Listen, Believe, and Watch

It’s around 516 B.C. The Temple had been rebuilt. The ads were all over the papers, on the local TV and national news, and on e-mails and advertisements everywhere. It would become the key to the spiritual identity of the Jewish people. Yet the Lord had something even greater to say to the people through the prophet Zechariah.

By 480 B.C., some twenty years later, Zechariah had more to say, yet it mustn’t have caught the attention of too many. Maybe they were too busy doing church stuff…you know, outreaches, fellowships, ministry events. Maybe they got so comfortable in their new surroundings and thought the building was enough. They had done their work and now it was time to sit back and enjoy their building. Uhh oh…something’s wrong here. Who was temple built for? Was it for people to sit and glory in, or for people to come and worship the God they serve every day? Was it a hub for missions or a spiritual social club? Was it a lighthouse for the lost or a recreational facility for the found? Here what Zechariah would write:

See your King comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9) NIV

While the people were busy doing church, Zechariah was telling them just how exactly their anticipated Messiah would come to Jerusalem. Apparently it wasn’t take too seriously, because some 500 years later, the same Jewish people would cry out "Crucify Him", days after Jesus came into town riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.(Matthew 21, John 12) If they would have only listened, believed, and watched.

I will rouse your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, a make you like a warriors sword… the Lord their God will save them on that day… (Zechariah 9:13-16) NIV

The prophet not only foretold how the Messiah would come for the first time, but also of His second coming, to rescue and restore the remnant of the Jews, as well as complete His plan for all of those who have put their trust in Him! How many still have the blinders on? How many are still deaf to the truth of God’s word? How many still have their heart set on what we can do, rather than what God has done and wants done through His people? Are we still saying, "Let us make a name for ourselves"?
You see, it’s not just the Jews who are stiff-necked and arrogant. How long will we continue to be so comfortable in our beautiful churches and not get out of those four walls and do some real work…mission trips, evangelizing our neighbors, caring for the sick, touching and feeding the hungry and hurting on our streets, and bringing the abandoned babies into our homes? Oh, by the way, are we even supporting the work of that beautiful and comfortable church with our required financial support? What has God done compared to our efforts? If we would only listen, believe, and watch! Would we recognize Jesus, if He came back today? Would we really want Him to? John says it well here. It’s not just the believing in Christ that is so exciting and rewarding; it’s the living in Christ that is so exciting and adventurous.
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:31) NIV

Listen, believe, watch, and LIVE!!!!