WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.580 I want to begin reading from Hebrews chapters 10, 11 and 12, reading around a famous portion 00:00:11.580 --> 00:00:18.199 about the cloud of witnesses, those Old Testament believers who set an example of persevering 00:00:18.199 --> 00:00:18.820 faith for us. 00:00:18.820 --> 00:00:22.120 But I want to begin Hebrews 10 and verse 32. 00:00:22.120 --> 00:00:31.200 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light when you endured in a great conflict 00:00:31.200 --> 00:00:31.980 full of suffering. 00:00:32.780 --> 00:00:36.320 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution. 00:00:37.160 --> 00:00:40.520 At other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 00:00:40.760 --> 00:00:46.579 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your 00:00:46.579 --> 00:00:52.299 property because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 00:00:53.039 --> 00:00:55.339 So do not throw away your confidence. 00:00:55.640 --> 00:00:57.719 It will be richly rewarded. 00:00:58.560 --> 00:01:03.379 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what 00:01:03.379 --> 00:01:04.140 he has promised. 00:01:04.140 --> 00:01:09.340 For in just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay. 00:01:09.879 --> 00:01:16.000 And, but my righteous one will live by faith and I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:16.420 back. 00:01:16.579 --> 00:01:22.179 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith 00:01:22.179 --> 00:01:23.280 and are saved. 00:01:24.019 --> 00:01:30.379 Now, faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 00:01:31.000 --> 00:01:34.200 This is what the ancients were commended for. 00:01:35.019 --> 00:01:38.879 And then you have in chapter 11 that great cloud of witnesses. 00:01:39.079 --> 00:01:41.819 And then chapter 12, verse 1. 00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:46.420 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, 00:01:46.420 --> 00:01:51.859 let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. 00:01:51.859 --> 00:01:58.939 And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer 00:01:58.939 --> 00:02:00.560 and perfecter of faith. 00:02:01.060 --> 00:02:07.859 For the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at 00:02:07.859 --> 00:02:09.740 the right hand of the throne of God. 00:02:09.740 --> 00:02:23.260 And now again, at the end of the book of Haggai. 00:02:23.259 --> 00:02:25.500 Now, the last four verses. 00:02:26.419 --> 00:02:28.459 Chapter 2, verse 20. 00:02:28.460 --> 00:02:32.200 The word of the Lord came to Haggai a second time. 00:02:32.900 --> 00:02:38.860 On the 24th day of the month, tells Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, that I am going to shake 00:02:38.860 --> 00:02:40.260 the heavens and the earth. 00:02:40.980 --> 00:02:45.080 I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. 00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:48.060 I will overthrow chariots and their drivers. 00:02:48.580 --> 00:02:52.400 Horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother. 00:02:52.400 --> 00:02:58.640 On that day, declares the Lord Almighty, I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, 00:02:58.819 --> 00:03:04.920 declares the Lord, and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares 00:03:04.920 --> 00:03:07.140 the Lord Almighty. 00:03:09.960 --> 00:03:20.060 Right, let's turn for the last time to the book of Haggai and think about working and waiting. 00:03:20.060 --> 00:03:27.300 I imagine we all appreciate and understand the power of encouragement, encouraging words. 00:03:27.819 --> 00:03:34.479 It's something that we try and instill in others, perhaps, or has helped us to keep going. 00:03:34.640 --> 00:03:36.480 Things like, don't give up. 00:03:37.520 --> 00:03:39.659 It's worth waiting for. 00:03:39.719 --> 00:03:42.240 It's going to be worth working hard at. 00:03:42.340 --> 00:03:43.719 Keep on going. 00:03:43.719 --> 00:03:52.020 As parents, we tell our children that as they want to learn new skills or as they face new challenges in their education. 00:03:52.939 --> 00:03:59.719 For our older teenagers and students, it's a message that needs to be heard when there's so much uncertainty 00:04:00.460 --> 00:04:08.599 and confusion about education now to imagine that things will get better, that there are prospects for them. 00:04:08.599 --> 00:04:20.079 In the projects that we engage in, in the setbacks that we endure, words of encouragement can often help us to stay the course 00:04:20.079 --> 00:04:22.180 when otherwise we might want to give up. 00:04:23.159 --> 00:04:26.420 And the Bible encourages persevering faith. 00:04:26.500 --> 00:04:28.259 That's why we read from the book of Hebrews. 00:04:28.620 --> 00:04:29.659 It's a great example. 00:04:30.980 --> 00:04:34.379 There, discouraged believers are told, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. 00:04:34.379 --> 00:04:36.740 He is the author of your faith. 00:04:37.139 --> 00:04:39.040 He began it and he is the perfecter of your faith. 00:04:39.100 --> 00:04:41.159 And he'll defend your faith. 00:04:42.399 --> 00:04:53.699 There's those great clouds of witnesses who were able, by faith, to keep hoping, to keep trusting, to keep obeying. 00:04:53.699 --> 00:05:06.399 We're told to set our eyes on the prize, to consider the goal of our faith, to ultimately, to so anticipate life with God, 00:05:06.500 --> 00:05:11.139 life with Jesus, our Saviour, that would encourage us to keep on going. 00:05:11.219 --> 00:05:17.319 But the challenge is that we live in an instant age, don't we? 00:05:17.860 --> 00:05:20.459 Where we expect everything now. 00:05:20.459 --> 00:05:23.379 We want our best life now. 00:05:23.699 --> 00:05:26.120 And the idea of waiting can be really hard. 00:05:26.919 --> 00:05:37.199 I read a couple of articles this week, in a sense, reminding the world that because we live in an instant culture, 00:05:38.039 --> 00:05:40.759 it can be very hard to share the gospel. 00:05:40.859 --> 00:05:43.919 Maybe especially with that group known as Generation Z. 00:05:44.679 --> 00:05:49.240 So if you're 10 to 24 years of age, you're Generation Z, in case you didn't know that. 00:05:49.240 --> 00:05:58.740 And when you're used to technology and making everything instant, instant access to information, to entertainment, whatever it may be, 00:05:58.939 --> 00:06:01.840 the idea of waiting really hard. 00:06:02.560 --> 00:06:06.319 And we discover in the Christian life, God's timetable often doesn't match ours. 00:06:07.100 --> 00:06:08.420 And that's a real challenge to us. 00:06:08.540 --> 00:06:11.680 Faith is to be future focused. 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:15.480 And that's really hard when we want to live in the moment. 00:06:15.600 --> 00:06:19.780 And so it's important for us, as we're communicating faith to a younger generation, 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:27.860 to bear in mind the realities we enjoy right now of hope and peace and purpose and meaning and joy. 00:06:28.019 --> 00:06:33.379 Those are realities now, but also encourage a different focus on the future at the same time. 00:06:33.379 --> 00:06:38.920 But anyway, here we are back on the temple building site with Haggai. 00:06:39.019 --> 00:06:44.259 We hear God's last words to Zerubbabel, Joshua and the remnant. 00:06:45.159 --> 00:06:47.420 Those words that come through Haggai. 00:06:47.540 --> 00:06:48.800 And it's words of encouragement. 00:06:49.920 --> 00:06:51.360 To keep on working. 00:06:51.920 --> 00:06:53.019 To keep on building. 00:06:53.240 --> 00:06:56.839 And to keep on waiting. 00:06:56.839 --> 00:07:03.919 And there's a reality that we don't always get a sense of here, but history bears out. 00:07:04.339 --> 00:07:12.859 The reality for Zerubbabel and the others is that while they had this promise that the wealth of the nations would stream in 00:07:12.859 --> 00:07:17.120 when God shook the heavens and the earth, they wouldn't see that reality. 00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:26.219 Zerubbabel is told he'll be God's signet ring, but he won't be a powerful king. 00:07:26.220 --> 00:07:29.060 In fact, he'll very quickly fade off the pages of history. 00:07:30.320 --> 00:07:37.180 There is a wonderful promise for the people of God, but they won't have their glory restored. 00:07:38.420 --> 00:07:40.520 But they have a promise. 00:07:40.760 --> 00:07:41.760 A day is coming. 00:07:42.760 --> 00:07:46.260 And more than that, a glorious future victorious king is coming. 00:07:46.480 --> 00:07:50.080 So they're encouraged to work and they're encouraged to wait. 00:07:50.079 --> 00:07:57.979 It kind of makes sense in our Advent season that we find ourselves in that we have this theme of waiting. 00:07:58.479 --> 00:08:04.500 Zerubbabel and the people, they had to wait and they had to work for you and me today. 00:08:04.759 --> 00:08:06.740 We are also waiting and working. 00:08:06.860 --> 00:08:12.159 Now we, unlike them, we have seen the first coming of Jesus, our king. 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:21.800 We have that evidence of his decisive victory over Satan's sin and death to give us forgiveness and new life and new hope. 00:08:22.200 --> 00:08:23.300 But we're also waiting. 00:08:23.460 --> 00:08:27.520 We're waiting for his return, for his return to make everything new, including us. 00:08:27.700 --> 00:08:31.660 And in the meantime, we too are called to work by faith. 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:34.240 And we'll think about that as we go. 00:08:34.240 --> 00:08:46.779 So, first word of encouragement from God through Haggai for Zerubbabel and the people is that they are to wait for God's future salvation. 00:08:47.980 --> 00:08:50.519 So again, remember, Zerubbabel is working here. 00:08:50.799 --> 00:08:54.600 He is overseeing the rebuilding project. 00:08:56.220 --> 00:08:58.519 He wants God to be central. 00:08:58.659 --> 00:09:03.019 He wants the temple to be central to the life of the people of God. 00:09:03.019 --> 00:09:10.939 He wants God to return in glory that that would make for restoration and renewal for the nation. 00:09:11.620 --> 00:09:18.699 He wants to establish, once again, this place of sacrifice and this place of worship so they can enjoy access to God. 00:09:18.899 --> 00:09:23.059 And God gives him a promise through Haggai. 00:09:23.740 --> 00:09:24.340 Verse 21. 00:09:24.340 --> 00:09:29.300 God tells Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, that I'm going to shake the heavens and the earth. 00:09:29.899 --> 00:09:33.340 I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. 00:09:33.940 --> 00:09:36.040 I will overthrow chariots and their drivers. 00:09:36.220 --> 00:09:39.700 Horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother. 00:09:40.540 --> 00:09:41.879 God's promise is this. 00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:43.600 I will act. 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:49.899 I will act in cosmic judgment on the nations, which will mean salvation for the people of God. 00:09:51.240 --> 00:09:53.340 A shaking of the heavens and the earth. 00:09:53.480 --> 00:09:56.840 If I had a snow globe, I would hold it up at this point. 00:09:56.940 --> 00:10:05.399 You know, imagine a snow globe when you shake it up or you turn it upside down and the street scene of the little village is on its head. 00:10:05.399 --> 00:10:07.659 And everything's all a blur and a whirl. 00:10:08.379 --> 00:10:13.559 And God is going to come and shake all things in a decisive way. 00:10:13.639 --> 00:10:19.399 One day soon, as Zerubbabel is told, empires will be overturned. 00:10:20.379 --> 00:10:21.720 Enemies will be defeated. 00:10:22.179 --> 00:10:24.399 The rule of God will be firmly established. 00:10:24.399 --> 00:10:34.659 And it's important for us to recognise that God through Haggai is choosing his language very deliberately. 00:10:35.879 --> 00:10:43.759 As a way to remind Zerubbabel and the people to look forward, to look back rather, so that they might keep looking forward with hope. 00:10:45.379 --> 00:10:54.079 It would certainly call to their mind the great song of the sea that Moses and the people sang after knowing freedom from Egypt. 00:10:54.080 --> 00:10:56.000 So Exodus 15 verses 3 and 4. 00:10:56.060 --> 00:10:56.940 The Lord is a warrior. 00:10:57.100 --> 00:10:58.379 The Lord is his name. 00:10:58.920 --> 00:11:01.900 Pharaoh's chariots and his army he has hurled in the sea. 00:11:02.340 --> 00:11:03.360 It's very like Haggai too. 00:11:04.060 --> 00:11:10.860 Or we might think of the words of Rahab at the beginning of the conquest of the promised land by the people of God. 00:11:11.500 --> 00:11:13.200 She speaks to the spies. 00:11:13.340 --> 00:11:14.500 In Joshua 2 verse 9. 00:11:14.620 --> 00:11:19.160 I know that the Lord has given this land to you and a great fear of you has fallen on us. 00:11:19.159 --> 00:11:27.600 We have heard how God dried up the water of the Red Sea and what you did to Sion and Og whom you completely destroyed. 00:11:28.120 --> 00:11:29.240 And the point is this. 00:11:29.639 --> 00:11:37.419 The God of the Exodus, the God of the conquest of the promised land is still the all-powerful God. 00:11:37.839 --> 00:11:39.620 And he is still their God. 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:43.079 And he is still working for the salvation of his people. 00:11:43.519 --> 00:11:45.319 And that's good news for Zerubbabel. 00:11:45.939 --> 00:11:47.179 That's good news for us. 00:11:47.179 --> 00:11:50.899 The hope is not in our working. 00:11:52.099 --> 00:11:57.819 The hope is that we wait on God because he will work and he will work in salvation. 00:11:57.979 --> 00:12:01.939 So we are to wait on God and trust his salvation. 00:12:02.899 --> 00:12:05.379 Why does this matter for us today? 00:12:06.439 --> 00:12:12.219 Well, we too must look back to give hope for our future. 00:12:12.220 --> 00:12:18.940 So we recognise that the church, that the Old Testament history is also our story. 00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:28.040 So those great acts of judgement and salvation are intended to give strength to our faith. 00:12:28.039 --> 00:12:37.939 But more than that, more than Zerubbabel and the people of his day, we look back at that decisive moment of judgement and salvation. 00:12:38.099 --> 00:12:44.740 The cross and the resurrection where Jesus is judged in our place for our sins. 00:12:44.740 --> 00:12:48.820 Bearing our guilt and shame and facing the anger of God. 00:12:48.820 --> 00:12:54.500 And our salvation is secured as he dies in our place. 00:12:54.540 --> 00:13:01.060 As he takes our sin and he credits his perfect righteousness to us, giving us forgiveness and giving us new life. 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:04.940 And then he rises from the dead on the third day in victory. 00:13:05.420 --> 00:13:07.260 And salvation is secure. 00:13:07.259 --> 00:13:15.279 And that past event is to give us hope that final salvation will surely come. 00:13:15.740 --> 00:13:28.960 When Jesus comes, he will ensure that his people will be with him to enjoy him forever in a perfectly restored world. 00:13:29.779 --> 00:13:33.000 And to enjoy that, you and I need to have faith. 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:44.200 So this word of encouragement, wait for God's future salvation, it's also important because it stands as the answer to our discouragement. 00:13:44.980 --> 00:13:55.980 When we feel worn down, and in a sense who hasn't felt worn down this year, our answer is to look to God's faithfulness. 00:13:56.519 --> 00:13:59.980 Just as the author to the Hebrews was speaking to the people in his day. 00:13:59.980 --> 00:14:10.100 We look and we listen to that cloud of witnesses who had faith beyond what their eyes could see. 00:14:10.820 --> 00:14:20.840 Who had faith that God was working things out for good despite great difficulties and trials and challenges in their life. 00:14:21.060 --> 00:14:23.740 We listen to the cloud of witnesses that we find in the Bible. 00:14:24.259 --> 00:14:26.120 That we find in the history of the church. 00:14:26.120 --> 00:14:32.320 Indeed, in the experience and the testimonies of one another to God's faithfulness. 00:14:32.700 --> 00:14:35.740 To our promise-making, promise-keeping God. 00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:43.919 That the answer to our discouragement is that we would encourage one another to see the faithfulness of our God. 00:14:43.919 --> 00:14:51.339 And this message about waiting for God's future salvation is also critically important. 00:14:52.339 --> 00:15:00.779 Because future judgment, future salvation, we are told, will come and it will come soon. 00:15:01.500 --> 00:15:06.539 We have the parables, the kingdom parables of Jesus. 00:15:06.539 --> 00:15:13.579 Where he pictures himself, for example, as a king who goes away for a time. 00:15:14.500 --> 00:15:23.480 But he returns and when he returns he expects a household who are prepared, who are working for him. 00:15:24.639 --> 00:15:28.579 And so we must be prepared for the certain return of Jesus. 00:15:28.580 --> 00:15:32.259 We must have our faith in him. 00:15:32.600 --> 00:15:35.540 Not in our own working, but in the working of God. 00:15:36.180 --> 00:15:40.460 In his finished work on the cross and through the resurrection. 00:15:41.200 --> 00:15:45.920 But we too must be about the business of Jesus. 00:15:46.060 --> 00:15:47.040 We must be working. 00:15:47.180 --> 00:15:51.860 We must be spreading his glory through the world. 00:15:51.920 --> 00:15:54.540 We must be sharing his love with others. 00:15:54.539 --> 00:16:03.000 We must be communicating in our work, in our words, in our witness, the hope that comes from knowing and trusting Jesus. 00:16:04.199 --> 00:16:06.240 So we wait for God's future salvation. 00:16:06.599 --> 00:16:12.779 And we also, in verse 23, second word of encouragement, we wait for God's victorious king. 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:19.559 Now, the internet really does teach you about anything and everything, doesn't it? 00:16:19.740 --> 00:16:21.099 From the weird to the wonderful. 00:16:21.100 --> 00:16:32.139 Well, I was reading this week in the Gentleman's Gazette on the topic of what is a signet ring and how to wear them like a gentleman. 00:16:33.379 --> 00:16:44.720 So if you ever need advice, gents among us, the Gentleman's Gazette is the place to go for how, where and why to get yourself a fashionable signet ring. 00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:49.200 And they actually spoke about the history of the signet ring. 00:16:49.480 --> 00:16:52.160 It was a form of identification. 00:16:53.700 --> 00:17:03.019 It also was a way to show the job title you had, the family you belonged to, the rank that you enjoyed. 00:17:03.019 --> 00:17:14.639 The signet ring was a seal for a letter to give proof of the authority of the contents to ensure that nobody tampered with it. 00:17:15.160 --> 00:17:23.200 And for many cultures over thousands of years, the signet ring has been an important sign of status, confidence, authority. 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:27.779 And here's this rich promise of Haggai 2 verse 23. 00:17:28.420 --> 00:17:35.740 On that day, declares the Lord Almighty, I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, declares the Lord, and I will make you like my signet ring. 00:17:36.220 --> 00:17:39.100 For I have chosen you, declares the Lord Almighty. 00:17:39.559 --> 00:17:45.580 Zerubbabel will be like God's signet ring, God's entrusted agent with God's authority. 00:17:45.579 --> 00:17:57.319 And this is wonderful news for many reasons, but one of the wonderful messages of this is that it means that a former curse has been reversed. 00:17:58.159 --> 00:18:00.579 And I'm trying to find Jeremiah 22. 00:18:01.539 --> 00:18:10.059 It's where we find words spoken against a man called Jehoiachin, who was Zerubbabel's grandpa. 00:18:10.639 --> 00:18:11.839 And he was a wicked king. 00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:16.059 He was one of the last kings and he found himself going into exile in Babylon. 00:18:16.199 --> 00:18:19.319 And listen to how Jeremiah speaks of Jehoiachin. 00:18:19.879 --> 00:18:21.659 Jeremiah 22 verse 24. 00:18:21.659 --> 00:18:32.980 As surely as I live, declares the Lord, even if you, Jehoiachin, son of Jehoiachin, king of Judah, were a signet ring on my right hand, I would still pull you off. 00:18:33.699 --> 00:18:40.779 I will deliver you into the hands of those who want to kill you, those you fear, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon and the Babylonians. 00:18:40.779 --> 00:18:43.899 And that happened in Jehoiachin's day. 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:47.599 But now, here's Zerubbabel being told, I'll make you like a signet ring. 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:55.079 Now, here's the hope of the Davidic line, the line of kings and the line of the family of David is being restored. 00:18:56.839 --> 00:19:00.720 There's hope too in the fact that here is God working. 00:19:01.220 --> 00:19:03.420 Our hope is always in God taking the initiative. 00:19:03.420 --> 00:19:04.519 And it's here. 00:19:04.920 --> 00:19:06.860 I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel. 00:19:07.060 --> 00:19:08.820 I will make you like my signet ring. 00:19:09.160 --> 00:19:11.460 I have chosen you. 00:19:13.300 --> 00:19:15.120 Great encouragement for Zerubbabel. 00:19:15.800 --> 00:19:25.320 And it's important for us as we want to find encouragement here to recognise that this is both speaking of Zerubbabel and speaking of one much, much greater than Zerubbabel. 00:19:25.319 --> 00:19:35.939 As is so often the case with prophecy, it speaks of a particular situation, but it also looks further towards ultimate climax. 00:19:36.220 --> 00:19:39.019 So Zerubbabel, what do we know about him? 00:19:39.059 --> 00:19:43.339 He was chosen as guardian of God's people. 00:19:43.659 --> 00:19:44.439 There's honour there. 00:19:44.440 --> 00:19:48.240 He was chosen to rebuild the temple. 00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:50.960 And we've seen him be faithful to that task. 00:19:51.480 --> 00:19:55.600 He was chosen to restore David's family line. 00:19:56.920 --> 00:20:02.039 But as I said earlier, he very quickly disappears off the scene. 00:20:02.039 --> 00:20:14.359 But in Zerubbabel and in the book of Haggai, we see hope for the people of God being tied both to God's temple, which is being rebuilt and now being tied to God's king. 00:20:15.639 --> 00:20:18.079 God's temple and God's king. 00:20:19.259 --> 00:20:27.420 And if Zerubbabel is the sign and he's given these words of encouragement, then Jesus is the reality that the sign points to. 00:20:27.720 --> 00:20:30.099 And he is the great word of encouragement to us. 00:20:30.099 --> 00:20:40.059 When we read in Matthew chapter 1, the genealogy of Jesus, we see Zerubbabel is listed in the genealogy, but we need to recognise at that most basic level, he is not the climax. 00:20:42.119 --> 00:20:46.879 The family line doesn't stop here as if to say, God's saviour is Zerubbabel. 00:20:47.059 --> 00:20:48.899 No, Jesus is the climax. 00:20:49.039 --> 00:20:53.199 He is the saviour that Zerubbabel anticipates. 00:20:54.579 --> 00:20:59.079 Jesus will come as God's chosen king for his people. 00:20:59.079 --> 00:21:02.539 And that will not just be a small political entity. 00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:15.240 That will be a vast spiritual kingdom taking in all the nations of the world and peoples and language and cultures, people bowing the knee to King Jesus from all around. 00:21:16.019 --> 00:21:17.939 It's the glory of God spread in a new way. 00:21:18.579 --> 00:21:23.919 And it's in Jesus that the promise, the covenant promise to David would be fulfilled. 00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:26.560 Zerubbabel was not going to be a king that reigned forever. 00:21:27.320 --> 00:21:28.019 David wasn't. 00:21:28.120 --> 00:21:28.720 Solomon wasn't. 00:21:28.800 --> 00:21:29.259 But Jesus. 00:21:30.140 --> 00:21:34.480 Jesus came to be that king who would rule forever in perfect righteousness. 00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:38.820 But Zerubbabel, he would restore the temple. 00:21:38.980 --> 00:21:41.720 But Jesus, Jesus didn't simply restore the temple. 00:21:41.820 --> 00:21:45.140 He replaced the temple and what the temple represented. 00:21:45.140 --> 00:21:50.360 So that now we recognise that Jesus is the meeting place with God. 00:21:50.420 --> 00:21:52.860 If we want to know God, we don't need to go to a building. 00:21:53.000 --> 00:21:54.280 We need to go to Jesus. 00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:57.160 And the great news, Jesus lives in our hearts by faith. 00:21:57.220 --> 00:21:58.980 So he's always present with us. 00:22:00.460 --> 00:22:04.200 Jesus is also the one who is the priest, our great high priest. 00:22:04.259 --> 00:22:07.140 And he is the one who has offered himself as the perfect sacrifice. 00:22:07.140 --> 00:22:11.560 To forgive our sins and to reconcile us to God. 00:22:13.020 --> 00:22:20.920 Jesus, he is the true temple who brings to us the presence of God, who reveals the glory of God to us in a new way. 00:22:21.740 --> 00:22:26.500 We see the glory of God in the face of Jesus, in the life of Jesus. 00:22:27.600 --> 00:22:30.180 And Jesus will rule with God's authority. 00:22:30.800 --> 00:22:31.759 Not for a short while. 00:22:32.320 --> 00:22:34.820 Zerubbabel was there briefly and then disappeared. 00:22:34.819 --> 00:22:37.779 Jesus will rule forever. 00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:42.740 Takes us to those words that we so often hear at this time of year. 00:22:43.299 --> 00:22:44.659 And no wonder, because they're wonderful. 00:22:44.919 --> 00:22:46.939 Isaiah 9, verse 6. 00:22:47.099 --> 00:22:49.319 For to us, a child is born. 00:22:49.419 --> 00:22:50.599 To us, a son is given. 00:22:50.679 --> 00:22:52.980 And the government will be on his shoulders. 00:22:53.099 --> 00:23:01.019 And he'll be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 00:23:01.019 --> 00:23:04.539 Of the greatness of his government and peace. 00:23:04.819 --> 00:23:06.039 There will be no end. 00:23:06.819 --> 00:23:10.200 He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom. 00:23:10.619 --> 00:23:14.399 Establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness. 00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:16.299 From that time on and forever. 00:23:16.439 --> 00:23:21.359 The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. 00:23:21.359 --> 00:23:28.779 So some final words of encouragement from the book of Haggai. 00:23:28.779 --> 00:23:36.839 Just like Zerubbabel and the people of his day, we live in our day of small things. 00:23:37.240 --> 00:23:40.879 Where we feel small, where the church feels small and weak and insignificant. 00:23:40.879 --> 00:23:44.139 But our hope is not in ourselves. 00:23:44.240 --> 00:23:49.940 Our hope is in our great God and our great King and Saviour, the Lord Jesus. 00:23:49.940 --> 00:24:00.759 Just like Zerubbabel and the people of his day, we are to keep looking forward to that promised coming day. 00:24:01.539 --> 00:24:08.140 That day when Jesus will return to finally, once and for all, establish his kingdom. 00:24:08.140 --> 00:24:11.620 To once and for all, deal with his enemies. 00:24:12.220 --> 00:24:16.600 To establish a kingdom of perfect righteousness and peace. 00:24:16.820 --> 00:24:25.980 Where there will be no sin, there will be no death, there will be no sadness or pain or mourning or loss or anger or hate or division. 00:24:27.120 --> 00:24:28.140 Where there will be perfect love. 00:24:28.140 --> 00:24:30.320 That's our hope. 00:24:31.320 --> 00:24:40.940 And so we keep looking forward, trusting that just as God has been faithful in the past, so he will be faithful in time to come. 00:24:41.540 --> 00:24:46.700 And in the meantime, like Zerubbabel, we work. 00:24:47.759 --> 00:24:51.280 We are to work to keep God central. 00:24:52.060 --> 00:24:55.140 To keep God central in our own lives. 00:24:55.140 --> 00:24:59.000 And you know as well as I do how challenging that can be. 00:24:59.300 --> 00:25:03.020 With all the distractions, with all the fears and the worries, with all that needs to be done. 00:25:03.360 --> 00:25:05.460 To keep God central. 00:25:06.320 --> 00:25:08.980 To keep God central in our church. 00:25:09.060 --> 00:25:12.860 To not be distracted by all the many things that we could be doing. 00:25:13.220 --> 00:25:16.140 To make sure that we're about the word of God. 00:25:16.520 --> 00:25:18.200 We're about the gospel hope. 00:25:18.900 --> 00:25:21.880 And we work to make his glory known. 00:25:21.880 --> 00:25:23.620 In our everyday life. 00:25:23.740 --> 00:25:25.720 In the small things that we are called to. 00:25:26.320 --> 00:25:31.000 Whatever we're doing, whether we eat or drink, whatever we do, we can do it to the glory of God. 00:25:31.120 --> 00:25:32.100 And so we should. 00:25:33.120 --> 00:25:35.320 So that people might see and that people might believe. 00:25:36.420 --> 00:25:40.240 And we do that trusting in his presence. 00:25:40.560 --> 00:25:41.940 He is the God who is with us. 00:25:42.660 --> 00:25:44.260 Trusting his promises. 00:25:45.460 --> 00:25:50.280 And also trusting that his timetable is perfect. 00:25:51.880 --> 00:25:53.800 And then finding the kingdom that Jesus is perfect. 00:25:54.800 --> 00:25:54.820 It's perfect. 00:25:54.820 --> 00:25:55.380 He will soothe to his tender and the Γιαyer's voice. 00:25:55.380 --> 00:25:55.780 Amen. 00:25:55.780 --> 00:25:56.620 Let's do it. 00:25:56.620 --> 00:25:56.860 Oh, yeah. 00:25:57.520 --> 00:25:58.100 If I'm for each other praying day. 00:25:58.120 --> 00:25:59.680 He will soothe the resurrection. 00:25:59.740 --> 00:26:00.340 So that everything is perfect. 00:26:00.340 --> 00:26:01.340 And then when that happens we will be. 00:26:01.340 --> 00:26:01.880 Also ligger our oppose. 00:26:01.880 --> 00:26:01.980 Oriete will cycle our tourism. 00:26:01.980 --> 00:26:02.620 He will soothe the validation towards our His point. 00:26:03.120 --> 00:26:03.220 There, leading from our oz. 00:26:03.220 --> 00:26:03.760 Number two. 00:26:03.760 --> 00:26:09.500 And at the 00:26:09.500 --> 00:26:09.720 mr. 00:26:09.840 --> 00:26:10.900 Kent What we're finding? 00:26:10.900 --> 00:26:11.260 Him. 00:26:11.260 --> 00:26:12.340 In 10 1987 00:26:12.340 --> 00:26:16.320 When we do this miracle we're finding and how we're experiencing Jesus. 00:26:16.820 --> 00:26:17.220 And he will back Gorbuk. 00:26:17.220 --> 00:26:17.760 Of course there. 00:26:17.760 --> 00:26:18.820 So that we do it. 00:26:19.020 --> 00:26:19.980 And he will hold on his thoughts.