The book of Joel, like the other Minor Prophets, contains the great Biblical themes of “creation,” “fall,” “redemption,” and “restoration.” Each of the Books of the Twelve contains this narrative flow while highlighting or accentuating certain aspects of the flow. Specifically, Joel contains themes of destruction and darkness. During our worship this Sunday I want to examine how the imagery of destruction and darkness can give us a better picture of the gospel so we can see more clearly that the book of Joel points us to Jesus in some amazing ways. We will trace the imagery from the goodness of God’s creation to the desolation and darkness that we humans brought into His creation, to the ultimate darkness and destruction unto which Jesus subjected himself, and then to the glory of the restoration and the victory of those who, along with Christ are raised to new life as coheirs of God’s New Creation.
We are gathered in the name of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
Creation—Psalm 104:24-35
O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great. There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it. These all look to you, to give them their food in due season. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works, who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke! I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD. Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD!
Creation Sings the Father's Song
© 2008 Thankyou Music / Keith & Kristyn Getty & Stuart Townend
Creation sings the Father's song; he calls the sun to wake the dawn
and run the course of day till evening comes in crimson rays.
His fingerprints in flakes of snow, his breath upon this spinning globe,
he charts the eagle's flight; commands the newborn baby's cry.
Hallelujah! Let all creation stand and sing, “Hallelujah!”
Fill the earth with songs of worship; tell the wonders of creation's King.
Creation gazed upon his face; the ageless One in time's embrace
unveiled the Father's plan of reconciling God and man.
A second Adam walked the earth, whose blameless life would break the curse,
whose death would set us free to live with Him eternally.
Creation longs for his return, when Christ shall reign upon the earth;
the bitter wars that rage are birth pains of a coming age.
When he renews the land and sky, all heaven will sing and earth reply
with one resplendent theme: the glory of our God and King!
De-creation Through Destruction—Joel 2:1-2, 12-13
Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming; it is near, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains a great and powerful people; their like has never been before, nor will be again after them through the years of all generations. “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.
Jesus, Lover of My Soul
© 2000 Greg Thompson Music. CCLI 1888005
Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to Thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high.
Hide me, O my Savior, hide,
’til life’s storm is past;
Safe into the haven guide; receive my soul at last.
Other refuge have I none, I helpless, hang on Thee;
Leave, oh leave me not alone, support and comfort me.
All my trust on Thee is stayed, all help from Thee I bring;
Cover my defenseless head, in the shadow of Thy wing.
Thou, O Christ, are all I want, here more than all I find;
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is Thy Name, I am all unrighteousness;
False and full of sin I am; Thou art full of truth and grace.
Plenteous grace with Thee is found, grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound; make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art, Let me take of Thee;
Spring Thou up within my heart; for all eternity.
The Ultimate De-creation – Luke 23:44-46
It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.
There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood
Public Domain. W. Cowper & L. Mason. CCLI#1888005
There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains:
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains,
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, as vile as he, washed all my sins away:
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away,
And there have I, as vile as he, washed all my sins away.
E’r since by faith I saw the stream your flowing wounds supply
Redeeming love has been my theme and shall be till I die
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die
Redeeming love has been my theme and shall be till I die
Then in a nobler, sweeter song I will sing your power to save
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave
Lies silent in the grave, lies silent in the grave
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave
Dear dying Lamb, your precious blood shall never lose its power,
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved to sin no more:
Be saved to sin no more, be saved to sin no more,
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved to sin no more.
Victorious Re-creation— Revelation 1:12-18
Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like ka son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white like wool, as white as snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
Grace Like Rain
© 2003 Ardent/Koala Music Chris Collins, Edwin Excell, John Newton, Todd Agnew CCLI#1888005
Amazing Grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now I'm found
Was blind but now I see so clearly
Hallelujah! Grace like rain falls down on me
Hallelujah! All my stains are washed away
They're washed away
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
When we've been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun
We've no less days to sing Your praise
Than when we'd first begun
Sermon
Communion
Joyful Song of Sending
Doxology
Old 100th Public Domain CCLI 1888005
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise him all creatures here below
Praise him above the heavenly host
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost
Amen! Amen! Amen! Amen!
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