Sermon Series on the Book of Joel A Wake Up Call (Joel 1) Starting on sermon series on the book of Joel The Book of Joel is one of the books of the Old Testament in the Bible. The book states that it was written by the prophet Joel, although nothing is said about himself except that he was the son of Pethuel.

Book of Joel 1:1-12 Desolation of the Land 1:13-20 Call to mourn and fast 2:1-11 The Day of the Lord 2:12-17 Call to repentance 2:18-27 Promise of deliverance and restoration 2:28-32 Promise of outpouring of the Holy Spirit 3:1-16 Judgment of the nations 3:17-21 Eternal blessings for God’s people In this book a terrible locust plague invades throughout Judah and destroys every vegetation in the country. This is then followed by widespread famine. Joel symbolically refers to the locust plague and the subsequent famine as an urgent call for the people to repent to God for their sins. If they love and obey God again like they did before, God will do good things to them. Joel also tells the people of a certain day that is coming — “The Day of the Lord.” On that day, a there is a pouring of divine wrath on God’s enemies and at the same time a pouring of divine blessing on His people. The Apostle Peter quotes from Joel when said: “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; Acts 2:17

Bad news GETTING INCLUDED IN A Whatsapp GROUP WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION ANSWERING A CALL FROM AN UNKNOWN NUMBER ACCIDENTALLY HITTING “REPLY ALL” ON A RESPONSE ONLY MEANT FOR ONE PERSON LEAVING THEIR PHONE SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN WHERE THEY ARE AT THAT MOMENT LIKING A 6-MONTH-OLD INSTA PHOTO  GETTING A JOB TO GET EXPERIENCE WHEN EVERY JOB REQUIRES EXPERIENCE BEFORE THEY HIRE YOU THE HORROR OF A DEAD BATTERY

Bad news is good news bad news is an opportunity for us to return to God No bad news is random. We don’t have a random God who judges and inflicts suffering at his whims and fancy My brother lost his life savings It is a wake up call for us individually, as a church and nation Contend with God “Bad news from God? It’s for our own good!”

Joe 1:2 Hear this, you elders; give ear… Joe 1:3 Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children… Joe 1:2 Hear this, you elders; give ear, all inhabitants of the land! Has such a thing happened in your days, or in the days of your fathers? Joe 1:3 Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children to another generation.

Joe 1:4 (KJV) That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten. Joe 1:4 That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten. (KJV) Joe 1:4 What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten, and what the hopping locust left, the destroying locust has eaten. (ESV) Joe 1:5 Awake, you drunkards, and weep, and wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the sweet wine, for it is cut off from your mouth. Joe 1:6 For a nation has come up against my land, powerful and beyond number; its teeth are lions' teeth, and it has the fangs of a lioness. Joe 1:7 It has laid waste my vine and splintered my fig tree; it has stripped off their bark and thrown it down; their branches are made white. What devastations have befallen on us?

"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." Hebrews 3:15

Joe 1:8 Lament like a virgin wearing sackcloth for the bridegroom of her youth… Joe 1:13 Put on sackcloth and lament, O priests; wail, O ministers of the altar. Go in, pass the night in sackcloth, O ministers of my God!

Joe 1:14 Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly… Joe 1:19 To you, O LORD, I call… Joe 1:14 Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. Joe 1:19 To you, O LORD, I call. For fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and flame has burned all the trees of the field.

2018 YEAR OF PRAYER 2019 YEAR OF PROCLAMATION 2020 YEAR OF PERSONAL DISCIPLESHIP

“Take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both “Take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible.” Karl Barth

Burning hearts conference July 2017 Contenders 31 Dec 2017 Church@prayer 27 April 2018

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