"Tears > Turning > Together"

January 6, 2013
Tears > Turning > Together
The Book of Joel
Scott Howard

The book of Joel in the Bible is speaking to a people who are no longer sensitive to the severity of their sin in the sight of a Holy God.  Over and over, Joel speaks of "The day of the Lord" as a day that God will judge His people and the people of the world, and that this day is coming.

The Day of the Lord will be a Day...

• Of Destruction for the Resistant (those who resist God) ---> Joel 3:12-14
• Of Salvation for the Repentant (those who come to God) ---> Joel 2:32

Repentance involves:

• Confession:  Acknowledgement of sin and agreement with God about sin---basically, seeing our sin how God sees it: without degree, one sin is not worse than another, sin is sin.
• Contrition:  Brokenness before God over sin, sorrow for sin, weeping over sin.
• Conversion:  Turning to God from sin, a transition. 

>As we repent, God relents. 
God desires to redeem the repentant.  That is why He made a way through His Son, Jesus, for salvation.

What does it mean for God to Relent?

• God rescues us from our sin. --->  Joel 2:18-20  (from His judgement)
• God restores us.  ---> Joel 2:21-26
• God resides with us! ---> Joel 2:27

He reconciles us back to the presence of God, since we were separated from it through the first sin in Genesis.

How will God reside with us?

• God will come to us in His Son.  ---> Romans 10:12-13  Jesus has victory over sin and death.
• God will live in us through His Spirit.  ---> Acts 2:17-21 After Jesus rose and ascended back to Heaven, He left His Spirit, the Comfortor, to dwell in us until we pass from this earthly life to an eternal life.

If God's Spirit is in us, how would we get comfortable with sin?  Let us strive to really and truly desire God's Spirit.  Let us grieve over our sin in anticipation of the Day of the Lord.  May we be overwhelmed by the severity of our sin, be in awe of a Holy God, and be overwhelmed by His mercy on us.