We've all been hurt. We all carry scars. We can all overcome these things and be
healed through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Let's build that relationship
together right here. Welcome to Healing Scars with Pastor Burton. Hey everybody
welcome back to the sanctuary. It is so great to have you with us and this week
we are looking at the book of Joel chapter 3 and this is going to tell us
more about the judgment of nations and the blessings for believers that come
from God's promises. Not only that but we're quickly and easily going to see
some things called out that are impacting us today which is going to
make this very relatable. So ready or not we're jumping in and today's ride is
going to get a little bumpy as we head downrange with the Lord. Now for those
following along with their Bible and those taking notes we're gonna jump
straight into the word today and so I'm gonna have you turn to book of Joel
chapter 3 and we're gonna start off verses 1 through 3 and the Bible says
in those days and at that time when I restore the fortunes of Judah and
Jerusalem I will gather all nations and bring them down to the valley of
Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance
my people Israel because they scattered my people among the nations and divided
up my land they cast lots for my people and traded boys for prostitutes they
sold girls for wine to drink. So wow that's a that's a bit to digest there
isn't it? So first things first the phrase at that time this is actually a
direct reference to Joel chapter 2 verses 32 which we just saw last week and
it says that those who call on the Lord will be saved. This is talking about
believers those who repent and trust in God and we're seeing God getting straight
into the business straight to the nitty-gritty. Evil is going to be dealt
with. God's judgment and justice are going to be handed out. He's asking the
hard questions and people are going to have no choice but to answer him. No one
gets to keep quiet on this. This is a firm reminder to us all that
whether we want to admit to our sins or not God knows every single one of them
and he's gonna call us out on them. So it is better to fess up to it now say hey
God you know I messed up I messed up this is what I did. Own up to it and
repent because believers we're already seeing his promise that he'll see to our
needs and healing. That's what is meant right here where it says when I restore
the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem. See a lot of people read this and they
misinterpret it because they see the word and they don't actually break it
down for what it is or what the context of the time was or anything else. See
wealth it's not necessarily money. We know this and right here in this context
it is not. Wealth is not what makes you rich. It is the Father. It is his glory. It
is his blessings upon us that make us rich. Not all the material things here on
the earth because they are all going to go away as the Bible tells us. They will
rust. They will mold. They will be devoured by moths. We're not taking any
of it with us people. None of it. Our riches are stored up for us in heaven.
Now verse 3 here this is especially jarring and it's it's a bit it's been a
bit of a hit in the news here lately. You know it's not that long ago that we just
saw the movie The Sound of Freedom take theaters by storm and it blew up. Not
only the theaters but social media, radio, I mean pretty much any news broadcast you
can find it was being talked about. You know and as we can see right here from
the Bible this is not a new phenomenon. It's not. You know the devil's been hard
at work trying to suppress people and lure people and get people to do evil
things for a long time. You know God even told his people all the way back in
Deuteronomy that they needed to teach the children about God. Let me say that
again. Teach the children about God. It applies to us just like it applied to
them and if we look forward just a bit into the book of Matthew chapter 18 verse
6 the Bible tells us that it would be better to be weighed down and drowned
than to do anything that could lead a child away from God. Yet here we are and
from our streets here all the way out to the city and around the world what do we
see? Children being neglected and abused and assaulted, used as labor, used as
slaves, drugged up, drunk, molested, raped, some places even armed and used as
children. I'm sorry to use as soldiers and then some. See the world is flying
these flags trying to legitimize adults liking children and God's telling us
right here and in several other places that it's not okay. It's not alright. It
is a sin. It is wrong and this spits in the face of Almighty God when people do
it. Notice that the same flag that they use also tries to legitimize other sexual
sins that are in front to God. Yet many people who call themselves Christians
support this stuff because they don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Well let
me tell you sometimes love hurts and if it is the difference between doing what
is right, teaching children about God and leading them to knowing Jesus then I say
the more it hurts the better. I would rather hurt someone's feelings by
telling them the truth than not doing what God has said and allowing someone
to be hurt through my inaction. It is that simple. But people would rather get
caught up in the ways of the world and the ways of the world are the ways of
Satan. You know we see right here you know once we're reading through this you
know it talks about lots basically gambling for people. It still happens. Boys
traded for prostitutes. See this around the world even here. Girls being sold.
It needs to stop. God's warned us. The people are still out there doing it
trying to justify it. Continuing on now Joel 3 verses 4 through 8. Now what have
you against me? Tyre and Sidon and all you regions of Philistia. Are you repaying
me for something I have done? If you are paying me back I will swiftly and
speedily return on your own heads what you have done. For you took my silver and
my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples. You sold the
people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks that you might send them far from
their homeland. See I'm going to rouse them out of the places to which you
sold them and I will return on your own heads what you have done. I will sell
your sons and daughters to the people of Judah and they will sell them to the
Sibians a nation far away. The Lord has spoken. You know here in verse 4 going
through here notice it is an entire region being called out. These were cities
and countries, countries that were thrilled that Judah fell. Why? Well because
they profited from it. They were greedy which gave way to who their idol was and
it's really one of the most common isn't it? You know so much so that you know I
really started to you know I shouldn't say started I you know it's been a while
now you know I hate the phrase that you know oh we like money oh I like money
because it's so easily used to manipulate others you know and unfortunately it is
everywhere and I do mean everywhere. It wasn't it wasn't that long ago that I
was at you know I was at a place of worship. I don't want to call it a church.
There's a place of worship because church is the people right so this is a
place of worship I'm at and the quote-unquote pastor stood up there in
the pulpit and asked the question at the very beginning service like he basically
kicked it off who wants to be rich and then proudly proclaimed I do and raised
his hand and then from there he proceeded to give an entire sermon an
entire prosperity sermon where not only was scripture taken out of context but
he went so far as to invoke the name of a recently deceased member of the church
and claimed that that person was only wealthy because they gave a lot of money
to the church and in turn they you know they were rewarded and favored by God
and if everyone wanted to be rich and wealthy like him then they had better
give a lot of money to his church or else they'd find themselves cursed by
God. If it's not already clicked let me just put it out there. This is totally
unbiblical. I left that church. It is unbiblical. It is false teaching. This is
a huge red flag. Huge. Not only it's not just a red flag. It has flashing red
lights going on and alarm ding ding ding ding ding ding ding going off telling people
hey you know what? Get out! Run! Run fast and run far unless they want to fall
into one of the devil's traps and if you ever ever hear anyone preaching like
that then I'm telling you now get out of there. Run. Leave. Find someplace else
because that is a false teacher right there. I could go on for hours. We know this.
This is an example from you know my past that I've witnessed. I'm not gonna sit
there and harp on it and keep on beating on a dead horse.
Alright. But you notice here you know it's like hey you know it's like the
scripture saying hey you know you you took my people you sold them and you did
all this stuff you know well guess what? You're gonna get a receipt. You know and
in wrestling they had this thing where somebody they hit someone a little too
hard you know that kind of thing you know or you know they didn't pull a
punch like they were supposed to. That sort of stuff. Well they get what's
called a receipt where the person on the receiving end you know after they've
gotten either one that was just a little too hard or this person keeps doing it
up they're doing unsafe things they give them what's called a receipt where they
hit him back just to wake him up you know quite often it's you know where you
see them doing their little chop thing across the chest. Not always. There's other
things too but you know you could tell it's not necessarily just about you know
putting on the show but they're a little upset about something you know because
you could tell the difference between the show and when something's actually
going on and that's what this was and that's what God's saying. It's like hey
guess what? You're about to get a receipt. You know we see here you know as it was
profitable for all these other nations when Judah fell. They not only that you
know they they went in and they basically sacked anything that was left.
They robbed Judah of anything that was of worth you know and they took it for
their own gain. Not only that but they they sold God's people as slaves. They
did anything and everything to get them away. So not only were they you know
stealing things and doing whatever they could you know to build up their
financial wealth you know in a number of unhanded you know underhanded ways
which doesn't it sound like the government a lot of ways you know just
you know doing whatever they can to get wealthy and you know but you know they
were they were trying to force all these people away on top of that you know kind
of out of sight out of mind. It's like yeah they're not worthy anyway get them
away you know bye bye. So you know going going back here into the word let's
pick it up in verses 9 through 11 the Bible says proclaim this among the
nations prepare for war. Rouse the warriors that all the fighting men draw
near and attack. Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into
spears. Let the weakling say I am strong come quickly all you nations from every
side and the symbol there bring down your warriors Lord. A battle cries been
given. For those unfamiliar with the term a battle cry is defined as being a word
or a phrase shouted by soldiers going into battle to express solidarity and to
intimidate the enemy. You know it's also a bit of a motivational call you know
you know when you look at the military specifically you know you've got the
army with their hooah you know and the Navy and the Coast Guard going hoo yah
and then of course you know us as Jarheads as Marines, hurrah! You know or
you might even hear the occasional yut or you know of course simplify you know
phrases like you know when you're getting away you know liberty or death
you know even you think about it you know you get ready to tune in to watch
a fight you know like the let's get ready to you know and just you know
whatever your catchphrase is or slogan you know all that kind of stuff that's a
battle cry it's like yeah you know you know I remember going you know you get
these guys out there and they're giving a thumbs up and they had their little
calls you know ho and you know whatever else you know they're all over the
place we all have them we all have them in our lives like yeah this is this is
my this is what motivates what gets me going it pumps the blood this is awesome
you know and what we're seeing here in the Bible this is a battle cry that's
been sounded out for everyone to hear everyone you know looking here at verse
10 you know this is very David versus Goliath too isn't it you know you know
it says let the weakling say I am strong you know and you know indeed you know
even the smallest and the weakest person among us can be the mightiest well how
is that well it's easy they lean on the Lord they
profess the Lord you know they talk you know they they have God in their heart
you know Jesus is their Lord and Savior they're filled with the Holy Spirit God's
given the warning to prepare for war because his judgment is on the way and
it's like you know what everyone's going down you better go out swinging because
hey that's this gonna get hurtful you know and on that day everyone's a warrior
everyone now either there's two there's two ways to go here either you're a a
warrior for God and God's army or you're against him and you know when the smoke
clears we already know God's gonna be the victor the victory has already been
had there's no weight in the two sides if you're weight the two sides guess
what you're already on the losing side because it's either you're with God or
you're not period there's no middle ground here there's no compromise here
it's like well but no it's one way or the other you know stairway to heaven or
the highway to hell choose choose wisely you know continuing through here we're
gonna go pretty quick here today guys Joel 3 verses 12 through 16 the Bible
says let the nations be roused let them advance into the valley of Jehoshaphat
for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side swing the sickle
for the harvest is ripe come trample the grapes for the wine press is full and
the vats overflow so great is their wickedness multitudes multitudes in
the valley of decision for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of
decision the Sun and moon will be darkened and the stars no longer shine
the Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem the earth and the heavens
will tremble but the Lord will be a refuge for his people a stronghold for
the people of Israel you know this is this is talking about everyone everyone
past present and future coming before the throne the time of judgment you know
and it's a huge reminder of what we've been called to do when Jesus gave us
the Great Commission you know Jesus's command to go out and share the gospel
with everyone no no this is a great place to reflect you know on yourself
reflect inwards and and think about what have you done to obey this command you
know think of your friends think of your family think of your co-workers think of
everyone you know and everyone that you come into contact with and then ask
yourself do they know Jesus do they have a relationship with him do they know
about the judgment and the consequence that's coming for those who don't follow
him do they know of the hope that Jesus offers to everyone who believes in him
now having asked those questions out of the many many people that you come into
contact with every day and your friends and your family and so on how many can
you honestly answer that about now I'm sure for many of us really let's just be
honest I'm not gonna say many of us all of us all of us the answer plain and
simple is not enough because there's so many that we don't know and then there's
so many that we do know and we can't answer that quote any of those questions
about now as believers as followers of Christ well we know what's waiting we
know what's coming and it's on us to make sure that others are told to knowing
this now and having this painted in front of you this is this bigger picture
this should get all of us to start thinking about what we can do moving
forward for the kingdom now speaking of blessings that we already know what
awaits for us as followers we're gonna be all right things gonna be good I'm
gonna be better than all right we're gonna be fantastic tremendous even so
let's look at the rest of what Joel has for us here Joel 17 through 21 the Bible
says then you will know that I the Lord your God dwell in Zion my holy hill
Jerusalem will be holy never again will foreigners invade her in that day the
mountains will drip new wine the hills will flow with milk all the ravines of
Judah will run with water the fountain will flow out of the Lord's house and
will water the valley of Acasius but Egypt will be desolate eat them a desert
waste because the violence done to the people of Judah and whose land they
shed innocent blood Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through
all generations shall I leave their innocent blood
un avenged no I will not the Lord dwells in Zion you know
this is really beautiful you know it's justice is coming you know a lot of us
you know like we get angry we want to lash out you know I was like you know we
like to take things out of context like an eye for an eye and all that try to
justify our own vengeance you know and we can't you can't love when you're
filled with hate and anger you know this book it started out as a warning about
an impending destruction and devastation all over the world yet as we've seen
throughout it as we've started at the beginning and then we've come here to
the end of it it also speaks about restoration and peace you know a firm
warning that we all need to repent of our sins now and ask for forgiveness you
know and how we address the father now is the same as how we should all fix
life we you know we all make mistakes we've all fallen short of the glory of
God you know we all do things that we shouldn't however God is speaking to us
all the same way that many of us speak to our own children now he's saying hey
you know what I know you screwed up it's okay come clean with me come clean with
me now and you're gonna be better off for it if you don't well you're gonna
wish you had and it's true you know we we all answer for our sins one way or
the other we're all gonna answer for now we can choose to do it now and we can be
you know at peace you know we can rest easily with the assurance that the
father will forgive us or we could continue to live in it and disappoint
him and make the choice for him and when the day comes we'll find ourselves in
hell for eternity wishing that we had repented when we had the chance you know
just like in the world back then we live in a very complacent world we take
things for granted we allow God to be mocked and in doing that that alone
we're guilty of mocking him as well as the Bible has told us though there's
still hope see this is the time right now we have the time right now this is
the time that we need to pray this is the time we need to tell God you know
what I've messed up I'm sorry man I know I need to make some changes I need some
help to do that you know this is a time to ask for his mercy to ask for his
grace for his forgiveness and his love and then we know that he because of his
infinite love for each and every one of us you me all of us because Jesus loves
us so much it will be granted because to Jesus you are important to Jesus you are
somebody in Jesus you are loved and because of Jesus you are worth the
sacrifice that he has already made in blood when he was nailed to the cross
for our sins and our inequity so by turning to him following him making the
changes in your life and continually just coming every time you make a mistake
just tell him hey man you know because he knows we're not perfect and because of
that we can rest assured that we will be healed we will be restored and we will
be in fellowship with him and heaven when the day comes you are loved you are
blessed so go and be a blessing go and be the church I want to thank you for
joining us today if you have any questions prayer requests or would like
to know more about our ministry you can find us on our website at be the light
sanctuary org or on Facebook at be the light sanctuary we'll catch you next
time God bless