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Remember and Obey!
Thesis:
The ever encouraging God giving comfort to a frustrated people; the
doom of nations, and the ultimate glory of Jehovah's cause.
Sermon:
The book of Zechariah 1: 1-14: 21/"Whom Jehovah Remembers"
Object:
To motivate the audience to develop the virtue of patience.
Song of Invitation:
# 596; Victory in Jesus
Introduction
I. Zachariah was a contemporary of
Haggai in rebuilding the temple.
A. Circa
550-500 BC.
B. He
prophesied from circa 520-518 BC.
1. He and Isaiah foretold the most of the coming Messiah.
2. They both were culturing Israel of the inclusion of Gentiles
in the
kingdom of God.
II. Israel was returning from 70 years of
Babylonian captivity.
A. Jerusalem
and the temple were destroyed.
B. The
temple and Israel were synonymous; with the temple destroyed the
mood was depressing.
III. God comforted Israel with His divine
communication, prophecy of the
coming
Messiah, and the victory He would take us onto.
Body
I. Divine communication.
A. 6
visions and assurances of Zachariah.
1. All believers would be made part of His kingdom.
[Joel 2: 28]
i. Speaking representatively.
ii. Believers and NOT unbelievers.
iii. NOT Jews and Gentiles separately.
2. All believers would seek wisdom out of the Bible only.
B. People
perish w/o visions and the mystical/mysterious. [Pr 29: 18]
1. Revelation was not everywhere to be found.
[1 Sam 3: 1]
2. Yet people such as Samuel stayed faithful to Eli the High
Priest.
3. Our life is one of service; [Jn 13: 17]
we are not to wait for special revelation.
4. Why? Because that which is perfect has come.
[1 Cor 13: 10]
5. The mystery/gospel is available to everybody.
C. "For
thus says the Lord of hosts" is listed 16 times in chapter 8.
1. We need to be awed and inspired by His Words.
2. We get tired of hearing this today, as they did then.
3. Let us use this to encourage us into every good work.
II. Jesus Christ, The Branch/Sprout of David.
[Zech 6: 12-13]
A. 550-500
years before Christ, Zachariah was already referring to
The King of kings and His characteristics.
B. Christ
instructed his followers to bear fruit. [Jn 15: 1-27]
1. God is glorified if we bear fruit! [Jn 15: 8]
2. He commands us to grow/make disciples, just as His vine
grows
and its branches/Christians multiply and bear fruit.
3. We are His friends only if we do what He commands.
[Jn 15: 14]
III. Victory is possible ONLY with God and
His Son. [Zech 6: 12-13]
A. Christ
would not be a worldly king. [Zech 9: 9]
B. He
would be humble and modest; He is an atypical worldly king.
C. Christ
was willing to sacrifice Himself for us,
[Zech 12: 10]
so that we might have the "unmerited gift/favor" of salvation!
D. Our
sins would one day be washed away. [Zech 13: 1]
1. Baptism would replace the atonement [Heb
9: 23-26]
made by the high priest annually.
2. This gives us salvation - God's gift! [Heb 9:
28]
E. Christ
was wounded by our ignorance. [Zech 13: 6]
1. The stiff-necked Israelites were always rebellious and thankless.
2. The Old Testament is a regurgitation of Israel's backsliding.
F. We
must thank God for His Son's example of love. [1 Cor 15: 57]
1. Christ giving His life for us, we have victory.
[1 Jn 5: 4]
2. Victory in nobody else but Him!
Conclusion
I. Remember and obey Him because
He is "The Lord of hosts.
[Zech 1: 3-4, 6,
12, etc.]
II. God cared so much for Israel that
He sent them for chastening. [Zech 8: 2]
III. God's divine communication revealed to
us of His Son.
God taught
physical Israel then and spiritual Israel today that after one sins
there
must be disciplining.
A. Discipling
is as a schoolmaster.
B. Baptism
is one part of the road to salvation.
Invitation
I. If you would like to walk the
road to salvation, take up your cross of
responsibility.
II. Study, hear, believe, confess, repent,
be baptized, and remain faithful in Jesus
Christ and His Word.
III. If we remember and obey ALL of His Words,
we shall experience the
comfort
of God in our lives.
Copyright 1999 by Neil
C. Prokop may be reproducted for non-commercial purposes at no cost to
others.
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