ZEPHANIAH 3:1-2 Examine Thyself!

TOPIC: Apostasy; Self-examination

TITLE: Examine Thyself!
TEXT: Zephaniah 3:1-2

“Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, The tyrannical city! She heeded no voice; She accepted no instruction. She did not trust in the LORD; She did not draw near to her God.”

CONTEXT: After the reigns of David and Solomon, the nation Israel fell into a declining spiral of arrogance, apostasy, intrigue, idolatry, collapse, lamentation, searching, revival, and restoration … only to repeat the process.

Verse 1 says they had become an oppressive, rebellious, and defiled (blood-stained) society [the Hebrew says: filthy and polluted].

In verses1-5, Israel is judged according to the privilege granted her … as are all nation before and since. Her ruling classes had rejected any critique of their behavior or beliefs.

Israel trusted in her wealth, her military, and her alliances.

In verses 2:1-3:8, we see the earth and all her nations judged according to her privilege.

The verbs in verse 2 are participles, and carry the sense of present and continuous practice.

TRUTH CLAIM:

"Then the LORD appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, 'I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now My eyes shall be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place. For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that My name may be there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.'"

2 Chronicles 7:12-16

The value of Zephaniah for the church is prophetic ... remember - God is unchanging (immutable)!

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What does God hate to find in his people ... what really grieves Him?
CONCISE OUTLINE:
Each of the following phrases is negative …

I. He hates to find a people who will not listen!
II. He hates to find a people who will not learn!
III. He hates to find a people without an eternal foundation!
IV. He hates to find a people who do not fear Him!

Notice the first two are indicative of Israel’s stubbornness; while in the second two the Hebrew is reverse, implying a particular kind of rebellion.

The ultimate question is “Will any nation which behaves in this way survive God’s wrath!” But today's question is simply -

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What does God hate to find in his people ... what really grieves Him?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:
I. He hates to find a people who will not listen!

Who are independent and self-reliant; who have misunderstood His blessings as a sign of their own cleverness!

Israel was that kind of people!

Consider our present post-Christian Era.

II. He hates to find a people who will not learn!

Who have no desire to learn or grow.

Israel was that kind of people! Refusing the Lord’s discipline!

Consider our present post-Christian Era.

III. He hates to find a people without an eternal foundation!

Who have a foundation of sand, who are not built upon The Rock. [Matthew 7:24-27]

Israel was that kind of people!

Consider our present post-Christian Era.

IV. He hates to find a people who do not fear Him!

Who will not draw near to Him in awe and reverence!

Who will not humble themselves before their Creator.

Israel was that kind of people!

Involves the acts of worship and service, prayer and praise.

They took the Lord's name in vain … in an irreverent or dishonoring way.

Consider our present post-Christian Era.

APPLICATION: Israel, especially her leaders, didn’t see the relationship between their current problems and God’s displeasure … thus they did not see their actions or philosophies as sin. Kind of like a pharaoh who did not know Joseph [Exodus 1:8].

Why? Because ...

“[the righteous man’s] delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.”

Psalms 1:2

... and ours is not! No wonder our righteousness is like a filthy rag.

The leaders of Israel were not God-fearers. Only in name! A violation of the commandment not to take the name of God in vain.

I personally fear Western Civilization (and most of the church) has fallen into a declining spiral just as Israel did … I fear she –

1) no longer heeds the voice of God or anyone else; heeding only its own voice

2) is no longer educable in the sense of receiving instruction

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:17

God’s word has become anathema to them.

3) no longer has a rock foundation ...

You see we’ve always known that we can’t expect every American to have saving or even living faith in God; but if the nation herself, meaning the majority of the people and the “ruling class,” were to have a solid moral and God fearing foundation … well??)

4) no longer fears God or even accepts His existence, and will not draw near to Him.

It can be said: “Any ship of state manned by a blind crew will certainly end up on the rocks but not on the Rock.” [quote me on that]

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

James 4:8

CHALLENGE: We must focus on things above, not on things of this world.

The final discipline of God, the one which has brought the true promise of peace to all men, fell on the shoulders of the Lamb of God, His “suffering servant” our Savior.

“But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.”

Isaiah 53:5

Apostasy, Christianity, Expository,
Homiletics, Outlines, Preaching,
Sermons, Zephaniah

JONAH 4:1-11 Taking Our Medicine - Avoiding the Jonah Syndrome!

TOPIC: Lost; Evangelism, Witness
TITLE: TAKING OUR MEDICINE
TEXT: JONAH 4:1-11

Then the LORD said, “Do you have good reason to be angry?"

[WITNESS] I was told of a couple who attended a neighborhood wedding reception and had a great time talking with a young man. After a while they were joined by another couple they were friendly with. Shortly, the young man excused himself and went to join a younger group. The couple apologized for not introducing him or knowing his name. "That's all right," they said. "We already know him, he's our son."

This illustrates the problem we have in our modern society; these folks were courteous but never got to know their guest well enough to introduce him to others by name.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How may we avoid the Jonah Syndrome?
CONCISE OUTLINE

I. BY FOCUSING MORE ON GOD’S NATURE!
II. BY FOCUSING MORE ON COMPASSION!
III. BY FOCUSING MORE ON THINGS ABOVE!

TRUTH CLAIM: When we're frustrated with the sad state of affairs in our world, we are often close to calling God's character and even his nature into question.

For God has clearly told us to "love your neighbors as we love yourselves." He has also given us the parable of the "good Samaritan" for the same reason.

Only when we are sincerely seeking the redemption of our fallen neighbors, rather than their destruction, will we truly understand how God was "slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness" [4:2] toward all men!

Only when we serve God unconditionally will we ever understand how God is "a gracious and compassionate God" [4:2] toward all men!

CONTEXT: Jonah was a normal everyday human being from a normal station in life; but he was RUNNING FROM GOD.

God was just not doing things Jonah's way. Jonah lived his life pretty much like God asked him to! But, oh these Ninevites? UGHHHH!!!!!!

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How may we avoid the Jonah Syndrome?
EXPANDED OUTLINE
I. BY FOCUSING MORE ON GOD'S NATURE!

God is not willing that any perish:

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is long-suffering toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

This is characteristic of Him and consistent with His nature.

When we disobey and stay home, after He has clearly said "GO," we stand in the way of the salvation of others.

We should not be surprised when the heathen behave the way they do.

Their only hope is to hear and to accept the Good News ... to be born-again.

Are we nothing more than contemporary Jonahs?

II. BY FOCUSING MORE ON COMPASSION!

Jonah actually wanted these Ninevites to suffer and die. Yet, he knew who God was:

So he prayed to the LORD, and said, "Ah, LORD, was not this what I said while I was still in my country? Therefore, in order to forgo this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that Thou art a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and One who relents from concerning calamity.

Jonah 4:2

Judgment he preached, judgment he wanted!

Are we guilty of the Jonah Syndrome? Do we seek their judgment or their salvation?

III. BY FOCUSING MORE ON THINGS ABOVE!
Jonah eventually obeyed, but without his heart in it.

God no more wants "grim obedience" than a parent does from a child, an boss from an employee, nor a teacher from a student.

Remember, Jonah was sent because the Ninevites' "wickedness has come up before Me!" (1:2)

What is our part in warning the lost? We fear what we would loose something (respect, friends, jobs, neighbors, family) if we became more zealous for the lost, yet they are not ours in the first place.

In fact, that which we have we will lose if we don't obey!

"... what profit is it to a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then recompense every man according to his deeds."

Matthew 16:26,27

APPLICATION: Are we not a great deal like Jonah with respect to this evil and adulterous generation? Are they not our Ninevites?

Are we not complaining because of their effect on our cozy little lives? Are we not more concerned about our shelter and shade than the souls of those who are not like us?

We must become more concerned for others than for ourselves!

The plant that withered is thought to have been a castor oil plant; perhaps the significance is truly profound? Perhaps God has some foul medicine we need to swallow!

Chastisement, Christianity,
Expository, Homiletics, Jonah,
Outlines, Preaching, Sermons

LAMENTATIONS 3:21: Mourning by Morning

TOPIC: Hope; Despair, Disappointment, Expectations

TITLE: MOURNING BY MORNING – Hope in the midst of despair! [If my memory serves me correctly this message was adapted from the message of another]
TEXT: Lamentations 3:21

“This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope.”

[SUICIDE] An Illinois man is in prison for life for intimidating his wife to suicide … making him what's believed to be the first person convicted under a law which says it's a felony to induce anyone to take their own life.

But how sad is it that the woman’s despair was so great.

Jesus tells us to come unto Him if we are weary and heavy laden. For those of us who've "been there, done that," the hope we have in our Lord is powerful beyond belief.

Though times and circumstances assault us, the Lord's solid foundation withstands the mightiest of storms.

How sad that generation after generation, in some families, pass on this hopelessness as their legacy. Truly the sins of the parents are visited to the kids to the third and fourth generations.

INQUIRY: Why did Jeremiah have a change of heart?

1. Because (v.19) when he remembered his affliction, his wanderings, his wormwood and bitterness, he then
2. Remembered God’s never-ceasing lovingkindnesses, His never-diminishing compassions, and His never-failing faithfulness. (vv.22-23)

CONTEXT: Psalm 56:8 says God keeps our tears in a bottle … and listed in a book….

Swindoll believes, [God must have] "several jugs marked 'Jeremiah.'"

Jeremiah from late 7th century to early 6th century BC … for about forty years … never had anything but heartache.

His message was of God’s coming judgment. The reason he is known as the weeping prophet is because he saw and understood the depth of his people’s rebellion and lack of concern.

TRUTH CLAIM: Our memories are frequently bond slaves of insecurity … tortured and manipulated by every demon of despair and monster of misery.

Desperate minds call to remembrance every dark apprehension of the past, they exaggerate every gloomy feature of the present; thus memory, now draped with sackcloth, projects upon the mind a future of mingled bitterness and affliction.

There is, however, no necessity for this. Wisdom can and will transform our recollections into angels of comfort … messengers of light … if we determine them to be so.

These same remembrances which in their left-hand bring so many dark omens, can be trained to convey in their right a wealth of hope-filled God-ordained favors.

Wisdom can discipline our memories to disdain a crown of rusting iron, for one of gold … glittering with gemstones.

Thus it was in Jeremiah’s experience; in the previous verse recollection brought him to deep mortification of soul:

“My soul has them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me” [KJV]
“Surely my soul remembers, And is bowed down within me” [NASB]

And this same memory restored him to life and comfort.

“This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.”

Like a double-edged sword, his memory killed conceit with one edge, then destroyed despair with the other. [e.g. Hebrews 4:12]

INQUIRY: How may we overcome depression and despair when assaulted by negative remembrances?
EXPANDED OUTLINE
I. BY REMEMBERING GOD'S NEVER-CEASING LOVINGKINDNESS!

“Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

Romans 5:1-5

II. BY REMEMBERING GOD'S NEVER-DIMINISHING COMPASSIONS!

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”

Romans 5:8, 9

“For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait expectantly for it.”

Romans 8:24, 25

III. BY REMEMBERING GOD'S NEVER-FAILING FAITHFULNESS!

“Morning by morning, O LORD,
You will hear my voice;
morning by morning
I lay my request before You
and wait in expectation.”
Psalms 5:3

APPLICATION: As a general principle, if we would but discipline our memories more shrewdly, we might, in the darkest of our despairs, light a match which would instantly kindle the lamp of comfort.

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Hebrews 11:1

God doesn’t need to create a new thing upon this earth just to restore believers to joy; if we would rake the ashes of our past with devotion, we would certainly find light for our present; and if we would open the book of eternal truth and turn to God’s throne of grace, our small lights would soon shine brightly for our future, as intended.

CHALLENGE: When we fail to understand the nature and promises of our God we set ourselves up for disappointment, discouragement, depression, despondency, despair, etc.

Remember the never-ceasing lovingkindnesses of the Lord; recite his deeds of grace. Open the divine volume of recollection which so richly illuminates His never-failing mercies, and be joy-filled.

“Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, Unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High That both good and ill go forth? Why should any living mortal, or any man, Offer complaint in view of his sins? Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to the LORD.”

Lamentations 3:37-40

On that account, memory can be the wellspring of joy.

Let the Comforter bend your memory to His service; let it be the commander of multitudes of encouragements.

Christianity, Disappointment, Expectations,
Expository, Homiletics, Hope, Lamentations ,
Outlines, Preaching, Sermons

MALACHI: Full Sermons

The following are links to full sermons, preached at FBC La Verne in Southern California or at San Carlos Community Church (SCCC) in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico ...

3:8-11

BIGGEST, MEANEST THIEF IN THE WORLD - Expose on 21st Century Holy Pickpockets!

quick link to MALACHI: Seed Archive

Homiletics, Malachi, Preaching,
Sermons, Sermon Series

MICAH: Full Sermons

The following are links to full sermons, preached at FBC La Verne in Southern California or at San Carlos Community Church (SCCC) in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico ...

6:1-8

YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD - What does the Lord take delight in?

quick link to MICAH: Seed Archive

Homiletics, Micah, Outlines,
Preaching, Sermons, Sermon Series

Jeremiah: Full Sermons

The following are links to full sermons, preached at FBC La Verne in Southern California or at San Carlos Community Church (SCCC) in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico ...

Jeremiah 18:1-6

FLAWED VESSELS - Once Marred, Now Remade!

quick link to JEREMIAH: Seed Archive (INACTIVE AT THIS TIME)

Jeremiah, Homiletics, Preaching,
Sermons, Sermon Series

JUDGES: Full Sermons

The following are links to full sermons, preached at FBC La Verne in Southern California or at San Carlos Community Church (SCCC) in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico ...

2:3

THE THORNS & SNARES - The Proof Is Indeed In the Pudding!

quick link: ESTHER Seed Archive (INACTIVE AT THIS TIME)

Christianity, Easter, Expository,
Homiletics, Judges, Outlines, Preaching

1 TIMOTHY - Seed Archive

2:14-15

Indeed, Adam wasn't deceived, rather it was the woman, who, being utterly deceived, fell into transgression. [author's translation and italics]

Topic: MOTHER'S DAY [Children; Consequences; Eve; Family; Parenting; Sins of the Fathers] Title: What Every Mother Wants Her Children To Know!

Truth Claim: Our roles in life, as men and women, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters are dictated by two factors: (1) our federal disobedience in Adam and Eve and (2) our daily disobedience in our daily lives!

Man can't change this; not with all his resources over all time; nor can society, race, nationality, law, education, family or wealth!

Foundational Inquiry: If Eve could, what would she want all of her children to know?

She'd want them to know ...

I. God's commandments are not just for hearing, but for obeying!
II. God's Commandments may not make sense to man, but then they don't have to!
III. God's Commandments, when disobeyed, carry grave consequences!

Application: Were Eve here now, she'd try to convince you she made a horrible mistake. She'd try to demonstrate, every day, Satan is doing to you just what he did to her ... he's singing the same old song, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not ...' ?" [Genesis 3:1]

Mother's take note: Satan, like wolves in the pasture, isn't after the mature sheep, those who fight back and wear "the full armor of God," he's after your little lambs, those who depend on you to know better and to teach them!

1 Timothy, Christianity, ,
Expository, Homiletics, Outlines,
Preaching, Religion, Sermons