R sbc
May 30th 2004
Sunday Morning
Series: “Christ The Sum & Substance of The Bible”
Subject: “ The Opened Fountain”
Sermon # 3
Text: Zech 13:1-9
Intro: It is so hard to unravil error in the minds of the people of God. This is not priviy to this generation, but has been the lot of all of God’s ministers in any given time or situation.
Most of us here this morning can look back at a time in our life when our teachings were foreign to the New Testament. We likewise can see how truth has set us free from religion.
In my message this morning I wish to look at two main thoughts from this text. (1.) The great need of a true fountain. (2.) Who is this fountain? (3.) The Great use and Kind fountain that was opened? In this chapter there are many things that we could discuss, but our focus in this series is the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
I WOULD LIKE TO ESTABLISH THAT THIS FOUNTAIN WAS OPENED WHEN CHRIST CAME THE FIRST TIME, IT IS EVIDENT BY CHRIST QUOTING THIS PASSAGE IN HIS MINISTRY..
Matthew 26:31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
I... “ THE GREAT NEED”
Through out the Bible we see this great need as a focus of cleansing. Most people in their unregenerate state will argue that they are pretty good people. This line of thinking leaves the sinner in a state of denial.
The great prophet Isaiah said: Isaiah 32:6 For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
Three things he says of a vile person:
Page # 2
1st. Speak villany: This word means one who speaks senselessness, folly which is disgraceful folly of immorality, profane actions disgrace, contumely disgrace
2nd. His heart would work iniquity: The great King David in one of his prayers to the LORD prayed that GOD would protect him from evil men who work iniquity. Listen to what he said:
Psalm 141:4 Incline not my heart to [any] evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.
3rd. Practise hypocrisy: What did Jesus say about these people?
Matthew 23:27-28 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead [men's] bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
Let me assure you this morning that out of your heart will come such evil that it is almost scarry to think about where we would be and what we would be doing if it had not been for the LORD JESUS CHRIST...
Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
4th. Utter false things agains the Lord:
When the great Prophet Jerimiah was pleading with his people to obey the LORD listen to what they said: Jeremiah 44:16-17 [As for] the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee.
17 But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for [then] had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.
There is much more proof in the Bible that sinners are in a great need because of their willful, habitual, and out right nature to sin against the LORD...
II.. “ WHO IS THIS FOUNTAIN”
It doesn’t take a theologian nor a preacher to figure out that this fountain is Christ the LORD.
Page # 3
This evidenced by the smiting of the shepherd...vs 7
The Lord Jesus Christ refered to himself as a Shepherd with a sheepfold. Most of this you have heard. But we must be reminded of it over and over again lest we forget...
Genesis 49:24 But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty [God] of Jacob; (from thence [is] the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) The immediate of this text is Joesph a fitting type of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1st. That Christ is shinning shepherd:
Psalm 80:1 To the chief Musician upon Shoshannimeduth, A Psalm of Asaph. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest [between] the cherubims, shine forth.
2nd. That Christ is gathering shepherd and a carrying shepherd..
Isaiah 40:11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry [them] in his bosom, [and] shall gently lead those that are with young.
Isaiah 63:9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
In the NT Jesus said:
3rd. That he was a dying Shepherd: John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
4th. The greatest of all Shepherds: Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
III... “ THE GREAT USE AND THE KIND OF FOUNTAIN THAT WAS OPENED”
In declaring unto you the great use of this fountain we will also discover the kind of fountain that Christ was. It is so amazing to me to see the many metaphors that are used in the Bible to describe the LORD JESUS CHRIST and all that he done and is doing for us.
Page # 4
A fountain that has gone dry hath no use at all. Sinner be assured this morning you may come to this fountain and find in him plenty of mercy and grace and forgivenss.
1st. It is uselful in that it will quench the soul of a thirsty sinner:
Isaiah 49:10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. The great promise of Jesus to the thirsty..seen in one of th sayings of the beatitudes: Matthew 5:6 Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
John 7:37-38 In the last day, that great [day] of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
The great invitation given by Christ in the language of the book of Revelation is the great gospel appeal...Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
2nd. It is uselful in the washing of the filth of the heart away: 1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Do you want a clean heart this morning? Has the Lord opened your heart to see that you need washing from the filth of your soul. I pray that he has. We continulally need washing... And the LORD knew this, listen to that ageded disciple of Christ... 1 John 1:7-9 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
3rd. It is a uselful fountain in that it never runs out:
In the OT they had blood but it was the blood of bulls and goats, we have the blood of the son of God. They had blood in a basin, we have blood in a fountain. The hymn writer said:
“ There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from immanuels veins and sinners plundge beneath that flood and loose all their guilty stains”.
Page # 5
They had water, called the water of purification, made of the ashes of a red heifer, kept in a pot for the purpose, but availed nothing toward the removal of our sins or theirs...But the blood of Christ is full enought and lasting enought that eternity will never use it up.
A. We are made nigh by his blood: Eph 2:13
b. We are purged by his blood: Heb 9:14
c. We are redeemed through his blood: Col 1:14
d. We are justified by his blood: Romans 5:9
4th. It is useful in that it is opened fountain: this was the promise of the text he was opened in order to do all that the Father sent him to do.
The Lord Jesus Christ is opened to all kinds of people, to the Jew first and then to the gentile. Open to all classes of people, rich and poor, black and white, kings and popers. He is open as a free... Philip Henry said what is freer than a gift?
A. Jesus is the gift of GOD: Jn 3-16
b. Jesus is unspeakable gift: 2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks [be] unto God for his unspeakable gift.
5th. It is useful in that it is the only one opened:
You may not go to another, for there is no other name given among men whereby you can be saved...Acts 4:12 you will not find another to grant unto you all that Christ can and will... Isaiah 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I [am] God, and [there is] none else.
You may come this morning to this fountain if you come alone, if you come without merit, if you come without excuse, if you come as you are, if you come needing him, if you come willingly, if you come thirsty, if you come hungry, if you come in faith and repentance...