God Will Give You a Clean Heart
Zech. 3:1-5
Sept. 16, 2007 FBC, Chester Mike Fogerson, Pastor
Introduction
A Story
B Zechariah was a prophet who ministered to Israel after the Babylonian captivity.
1 Zerrubal was the governor (civil affairs) & Joshua was the high priest (spiritual affairs) of Israel.
a Our text today unfolds like a program on Court TV
aa Joshua: accused
bb Satan: accuser (prosecuting attorney)
cc God: Judge
dd Angel of the Lord: advocate (Jesus)
b Believers, we will identify with Joshua because we are priests, too (you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:5 (NASB)), and priests have duties, jobs to do, ministry to perform.
2 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 The LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?" 3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel. 4 He spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying, "Remove the filthy garments from him." Again he said to him, "See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes." 5 Then I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of the LORD was standing by. Zech 3:1-5 (NASB)
C Let’s look at the two sides in God’s courtroom this morning.
I The guilty
A Joshua, the high priest, was wearing "filthy rags".
1 Priests had been instructed (Ex. 28:39-43, 30:17-21) to keep themselves (& their garments) immaculately clean on penalty of death. They shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they enter the tent of meeting, or when they approach the altar to minister in the holy place, so that they do not incur guilt and die. It shall be a statute forever to him and to his descendants after him. Ex 28:43 (NASB)
a The garments were "for glory and for beauty" For Aaron’s sons you shall make tunics; you shall also make sashes for them, and you shall make caps for them, for glory and for beauty. Ex 28:40 (NASB)
b As Joshua stood before the living God, his Creator wearing filthy rags.
aa It was not a drop of gravy on your tie, grease on your blouse...this was no small stain.
bb According to Merrill Unger, "filthy" can be translated as "excrement-covered".
2 Can you imagine how Joshua felt?
a Have you ever spilt/dropped something on your blouse/shirt & had to keep it on for the rest of the day? (Embarrassed, uncomfortable, ashamed, self-conscious).
b Joshua’s garments must have...
aa Been an embarrassment personally (ashamed)
bb Been an offense to the law of God (ashamed3)
c As God looked at Joshua with his "filthy rags", He saw neither "glory" or "beauty".
B Satan, the accuser, was pointing out that Joshua was sin-stained.
1 The very word "Satan" itself means "adversary", & refers to the enemy who resists God’s work & God’s people.
a We know that he is...
aa The roaring lion (Jesus is the Lamb of God of Calvary) Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 (NASB)
bb He brings confusion, & God brings peace. ...for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. 1 Cor 14:33 (NASB)
cc Liar & father of lies, & Jesus is the Truth & always speaks the truth. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44 (NASB)
b When the devil speaks to us about God he lies, but when he talks to God about us, he tells the truth!
aa For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. Isaiah 64:6 (NASB)
...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Romans 3:23 (NASB)
If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:8,10 (NASB)
bb The devil was telling the truth about Joshua.
2 Joshua doesn’t say a word to the accuser. Why?
a The evidence is overwhelming, non-debatable, "it is what it is"
b It seems like an airtight case except for one factor: the grace of God.
Let’s look at why the devil’s case unravels against Joshua (transitional sentence).
II The grace
A The adversary wanted Joshua to get what he deserved, Hell.
1 I believe the devil wanted God to stop loving, cherishing, blessing, accepting, Joshua.
a The devil had prepared a place for him in the basement of hell.
b The devil is saying, look at how sinful/filthy/unworthy/ blemished/unholy/ungrateful he is.
2 God’s response to Satan was: "Remove the filthy garments from him."
a God reassured Joshua that his sin had been removed, Again he said to him, "See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes."
b Can you imagine the devil’s face?
c Perhaps when the defeated devil closed his briefcase to leave Heaven’s courtroom God told Satan, "Oh, by the way, why don’t you pick up that pile of excrement-covered clothes over there as a little souvenir."
B God tells the devil, "I chose him, you CANNOT take him from Me."
1 Christian, God has chosen you, you are a brand that has been plucked from the fire.
a If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NASB)
b God has assured us that when we confess our sins that we are promised forgiveness.
2 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Romans 8:1,33-35a (NASB)
a Satan cannot make a case stick against me because Jesus has taken away my sin!
b God will not condemn me for my sin for the same reason.
Conclusion
A Today, is you are wondering "Am I chosen/elected/plucked?"...He’s choosing/electing/plucking you today.
1 5 questions:
a Are you a sinner?
b Do you want forgiveness of your sins?
c Do you believe that Jesus, God’s Son, died on a cross & rose again?
d Are you ready to ask Jesus to come & live in your heart?
e Are you willing to ask Jesus to be Lord of your life?
2 Sinner’s prayer (until we confess, the devil has a case).
B Maybe you’re saved, but you keep putting on the "filthy rags"
1 Maybe the reason you can’t/won’t rebuke the enemy is because he’s right-our garments are filthy.
a Rebuking the devil?
b If you’re not rebuking him, what are you doing? (Ignoring)
c The bad news is he IS NOT ignoring you (seeking to devour).
2 Would you let Him give beauty for ashes? Strength for fear? Forgiveness for sin? Salvation for condemnation?
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