Pastor Bivens Mark 7:31-37 – Pentecost 16 JESUS DOES EVERYTHING WELL!

Mark 7:31-37 – Pentecost 16

³¹ Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. ³² There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man.

³³ After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. ³⁴ He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”). ³⁵ At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.

³⁶ Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. ³⁷ People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Introduction: 4 days ago, on Wednesday, one of our daughters called my wife and me to inform us that the child she was carrying had died. For reasons known only to God, a miscarriage took place during the 14^th or 15^th week of her pregnancy. Later that day my wife asked me what Bible passage came to my mind when I thought about what happened. “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (Job 1:21) was my answer. “It’s OK to say the Lord took the child away?” “Yes, God did it and is actively involved in every death even though many instrumental means may also be involved. Jesus once told his disciples, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” (Jesus had begun to wash the disciples’ feet when Simon Peter questioned the action. Jesus gave this answer and promise.) The disciples didn’t understand why Jesus did some things at some times and in some ways. Neither do we. We don’t know why he chooses weather patterns of drought or flooding for us at certain times. We don’t know exactly why good health or poor health is given to people, nor do we comprehend why some are rich and others are poor due to circumstances beyond their control. So we may question the Lord’s actions and grope for enlightenment. And we can also enjoy the account set before us today. It instructs and comforts in a special way. Mark gives details of what Jesus did and, when all was said and done, the people there exclaimed, “He has done everything well!” Jesus acted his way – which was the best way. May we learn and remember this truth!

Jesus Does Everything Well

1.      He does it his way, and

2.      He does it the best way

Part 1: Jesus does everything HIS WAY

1.      We are given the background: Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. He had been in Phoenicia where the Syro-Phoenician woman begged him to heal her demonized daughter (last week’s Gospel reading). Jesus was already showing a kind of independence and going against the desired of the majority of his fellow Jews. He was spending time and giving attention to Gentiles (non-Jews) and moved from Phoenicia to the “Ten City” (Decapolis) area, another non-Jewish region.

2.      The some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man. This request was just like that of Naaman, the Syrian who suffered from leprosy and who came to the prophet Elisha so that Elisha would “call on the name of the Lord, wave his hand over the spot and cure the leprosy” (2 Kgs 5:11). But again Jesus did things his way, different from expectations. “He took him [the deaf man with the speech disorder] aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue.  He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”). Despite his departure from their expectations, the result was what they really wanted:  ^“At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.”  

3.      Maybe there is value in noting the great diversity we find in analyzing how and when Jesus did miracles. His first, changing water into wine at Cana, was preceded by Mary’s suggestion that he do something – and his answer to her made it clear that she was not to tell him what to do, when to do it or how to do it. And this pattern of his doing things as he chose to do them, continued throughout his earthly ministry.

a.       Sometimes he acted with a word alone, sometimes with a word and a touch, sometimes with a gesture, and sometimes without any word and from a distance.

b.      In healing the man born bling he first spat on the ground, made mud with the saliva, put the mud on the man’s eyes and told him to wash them at the nearby Siloam Pool.

c.       Sometimes he mentions the faith of a person being healed and at other times there is no evidence of faith or even an understanding of who was doing the miracle.

d.      And sometimes Jesus did not heal. When he ascended into heaven he left behind people who were still in need of healing. St. Paul, who healed in Jesus’ name, was made to endure physical burdens without healing. Coworker Trophimus was left behind on a missionary journey because of illness (2 Tm 4). Timothy has chronic stomach ailments but received no miraculous remedy.

e.       And sometimes, as in today’s text, “Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone.” More than once Jesus made it clear he didn’t want that kind of publicity at a given time and place. The point is clear: Jesus did things his way, often in ways that no one else really understood and at times in ways that brought potential criticism.

4.      I – we – need to remember this as we live out our lives under God. When our expectations are not met “on schedule” or “as hoped for” or “when we think it best.” We are all subject to impatience, discouragement, suspicion, grumbling, dissatisfaction and many other negative feelings when Jesus acts his way rather than our way concerning ourselves, those we love, and often those we consider enemies. Our spiritual lives, married and family lives, financial and social and physical lives are imperfect and seem to cry out for divine intervention regularly. But Jesus seldom acts how or when we want. Besides, just about every chapter of the Bible – and every conversation of his recorded in the Bible, he br4ings up the unpleasant subject of our sinfulness and shortcomings. That’s his way, a way I would not have chosen if it had been up to me.

Transition: We need to face that fact – and more than that. The more we focus on Jesus doing things his way, the more we learn that this is the best way. Let’s return to the event in our text to observe this reality.

Part 2: Jesus does Everything the BEST WAY

1.      It soon becomes clear that the way Jesus dealt with the deaf man with impaired speech was perfectly suited for the man. Put yourself in the man’s place. After living in total silence, he is here surrounded by a noisy crowd – the immediate gift of hearing would likely scare him to death.  So Jesus takes him aside, away from the noise and commotion. While a thousand thoughts were likely racing through the man’s mind, Jesus gently leads him step-by-step to understand what was about to happen:

a.       The fingers in the ears tell the man something would happen to his ears & hearing.

b.      The spit & touch of the tongue indicated his speech would also be involved.

c.       The look to heaven pictured to the man that God above would be involved.

d.      The deep sigh, as an expression of intense emotion, compassion, and perhaps even prayer – certainly maintained attention and communicated an emotional bond.

e.       Slowly yet deliberately Jesus prepared the man to receive what would happen and through whom it would come. Then came the spoken word “Ephphatha!” And the miracle took place with a minimum of fear, confusion, or trauma. The best way!

2.      There’s something else we don’t want to overlook here: Jesus worked to meet the deaf man’s deepest and greatest need – which wasn’t his physical handicap. He was a “heathen” Gentile living in Gentile territory and it may be assumed his knowledge and understanding of Jesus and his saving work on earth was minimal if there at all. So his greatest need – as it is with us – was for him to come to know and trust his Savior from sin. And the way Jesus went about healing him physically also served this cause:

a.       By drawing the man off to the side, working with him one-on-one, making himself the center of focus and face-to-face, Jesus presented himself, front and center, to the one he loved. Jesus would be foremost in his memory – and this would serve him as he had opportunity to learn more and more about Jesus. It’s the same way Jesus works in his Word, isn’t it. His many “I am . . .” statements (the good shepherd, light of the world, way, truth, and life, etc.) all are graciously “self-centered” because he is the One we need to know above all else.

b.      Not long after this, the healed man may well have heard that his Healer was crucified outside Jerusalem’s city wall. If he knew Jesus only as miracle-worker the news could have been devastating – such a very good person whose end was so very bad. But if he had the ability to learn of Christ’s main reason for being on earth and understood that souls and eternal destinies needed to be healed, the man would rejoice as we do, knowing Jesus does ALL things well, including paying for our sins, removing our guilt, and giving us life that never ends.

3.      It comes as little, if any, surprise that Jesus does things his way. He is true God as well as true man and his knowledge as well as his wisdom is flawless, perfect. “He sees the big picture” is one way of saying it. An illustration I heard years ago on the radio helped me appreciate God’s way of doing things: A man sees a bird building a nest in a tree—and immediately gets a ladder, climbs up, and tears the nest apart. The next day the same thing happens: the bird works on a nest and the man destroys it. The third day the bird moves to a different tree to build its nest – and the man is delighted. Why? The first tree chosen was diseased and about to be cut down and burned. What appeared to be cruelty or hate was kindness and wisdom. The key was the man’s knowing the future—and acting in a way that was good for the bird although not appreciated at first. When the last chapter is written it will be clear that his way is the best way.

4.      Shakespeare (in As You Like It) gave a familiar quote: “Sweet are the uses of adversity,
Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, Wears yet a precious jewel in his head.” Adversity, disappointment often bring blessings. [In the play it was spoken by a ruler deposed and exiled by his villainous brother.] Julius Caesar once had a respected, fearless soldier who lived in constant pain because of an injury early in his life. One day the pain left him. Caesar observed something else left him: his courage and leadership skills. He was now more interested in feeling good, being comfortable. Can’t we learn something from this? We are soldiers of Jesus Christ, and our commanding officer sometimes chooses  to “keep us in pain” or visit us with hardship – to maintain courage and character as members of the Church Militant. The events of Good Friday – and painful and ugly as they were, certainly showed us that he uses adversity for wonderful purposes. He does things his way – the best way.

Conclusion: Isaiah 55 tells us: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Praise him, for it is so. He does things his way – the best way. Amen

September 5-7, 2015 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: Malachi 3:6-18 “MALACHI: GOD’S CLEANUP MAN!

MAJORING IN THE MINORS: MALACHI

September 5-7, 2015

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: Malachi 3:6-18

“MALACHI: GOD’S CLEANUP MAN!

                                      In view of Christ’s coming…

1.     Clean up your giving.

2.     Clean up your living.

Malachi 3:6-18 (NIV1984) "I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. ⁷Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?' ⁸"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. ⁹You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me. ¹⁰Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. ¹¹I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. ¹²"Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty. ¹³"You have said harsh things against me," says the LORD. "Yet you ask, 'What have we said against you?' ¹⁴"You have said, 'It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty? ¹⁵But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.' " ¹⁶Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name. ¹⁷"They will be mine," says the LORD Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. ¹⁸And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”

          SILENCE! That’s what was coming. God was going to go silent. Up to this point God had talked in special ways to Adam and Eve, Noah, Enoch, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and all the prophets. Always pointing people to the coming Savior. Exposing sin. Declaring forgiveness. Pointing to Jesus. From our earlier minor prophets you know the history. God’s people had been in exile. They were brought back to Jerusalem. The Temple had finally been rebuilt. God’s people now know that the table is set. All is ready for Messiah to come.  But in God’s plan the time will not fully come for the Savior to be born for another 400 years. Now what do you think is going to happen to God’s people who are anxiously waiting for Jesus to come? They’re going to get tired of course, tired of waiting. And you know what happens when people get tired? They got sloppy. Up to the prophetic plate steps Malachi. He’s batting clean up, the last prophet of the Old Testament. He helps God’s people stay ready. He teaches them to live in view of Christ’s coming.

          In view of Christ’s coming clean up your giving he said. At the time of Malachi God’s people had gotten sloppy in their giving. As part of Old Testament law all people, young and old, rich and poor, gave a tithe or 10% of their income to God. They also brought various different offerings of animals or crops to say “Thank you” to God or “I’m sorry” to Him. This was important for them as a way to show love for God because giving and loving are actually synonyms! God so loved that He gave. He showed love by giving. We show love by giving. Malachi’s people weren’t showing love. Earlier in his book you find that the people were bringing God the crippled sheep, the ones who were diseased or dying. Their leftovers. Now they were lying about the tithe, bringing let’s say 5% of their income but pretending it was 10%. They were robbing God. But it really wasn’t about the money. It was the lack of honor, lack of love. Like a father who tells his sick daughter, “I love you. I will do anything for you.” But then takes the money needed for her medicine and drinks it up at the bar. That’s not love.

          Malachi called on the people to repent and clean up their giving. He showed them how God would make it easy for them. "I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. ⁷Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?' ⁸"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. ⁹You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me. ¹⁰Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. ¹¹I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. ¹²"Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.” God doesn’t change. In view of Christ’s coming He would forgive the people, not destroy them. They didn’t have to be afraid of not having enough for God would bless them with more. Just clean up the giving. Let it be a way of showing love.

          Brothers and sisters, we find ourselves in a similar situation to the people at the time of Malachi. We are waiting for Christ to come. God is silent in that there are no more prophets or Apostles. We can get tired of waiting too. It might show in sloppy giving. Giving is loving. Love gives. First test yourself. Does your giving show love to God? Is it a portion that is served to God first or whatever is left over after other bills are paid? Is it given cheerfully or grudgingly? Does talking about money for God make you feel good or guilty? Test yourself. Then test God. See if He doesn’t keep his word. In view of Christ’s coming we clean up our giving.

          In view of Christ’s coming clean up your living. Remember at Malachi’s time the people were getting tired. When will Messiah come? You can hear it in their voices. "You have said harsh things against me," says the LORD. "Yet you ask, 'What have we said against you?' ¹⁴"You have said, 'It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty? ¹⁵But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.' " God’s people were getting tired. It didn’t seem to do any good to follow God. Those who didn’t seemed like they were better off. Sometimes it looks and feels that way to us. What good does it do to carefully follow God’s commands? Cheaters do prosper. The immoral in our country challenge God and escape. When is Jesus coming?

God had an answer. “Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name. ¹⁷"They will be mine," says the LORD Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. ¹⁸And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.” The Lord listened. A scroll of remembrance about those who feared the Lord and honored His name. “Mine,” said the Lord. A treasured possession. It’s all going to be clear on Judgment Day. You will see the distinction between the righteous in Christ and the wicked. Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Do you really think an eternity of glory in heaven is not worth it? In view of Christ’s coming clean up your living.

In view of Christ’s coming. That was the key. It’s all about Jesus. Malachi’s job was to help God’s people stay ready. 400 years later Jesus came the first time. As promised John the Baptist prepared the way for Him. Some were not ready. They had grown sloppy in their use of God’s Word and didn’t want a Savior from sin. But some were. They treasured God’s word. Pondered it in their hearts. They felt awful about their sin and were happy to have a Savior. God’s clean up man had helped them. Christ is coming again. How long will we have to wait? God doesn’t say. Will we be ready? Yes. Malachi helps us. Give as a way to show love to him. Live as His prized possession. Always in view of Christ’s coming. Amen.

August 15-17, 2015 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: Haggai 1:1-8; 2:4-5, 19b “HAGGAI: BUILD GOD’S HOUSE!”

MAJORING IN THE MINORS: HAGGAI

August 15-17, 2015

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: Haggai 1:1-8; 2:4-5, 19b

“HAGGAI: BUILD GOD’S HOUSE!”

1.     Give careful thought to your ways!

2.     The LORD is with you!

          Build God’s House! Is there anything hard to understand about that command?  Build God’s House. But at the time of the prophet Haggai God’s Old Testament people didn’t do it. Why not? Here’s the background. In 538 BC God fulfilled His promise to bring back His people exiled in Babylon to their homeland, to Jerusalem. They were that generation’s people of God. They had a privileged purpose. They were to exist to bring the Savior into the world. For that to happen God wanted His house built, the Temple. That’s where God used the Old Testament worship life to keep people focused on their need for a Savior. It was a sign for all people. Sin makes people unclean, separates them from God. Sacrifices were made for sin. It has to be paid for. An intercessor needed. Atonement provided through a substitute. The Temple was necessary. Since it had been destroyed God gave the command. “Build God’s house.” The people came back to Jerusalem in 538 BC. Temple rebuilding began in 536 BC. There was joy and happiness. The work began with a capital campaign. The people brought generous thankofferings for materials and work began. But then it stopped. Samaritans, people who had been brought in from other countries pressured them. They tried to use government interference to stop the work. But when that passed work didn’t resume. It wasn’t the Samaritans who were the problem. It was sin. God’s people’s sin. They were putting themselves ahead of God.

          Through Haggai God addressed His people. Haggai 1:1-8 (NIV 1984) “In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest: 2 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "These people say, 'The time has not yet come for the LORD's house to be built.' " 3 Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: 4 "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?" 5 Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. 6 You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it." 7 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. 8 Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the LORD.”

          What were you thinking? There comes a time in every parent’s life when you ask your kids that question. When you realize the boy has been quiet way too long in his room and you walk in to see the beautiful crayon art all over the newly painted wall. When the soaked cat comes sprinting at Mach 5 through the house escaping from the well intentioned whirlpool bath in the toilet. What were you thinking?” Give careful thought to your ways,” is how God the Father put the question to His Old Testament children. What were you thinking putting me last? You notice God did not chide them for having their own houses to live in or having food and drink. It was for failing to put God first. That’s the first Commandment! You can see how it happened. They started the work on the Temple. But then there was a rain day. Might as well work at home. I’ll go back when I get this project done. OK, one more thing to do then we’ll get around to God. What were you thinking? Haven’t you seen that putting other things ahead of God leads to loss of blessings? Despite all their hard work there were fewer crops, not enough food, never enough money. Give careful thought to your ways. There are a lot of things God puts up with in His people but second place is not one of them. Build God’s house. Now!

          Brothers and sisters, we are the people of God today. We have also been chosen by Him and have a privileged purpose. It’s not to build a Temple for worship. We can worship God in a church building, a house, under a tent, anywhere. Actually we are each a living and moving Temple of God. Together we are the Church and  our purpose is to draw people to Jesus until He comes again. We are salt and light. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness is the New Testament equivalent of Build God’s House. Seek first. It’s necessary every once in a while to ask ourselves, “Are we fulfilling our privileged purpose? Are we being what God made us to be, salt and light? Are we seeking first?” God Himself has placed us in this physically blessed country. He doesn’t say to us, “You can’t have a nice house or car or go out to eat occasionally.” He doesn’t say, “You can’t work a job, maintain that home, relax, golf, fish, hunt, shop, watch or play sports.” He says, “Seek first.” It’s priorities. Build God’s house in your home. Is time deliberately set aside each day for word and prayer? Is worship the last piece of the puzzle to fit into your calendar or what you try to work everything else around. Give careful thought to your ways is a message we need to hear. Think. Are you always pursuing happiness but never finding it? Family constantly in turmoil? Do you think to yourself, “You know once the kids are out of school, then I’ll give to God in a way that honors him, or once I’m out of school, or once I get my retirement set up.” Give careful thought to your ways. Are you living with a purse with holes in it, making lots but never enough? Do you think Old Testament believers in heaven ask “What part of seek first don’t they understand?”

          But…Now I’ve never known a child of God including myself to fudge a little on what God says without having what to our mind, my mind is a “reasonable” excuse. God I want to put you first but if I do my kids might not be as successful, or I won’t have enough to pay the bills or I won’t get enough sleep. The real reason behind so many of our reasons is fear. Fear we will miss out or have less or things won’t work out.

God’s Old Testament people faced similar fears. To enable them to build God’s House he gave this encouragement. Haggai 2:4-5 (NIV 1984) “But now be strong, O Zerubbabel,' declares the LORD. 'Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,' declares the LORD, 'and work. For I am with you,' declares the LORD Almighty. 5 'This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.'”

          There is a simple Bible truth. Whatever God asks you to do, He will give you what you need to do it. To overcome their fears God gave his people his presence. He would be with them from government leader to church leader to people He would be with them. They could fulfill their privileged purpose and build God’s house first, they could honor God and He would make sure they had enough food, drink, money, protection. The same is true for us. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness goes on. “And all these things will be added to you as well.” “Go and make disciples” is followed by “Surely I will be with you always to the very end of the age.” For whatever fear is holding you back or me back from building God’s house by seeking his kingdom first God has an answer. He will bless your time management so you can read His word, pray and get your work done. He will bless your children so they can be happy even if they are not involved in every activity offered in the Milwaukee area. He will bless your budgeting and control your unexpected expenses. For those times when we feel our past failures as a Christian mom or dad, husband or wife or worker will make it impossible for us to be salt and light or lead to Christ He gives freely His forgiveness and declares you and me to be as white as snow.

          Build God’s House. It’s a simple command. When Haggai first spoke to the people it wasn’t being done. But there was repentance. God’s house got built. At the moment of their repentance in mercy God told them Haggai 2:19b (NIV 1984)  “From this day on I will bless you.” Centuries later Christ came as promised. God doesn’t demand that Temple anymore. He wants us, you and me, living Temples working together and apart to build the church. While our country is physically blest it is becoming more and more spiritually bankrupt. The people of America need us to be what we are believers in Jesus who draw others to Him by deliberately and obviously building God’s house, seeking first. Now maybe you have for the most part been seeking first and building God’s house. Maybe you realize you haven’t been. Listen. It’s never too late in life to start doing the right things. It’s never too soon to stop doing the wrong. God forgives. He sees repentant hearts and says, “From this day on I will bless you.” Let’s Build God’s House! Amen.

August 9th, 2015 Pastor Waldschmidt MAJORING IN THE MINORS: Zephaniah

Zephaniah 1:8-9  Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the Lord’s wrath.  In the fire of his jealousy  the whole earth will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live on the earth.

Zephaniah 3:14-15  Sing, Daughter Zion;  shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,  Daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your punishment,  he has turned back your enemy.

Zephaniah-The Lord Hides (Protects)

I.                    Hides His Judgment

II.                  Protects His People

In the name of our Savior who hides us in the Shadow of His wings, dear fellow redeemed children of God,

    Summer nights were the time for street games in front of 36 Oaklawn Ave.  The house I grew up in had a big front porch.  From there mom could keep her eye on her children as we played football and kick the can and tag.  One of our favorite games was hide n go seek.  There were lots of places to hide in the neighborhood.  From the front porch mom could watch as the children scattered to hide behind bushes and in basement window wells.  Sometimes she would help the youngest in the group with hand signals that gave away the hiding places of the older kids or to steer the older ones in the wrong direction to protect the hiding places of the little ones.

Today we continue in our summer sermon series on the minor prophets.  Today we are thinking about God’s Word through the prophet Zephaniah.  His name means “The Lord Hides” or “The Lord protects. “  So today we have a front porch view as we watch the Lord hide.  We certainly can’t see all of the hiding places of the God who fills heaven and earth.  But today let’s watch as the hides his judgment for those reject him and the Lord hides his people away to protect them.

     “Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.”   When we are learning our books of the Bible it is easy to get Zephaniah and Zechariah mixed around.  Zephaniah was the first of the “Z”s.  Zephaniah was a spokesman of the Lord before the exile to Babylon and Zechariah was a spokesman after God brought the remnant back.   So Zephaniah was the prophet when God was in a way still hiding his judgment, in other words it wasn’t out in the open yet.

     We think Zephaniah was a little older contemporary to the prophet Jeremiah.  He was actually in the royal family, a great grandson of Hezekiah.  During Zephaniah’s time, his cousin  King Josiah would have discovered the Book of the Law of God during a temple restoration project.  That Word of the Lord  had been  ignored and lost sitting up on a dusty  shelf for years .  Josiah began to try to turn the peole back to the Lord.  Josiah ruled for a long time and Zephaniah would have been the prophet  toward the beginning of his reign and Jeremiah would have been the prophet when Josiah died and the people of Jerusalem took off in opposite spiritual direction away from the Lord.

      Have you ever walked along through muddy ground? - So as you walked along, your boots picked up more and more mud and your feet grew heavier and heavier?   That’s sort of the feeling that you get as you read through Zephaniah.  These are words of gloom and doom.  God’s judgment was coming.  Many people could not see or would not see it.  Think of when Jeremiah spoke of the Lord’s judgment and the Bible tells us that all of the people, the priests and all the leaders crowded around him and said, “You must die!”  The Lord didn’t strike them down.  The Day of the Lord was crouching and waiting for the right time.

       Many people didn’t listen to the prophet’s warnings because things seemed to be going  pretty well for Judah.  The Assyrians might have gobbled up the northern ten tribes but Sennacherib’s army had been turned back and life seemed good.  Many, many people worshipped the stars and looked to  idols like Molech for help.  Chapter 1 points out that many were complacent in their sin.  They thought, “The Lord will do nothing good or bad.”  Just because they could not see the Day of the Lord did not mean it wasn’t coming.  The Lord’s judgment was hiding. 

     It seems as though the Lord started the talk of the Day of the Lord’s judgment through Zephaniah when there was a little skirmish with the Scythians, a fierce nomadic people from the highlands of Asia.  But there was another day of the Lord’s Judgment coming-much bigger and more deadly for the nation of Judah.  The Lord was raising up the Babylonian army to destroy Jerusalem and carry the people back to Babylon.  Zephaniah wrote, “The great day of the Lord is near and coming quickly.  Listen the cry on the day of the Lord will be bitter, the shouting of the warrior there.  It will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and ruin.” 

      On that day of the Lord no one would be able to turn to their silver or their gold to make a difference.  “Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the Lord’s wrath.”  Success money and power all are bulldozed down on the day of the Lord.  How much money they had really wouldn’t mean much when they were bumping along in cages and carts to Babylon.  The day that they never saw coming came upon them in 586 BC as the city of Jerusalem was destroyed. 

     Doesn’t it seem as though the Day of the Lord is very near and coming quickly” for our world?   We seem to have reached the tipping point where our world is sliding deeper and deeper into sin and rebellion with alarming speed.   It’s much easier to see that when we are looking at the sins of the world than when we are looking at our own sin.  The devil has a way of convincing us that our sins are really not all that bad.  We think our sins don’t arouse God’s anger all that much.  We think we have plenty of time to change get rid of wickedness in our lives later.  The truth is that the day of the Lord’s Judgment on Jerusalem only foreshadowed the ultimate day of the Lord’s judgment of sin on the day the world ends.  That day is still hidden by the Lord out there in the future.  But make no mistake it is there.

      The Lord doesn’t hide in judgment in the future like an ambush hoping to smash as many people as he can.  No remember what Peter wrote when he talked about when people were saying, “Where is this coming he promised?” and questioning the timing of Judgment Day?  “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. “  Finally, the Lord who hides is judgment does not want to bring the hammer down.  Through another Old Testament prophet he pleads, “Turn, Turn from your evil ways.  Why will you die?” 

     In the middle of the gloom and doom of the destruction of Jerusalem a song of rejoicing is hidden.  “Sing, Daughter Zion;  shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,  Daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your punishment,  he has turned back your enemy.”  The Lord remembered his promises.  He hid His people away and kept them safe.  He protected them.

      Last year in North Dakota there was a 3 year old who wandered away from his family farm.  The family dog trotted along with him.  The family started frantically searching with the authorities.  The weather grow bad with rain and lightning during the night. Around 2:00 a.m. some of the rescue teams were even called back due to the weather, but the family and ATV riders continued with the search. In the middle of the night a fireman on an ATV spotted something about a mile southwest of the farm. When the rescuer used his headlights to gain more visibility, Cooper, the family dog,  stood up.  The loyal dog was resting on top of the child who was asleep.  The was hiding him, protecting him keeping  the small child warm and dry from the rain. The Lord would keep his promise.  He would keep his people safe in the midst of the judgment going on around them.  God kept the remnant safe.  They would come back to Jerusalem.  Walls and another temple would be built.  The promised Savior would be born in one of those little towns the Babylonian army traipsed through.  The Savior would absorb the dreaded blows of God’s judgment on a cross to protect so that we could be safe on the Great Day of the Lord.

     Because of Jesus we don’t have to fear that Great Day of the Lord.  It is only our Savior Jesus coming back to take us home.  That’s something for us to sing about!  That’s happy news for us to shout.  The Lord has taken away our sin.  The Lord protects us.

     There is a passage in Isaiah that helps when I don’t understand the world around us, that helps when we don’t understand the things happening in our lives.  “Surely you are a God who hides himself O God and Savior of Israel.”  God does hide himself.  He doesn’t tell us everything.  But he does tell us what we need to know.  He is our God and Savior.  HE loves us.  He has saved us from his fierce judgment.  He protects and shields us.  Amen.