What God Does with Sin

Nikolle Bauder • February 2, 2022

Notes from Minister Scott Sutton's message on Zechariah 5:


Have you ever been speeding or driving with an expired registration and you pass a police officer? You know that feeling of dread, like, all of the sudden you take on the persona of a fugitive… Oh no, it’s the law! Try to look normal! I’m not going back to prison!


It’s funny because you were not concerned about your law breaking at all until you got caught.


This feeling is similar to what Zechariah must have felt when he saw this vision of a giant scroll.


“A scroll likely caused Zechariah’s heart to skip a beat. As a prophet representing a generation returning from exile in judgement, a symbol of God’s chastisement must have been most alarming.” - Richard D. Phillips


On Sunday, Scott gave the example of what it might feel like if a random person handed you a piece of paper with all of your sins written on it. How would that make you feel?


Then imagine, if like the scroll in Zechariah’s vision, that piece of paper is 30 feet by 15 feet (a billboard!) that floats above your head as a curse. The curse represented here is the law. In the passage, the curse goes out over the WHOLE land for EVERYONE who has transgressed the law. It paints this picture where there is no pocket of righteous people anywhere in the land. There is no remnant that has somehow managed to do the right thing and live in perfect righteousness.


This passage reminds us that…


All sin is seen by God.

Recall the aforementioned billboard illustration. Imagine that all of your sins are spelled out on this billboard for all to see. Imagine then that this billboard hovers over you and makes your sins known wherever you go.


Eventually you think, “I need to go home. I can’t have my sins known by others.” So, you go home, but this 30 x 15” billboard follows you into your house!


Zechariah 5:4 says, “I will send it out, declares the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of him who swears falsely by my name. And it shall remain in his house and consume it, both timber and stones.”


All sin is judged and punished by God.

God, in His infinite wisdom and holiness, is telling Zechariah that this sin problem will come into the homes of people and consume them. This is a picture of God’s wrath!


Thankfully the story does not end there, verse 5 says, “then the angel who talked with me came forward and said to me, ‘Lift your eyes and see what this is that is going out...’”


You can see the tenderness and mercy of the Lord saying that there’s more to see than just the giant billboard of sin.


Verses 6-8 continue, “...And I said, “What is it?” He said, “This is the basket that is going out.” And he said, “This is their iniquity in all the land.” And behold, the leaden cover was lifted, and there was a woman sitting in the basket! And he said, “This is Wickedness.” And he thrust her back into the basket, and thrust down the leaden weight on its opening.”


The woman of wickedness here represents all evil in the world. 


What does God do with evil?


Verses 9-11 explain, “Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, two women coming forward! The wind was in their wings. They had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven. Then I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they taking the basket?” He said to me, “To the land of Shinar, to build a house for it. And when this is prepared, they will set the basket down there on its base.”


This illustrates that all sin will ultimately be removed by God!


In this vision, evil is taken out by two stork ladies taking the basket of evil to Shinar. This same prophetic imagery is picked up again in Revelation 17, where (in verse 4) a woman “arrayed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immoralities. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: ‘Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and earth’s abominations.’"


Babylon/Shinar is where sin was taken and set up in a house, far away from God’s realm. It goes on in the next chapters to say of her, “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit…” And another voice from heaven said, “Come out of her my people, lest  you take part in her sins… for she will be consumed by fire and the smoke of her will go up forever and ever.”


The important question here is, how do we come out of Babylon? How do we come out of this reality of eternal punishment and step into the reality of eternal blessing in a place free from evil in the presence of our Heavenly Father?


Answer: not by works, but by faith!


"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us - for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree" - so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith." - Galatians 3:13-14


Your penalty for your sin will be paid by you, or by Jesus.


Consider that flying scroll, like a billboard of sin, being snatched (like a bill) by Jesus and taken out of the sky.


Jesus paid it all.

Shepherds & Sheep

July 2, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, June 29, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 5:1-4 Gen. 1:1-2 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Churches should be led by a plurality of elders. Acts 11:30, Acts 14:23, Acts 15, Acts 16:4, Acts 17:1, Acts 20:28, Acts 21:17, Philippians 1:1, 1 Timothy 3:2, 1 Timothy 4:14, 1 Timothy 5:17, Titus 1:5, Titus 1:7, James 5:14 Instructions for Pastors: Shepherd God’s flock The words “God’s flock” remind the elders that the congregation does not belong to them. It is God’s church, and they are given the privilege and responsibility of shepherding it. -Thomas R. Schreiner Exercise oversight Oversee willingly (not under compulsion) 1 Cor. 9:16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! Oversee eagerly (not for shameful gain) 2 Cor. 2:17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ. Lead by example (not domineering) Strive for Humility 1. Pure Christian humility disposes a person to take notice of everything that is good in others, and to make the best of it, and to diminish their failings. - Jonathan Edwards The Chief Shepherd is Coming Shepherds God’s flock Exercises oversight 1 Peter 2:25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. Oversees willingly (not under compulsion) Oversees eagerly (not for shameful gain) 2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. Leads by example (not domineering) Hebrews 2:8b-9 we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. Discipleship Questions: What are some of the benefits of having multiple elders? How would you define the job / responsibilities of an elder? If you were to move to a new area tomorrow, what would you be looking for in a new church? Why, do you think, the “younger” are specifically instructed to be subject to the elders? How does someone who is “clothed in humility toward one another” behave in the church? Out of the five pastors at Crosspoint, who is your favorite? (just kidding, don’t ask that).

Not Surprised

June 24, 2025
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, June 22, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 4:12-19 We shouldn’t be surprised when we encounter suffering John 15:18–20 [18] “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. [19] If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. [20] Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. 2 Timothy 3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted We can rejoice knowing we are sharing in Christ’s suffering Matthew 5:11–12 [11] “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. [12] Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. We don’t bring glory to God when we suffer for doing wrong We should choose to glorify God instead of being ashamed We should live in light of the coming judgment of God “Peter shows the meaning of our suffering from two sides. First, our suffering for Christ finds its significance in Christ’s suffering for us. We share now in suffering for him as we shall one day share in glory with him (4:13; 5:1). Secondly, our suffering does not destroy us, but purifies us. The fire of God’s judgment that we endure is not the fire of wrath that will consume the unbelieving.” —Edmund P. Clowney, The Message of 1 Peter We can entrust our souls to our faithful Creator Discipleship Questions: Why is it our tendency to be surprised when we encounter suffering? What are some reasons for rejoicing when you encounter suffering? Why is it so tempting to classify all suffering as persecution, even when we suffer for doing wrong? How can you resist feeling ashamed when you suffer for being a Christian? How do you think God uses suffering to purify His church? How does entrusting your soul to God help you find hope?

Unhindered and Healthy

June 18, 2025
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, June 15, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 4:7-11 Would you know if your prayers were hindered? How would you know? What causes prayers to be more fruitful? What causes prayers to be interrupted? What hinders our prayers? Not living with your spouse in an understanding way A lack of sober mindedness and self-control Hindered prayers hurt our relationships A lack of self-control… letting your flesh rule you will never result in healthy relationships. A lack of sober mindedness… letting your thoughts rule you will never result in healthy relationships. Self-control and sober minded prayer are those inward things that result in outward expressions. They ready us to set our focus and affections on other people. Application: Keep loving one another earnestly Aim to cover a multitude of sins Make your home available to others Make your gifts available to others Speaking Serving Discipleship Questions: Have you ever become aware that your prayers are hindered? How did you know? What are some practical steps that we can take to strengthen our prayer lives? How do hindered prayers hurt our relationships? How do unhindered prayers strengthen our relationships? What are some practical ways that we can aim to cover a multitude of sins? Define at least 2 practical ways in which you will make your home and your gifts available to others this week. How has your life been impacted by others who have made their homes and their gifts available to you?
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