How many times have you heard sermons on Joel? In my 40+ years going to church I don’t recall a sermon on Joel, no, not even once. Perhaps some verses were referenced a few times here and there, but never had I heard a complete sermon on this minor prophet. That’s not until a few weeks ago when our pastor started preaching on this Minor Prophet book.
It has been very edifying to hear him exegete this book verse by verse, and how, out of the doomsday message that the Prophet brings to the people of Israel, the Gospel is proclaimed!
Last Sunday we read from the 2nd Chapter, verses 1 to 11. In these verses the Prophet paints a very dark picture of the Lord’s judgment day. He opens by describing that day as “a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness!” And he continues with more dreadful picture of that day when the army of the Lord comes nothing will be left in its path. “Before them peoples are in anguish; all faces grow pale. “ (v 6), and “The earth quakes before them; the heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining (v 10), and he ends verse 11 by saying, “For the day of the LORD is great and very awesome; who can endure it?”
Doesn’t sound like a day we’re looking forward to, does it? Indeed, it sounds like a day we all like to avoid. How do you proclaim the good news of the Gospel from these not-very-entertaining verses? And how do you reconcile this picture with the admonition that the Apostle Paul gives to the church in Thessalonica to look forward to this day?
We have been very blessed to be fed by Gospel-driven sermons every Sunday, and I’d like to share these edifying messages with you. Click here to hear its audio format, or you can watch the entire service here on youtube.
We stream our worship services every Sunday so if you aren’t able to come in person, you can still join us in the virtual world. Click here twice every Sunday from 9:15 to 10:30 in the morning, and from 11 to noon. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/curc
I hope that you too find this message encouraging and edifying in your Christian walk!