The Lord your God is in your mist, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.  Zephaniah 3:17 ESV

      Zephaniah speaks of the coming day of the Lord.  It would be a day when God brings judgement on the consequence of unconfessed and willful sin.   The world, as those in Jerusalem knew it, was going to end. (Chapter 1) This was true not just for Jerusalem but also for the surrounding nations. (Chapter 2)  People with no apparent concern of their sin were becoming more and more entrenched in the practice of it.  They were worshiping false gods and doing all sorts of evil in God’s sight.   People had become content in living with no regard for God.  Just a remnant of people believed the message of Zephaniah, to seek the Lord before this judgement came.  Gather together, yes, gather, O shameless nation, before the decree takes effect – before the day passes away like chaff –  before there comes upon you the burning anger of the Lord, before there comes upon you the day of the anger of the Lord.  Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, who do his just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the Lord.   Zephaniah 2 1-3 ESV   Sin has and will always be judged by God.  Neither a person nor nation sins successfully for a long duration of time.  Throughout the Bible sin has always been met with judgement from and by God.  People may enjoy sin for a season, but just as seasons pass so the enjoyment of sin when the consequences of such living comes to an end.  When evil appears to be winning, remember in your walk with God, faithfulness is a testimony of knowing and  believing He is in control.  The purpose of judgement is to destroy evil, but in the last part of Zephaniah Chapter 3:9 we see this judgment was to purify in order to bring hope to the land.  This world as we know it will one day come to an end, but as long as a person has breath, there is hope for that person.  Hope because God is “Mighty to save.”

Jesus Came Not to Condemn:
     Jesus said this concerning Himself.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.  John 3:17-18 ESV 
     I’ve had said to me many times over the years,  “Don’t judge me.”  To be able to judge a person  would imply that I have authority over that person of which I do not have.  Another reason one person cannot  judge another person is that judgement has already been made by God.  His judgement informs us that without believing in Jesus a person is condemned already.  The reason for God’s judgement is found in John 3:19-20. …. people love darkness.

Jesus Came….Mighty To Save:
     The Lord God  became flesh and walked among us.  He was in the mist of people for a period of thirty three years and many didn’t have a clue that He was the salvation to all who would follow Him.  He still walks among us by the Holy Spirit and many today still do not recognize this fact.  Yet there is a promise that all who call upon His name and follow Him, he will be mighty to save!!!   If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.   For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.  Romans 10:9-10 ESV 

Jesus Gives You A Invitation:
     One of the things I hear often is, “I hope I’ve lived a good enough life  to make it to heaven.”  What a burden to live everyday trying to depend upon yourself for a hope of entrance to heaven.  Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 ESV   His invitation is exclusive and only made possible by Him.  Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6 ESV   

     The day of the Lord will come upon this world because of sin; yet as in Zephaniah if you seek the Lord  (2:3) and believe His word, this judgement will have a happy ending for you; for you will be in the Christ Jesus.  Today is the day for salvation in your life. Why would you ever want to put off such an important decision?  How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation. Hebrews 2: 3 ESV….   And there is salvation in no one else,  for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.  Acts 4:12 ESV  

Because of His Grace ~ Pastor David