The Return Home
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· 29 viewsThe Story CH 19: The Return Home
Notes
Transcript
Intro
In our text today, we look back at the return of the Nation of Israel from their exile in Babylon. Now, despite their eagerness to return; what it meant for them as a people, and their shear exhilaration from being liberated; their return, as we watched in their preview, also came with much heartache.
This day in age, and particularly in our military community, when we think of homecomings, we picture tears of joy, warm receptions, or surprise reveals. We picture the Hallmark version that conveniently overlooks any sort of struggle or turmoil, problems with reintegration and reconciling the bleakness of mortality or the darkness that humanity also grapples with, things that hopefully not many will ever bear witness to.
The truth is, one often one comes with the other. Such was the case in the 1945 return of Louie Zamperini, who survived despite being declared killed in action. His story, told in the 2014 feature film “Unbroken,” recounts his journey of hardship, perseverance and survival, against every odd, and in spite of fault and flaw. Crediting is delivery, restoration, and empowerment to God’s faithfulness and for the glory of the kingdom, his story is one of tragedy and triumph that takes him from a disadvantaged youth to an Olympic runner. From a WWII pilot to setting a record for survival at sea. From a P.O.W. to a war hero. By the grace of God, after a 4 year struggle with P.T.S.D., alcohol, and anger, his marriage is saved after dedicating his life to God. God uses him, just as God used the Israelites. As a light to the nations.
Going back now, 2,500 years, recall the prophets foretold of the destruction of Israel and the Temple. Could you imagine if this happened today, to us? Now we have some national pride, least of anywhere here, in a military chapel; nevertheless, it’s still hard for us to understand completely what that meant to Israel. And believe it or not, the people didn’t appreciate it too much, in fact, it was considered blasphemy! People swore by the Temple. When it actually came to pass—it’s impossible to describe their grief. Their very identity as God’s people was challenged. How could the city of David, in the land promised to their ancestors be taken? The Temple, the place their God said he would dwell was destroyed. Where was he? And if he was gone, who were they?
Transition
All of these answers coming in due time. We are working towards the incarnation, the merger of our high and low stories; where, for a time, His work in History and Heaven are the same. We know, on this side of history, in three weeks Jesus will come. In our sermon series that is; whether he comes between now and then, or after I can’t tell you. But everything in the Bible from before that time points to him, and everything after points back.
Point 1
We’ve heard the last two Sundays about the treacherous treatment of God’s people. Their identity distorted, names changed, customs forgotten.
It wasn’t God’s will that they suffer, necessarily; but that he receive honor. The same way we discipline our children, it is not our will to do that, rather to win their hearts. says “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.” Not only does God love his children, but he want’s Israel to be the instrument through which his love is displayed to the rest of the world. In the same way, God didn’t spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all.
So, here we are, a family Sunday with all our children joining us in worship, I wonder how many children among us sometimes feel forgotten in our timeouts? If our parents even remember how long we’ve gone without smart-devices? You’re not alone. Our Scriptures tell us “in this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world.”
But in all seriousness, it was not much different for the Israelites. After 70 years, they felt abandoned and forgotten, their fate seemed pretty well sealed, enslaved to a conquered people. But God was faithful, and in 538 B.C., against all odds, God delivered his people.
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them.
Against all odds—God can deliver!
You could imagine their excitement. But it should have come as no surprise. Jeremiah told them it would be 70 years. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Against all odds, the Babylonians were defeated, against all odds the Lord God worked through a king of a people who did not know him, against all odds, and at a tremendous cost that king released not only 50,000 slaves, but opened his treasury and sent them off with gold, silver, and livestock. Against all odds. But he did it, scripture tells us, “in order to fulfill the word of the Lord.”
Here we see our Lord move the heart of an emperor to accomplish his purpose.
Application
Application
It seems as if sometimes, it’s out of the frying pan and into the fire… The odds were stacked against Louie too. Though he survives a plane crash he becomes lost at sea. After 47 days, surviving attacks by enemy planes, feeding only on a lice-covered bird and the occasional shark he could catch with a flair gun; dray land. It must have been a beautiful sight. But that land was in enemy territory. In captivity, he faced severe beatings, humiliation, threatened constantly with execution, and admitted he missed his raft.
But it wasn’t God’s will that he suffer either. Had it been easy for him, he never would have joined the Army. That may be something many of you can relate to. Had things been easy, he may never have made a deal with God in that prison camp to devote his life to him if he made it out. When the odds weren’t stacked against them, the Israelites didn’t serve God either.
It seems as if, sometimes, the greatest Kingdome works are done in spite of insurmountable odds.
Consider the Diaspora, the spreading of the early Christians as they were persecuted. A truly terrible time, but they were faithful, and God used the evil that was intended to them for good. Everywhere they went, they planted a church! Some good things came of this exile too, one in particular, the oral tradition was penned; much of what is our old testament today took its final form during this time. A terrible famine broke out in the land, but Israel was taken elsewhere.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
The prophet is speaking not just of historical redemption, for that period in time, but also of “future redemption.” For the Israelites. That’s important, we’re not talking about individual prosperity, this is directed at the people, corporately. God has made a commitment to be faithful to his people. How does this apply to us today? Can we still take heart in such a beautiful promise—even though it was spoken to people long ago and in a far different situation?
We have been given promises to rely on, just as Israel was. , Believers in Christ can be confident that all things will work together for our good and that God has a future planned for us. , we have hope that “does not put us to shame.”
It doesn’t take much time looking at our world events to be discouraged, but against all odds—God can deliver.
Transition
In the same way that he can work through an emperor, redeem evil for good, and direct the rise and fall of superpowers, the Lord’s faithfulness and steadfast love should never be doubted—his prophecies always come true. We see in Haggai chapter 2 God addressing their tearful homecoming. The ruins of what was once great:
Verse 3 “Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?” “Be strong,” he says in verse 4, “all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” Verse 6, “In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory.”
Point 2
His love toward Israel endures forever and not only can God deliver against all odds, but here we see that against all odds—God restores his people.
God’s people are a light to the nations. They were different, but that’s ok it was ordained by him; he was the King. When they wanted to be like the other kingdoms, God said it wouldn’t end well. The entire national structure of the kingdom, came crashing down. This event fulfilled centuries of prophetic warnings, as hundreds of years of tradition, culture, and history were destroyed in just one year, and it left them absolutely devastated. But it played a key role in the formation of the Bible itself as the prophet’s warnings were finally vindicated and their words were included in the Jewish canon.
Application
When we turn to the New Testament, we find Jesus adopting this same posture and mindset toward the power structures of Rome and Israel in his day, and he taught his disciples to do the same. God’s people are still a light to the nations, this is why Peter, in his first letter, calls followers of Jesus “foreigners and exiles,” and says that the “church is in Babylon.” When he talks about how Christians should relate to the governing powers of their day; he describes a way of life that is similar to the stories of Daniel.
Louis Zamperini was starved, beaten, and fed hopeless propaganda; and when he came home, he dreamed every night about his imprisonment. He drank heavily and was sustained only by his murderous desire to return to Japan and find his captor and exact his revenge. In 1949, just as his wife threatens divorce, Louie was reminded of his prayers during his time on the life raft and imprisonment while attending a revival led by Billy Graham. As a result, he commits his life to Christ.
The good news is, it is by grace we have been saved not from our own works, and against all odds—God can restore.
Transition
It was true for Israel, it was true for Louie, and Unfortunately—in the same way, the disciples learned, just because God’s with us—doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy. Both stories show us that God’s people, in the same way we do today, will always face opposition in achieving a worthwhile task. But we can always rely on the Lord to see us through as we faithfully labor.
“Give careful thought to your ways,” says the Lord, in . “Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the Lord. “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house. Therefore, because of you, the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.”
· First we see our Lord move the heart of an emperor to accomplish his purpose.
· Then we see God used evil that was intended to his people for good.
· Now he demonstrates power over the elements that in heaven and on earth, his will be done.
You see, for 16 years the Israelites halted work on the temple under threat of their enemies. They had forgotten that they serve a God, who not just delivers, not just restores, but a God who, against all odds—can empower.
Point 3
But just because God’s with us doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy. When neighboring kingdoms stirred up trouble or accused them of insurrection, the Israelites were quick to abandon their work. All American, to what end would our God deliver and restore us if not to empower us—least of all when we’re being commanded to glorify him? Time and time again, the Israelites show their inability to remain faithful.
After Louie devoted his life to Christ, he forgave his captors, and his dreams stopped. He even met with many of them when he returned to Japan in 1998 carrying the Olympic torch, with the message “love replaced the hate I had for you.” Against all odds—empowered by God.
Application
Often, it seems as if we’re our own biggest obstacle. God’s will—will be done, even if it’s in spite of his own people.
It was Louie’s pride, his anger that he couldn’t let go of; the Israelites desire to belong outweighed their desire for God and that’s where they stopped. Both are examples of how God reveals himself to the world; through, or in spite of. But it’s only when obedience takes the place of desire do we enjoy being the light to the nations.
Conclusion
I wonder if we don’t do the same thing? “What I want to do—I do not do, but what I hate I do.” Does that sound familiar? The author of Romans is literally saying that’s how it is. So, what are we to do? We are utterly incapable, just as the Israelites, to be faithful. Only he can deliver, only he can restore, and only he can empower. The Israelites were given a promise of redemption before they even left Israel. And so were we.
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
“Whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
The Kingdom of God is paradoxical; His power is made perfect in our weakness, to live in Christ we must die to self, one who humbles himself will be exalted. It is both paradoxical, and odd-defying, but the God we serve can deliver against all odds, can restore against all odds, and can empower us today, despite every fault and flaw. His power is made perfect in our weakness. Through Christ, Louie overcame nightmares, addiction, financial ruin, and lived to serve the needy and troubled youth.
So, what are your odds? You might not be Louie Zamperini, but I’m sure you have struggles, you have failures. Some of you are struggling with addiction; some of you are struggling with marriage problems; some of you are struggling with pornography, or depression, or anger, or finances, or your withholding forgiveness and maybe you feel alone; whatever it may be—Scripture tells us that no temptation has overtaken you except what is common to man.
So, what do you need God to deliver you from, restore you to, or empower you for today?
As the praise band comes up, I want you to take out your bulletin. On the back, if you haven’t already used it, there’s a place for you to write. If you don’t have one, I know you’ve got a phone. Write it down, take it with you or put it on the alter. But know God is faithful, and works all things for our good.
Benediction
Forever—God, you are faithful,
Forever—God you are strong,
Forever you are with us;
And may we forever give praise to you, you are good, and above all things.
Yours is the love that endures forever; and it is through your power father and through your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen.