“REJOICE WITH ALL YOUR HEART” (Outline)
December 11, 2022 – Advent 3 – ZEPHANIAH 3:14-17
INTRO: Are you happy today? What about yesterday? Or tomorrow? Or the next few busy, busy weeks before Christmas? All too often the Christmas season seems to be anything but joyfulness. Our text today reminds us of the divine joy that is to fill our hearts. “For the kingdom of God does not consist of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (ROMANS 14:17). God’s kingdom is far more than tasty meals. Holiday drinks. God’s kingdom brings joy to our hearts and lives. “REJOICE WITH ALL YOUR HEART.” I. The LORD is here. II. Do not be afraid.
I. THE LORD IS IN OUR MIDST, THE LORD IS HERE
A. The Lord sent the prophet Zephaniah to warn his children about their continued disobedience.
1. At this time there had been two kingdoms. North = Israel. South = Judah.
2. Sadly, the northern kingdom of Israel no longer existed. They rejected God’s warnings.
3. The enemies of Israel conquered Israel. Killed many. Took others as prisoners, slaves.
B. Zephaniah now warned Judah to repent. The Lord was serious. Judgment coming (chapter 1).
1. Verse 14. Judah is encouraged to be joyful. “Sing out…shout aloud…be glad…rejoice.”
2. How could they rejoice when disaster was coming? The Lord wanted their attention.
C. Verse 15a. Earthly judgment was coming. The Lord would remove any eternal judgment.
1. Enemies were coming. The Lord would defeat their enemy. Eventually. Eternally.
2. How? “Israel’s king, the LORD, is in your midst!” The Lord would not forsake his children.
3. The future looked bleak. Death. Destruction. Captivity. BUT the LORD is still here!
D. The Lord’s presence could and would fill his people with hope. Peace. Joy. Even in the midst of unthinkable disaster. The Lord is in our midst. Here. Rejoice with all your heart. God’s good news is his great gospel message for us. For the world. No matter what we might face. Or have faced. The LORD is with us! This is the good news of great joy for us. “’Look, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son. And they will name him Immanuel,’ which means, ‘God with us.’” (MATTHEW 1:23).
E. The Lord’s words from the prophet Zephaniah still speak loudly to us today. Our sins deserve the eternal judgment God. Hell. In his great love our heavenly Father sent his son to remove our judgment. Permanently. Eternally. The judgment our wickedness earned has been erased by the holy, precious blood of Jesus. Even more our enemies have been defeated. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus conquered our enemies. The devil is defeated. Our last enemy, death is destroyed. Our hearts are filled with peace. “I, yes, I, am he. I blot out your rebellious deeds for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins” (ISAIAH 43:25). It is only the LORD God of Armies who forgives…and forgets. Dear believer, do not hold any grudges. Forgive. Forget. Any evil done against you is in the past. Even any grievous sin. It serves no good purpose to hold on to anger. Revenge. Fill your heart with joy!
F. Dearest Christians all too many today do not follow Christ. Many chase earthly dreams. They are not fulfilling. The lives of people in this world remain empty. Empty of everything that matters. There is a sense of being alone, loneliness that has crept into society. Into hearts. Lives. The advent season points us toward the Lord Jesus Christ. His birth. Life. Death. Resurrection. God IS with us. "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I am now living in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (GALATIANS 2:20). God is here. Not just among us. Christ lives in us. Jesus is THE One who died for us. “Immanuel” = God is with us.
“REJOICE WITH ALL YOUR HEART.” The LORD is in our midst. In us. Here in our hearts.
II. DO NOT FEAR, THE LORD IS HERE
A. Zephaniah was God’s prophet while Josiah was king. Josiah was the best king Judah ever had.
1. Josiah had the temple rebuilt. God’s book of law was found. Read it to all the nation.
2. Verse 15b. Once again, reminded God was with them. “You no longer need to fear disaster.”
B. The disaster connected with God’s righteous judgment was going to come upon them.
1. Judah did not repent. Had not learned from disaster that had destroyed Israel earlier.
2. verse 16. “Do not be afraid, O Zion. Do not give up.” God would still be with them. No fear.
C. Verses 17. LORD would be their hero. Hebrew word = warrior. Warrior LORD would save them.
1. Why? The LORD took delight in his people. Ready to quiet them with his love.
2. Disaster coming. God’s judgment. Coming for own good. Learn to lean on the LORD.
D. The Lord’s message still rings true for us today. Tomorrow. Always. The Lord is here. We need not fear. All of us have faced difficulties in this life. Maybe even things that were terrible disasters. Our society is not very helpful. Each day seems to bring something new to fear. Real. Or imagined. It becomes even more important to let the Lord fill our hearts and lives with joy. Remember from last week the King of Glory is Creator. Savior. Warrior. It is good to be reminded that the Lord God of Armies truly is our warrior. “God is our refuge and strength, a helper who can always be found in times of trouble. That is why we will not fear when the earth dissolves and when the mountains tumble into the heart of the sea” (PSALM 46:1, 2). The Last Day will seem disastrous. Nations will be afraid. We will not fear.
E. Our life here as God’s children is often challenging. Satan uses many distractions to turn joy into sadness. Away from gladness. Our own sinful nature can be very negative. The wicked world does not highly honor the children of Light. What is good is now called evil. The truth has been exchanged for the lie. Right and wrong are dismissed as being too judgmental. Biased. Racist. We still stand on the Truth. Our Savior Warrior is with us. Strengthens us. “I have told you these things, so that you may have peace in me. In this world you are going to have trouble. But be courageous! I have overcome the world” (JOHN 16:33). Be courageous! Consider how the world treated Jesus. Betrayed. Beaten. Condemned. Crucified. Died. Buried. ROSE again! Our Warrior Savior overcame the world. Sin. Satan. For us!
F. Our loving, heavenly Father cares for us with great interest. The Lord God who created the heavens and the earth created us. Our bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made. We also have an eternal soul. God breathed into us the breath of life. The Lord God of Armies knows us by name. Knows every intimate detail about us. “Why, even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So stop being afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows” (LUKE 12:7). Have you ever counted the hairs on your head? Of course not. Probably have not even thought about it. The Lord knows this insignificant fact. The Lord also sees to the important things in our life. Forgiveness. Eternal salvation. Do not be afraid. No fear.
CONC.: The Lord is in our midst. The Lord is here. The Lord lives in us. The Lord is our mighty Warrior. We do not fear. The Lord is with us. Who can stand against us? No one. Nothing. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, into an inheritance that is undying, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (1 PETER 1:3, 4). “REJOICE WITH ALL YOUR HEART.” Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
ADVENT 3 rdgs.: ISAIAH 35:1-10; JAMES 5:7-11; MATTHEW 11:2-11; PSALM 146
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