Let Us Go With You Series

In 1738 John Wesley was struggling with his faith. He asked Moravian Peter Bholer if he should quit preaching faith because he himself struggled with faith. Peter Bholer told John Wesley keep preaching. When Wesley asked him why Bholer responded, “Preach faith until you have faith so you can have faith to preach faith.” This has been an enduring quotation because you just have to jump in their somewhere, regardless of where you are at the moment.

Now I am preaching the power of the Spirit from Zechariah 4:6 ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.” I am not going to analyze where I am right now but dive in like Peter Bholer admonished to Preach power in the Spirit until you have power in the Spirit, so when you have power in the Spirit you can preach power in the Spirit.

This year I want to major on the minor. Usually we say major on the minor in a negative way, but this time it is a good thing. I mean I plan to focus on the Minor Prophets. Zechariah is the principal minor prophet. The little Revelation. There is so much throughout the book of future in Christ. This Apocalyptic book is there to offer a future hope. There is the ultimate victory for God’s people and their enemies defeated.

This period of history precedes the “400 silent years.” It was the close of the Old Testament. It has been described not as running out of steam but going out in a blaze of glory. Look at the books of the Bible that focus on this narrow band of history; Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, Daniel, Esther and Malachi. The “silence” broken when Zachariah has his tongue loosed when he says the forerunner to the Messiah will be named John.

Look at the Persian Kings period timeline:

When a remnant returned from exile in Babylon the people built the altar and work on the temple progressed for fifteen years. Then those living in the land discouraged the work. The people who returned to build turned inward and built their own houses. Zechariah and prophet Haggai speak to return to the Lord. Haggai tells them their selfish focus is like putting their money in purses with holes.

If we are going to accomplish anything in the spiritual realm that will make an eternal impact then it will require genuine Abiding in our Lord. That has been our Modus operandi and we see how Zechariah knew this was the key for God’s people and calls them to return to God. The governor leading the building of the temple Zerubbabel had a huge work to do. It was going to take more than hard work. It requires the power of God, “by my Spirit” says the Lord.

Return to Me. Zechariah 1:3

Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.

I heard a message on Zechariah 1:3 that was powerful. It was a buckle your seatbelt exciting message. It was a message that stuck with me for many years later. The illustration for the passage was from the animal kingdom.

Everything returns to the Lord but his people. Migratory birds never miss a year. Sea turtles come back to the same beach. Even Salmon fish don’t forget to return from the sea up the river they were born.

But for the Lord’s people there is spiritual apathy with no sense of urgency for the task at hand. There are priorities on the things of the world. God has not forgotten his people. He calls them to return.

That powerful message that so impacted me to return to God with the illustration from the Salmon and the migratory birds had a spiritual fall that was public and embarrassing. He asked how the Salmon could be smarter than we are. Then he was so far off the path. We all need to be reminded to return to the Lord not just that pastor who fell.

And with the call to return to God guess who shows up. The Lord Christ shows up among the myrtle riding a red horse, pre-incarnate Christ. When John the Baptist arrived on the scene to prepare the way for Jesus, the awaited messiah, John preached repentance.

Zechariah is preaching repentance yes, but return. Return to God. Why because we drift. It is the second law of thermodynamics. Everything goes from a state of order to disorder. When we find ourselves in the spiritual drift the Lord says, return to me. For God’s people there is spiritual apathy. There is no sense of urgency. They have taken on misplaced priorities.

The Lord’s people found themselves in a discouraging place. They drifted from God. When we return to God he returns to us. This is abiding in Christ and bearing fruit that remains.