Jesus The Branch Series

EASTER 2024

MINOR PROPHETS MAJOR MESSAGE: JESUS THE BRANCH

Zechariah 3:1-10

ILLUSTRATION… 1000 Names Lyrics, genius.com/Phil-wickham-1000-names-lyrics

Phil Wickham is an American contemporary Christian singer, musician, and songwriter from San Diego and has released ten worship albums. His album in 2021 has a song on it called ‘1000 Names’ and I told Kelly one day that I did not like the song for some ridiculous reason and so she makes sure that it plays every time I am in her car. I don’t know if she does it on purpose, but it plays every… single… time… I am in her car. The song has grown on me and I now appreciate it. The lyrics at the beginning of the song are:

I call You Maker, You give life an eternal spark

I call You Healer, You can mend any broken heart

I call You Faithful Father, You finish everything You start

My soul was made, To respond

I know You by a thousand names, And You deserve every single one

You've given me a million ways, To be amazed at what You've done

Your love is boundless, Beyond what I could dream

Your grace is patient, You're never giving up on me

I call You Bondage-Breaker, 'Cause You're handing out the prison keys

My soul was made, To be free

I know You by a thousand names, And You deserve every single one

You've given me a million ways, To be amazed at what You've done.

SERIES INTRODUCTION/REVIEW

For the past 12 weeks, we have been traveling through the last 12 books of the Old Testament called “the Minor Prophets” and we started with Hosea long ago and ended with Malachi last week. These are 12 books that are shorter in length than books like Isaiah and Jeremiah which is why they are called “minor” prophets. These are passages in the Bible that are at times hard to understand because the prophets write in poems and symbols and songs and prayers and not all of their meaning is obvious when reading. Sometimes it takes a little bit of study to figure out what these prophets are saying to get God’s people’s attention.

In the Bible, when God wanted to get His people’s attention He would often do something demonstrative like speak from a burning bush or lead by a pillar of cloud or shake the ground or do a miracle in nature. God did all of those things, but He also spoke through these prophets that we have been studying. God uses His prophets to encourage our faithfulness and warns us that faithlessness will have dire consequences. That was their message then and it is their message now.

My initial thought for our fantastic Easter Morning was to go through all 12 books very briefly and show you how each prophet looked forward to Jesus Christ as our Savior. You see Jesus’ life was not an accident! His death was not happenstance! Jesus’ resurrection was a foregone conclusion to a plan that had been in the works since before time began! You can see the spiritual kingdom and many times Jesus predicted in each book. It might have been a good sermon, but not exactly where we are headed this morning.

JESUS IN THE MINOR PROPHETS

There are definitely good thoughts predicted about Jesus in the Minor Prophets and they help us see a clear picture of Who Jesus would be:

In Hosea, we see Jesus predicted as a loving husband who buys back his adulterous wife.

In Joel, we see Jesus as the bringer of the Holy Spirit and the founder of the Church.

In Amos, we see Jesus as the repairer of the broken.

In Obadiah, the shortest book in the Old Testament, Jesus is the Deliverer.

In Jonah, Jesus Christ is the source of grace that made Jonah so upset and angry.

In Micah, Jesus is the Mighty Ruler Who shepherds His people and comes from a wee little town.

In Nahum, Jesus is refuge in times of trouble and cares for those who trust in Him.

In Habakkuk, Jesus is the Anointed One Who crushes the head of Satan to save His people.

In Zephaniah, Jesus is the purifier of lips of all who call on the Name of the Lord.

In Haggai, Jesus is the shaker of nations.

In Zechariah, Jesus is the anointed priest and king.

In Malachi, Jesus is the Sun of Righteousness Who brings healing.

It was at this point that Phil Wickham’s song started drumming in my head… again… because I am describing what the prophets of God saw as they looked forward and predicted what the promised savior of God would do and how He would be.

ILLUSTRATION… 1000 Names Lyrics, genius.com/Phil-wickham-1000-names-lyrics

The song lyrics continue:

You are Rock of Ages, You're the Great I Am