"God's gonna cut you down..."

Notes from Scott Sutton's message on Zechariah 12 and 14.

In the opening vision of the book of Revelation, we see the Son of Man "clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around His chest.

The hairs of His head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame, His feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, from His mouth came a two-edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in full strength."

Most commentators agree that this two-edged sword is the Word of God. According to Hebrews 4, the Word of God pierces the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, discerning the thoughts and intentions of our hearts.

What does that mean? John Piper asks, "Are we born of God and spiritually alive, or are we deceiving ourselves and spiritually dead?" In our text this week, we will see both those alive, and those dead as the double-edged sword does its work.

Remember the context... God is speaking through Zechariah to His people who have returned from the Babylonian exile for the purpose of rebuilding the temple. At this point, some have chosen not to return, and those who have returned are dealing with fear, vulnerability and doubt. They are disoriented.

The first thing that God does is He re-orients His people to Himself.

He then describes how he will use his people to bring judgment upon those who oppose God.

God is saying two things:

- This is who I am

- This is what I am going to do

God tells them what they need to know...

(1) God will judge those who reject Him.

See verse 2, God will make Jerusalem a cup of staggering. For those who try to consume her, they will find themselves disoriented, incapable, staggering, and shameful.
In verse 4, God will make the enemies' horses panic and riders go mad. This is all a reminder that God is in control of all this and there is no need for us to fear.

(2) God will preserve those who belong to Him through faith.

He gives us strength (verse 5)
God makes Jerusalem's leadership a flaming torch (verse 6)
God gives Jerusalem serenity and peace (verses 7 and 8)
In verse 9, note the increasing intensity as God battles with a hostile world... confounds/shames... allows them to be wounded by what they are doing... sends them into dangerous madness... and finally God destroys Jerusalem's enemies.

God is discerning the hearts of those who have set themselves against God's people, bringing judgment upon them, which in turn is designed to encourage perseverance in a war-wearied people who are in the process of rebuilding.

(3) God will refine His people through trial.

The verses in chapter 14 are connected to the last verses of chapter 13... v.7-9 "... Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones. In the whole land, declares the Lord, two thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left alive. And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, "They are my people"' and they will say, "The Lord is my God.”

As strange as this text might sound, it is in fact a theme throughout Scripture:

1 Peter 1:6-7, "You have been grieved through various trials so that the tested genuineness of your faith may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Christ."

1 Peter 4:12-13, "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed."

Acts 14:22, "Through many tribulations you must enter the Kingdom of God."

Sadly, these are the kind of verse that pastors and churches become embarrassed about. It's a flawed way of thinking, "I don't want to share with them on Sunday morning that a normal part of their faith is suffering". But to think and act like that is in fact contrary to the Word of God. If God prepares us for His Kingdom by telling us that we will suffer and that He will refine us through it, it is blasphemy to lead people to believe otherwise.

It is the worst kind of misleading to make someone believe that there is a narrow path to God that is free from suffering and decorated with health, wealth, and prosperity.

The joy that God has in store for you is exponentially greater than those things. He plans more for you, not less. But if we believe that suffering is happening when it isn't supposed to be happening, then we will adopt a victim mentality.

A victim mentality is incompatible with a Kingdom mindset!

(4) God will rule and reign forever!

What we are seeing after this final trial is God fighting for His people, battling their enemies. And in doing so, He is ushering in the end of history... the melting of time back into eternity. As we see God standing on the mountains, with a river bringing life and peace eternally to His bride, we see that Zechariah see the church in the end as a glorified city with this river flowing within.

What Zechariah prophesized here, is brought up again 500 years later in John 7.

John 7:37-38, "On the last day of the feast of booths, Jesus, in what one commentator refers to as being intentionally "dramatic", stands up at the temple in the midst of the Jerusalem Zechariah and his generation rebuilt, crying out "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, "Out of his heart will flow rivers of living waters."

We see a continuation of God conquering his enemies, cleansing his eternal dwelling place of all sin, consecrating everything single part of his new dwelling to himself. He has gathered for himself a people from among every nation of earth.

(5) God's eternal plan is a holy people in a holy place.

"The achievement of all God's desire in history is crowned not only with the eternal reign of Christ as Lord, but also in the presentation of a perfect and holy bride for God's Son... The picture is that of total and complete holiness... God's entire redemptive purpose and plan, reaching back into eternity and spinning out through the ages, has as its goal a perfectly holy people in a perfectly holy city." - Michael Phillips

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Arm Yourselves

June 11, 2025

Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, June 8, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 4:1-6 Prepare to suffer Is. 50:6-8a I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. 7 But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. 8 He who vindicates me is near. The martial language indicates that discipline and grit are needed to live the Christian life, particularly in view of the suffering believers encounter. -Thomas R. Schreiner Some people won’t like you if you follow Jesus When a culture abandons biblical standards, when extramarital sex, cohabitation, and birth outside of marriage become normal, people attack the church for its moral snobbery and judgmentalism. Peter warns us that if we do take a stand, we need to expect slander, not applause. -Daniel M. Dorian This is one of the hardest things a new Christian has to face. Your friends liked you because you shared in “the same flood of debauchery.” It seemed great fun at times, but then you came to embrace Christ… But your friends have not… They will be surprised when you say “No.” -Juan Sanchez. Keep an eternal perspective Our outcome is glorious Suffering is good for us Let’s remember that suffering accomplishes God’s purposes. It exposes what or whom we are trusting (1 Peter 1:6–7). - Juan Sanchez Ecc. 7:2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Discipleship Questions: Verse 1 tell us to arm ourselves by thinking as Christ did about suffering. How did Christ arm himself for and against sufferings? What does it look like for us to do that? Have you ever lost friendships (or had them change) because you were following Jesus? Do you fear that we (or our kids) will experience greater persecution in the future? If yes, how should we handle that fear?

I Believe That We Will Win

June 3, 2025

Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, June 1, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 3:18-22 Jesus suffered and died in order to bring us to God Jesus conquered death by his resurrection “A wonderful text is this, and a more obscure passage perhaps than any other in the New Testament, so that I do not know for a certainty just what Peter means.” —Martin Luther Problem #1 - he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison —Jesus preached through Noah to those who lived at that time (1 Peter 1:10–12) —Jesus proclaimed His victory to evil angels (see Genesis 6:1-4) Problem #2 - baptism now saves you —Scripture is clear - we are saved by grace not works —baptism pictures our salvation from God’s judgment through the resurrection of Christ “The waters of baptism, like the waters of the flood, demonstrate that destruction is at hand, but believers are rescued from these waters in that they are baptized with Christ, who has also emerged from the waters of death through his resurrection. Just as Noah was delivered through the stormy waters of the flood, believers have been saved through the stormy waters of baptism by virtue of Christ’s triumph over death.” —Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude —in baptism we are appealing to God for a good conscience "This appeal is an act of the heart looking away from itself and from all human instruments and calling on God, appealing to God, for grace to save.” —John Piper —in baptism we are pledging to God to live in a manner worthy of the gospel Jesus ascended to heaven and now reigns over everything “We can face suffering as Christians with confidence rather than panic, and hope rather than despair, because the road marked with Christian suffering is, no matter what its twists and turns are, the road to vindication and glory. The God who vindicated Jesus will vindicate you, and he will sustain your faith until that day.” –Juan R. Sanchez, 1 Peter For You Discipleship Questions: How does Jesus’ death and resurrection encourage us when we suffer? Why did we need Jesus to suffer and die to bring us to God? How does Jesus’ victory over death give us eternal hope? What are your thoughts regarding some of the problems in this passage? How does what Peter says about baptism elevate the importance of baptism? When were you baptized and how does this passage inform your understanding of baptism? How does knowing our victory is secured help us with all the things this life throws at us?

Who Can Be Against Us?

May 27, 2025

Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 3:13-17 Nobody can (truly) hurt Christians Psalm 118:6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? Rom. 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? The train of thought is as follows: “No one will be able to harm believers on the future day if they are zealous for good” (v. 13). Indeed, even present suffering is not a sign of punishment but of blessing both now and especially in the future, on the day when God rewards his people with eternal life. -Thomas R. Schreiner Honoring Christ Erases Fear Share your faith with strength and gentleness Embrace balance Be prepared to share The truth of the gospel is a public truth that can be defended in the public arena. This does not mean, of course, that every Christian is to be a highly skilled apologist for the faith. It does mean that every believer should grasp the essentials of the faith and should have the ability to explain to others why they think the Christian faith is true. -Thomas R. Schreiner Be prepared to suffer “I’ve spent a number of years in India and Africa where I found much righteous endeavor undertaken by Christians of all denominations; but I never, as it happens, came across a hospital or orphanage run by the Fabian Society [a British socialist organization], or a humanist leper colony.” -Malcolm Muggeridge Be bold! We will likely suffer as Christians in this world, but that suffering is slight and temporary compared to the eternal inheritance that awaits us. The worst thing that can happen to us is that we die and receive our promised inheritance. Can you imagine how emboldened Christians would be if we only believed what Peter is saying? -Juan R. Sanchez Discipleship Questions: Does the fact that nobody can (truly) harm us comfort you? What would change if we lived like we really believe that? Are you a more confident person as someone who knows Christ? Does your security in Christ embolden you to take some risks in life, knowing that the worst that could happen is death? How equipped / prepared are you to give a reason for the hope that you have? What would grow your confidence and competence in that? Have you considered joining Michael Clark one day for evangelism at the harbor? Well….you should….

"God's gonna cut you down..."