not just going to be Israel. Who's seen this. Where is This Promise ultimately fulfilled? Look at John one. Look at John one. You don't have to turn there. I've got it up on the screen for you, but you can't answer in there if you want to check me on it. In John chapter 1 and John's one of the four gospels these records of Jesus his life in this house. John starts out in the beginning was the word the word was with God. The Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. That's John start, but look where he gets to and the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we have seen his glory glory as of the only son from the father full of grace and truth the word became flesh and dwelt among us to compare that with Zechariah Caldwell with you for I will dwell with you declares. Yahweh. We see Jesus is the Fulfillment of that promise. And so when we seeing about the Little Drummer Boy, thank you worship team for that. By the way, when we sing about the Little Drummer Boy, and maybe he was there at the birth of this. It was not a silent night. I don't care what the song says. This squalling squirming messy little infants. Was God himself in the flash God come to dwell with his people no longer confined to one spot no longer confined to a temple, but in able to walk among us to speak to us to reveal God to us directly. This is the Fulfillment of what Zechariah saw God would dwell with his people in the form of Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ.

Jesus died Jesus rose again in the Bible says he ascended into heaven and they saw him no more. So is the promise dead? No, because after Jesus ascended he sent his Spirit to live in his people now no longer is God confined to a building over in the Middle East now no longer is God simply a person who you have to go find but now God is literally inhabiting his people wherever they are found. God dwells with man Church The presence of God in you is God's revelation of himself to the world around you. That should humble you this Christmas season to the Fulfillment of Zechariah Chapter 2 is in you as the Holy Spirit dwells you as the Holy Spirit and power that is god with man. That's not you with man. This is not some Eastern will gods in each of us idea know when you submit yourself to Christ.

The Holy Spirit comes in and dwells you this is not something natural to us. But God with us as seen in the Holy Spirit dwelling within his people. We see the next little promise here in Zechariah and chapter 6 in chapter 6 and we start in verse 9. And the word of the Lord came to me take from the Exiles. He'll die to buy Jetta and Jedi whoever is whoever ride from Babylon. Go to the same day to the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah take from them silver and gold and make a crown and set it on the head of Joshua the son of jehozadak the high priest now I'm going to stop there for just a second and give us some backstory in the nation of Israel. There was a tribe from whom the kings came and that was the tribe of Judah & and the nation of Israel. There was a tribe from whom the priest came and that was the tribe of Levi and you did not have Kings who were from Levi and you did not have priests who are from Judah. And so this is a really weird thing as a matter of fact, I think fit his original audience would not have blinked an eye at some of Zacharias Visions, but this would have caught them up short. Why are you putting a crown a symbol of the Kingdom the same symbol of the king on the head of a priest? Why are you mixing these two things together and it didn't make sense frankly and Zacharias day. But it begins to make sense as we continue reading. So we can send you that says the Lord of hosts behold the man whose name is the branch for he shall Branch out from his place and he shall build the Temple of the Lord it is he who shall build the temple the Lord and Shelby are royal honor and shall sit and rule on his throne and there shall be a priest on his throne and the Council of Peace shall be between them both open the crown shall be in the temple of the Lord as a reminder to help him to buy jediah and hand the son of Zephaniah and those who are far off. Come and help to build the Temple of the Lord and you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you and this shall come to pass if you will diligently obey the voice of your lord the Lord your God. I don't know what Joshua the high priest was thinking about the time that they set this crown on his head, but he had to be confused. me What no that's not going to happen. But there was going to come another one who would bear a name very similar to his in this is this is sometimes confusing the Bible written in Hebrew and Aramaic and Greek three different languages. None of which any of us speak, right? I'm looking for the Aramaic scholar amongst us Lewis know what we have here is the name Joshua the high-priest and its the Lords not making a promise about him becoming but there's going to become one who Bears his name because in Hebrew his name was yehoshua. Yeah in Aramaic that name would be your shoe in Greek. It would be Asus in English. We could say Joshua or Jesus. It's almost the same name. And what we have here is this promise that there's going to be coming one after Joshua this high priest one who we later would know as Jesus. He's going to be this priest king. He's going to be not just someone who stands between us and God and reconciles us but he's also going to be one who Reigns over us. This is not the first time this has happened in the Bible. I'll do it. The first time it's been said that happened amongst the people of Israel earlier in the story were introduced to a character named milk is attack. And if you don't know your Bible History, that's okay, but I'll just give a brief summation. No kids attack was a king who Abraham Mets in his travels in Genesis, and he was a priest of the most high God, but he was also the king of the town called Salem And the New Testament picks this up and Hebrews chapter 7 this priest king idea Hebrews chapter 7 and 8 in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.

This became becomes even more evident when another priest arrives in the likeness of milk is attack who is become a priest not on the basis basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily to send but by the power of an indestructible life for his witness of him, you are a priest Forever After the order of Melchizedek and Zechariah. We have a priest who was crowned King in Jesus. We have a king who is also a priest who does not bear those titles on the nature of his bodily $0.02 because he didn't descend in the same way that you and I did from Adam. He descended from God. God was his father. And so on the power of that indestructible life, he is crowned as both priest and King Zacharias pointing us to Christ Zacharias pointing us to the fact there's going to come one who can both rain over our sinful rebellious Hearts, but also cleanse those sinful rebellious hearts and reconcile them to God. That's not what we normally think of first when we think of Christmas. Christmas lights presents those things crossed our mind but one who would unite the rule that we need and the cleansing that we need to be in right relationship with God. That is Christ. Turn to chapter 8 of Zechariah with me. Chapter 8 and we look at verse 20 through 23. Zechariah Chapter 8 starting verse 20 that says the Lord of hosts people will yet come even the inhabitants of many cities the inhabitants of one city. She'll go to another saying let us go at once to entreat the favour of the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts. I myself am going many peoples and strong Nation shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favour of the Lord vess says the Lord of hosts in those days 10 men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew and safe. Let us go with you for we have heard that God is with you. There's going to be something Zechariah says it's going to happen. It's going to turn the eyes of all the nations to. The nation of Israel everybody excited about what God is doing amongst his people and cards on the table. I don't think he's just talking about that Kingdom defined by geographical borders over in Palestine. I think he's talking about there's going to be something that he does amongst his people that's going to make people wonder what's going on over there. I don't have it up on the screen, but one of my favorite passages is written by Peter and he talks about the fact that God is going to be bringing people to him. He doesn't want anybody to perish he wants everybody to come to know him. And so he gives this instruction to his people and he says so always be ready to give an answer for the hope. That is within you. Always be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within you the hope that there would be God dwelling with his people the hope that there would be this priest king who reconciles and rules the hope that there would be good news. Right mini would come to seek The God Who dwells with his people that would be something that people wanted to know about when Peter says always be ready to give an answer for the hope that you have. It implies that people are asking questions. It implies that there's something unique about the people of God such that those around them want to know what's the deal? Why do you live that way? Why don't you freak out like the rest of us do why? Why do you have so much peace? Why are you so loving? Why are you so kind? Why do you always serve others? Why do you do all of these things? And we can say Will. Hey, let me introduce you to Jesus. Let me introduce you to the one who reconciles and rains. Let me introduce you to the one who brings God to us. Let me introduce you to the one who can set you free and many will seek The God Who dwells with his people in Acts chapter 17 this when I do have up their Acts chapter 17 is one of my favorite sermons ever preached Paul the Apostle. He goes into the city of Athens. Now whether you grew up in church or not, you know the name Athens, right? That's part of your history classes for week. We are most of us westerners. We are most of us steeped in what would be considered Greco-Roman culture. And so we know the name Athens what Paul's experience was Athens is somewhat unique is he's going he's been transformed by the gospel. He's taking it everywhere. He goes, he goes into the city of Athens and what he sees as he walks through the city surprises him. Did he notices he's going by he sees all of these different Alters to all of these different gods and that's why when he stands up to preach. He says this men of Athens. I perceive that in every way you are very religious. Chris I passed along and observe the objects of your worship. I found it an altar with this inscription to the unknown God what they're for you worship is unknown this I Proclaim to you what Paul is noticing is that everywhere he goes, these people are worshipping Gods. They're seeking for something outside of themselves that explains everything they see they're trying to make sense of the world around them. And if you think that we live in a different time today, you're mistaken. This is very precisely what every single human being on the face of planet Earth is trying to do make sense of the world around them. This is why science exist because we want to know. Why this is why all the different religions exist because we want to know why. And this is why all of those Pursuits are inevitably going to continue to fracture and continue to multiply unless we come back to the source of that Truth The God Who made the world and everything in it being the Lord of Heaven and Earth does not live in temples made by man nor has he served by human hands as though he needed anything since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything and you made from one man. Every nation of mankind live on the face of the Earth having determined a lot of periods and the boundaries of their Dwelling Places that they should see God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him yet. He is not actually far from any one of us for in him. We live and move and have our being as even some of your own poets have set for we indeed are his offspring. Being than God's Offspring. We ought not to think that the Divine being is like gold or silver Stone an image formed in the Arts and Imagination of man. The times of ignorance God has overlooked but now he commands all people everywhere to repent because he is fixed today on what you will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he is appointed and of this is given Assurance to All by raising him from the dad, who is he talking about? Jesus he says to those who would seek understanding to those who would seek answers to those who would seek fulfillment. He says quit looking in these temples made with hands and there was a temple literally for every flavor that you might desire right? I'm not talking about Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors of ice cream. But literally if you were somebody who was who was kind of War like if you had your God right you could worship Mars. You can worship Aries you can worship a God who condones your violence and said, this is okay. This is right keep on that path and if you were somebody who worship Sexuality you had your God Artemis or Diana you could have you could worship whatever God fits your desires. And Paul says hold on timeouts. You're looking for that fulfillment. You're looking for something Beyond yourself. Then why you quit keep going to the things that are just like you. Never noticed that how certain personality types kind of lineup with certain manners of thought and and faith and the Really analytical and logical people tend to be your your scientists. Right? We don't need God cuz we got all the answers we've got right here and then you've got people who are who are more emotionally attuned we might say and they're looking at horoscopes and they're looking at this and that and they're finding meaning and all of these no offense. All of these personality tests and different things my car. Isn't that cool? Look at that and this is this is explaining so much about me. But all they're finding is themselves. Also, if you're seeking God which everybody is quit looking for things that look just like you cuz then you're just going to find yourself instead look to this man. And God has appointed instead look to Jesus and see what he has done many will seek The God Who dwells with his people and Paul says, it's Jesus. You don't have to look any farther. Look at chapter 9 of Zechariah.

Chapter 9 verse 9 Rejoice. Greatly o Daughter of Zion shall allow daughter of Jerusalem. Behold. Your king is coming to you right chest and having salvation. Is he humble and mounted on a donkey on a Colt the foal of a donkey? I will cut off The Chariot from Ephraim and the warhorse from Jerusalem the battle both shall be cut off and he still speaks peace to the nation's his rule shall be from sea to Sea and from the river to the ends of the Earth. We're just going to stop there for a second. what you need to see Zechariah says it's that The God Who dwells with us this priest-king this one who many will see He is going to be a king he is going to conquer he is going to rain he's going to do all of the things that you expect the king to do, but he's not going to do it in the way that you expect instead of conquering with the sword instead of conquering with Mike. He's going to conquer with peace. And in this this conquering with pieces a novel concept to us is it it's crazy to think that this is how the kingdom of God would be established through peace and yet all of the imagery of Zechariah Chapter 9 here. That's what it's pointing to I'm going to cut off the chair at the warhorse the battle bow and this King will speak peace to the nation's. Behold your king is coming to you right just having salvation humble and mounted on a donkey King's don't ride donkeys in the battle. Have you ever ridden a donkey?

Could there be a more worthless animal for riding into battle? Could there be a more worthless animal.

I guess they do have some uses.

a king mounted on a donkey was the sign of peace a king mounted on a warhorse was the image you expected to see when it came comes into a city if he's conquering it. He rides his war-horse if he's coming into his own he rides a donkey. Jesus fulfills This Promise of Zechariah. Look at John chapter 12 in John chapter 12 in Matthew and Luke. We see the same thing the next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they went and took branches of palm trees went out to meet him crying Hosanna blessed. Is he who comes in the name of the Lord even the king of Israel and Jesus found in sat on it just as it is written fear not Daughter of Zion know the quote from Zechariah behold. Your king is coming sitting on a donkey's Colt his disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, they remembered that all these things have been written about him and had been done to him the crowd that have been with him when he called Lazarus out of the Tomb and raised him from the dead continue to Bear witness. The reason why the crab with the meeting was that they'd heard he had done this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another you see that we're gaining nothing. Look the world has gone out after in this King comes but he has some conquering to do to the Pharisees here and they are standing opposed to this king who was going to come and yet he has not fired a shot and yet he's winning the Pharisees. They look all of your influence over the people of Israel what they're saying? It's the one another all of all of the power that you wielded is gone now because everybody's going out to Jesus this king who comes riding in peace and who conquers in peace. Jesus is coming King this priest king god with us is going to use. Peace.

The game is Kingdom not war and he asked to do so against those who would hold out against him like the Pharisees he conquers with peace and he doesn't just conquer right? He doesn't just ride in and be like, all right, I'm King now. And everybody just do what I tell you to do. He rides in he conquers. He says I'm King now.

And here's how the world is going to be better. He comes on a mission not of Conquest but of restoration and that's what we see in chapter 10. This Kingwood, and he would Rescue & restore his people look at chapter 10 starting in verse 6. I will strengthen the house of Judah. I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back because I have compassion on them and they shall be as though I had not rejected them for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them than Ephraim will become like a mighty warrior their heart shall be glad is win their children shall see it and be glad their heart shall rejoice in the Lord for I will whistle them in gather them in for I have redeemed them. They shall be as many as they were before though. I scattered among the Nations yet in Far countries. They shall remember me and with their children, they shall live and return I will bring them home from the land of Egypt gather them from Assyria and I will bring them to the land of Gilead until 11 until there is no room for them. He shall pass through the Sea of troubles and strike down the waves of the sea all the depth of the Nile shall be dried up the pride of a serious shall be laid low the scepter Egypt shall depart I will make them strong in the Lord and they shall walk in his name declares. The Lord the king is going to restore his people. He's going to restore Judah right this nation that had been in Exile to Babylon who just come back imagine them hearing this king is going to restore you you're going to be like you were before but it goes beyond just you Judah remember your brothers to the north the Kingdom of Israel who were taken and who never returned. I'm going to even go find them. I'm going to even go search them out. I'm going to bring Israel back and I'm going to go beyond that. I'm going to bring Egypt and Assyria and they're going to forget about their false guys are going to forget about trusting in themselves. They're going to trust in me. The king will restore Judah and Israel and all man kind.

I know we've heard it before.

I I know this is not new information to you. But do you see what an incredible promise this is when you look at your world when you look at say the political reality of your country today, how much hope do you have for the future?

When you look at the relationships between some of the Nations around the world all of whom have world ending capability. Does that give you a lot of Hope for the future?

What do you look at the Army's that are amassed by all these different nations when you look at the geopolitical turmoil that is caused by every Nash natural disaster that comes up. Does it give you a lot of peace?

No. But Zechariah says if you look to what God's going to do. Don't look and try to understand the world through your eyes. Look through Christ look to Christ and watch what he's going to do in Galatians chapter 3, we have this talk of what God is going to do to restore all mankind. He said he's going to do it by granting the promise of Abraham to everyone and in Galatians chapter 3, and I know I've got up on the screen that I'm not going to read it but in Galatians chapter 3 what Paul is doing who wrote that is he he's breaking down for us how it is that is Gentiles. We can inherit the promise of God how it is that we can have hope when the promises made to Israel are of peace and prosperity and and and transformation and restoration how it is that those things about us. He says it's through faith. Those are Faith who are the sons of Abraham those who received the promises of Judah and of Israel all mankind is part of this later in chapter 3 verses 27 to 29. We've got that up there in in 27 and 29 27 28 and 29. Do you have that done?

For as many as you were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free. There is no male and female. You are all one in Christ Jesus for if you are Christ and you were Abraham's offspring heirs according to the promise God is going to restore Mankind through this King God is going to do that. He's going to take those who are separated from the promise to Abraham and he's going to bring them in and give them that from to be restored to be saved and it says it's through faith in Christ that we enter into that restoration. But how does that restoration come about? What's the what's the mechanism of this? And this is where Zechariah would have shocked his audience for the hundredth time you can you be shocked if you keep doing it. Like Zechariah such a surprising profit. Could it really be anybody who's surprised anymore? Oh, yeah, because of what he says in chapter 12. In chapter 12, he says that this King who's coming the priest-king god dwelling with his people the one who everybody seeking the one who conquers with peace. The one is going to restore all mankind. He said that you're you're going to kill him. Is really you're going to kill him. Look at chapter 12 verse 10 and I will pour out on the House of David in the inhabitants of Jerusalem is Spirit of Grace and pleas for mercy so that when they look on me on him whom they have pierced they shall mourn for him as One Mourns for an only child and we literally over him as one weeps over a first born

is King. Israel who answers all of your hopes every single dream you have for your Nations restoration every single. Hope you have a relationship with God the one who's going to bring Peace by conquering and peace that one you're going to kill him.

And though we're not Israel. We need to understand that. It's Zacharias talking about us. We seek God we wants to know God that all of our best efforts did nothing more than kill the one who came to save us and this is the the flip side of the Christmas coin. Christmas the birth of Christ is not the end of the story. Christmas the birth of Christ is just the beginning because that baby who was born the hopes and fears of all, the years are met in him tonight right like that baby Jesus Who Bore all of our host every single one of us had a hand in killing him. Do you know why?

Because every single one of us has spend every single one of us has rejected God every single one of us has rebelled against him and that I know you want me to do this, but I'm going to do this every single one of us and it is the punishment for our sin that Christ was born to bear. Born to Die Christ was and so it Christmas we are not lose sight of Good Friday and Christmas and in celebrating the birth in the shepherds in the angels in the wise men and all of that fun stuff. We need to remember this baby boy was born to be have nails driven through his hands was born to have whips rip the flash off of his back was born to carry a cross for you and me Sinners was born so that the wrath of God would be poured out on him and not on us.

This king is going to be killed. But the good news is in Chapter 13 Verse 1.

So they're going to mourn for this one whom they have pierced their going to mourn over this one that they've killed on that day Chapter 13 Verse 1 there shall be a fountain opened for the House of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and unclean these who weep these who killed their King. Also have reason to Rejoice on that day because in the death of the coming King in the death of the priest king in the death of the one who brings peace in the death of God dwelling with us. We have the cleansing from our sin. The king will be killed his death will cleanse God's people another Apostle preaches a sermon Acts chapter 2 And yes, I know I'm a preacher. So I like to quote other preachers, but this was a better sermon than any Oliver preach because Peter stands up as the spirit fills the disciples and as the people are gathered around wondering what's taking place. He stands up and says that all the house of Israel there enough for know for certain that God has made him Jesus Christ both Lord and Christ this Jesus whom you crucify.

the people

some of whom had been in the crowd just days before when Jesus was up on trial before Pilate and pilot says look, I find nothing wrong with this man.

And yet they cried out what crucify him crucify him.

Those of us who know the gospel know the truth of Christ and yet continue to reject him and continue in sin. We Shout with them crucify him and Peter would say to us know that this Jesus whom you crucified.

That statement should cut our hearts to the quick. We crucified the king sent to save us but in God's mercy and God's mercy when we cry out with the Jews what shall we do as they're cut to the quick as their morning this one that they crucified they say, what should we do then if we crucified the Messiah what what hope is there for us now? What hope is there for those of us who know Christ and yet continue in sin? What hope is there for us now Brothers? What should we do? Here's the answer. Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the Forgiveness of your sins. You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Our Hope doesn't end when Christ was crucified our hope against When he was crucified Our Hope does not end with the Son of God drawing his last breath because three days later he draws another and he rises again. The price for Ascend and granting us the promise of eternal life of whom the holy spirit is the down payment. This promise is for you and your children for all who are far off everyone in the Lord Our God calls to himself. This is for everyone. Not just a Jew. Not just a gentile. This is for everyone the promise of Zechariah that this King's death would cleanse his people applies not just to Israel to Plies to you and me. And if you're here and you're a sinner good news. Jesus is the answer to that Christmas is the answer to the problem that you and I face and the hope that we have. Is it the reality that he brings this Kingdom that he inaugurates? Is not done yet in the last chapter of Zechariah. There's the subscription of the coming day of the Lord but in verse 9, we see this statement and I can think of no better statement and the Lord will be king over all the Earth on that day. The Lord will be one and his name will be one the Lord will be king over all the Earth good news. Is that the kingdom did the king rules the came we killed whose death purchases are life. The priest-king the one who brings. Peace. That Kings ruled will one day and Compass everything. You turn over to revelation.

Is the Bible ends this message of hope he is by no means diminished Revelation chapter 21. Then I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first star that passed away in the sea was no more and I saw the holy city New Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven from God prepared as a bride adorned for her husband and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying Behold The Dwelling Place of God is with man he will do well with them and they will be his people in God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes Death Shall be no more neither shall there be morning nor crying or pain anymore for the former things have passed away.

Church Christmas is not the end. Many of you are looking forward to Christmas play. I can't wait till that's over. Can't wait till the busyness is over. But Christmas is not the end Jesus birth was not the end of God's work. It was the beginning Jesus's death wasn't the end of his kingdom. It was the inauguration ceremony. Jesus's resurrection is not the end.

Where we can just now sit back and relax. We got Christmas. We got Easter we go to heaven when we die. Christian no the resurrection of Christ the fact with a king and his reign will Encompass everything puts a call on our lives. It doesn't just give us hope it doesn't just give us peace. It gives us a purpose for the life that we live and that purpose is this just like Jesus left heaven to come and save us so we are called to leave. And to take the gospel. the Son of God came from Heaven to Earth we go from where we are to where the gospel is not that's the message of Christmas taking the good news of the king and his kingdom where it's never been heard before far as the curse is found we go to Proclaim redemption in Christ This Christmas. 3 days from now 2 days from now one day from now today Let me urge you to set your eyes on Christ. Not just baby Jesus. Put on the Risen and on the reigning priest King Jesus on the one who redeems all of creation on the one who calls you to take the gospel where it is not the one who does declare my salvation to the nation's we talked about Lottie Moon. We talked about the missionaries we talked about giving it is my firm conviction that there are those of us in this place who God is calling and saying to go to the nation's with the message of Hope in the gospel. Whether he calls us to give or whether he calls us to go whether it's just a matter of we need to submit to him my prayer for us. Is it nothing else? This Christmas would satisfy us. Nothing else would thrill us? Nothing else would be as important to us as fixing our eyes on Christ. And following wherever he would lead. Would you pray with me?