Lent

Week 2 — What’s He Worth to You?   

It is finished! (Jn 19:30) 
… to be slaughtered (Zec 11:4)

  1. The _________________ shepherd among the _________________ flock.

7 So I shepherded the flock which is to be slaughtered, especially the most afflicted of the flock. I took two staffs for myself. One I called Favor and the other Union. Then I shepherded the flock. 8a I removed three shepherds in one month. (Zec 11:7–8a)

  1. The _________________ shepherd and the _____________________ of grace.

8b I grew very impatient with the flock, and they really detested me. 9 So I said, “I will not shepherd you. Whatever is dying, let it die. Whatever is being destroyed, let it be destroyed. And let those who remain devour one another’s flesh.” …
10 I took my staff, Favor, and I broke it in two, to cancel my covenant that I had made with all the peoples. 11 So it was cancelled on that day, and the most miserable of the flock, who were watching me, knew that this was the word of the Lord. …
12 Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, pay me my wages. But if it does not, withhold them.” So they weighed out thirty pieces of silver as my wages. (Zec 11:8b-12)
But if the ox gores a male servant or a female servant, thirty shekels of silver shall be given to the servant’s owner, and the ox is to be stoned to death. (Ex 21:32)
13 Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter, this magnificent price at which they valued me.” So I took the thirty pieces of silver, and I threw them into the House of the Lord, to the potter. (Zec 11:13)
[Jesus said] If anyone does not receive you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet as you leave that house or that town. (Mt 10:14)
Crucify him! Crucify him! (Lk 23:21)
I have sinned by betraying innocent blood. (Mt 27:4)
He threw the pieces of silver into the temple and left” (Mt 27:5)
28 Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 Be sure of this: The days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never gave birth, and the breasts that never nursed.’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do these things to the green wood, what will happen to the dry?” (Lk 23:28–31)
“not with gold or silver but with his holy, precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death” (Luther’s Explanation to the Second Article)

Points to Ponder

  1. What is one thing that stood out for you from this week’s message?
  2. Why do you think the flock detested the faithful shepherd (11:8)?
  3. What about faithful spiritual leadership can provoke resistance?
  4. In what ways does Zechariah’s experience point forward to Jesus as the Good Shepherd?
  5. Why is the payment of thirty pieces of silver so offensive in this passage? How does this deepen our understanding of Judas’s betrayal?
  6. “What’s Jesus worth to you?” Why is that a difficult question to answer honestly?
  7. Instead of silver, what are some modern ways we may “sell short” the value of Christ?
  8. What do your calendar and bank statements reveal about what you value most?
  9. Jesus valued you enough to give everything for you. How does that truth reshape the way you view your worth—and the worth of others?
  10. What is one concrete way this week you can reflect Christ’s worth through generosity, service, prayer, or witness?

Homework: Zechariah 13