Cynicism (Zechariah 1:1-6)
Pastor Woonny Kim, September 6, 2020
Part of the isms series
In an age of discouragement, we are tempted to become cynical, detaching ourselves from our hope and becoming resigned to what is broken in the world, but God calls his people to respond to discouragement with the truth and hope of repentance, remembering God’s redeeming purpose. Christ is the one who frees us to accept hard realities without denial or despair yet hold onto a sure hope.
Zechariah 1:1–6 (Listen)
1:1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, 2 “The LORD was very angry with your fathers. 3 Therefore say to them, Thus declares the LORD of hosts: Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. 4 Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the LORD. 5 Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, ‘As the LORD of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us.’”
(ESV)