How can we find hope when our lives are so broken?

- The Hope God Gives is Supernatural (18), “…she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit” (18)

- The Hope God Gives is Personal (19-21), “…Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife…” (20)

- The Hope God Gives is Invitational (22-23), “…and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us)…” (23)

Is saying, “God’s got this” enough?

- Essential Truth #1: God uses all things to accomplish his purposes.

- Essential Truth #2: God unveils his purposes to awaken our obedience.

. -Obeying God’s commands keep us from being idle in our relationship with him.

. -Obeying God’s commands keep us from being rebellious in our relationship with him.

. -Obeying God’s commands keep us from being fake in our relationship with him.

Response: Live in covenant relationship with God by obeying his voice.

When will sin finally be defeated?

A. The Message (5-8), “…This is their iniquity in all the land…” (6)

- Sin is a really big problem

- Only God can destroy its power!

B. The Meaning (9-11), “…they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth…to the land of Shinar…” (9,11)

- God will first constrain it…then defeat it…then remove it

- The “way of judgment” or the “way of grace” – what will you choose?

How do I know if my testimony is true?

- Test # 1: You are Gripped by the Greatness of God (5), “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (5)

- Test # 2: You Grapple With the Guile of Your Sin (6,8,10), “…if we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness…we lie…” (6)

- Test # 3: You Gladly Give Up Your Rights (9), “if we confess our sins…” (9)

What measurement does God use for judgment?

The Message (1,2), “A flying scroll…length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits” (2)

-The exact dimensions of the holy place, tabernacle

-Two commandments seen…3rd and the 8th…

The Meaning (3,4), “I will send out…and it shall enter the house of him who swears falsely by my name…consume it…” (4)

What is the measure of God’s judgment?

God’s perfect law (Gal.3:10-11)

--How do we escape His perfect standard?

God’s perfect judgement

--Should terrify those who don’t know Him (c/f Rev.1:8; 2 Pet.3:1-10)

--Should humble those who love Him (Zech.1:15; 2 Thes.1:5-10)

--Should cause us to gaze again on the cross (1 Pet.2:24)

Finding Hope when our Sin seems Unforgivable:

Receive His Forgiveness for your Past – Zechariah 3:1-5

Respond Obediently in the Present – Zechariah 3:6-7

Rest in His Future Coming– Zechariah 3:8-10

- My Servant: Suffering Savior – Isaiah 53

- The Branch: Davidic King – Jeremiah 33

- The Stone: High Priest – Isaiah 28

Big Idea: Your Sin has not Derailed God’s Plans

Does God have a master plan for our ‘chaotic’ world?

The Message (1-5), “And I will be to her a wall of fire all around…and I will be the glory in her midst……” (5)

*You won’t need a wall!

*God has an unexpected plan

The Meaning (6-13), “…Up! Up!...I will shake my hand…many nations will join themselves to the Lord…” (6,9,11)

*3 Oracles and 3 takeaways

--God’s people have focused allegiances! “Get out of ‘Babylon” (6-8)

--God’s people rejoice in God’s work – mixture of judgment and mercy (9,10)

--God’s people worship and work (11-13)

The Strength of the World (Horns)

- Causes Despair

- Combats Godly Hope

…These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem…These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one raised his head.

The Sovereign Hand of God (Craftsman)

- Restrains wickedness

- Raises Hope

…Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen… And these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.

The oppression of the world cannot overcome the omnipotence of God!