Ephesians 1:15-18

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Why would Paul be thankful for hearing of their faith and love for the saints? John 13:34-35, 1John 4:20-21. How does thankfulness bring about joy?

2. What is a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God, and why should we want to have it?

3. Has God ever revealed an aspect of Himself to you that surprised you, or challenged your thinking of Him?

4. Since becoming a believer, has your faith, your love for the saints, your wisdom and knowledge of God grown? If so, how? If not, why not?

Ephesians 1:11-14

Let's pretend you moved to a distant city to pursue a new career. You went through the interview process and landed a promising job that should set you up to flourish financially for the rest of your life.

You move into your new home and quickly begin your new job.

For the first few months, you love your new career. But, one day, your employer calls you into his office, and things quickly change for the worse. Your boss unexpectedly fires you, leaving you in a difficult spot.

You quickly go home and start filling out applications. But this is the middle of a pandemic, and times are tough.

Months go by, and you still haven't found a new job. Your savings are quickly dwindling, and you're beginning to panic. Soon, you can't pay your car note, so you have to sell your car to pay for rent and groceries. Soon, you're unable to pay for utilities. Then you're no longer able to pay for rent.

Next thing you know, you're on the streets. You're bankrupt; the only thing you have to your name is a cardboard box, and you're living under a bridge.

One day, as you're sitting under the bridge, you see a car pull up to the bridge. The door opens, and a gentleman in a suit walks toward you with an envelope. He comes to you, sits on the ground, and hands you the envelope. In it is a letter explaining how a distant relative has passed away, and he's left you his entire inheritance.

Everything he owned will belong to you if you sign the letter. Next week, all of his money will be deposited into your bank account. His car will soon be yours. His house will soon be yours. His business will soon be yours. All you have to do is sign the papers in the envelope.

So, you do what any logical person would do. You joyfully sign the papers.

And, at that moment, staying under the bridge doesn't seem too bad because of the hope of your newfound inheritance. The despair of the cardboard box doesn't seem so bad when you know you will be in a mansion next week. A lofty inheritance inserts joy in the midst despair, hope in the midst of hopelessness.

Brothers and sisters, this is where we find ourselves today as believers. We were all sitting under the bridge, bankrupt in sin. But God, being rich in mercy, has sent His Son to redeem us from sin through his death on the cross. And those who sign on the dotted line by believing in Jesus have received an inheritance far greater than anything we've ever imagined.

Upon belief, the remaining life of a believer is that week in between, where we sign the dotted line and move into our inheritance. Although we're still under the bridge, sleeping on a cardboard box, we have an inheritance kept in heaven for us that we look ahead to in hope. Things will one day be much better than they are right now.

At the conclusion of this opening statement, Paul directs our attention to the future, showing us what we will one day experience because of God's faithfulness in Christ Jesus. And, as he's leading our attention ahead to our future inheritance, he's answering the question of how do we know this is true? How do we know that this inheritance is ours?

In the following verses, the flow of Paul's argument is as follows: if you have believed in Jesus, you have received the promised Holy Spirit, who will never leave you, and who is the guarantee of our inheritance in heaven.

Let's dive in.

"[11] In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, [12] so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. [13] In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, [14] who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory."

As we bring this section to a close, we see Paul point ahead to the future, telling us that "in Christ we have obtained an inheritance." An inheritance speaks of something of value that you will one day acquire. It's something we look forward to possessing.

But, notice the language used here by Paul— "In Christ we have obtained an inheritance." The language here assures us the inheritance we look ahead to is already ours. That which we look forward to already belongs to us. It's something we anticipate in confident assurance.

This brings us to our first point: Christians look forward to heaven because heaven is better. In Christ, we have obtained an inheritance, something of far greater value than anything we currently possess.

This life is good and worth living. It's a gift from the Lord that we should cherish and steward well for God's glory. But, make no mistake about it; heaven is better. It's something we should look forward to with great anticipation.

In Exodus 6, God promised his people deliverance from bondage. He said, "I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment."

But, right alongside that promise, God points ahead and says, "I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession."

So, right alongside the promise of redemption was the promise of an inheritance. They were brought out of one land with the hope of residing in a better land together with God. With an outstretched arm, God would set them free, take them as his people, and lead them into the land that already belonged to them because of the promise he gave their forefathers. Those whom God redeemed had something to look forward to.

Many of us are likely familiar with how the story plays out. Upon their deliverance, did they immediately make it to the promised land?

No. They wandered through the wilderness for forty years. Yet, as they wandered, God remained with them. Therefore, the basis for their hope never dwindled. If God makes a promise, we can trust that he will fulfill that promise. After 40 years of wandering, God's people made it into the land God promised them. God remained faithful to the promise he extended to his people.

Church, the life of a believer is a wilderness journey. It's a life of wandering through the wilderness with the hopeful anticipation of making it to the promised land.

And the beauty of the Christian faith is that God is with us in the wilderness journey. God will be with us in our pain and distress. Therefore, our hope will always remain steadfast. We have an inheritance that we look forward to in confidence because God is with us.

The hope of our inheritance doesn't rest in anything we've done for God; it rests in the sovereign election of God, the fact that we have been "predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will."

In Exodus 6, what does God tell Moses? He says, "I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession."

So, God was saying, "I will bring you into the promised land because I said I would do so long before you were ever born." God was simply carrying out the purpose of his will.

So, how do we know that we will make it to heaven and dwell with God forever? We know this because God is faithful to finish what he started. He will always be faithful to carry out the purpose of his will.

So, we can go all the way back to Abraham and see God promise to bless all of the nations through the seed of Abraham. We can go all the way back to Adam and see God promise to crush Satan on our behalf. We know we have an inheritance waiting for us in heaven because God is carrying out the plan he put in place before the world was created. We know we have an inheritance because God has chosen us in Christ Jesus. It's God's sovereignty that gives us hope as believers. You and I can rest tonight knowing that God is on a throne carrying out his divine will at all points throughout history.

Then, in verse 12, Paul does something interesting that has led to a division among commentators. He says, "So that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory."

Here, in a very inclusive passage, Paul carefully distinguishes himself and his readers. So, who are the "we's" and "you's" of verse twelve? Who is Paul making a distinction between?

There are two interpretations here.

The first interpretation is that Paul is making a distinction between the Jews and the Gentiles. In the book of Romans, we see Paul talk about salvation being offered first to the Jews and then to the Greeks. When Paul would go into a city, he would often go to the temples in the city and preach to the Jews first and then branch off and go to the Gentiles.

So, Paul is saying, "Hey, we (Jews) placed our hope in Christ first. But, you, too, heard the gospel and believed and were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. Our timing may differ, but the testimony is the same. We heard the gospel, believed in Christ, and were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, to the praise of God's glory."

The second interpretation is a bit more straightforward. This interpretation simply differentiates Paul (and those with him) and the church. So, the "we" would be Paul and those with him, and the "you" would be the church (Jews and Gentiles). Paul believed in Christ first, then he went to Ephesus and shared with them the gospel, and they, too, believed in Christ.

I lean toward the first interpretation here. I think Paul is alluding to the distinction between the Jews and Gentiles to show that there's, in fact, no distinction. In Chapter 2, Paul revisits the distinction between Jews and Gentiles to show that they are one in Christ.

But either way, the main point remains the same. Although the timing of our conversion may be different, the testimony of our conversion is the same. We are all in the same boat. We are all saved by grace through faith; we are all sealed by the promised Holy Spirit, and our salvation is ultimately for the glory of God.

This reminds us that there's no favoritism in the kingdom of God. There's no elitism in the church. We are all uniquely different. But we are all also the same. You may be older in the faith, and I may be younger in the faith. But, we are both in the faith. We're both in Christ, sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.

Now, look at verse 13. In verse 13, we see a progression of hearing leading to believing, which leads to sealing. Only those who have believed in Jesus will be sealed with the Holy Spirit. And to believe in Jesus, you need to have first heard the gospel of Jesus.

There are two things I want to draw our attention to here.

First, I want us to see how the Bible balances the tension between God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. Throughout these verses, we've seen God's sovereignty highlighted. We have been chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, predestined, and elected according to the purpose of God's will. But, here we see that those who have been predestined are those who have believed. Those who have believed are those who have been predestined. God's sovereignty and man's responsibility are not at odds with each other. God is both King and Judge.

So, God's sovereignty is never an excuse not to evangelize. Instead, it should be an excuse to evangelize. If God has elected to save sinners, we should preach the gospel so that sinners might believe and be saved. That brings me to the second thing I want to highlight here: the importance of gospel proclamation. You cannot believe in Jesus unless you have first heard the truth about Jesus. Those who have believed have heard. Therefore, we need to tell others about Jesus so that others can believe in Jesus.

Living out the gospel is important, but preaching the gospel is essential. If we want to see men and women come to know Christ personally, we must be willing to open our mouths and preach. If we want others to believe in Jesus, we must be willing to tell others about Jesus.

There are people all throughout this world who have never heard about Jesus. So, I think a healthy goal for us this upcoming year as a church would be to introduce people to Jesus who have never heard about Jesus, both in our city and to the ends of the earth. We must be willing to go and take the gospel to those who have never heard.

When was the last time you shared with someone the word of truth?

Next, I want to draw our attention to what it means to be sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. Paul says that those who have believed have been sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. If you've believed in Jesus, you've received the promised Holy Spirit.

For something to be promised, it needs to have been spoken of beforehand. In John 16, Jesus promised his disciples another helper would come whenever he left. He said that it would be to their advantage if he left them. The promised Holy Spirit will come and convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He will guide his people into all truth and glorify Christ.

We find Paul also telling us here that the Holy Spirit seals us. All who have believed have become sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. The word sealed can mean two things: closure and belonging.

In Matthew 27, for example, the soldiers seal Jesus' tomb with a stone, which implies closure and security from outside dangers. No one could get in and take the body from the tomb. So, your salvation is as secure as a sealed tomb. You're unable to lose it. The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it.

In Revelation 7, we see an angel ascending from the rising of the sun with the seal of the living God. With a loud voice, he says, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." This seal was a marking placed upon someone for the purpose of making a distinction. So, God has set us apart to belong exclusively to God.

Think of a king sealing a letter. We know the letter belongs to the king because of the seal placed on the envelope. Think of a married couple who wears a ring. We know someone is married because of the seal placed upon their finger. In the same way, we know that we are wholly and authentically God's because the Holy Spirit has sealed us. We have been marked with the Holy Spirit, signifying our exclusive belonging to God. The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is how we know we have an inheritance in heaven.

Now, how do we know we have the Holy Spirit? What must we do to receive the Holy Spirit?

The answer is simple. We don't have to go through a three-month course to receive the Holy Spirit; we must simply believe upon Jesus. Those who are sealed are those who have believed and trusted in Jesus.

Those who have been sealed with the Holy Spirit will experience conviction of sin; they will experience comfort amid calamity; they will experience power whenever they share the gospel; they will begin to walk in freedom from sin; and they will begin to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit.

As these verses come to a close, we see that the ultimate purpose of our salvation is God's glory... to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:7-10

The verses we will be looking at today are wedged in the middle of one of the longest run-on sentences in the history of humanity. The grammar junkies would twitch at the structure of these verses. But, as I mentioned last week, the poor structure doesn't lend to poor theology. These verses are carefully precise and theologically flawless. They are precise words written with intentionally poor structure to convey the majestic beauty of the gospel.

Overwhelmed with excitement, Paul is doing two things in these verses: (1) describing the many blessings we have in Christ and (2) calling us to worship Christ.

When we read these verses closely, we will be reminded of the sovereign working of God on our behalf, which should lead us to throw our hands up in worship.

Gospel doctrine should lead to gospel worship. The truth about Jesus should lead us to worship Jesus. We worship what we love and sing about what has impacted our hearts the most. These verses show that God has invited us into his kingdom. Therefore, we bow in worship to our King and Lord. God has adopted us into his family. Therefore, we sing about our good and loving Father. We have been set free from the bondage of sin. Therefore, we throw our hands up in freedom.

As believers, the more we learn about God, the more we should worship God. Worship is the only appropriate response to grace. When we understand our extreme blessing in Christ, the only adequate response is exhortation and praise! If you have experienced God's love, you will worship God with a happy heart. A gospel-centered church is a singing church.

Another consistent theme that we will find in these verses is God's plan. Last week, we looked at words like "chosen," "predestined," and "purpose of his will." These words and phrases teach us that God's plan centered around the cross long before the earth was made. The cross was God's plan A, not his plan B.

In our verses today, that language continues. Here, we will learn that God's plan was always to forgive, redeem, and unite sinners through Jesus' death on the cross. The cross was God's mysterious will, his divine plan put in place before the foundation of the world.

Let's dive in.

"[7] In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, [8] which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight [9] making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ [10] as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth."

A REDEEMED PEOPLE

As we enter verse 7, we see the snowball of Paul's theological argument in this long sentence growing larger. Not only are we chosen in Christ to stand before the Father, holy and blameless, but we are adopted sons through Christ. Not only do we have a loving Father as adopted sons in Christ, but we are redeemed through the blood of Christ.

To redeem something means to "pay the price to recover someone or something from the power of another." Surprisingly, it was often used in the context of the slave market, describing the purchase price of a slave. To set a slave free, one would have to pay the purchase price of that slave.

But, on a much deeper level, the language used here by Paul alludes to the language used by God when speaking to Moses in Exodus 6. As the LORD prepares to free his people from captivity, he tells Moses, "[5] Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. [6] Say therefore to the people of Israel, 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. [7] I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians."

So, Paul uses this redemption language to show us what Christ has done for us. In the same way the Egyptians were oppressive and cruel toward the Israelites, sin is oppressive and cruel toward you and me. In the same way that Pharaoh was vindictive and harsh toward Israel, Satan is oppressive and harsh toward those who reside in his kingdom. In the same way God— with an outstretched arm— redeemed Israel from the captive's hand, he has redeemed you and me. In the same way God brought them out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, he has brought you and me out from under the burdens of sin and death.

Here, Paul is teaching us that the cross was the crushing blow that dismembered the power of our oppressor. The cross is what sets us free from the bondage of sin and death. In Christ, we have been liberated, set free from the oppressive power of sin, Satan, and death.

The inescapable condemnation and guilt holding us down by sin no longer own us because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. He has paid our ransom. He has paid the steep price for our sins. With an outstretched arm, he has redeemed us. Death and damnation no longer own us. We have a new master, and he is good. We have a new home, and it is safe.

A FORGIVEN PEOPLE

Our redemption resides in Christ's willingness to lay his life down on the cross— the shedding of his blood. Because of this, our sins have been forgiven. God's plan was always to FORGIVE sinners through Jesus' death on the cross.

Redemption and forgiveness seem to be often tied together in the New Testament. In Colossians 1, for example, Paul says, "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." The language here ties redemption and forgiveness so closely together that they almost seem like the same thing, as if our redemption is the forgiveness of sins. In reality, they're two sides of the same coin. If you've been forgiven, you've been redeemed. If you've been redeemed, you've been forgiven. You can't have one without the other. In Christ, you're free from both the stains and chains of sin.

Feel the weight of that for a moment. Because of the cross, your greatest sins can and will be forgiven.

Have you ever had a difficult time forgiving someone who has wronged you? What makes extending forgiveness so difficult? 

It's the hurt and pain that comes from the offense. When someone has deeply wounded us, we have a hard time forgiving. The magnitude of the offense heightens the difficulty of extending forgiveness. For example, forgiving someone for stealing your candy bar would be easier than forgiving someone who stole thousands of dollars from you.

Church, our trespasses against God are no minor offenses. We have deliberately and intentionally mocked God with our words, thoughts, and actions. Yet, he has taken extreme measures to extend to us freedom and forgiveness through the death of His Son. God hasn't just set us free from sin; he has forgiven us of our sins. And the forgiveness he extends to us is a byproduct of God's grace. It's "according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us."

ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE…

"Riches of grace" and "lavished upon us" imply an abundant oversupply, meaning God will never lack in the department of grace because he is rich in grace.

The word lavished is the same word used in the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand in John 6. When the masses were hungry, Jesus miraculously fed them. After everyone ate and had their fill, the disciples gathered the leftover fragments, filling up their baskets. The disciples left with more food than they came with.

In the same way that there was an abundant supply of bread and fish that never ran out, there is an abundant supply of grace in Christ that will never run out. God will never run out of grace. The invitation of the cross is to come and have your fill of grace and know that God's grace will never run out. His basket will always be full, and he will never run out of grace and forgiveness to extend to sinners.

Friend, may this be water to your soul. Perhaps you feel downtrodden and weary. Maybe you believe the lie that you've exhausted God's supply of grace for you. May these verses comfort your weary soul and draw you to feast from God's rich supply of grace that he's willing to lavish upon you.

IN ALL WISDOM AND INSIGHT…

As we continue to read, we see that his lavishing of grace upon sinners was not foolish or irrational. It was an action rooted in wisdom and insight. Our redemption, adoption, and forgiveness of sins are all a part of God's predetermined plan, which he outlined in Christ. It was all a part of the purpose of his will.

So, as we study the Bible, we now see how it all points to the cross, how Jesus is the fulfillment of the law and prophets. In all wisdom and insight, God has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, "which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth."

A UNITED PEOPLE

What does it mean that "all things are united in him, things in heaven and things on earth?" We will begin to see this phrase more clearly as we journey through the book of Ephesians. But I want us to understand this: God's plan was always to unite sinners through Jesus' death on the cross. The cross brings unity amongst his people, not division amongst his people. In Christ, God is creating for himself a diverse and united family. We walk in unity now as a church and look ahead to a future day of union, where all things in heaven and earth will be united in Christ. There is coming a day when all of the redeemed, those in heaven and on earth, will be united forever. There is coming a day when the entire universe that is groaning for its redemption will be united with the redeemed church under the good rule of Christ for all eternity.

Ephesians 1:3-6

Today, we will dive into the start of the body of his message. As we do, I think it would be helpful to point out a detail hidden in the shadows of these verses, something we will miss in our English translations.

In the original Greek, verses 3-14 are one run-on sentence. There's no punctuation here, leaving no room for the reader to take a breath. Overwhelmed with excitement over the words he's writing, Paul cannot pause for even a simple breath.

In my theological brilliance, I would call these verses a poetic ramble. When I say "ramble," I don't mean erratic jargon. These words are carefully precise and theologically flawless. They are precise words written with intentionally poor structure to convey the majestic beauty of the gospel. Like a snowball rolling down a mountain, each word is carefully constructed to build on the other, composing a hefty argument surrounding the beauty of the gospel and the worthiness of God's praise.

As we begin unpacking these verses, we will come across words like "chosen," "predestined," and "purpose of his will." Therefore, we will see firsthand God's sovereign hand in our redemption, his loving pursuit of sinners, and his flawless plan of salvation executed.

Now, these verses can be controversial and difficult to comprehend. Our finite minds have a difficult time fathoming God's divine choosing. But, the difficulty of these verses does not reside in their unclearness. These verses are abundantly clear. Paul could not write any clearer. The difficulty of these words stems from the complexity of the truths found in these words. Sometimes, I've found, it's the truths that are the most clear that are the most confusing.

Today we will come across the profoundly beautiful and complex truth that our salvation is a work of God, not a work of our own. We did not first choose God; God first chose us. The cross did not happen by chance; it was a part of his predetermined plan. Before the foundation of the world, God knew sin would happen. He knew he would send His Son to the cross. And he knew you would be a part of his family.

The main point we will learn today is this: before the earth was made, God had a plan to save sinners by sending his Son to die on the cross.

Let's dive in.

"[3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, [4] even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love [5] he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, [6] to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved."

Right from the jump, we see Paul worshipping God because of His role in our salvation.

As he begins to unpack the central doctrines of the Christian faith, he does so with a heart full of praise— "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ..."

One thing we often talk about as a church is being a gospel-centered church. We want to be a church that embraces the gospel in everything we do. We want to be a church that understands the gospel, believes the gospel, preaches the gospel, and lives out the gospel. And what we see here is the truth that gospel doctrine leads to gospel praise. If you have experienced God's love, you will worship God with a happy heart. Worship is the only proper response to grace. A gospel-centered church is a singing church.

Church, listen. Our willingness to sing hinges on our understanding of what God has done for us in Christ. If you have your arms crossed every Sunday morning, unwilling to sing, then the question has to be asked, "Have you experienced the blessedness described here in these verses?" Those whom God has blessed will bless God with praise. Singing is a practical expression of gratitude for the believer.

What does it mean to be "blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places?"

Well, heavenly places imply a location not here on this earth. So, that tells us that it's possible to be immensely blessed by God without physical prosperity.

While fishing with my family the other day, we drove past a large boat. As she admired the boat, my daughter asked, "Dad, what if we were rich?"

I chuckled and responded, "Baby girl, we are rich. We just don't have a lot of money."

I'm unsure if she could wrap her six-year-old mind around what I was trying to teach her at that moment. But I want us to understand that supreme blessedness doesn't reside in material wealth. God has blessed those in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. If you are in Christ, you are blessed. If you are in Christ, God has blessed you with the gift of redemption and adoption. If you are in Christ, God has blessed you with the gift of salvation. If you are in Christ, God has blessed you with the gift of a relationship with Himself. You have God with you and God in you. And God will comfort you in moments of despair, empower you in moments of weakness, and remind you of the inheritance being kept for you in heaven. If you are in Christ, you are immensely blessed.

In verse 4, Paul says, "Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him." Here we find the truth that we are blessed because God has chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world.

The word "chosen" is where some of us begin to squirm in our seats. But, in reality, it's a very biblical term, a word all over the Bible. It means to pick or select someone or something for your own possession.

Tony Merida, in his commentary on Ephesians, highlights several of the uses of this term throughout the Bible. He says, “God chose Abraham for the purpose of bringing blessing to the nations (Gen. 12:1-3). God chose to make Israel into a nation that they might be a light to the nations (Deut. 7:6-8; 14:2; Is. 42:6-8). Jesus chose his twelve disciples to follow him, bear fruit, and multiply (Jn. 15:6).” And, now, in writing to the Gentile believers in Ephesus, he's saying that God chose them, before the foundation of the world, that they should be holy and blameless before him.

Wrap your mind around that for a moment. Before there were stars to gaze at and an earth to walk on, God knew you. Before there were birds to admire, trees to climb, and water to swim in, God had a purpose for you. Before the foundation of the world, God chose you to belong to Himself.

This teaches us that God knew that we were going to sin and fall short of the glory of God. Sin did not catch God off guard. Jesus' death on the cross was not a scrambled attempt of God to make things right. It was God's predetermined plan A, not his backup plan B. Before the foundation of the world, God chose us in Christ "that we should be holy and blameless before him."

Now, who is Paul writing to? The churches in Ephesus. The saints in Ephesus. The faithful in Christ Jesus.

So, who does this apply to? The church, the saints, the faithful in Christ.

But, what is true corporately is also true personally. He is saying to the corporate church in Ephesus (a primary Gentile group of people) that God's predetermined plan was to create a redeemed people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. He chose to create for himself a diverse and united people in Christ. However, for there to be an "us," there has to be a "you" and "me." The corporate church is full of individual people. So, these verses must also be true personally for them to ring true corporately. For God to have chosen us, he has to have chosen you. God has called you to himself so that your sins can be forgiven, allowing you to stand before Him "holy and blameless."

2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

This is what many call the great exchange. Our sin was placed on Jesus so that his righteousness could be placed on us. Therefore, if we have (in Christ) become the righteousness of God, then we will one day stand holy and blameless before the Father.

Feel the weight of that for a moment. If you are "in Christ," you will one day stand before God blameless. You, a natural sinner at heart tainted by sin and guilt, can stand before God without blame, guilt, or shame.

Those who are in Christ will one day stand before God, in his sight, holy and without fault because of God's predestined plan of election. Your cleanliness is not a result of your strength; it is a result of God's gracious work on your behalf.

Verse 5 goes on to add color to this truth by saying, "In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will..."

Not only do we stand before God holy and blameless, but through Christ, we also stand before the Father as beloved sons. We are not distant strangers who will stand holy and blameless before the Father; we are dearly loved children!

If you are "in Christ," you are a part of God's family. You have a good father who loves and cares for you dearly. You have siblings that you didn't have before. You have a home and an inheritance that wasn't yours before but is wholly yours now. You are secure and safe in God's family.

In our culture today, adoption can be viewed as a backup plan. But that's not the case with God. Adoption was never God's plan B; it was always his predetermined plan from the beginning. Our adoption into God's family was birthed from a loving desire calculated and thought out beforehand. He knew what would happen, and he looked upon sinners like us and said, "I love them, and I want them to be in my family. I want them to inherit what is rightfully mine. I want them to become holy and blameless, and I want them to inherit every spiritual blessing found in the heavenly places."

Adoption was God's loving plan from the beginning. It was according to his will, and it was for his glory. Adoption is a work of grace and should always result in praising the Father.

Look at verse 6, "In love [5] he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, [6] to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved."

God has adopted us into his family so that we might praise his glorious grace. The purpose of our salvation is God's glory. God's sovereign plan is, was, and always will be designed for the praise of His glorious grace.

Imagine an adopted child's newfound joys, walking into his/her home for the first time. "This is my home? This is my room? These are my clothes? I can eat whatever I want from our kitchen? You are my dad? You are my mom? You are my brothers and sisters? You're going to take me to school? You're going to take care of me when I'm sick? You're going to teach me to ride a bike?"

The doctrine of election shouldn't make us squirm; it should lead up to should to throw our hands up in worship. It shouldn't lead to pride; it should lead to humility and joy!

The only right response to grace is praise! A gospel encounter leads to gospel praise! We are a people who sing of grace because we are a people who have experienced grace!

Ephesians 1:1-2

Ephesians is, without a doubt, my favorite book in the Bible. As a young Christian in high school, the book of Ephesians gripped my heart for the Lord, causing me to abandon my love for the world and pursue Jesus wholeheartedly. As a Christian in college, I remember walking to class memorizing Ephesians 2:1-10, writing the gospel on my heart. As a young man pursuing ministry, the book of Ephesians was the first book I preached through on Tuesday nights in downtown Mobile. As I've sought to disciple people over the years, it is often the book of Ephesians that we first go through together. No book in the Bible has single-handedly impacted my life more than this one. It has been pivotal in shaping my life as a young Christian.

PRACTICAL THEOLOGY

In the book of Ephesians, God clearly lays out his mysterious plan of redemption. Here in Ephesians, God pulls back the curtain and allows us to see that the purpose of his will was set forth in Christ to unite all things in him. 

The book of Ephesians certainly isn't the longest in the New Testament nor the most complex. But, in my humble opinion, it's certainly the most clear. From the verbiage used to how Paul builds his arguments, there is no book in the Bible that more clearly describes the gospel and how it relates to the life of a believer. 

During this study, we will likely dive deeper into theology than we ever have as a church. Over the next few months, we will wrestle with the deep topics of the trinity, predestination/election, the assurance of salvation, identity, heaven, and much much more. 

But, in addressing these topics, what Paul does is beautiful. He simply doesn't allow us to discuss these topics while sitting in an ivory tower. Instead, he unpacks these complex topics in the streets of everyday life so we can practically apply them to our lives. The book of Ephesians teaches us that theology should impact our hearts as much as it does our minds, and a theology that affects the heart of a believer will soon affect the hands and feet of a believer. 

You will see this demonstrated in the way Ephesians is structured. For the first three chapters, Paul unpacks the vertical aspects of the gospel, how God relates to man through the death and resurrection of Jesus. But in the final three chapters, Paul will begin to unpack the horizontal aspects of the gospel, how God's people should relate to one another in light of the death and resurrection of Jesus. The outline of this letter teaches us that the vertical impacts the horizontal. What we believe about God should impact how we live amongst men. Gospel doctrine should lead to a gospel culture. The gospel story should impact our story.

We will spend most of our time today looking at the first two verses. In doing so, we will see three things: who wrote this letter, who received this letter, and God's purpose for this letter.

So, let's dive in. 

"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, 

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

Right from the jump, we see that the original author of this book is the apostle Paul— "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God..."

Later in church history, some began challenging the idea of Pauline authorship. In doing so, some point to the writing style, saying Ephesians differs from some of Paul's other writings. Others point to the generality of this letter, saying it's too impersonal for someone who lived in Ephesus for three years. Neither argument seems to hold much weight since (1) the early church widely accepted Paul as the author, and (2) Paul identifies himself as the author more than once in the letter (Eph. 1:1, 3:1). 

APOSTLE OF CHRIST JESUS BY THE WILL OF GOD

At the start of the letter, Paul identifies himself as "an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God…"

The word "apostle" means "one who is sent." An apostle is a specific messenger with a specific title taking a specific message to a specific people. So, Paul is saying that the one who sent him is God, and the message he proclaims is Jesus' message. Simply put, the message of Ephesians is God's message. It's not man's message; it's God's message. It was God's will to use Paul as a messenger of Christ.

The word apostle is often used throughout the New Testament about the twelve disciples of Jesus. Where Jesus had many disciples who followed him, he chose twelve apostles responsible for preaching his message.

We see this in Luke 6:13 and Mark 3:14.

• "And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles…" — Luke 6:13

• "And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach…" — Mark 3:14

So, the apostles were men who personally walked with Jesus, who were personally called by Jesus, who were personally taught by Jesus, and who were personally sent out by Jesus to preach the message he had taught them.

Due to Judas' betrayal, we see Mathias become one of the twelve apostles in Acts 1, and in Acts 2:42, we see the early church devoted themselves "to the apostles teaching…." 

So, this small group of men received the authority to teach God's people God's message, leading to the church embracing their teaching. These would be what I would call [A]postles. 

In this context, the title "apostle" was given to a few specific men for the purpose of distinguishing them as God's appointed messenger. And here Paul is saying he's a part of that unique group. He was not commissioned and sent by man; he was commissioned and sent by God. He's not bringing his message; he's bringing God's message. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul is a [A]postle who was taught, commissioned, and sent by Jesus, the one who possesses power over life and death.

The title apostle isn't one of arrogance and pride; it's one of humility and lowliness. In calling himself an apostle, Paul is not beating his chest so that the church will stand in awe of him. He's calling himself an apostle so the church will embrace the message he's proclaiming. Because Paul is an apostle, the church could embrace his words confidently.

The same is true for you and me. The message of Ephesians is God's message. Therefore, we should read it and obey it. As we read this letter, we should listen to it with humble attentiveness. And, like the early church, we should devote ourselves to the apostle's teaching. The words of this book should impact our minds, transform our hearts, and mobilize our hands and feet.

***Most believe Paul wrote this letter during his first Roman imprisonment (3:1; 4:1), around AD 60-62. This reminds us that obedience to God is not always easy. Sometimes serving God may lead to freedom and wealth. Sometimes it may lead to chains and poverty.

SAINTS IN EPHESUS

The next thing I want us to see is who Paul's writing is to— "To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus…"

Ephesus was a Greek city found in the province of Asia, a place in modern-day Turkey. It was a capital city located near a harbor at the mouth of the Cayster River in Western Asia Minor. It was a popular city known for its significant trade center and the world's largest amphitheater that would hold up to 50,000 spectators. As we read the Bible, we see many things happen in Ephesus. 

• During Paul's time in Ephesus, all the residents of Asia heard the gospel preached (Acts 19:10). 

• While in Ephesus, God did many miracles through Paul (Acts 19:11) and a great revival took place through the new believers (Acts 19:19). 

• While in Ephesus, Paul and his disciples were brought in the amphitheater by a mob that rejected the gospel. 

• While in Ephesus, Paul wrote the book of 1 Corinthians. 

• While in Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila discipled Apollos (Acts 18:24-26). 

• While in Ephesus, Timothy served as a pastor for the first time. 

Ephesus was an important city during the early church, a place where God did some incredible things. May the same be said of our city. May all the residents of Mobile have heard the gospel. May a great revival take place among the believers of Mobile. May we understand that with revival comes opposition. May we be home to gospel writers, faithful disciples, and humble pastors. May Mobile be a modern day Ephesus.

Now, in three of the earliest manuscripts of this letter, the name Ephesus is not found. This has led to some believing that this letter was intended to be read and passed along by different churches near Ephesus. To me, this seems most likely the case. And, if that's the case, that would explain the generality of the letter. This message was never intended to be hoarded but to be shared.

We could spend quite a bit of time here, but I don't want us to get bogged down on the location of his recipients and miss how Paul describes his recipients. Paul describes the recipients of this letter as "saints who are in Ephesus." 

The term "saint" doesn't refer to football players in New Orleans; it refers to those who are holy or set apart. It's an expression that was first applied to Israel as the 'holy nation.' But it later extended to the Christian community, the Israel of God. 

So, saints is an exclusive and inclusive term. It's exclusive because it only describes those who belong to God through Christ. But, it's inclusive in representing all who belong to God through Christ. It's not a term reserved only for the religious elite within the church; it's a term used to describe all of the church. If you have trusted in Jesus for your salvation, this title is bestowed upon you. You don't earn the title of a saint; you are given the title of saint. If your faith resides in Jesus, you have been set apart as holy, belonging to God as a prized possession. 

So, although this book was written to the saints who lived during a specific time in a specific place, it still applies to all saints today. The words of Ephesians still apply to us. 

FAITHFUL IN CHRIST JESUS

The saints here are described as "faithful in Christ Jesus." To be 'in Christ' is to be personally united to Jesus. As you read throughout the New Testament, you will find example after example of the believer being joined closely to Jesus. Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. Jesus is the head, and we are the body. Jesus is the cornerstone, and we are the structure of the holy temple. 

Jesus is fundamentally central to the Christian faith, the lifeblood of the church. If you were to remove the vine, the branches would soon wither away. If you were to remove the head, the body would soon become lifeless. If you were to remove the cornerstone, the structure would soon crumble. You do not have the church without Jesus.

So, Christian faithfulness resides in our union with Jesus. It's not about what you can do to get Christ to you; it's being united to Jesus through faith. To be a Christian is to be "in Christ," meaning you have laid down your old life and now taken on Christ's life. You have a new Savior, a new identity, a new family, and a new home. Ephesus might have been where they lived, but Christ is where they resided. Mobile may be where you live, but Christ is where you reside. 

GRACE AND PEACE FROM GOD

Paul closes his greeting by saying, "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

It is God's grace and peace that we all desperately need. God's grace and peace are the pillars that hold up the church. They are what breathe life into our dry bones. If you were to remove grace and peace from the Christian faith, you no longer have good news. If you take away grace and peace, the church comes crashing down. To understand God's mysterious will, you must start with grace and peace.

Grace is God giving you a good gift that you do not deserve. Where you deserve wrath, condemnation, and shame because of your sin, God (through Jesus) extends kindness, forgiveness, and mercy. Where you deserve to be cast out and ostracized because of your rejection of Him, God (through Jesus) extends to you peace and reconciliation.

Peace is harmony, tranquility, the state of well-being, and unity. The Christian message is a message of peace. Looking at the Bible, you will see that this peace is multifaceted. It is trifold. You will find the Bible talks about peace with God, peace with one another, and internal peace.

So, because of Jesus' death, we, most importantly, have peace with God. Once we have peace with God, we then have peace with God's bride, his church. Peace with God leads to relational peace with God's Church. Biblical community is a byproduct of having peace with God through faith in Jesus.

And once we have peace with God, we have peace within (inner peace). Amid the storms of life, we find inner rest and tranquility through a reconciled relationship with God. God's peace leads to peace with our neighbor and peace within ourselves.

I don't know who you are or where you are today. Perhaps you're struggling with sin and need to be reminded that God is a gracious God who is willing and desires to extend grace to sinners. Maybe your heart is hard toward someone today, and you must be reminded that God has pursued peace with you. Therefore, you should seek peace with your neighbor. Perhaps you're walking through a difficult season, and peace is far from you, and you need to be reminded that God is on the throne, working all things together for our good and his glory.

The Beatitudes: “Blessed are the persecuted, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”

The Beatitudes: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God”

The Beatitudes: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

The Beatitudes: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”

The Beatitudes: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

The Beatitudes: “Blessed are the meek”

The Beatitudes: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

The Beatitudes: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Zechariah 14

Zechariah 13:7-9

Zechariah 13:1-6

Zechariah 12:10-13:1

TEXT:

"[10] And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a 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 weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. [11] On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. [12] The land shall mourn, each family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; [13] the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shimeites by itself, and their wives by themselves; [14] and all the families that are left, each by itself, and their wives by themselves.

[1] "On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness."

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Discuss for a few moments how this passage points ahead to Jesus. How do these verses highlight the divine nature of Jesus?

2. How should the truth that “conviction of sin is a work of the Spirit” shape our evangelism and prayer life?

3. Why is conviction of sin a good thing? Despite its goodness, why does it seem at times our hearts despise conviction?

SERMON MANUSCRIPT:

When was the last time you wept? Crying is a common human experience; you see it often in the Bible. Tears aren't shameful.

Why did you weep? If you pulled back the layers, what was the source of your tears? Did you weep because of a trial you found yourself in? Did you cry because of a wound from someone else's offense against you? Did you weep because of guilt from a wound you've given someone else?

When was the last time you wept over your sin? Not when was the last time you've cried over the repercussions of your sins? But when was the last time you've wept over the reality that you've sinned against God?

After studying this passage, I would almost argue that if you've never wept over the reality of your involvement in what led Jesus to the cross, then you've never experienced the cleansing work of the cross. Today's passage reminds us of the wounding power of the cross. Before the blood of Jesus restores us, it wounds us. Before the blood of Jesus cleanses us, it reveals our filth. Conviction comes before cleansing.

Like many verses in Zechariah, today's passage presents obscurity and familiarity. In my interpretation, there are elements to this passage that point ahead to something that has not yet happened. But, there are also elements to this passage that describe something that has happened and something we have personally experienced as believers.

In these verses, we see the LORD pour out his Spirit upon his people, causing those who pierced the LORD to look upon him and mourn their sinful actions. Depending upon who you read or listen to, you'll find these verses connected to different points in history.

Some connect these verses to the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came, Peter preached the gospel, and thousands of Jews believed and were saved. By the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter preached, "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men." They were cut to the heart and repented from their sins.

Others connect this to a future revival of the nation Israel. In Romans 11, we see Paul describing a partial hardening that has come upon Israel so that the gospel could go forth into the world (the other nations), allowing the Gentiles to be grafted into God's holy nation. It is believed that this "partial hardening" will one day be lifted, allowing all of Israel to see the truth of the gospel, mourn the offense of the cross, and believe/trust in Jesus.

Some connect these verses to Revelation 1:7, which reads, "Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen." So, these verses allude to a future encounter at the end of time.

All three views hold a strong biblical argument. Personally, I think I lean toward these verses primarily referencing a future revival that will take place amongst the nation of Israel at the end of time. But, I also think there's more nuance here in that it also describes what's taken place throughout redemptive history following the pouring out of the Holy Spirit in Acts. There's a sense of obscurity and familiarity here in these verses. They're describing something that has happened, is happening, and will happen one day. At the end of the day, these verses paint a clear picture of true repentance and what happens when one humbles himself before the LORD.

Let's dive in.

The first thing we see here is the LORD pouring out a spirit upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Anytime we see the LORD pour out a spirit in the Old Testament, it's always His Spirit being poured out (Ezekiel 39:29 and Joel 2:28-29). So, here the LORD is saying that he will soon pour his Spirit out upon his people. They will be a Spirit-filled people.

Now, look at how his Spirit is described— "a spirit of grace and pleas of mercy." The word "grace" is a relational term. It implies an undeserved favor placed upon one's life. "Please of mercy" implies repentance, regret, or remorse. It's the action of seeking compassion from someone you've offended. So, what we find here is the Holy Spirit graciously brings conviction that leads to relational restoration. God extends grace to those who plead for mercy, leading to a renewed relationship with himself.

Now, why will God's people begin to plead for mercy? What offense will they be mourning?

They will lament the reality that they have pierced the LORD— "When they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him..."

I want us to spend a brief moment unpacking the profound scandal that we find here in this verse. The term pierced here depicts a fatal stabbing, a piercing that leads to death. So, the LORD, through Zechariah, is saying that his people will soon fatally wound God. Because of their hard hearts, they will pierce their Creator. The one who stretched the heavens is the one who will be pierced.

Fast forward to the gospels, particularly the gospel of John, and we see a connection being made between these words in Zechariah and Jesus. After Jesus breathed his last breath on the cross, "one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water… For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: 'They will look on him whom they have pierced.'" So, Zechariah prophesied that the house of David would piece the LORD, and John connected to dots from Zechariah's prophecy to Jesus' crucifixion. Jesus is the LORD who was fatally pierced by the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Do not miss the divine scandal of the cross being alluded to here in Zechariah. It is the one who stretched out the heavens that they nailed to the cross. It is the founder of the earth that they have pierced. It is the one who formed the spirit of man who was crushed by the hands of man.

There's a lie that has circulated throughout history that says Jesus was not God. But let me be clear. You will not find that lie in the Bible. The Bible is unmistakably clear: Jesus is God in flesh. The creator of all things entered into his creation and dwelt among them. The one who holds everything together at this very moment in time willingly marched to the cross to be pierced and crushed by man. The one who Zechariah spoke on behalf of is the one who was hung on the cross for the sins of the world. So, here the LORD is saying that whenever His Spirit is poured out on their land, their eyes will be opened, and they will plead for mercy because they rejected the LORD of all. They will mourn their rejection of the good shepherd. They will lament that instead of crowning him as Lord, they mockingly pierced him as a fool. Their eyes will fill with tears when they truly understand what took place on the cross. They will mourn their heinous actions against the LORD.

The word for mourn here is one of deep pain and grief. It often describes the action that flows from losing a loved one. It's the same word used to describe Abraham's action whenever his wife, Sarah, died (Gen. 23:2)— he mourned and wept. It's the same word used to describe how Israel mourned the death of Samuel (1 Sa. 25:1). It's the same word used to describe Bathsheba's actions whenever her husband, Uriah, passed away 11:26). So, Israel will deeply mourn the death of Jesus.

But they won't mourn the death of Jesus as one mourns the death of a distant relative or even the death of a spouse. We see that they will mourn his death like a parent mourns the death of an only child. They will "weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a first born." What profound imagery here. The pain and remorse they will feel from crucifying Jesus will parallel the pain one feels from losing a beloved child.

Not only that, but they will also mourn him like a nation mourns the sacrificial death of a good king— it will be "as great as the mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo." It is believed that this refers to the location of King Josiah's death around 609 BC. Josiah was a young but good king who feared the LORD. In 2 Chronicles 35:22-25, we see Josiah get wounded in battle on the plain of Megiddo. He then gets taken back to Jerusalem, where he later dies. After his burial, all of Judah and Jerusalem lamented and mourned his death, which became a tradition in Israel. So, like God's people grieving the end of their good king, they will corporately mourn the death of Jesus, the King of kings.

But they won't just mourn the death of their king corporately; they will mourn him individually and personally. "The land shall mourn, each family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shimeites by itself, and their wives by themselves; and all the families that are left, each by itself, and their wives by themselves." On the one hand, we see here all of the royal families mourning their involvement in the crime before them. It is said that "when the royal family mourns, all the citizens mourn with them." But, on a deeper level, this reminds us that no individual is off the hook regarding the offense of the cross. No tear shed will be prompted by another. Each family, each person, will experience tremendous pain over the crucifixion of Jesus. Whether you held the nail or not when he was pierced to the cross, swung the whip or not whenever he was beaten and flogged, or drove the spear into his side, you stand guilty and condemned.

Now, let's internalize this for a moment. As I read the Bible with my son, I seek to remind him that we don't read it with just our minds; we read it with our hearts. As we read and ponder the Scriptures, we ask, "Lord, what are you seeking to tell me? What actions are you calling me to?" So, I want us to ask that question for the remainder of our time. What does this passage have to do with me?

Well, the first thing I want us to see is that conviction of sin is a gift from the LORD and a work of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings to light the magnitude of the cross. When the Spirit is poured out, the scales fall off the eyes of God's people. Under the light of the Holy Spirit, they can see the full scope of their heinous actions. Brothers and sisters, conviction of sin is good. If you desire to walk in righteousness, expect the Holy Spirit to convict you of sin. Conviction may be painful, and it may lead to tears. But, it's on the other side of conviction that we find cleansing. For a match to burn bright, it must first be struck. For a Christian to burn bright, it, too, must first be struck with conviction. Conviction of sin is a gift from the LORD and a work of the Spirit. It is a necessary element of the Christian life.

The second thing I want us to see is that sin is first an offense against God. God's people won't simply mourn because they got caught in sin. They won't simply mourn because they lost their job due to unethical decisions. They will mourn their involvement in the cross. They will mourn the fact that they pierced their LORD.

David, in Psalm 51, demonstrates this well. In this Psalm, we find David mourning his sin of committing adultery with Bathsheba and murdering her husband, Uriah.

Here, he says,

"Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your steadfast love;

according to your abundant mercy

blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin!

For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.

Against you, you only, have I sinned

and done what is evil in your sight..."

Sin undoubtedly has horizontal implications. Committing adultery with your neighbor's spouse hurts your spouse, your children, their spouse, and their children. Murdering someone hurts not just that person but that person's entire family and friends. Stealing from your neighbor hurts your neighbor. Lying to your family harms your family. Viewing pornography wrecks your spouse. All sin is a direct offense against someone. And all sin against our neighbor requires repentance and restoration.

But sin is not primarily an offense against your neighbor. Sin is, most importantly, a direct offense against God. Against him, him only, have we sinned and done what is evil in his sight. If we don't understand this, we have an unbelievably small view of God. When it comes to the cross, you are not an innocent bystander. It is your sin that Christ was pierced for. Sin is first an offense against God.

Third, I want us to see that conviction should lead to mourning. Those who understand the magnitude of their sin against God will fall on their face before God and weep. Salvation doesn't come to those who are strong; salvation comes to those who are weak. Salvation is extended to the sick, not the healthy. Some of you must understand that God will heal you only whenever you cry out for mercy.

Everyone listen to me. Some of you today need to stop trying harder to fix the mess you're in and fall on your face and weep. Some of you need to face yourself in the mirror, stop blaming others, and say, "You know what? I am the one to blame here. I am guilty. I have sinned against God. God, please forgive me."

Now, here's the beauty of the gospel. Those who mourn the sins that led to the cross will experience the cleansing work of the cross. The cross turns our mourning into laughter, tears into joy.

Look at Zechariah 13:1, "On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness."

So, on the other side of weeping is cleansing. Those who mourn will soon rejoice. Those who are sick will soon be healed. Those who are broken will soon be healed. Those who are humbled will soon be exalted.

Turn over to James 4:6-10.

"[5] Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"? [6] But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." [7] Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. [9] Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. [10] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."

The law of gravity states, "What goes up must go down." But the law of the gospel states, "What goes down must go up." Those who mourn their sin against God and look upon Christ in faith will be exalted. Those who weep their sins against God and look upon Christ in faith will be cleansed. God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. So, be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy return to gloom. Humble yourself before the LORD, and he will exalt you.

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Zechariah 12:1-9

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What do you find comforting about verse 1?

2. How have you seen the Lord strengthen His people as He promises in verse 5?

3. How do the promises in verses 7-9 encourage you to pray?

Zechariah 11:1-17

TEXT:

[1] Open your doors, O Lebanon,

that the fire may devour your cedars!

[2] Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen,

for the glorious trees are ruined!

Wail, oaks of Bashan,

for the thick forest has been felled!

[3] The sound of the wail of the shepherds,

for their glory is ruined!

The sound of the roar of the lions,

for the thicket of the Jordan is ruined!

[4] Thus said the LORD my God: “Become shepherd of the flock doomed to slaughter. [5] Those who buy them slaughter them and go unpunished, and those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the LORD, I have become rich,’ and their own shepherds have no pity on them. [6] For I will no longer have pity on the inhabitants of this land, declares the LORD. Behold, I will cause each of them to fall into the hand of his neighbor, and each into the hand of his king, and they shall crush the land, and I will deliver none from their hand.”

[7] So I became the shepherd of the flock doomed to be slaughtered by the sheep traders. And I took two staffs, one I named Favor, the other I named Union. And I tended the sheep. [8] In one month I destroyed the three shepherds. But I became impatient with them, and they also detested me. [9] So I said, “I will not be your shepherd. What is to die, let it die. What is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed. And let those who are left devour the flesh of one another.” [10] And I took my staff Favor, and I broke it, annulling the covenant that I had made with all the peoples. [11] So it was annulled on that day, and the sheep traders, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the LORD. [12] Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. [13] Then the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD, to the potter. [14] Then I broke my second staff Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

[15] Then the LORD said to me, “Take once more the equipment of a foolish shepherd. [16] For behold, I am raising up in the land a shepherd who does not care for those being destroyed, or seek the young or heal the maimed or nourish the healthy, but devours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs.

[17] “Woe to my worthless shepherd,

who deserts the flock!

May the sword strike his arm

and his right eye!

Let his arm be wholly withered,

his right eye utterly blinded!”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Read verses 4-5. Discuss what these verses have to say about corrupt leadership?

2. Read verses 7-8. What do these verses have to say about the character of the  good shepherd? How do we know that Jesus is the good shepherd?

3. What do these verses teach us will happen whenever one chooses to reject the good shepherd?

SERMON MANUSCRIPT

Today we have an opportunity to study the chapter that most commentators describe as the most challenging chapter in one of the most difficult books in the whole Bible.

One of the difficulties of this passage stems from its writing style. The writing style in this chapter differs from what we might be used to reading. This chapter is best described as a play where Zechariah acts out a particular scene on behalf of God for God's people. Some commentators call this a prophetic sign-act.

Zechariah acts out two distinct characters in this sign act: a good shepherd and a bad shepherd-- a shepherd who takes care of the flock and a shepherd who does not take care of the flock.

In the past few chapters, the sun has been shining bright on the land of God's people. The message of Zechariah has been consistently hopeful. But, in chapter 11, the wind changes, and the clouds roll in. A storm of judgment is approaching, and the rays of sunshine are no longer warming the land. Where God, through Zechariah, has brought to his people a consistent message of hope and restoration, he now brings a message of discipline and judgment.

God's people will soon reject the coming good shepherd. And whenever they reject the good shepherd, judgment will come upon them. If you reject the good shepherd, you will only be met with bad shepherds. So, at the end of the day, we will be left asking ourselves the question, "Whose flock do I belong to?"

So, let's go ahead and dive in.

"[1] Open your doors, O Lebanon,

that the fire may devour your cedars!

[2] Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen,

for the glorious trees are ruined!

Wail, oaks of Bashan,

for the thick forest has been felled!

[3] The sound of the wail of the shepherds,

for their glory is ruined!

The sound of the roar of the lions,

for the thicket of the Jordan is ruined!"

JUDGEMENT IS COMING

We see three things referenced in these verses: cedar trees, shepherds, and lions. And none of them are in a state of rejoicing.

Cedars, in verse 1, are described as glorious trees, signs of strength and power. These were the majestic trees that Solomon gathered and used to build the temple. Shepherds would have been responsible for protecting their flock from great danger. Lions are animals that strut and roar in power. Yet, here we see all three wailing due to a coming destruction. The Cypress will wail because "their cedar has fallen" and "their glorious trees are destroyed." The shepherds wail because "their glory is ruined." And the roar of the lions is loud because "the thicket of the Jordan is consumed."

So, here we see that no power on earth can stand against God. The most excellent of trees will soon crumble at the snap of God's finger. They will be devoured in an instant, leading to weeping and wailing. The shepherds will cry aloud because something they worked so hard to build up, their glory, will be ruined. A storm is coming; doom is on the horizon.

This sets up what we will read next.

"[4] Thus said the LORD my God: "Become shepherd of the flock doomed to slaughter. [5] Those who buy them slaughter them and go unpunished, and those who sell them say, 'Blessed be the LORD, I have become rich,' and their own shepherds have no pity on them. [6] For I will no longer have pity on the inhabitants of this land, declares the LORD. Behold, I will cause each of them to fall into the hand of his neighbor, and each into the hand of his king, and they shall crush the land, and I will deliver none from their hand."

BAD SHEPHERDS

The first thing we see here is the LORD commanding Zechariah to "become the shepherd of the flock doomed to slaughter." He's commanding Zechariah to play the role of a shepherd of a flock in despair, a flock that is being oppressed and slain.

The Hebrew word for slaughtered is hāraḡ (haw-rag'). This is not your typical word often used to describe the sacrifice of animals. Instead, it's a word used to describe a type of murder and killing that is vile and out of hand. This is abusive and harmful language. Where the flock should be cared for and protected by good shepherds, their shepherds are overlooking the animals' abuse and slaughter.

Let's spend a couple of minutes unpacking the abuse that's going on here. In verse 5, we see three groups of people being addressed: the buyers, the sellers, and the shepherds. The buyers are massacring the purchased flock, the sellers are rejoicing over the profit they're making through this corruption, and the shepherds are indifferent toward the whole thing. There is no concern over the flock's well-being here; they only care about themselves.

In this verse, we can gather a few things about corrupt leadership, particularly corrupt leadership amongst God's people (the church).

First and foremost, corrupt leaders— especially in the church— see people as a means to an end. They're willing to oppress and slaughter those under their care as long as it ultimately profits them. There's no remorse in the heart of bad leaders. All they care about is themselves and their reputation and gain.

Regarding pastoral ministry, I think a healthy gauge for whether or not you're wading into these waters is your motive for pursuing ministry. Why do you want to preach? Why do you want to pursue this particular position? Is it because the money is good? Is it because you love the spotlight? Is this particular position seen as a means to gain power or wealth?

Church leaders should always be humble, not oppressive. Pastoral ministry is not a domineering ministry; it is an equipping ministry. Pastors must take on the role of a humble servant.

Corrupt leaders also think they're above the law, able to get away with anything. They can get away with murder, slaughtering the flock, and going unpunished. They hand out favors so they can cash in on them later. Wit and flattery are their friends, and they're a master of their words.

Corrupt leaders worship money. The sellers are celebrating the profit they've made off of their corruption. They viewed their profit as the ultimate sign of God's blessing. They were profiting from wickedness and celebrating it as a gift from the LORD.

I think this teaches us that not all financial gain is a blessing from the LORD. Riches don't always equal faithfulness. It's possible to have a lot of money in your bank account and be empty in favor of the LORD. It's possible to make a lot of money through wickedness. I would argue that the Bible teaches us that it is better to make less money doing the right thing than to make a lot of money while doing the wrong thing. It's better to make less money taking care of your flock than making a lot of money while trampling on your flock. Treasure gained through wickedness does not satisfy. The love of money is a root of all sorts of evil. So, we must be cautious about feeding our appetite for money. When profit is lord of our life, we're willing to do anything to gain it.

Next, we see that corrupt leaders are indifferent toward the well-being of their flock. This may seem redundant to the first point, but it's fundamentally different. In verse 5, the buyers slaughter the flock, while the shepherds have no pity on the flock. Their hearts are calloused, and they don't care anymore. They probably had really good motives when they first picked up the staff. But, somewhere along the line, they started going into the field for the paycheck.

Church, listen to me. Where good shepherds seek the good of their flock, corrupt shepherds shrug their shoulders at the pain and suffering of their flock. Indifference is a dangerous place to rest your heart as a leader.

Yet, here we see the leaders of God's people immersed in corruption. And it's because of this that God has "no pity on the inhabitants of this land. He will cause each of them to fall into the hand of his neighbor, and each into the hand of his king, and they shall crush the land, and he will deliver none from their hand." So, because of their corruption, God will bring judgment upon their land. Things will not go well for them. No sin will ever go unpunished. God will soon cause them to fall into the hand of their neighbor. They will soon be crushed.

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

As we continue to read in verse 7, we see Zechariah starting to act out the role of the good shepherd— "So I became the shepherd of the flock doomed to be slaughtered by the sheep traders. And I took two staffs, one I named Favor, the other I named Union. And I tended the sheep."

As Zechariah becomes the good shepherd, he's holding two staffs in his hands. One is called Favor, and the other is called Union. The first staff, Favor, symbolizes God's kindness, pleasantness, delightfulness, and beauty. The second staff, Union, represents a measuring cord, rope, territory, lot, or region.

I think this speaks to the nature of the good shepherd who is to come. Instead of being rude and domineering, he is gentle. Instead of being indifferent, he is caring. He will be kind toward his sheep and bring unity and peace to his flock. Instead of slaughtering the flock, he feeds the flock.

The good shepherd is kind toward those under his care. He heals the maimed and nourishes the healthy. The good shepherd actively seeks the good of those under his care. Jesus is the one who tends to his sheep. He loves his sheep and is kind toward his sheep. He is the one who goes after his sheep. He is the one who willingly laid his life down to save his sheep.

Do you believe this to be true today? Do you understand that God loves you today? Do you believe that he is kind to his flock today? Do you trust his loving provision today?

Jesus is kind, and he invites you to come to him today. He is here for your good, not your demise.

Jesus is also the good shepherd who seeks to unite his flock. He is the source of our peace, keeping his sheep close to him. And conversely, those who are close to the good shepherd are close to the flock of the good shepherd. So, it's irrational to think you can maintain a relationship with the good shepherd away from the sheep. Closeness to God will undoubtedly lead to a closeness to God's people.

So, the good shepherd is kind to his sheep, and he unites his sheep. But he also protects his sheep from false shepherds. In verse 8, this good shepherd quickly destroyed the corrupt shepherds— "In one month I destroyed the three shepherds."

There's a lot of speculation over who these shepherds are.

Some try to identify them as specific people in power after Jesus' death before the fall of Jerusalem.

Some try to connect these three shepherds to the role of the prophet, priest, and king; therefore, the good shepherd eliminated those three offices and stepped into them himself.

Others point out that the number three symbolizes completeness; therefore, Jesus completely purged the corrupt leaders from their midst. He's ridding out the corruption in the land.

I tend to land in one of the two latter camps. On the one hand, Jesus, the good shepherd, is the greater prophet, priest, and king. And on the other hand, Jesus, the good shepherd, passionately protected his sheep by exposing the corruption of their shepherds.

REJECTING THE GOOD SHEPHERD LEADS TO…

Either way, after this purging, tension arises between the good shepherd and the sheep— "But I became impatient with them, and they also detested me. [9] So I said, "I will not be your shepherd. What is to die, let it die. What is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed. And let those who are left devour the flesh of one another."

The unfortunate reality of our sinful hearts is we often love what is bad for us and hate what is good for us. And that's exactly what we see being played out here. Instead of trusting and embracing the good shepherd, the flock despised him, which led to their demise. The good shepherd handed them over to their destruction.

In verses 10-11, the good shepherd picks up the first staff and smashes it— "And I took my staff Favor, and I broke it, annulling the covenant that I had made with all the peoples. So it was annulled on that day, and the sheep traders, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the LORD."

Here the LORD is not saying he's breaking the covenant he entered into with his people. Instead, he is saying that he will no longer be kind toward them, raining down blessings upon them through the nations (all peoples); he will bring judgment upon them.

And there was no confusion for the leaders; they knew exactly what the LORD was saying. So, the LORD then says to the people, "Then I said to them, "If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them." And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. Then the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter"—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD, to the potter."

The sheep traders saw and recognized the work of the good shepherd as being from the LORD, and the good shepherd responded by saying, "Pay me what you think I'm worth." This leads to them paying the good shepherd thirty pieces of silver.

Thirty pieces of silver would have been the price of a slave during this time. So, they're not showing worth and honor to the good shepherd; they're mocking him, declaring him to be no better than a slave. And the LORD commands the wages be thrown to the potter in God's temple.

Does this sound familiar?

The gospels tell us that Judas betrayed Jesus for the price of thirty pieces of silver (Matt. 26:15). After Jesus was betrayed, Judas started feeling guilty, and he changed his mind. So he returned to the chief priest and elders to return the money. He threw the money into the temple and went and hanged himself.

Do you know what the chief priest and elders did? They took the money and bought a potter's field as a burial place for strangers, fulfilling the words prophesied here.

Jesus is the good shepherd who was despised and rejected by his own people. The one worthy of all honor received the wage of a slave. The one worthy of all glory was glorified through his death on the cross.

After this, the shepherd breaks the second staff— "Then I broke my second staff Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel." There will not be unity between Judah and Israel. Because of their rejection of the good shepherd, they will be scattered amongst the nations like they were before. We see this being fulfilled in AD 70 when the Romans came in and destroyed Jerusalem.

"[15] Then the LORD said to me, "Take once more the equipment of a foolish shepherd. [16] For behold, I am raising up in the land a shepherd who does not care for those being destroyed, or seek the young or heal the maimed or nourish the healthy, but devours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs."

Some seek to pinpoint this shepherd to be on specific person throughout history. And it could be a specific person. But, instead of seeking to identify who the bad shepherd is, I think there is a principle for us here. When you reject the good shepherd, you will only find a bad shepherd. To neglect the shepherd who is for your good is to embrace the shepherd who is for your demise. To neglect the shepherd who cares for you is to embrace the shepherd who doesn't care for you. To neglect the shepherd who brings healing is to embrace the shepherd who brings pain.

But, as we see in verse 17,

"[17] Woe to my worthless shepherd,

who deserts the flock!

May the sword strike his arm

and his right eye!

Let his arm be wholly withered,

his right eye utterly blinded!"

No sin ever goes unpunished. Judgment is coming for the wicked; either it has been dealt with on the cross or poured out on them for all eternity.

So, woe to the worthless shepherd who deserts the flock in times of trouble. Woe to the worthless shepherd who does not care for the sheep. Woe to the worthless shepherd who does not care for the young or heal the maimed. But, all praise goes to the good shepherd who came to lay his life down for his sheep.

Zechariah 10:6-12

TEXT:

[6] “I will strengthen the house of Judah,

and 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.

[7] Then Ephraim shall become like a mighty warrior,

and their hearts shall be glad as with wine.

Their children shall see it and be glad;

their hearts shall rejoice in the LORD.

[8] “I will whistle for them and gather them in,

for I have redeemed them,

and they shall be as many as they were before.

[9] Though I scattered them among the nations,

yet in far countries they shall remember me,

and with their children they shall live and return.

[10] I will bring them home from the land of Egypt,

and gather them from Assyria,

and I will bring them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon,

till there is no room for them.

[11] He shall pass through the sea of troubles

and strike down the waves of the sea,

and all the depths of the Nile shall be dried up.

The pride of Assyria shall be laid low,

and the scepter of Egypt shall depart.

[12] I will make them strong in the LORD,

and they shall walk in his name,”

declares the LORD.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Discuss how the Holy Spirit provides his people with strength. Are there any instances in your life where you’ve experienced the power of the Holy Spirit?

2. How does the gospel lead to joy? Have there been any instances in your life where you’ve experienced true joy in Christ?

3. As we walk through this life, how does the truth that one day the LORD will bring us “home” give us hope?

SERMON MANUSCRIPT

As you were to work through the Old Testament, you will often find shadows and portraits of Jesus, instances that reflect, resemble, and point to what Jesus came to accomplish on behalf of his people on the cross.

As we will see in a moment, one example would be the deliverance of God's people in Egypt. In these verses, we find the LORD, through Zechariah, fixing the gaze of God's people ahead to a time when his people will experience a second exodus, a time when he will deliver and redeem his people as he did in Egypt.

In Genesis 15, as God's entering into a covenant with Abraham, he promised Abraham four things:

• his offspring would outnumber the stars (v.5)

• the land before him belonged to him and his offspring (v.18-20),

• his offspring would become sojourners in a foreign land where they would be afflicted for four hundred years (v.13),

• after four hundred years of affliction, God would lead his people back to their rightful land (vs.14-16).

Fast forward to Genesis 37, and we're introduced to Joseph, the son of Jacob. Jacob was the son of Isaac; Isaac was the son of Abraham. Jacob loved Joseph deeply (more than all his other sons). And, one day, Joseph had a dream that he would reign over his older brothers and that they would bow down before him.

This didn't sit right with the brothers, making them more jealous than they already were of Joseph. And their jealous hatred caused them to want to kill Joseph.

But, as they were pursuing their brother's assassination, one of the brothers, Judah, spoke up. He said, "Instead of killing him, why don't we sell him into slavery?"

All of the brothers agreed, and they sold Joseph as a slave to Egypt.

Through a wild tale of events, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, had a dream that no one could interpret except Joseph. Joseph interpreted the dream, telling Pharaoh that Egypt would experience seven good years of plenty and seven years of severe famine. Therefore, Egypt should steward the seven years of plenty well to prepare for the seven years of famine.

Following the interpretation of this dream, Pharaoh appoints Joseph to a place of prominent power in Egypt.

When the years of plenty ended, the famine took over the land. And the famine was so severe that it took over the entire world, which led people from all different nations to come to Egypt to buy grain. During this time, Joseph's brothers came to Egypt to get help. Through this process, Joseph was able to show grace and forgiveness to his brothers. He was able to provide for his family back home, leading him to say, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today." In other words, God had a good plan for his covenantal people whenever Joseph was sold into slavery.

Fast forward again, and you find Joseph's family (God's people) moved to Egypt. In Egypt, they grew and multiplied greatly. Things were going well for them. But, over the years, a new king arose in Egypt who didn't know Joseph, leading to him beginning to oppress the people of God in Egypt (just like God had promised). After 400 years of oppression, God hears the cry of his people, and he sets them free from captivity, leading them back to the land he once promised to Abraham.

Through this story, we find God's people had become scattered among the nation of Egypt. They were oppressed for an extended period of time in Egypt. God delivered his people from oppression in Egypt. And he miraculously led them home to the land he had once promised.

As we will see today, this story sits as the foundation of the promises of Zechariah here. In these verses, God says that another exodus is coming where God's people will be freed from captivity and brought home to walk with him in his name. God is telling his people that what happened in the past points to what will happen in the future.

As we work through this passage today, we will find ourselves standing between two realities—a reality that we partake in now and a reality that will take place in the future. And to tease out these two realities, I want to address two interpretations of these verses quickly.

Interpretation one is that these verses describe a future saving of the nation Israel. Romans 11 explains how a partial hardening has come upon Israel so that the gospel could go forth into the world (the other nations), allowing the Gentiles to be grafted into God's holy nation. Those who hold to this interpretation would say that a "partial hardening" indicates that this hardening of Israel will one day be lifted, allowing all of Israel to see the truth of the gospel and believe/trust in Jesus. Therefore, this camp would say that this verse describes what will occur whenever this partial hardening is lifted, which means that these verses have not yet been fulfilled. They're something we look ahead to one day. Israel will be saved and restored one day, and God's people will be brought home.

Interpretation two would be that these verses describe something occurring now and apply directly to the church today. The book of Galatians teaches us that if we (Gentiles) are in Christ, then we are now sons of Abraham, sons of promise. If we are sons of Abraham, we are a part of God's holy nation. Through faith, we have been grafted into God's family, and we are now a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession. Therefore, these verses would describe the salvation that we are experiencing in Christ today. The latter interpretation is the primary lens through which I want us to view these verses today. As we work our way through these verses, I'll seek to apply the application to both views. But, we will spend most of our time drawing application from this latter view.

So, let's dive in.

"[6] I will strengthen the house of Judah,

and 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.

[7] Then Ephraim shall become like a mighty warrior,

and their hearts shall be glad as with wine.

Their children shall see it and be glad;

their hearts shall rejoice in the LORD."

HOPE FOR THE WEARY

Here we have two houses being blessed by God, the house of Judah and the house of Joseph. Judah and Joseph were brothers; they were both sons of Jacob. Joseph was the brother sold into slavery in Egypt, and Judah was one of the brothers who sold Joseph into slavery. When all the brothers wanted to kill Joseph, Judah recommended selling him instead.

Most commentators believe these two men represent God's northern and southern kingdoms. In other words, the LORD here addresses all of Israel, the total people of God. He will soon bless all his people (not some) with strength and salvation.

In these two verses, we see God promise to do three things: strengthen, save, and bring back his people who were scattered. To be strengthened implies weakness. To be saved implies trouble and despair. To be brought back implies being far off. God will make strong a people who are weak, deliver a people in despair, and draw near a people who were far off. So, the hope for their future resides not in themselves but in the LORD.

Now, why will he do this for his people? Because they deserve it? No. Because his heart became full of mercy, pity, and compassion for his people— "I will bring them back because I have compassion on them..." This reminds us that redemption and salvation are not a result of our strength; they are a result of God's mercy. You do not possess the ability to save yourself, nor do you possess the strength within yourself to live out the Christian faith.

A child who falls out of a boat in an ocean does not save himself by silently swimming back into the boat against the current. He does not possess the strength or ability to bring himself to safety. That child's only hope is to cry out for help. His only hope is for someone to dive into the water and intervene on his behalf.

Brothers and sisters, I fear that many of us, instead of crying out for help, are trying to silently swim our way back into the boat. But the current is too strong. Strength and salvation do not come from within yourself. It comes from God, the one full of compassion. Salvation rests on the shoulders of God's mercy, not man's strength.

Is this a message that you need to be reminded of today? Do you find yourself weak this morning and in need of strength? Do you find yourself exhausted from swimming against the current? Do you find yourself lost and distant from God? God desires to draw the wanderer back to Himself. He wants to extend strength to the weak. He wants to save those in despair. So, we would do well to take Jesus' invitation to "come to him if we are weary and heavy laden so that we might find rest."

STRENGTH AND JOY

God's compassionate action on behalf of his people leads to a restored relationship with himself that is full of strength and joy.

The Christian life is one of strength. The same Spirit that resurrected Christ from the dead now resides within you and me. God has strengthened those who he has saved through the powerful indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; Eph. 1:19, 3:16,20; Col. 1:11; 2 Tim. 1:7; Js. 5:16; 2 Pet. 1:3).

So, it is by his strength living within us that we can be his witness throughout his world, in our city, and to the ends of the earth. Our gospel proclamation can be effective because of the Holy Spirit's power within us.

By His strength residing within us, we can find hope amid despair. The Holy Spirit gives us strength and comfort to endure hardships.

By his strength within us, we can put sin to death within us. The Holy Spirit convicts and empowers us to walk in holiness.

One of the invitations of the gospel is to come to Jesus and find strength. But, when God draws us to himself, he doesn't just give us power; he also gives us joy. In verse 7, the LORD says, "Then Ephraim shall become like a mighty warrior, and their hearts shall be glad as with wine. Their children shall see it and be glad; their hearts shall rejoice in the LORD." Those once plagued with despair will become glad as with wine, and their children will see it and be glad; their hearts will rejoice in the LORD.

The Christian life is a life of joy. Those who daily rest in the gospel are constantly met with tremendous joy. Those who rest their souls in God's gracious and redemptive work on the cross will always find a reason to rejoice in the LORD.

But look at the progression here in verse 7. The joy of the children will be impacted by God's work in their parents' lives— "Their children will see it (their parent's strength and joy that comes from a relationship with God) and be glad; their hearts shall rejoice in the LORD."

Let me speak to mom and dad for a minute. In this verse, the child's joy follows the parent's joy. So, one of the best ways to disciple your children is to be a disciple yourself. Do you want your child to rejoice in the LORD? Then rejoice in the LORD yourself. Do you want your child to study the Bible? Study the Bible yourself. Do you want your child to pray? Show them how to pray. Do you want your child to worship? Show them how to worship.

In these two verses, we find God's compassion for his people leads to him saving his people, strengthening his people, and drawing them back to himself, which leads to the joyful celebration of his people. They will experience a relationship with God where he hears and answers their requests. He will strengthen them, making them like mighty warriors. He will save them, transforming their sorrow into gladness and their silence into rejoicing. He will bring them back as if He had never rejected them.

As we continue to read, the LORD says, "I will whistle for them and gather them in, for I have redeemed them, and they shall be as many as they were before."

A SECOND EXODUS

The word for whistle is šāraq (Shaw-rak'). It means to hiss, whistle, or pipe. In Scripture, it's often used to describe a shrilling sound of disappointment made by man. But, in this context, it's used as a distinct calling to gather his people in, like a shepherd whistling to bring his sheep back to himself.

Here we find the LORD, through Zechariah, setting up a beautiful imagery of God calling to himself a scattered people to create an abundance of people. Because they have been redeemed/delivered/set free, they will be gathered in. Although they are a remnant now, they will soon be a prominent redeemed people.

In verse 9, the LORD says, "Though I scattered them among the nations, yet in far countries they shall remember me, and with their children they shall live and return."

When you read "scattered," I want you to think of a farmer scattering and planting seeds. Like Joseph, God had scattered his chosen people among the nations, and like his children, he will soon lead them home. A day is coming when it is time to harvest the scattered seed planted in faraway countries. A second exodus is coming.

As verse 10 says, the LORD will "bring them home from the land of Egypt, and gather them from Assyria, and I will bring them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon, till there is no room for them." The LORD was planning to bring his redeemed people home. The land of oppression and sin will no longer be where they reside because the LORD is calling them home.

Verse 11 says, "He shall pass through the sea of troubles and strike down the waves of the sea, and all the depths of the Nile shall be dried up. The pride of Assyria shall be laid low, and the scepter of Egypt shall depart."

In the same way that the LORD powerfully rescued his people out of Egypt, leading them back to the promised land, he will rescue his people and lead them back to the promised land. He will "make them strong in the LORD, and they shall walk in his name."

Here's where we find ourselves today. We stand between two exoduses: a spiritual exodus and a literal exodus.

Spiritually, you and I have been redeemed. God has called you to himself, and, right now, you are safe in him. You are home in Christ. Right now, if you are in Christ, you are strong in the LORD and can walk in his name. Jesus has passed through the sea of troubles, and he has struck down the waves of the sea, and all the depths of the Nile have been dried up because of his atoning work on the cross. Because of the cross, your sins have been forgiven. Because of the cross, the debt of your sin has been nailed to the cross. Therefore, Christ has disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them.

The Christian life is a life with God, not a life distant from God. So, spiritually speaking, we have journeyed from the land of sin, despair, and oppression to the holy land of God full of life and joy. But, although we have encountered a spiritual exodus as Christians today, we also look ahead to a physical exodus that is to come. One day soon, the first heaven and the first earth will pass away, and the holy city, the new Jerusalem, will come down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And God will powerfully lead his people into this land that is promised. And it's here that God will dwell with his people for all eternity. Here, he will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and death will be no more.