WEBVTT 00:00.900 --> 00:05.400 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 00:05.400 --> 00:06.300 You may be seated. 00:11.700 --> 00:16.600 Well, the texts that we heard read this morning, perhaps a little 00:16.600 --> 00:18.800 context would help. 00:19.900 --> 00:27.100 We have Zechariah along with his contemporary Haggai who are prophets 00:27.700 --> 00:33.100 that lived after the Babylonian captivity. And the people of God are 00:33.100 --> 00:38.000 returning from slavery, back to the place where the Lord had given 00:38.000 --> 00:38.400 them. 00:39.500 --> 00:41.900 And Haggai under his direction 00:42.400 --> 00:47.300 roused, the Chiefs among the Israelites to rebuild the Temple 00:48.400 --> 00:54.200 and that is taking place during this text. And Zechariah 00:54.400 --> 01:00.900 on the other hand, he was well making sure that the people of God had 01:00.900 --> 01:05.800 repentant hearts before the Lord and also sharing a word of 01:05.800 --> 01:06.800 encouragement. 01:07.500 --> 01:12.000 And so in chapter 7, there's this delegation that comes from Bethel. 01:12.500 --> 01:16.900 And this delegation comes to from Bethel to the prophets that were 01:16.900 --> 01:18.100 there that the priest 01:18.500 --> 01:23.500 that were there in Jerusalem. And asked them a very poignant question. 01:23.500 --> 01:27.700 And I would guess that the question would sound like this in normal 01:27.700 --> 01:28.800 conversation. 01:29.800 --> 01:32.400 So now we're back. 01:33.200 --> 01:34.600 We're back from slavery. 01:34.600 --> 01:36.900 Back to the land that the Lord has given to us. 01:37.500 --> 01:43.000 We're back, we are back and now we are rebuilding the Temple. 01:43.800 --> 01:48.400 Now, the Israelite present in Jerusalem will, it's being strengthened 01:48.700 --> 01:54.100 from this many years of bondage and now that chaos is turning back 01:54.100 --> 01:56.100 into order in our lives. 01:56.300 --> 01:57.500 We have a question. 01:58.100 --> 02:01.900 Do we still fast and mourn over the Lord's 02:02.100 --> 02:06.100 the loss of the Lord's House? Or since we are back 02:06.100 --> 02:09.100 now, do we do away with that? 02:10.000 --> 02:13.200 We're coming back together and things are looking up. 02:14.200 --> 02:17.400 What's the right thing to do before the Lord? 02:17.800 --> 02:23.200 In other words, Lord what now, what do we do now? 02:25.500 --> 02:26.300 What now? 02:27.800 --> 02:28.900 That's a good question. 02:30.900 --> 02:36.400 Today for us as this world keeps its perfect record of sliding further 02:36.400 --> 02:41.400 and further off the cliff of Godly sensibility into the pit of 02:41.400 --> 02:42.800 unrighteousness. 02:43.100 --> 02:43.900 What now? 02:45.300 --> 02:49.700 What now is the church's up against the world juggernaut of 02:49.700 --> 02:52.100 expectations that Christians 02:52.700 --> 02:55.900 well, they respond to sin and a particular way. 02:56.500 --> 02:59.100 In other words don't respond to sin. 03:00.000 --> 03:03.900 Let everybody just do whatever they want. What now? 03:05.700 --> 03:11.400 What now does the church do for evangelism in such an age of 03:11.400 --> 03:16.300 ungodliness? How do we speak the truth in love with our neighbor when 03:16.300 --> 03:20.000 he sees us as intolerant and offensive? 03:20.000 --> 03:20.900 What now? 03:22.300 --> 03:27.600 How do we manage to recruit Christians for the work of the church? 03:28.600 --> 03:33.700 How do we recruit pastors to seminaries and deaconesses for places of 03:33.700 --> 03:34.700 education? 03:34.900 --> 03:39.700 So that we may raise them up and send them out into the field as we're 03:39.700 --> 03:43.500 doing here today in the placement of candidates. 03:43.600 --> 03:48.100 What now? What do we do in the face of this age? 03:49.500 --> 03:53.900 Well, in the time of Zechariah, the world for Israel was just 03:53.900 --> 03:55.800 beginning to transform just a bit. 03:56.100 --> 04:01.200 There were coming home, things were looking up, but there's a danger 04:01.200 --> 04:04.800 and Zechariah calls, attention to it here in the text. 04:05.500 --> 04:11.900 Don't lose faith in the Lord, says the prophet. Don't forget that 04:11.900 --> 04:17.200 it's not for your own selfish, gain that you participated in the in 04:17.200 --> 04:19.200 the morning in the fasting and the loss 04:19.300 --> 04:23.800 of the temple. Whenever you and your fathers were taken out of the 04:23.800 --> 04:28.800 land that it is not for you that you did these things, but you did it 04:28.800 --> 04:33.100 in recognition that the Lord had given you the strength and endurance 04:33.100 --> 04:38.100 to continue to press on. To be faithful amid adversity. 04:39.200 --> 04:42.400 And it's not the coming together from a foreign land 04:42.500 --> 04:45.300 that makes all things well for you. 04:45.300 --> 04:50.300 Once again, it's the honor, the respect the godliness and faithfulness 04:50.300 --> 04:53.500 that the Lord is with you now, and always. 04:53.700 --> 04:57.500 So what now says, Zechariah, he says be faithful 04:57.500 --> 04:58.500 that's what now. 05:00.500 --> 05:06.100 Now, of course, this revelation from God through Zechariah, it's 05:06.100 --> 05:07.500 nothing new to the people. 05:08.800 --> 05:12.100 They heard two hundred years ago from the prophet Hosea the very same 05:12.100 --> 05:12.500 things. 05:12.500 --> 05:17.500 And, you know, these words, for I desire, steadfastness and love, not 05:17.500 --> 05:18.500 sacrifice. 05:19.200 --> 05:24.700 And before Hosea, uttered such words, Samuel said such things to Saul 05:24.700 --> 05:29.400 when he thought that he had so much goodness to offer to the Lord. 05:30.500 --> 05:35.100 And he says, the same thing faithfulness and steadfastness is better 05:35.100 --> 05:36.500 than your sacrifices. 05:38.100 --> 05:40.000 And we hear this in the Psalms, 05:41.000 --> 05:45.000 And of course, we hear it from our savior Jesus too. Because there's 05:45.000 --> 05:45.800 Jesus, right. 05:45.800 --> 05:51.300 He's eating with the tax collectors there in the gospel of Matthew and 05:51.300 --> 05:55.300 the Pharisees approaches, disciples and said, hey, why does your 05:55.300 --> 05:59.600 master eat which such unclean folks? 06:00.500 --> 06:02.200 And Jesus has an answer to that. 06:03.400 --> 06:09.800 Jesus says those who are, well, have no need for a physician, but 06:09.800 --> 06:11.000 those who are sick. 06:12.000 --> 06:13.700 I desire mercy 06:13.700 --> 06:18.200 not sacrifice for I came not to call the righteous but sinners. 06:18.400 --> 06:24.100 So what now? Jesus says be faithful and show mercy. 06:26.400 --> 06:31.500 Zechariah admonishes, Israel for fasting for themselves. 06:32.800 --> 06:36.600 He says, was it for me that you fasted? 06:37.800 --> 06:42.300 And when you eat and when you drink, do you not eat for yourselves and 06:42.300 --> 06:43.700 drink for yourselves? 06:45.000 --> 06:49.600 Zechariah, Hosea, Samuel, King David, and the Psalms, Jesus in the 06:49.600 --> 06:52.700 Gospel, they tell what is better. 06:53.600 --> 06:57.600 And what is better turns outward. 06:58.300 --> 07:03.100 What is better is not storing up, gifts of righteousness for self or 07:03.100 --> 07:07.200 to think that we can approach the throne of God, with great fastings 07:07.300 --> 07:08.200 and dedication. 07:08.200 --> 07:13.300 And he looks upon us, and says, you are worthy, you have righteousness 07:13.300 --> 07:14.600 in you because of what 07:14.800 --> 07:15.600 you do. 07:16.200 --> 07:22.900 But rather Jesus, rather the prophets, they keep our focus on our Lord 07:22.900 --> 07:23.900 and him only. 07:25.100 --> 07:29.200 And shows how the faithfulness and mercy is to be expressed. 07:29.200 --> 07:34.500 So what now show mercy and kindness to one another says Zechariah. 07:36.100 --> 07:41.500 And then we take up the whole chapter chapter 7 of Zechariah here. 07:42.100 --> 07:45.700 We might think that if that's all the Zechariah says, well, he's not a 07:45.700 --> 07:52.200 very good Lutheran. He preaches a lot of Law and no gospel is filled 07:52.200 --> 07:53.200 with law. 07:54.600 --> 07:55.800 So, where's the gospel? 07:56.600 --> 07:59.400 Well, then we turn to chapter 8 and we realize that Zechariah is 07:59.400 --> 08:04.700 actually a good Lutheran after all and we thank God because in chapter 08:04.700 --> 08:10.500 8, the Lord proclaims, I have return to Zion and I will dwell in the 08:10.500 --> 08:11.500 midst of her. 08:12.400 --> 08:16.400 God's dwelling is with his people and he brings peace and comfort to 08:16.400 --> 08:17.700 the brokenhearted. 08:17.800 --> 08:22.600 He brings order to a people who for decades were floundering 08:23.800 --> 08:25.900 floundering in chaos and slavery. 08:26.500 --> 08:30.400 He does this by being the one true God in their midst. 08:30.400 --> 08:36.000 So what now the Lord is what now the comfort that he provides the 08:36.000 --> 08:37.700 love that he shows. 08:38.799 --> 08:40.400 And for seminarians. 08:42.200 --> 08:45.600 And for administrators, and for professors. 08:47.700 --> 08:53.500 And for board members and for candidates for placement today. 08:54.600 --> 08:59.300 Amid the chaos of our lives amid Christians and their families and the 08:59.300 --> 08:59.800 chaos 09:00.000 --> 09:05.500 we know at home. Amid the chaos in our work amid, the chaos of study 09:06.000 --> 09:08.700 and trying to meet the expectations of professors. 09:09.100 --> 09:12.600 And the chaos of this world that we mentioned earlier, that makes 09:12.600 --> 09:15.000 being who God has called us to be 09:15.400 --> 09:21.400 so difficult. The question born out of a chaotic life is on the tip of 09:21.400 --> 09:26.100 our tongue and we call out what now Lord, what now? 09:26.800 --> 09:28.100 And here's what now. 09:29.700 --> 09:33.900 We have a God of grace and mercy, that works through the people of God 09:33.900 --> 09:35.500 to show grace and mercy. 09:36.900 --> 09:43.600 Our church is not ours, and so we always call it the Lord's church. And 09:43.600 --> 09:44.200 thank God 09:44.200 --> 09:45.400 it's the Lord's church. 09:46.300 --> 09:53.900 Thank God because the Lord's Church continually is being built up by 09:53.900 --> 09:56.300 him by grace through faith. 09:57.300 --> 10:01.000 He is the foundation on which we stand, he is the grace for which we 10:01.000 --> 10:03.500 depend and it's the peace 10:03.500 --> 10:04.900 that comes from Jesus. 10:05.200 --> 10:10.800 The peace that calls gathers and enlightens and sanctifies his people. 10:11.000 --> 10:12.300 And this is the peace 10:12.600 --> 10:18.500 the only thing that we know to always be constantly true in our lives 10:19.400 --> 10:22.100 that sometimes see so much chaos. 10:23.500 --> 10:26.000 And Jesus answers us without hesitation. 10:26.300 --> 10:29.700 Now what, now what? And that now 10:29.700 --> 10:31.800 what will always be me 10:31.800 --> 10:33.000 says our Lord. 10:34.800 --> 10:38.700 So the call goes out to the people of God. 10:39.900 --> 10:45.900 From Zechariah and Haggai, rebuild the Temple, repent and be 10:45.900 --> 10:53.100 encouraged in the mercy of the Lord. Come and stand and live in his 10:53.100 --> 10:56.300 mercy. Come and be the church 10:57.000 --> 11:02.700 amid the chaos shown in this world, even in this despairing world that 11:02.700 --> 11:08.300 we live in. Come and see Jesus on the cross, the Savior that takes away 11:08.300 --> 11:09.600 the sins of the world. 11:09.700 --> 11:14.600 Come and know the comforter come and know the peace giver and 11:14.600 --> 11:16.400 that's what were called to do. 11:17.500 --> 11:22.900 We are called not to make everything right in this world. 11:24.300 --> 11:28.900 We are called to be the church amid everything that is wrong with this 11:28.900 --> 11:29.500 world. 11:30.600 --> 11:36.200 All focus is on Jesus, the Lord. All focus is on the grace that God 11:36.200 --> 11:41.700 gives to us. To preserve and keep us in this topsy-turvy world, that we 11:41.700 --> 11:44.400 will have to live in and minister in. 11:45.200 --> 11:48.400 We are loved and beloved candidates 11:48.400 --> 11:50.100 you are not alone. 11:50.600 --> 11:53.000 You go out into this world and thank God. 11:53.500 --> 11:58.200 Thank God, that God is the lord of the church and not you and not me. 11:59.000 --> 11:59.800 Thank God, that 12:00.100 --> 12:04.500 sends peace and mercy to work through you. And thank God 12:04.500 --> 12:09.700 the Holy Spirit is with us, always to bring us his grace and mercy and 12:09.700 --> 12:13.400 forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus Christ, and life 12:13.400 --> 12:17.400 Everlasting, that are for sure, yours. 12:18.600 --> 12:19.800 In Jesus name. 12:21.000 --> 12:21.500 Amen.