Longing For A Godly Leader Pt. 2

Well, good evening and welcome to New Grace Baptist Church. And tonight. We're going to continue in our study of Zakaria last Wednesday night. We looked at Zakaria 9 through 15 and we got about halfway through. So I thought tonight that we would finish that. And so tonight we want to look at and remember, we're in our series hope and hopeless times of the Gospel, According to Zacharia, and we're talkin tonight about longing for a Godly leader in. This will be kind of part 2 of what we started last week. We're let's look at the visions that that we have covered so far. Beginning in chapter 1. Remember we talked about the folks were longing for the peace of God and God had promised that he would come in one day, dwell with them. And then the justice of God, if you remember, we studied out how God is going to set things, right? And and Presence of God, that he would be with his children, on his keen on there would be no into it. And then we talked about the righteousness and longing for the righteousness of God. And remember, when the Joshua, the high priest was wearing dirty clothes and we talked about how we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ. And we accept him as our savior and then we looked at the power of God. And I and that section talked about how the Holy Spirit would work in and through Believers and we would have God's power working within us. And then we looked at the authority of God. If you remember that when God one day is going to take evil and the symbolic use of it was taken evil and putting it in shinar which was Babylon in one day. God is going to come and he's going to rid this Earth of evil. And then the last Vision we're talkin about longing for the victory of God. And when one day when God cry, This comes back. He's going to set everything straight and we going to rule and reign with him. Those were the eight visions. And now we're looking at longing for the a man of God in this is scene and Zacharias, 6 9 through 15. So let's go ahead and read that. Now, together in the Bible says, then the word of the Lord came to me saying receive the gift from the captives from, Hell died, two, by Joe and jediah who have come from Babylon and go the same day and enter the house of Josiah. The son of Zephaniah. So these three men had brought gifts back from Babylon. They were probably Jews who were still in Babylon, and so they had brought gifts back, probably, because of the rebuilding of the temple, and, and that, and then verse 11 says take the silver and gold make an elaborate crown. going to make a crown of silver and gold and set it on the head of Joshua, the son of jehozadak, the high priest, then speak to him saying, thus, saith the Lord of hosts saying, behold the man whose name is the branch. And remember, the branch is Jesus from his place. He shall Branch out, and he shall build the Temple of the Lord. Yes. He shall build the Temple of the Lord. He shall bear the glory and she'll shed and rule on his throne. So he shall be a priest on his throne now, and I noticed something that the text says here in verse 13 here. We see the first instance of this man. Jesus is not only going to be king, but he's going to be priests as well. I look how he said. He said he shall bear the glory and she'll sit and rule on his throne, but that's what a king does, a king sits and rules, but then right after that, it says, so he shall be a priest on his throne. And the counsel of Peace shall be between them both. So probably what this is talking about is one day. There's a coming day and it's speaking of Jesus here. When he comes back that not only is he king of King and Lord of lords. He's the king in the ruler sitting on his throne. But he's also our great high priest. He's the one who died for our sins. So not only does he hold the office of King and ruler, but he also has the office of our great high priest all-in-one in the counsel of Peace. Shall be between them both. In other words. They'll be peace between those two officers. You see before, as we talked about last week, a priest could never go and sit on the throne that was wrong. And a king would never could never do the Priestly duties that was wrong as well. Remember, we talked about King Uzziah who tried that and all the sudden he found himself with Leprosy and saw try that in the Old Testament when he offered sacrifices and then Samuel came back and said you have lost your kingdom. You had no right to do that cuz they were laws in the Old Testament. That a king could not perform Priestly duties. Antifreeze would not perform the kingly duties as well. But when Jesus comes, He's going to inhabit both of those. He's going to be our King. But he's also going to be our priests, and the counsel of Peace shall be between them. Both verse 14. Now, the elaborate crownshield Before Memorial in the temple of the Lord. So what happens here, they put the crown on Joshua's head, but it's just symbolic. What is pointing to is Christ, who would come later? And so Joshua is a type of Christ here. So they put the crown on it. But then in verse 14, says now the elaborate Crown Shelby for a memorial in the temple. So as soon as they put it on him and they do the symbolic reference. They take the crown off and say, okay. We going to place it in the temple because Josh or you're not really supposed to wear this Crown because you're not free, staying King. So we're going to take this off and put it in the temple and then verse 15, even those from afar she'll come and build the Temple of the Lord. This is probably talking about when the Lord comes back during the millennial time that he will build his Temple and Gentiles will come from Far. All of us who have been saved, will come and help build the Temple of the Lord. And says, then you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you and then she'll come to past if you diligently a bay, the voice of the Lord your God. And this is also probably talking about the building up of the church now, because the Bible says that we are the Temple of the lord. We are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit lives within us. And we'll talk more about that as we get to it. So, last week we we looked at verses 9 through 11, which was the confrontation. And then we looked at the coronation where the crown was put on Joshua's head. Well, let's start in verses 14 and 15 tonight. And let's look at what we call the commemoration. So Zachariah, he took the heat. He took the crown off of Joshua's head and probably gave him his turban back and he did that. Because the symbolic Act was over in the crown, did not belong to Joshua it belonged to the coming Messiah. So we see here that the remnant of Jews then in the Holy Land, had to obey God's law so that he could protect them and bless them and then he promise the promise of a branch was going to come and This Promise was not intended to love all the people into complacency, but it was to draw them back to the heart of God in his Covenant relationship with them. In other words, if he has promised so much for their future, then how could they not render him obedience? And it's the same way with us today. When we know the promises of the Lord, that he's going to come back and he's going to set things, right? And we're going to see his righteousness, his his Justice, his presence, his piece, we're going to experience that. And we going to lift with him forever in heaven. If he has promised all of that and we know it to be true. How can we not obey him today? So just think within a few centuries after this. The angel Gabriel would visit Mary and tell her that she had been chosen to bring the promised Messiah into the world. So the faithfulness of one generation assured the blessing of the Next Generation. And then so what we've done here is we've studied this in Zachary, these first six chapters. We have been taken by the spirit of God through the prophet which was around 5:20, BC all the way to the restoration under Joshua and zerubbabel and then all the way to the Restoration, in the land, in the millennial Kingdom. So, this expand, this is a great a large expanse here that we are talking about. And so, as we review with Fates, enjoy the Adoration of of Christ. Our King, let us realize. They knew that he has made us by his grace. Kings and Priests as well. So we talkin about Joshua, it was symbolic of him being kind of King and priest will look. Look at what the Bible says in 1st, Peter 2:5. It says you also speaking of us, as Christians, as living stones are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifice is acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. So yes, he's building his church and he does that through individual Christians and then look at what Revelation 1:5 says. And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness. The firstborn from the dead and the ruler, over the kings of the earth. So we see right there that he's King of Kings. He's he holds the office of King. He's ruler on the kings of the Earth, but then it says to him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own. So in other words, Jesus is also our great high priest, not only King of Kings, but also our great high priest and having suffered with him in the day of his rejection one day. We're going to rain gloriously with him and I think we need to remember that if you ever prayed the prayer, the Lord's prayer for you ever. Pray that Kingdom. Come always remembers. I can ride one through six because this is what we've been talking about in these eight Vision, the kingdom of Christ coming upon, man. Well, so, in the last part of the lesson tonight, let's look at how Jesus fulfills the office of priest and King. We've already talked about it some, but let's look at it again. So, these series of night, visions have lifted the people's eyes. He remember, they were so discouraged because How's your day been in Babylon for 70 years? And it had come back home in the town had been burned down, and the walls are down the temple had been destroyed. So these people needed some encouragement. They need some hope in Hopeless times. Are these Visions had lifted, the people's eyes to dreams of peace and Justice in, God's presence, and his righteousness, in his cleansing, an end, and then finally Victory. But perhaps, as they looked at these Visions, they painted such a hopeful picture that it probably struck some of the people. There is just too good to be true because when is this going to happen who could actually bring this to pass? And how would they do it? Should they look to Josh for the high priest? Would he do it or zerubbabel? He was the governor from the Royal line of David. Or was the Mossad still yet to come. So Zakaria 6, 9 through 15 focus is very specifically on the kind of figure that will be able to bring Aldi s to pass. And of course, we know that is Jesus and Ennis, interesting, even in the later. Like the second temple. There were some strands of Judaism notably the essenes, they began to expect to massage because they thought was born out of dissatisfaction with the hasmoneans corruption of both the political and Priestly offices. And so they're Rose and expectation of tumor size for Israel. One from the Royal line of David, who would be king and one from the Priestly line of Aaron. And other words, one was secular. The other was sacred, one was Royal, the other one was religious. One would perform Civic duties and then the other must side with perform, the Priestly duties. But friends in the New Testament. Both of these offices are fine to the person and Ministry of Jesus. Not notice. If you remember at the beginning of Jesus's life as the newborn king, remember, he received expensive gifts from the Magi gold, frankincense. And myrrh, they had come from afar probably somewhere around Babylon. Well, look at the crown and Zakaria 6, who brought it, where it was three men from Babylon had brought that here around 5:20, BC and remember Jesus, at the end of his life, as high priest, because he, he died for our sins. Remember, he offered this profound intercessory prayer for his disciples. You can read about that in John. 17 and then when you turn the Hebrews, you'll see that the right of Hebrews, understand Jesus was after the order of McHale's, a dick. And this very reason Jesus is the greater but gives a deck and because he too is both a king of righteousness and a priest of the most high God. So we see more, there's one event in the New Testament that points to Jesus as king and high priest, more than any other event. What event would that be? Well, he was born and he was a king, but no one knew about it and he lived his life and he perform Miracles and I all, but many people didn't believe that. Well, he died on the cross. And some may say what, how about the resurrection? That kind of proved that he was God, but not really that, he was a priest or anyting but the one Event that happened after the resurrection that prove that Jesus is not only King of Kings. But also our great high priest was the Ascension 40 days after his resurrection. Jesus visibly went up into heaven and that was an act that the New Testament portrays kind of as a royal coronation, but also as the consummation of his self-sacrificial Priestly offering and other words Jesus, his work on Earth was done. He had sacrificed himself for the sins of the world he had resurrected and now he was going to ascend to the Father in heaven to do what to be seated at the right hand of the father. Remember to be seated men to be an authority on the Akeem would sit on his throne. So he's the king on his throne today and But he also when he was on this Earth, he died. He he performed a great high priest Duty. He died for the sins of the world. So the Ascension of Jesus both establishes his dominion over all his enemies. As the true Heir as the true heir of David. Now, look at what 1st Peter 3:22 says, Speaking of Jesus, who has gone into heaven and as at the right hand of God, Authority, angels and authorities and Powers, having been made subject to him. So, we see here that he's gone to heaven. He's seated at the right hand of God and everything has been put under his feet. But not only that, the Ascension meant that he completed his atoning work as priests and I want to show you three passages from Hebrews Hebrews for 14 to 16 seeing then that we have a great high priest. There. It is. Jesus being called high priest who has passed through the heavens, the Ascension Jesus, the son of God, let us hold fast, our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but wasn't all points tempted. As we are yet without sin, Let Us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in time of need. We see our great high priest and we can come to him now because he still performing his Priestly duties because he intercedes for us in heaven. Well, there's another scripture and that is Hebrews, 9:11 thru 14th. Look at what this says, but Christ came as high priest, there. It is again of the good things to come with the greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands. That is not of this creation, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, he entered the most holy Place once for all having obtained, Eternal Redemption, of course, I speaking of his death on calvary's cross for us, the blood of bulls and go. Boots in the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean sanctifies for the purifying of The Flash. So all that the high priest would do when he would go in and confess the sins of the people. And he would Slaughter animals and spill blood and that would purify the flash. Look what it says in verse 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ? Who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God? Cleared your conscience from dead Works to serve the Living. God. What about the shed blood of Christ? Our Savior? And then of course, there's one more verse. I want to show you Hebrews 9, 24 to 26. Is this for Christ has not entered. The holy places made with hands which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, Beacon of the Ascension now to appear in the presence of God for us, his intercessory Ministry. Not that he should offer himself often as the high priest, enters the most. Holy place every year. With the blood of another. So the high priests had to go into the holy Place once every year to atone for the sins of the nation, but Christ doesn't have to do that. It says not that he should offer himself often. And then look at verse 26. He's in would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world. But now once at the end of the ages, he has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. So he only had to do it one, you know, I talked to many people and many people believe that they can lose their salvation and friends. If if that was true. Then the only way you could get your salvation back is that Christ would have to come back to this earth and die again for your sins. But friends, he's he's not going to do that because he only had to die once and the Saints are perfected by that one death when he shed his blood on calvary's cross and then It's especially telling in Hebrews ten twelve through fourteen. Now, watch what it says, but this man, speaking of Jesus after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever. You see that his death on the cross, was the sacrifice made for sent forever. He then sat down at the right hand of God Authority from that time waiting. Till his enemies are made his footstool for by one offering his death on the cross. He has perfected forever. Those who are being Sanctified, speaking of us. So Jesus through one offering did that, so he is our great high priest. So this is precisely how the Ascension of Jesus fulfills the hopes and dreams of the eight visions. In Zachariah. And so, the series of pictures had painted, what it would mean. For the Advent of God's kingdom, to overcome the forces of chaos and contamination in the world and to soak this Earth with the presents and blessings of God, and these hopes were nowhere for shouted more clearly than in the life of Israel. And in the offices of King & priest. You see the Roy office held out, hope that God would established his dominion over the world Dominion of Peace, Justice and righteousness and when he comes back, just read the book of Revelation. That's exactly what's going to happen. But the Priestly office held out. Hope that God would restore, what has been broken by sin and it's a restoration characterized by gods renewed presence and his cleansing power in friend when he comes back. He will cleanse this world of sin. So at the end of the night, visions all This suggests that all these dreams can only be realized in the one who fulfills and harmonizes the promises of both office of King and priest. And that is only Jesus Christ. It points us ahead to the ministry of Jesus, who establishes the kingdom of God, and then represents his people before God. So, as to the true Branch, the one who branched out Jesus will build his eschatological Temple, just as Zakaria had forecast, and he's even doing it today in the life of the church. Is he gathers people together in Union with him and builds us into a holy Temple and fills us with his holy spirit. You see that began on the heels of the Ascension in Christ. Who is our true priest. King poured out the Holy Spirit upon the church at Pentecost. Now when we look at these Visions, Even in our day, They probably took some of us just like in Zacharias date. They look too good to be true. I mean just look at what our nation is going through now, I mean, just look in the last few days. Few weeks as Afghanistan. And what's going on? Look at the corruption in government and politics. And all of a sudden we start looking at these visions and we say, will, you know, I need some hope too. And we start looking at the peace of God in the Justice of God and presents. And righteousness of God, the power of authority and victory Of God, but yet, it seemed so far away. We look at our world and say, we're just going down the drain. So we long for all this, but it just seems like it's too good to be true. A world of peace and Justice and righteousness seems as distant as it did to Zachariah. And many people have taken this as proof that Jesus was not who he said, he was because he hadn't come back yet and restored this. Well, when we say that, or when someone says that they're missing the point, the early Christians knew that the world was a mess, but they announced like messenger is going out on behalf of a global company that a new CEO who had taken charge. So, consequently the church today, empowered by the spirit is called to live out the mission. That's given to us by our priests / King. Let me say something about the church today that what we have to be careful that we avoid. So when you look at all these Visions here, you see some of my kind of what we would call spiritual, but then there's others that would kind of has a social content to it like bringing Justice and making things, right? Well, you know, that's what we want to do today. So many things are wrong and so we try to put the right people in office and we try to vote the way that we should. We try to help the poor, and we feed the hungry and we do things for people with these all these social programs and all that we do for people. What we have to be careful as a church that we don't make the gospel. Just another social program that we go around doing good. And we want this program. We want to give money here and all that is good. But we have to remember that the gospel is Christ. Coming to die for the sins of mankind and offers forgiveness. That's the main message of the Gospel. Yes, once we're say weirdo, Go out and to do good works and we're to do things in and help society and government as much as we can. But we can't just make it all about social issues. But then the other extreme is just making the gospel about just getting saved. I've talked to a lot of people. Well, only thing these people need, they just need to get say they just need and everything is about salvation, which is good. That's of course, that's important, but they have to we have to put hands and feet to our Salvation in to her church. If you're saying, you ought to want to go out and do some social good for other people. So there's an extreme on each end that we want to avoid. It. Just as Jesus fused together. The office is a king and priest. So we have to chew a fuse together, the church, the call to tackle, both social and political problems in Christ honoring ways. But also a call to point people to the only one who can cleanse them from their sin and offer them forgiveness, which is Christ death on the cross. You see, visions of peace and Justice and victory belong together, with visions of cleansing Purity In God's indwelling Presence. All of it is just just want a part of one glorious tapestry if you will in which God in Christ is overcoming in healing a world broken to Pieces by seeing evil and death and this is truly. What is glorious about. The fusion of the two offices in Christ. You see. Christ is both our King. And our priests. And what that means is this that you will never experience a problem in your life. That Jesus cannot and will not help and fixed for you. Any problem where there is social evils where there's feeding the hungry, or any other problem, whether is war or whether it's a spiritual problem. No matter what it is. Jesus is the answer to all problems this world and we as individuals can experience, why? Because he is king of King. He is Sovereign over this Earth. He calls the shots, but he's also our great high priest who died for our sins and offers us forgiveness today as both priest and King. He is the Messiah for every problem plaguing our world, our communities, our lives, and ourselves. Well, let's pray. Father, we do. Thank you and praise. You and love you tonight. Lord, for your word. Lord. We thank you for these visions that we have seen many here tonight. We need hope in these hopeless X. Lure. We need Godly leaders in our nation and in our country, the Lord help us. Not just to rely on the government and social programs, Lord help us to heed the call that Christ has given us. That we are assured. That one day. He's going to come back and he's going to set everything. Right? We know that but in the meantime, he is called us to go out and to share the gospel with this lost and dying world, but not only share the gospel but to go out and do good for people whether it's political governmental social, whatever it is to meet peoples needs. Lord help us to do that and help us always to see the big picture. That you're in heaven that you're still in control and one day you're coming back and we're going to live forever and Rule and reign with you because you have made us Kings and Priests forcing Christ name. I do pray. Amen.