Imprint Community Church

James ends his letter with some encouragement for Christians enduring seasons of suffering. He exhorts us to wait with patient hope, trusting in Jesus to bring about the relief, the vindication, and the blessing he has promised in due time.

Paul concludes his letter to the Thessalonian church with a litany of ethical instructions, mostly concerning how to pursue sanctification in the context of a local church. But his final words, after this long list of commands, is an assurance: God himself will accomplish this work in you by his grace. May this exhortation and encouragement spur on God's people to invest deeply in their local church, and to trust fully in God's redeeming grace in the gospel.

Zechariah's final prophetic oracle is a richly symbolic vision of the blessed future of God's people. The prophet pronounces coming judgment on God's enemies, and promises final salvation for his chosen ones. Relying on the familiar prophetic language of "the Day of the Lord," Zechariah comforts Israel with assurance that God will defend them, cleanse them, and dwell with them in safety.

In Zechariah 9-11, the prophet preaches a divine message of indictment on Israel's "worthless shepherds" - those leaders who had failed to properly care for Yahweh's flock - and promises the coming of a Shepherd-King who will faithfully tend to the needs of his people. This prophetic message contains strong implications for those in positions of authority - especially spiritual authority - and rich encouragement concerning the Shepherd-King he has sent to us in Jesus Christ.

After Zechariah's series of night visions, he delivers two sermons in chapters 7 and 8 that offer the people of God a somber warning concerning the danger of empty religion, and a glorious promise concerning the blessing of covenant obedience. With God's heart for his people shining clear as day, he then clarifies his calling on them to live as a just and righteous people.

The first half of Zechariah's book ends with a poignant "sign act" - a public, visible action that depicts an important spiritual truth for God's people. As Zechariah performs this public act - fashioning a crown from gold and silver brought back from Babylon, and placing it on the head of Joshua the high priest - God's people receive a message of glorious grace. God will unite his people under the faithful leadership of his anointed King and Priest. This is good news not only for the Jews living in Zechariah's day, but for all people throughout the ages who will put their trust in God's Messiah, Jesus Christ.

The final three visions of Zechariah reveal three things God does for his people: he judges his people's sin, he removes his people's guilt, and he gives his people rest. The Jews would no doubt have taken both comfort and challenge from these visions, and their truths are no less relevant and powerful for Christians today.

The most familiar words from the book of Zechariah come in his fifth vision, in Chapter 4. Zechariah sees a menorah flanked by two olive trees, and receives three promises from God to deliver to the people. These promises, depicted poignantly through prophetic imagery, should fill God's people with comfort and hope to carry on the work of his Kingdom, knowing that his Spirit will empower us for the task, and that he will faithfully bring his purposes to fruition.

In Zechariah's fourth vision, he sees Joshua, the High Priest, standing before God in filthy robes. The problem: God's people are sinful and unclean. How will the Holy God of Israel dwell with a sinful people? This chief predicament of all human beings is answered in the poignant image of God himself providing pure robes for Joshua, and cleansing the sins of his people "in a single day." In this beautiful passage, we learn about the power of God's grace to transform sinners into saints, and we see the seeds of his ultimate provision for our redemption in Jesus Christ.

The first half of Zechariah is comprised of eight "night visions" that the Lord gives the prophet. This message examines the first three of those visions, drawing out important and timeless truths concerning God's heart for his people, his purpose to fight their enemies, and his unswerving inclination to dwell with his people in love and blessing.

The first six verses of Zechariah set the stage for the vivid prophetic images and exhortations to follow, displaying Yahweh as a faithful, covenant-keeping God. He urges his people to renew their covenant commitment to him, and promises that he will draw near to them in grace and kindness. In this message to ancient Israel, Christians today receive a poignant word of warning and welcome from the Lord, and are encouraged to turn their distracted and wandering hearts back toward him in faith and repentance.

Guest preacher Orlando Cordero walks us through a passage in Romans 12 displaying the kind of community God calls his church to be. As the new year begins, Christians would do well to consider these exhortations to love, honor, care, and grace that God's people are called to show one another.

Guest preacher Anthony Wright reminds Christians of the gentle, compassionate care of their good shepherd, Jesus Christ. The scene in Mark 6 where Jesus feeds a multitude of people with just a few loaves of bread provides a rich portrait of Christ in his bountiful care and provision.

The book of Ruth ends with a beautiful display of God's abundant grace to widowed Naomi. And in a way much bigger than this one Hebrew family, God's redeeming grace toward his people as a whole, and his purpose to send another Redeemer many generations later, is evident in the genealogy that concludes the book. Christians can take heart at God's lovingkindness evident in this story, and given to us freely in the Savior to whom the story points.

The third scene in the book shows Ruth making a bold request of her kinsman-redeemer, Boaz, and displays Boaz' generous heart toward her and her mother-in-law. At the center of the drama is a promise made by Boaz, and the rest of the story will center on whether and how Boaz will keep his word to Ruth. Christians reading this chapter today learn important lessons about the providence of God, the courage of Christian decision-making, and the grace of resting in God's promises.

The second chapter of Ruth finds the vulnerable widows at the center of the story finding refuge under the wings of God, as his kind providence and abundant provision reveal his gracious pursuit of them from the start. In God's provision for the vulnerable in Israel, we see a foreshadowing of his provision for vulnerable sinners in Christ, and a call to extend his gracious care to the vulnerable among us.

Chapter 1 introduces us to the woman at the center of Ruth's narrative, a bereaved Hebrew widow named Naomi. Her life is marked by a string of tragedy that leaves her embittered and despairing. But even in the sad beginnings of Naomi’s story, there are glimpses of hope as God sets the stage for a display of covenant kindness to Naomi personally, and to his people as a whole.

The final verses of Revelation are an epilogue that borrows heavily from images and themes we've seen throughout the book. Despite the fact that there's nothing fundamentally new introduced in these verses, nevertheless they provide strong exhortation and rich encouragement for Christians, concerning our expectation and our preparation for Christ's return.

Rev. 21 (and the first part of 22) provide one of the most beautiful passages in all the Bible, depicting in vivid, symbolic imagery the glory and joy of the new creation that God has in store for his people. Reflecting on this passage calls to our imaginations to wonder at the beauty of the world to come, and calls our hearts to wait in anticipation for the day Jesus returns and makes all things new.

At the close of human history, every human being will be raised to stand before the great white judgment throne of God. The courtroom scene in this passage depicts that final judgment, and urges all people to live in light of that coming day.