New Clothes and a Fresh Start - Fr. Aaron Damiani

Good morning, good to see you. All you can turn in your

scriptures to Zakaria have three, where a series called let

your hands be strong and it's spiritual encouragement from the

prophets haggai and Zechariah. They ministered to the people of

Israel after they returned from exile.

Zechariah 3. Well, every generation has a

great Breakup Song. All right.

Gen Z has driver's license. Bye Olivia, Rodrigo.

Millennials have a few. We will never, we are never

getting back together. As well as every other song by

Taylor Swift. Now my generation Gen X has

everybody Hurts by r.e.m. But I think maybe the Boomers,

take the prize with You've Lost That Loving Feeling.

By the Righteous Brothers. I think they really capture the

pathos of a break up in these words now, there's no.

Welcome look in your eyes when I reach for you and now you're

starting to criticize little things I do.

It makes me just feel like crying is baby.

Something Beautiful is dying. You've Lost That Loving Feeling

and it's gone. Gone gone.

You know, there's something about a breakup isn't there that

leads to so many songs. It's so painful.

And it doesn't necessarily have to be a romance.

Could be a friendship. Breakups of friendships are

painful. Yeah let go from your job.

That's pretty painful and employer.

Lets you go. It could be a Business

Partnership worked for a long time, slot working anymore, kind

of painful to break up from that as well.

And one reason is that they were close enough to see your faults

And eventually, you can just tell that the welcome look in

their eyes, isn't there when you reach for them, right?

When you turn to that person, the welcome look in their eyes

and that sense of warmth isn't there anymore.

It's faded. The Loving Feeling is faded, and

now the relationship is faded and this is going to change your

life. Now, the prophet Zachariah

describes, what should have been a pretty epic?

We call a spiritual breakup between God and one of God's

chosen servants and really the nation who Joshua represented.

Zachari kind of steps in on Joshua, the high priest sort of

worst nightmare breakup moment. where Joshua the high priest is

exposed before not only his colleagues but also before a

whole company of angels and before the Lord himself as a

massive failure, He should have been disgraced.

He should have been rejected and discarded, but what happens

instead is really good news for anyone who has been criticized,

cast, aside, not picked, picked apart, or otherwise seen a

beautiful relationship die, and we can just see that verse one

is going to set the scene for us here.

Verse 1, Zakaria 3 verse 1. 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.

They hear Joshua has entered the presence of the Lord as part of

his job as a high priest, he has to come into God's presence into

the temple and make atonement for the rest of the people.

This is a, this is a dangerous part of Joshua, the high priest

job. It's like, when someone's fixing

a telephone line or an electric current, where they're doing

their job, but it's also putting them in danger.

So he's already in danger, his best, Hope was to just carry out

his ministry. Finish the job and go about his

way. But in this moment of

vulnerability the accuser Springs an attack on him, he's

ready to go as soon as Joshua steps into God's presence and

the accuser here is Satan. A spiritual creature.

Who works tirelessly to bring down God's people at any given

moment. He will accuse them of

legitimate offenses, he will accuse them of not legitimate

offenses. He brings confusion lies and

accusations wherever he goes. He's also very legalistic this

accuser. He knows God's laws inside and

out. And he knows that at least in

some ways Joshua, the high priest has broken some of these

laws and certainly, the people Joshua represents the people of

Israel have broken. All kinds of laws.

They've pretty much broken the Covenant itself, and so Satan

knows that Joshua's failure and Israel's failure was was even

deeper than, than performance. It was a failure to love.

Well, it was a spiritual failure.

It was a failure to be faithful to their promises.

So it's one thing to like miss your sales numbers, right?

Or your, or your free throws. It's totally something else to

be called a bad friend or a traitor, or an apostate.

So it's one thing to be turned down for a second date or a

second interview. It's totally another thing to

disappoint the people. Already trust you and love you.

It's one thing to break a contract with a cell phone

provider or a landlord. It's quite another to break a

covenant, Covenant of Love and sacred trust with a God who

chose you. Joshua had failed, Israel had

failed and so we find Satan at his right hand to accuse him.

Now undoubtedly this is not Satan's first involvement in the

process we can expect that he's been plotting for this moment.

Painstakingly enticing, Israel into unfaithfulness enticing

them. Hey you guys should just live

like pagans. Hey you guys should just trust

Egypt. You guys should just come along.

It's going to be easier. You can't really trust.

God did God. Really say, come along with me.

I'll show you a better way and they did, they followed and they

trusted him. He was the Seducer before.

He was the the accuser. And so all the while they

seduced her / accuser is writing down all of the little offenses.

And he's preparing for this moment at, oh, I can't wait for

the day when I've got Joshua over a barrel and I've got my

list and now he's got his list and I was gonna seal the deal,

and I was going to break the Covenant.

Now he's going to to Stage the the The best breakup he could

ever imagine. This so-called high priest of

yours has broken the law of God and he's done it every day of

his life. I have a rap sheet, a mile long

to show you how disqualified this man is for his job, for his

service, he stands condemned in your sight.

Not to mention him all the people that he represents that

he dares represents before you, you would forgive their sin,

they have defiled themselves, they've been unfaithful to the

Covenant. They have been an Abomination

before the presence of the Living God.

So cast them out Adonai. But before the accuser can

launch into his speech, the unfolding drama takes a very

surprising turn in verse 2. And the Lord said to Satan.

The Lord rebuke you. Oh Satan the Lord who has chosen

Jerusalem rebuke you, is this not a brand plucked from a fire?

Now, the accuser actually has walked into a trap.

The Lord turns the tables on the accuser and the accuser is now

the one on trial in the presence of the heavenly host and in

front of the high priests for, Satan has failed to see the

Lord's part in the Covenant. He seen very well all of the

failures, but he hasn't seen the faithful Unbreaking love of the

Living. God who has chosen Jerusalem the

Lord personally, rescued Israel from the very Exile that he sent

them into as a brand plucked from a fire.

Or like a burning charred, piece of wood.

That is almost ready to be completely turned to Ash.

He picks it up with his own hand rescues it, and is bound to

rehabilitate this brand. This charred nation and revive

it, and bring the dry bones back to life.

And in his myopic small-minded accusatory, nastiness the

accuser can't see that because he's only focused on failure.

He can't see the graciousness of God.

The Lord chose Jerusalem, the lord loves Jerusalem and the

lord loves Jerusalem because he chose Jerusalem.

How dare you accuse? Someone I love how dare you

accuse someone that I chose. You should hang by your own

Gallows accuser. Shut your mouth.

Some theologians. Like to picture our Salvation,

they call it a Golden Chain and every link has value in this

golden chain. God, chose us.

God forgave us. God fills us with his Spirit.

Oh God, will redeem us. God will glorify at the end of

history and it just hangs together.

It's beautiful, and it's strong and it's held together by the

Living. God an accusation can't tear it

apart. The old British, Theologian,

Charles Spurgeon Theologian, and preacher says, this Christ meets

Satan with a mysterious truth, which was settled before the

world was he throws as a, were this chain into his teeth and

bids him champ that tell he breaks his teeth.

Josh was enemy is silenced. We no longer hear from him.

He's too busy champing down on the golden chain.

Have you ever found yourself? No, not in the right outfit

underdressed. Overdressed kind of embarrassed,

you're sort of like conspicuous in the environment.

You're in the restaurant, you came to the party, you went to,

it's really humiliating you feel conspicuous, you feel foolish.

Now, as high priest, Joshua's proper attire, was the robes

described in the book of Exodus that God had specifically

designed for him to wear yet. What happens is that Joshua's

internal condition in the internal, spiritual condition of

the nation became Came his outfit.

Verse 3 says this now, Joshua was standing before the angel

clothed with filthy garments. And the this word for filthy

real here is like, as it's like pollution, it's like excrement,

it's disgusting. He is a decision.

His clothes. Make him disgusting in the

presence of a holy God. And, and he became conspicuous.

His clothes became the center of everyone's attention, including

Zacharias. Now, here's filthy Joshua.

And he standing face-to-face with, with, with the Lord

himself sometimes described as the angel of the Lord, and

sometimes describes the Lord himself.

But nevertheless, he's enough. He's in the presence of the

Living God. And he doesn't belong there.

His clothes are out of line. Now, there's good reason to

believe that this Angel, this is Angel of the Lord, sometimes

referred to, as the Lord himself is the Lord Jesus himself. and

the reason is because of the gracious words that we read

about in in verse 4, It's just sounds so much, like, the Lamb

of God who takes away the sin of the world, it just sounds so

much like Jesus. In any case, we can we can look

at this verse verse for the angel said to those who were

standing before him, remove the filthy garments from him.

And to him, he said to Joshua, he said, behold I have taken

your iniquity away from you and I will clothe you with pure

vestments. Isn't that beautiful?

Is that a gracious word? And then Zachariah, he's

watching The Vision but Zacharias like, hey, I'm gonna

be taking part in this to and Zacharias like, hey, put a clean

turban on his head. And so, the Angels like okay

will do what a clean turban on his head.

And the angel of the Lord is standing by watching it all

happen. So the attending Angels they

remove Joshua's Rags. They clothed him in pure

vestments, they make him dressed for the occasion and all that

Joshua needed to please God was given to him by God himself.

Maybe you will have a friend that helps you dress just for

the right occasion. They're really good.

At picking out outfits, they're really good at, just just the

right piece of clothing. And I have to say that, as you

read scripture from Genesis to Revelation, I'm just struck by

the fact that the Lord has a knack for clothing.

His people in the perfect outfit, he takes their

bedraggled ill-fitting garments away from them and then he gives

them something better. Better to where you see him,

clothing. Adam and Eve in garments that

covered them as they left Eden. You see him?

Arranging for Aaron and levitical Priests to be clothed

in Royal splendor. You hear God in Deuteronomy

promising to show his love for the Widow and orphan by

literally clothing them. When Israel was spiritually

naked got said this to them from the prophet Ezekiel.

I also closed you with embroidered cloth and put

sandals of / of skin on your feet and I wrapped you with fine

linen and covered you with Sil. When we're facing a battle, what

does God put upon us? He puts upon us, the armor of

God. At the end of History.

What do we see when Jerusalem is coming down, from from Heaven?

It's she's adorned as a bride prepared for her husband.

The Lord is like that, father in The Prodigal Son story, who who

takes the bedraggled close of the younger son when he comes

and he's like, put a robe on him.

Put a ring on his finger, put sandals on his feet.

That's the Lord's heart for us and not just for our physical

appearance. Although he does care about that

too, but he cares most of all about clothing, our souls.

When we're ashamed, when we are underdressed, personally,

spiritually for his presence, he clothes Us in his righteousness.

He clothes Us in his Mercy. He clothes Us in his glory.

At the end of History, we will be wearing the clothes of the

glory of Christ forever. In an instant, Joshua's worst

day, became his best day like that and it happened because of

the mercy of God is condemnation becomes his coronation by sheer

Act of Grace. The Lord reverses accusation

into honor. Is silenced the accuser, he

exchanged his garments, and he removed, Joshua's iniquity.

And this is all by Grace. Thanks be to God.

And now, there is a shift here because the Lord is going to

give a solemn charge to Joshua and it's going to move to like a

mercy received through responsibility given and we can

read and verses 6 and 7 about what the charge is going to be

the angel of the Lord. So Solemnly, assured Joshua.

Thus the Lord of thus, says the Lord of hosts, if you will walk

in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and

have charge of my courts and I will give you the right of

access among those who are standing here.

Here is a new beginning for Joshua's life in Ministry.

It's a new season of promise and renewal walk in my ways.

This is Joshua setting the example of actually obeying

God's commands in his own personal life.

But then there's keep my charge, which is like fulfilling his

Priestly duties doing his job, performing the rituals, given to

Israel. The angel of the Lord cleanses

and close Joshua. But notice that he does not

coddle Joshua, he doesn't take responsibility away from him, he

restores it, he calls up Joshua to his god-given capacity to

obey, and he gives him a Psalm charge if You walk in my ways

and if you keep my charge then you'll roll over my house the

temple and he'll have the right of access among those who are

standing here. That's the heavenly host and so

Joshua can now enter into the throne room of God, anytime he

needs to to receive grace and mercy in a time of need.

Now is I think an important turning point in Joshua's life.

A very important turning point in his life and Ministry.

I'm have you ever experienced the difference between someone

who's who's been marked by the grace of God and someone who

only knows the rules? It's such a difference, isn't

it? In Joshua here has been through

a profound like death and Resurrection experience.

He has seen his sin brought in all of its ugliness.

He's seen his shortcomings in his failures, and in all and

just how capable he is a falling short, but he's also seen

something even more important, which was God's lavish Grace.

God's capacity to absolutely resurrect a human life and human

vocation. When you are at your bottom.

Like the grace of God flowed all the way down to the lowest parts

of Joshua's soul and life. And he's going to emerge here,

keeping God's ways and keeping God's charge in a way that it's

going to be. I believe marked by Mercy and

patience and Grace for people that others would push aside

that others would reject that others would condemn because he

himself has experienced so much mercy and so much grace, I

believe that this was a turning point for him.

It's safe to say that That Joshua on the other end of this

event. That Joshua, the high priest

knows the gospel that the Lord saves that the Lord is merciful,

that the Lord's silences, the accuser that the Lord is slow to

anger and abounding in Mercy that the Lord turns what is our

worst moment into our best moment by his mercy and Grace?

These kinds of experience, just tend to tenderize the heart.

These kinds of experiences tend to make us a spring of Living

Water of Grace, for other people.

That we actually, in fact, are drawn to people who are in a

hard spot rather than pushing them away.

In fact Joshua would be a sign. He was going to be like a

three-dimensional sign of God's grace.

The Lord says to him in verse 8 here now, oh Joshua, the high

priest you. And your friends who sit before

you these are his fellow priests at work for him, but they are

for they are men who are a sign. Behold, I will bring my servant

the branch. So before we get to the branch

and everything to follow Joshua, and his friends are going to be

a a they were a sign of the nation's sin.

Now they're going to be a sign of the grace of the Lord to

restore and redeem Anyone who turns to the lord, it's not just

Joshua who gets this, it's not just his colleagues, it's going

to be everyone that they minister to and every life that

they touch but the Lord promises to send a branch.

This is a shoot, someone who is going to be a living

representative of the line of David, but there's another sign

that the Lord refers to. And that is a very unique kind

of strange. Stone verse 9, for behold, on

the stone that I have set before.

Joshua on a single stone with seven eyes.

I will engrave. It's Des, it's inscription

declares. The Lord of hosts, and I will

remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.

Ja it appears that the Lord has plunked a large Stone.

What many commentators believe a large Stone right before Joshua

in the middle of this moment? Huge stone is plumped before

Joshua and it's Unique. It's like a weight bearing

Stone. That's really strong and sturdy,

but it has eyes. It has seven eyes and so it's

like it's like a living Stone. There's something alive about

this Stone and then the final thing is, the inscription,

there's an inscription on the stone that the Lord puts upon

it. And then somehow all of this

adds up to the iniquity of the whole land being removed in a

single day. Just like it was for Joshua.

There's a day coming when it's going to happen for everybody

else. Here, I believe as I've studied

and looked at this is a picture of the coming Messiah.

Jesus. He's the Cornerstone upon which

we are built into a living Temple.

He's also endowed with the Holy Spirit and sees with the seven

eyes of the spirit to the depth of our condition, as well as the

purposes of God, in history in his hands, his feet and his side

are engraved with the love of God, as he was pierced for our

Our iniquities and crushed for our transgressions because of

Jesus, our worst day became our best day like that because of

God's mercy. Jesus was stripped naked and

clothed with shame so that we could be robed in righteousness,

he was condemned sure. That we could be declared

righteous. He did remove the iniquity of

this land, in a single day. And so I love the promise that

caps off this Vision, a promise for Joshua for his colleagues

and for all of the people of God in verse 10 in that day.

Declares the Lord of hosts. Every one of you will invite is

neighbor to come under his Vine and under his fig tree.

Now, in the ancient world Vine and fig tree was akin to the

front porch or you like bacteria, backyard patio, a

living room, favorite hangout. It's kind of like a space.

We can do to like you know, I can relax here.

I belong here. People know, my name here.

It's a space where you are at rest.

It's a space where you belong. So what is the Lord saying?

He's saying now that God has shown his great Mercy to us, we

are at peace. No longer.

Are we like a hair trigger away from being pushed out or

rejected by God or each other. We live under the shade of the

vine and the fig tree. The Cross of Christ is our Vine.

The Cross of Christ is our fig tree.

The offer is the shade of Mercy from condemnation.

He offers rest for the weary under this Vine and fig tree.

He offers us peace, belonging comfort.

And in the house of God, we offer invitation to our neighbor

to take shelter with us under the vine and fig tree of the

Cross of Christ. This week, I read a study about

a sudden rise in what is called depths of Despair.

People in our society are literally dying from personal

Despair and this is expressed through overdoses suicides and

then health issues from alcoholism.

The study found something very interesting is that people who

had experienced one of these deaths of Despair.

Do you know what? We're likely to have no church

home. That was one highly correlated

factor in their depth of the despair.

They had no church home to belong to, they had no Vine to

sit under. They had no fig tree to sit

under, they had no place to experience, hope forgiveness and

the grace of God in Christ. They had no church family made

up of forgiving and forgiving people look.

Okay, this is a tough world of along to write.

Most of our love is conditional. Love Right?

There's rejection everywhere. I mean almost everywhere.

You look there's rejection. One minute you're in because of

your money status Talent. Wit, the next minute you are out

because you're starting to slip and the group decided that you

don't belong anymore. Right, there's so many

rejections there are so few fig trees precious few.

There's so many places to be evaluated and so if you places

to belong there. So few places where there's like

an open seat on the front porch, with an invitation, hey, come

and join us. You belong here.

So, few open seats in back, porch, patios of saying, hey,

come join us. You belong here, come hang out

with us along. With Joshua and his friends.

You and I are sides, were signs living signs of God's Grace

Living signs that there's hope in a world of endless breakups

rejections and firings. Let's be the community that

invites and includes and heels. Imagine if this next season for

our church is just, you know, a season of invitations of coming

along and come and sit under the vine and fig tree invitations to

our co-workers out to Lunch to a mom in our neighborhood to join

the play date or the moms group invitations to to church on

Sunday or to our Citigroup. If there's room to our table or

just to our life, for our front porch, to our back patio.

Let's share how good God's grace is.

How it's touched the lowest plate because of our life, how

he's included Us in his family? How he's taken the pressure off

of us while placing his glory upon us.

I love Jesus words, all that the father draws to me.

I will in no wise cast out won't cast you out when you come to

him and all who come under the shade of this tree will never be

passed out in the Name of the father and the Son, and the Holy

Spirit. Name of the father and the Son,

and the Holy Spirit.