Zephaniah

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Zephaniah as we continue walking through the prophets. That's who we're going to look at today. And I hope that you have an opportunity this week perhaps to read the book of Zephaniah or to watch the video that we post on our Facebook group. If you're not a part of our Facebook group, I'd encourage you to do that to join it because every week we've been posting these videos about these prophets I as it's it's a group called The Bible project and they do the summaries of the different books of the Bible and their ones on the prophets have just been incredibly helpful to me. And so I encourage you to do that and encourage you in the last several weeks years. We as we finish out 2019 with the profits to join me each week in reading the proper way to look at but Zephaniah is one of the prophets who If we're not careful. We can just treat Zephaniah like more of the same right you start reading through the prophets and you get these common themes that just come up right this common theme of God's judgments is certainly a predominant theme I God is going to judge sin beat out amongst his people or be that outside of his people. God will judge them because he's holy because he's righteous because he's a God of Justice. It is incumbent on him to do this. And so we this theme of judgment but we also having every single one of the prophets.

Yeah, I think I can state that that clearly this theme of Hope. This theme of redemption this theme that God is going to redeem a part of his people that they would be saved through the Judgment that they would be saved in spite of the Judgment that they would be saved from the Judgment. This theme of Hope is he wasn't so we're not surprised then when we look at Zephaniah and we have some of these themes judgments. Hope I will see all of that, but that's a nigha. Too often neglected frankly. When was the last time you ever read or heard a sermon on Zephaniah? Me neither, although this last week. I hope you read it. But I don't think I've ever heard a sermon from the book of Zephaniah. But as I was reading it this week and reflecting on it. I recognized Zephaniah puts a little bit of extra mustard on his message of judgement Zephaniah kind of kick things up a notch because we're the other prophets say God's going to judge Jerusalem. He's going to destroy Jerusalem God's going to judge Babylon. He's going to destroy Babylon God's going to judge Assyria God's going to judge this out of the other. Zephaniah takes it to another level look at verse 17 in chapter one with me.

Zephaniah is speaking the word of the Lord. I will bring the stress on mankind so that they shall walk like the blind because they have sinned against the Lord their God shall be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung neither silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the Wrath of the Lord in the fire of his jealousy all the Earth shall be consumed for a sudden and full end. He will make of all the inhabitants of the Earth. That's about this time in my reading that I said, hold up. Woah time out. all the inhabitants of the Earth

What's the deal with this God? What's the deal with this Zephaniah? Like you're supposed to be talking about Israel You're supposed to be talking about Babylon. You're supposed to be talking about the people the setting of your day and yet you say everyone. Everyone stands under the Judgment of God everyone. Will be destroyed because of their Rebellion against God. Their blood will be poured out like dust their flesh like dung. Now these image Ruiz are meant to shock us. They're meant to call our attention to the message here. They're meant to say just like you would sweep up some dust off the floor and dump that dust pan out into the trash can that's what God is going to do to All Flesh just like in this is maybe not going to make as much sense of you to those. Who were you raised outside of an agrarian background, but somebody who grew up with pigs and cows. Let's just say there's a lot of that second item to shovel and a lot of it to dump. And just like I would not think twice about filling a wheelbarrow carrying it over to the compost pile and dumping it out. That's what it's going to be like except. There's nothing to be done. It's going to be Humanity.

That should shock has why God why all the inhabitants of the Earth? Really? Yeah. Why? Because God Is Calling all the inhabitants of the earth to do something. He gives this shocking declaration. I'm going to judge all the inhabitants of the earth. I'm going to destroy all the Earth because his goal is to call all the Earth to repentance. This is a warning. to everyone unless you repent you will be a part of this destruction because the weary Don in Chapter 2 now note that the verses and chapters weren't there in the original Zephaniah did not record this Revelation from God and say chapter 1. All right. Now we're moving on to something new know it's chapter one that flows naturally into chapter 2 cuz there were no chapters. So this thought continues when he says so he gives this proclamation of distress. He gives his proclamation of judgment to all mankind, but then look at what he says next gather together. Yes gather o Shameless Nation before the degree takes effect decree takes effect before the day passed away like chaff before their comes upon you The Burning Anger the Lord before their comes upon you the day of the anger of the Lord seek the Lord all you humble of the land. Who do his just command seek righteousness seek humility, perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the Lord. God expresses his intent to judge sinners in order that he might Express his desire to forgive Sinners. He calls them to repent and says this is the end of all the Earth. Not just Jerusalem. Not just Babylon. This is the end of all of humanity. unless

unless you repent unless you humble yourself and hide yourself from the day of the anger of the Lord Max McLean's got a better voice than I do. Wish you'd just let him take it from here, right?

That's okay.

Love it. Hey, by the way, the Bible app is a fantastic resource. And I would encourage you guys to download it and put on your phone because yes, you can read the word of God. And yes, you can listen to the word of God. There are a ton of things that you can spend your time doing, but filling your mind with the word of God probably about the best one that you can do. So I would encourage you to do that encourages that sees his look at the Judgment of God. Did is coming on all humanity and humble yourself repent that you may be hidden from the day of Wrath. This is a huge thing that God is holding out. This is an amazing thing that God is offering he says because I am holy and righteous and because all Humanity all the Flesh of the earth is not holy and righteous I have to judge it but there is a way to be hidden from that judgment will get to that in the second. But first off, what is the sin of humanity that leads to this judgment of God? What is this sin that has so deeply infected all the inhabitants of the earth that God would say I need to destroy them.

Pride Ultimately, it's pride in this is this is where is Zephaniah is perhaps the clearest of all the prophets the sin of humanity expresses itself in a million different ways in the New Testament Paul says that we are inventors of evil, right if we thought we've covered all the ways that we might send. Guess what we're going to continually invent new ways to send how many of you have been on social media lately. There's some pretty novel ways to send okay?

We don't need to know all the different ways we can send we just need to know where it comes from and Zephaniah cuts to the heart. He says pride is at the root of our sin pride is the problem. He's not the only Prophet who knows this but he is so clear that what God is judging is our fried is our presumption. And he's very clear and giving us an antidote for that. So look at chapter 2 verses 10 through 11. We'll see pride and then we'll see the antidote for the first thing. This is their lot this destruction. Is there Lots in return for their pride because they taunted and boasted against the people of the Lord of hosts. The Lord will be awesome against them. He will famish all the gods of the earth into him shall bow down each in its place all the lands of the nation, right? This is there a lot because of their pride this destruction is coming because of their pride he goes on in 15. This is the exalted City that live securely that said in her heart I am and there is no one else.

I am and there is no one else what a desolation she has become a layer for wild beasts everyone who passes by her hisses and shakes his fist. Look at chapter 3 verses 1 and 2 woe to her who is rebellious and defiled depressing city. She listens to no voice. She accepts no correction. She does not trust in the Lord. He does not draw near to our God. Officials within her are roaring lions are Judges are even wolves that leaves nothing till the morning. Look at the The Pride that motivates the sinful Humanity look at verse 11. I will remove from your mitts you proud and exalted ones. You shall no longer be haughty in all my Holy Mountain pride is the problem pride is the reason that God's judgment is coming humility is the answer look at chapter 2 verse 3 seek the Lord. All you humble and to do is just command at Sea crisis and seek humility. Perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the Underlord humility is the answer book a chapter 3 again. Sorry, I hear Pages you guys are like rushing back and forth. I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly. They will see they shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord. I'm doing away with pride. If the humble we're going to be spared, I'm going to remove the proud and I'm going to leave in place the humble, you know what this means people.

We are not to be proud.

If fried is the thing that God is going to say I'm going to destroy all of humanity for this thing right here. We ought not to be proud and instead we ought to be humble. We run into a little bit of a problem. With this issue, don't we how many of you are humble?

You see the problem right? You see how this is difficult to be humble.

It's so easy to be prideful now. I learned something this week. Guys, here's a here's a here's the thing James in his letter in the New Testament says not many of you should become teachers my brother's for you know that we who teach will incur a stricter judgement, right? I took that to heart this week cuz my world was shattered this week as I studied. Because a quote that I've been sharing one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite authors. I've been sharing it for years and this week. I realized he didn't actually say it.

And I was devastated to learn that CS Lewis did not say humility is not thinking less of yourself. It's thinking of yourself less. I've always quoted that as soon as soon as he didn't say it. You know who said it. Rick Warren, so thank God for Rick Warren. The CS Lewis I did so I was I was searching for this quote cuz I wanted to find out where Louis had said it only to find out he hadn't but what I did find something that he did say that I think is really good as well. Listen to this. Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man, he will be what most people call Humble nowadays. He will not be a sort of greasy. Smarmy person who is always telling you that of course, he is nobody. In fact, probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. And if you do just like him dissemble man, it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily he will not be thinking about humility. He will not be thinking of himself at all. Whether or not you want a quote Rick Warren or CS Lewis, I don't care but they're both getting at the heart of the issue. It's really easy to define pride. It's really easy to know what pride is it's really really hard. To Define humility Pride we can Define as and this is coming from online. So, you know, it's true. an inordinate self-esteem and unreasonable feeling of superiority as to one's talents Beauty wealth rank, and so forth disdainful Behavior or treatment influence or arrogance of demeanor hot bearing we know Pride when we see it, right we know Pride but we forget sometimes that fried can be

Have a negative Flipside to the person who walks around at CS Lewis says in the Astros you that he's nobody. Can be just as prideful. As the guy standing up on a stage and saying everybody look at me.

Right. It's it's Friday. This Insidious little thing. It just kind of gets inside of us and infects us and even when we're trying not to be proud and assure everybody else that we're not proud we can still be proud. We can still be ruled by Pride. Pride is easy Define. It's easy to see it's hard to hide from humility is much more difficult to Define. If you look at Webster, right, that's great source, the definition of humble is not proud.

Will wanted to find things by what they aren't right. That would be like going up to my wife and saying, you know, what dear I am. Not apathetic towards you.

Instead of saying I love you, right? You know what I am not a pathetic about you, right? Sure humility is not being proud, but that's got to be more than just this negative thing. Right? It's got to be more than just what it's not there has to be this positive thing to it. So further definition would be humility as having a low opinion of oneself.

Why don't think that gets out at either? I don't think that's what we're intended to do walk around and say oh, what was me? I'm such a miserable worm. right That's not it either. It's not just that we have a low opinion of ourselves. It's not just that we're not proud humility has to be somewhat more than that and this week. I wrote a definition of humility. I'm quite proud of it.

But I realized I was kind of the problem right there. And so I'm not going to share it with you. All right? Instead. I'm going to do something better. I'm not going to Define humility. Not going to Define it for you, but I can tell you where to go look for it. Turn in your Bibles to the book of Philippians. Turn your Bibles to Philippians chapter 2. And I think there's somebody did a statistical analysis of my sermons one. They need to find better things to do with your time to they would find this is probably the passage of scripture that I refer to most.

Because in here this thing that's so hard to Define. Is very clearly modeled for us. We don't have to look any farther than Jesus if we want to know what humidity is the Philippians chapter 2.

starting verse 1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ any comfort from love any participation in the spirit any affection and sympathy complete my Joy by being of the same mind having the same love being in full Accord and of one mind do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. Do though he was in the form of God did not count equality with God. A thing to be grasped but made himself nothing taking the form of a servant being born in the likeness of men. Being found in human form. He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name so that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow in heaven and on Earth and under the Earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. I want you to see humility Define humility for you. I want you to see humility and you don't have to look any farther than Jesus Paul holds Jesus up as a model for us. He says if you want to be like Christ, you're going to be humble. If you want to be humble. You're going to be like Christ. I need lays it out for us. He says you do not consider your own interest alone, but you look to the interests of others. Right, you don't just think about yourself you think about the people who you're sharing this world with the people who share your home your workspace your school your church you think about them and not just about yourself just like Jesus did not just think about himself, but he thought about all of the people who has Zephaniah told us stand under the condemnation of God. Stand ready to receive the righteous wrath of God poured out on them. Jesus was thinking about them. He didn't just look to his own interests. He look to the interests of others. He had equality with God and he did not consider it a thing to be grass, but he emptied himself, right? Obeyed to the point of death on the cross. Look at humility evident in the life of Jesus.

Quit trying to define it.

Start looking at what it actually is. And so when we look at Jesus's humility. Here's the model that I would propose for us. Think of others not just yourself. parents how many of you get tired of repeating yourself?

Double a man, right? If I say it once I say it a thousand times I tell my kids I'm not going to say which one gets it the most. But I said this a lot the world doesn't revolve around you. Right. Well the other day I did not realize that I was somewhat unbalanced in my use of this phrase that I was looking at one of my kids in particular and saying it most often because I said it to another one. And I don't owe you tell other people that too.

parenting fail But this is this is true. Right? We don't just grow out of it because we're not kids anymore. We don't do is lose this tendency to just focus on ourselves to the exclusion of others. But Paul says if you want to be humble. The first thing your mark by is a willingness to think about what others have going on a willingness to observe the world around you and be mindful. Of what's going on? In other people's lives. So thinking of others part of this model, then the next thing that I would submit is it if you want to be humble you ought to just go ahead and reject any thought of being equal with God.

You got to just get that out of your brain right now and everybody sitting here would be like, I don't think I'm equal to God. Yeah you do. You know how I know. Cuz you don't do what God says, you know how I know that cuz I don't do what God says.

and that is essentially saying I know better than God I am equal to God I can just as adequately and just as authoritatively direct my life as The Sovereign creator of all things can write Jesus who actually had equality with God who actually was God did not consider that a thing to be grasped how presumptuous is it of us? To claim that sort of Authority or the claim that sort of identity self-directed. for ourselves We have to reject that as a matter of fact when we talked about Fried by definition. This is pride to claim. I can be equal to God. If you look back at Genesis with this whole year in Sunday school, we've been considering in one of my classes. We've been looking at the Book of Genesis for an entire year and it's been a long time since January 1 2019, but it does not take you long in the story of Genesis to see what was the original sin. I desire to be equal with God and that lie you can be equal with God came directly from the Serpent's mouth and led directly to all of the evil in the world around us. And so Christian as we look at the example of Jesus. I would urge you reject any thought that you are God's equal or that you may be God's equal humility is in this recognizing that there is was and will only always ever be one God This is the continual echo of the Bible Deuteronomy 6 hear o Israel the Lord your God. The Lord is one. There is no other. There is no one else who can aspire to that Heights Sovereign over all creation. There's only one and that is God and humility starts with acknowledging that actually CS Lewis in that place that I quoted from earlier. The one that he actually said not the one that Rick Warren said he goes on to say Did the first step in humility is admitting that we're proud the first step in humility, I would argue from Philippians is admitting that we're not God.

As I as I live as I study the word as I as I interact with other people I tell I've said this before there are fewer and fewer things that I am absolutely certain of. But I will Echo what ones the illusion said as he was coming to the end of his life. What do you learn about God? There is one and I'm not him. There is a God and I'm not him. That's the start of humility. There is a God and I'm not him. There is a God and I'll never be him. There is a God and I ought to submit to him. That's what Jesus did he took the form of a servant. He submitted to God's will for his life. He rejected his equality with God. He emptied himself of that in order that he might be born as a servant for the good of those around him. That's why he came was to serve and that's what the next step in humility is recognized the fact that other people exist look to their interest recognized that God exists in your not Kim secondly serve others. serve others empty yourself of any attitude it would prevent you from serving others. empty yourself Of anything that would have you view the fellow image Bears around you as merely bit players in the story of your life. Answer yourself of anything that would Woodview. The person with their own minds with their own needs with their own desires empty yourself of seeing them as a cardboard cutout. Just somebody position in your life is part of the scenery start viewing every single face that you see As somebody who you were created to serve right look around the room.

Do it. I need to do it do it. Look at somebody's eyes get that really uncomfortable moment of like do you look way for us to do I look way first?

those faces and the hundreds of thousands of millions of faces of people around this world Ryu exist. You don't exist for the face you see in the mirror. You don't exist just to meet your own needs you exist. You were created. If you are a Christ follower you were made new in Christ for the sake of those that you just looked at. Does your life reflect that kind of attitude?

The kids are having fun. Don't worry.

Does your life reflects an attitude that looks at other people and says I wonder what God put me here to do for them. I wonder if it's a kind word they need from me. I wonder if it's a helping hand they need from me. I wonder if it's a declaration that Jesus is Lord.

Did they need for me? I wonder what they why I'm here with them. Because Jesus came to serve and we are meant to serve as well that's humility. To look around and not see people in wonder. What can they do for me? How do they benefit me boy? They're sure annoying me. But to think instead, how can I serve this person that God has placed in my path. The next thing that I would say based on Jesus's model of humility is that we would commit to obeying God and serving others. Even if it means we die.

This is language that the American Church runs from this is language that your pastor runs from What is Dietrich Bonhoeffer said and he actually said this by the way?

When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die. Do we see our submission to God and our life of service to others as one that does not even Encompass our breath but one that would go even through the point of death. Do we see our lives that way? That's how Jesus saw his life. That's what humility looks like. I will die to serve others. I will die to obey my God that's humility. That's a pretty high bar.

frankly And so this is where Jesus as our model of humility could lead us to despair will never be like that. We'll always have this tension pulling us think you can decide what you want to do with your life. Don't ask God will always have this thing inside of us. It looks at other people and is annoyed by them not Desiring to serve them. There's always going to be that element of us. Sorry for the being the bearer of bad news.

And there will be times when Christ would call us to die and we say not today not yet got my bucket list. There's things I want to do still.

Here's the best news I can give you you will fail.

How is that good news? You will fail you will not be humble. Like Jesus was humble. You you won't be. 100% sold out committed to a banggod you won't be. living for others 24/7 but the reason that's good news is because Jesus what? Jesus is more than just our model of humility. He's also the one who even makes our attempts at obedience in that direction possible. He's the one who sets us free from our selfishness. He's the one that sets us from this course of transformation and sanctification didn't even makes us feel bad for failing to be humbled and even give this this humility to say, I'm going to mess this up. That's what we need. We don't need a bunch of people pretending to be perfect. Because that's not humility.

What we need are people who say God. I'm going to screw this up, and I need you and I'm going to trust in you. You are standing in need of God's grace. If your acceptance before God was based on this quality and the consistency of your humility. You ain't going to make it.

Good news is Jesus came to serve failures like you and me. Jesus came to save Sinners who could never be good enough for God. That's what Jesus came to do. That's why Jesus is exalted and God bestows on him the name that is above every name every knee will bow in heaven and on earth, right? We don't want want that. We don't want to take that place. We don't want others bowing to us. We don't want that. That's not humility. And that's not why Jesus came he came to serve us but because of what he did we can look to him this exalted Risen Savior and say, thank you Lord for your grace. Thanks for thank you for your humility where I was proud. Thank you for your sinlessness where I was sinful. Thank you for the fact God that you did not.

Treat me as I deserved should have been iced up on that cross. We need to remember that especially in this Christmas season cute little baby. Jesus was born for a reason and that reason was across an empty tomb the story starts here, but it doesn't stop here. We need to see that and we need to be amazed that God would choose to give us proud. Rebellious Sinners Grace. did he would give us an example in Jesus but give us a savior in Jesus as well that he would say be like Christ, but when you fall short

He's got you. It's amazing to me. This is this is where I want you to turn back to Zephaniah. Turn back to Zephaniah chapter 3.

Humility think of the needs of others not just of your self submit to God. Don't try to be God. serve others

be willing to die to obey God and serve others recognize that you're going to fail. The Jesus didn't finally humility is just being amazed at the joy God takes in Saving you humility is responding in worship and praise to the fact that God would give you Grace. Here's the amazing thing. Look at Zephaniah chapter 3 verse 14 sing aloud o Daughter of Zion shout. So Israel rejoice and exalt with all your heart o daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord has taken away the judgements against you. He's cleared away your enemies the king of Israel. The Lord is in your midst. You shall never again fear evil? How did the people of God respond to the grace of God?

With amazement with worship with the Declaration of God's greatness and doing what we could not do for ourselves. That's how the people of God respond. That's how we're going to respond in just a second. We're going to stand and we're going to sing a song and it is my prayer for you that this song would be your cry just of Amazement humble marveling at the grace of God. But here's something incredible to me as we read the last part here in Zephaniah. As we sing to our Savior

He rejoices over us. He sings over us listen to this and this will be will let Zephaniah finish things out.

Sing aloud o Daughter of Zion shout o Israel rejoice and exalt with all your heart o daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord has taken away the judgements against you. He is cleared away your enemies the king of Israel. Yahweh is in your midst you shall never again for your evil on that day. It will be said to Jerusalem fear. Not o Zion let not your hands grow weak the Lord your God is in your midst a mighty one who will save he will rejoice over you with gladness. He will exalt over you with loud singing I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival so that you will no longer suffer reproach behold at that time. I will deal with all your oppressors. I will save the lame and gather the outcasts. I will change their shame and to praise and Renown in all the Earth at that time. I will bring you in at that. Time when I gather you together, I will make you renowned and phrase them on all the peoples of the earth. When I restore your fortunes before your eyes says the Lord.

I don't know what else to say.

The church we should Marvel. Not just that we get to sing to God though. We are unworthy, but we should Marvel that he sings over us. Let's be amazed by the grace of God.

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