Well, good morning everyone.
Can I just get an indication that the microphone is on and working?
Yes, excellent, that is super.
Thank you for inviting us to come and join with you this morning.
My name is Martin Patterson, and I'm here with my wife Jennifer and our kids,
and we believe that it started at 11 o'clock this morning.
So we decided we would turn up at about 10.30 just for me to get prepped
and get a chance to stand up at the front and go through the microphone,
and it turns out that you had already started.
So we do apologize for dropping in halfway through the proceedings.
I'll be honest, as I looked through, I thought there must be a general meeting taking place at this point in time.
Why else would everybody else be there so early?
So thank you for your patience with us and bearing with us as we got here a little bit later.
We're going to spend some time this morning looking at the book of Zechariah,
and you might be sitting thinking, what on earth has this got to do with World Mission Sunday?
Why would we turn to this passage and part of God's Word?
To think about our purpose as God's people, as the church in the world of the 21st century.
I hope that what we can see in the passage this morning is that it has a lot to say
about what it means for us to be those who God has chosen as his people,
renewed through the gospel, and gives us hope through the wonderful man
who was to come to be the blessing for all the peoples of the world, Jesus Christ.
So as we turn, can I ask you to open up your Bibles to Zechariah chapter 8.
We'll concentrate our time there, and let me pray as we begin.
Father, as we take these moments now, we ask that in your grace and mercy,
you would allow your Word to be the highest rule amongst us.
You would allow your Holy Spirit to be our great and divine teacher,
and that through these things being so,
your greater glory seen in Christ Jesus would be our highest aim and end as we leave this place.
May the nations praise you,
and may we, Father, be obedient to your purpose, call, and will.
For we ask this in your Son Jesus' name. Amen.
Now, what I want us to see this morning is the necessity of faith in God's future purposes
for all the peoples of the world.
Bringing people from every part of the world,
from every language and nation,
is not something which is the concern for an elite few or an obsessive minority,
even though sometimes that is what it can feel like.
There are people who are really called to this,
and there are people who really, really, really are passionate about being global or mission-minded Christians.
I don't think that's what the Bible tells us is the norm for us as the church.
We are to be passionate about seeing God glorified and Christ exalted amongst the nations.
So this is something we need to be clear about.
This is not the concern of an elite few or an obsessive minority.
This is the future which God has in store for the entire cosmos.
To resound in praise and glory to the one who made all things,
and to the one who alone can save people who are rebels against him.
I think, in short, what I'm trying to say is this.
Mission is God's design, not ours.
So, how can we see this?
Look at the prophet Zechariah.
God's people are deeply discouraged.
That's the background.
They've been in exile for 70 years.
Things have not gone as they had expected,
and not necessarily gone as they had wanted.
And then you add to that 70 years another 20 years of opposition.
They have come back to the land which they had been ejected from.
They have faced opposition and torment from the different nations and peoples who surrounded them.
And what we see is a small spark of faith in God's promises,
where there should actually be a massive fire.
Because God has been faithful to what he has said,
that after 70 years you will come back to here.
And he has also been faithful in providing everything which they required
to get on with re-establishing themselves as God's people back in God's land.
And you see, for the people at this point in time,
the circumstances which surrounded them became the theme or the lens or the vision which shaped them.
They allowed what they saw around about them to become the defining factor
about who they are and about what their purpose was.
I think it's fair to say that this sort of despondency
is something which has not left God's people.
Too often the church can become like Plato in the midst of a culture
which begins to shape us rather than the church shaping that culture.
Our society and external pressures begin to mould us.
And the thought of popular opinion begins to be something which controls how we think and how we live.
When instead, we should have a bold vision of God's purposes for the future
which shape us in the present.
Faith in God's future purposes for all peoples is not grounded on wishful thinking
that somehow this stuff may or may not happen.
It is also not based on arrogant assumptions.
You may be here or listening in and you hear Christians talking about this message of God
that has to go to all the peoples of the world and it's arrogant.
Well, in one sense, it's either arrogant or it's absolutely true.
What Jesus has said either is completely false and it therefore is an arrogant statement
or it's absolutely true that he alone is the way to God,
the truth of God and the life which we all need.
Now, for us as God's people, we need to have a confident humility,
delighting to see beyond what is humanly possible
and possibly not to be content to operate within comfortable margins of acceptable society
so that the gospel of God will advance to all the peoples of the world
so that God would be glorified and that Christ would be made much of.
That's where we're heading this morning, okay?
That's what I want us to take on board and that's what I want us to shape our mind and our hearts
as we leave here today.
Three things that I want us to observe.
First of all, God's purposes for all peoples flow from his word.
God's purposes for all peoples are demonstrated by a renewed church.
And then finally, God's purposes for all peoples find their hope in Christ.
So let's crack on.
Let's go to the first one.
This is not so much a case of verse by verse going through this.
What you see are these things coming out time and again throughout this text.
First then, we can see that this sort of faith, this future-orientated faith
of what God is about to do and what God will do in the future
is grounded on a solid foundation and that is the word of God itself.
You can imagine that the deeply discouraged group of people
who are hearing this sermon of Zechariah as he preaches this message to them
thinking, yeah, mate, we've done this stuff before.
We've heard really excited, really exuberant, really passionate guys like you before
and it just, it's hard.
And it just doesn't seem to go that way.
People just oppose us and they keep saying to us, no, you can't do this
and this sounds like this and we're not going to let you build your buildings.
You see, the thing is, God's people can remain as spiritual Eeyores if they want to
but I don't think that that is the point of this passage
and I do not think that is the point of the Bible.
We are to give up that sort of spiritual Eeyore complex
where everything is just a little bit old.
We are to ground our thoughts and visions of the future
not in ourselves or in our culture
or what we think may possibly happen at some point, maybe in the future.
We are to ground what we can see about what is about to come
based on the word of God.
We are confronted with a message of hope in the word of the Lord
and what he is going to do.
Zechariah understands this.
16 different ways or 16 different times he uses a similar phrase
that thus says the Lord, the Lord says this throughout this chapter
and there is one thing that is very important for us
if we want to just take a little bit of Bible reading skills this morning.
If it is repeated a number of times we are probably to pay attention to it.
Zechariah is not saying something by himself.
Zechariah as he preaches is saying this is what the Lord says.
I am not coming to you as this passionate and exuberant guy
to change your lives.
I can't do that he says.
I am here to tell you today
people of Jerusalem, people of Judah
this is what the Lord says.
This is what he will do.
Here are his purposes.
Verse 7 and 8 act as an excellent example of that.
Thus says the Lord of hosts
Behold I will save my people from the east country
and from the west country
and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem
and they shall be my people
and I will be their God in faithfulness
and in righteousness.
He will gather his people together once again.
Now it doesn't become a reality in completeness in Zechariah's day
and to the fullest extent of what this is saying
it remains an incomplete picture in our own generation.
But what resounds out of this passage
is this
it will happen.
What God has said
God will accomplish.
That from east and west
that the nations
will be drawn to his people
and God will delight to be their God
in faithfulness
and in righteousness.
All of these statements that you hear
are future focused.
They are incomplete in the present
which means that
they needed to
and we also today
need to exercise
that wonderful gift God gives to us
called faith.
And as we begin to exercise
the gift of faith
it means this
our actions should look
absolutely crazy.
What we do with our lives
should look absolutely crazy.
That we would take time
in our busy week
with young families
or caring for older relatives
to pray for people
we have never met
in parts of the world
we didn't even realise existed
and say to God
please would you bring your kingdom amongst them.
Please would you bring salvation to them.
It means that we would be investing our resources
in unreached peoples
because we realise
that upgrading our lifestyle
and our accommodation
is not as important
as people who don't know Jesus
coming to know him.
It means spending our lives
in another part of the world
forgotten, unknown
and die in a place
where people probably won't remember us.
because we recognise
that to follow Christ
is more valuable than life.
You see these actions
and these attitudes
are either crazy
or they are supposed to be
the normal activity
of God's people
in response to the word of the Lord.
Effectively we are being asked
a question by God
I will bring in the nations
I will bring in the peoples
I will restore my people
I will achieve the purposes
that I have set for
from the beginning of time.
Now as my people
what is your response?
Will you be obedient
to my word
and to the call
of me
to you as my people?
And will you exercise faith
in seeing this wonderful purpose
I have
come to completion?
This is what I love
is that we could be in Columbia
we could be in Glasgow
we could be in Edinburgh
you could be anywhere
and God
by the power of his spirit
through his word
comes to meet with us
in a little church
in a little city in Scotland
presences himself
with his people
and asks us
will you trust me?
Will you hear my voice
and will you trust me?
Will you follow me
into my purposes
and will you hear
what it is
that I am going to accomplish
and will you journey
and join with me
in announcing the fame
and the glory
of my son
to the nations?
So here's a question
to ask
how are you exercising faith
in God's purposes
for the peoples of the world
in light of what he communicates
in his word?
how do you do that?
How does what is going to come
the future orientation
of this passage
or sections like
Revelation chapter 4
5
21
22
how do they shape
how you act
in the present
and what you set
as the agenda
and the goal
of the life
God has given to you?
so God's purposes
for all peoples
are
they flow
from his word
we see that
I think quite clearly
but we also see
that his purposes
are demonstrated
by a renewed church
I've said here
yes by a renewed people
but in our time
by a renewed church
I think you see that
particularly
verses 1
through 6
and 9 through 19
discouragement
is hard to shake
when it sets in
and that's something
that we can see
in God's people
all you need to do
is take
a couple of minutes
and if you look at sports
in general
I just
I'm just going to pause
for 10 seconds
I love sports
you could literally
put me in front of anything
I'd be quite happy
to watch it
golf, tennis, formula one
rally driving, football
I mean anything
I'm happy to watch it
and one thing that happens
is that when someone
makes a mistake
it can be compounded
by another
and another
and that discouragement
tends to lead them
not to be
performing to the best
of their abilities
now I'm not saying
the church is meant
to perform
in that sense
but we can
become discouraged
very quickly
and when that
discouragement sets in
it's very hard for us
to change the direction
of travel
years later
we see
that the people of God
who have been delivered
just as God had said
70 years you're going
to be in captivity
I'm going to send you
back after 70 years
not a problem
20 years down the line
since that has happened
and they are still
celebrating feasts
verses 18 and 19
which commemorate
some of their greatest losses
and disappointments
and failures
I mean
God has been good
to them
and he has sent them
back just as he said
he would
and they're still
quite happy to say
oh yeah I know
but it's just not
quite working out
how it's supposed to
oh dear
because when
discouragement
sets in
it is hard
to shake
and we can
begin to make
one
not necessarily
completely silly
but one poor decision
after another
based on that
rather than
hearing what it is
God is saying
and allowing that
to set the agenda
however
Zechariah explains
to them
and to us as well
that God's delight
is to work
in such a way
not to leave
his people
in despondency
and in discouragement
but to renew
his people
and to demonstrate
through them
this is amazing
to demonstrate
through them
something of the
glorious purposes
that he has
for the entirety
of the cosmos
the people
have been disparaged
by the nations
for a long time
you see that
in verse 13
you become a byword
in cursing
amongst the nations
and they've come
under God's judgment
because they've
abandoned the role
that he gave them
which is to be
his treasured possession
they would rather
have had pleasure
and acceptance
among the nations
look at verse 9 and 10
or even verse 14
sorry
thus says the Lord
let your hands be strong
you who in these days
have been hearing
these words
from the mouth
of the prophets
who were present
on the day
of the foundation
of the house
of the Lord
of hosts
for those
before those days
there was no wage
for man
or any wage
for beasts
neither was there
any safety
for them
from the fro
every man
was set
against his name
things were not
working out
the way they were
supposed to
they had abandoned
and so they were
receiving the curse
that God had said
but God was once again
near to his people
that's why Zechariah's
sermon is stunning
he starts off
and says
guys
I want you to
realize something
God is delighting
to be amongst
his people
once again
verse 2
thus says
the Lord
of hosts
I am jealous
for Zion
with great jealousy
and I am jealous
for her
with great wrath
thus says
the Lord
I have returned
to Zion
and will dwell
in the midst
of Jerusalem
and Jerusalem
shall be called
the faithful city
and the mountain
of the Lord
of hosts
the holy mountain
he's going to
transform everyday
lives
verses 11 to 12
so that they would
live as he had
intended
acting as a beacon
of hope
for the nations
which we see
in verses 16
and 17
God's nearer
presence to his
people
leads to there
being a wonderful
transformation
amongst his
people
if they pay
attention
and if they
are obedient
to what he
says
verses 16
and 17
says this
these are the
things that you
shall do
people of God
speak the truth
to one another
render in your
gates judgments
that are true
and that make
for peace
do not devise
evil in your
hearts against
one another
and love no
false oath
for all these
things I hate
declares the
Lord
God's purpose
in renewing
his people
was to display
his glory
through his
people for all
the nations to
see and hear
first hand
this is the
God who
doesn't just
raise people up
cast them off
and forget all
about them
this is the
God who
offers grace
and mercy
to a thousand
generations of
those who
fear him
and who are
obedient to his
call to
repentance
God puts
his people
on display
in the midst
of that land
and he
puts this
church
and your
life on
display in
front of all
the peoples
around about
us
to say
here is the
God of
grace and
mercy
you're a
profound bunch
of mess
ups
Martin
Jennifer
and family
but I am
gracious
and I
renew
and I
restore
the church
are the
people of
God
that have
been saved
by his
grace and
mercy in
Christ
they are
gathered
together
to live
in peace
to speak
truth
to seek
justice
to stand
up against
that which
is evil
in the eyes
of the
Lord
we are
not a
monastery
of detached
living
from the
21st
century
we are
to become
an active
community
among the
peoples of
the world
living for
the fame
of God's
name
to be
known
honoured
trusted
loved
cherished
and exalted
but
discouragement
can lead us
to 21st
century
monasteries
you've
been there
I've been
there
it's just
so much
easier
isn't it
I mean
there's no
point in
pretending
you've not
been there
we've all
been there
it's nice
it's cosy
you can put
a fire
on
you can
maybe read
a nice
Christian
book
and pretend
that it's
all fine
and the
reality is
quite different
God calls
us as his
people to
put faith
into action
in radical
ways so
that his
glory may
be received
among the
peoples of
the world
and you
might sit
and think
Martin
this is all
too much
you just
calm it down
a little bit
this is a bit
too much
I don't know
how I fit
into this
I don't know
how this
is going
to happen
and in
one sense
I would say
that's part
of the
point
it's meant
to feel
too much
it's meant
to feel
beyond
our capacity
it's meant
to feel
beyond
our ability
because that
leads us
away from
self-reliance
and dependence
towards
dependence on
the one
who has
promised
that he
will achieve
and accomplish
this purpose
what Zechariah
is preaching
seems to me
a message
of gospel
renewal
the people
were not
to take
confidence
in themselves
but to
turn back
again
to God
they were
to turn
back again
to God
and recognize
they depend
on him
for the breath
that they
take next
the drink
of wine
that they've
had
and for
putting
the bricks
in the wall
of the
buildings
that they
were making
in the land
and I would
suggest today
that the church
in Scotland
needs this
sort of gospel
renewal
again
a genuine
hope filled
confidence
that God
has said
what he
has said
that he
is full
of grace
and mercy
that he
loves to
welcome in
repentant
sinners
and that
his gospel
is the
truth
that all
of the
peoples
of the
world
need to
hear
this sort
of renewal
in our
minds
and hearts
will radically
alter what
it is
that we
do
with our
lives
and that
can be
something
which is
scary
it can be
something
which pushes
us way
outside of
what we
will be
comfortable
with
but God
meets us
here with
his
authoritative
beauty
do you
see that
in verses
13 and
15
twice
within a
couple of
verses
he says
fear not
let your
hands be
strong
verse 13
and then
15
I have
purposed
in these
days to
bring good
to Jerusalem
and to the
house of
Judah
fear
not
are you
scared
about what
gospel
renewal
might mean
for your
life
quite happy
to coast
along
with Christ
because you
know that he
is gracious
that he
is kind
and that
you'll see
him one
day and
yes we
will be
accepted
and loved
by him
but to
truly be
renewed
to truly
be transformed
to truly
offer over
our lives
in complete
and utter
wholeness
and fullness
to him
that just
seems past
what I
want to
do
and he
says to
you this
morning
fear not
I have
purpose
to do
good
what might
that gospel
renewal look
like for us
as disciples
in our everyday
lives with our
families with
our career
choices with
the subjects
that we
study
with our
leisure time
or as a
church what
might gospel
renewal mean
for us in
terms of our
commitment to
seeing the
gospel take
wings and
fly throughout
the world
for the glory
of Christ to
be known
amongst
peoples who
have yet to
hear his
name from
a little
church in
a little
city in
Scotland
what might
that look
like
thirdly and
finally
we see
God's
purposes for
all peoples
find their
hope in
Christ
as Zechariah
ends his
sermon of
encouragement
for the
people of
God
he leaves
the most
staggering
and best
bit
till the
very end
it's
lovely
it's
stunning
let's just
read it
again
verse 20
through 23
says this
thus says
the Lord
of hosts
people
shall yet
come
even the
inhabitants
of many
cities
the inhabitants
of one
city
shall go
to another
saying
let us
go at
once
to entreat
the favour
of the
Lord
and to
seek
the
Lord
of hosts
I
myself
am going
many
peoples
and strong
nations
shall
come
to seek
the
Lord
of hosts
in
Jerusalem
and to
entreat
the favour
of the
Lord
thus says
the Lord
of hosts
in those
days
ten men
from the
nations
of every
tongue
shall
take
hold
of the
robe
of a
Jew
saying
let us
go
with
you
for
we
have
heard
that
God
is
with
you
there
will
be
people
from
everywhere
and
every
people
and
every
language
and
every
nation
who
will
come
into
the
presence
of
the
Lord
as a
result
of
one
person
one
man
from
Judah
do you
hear the
future
aspect
of what
Zechariah
is saying
he's not
saying
look this
isn't
necessarily
going to
happen
right now
yes in
some ways
it would
have
happened
but a
little bit
like how
Paul
speaks
it's
like a
dim
reflection
of what
becomes
the
reality
that we
can now
see
the people
of God
are preparing
seeking
renewal
obeying
God's
word
and they
are waiting
and they
are waiting
and they
are waiting
and they
are waiting
and they
are waiting
and one
day
Christ
pierce
the
Bethlehem
sky
as the
tiny
screams
of
infancy
which are
pregnant
with
salvation
resound
Jesus
is the
true
Hebrew
the
true
Jew
the
only
hope
for
God's
people
and the
only
hope
for
every
nation
in
the
world
he
alone
is the
only
true
savior
and he
is the
person
who
fulfills
this
section
perfectly
something
which I
hope you
can see
on this
side of
the cross
and the
empty
tomb
we no
longer
need to
wait
to see
who it
is
that
leads
the
nations
into
the
presence
of
God
where
the
peace
of
God
is
offered
to
all
peoples
we
can
say
with
absolute
certainty
our
Jesus
who
died
and who
rose
again
is
that
man
and
what
is
staggering
is
that
the
hope
of
all
peoples
to
go
with
one
who
God
is
with
has
an
even
greater
fulfillment
because
he is
not
just
one
who
God
is
with
he
is
the
God
who
is
with
us
it
is
Jesus
who
leads
the
people
into
the
presence
of
God
and
announces
peace
with
all
who
will
hear
no
wonder
the
people
are
willing
to
sacrifice
their
security
that's
what
we're
supposed
to
take
when
it
says
in
verse
20
and
21
we're
just
going
to
leave
our
city
cities
are
places
of
security
cities
are
places
where
people's
jobs
and
their
families
they're
saying
we're
going to
leave
that
we're
going to
let
that
go
we're
going to
go
with
this
part
because
something
unbelievable
is found
with him
they wanted
to be
counted as
part
of the
people
of God
because
they
recognized
there
this is
the
picture
which
Zechariah
is given
by the
Lord
has the
motivation
for his
people
to
continue
to
exercise
faith
in
God's
purposes
and
promises
the
nations
will
join
in
worshipping
the
Lord
one
day
the
earth
will
resound
to the
praise
of
God's
glory
as
the
waters
cover
the
sea
one
day
we
will
know
the
reality
of
Jesus
words
hallowed
be
your
name
may
your
kingdom
come
and
your
will
be
done
on
earth
as
it
is
in
heaven
we
will
know
that
in
its
fullness
one
day
you know
unlike
the people
who
received
this
message
in
Zechariah's
day
we have
the
privilege
of
knowing
Christ
more
clearly
but
also
to
see
that
God's
future
purposes
for
all
peoples
to
know
him
are
founded
on
his
words
and
they
are
coming
to
fruition
we
live
in
a
day
where
we
should
not
become
despondent
but
we
should
become
encouraged
we
live
in
a
particular
time
in
a
particular
generation
where
we
can
say
with
absolute
authority
and
confidence
that
what
God
said
he
would
do
to
build
his
church
to
bring
people
from
all
the
nations
to
repentance
faith
and
obedience
in
him
we
see
it
happening
before
our
very
eyes
if
we
take
the
time
to
look
up
and
out
from
where
we
find
ourselves
and
it
would
be
a
great
encouragement
to
the
church
in
Scotland
there
are
people
who
are
flooding
to
know
God
all
over
the
world
and
that
should
bring
us
joy
and
gladness
it
should
give
us
confidence
that
what
he
has
said
he
is
actually
doing
and
so
therefore
we
are
motivated
by
him
by
his
word
being
fulfilled
in
our
generation
to
continue
on
in
faithful
obedience
yet
there
still
remains
places
all
over
the
world
where
Jesus
is
yet
to
be
known
I had
the
privilege
a number
of
years
back
to
go
to
a
particular
country
and
visit
the
second
biggest
Tibetan
Buddhist
monastery
outside
of
Lhasa
who
knows
about
Jesus
there
as
you
walk
through
the
streets
and
idols
are
being
crafted
in
front
of
you
and
prayer
wheels
are
being
manufactured
by
pretty
much
every
shop
on
the
street
where
flags
which
wave
in
the
wind
will
potentially
offer
prayers
to
heaven
and
ascend
for
your
next
birth
when
we
can
tell
people
about
the
amazing
hope
that
there
is
new
birth
in
Jesus
Christ
that
we
have
certainty
and
hope
that
God
will
not
deal
with
us
as
our
sins
deserve
but
he
will
give
us
everything
we
don't
deserve
because
of
the
righteousness
of
his
son
people
will
live
and die
without
hearing
the
gospel
of
God
maybe
never
encounter
a
believer
certainly
never
come
across
an
active
church
how
comfortable
does
that
make
you
feel
I
think
that
is
where
the
rubber
then
hits
the
road
for
us
it
may
be
that
we
are
discouraged
and
our
circumstances
are
confusing
but
like
the
Old
Testament
people
of
God
we
must
be
willing
to
live
our
lives
with
such
a
future
focused
audacity
in the
purposes
of
God
amongst
all
the
peoples
of
the
world
and
for
his
glory
that
we
would
make
different
decisions
in the
present
for the
eternal
well-being
of many
so that
those
who would
be
wanderers
would
join
with
us
as
worshippers
so that
those
who have
never
heard
the
voice
of
Jesus
would
hear
him
say
come
to
me
and
rest
because
I
will
provide
rest
for
your
souls
let me
pray
in light
of what
we've
heard
and then
we'll
sing
together
as we
finish
the time
of
worship
father your
word is
designed to
unsettle us
from
the
comfortable
rhythm and
rut that we
often put
ourselves in
and so
my prayer is
for all
of us
as your
people
that you
would
remind us
that you
have
communicated
to us
by your
word
and that
you're
speaking
with
authority
with
beauty
and with
truth
into all
of our
lives
is
designed
to bring
about
renewal
to bring
us to
faith in
Christ
Jesus
for the
very first
time
and I
pray
father
that if
there are
people
who are
hearing
and don't
yet know
you that
that would
be the
case for
them today
but for
those who
do that
we would
be renewed
for the
thousandth or
ten thousandth
time in
the truth
that God
has sent
his son
to renew
me
his wounds
make me
whole
his blood
speaks a
better word
and from
that father
we would
recognize that
he alone is
the one who
is the hope
of all
peoples
and that
that would
enable us
to have such
a future
focused
audacity
that we
would live
life to a
very different
drumbeat in
the present
so that the
nations would
know
and then there
would be many
come on
bended knee
to give
praises to
our God
and King
for we
praise you
in him
our Lord
Jesus
amen
well let's
finish up
our time
this morning
thank you
for allowing
me to
spend time
with you
in God's
word today
we're going
to sing
this wonderful
hymn
across the
lands
which speaks
of God's
purposes
coming to
their fulfillment
let's stand
and sing
praise to
our God