A Terrible Word & A Terrific Opportunity | Zephaniah 3:14-17

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Would you pray with me?

Father, we love you.

Thank you for reminding us who we are in your eyes.

May we be the kind of people who repent and believe, who trust and obey, and who pray and consider all the broken places and people that you're just waiting to minister to if we just repent and believe and trust and obey.

Awaken our hearts, quicken our spirits.

Pray that we would stand up on the inside in places where we've become defensive or passive and understand the authority, the power, and the favor that you've given us as your children.

And all God's people said, Amen.

Thank you.

You can have a seat.

Well, I'll say, bless the Lord if you'll say, Oh my soul, bless the Lord.

Bless his holy name.

Good morning, Grant Parkway.

I'm Chris.

I'm your itinerant teaching pastor based out of Franklin, Tennessee.

Um, and I just believe the Lord's favor is upon me when I come to Texas and it's cold.

Thank you, Jesus.

That makes my heart happy.

Hey, uh, last time I was with you, uh, if you were here, thank you.

That was hilarious.

That was stinking hilarious.

Um, what a great reminder of the gregarious goodness of our God.

And thanks for helping build generational faith in my family that when I get to tell people about you, my kids' jaws drop.

And I say, that's what happens when the people of God get together and love one another.

And so thank you so much.

Uh, this morning we're gonna be in Zephaniah chapter 3, uh, starting in verse 14.

Zephaniah 3 · chapter mention

And I just want to let you know I have a terrible word and a terrific opportunity for you this morning.

So I'm gonna let the text do the heavy lifting.

There's gonna be a lot of scripture, and we're gonna get after it.

But you guys love that stuff.

You have a culture here that preaches the Bible clearly, unapologetically, and truthfully, and trust the Holy Spirit inside of you that when you hear truth, you stand up and say, That's what I was created for.

Holy Spirit, would you give us eyes to see and ears to hear?

Jesus, would you go before us in this text and make a way?

And together we say the words that ravage your heart.

Speak, Lord.

Your servants are listening.

Amen.

Zephaniah, that's in the Old Testament, right before the New.

One of those minor prophets, like the Beatles guy whose name you can't remember, but was pretty important.

Starting in verse 14, sing aloud, O daughter of Zion, shout, O Israel, rejoice and exalt with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

The Lord has taken away the judgments against you.

He's cleared away your enemies.

The king of Israel, the king is in the room.

The Lord is in your midst.

Woo, guys, wow, you actually worship straight out of scripture.

That's that's refreshing.

You shall never fear evil again.

On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, fear not, O Zion, let not your hands grow weak.

The Lord is in your midst.

A mighty one who will save, he will rejoice over you with gladness.

He will quiet you by his love.

He will exalt over you with loud singing.

The word of God for the people of God, thanks be to God.

A terrible word and a terrific opportunity.

Uh, Tim Keller once wrote, by the way, he's like the Pope of Presbyterians everywhere, um, and is patron saint for anyone who's a budding Christian intellectual.

He once wrote this the gospel's this.

We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, and yet at the same time, we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.

Terrible word, terrific opportunity.

And I would say most truth is, and I would say that kind of tension perfectly mirrors what we're about to jump into in our text.

Zephaniah 3, 17 here, man.

It is the terrific opportunity for those of us are in Christ Jesus.

Oh, did you see the God who is depicted here?

He's one who delights in you with gladness, quiets you with his love.

The translation is a little bit difficult to get to, but it's basically you can sit in silence and love with God, and your soul can be renewed.

And then he's the God who here who will sing and dance over you with loud celebration.

Literally translated, there's violent emotion that he feels about you that needs to be expressed because he's so happy and takes such delight in you.

What an incredible word.

That God is not some distant deity, often distant skies, but he is in the room, and through the preaching of his word, he has come near to you.

He's a mighty warrior who comforts you, delights in you, and saves you.

A God who saves us.

Amen.

That begs the question, though, doesn't it?

What exactly is God saving us from?

According to Zephaniah, the terrible word is he's saving you from himself.

It's a terrible word and a terrific opportunity.

For us to get to this place in Zephaniah chapter 3, we've got to go through Zephaniah 1 and 2, where it describes God's fierce and fiery judgment, referred to as the day of the Lord.

Zephaniah 3 · chapter mention

So let's unpack the day of the Lord just a little bit.

Uh the day of the Lord, in terms appears throughout the Old Testament, and it's significant has a lot for us as New Testament believers.

Uh, the Old Testament prophets, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, talked about uh the day of the Lord.

It is where God's divine justice is executed against sin, oppression, and injustice.

The day of the Lord does not merely mark the end of days, but the beginning of a new era of God's rule and reign.

As one person put it, I thought this it's not so much that we have an extent of time, but it is an event in time.

Ushered in by the messianic reign of David through his greater son Jesus Christ, chances are you've heard this in the Old Testament, but not associated it with the day of the Lord.

For instance, for unto us a child is born, a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders, and he will be called wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of his greatness and his government, there will be no end.

He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

This prophecy points towards the coming of Christ that would fulfill the ultimate day of the Lord.

And now the New Testament interpreters look back at the Old Testament and what they thought would happen at the end of history.

Christ started in the middle of history when he came to earth and died on a cross for us.

So Jesus, right, he's dying on the cross, he's absorbing the wrath of God.

Why?

So that we might become the righteousness of God.

By the way, quick side note, for those of you who love the doctrine of justification, there is no justification without judgment.

There is no salvation without being saved from something.

So he took the wrath of God, and the day uh the cross inaugurated what his second coming will consummate.

And so what they picture it is happening here, God in his grace and mercy has started the Christ, uh, the cross of Christ and will resume once he uh be consummated once he returns.

So the day of the Lord is about judgment, and let's talk a little bit about judgment.

You're welcome.

Um, I understand, right?

Especially teenagers, though it uh don't be so judgy.

Christians are so judgy.

And in our current cultural climate, right, where a disagreeing with or hurting someone's feelings will get you canceled, this is kind of difficult to talk about.

And what I find a lot of times is in an effort to be compassionate, we acquiesce uh the truthful sayings of God.

We just want the terrific opportunity, but we don't want to talk about the terrible word.

Now, I warn you, here was here's what happens.

When you start to do that and you start to step back, and when people say, Well, that's not my truth, uh, you're gonna find yourself, your theology is gonna become so thin that it cannot bear the weight of suffering and sacrifice that is central to the gospel that saved you and assumed by all the New Testament writers as the cost of discipleship in order to trust and obey.

So, what we need to do is wrap our heads around judgment, I think, just a little bit differently.

And so I'm gonna walk through Zephaniah 1 and 2.

And uh here's what I'm not gonna do.

I'm not gonna present to you the lion of the tribe of Judah as some domesticated and declawed house cat that wants to cuddle up in your lap.

I'm gonna let Scripture open up the cage for the lion of the tribe of Judah and walk down these aisles, and I'm telling you, he will roar.

And when he does, it is both terrifying and tantalizing.

Zephaniah 1, 14 through 18.

Here the prophet vividly describes the aspects of the terrible day of the Lord.

The great day of the Lord is near and it's coming quickly.

The cry on the day of the Lord, that day is bitter.

He is a mighty warrior who shouts his battle cry.

This will be a day of wrath, distress, anguish, trouble, ruin, darkness, gloom, clouds, blackness, trumpet, and battle cry against fortified city, against corner towers, will bring distress on all mankind, so that they shall walk like they're blind, because they have sinned against the Lord.

Their blood shall be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung, neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the Lord, in the fire of his jealousy.

All of the earth will be consumed.

For a full and sudden end he will make of all the inhabitants in the earth.

Those are some terrible and dreadful words.

Um curious, what do you think has stirred God's anger to such an extent?

Um I need to confess, uh Zephaniah 3.17 is uh such an emotionally important, theologically critical passage for me uh to finally find a God who delights in me and who quiets me with his love and who rejoices over me as his big daddy's biggie boy took my pictures on his refrigerator.

It's huge.

It took me 25 years to get to a place where I felt a safe, secure attachment, where I was seen and sued by God and stepping into my identity and not living out of fear, guilt, or shame.

But I need to confess to you, um I still have a problem with anger.

Uh certain things where I grew up and the Lord's starting to bring that full circle, and I'm trying to step into Christian maturity and my relationship with that.

And where I used to see anger as abandonment, I now see it as affection.

Because your father hates the things that are destroying you and keeping you from him.

And his fire and his anger is advocating a wrath against those things.

So when you step in and we'll we'll try to hear this together.

God, the mighty warrior, has suited up for battle and he has a bitter battle cry.

What is he so angry against?

Basically, it's humanity's prideful arrogance and indifference.

We'll flush those out in just a second.

But man, I love Zephaniah.

He's got some bold and graphic metaphors.

He's a prophet and a poet.

I think my life's aspiration is someone can refer to me as a minor prophet.

It's short, it's condensed.

If you take a look at his lineage up front, he's like great-grandson of King Hezekiah, but he's also from Cushy, so he's probably of African descent.

And so there's this poetic rhyming scheme.

I don't get it all, but sometimes when I'm reading the Hebrew, like Zephaniah 3.17 rhymes and there's wordplays, and he has razor-sharp images that cut to the quick quickly.

So, in that spirit of things, here's how I'm gonna identify the three offenses that have stirred God's anger in this passage.

It's the iniquity of indifference, the idolatry of affluence, and the sin of syncretism.

First of all, the iniquity of indifference.

Zephaniah speaks about how people have just become indifferent to God.

They're described as having turned away from the Lord, and they no longer seek or inquire of him because they're really busy.

They are complacent and they will believe that God will do nothing either good or bad.

That's Zephaniah 1.12.

Complacent here is uh particularly telling.

It means like thickened, congealed, and one of the word pictures that you can translate this is curdle milk.

It stinks, it's sour, and it's affected, infected because it's just been sitting there rotting.

I have a question for you.

Where in your life are you most tempted to become complacent with God?

In what areas of your life have you started to act as if the Lord He won't move for good or bad?

Maybe especially in the lives of your children or family members that you think are too far gone.

That's the iniquity of indifference.

Then comes the idolatry of affluence.

Once indifference sets in, this often leads to idolatry.

Zephaniah describes the idolatry of affluence as placing trust in material wealth or prosperity.

And got to do this real quick, okay?

Can I do some theological groundwork here?

Uh, because if you're like my people, they carry around a big guilt and shame if they have money.

And sometimes like tithing or giving becomes an indulgence, and you're like, knock that off, okay?

And there's also people in my congregation, I'm sure they're not in yours, where you're like, I ain't rich, fool.

You're talking to that guy right there.

I saw the car he drove in on.

Get them.

First of all, uh, globally speaking, if you have a car that runs, food in your refrigerator, and a computer, you're wealthier than 95% of the world.

Okay?

So he's talking to us.

All of us.

First Timothy.

Somebody's like, my car broke down, I'm off the hook.

No.

First Timothy six, command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant or put their hope in wealth, which is still uncertain.

True.

But put your hope in God, who richly provides everything for our enjoyment.

For our what?

Hey.

Man, enjoy that stuff.

Just share it with the rest of us.

Just kidding.

Command them to do good, be rich in good deeds, generous and willing to share.

In this way, they will lay up a treasure for themselves.

That's foreshadowing.

We're gonna come back to that later.

As a firm foundation in the coming age, so that they may what?

Be miserable, pay indulgences, make sure everybody knows that they've given 10%, and then the first fruits off of that.

No.

So they may take hold of life.

That is truly life.

Yeah.

But a couple verses before that, uh, when wealth becomes an idol, it leads to moral corruption and injustice.

Those who want to get rich fall into the temptation.

By the way, that's not just the rich, that's the poor who want to get rich.

Fall into temptation and trap into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

Here's how uh Zephaniah describes the idolatry of affluence.

They fill the temple of their God with violence and deceit.

Her officials and rulers are ravenous wolves who devour their prey by mourning.

That's a word picture there to go, they don't even leave the bones.

Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men.

Her priests profane what is holy.

They do violence to the law.

That's three, three, four.

And again, you mean, oh, that's that's that's for the priests.

Uh, you do know we believe in the priesthood of all believers, right?

Welcome.

God's people have abandoned their responsibility to care for the poor and uphold justice.

Instead, they've allowed their lust for affluence and materialism to lead to greed, violence, and dishonesty.

Fraud has infected every corner of their society.

Their courts, their commerce, and their church.

This has aroused God's anger.

Question for you.

Where are you sacrificing your integrity to save a few bucks?

Should I wait till after taxes are due to ask that question?

The fruit of idolatry, uh, or the fruit of idolatry of affluence, I believe, is arrogance.

So, what rules do you think don't apply to you because you're smarter than everyone else?

Richer than other people or poorer than other people?

Oh, that one doesn't apply to me.

Because I don't make such and such.

Or, yeah, man, I understand that law, but I don't have to abide by it.

Those white borders around the spot stop sign, that means it's optional.

I'm just gonna roll on through that.

Or if you have the courage, ask your ask God this question.

Where am I doing violence to your law?

After the iniquity of indifference and the idolatry of affluence comes the sin of syncretism.

You're welcome, fancy word.

Uh, it just simply means you're combining worshiping God with other things.

Zephaniah condemns this mixing of worship with other gods.

It's people who claim to follow God, but accept other beliefs and practice them as well.

Here's what it sounds like in 3-7.

I'll stretch out my hand against Judah and against all who live in Jerusalem.

I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place, the very names of the idolatrous priests, those who bow down on the rooftops to worship the starry host, those who bow down and swear by the Lord and also swear by Moloch.

Of Jerusalem, I thought, surely you will fear me and accept my correction.

Here's a staggering statement.

But they were still eager to make all their deeds corrupt.

People of Judah, they're worshiping God, but they're also practicing the idolatry that they see in their surrounding nations.

And they're making no distinctions, such as worshiping the stars.

Or you have the Baals, who's a fraternity god of Canaan, and it has religious sex slaves associated with their church services.

And then you have the pagan god Moloch, who's pictured with horns and an outstretched arm and a child in his hands because they sacrifice children.

Syncretism is the blending of the sacred and the profane.

It's a grave sin in the eyes of God.

Here's the quick way that I would describe this to you.

Syncretism is to religion.

What a suicide fountain drink is that the drinks.

You go into Bucky's, you grab the biggest thing possible, and you see the long line of fountain drinks, and what do you do?

You just think it's awesome, right?

Like, oh, I'm getting one on over, I'm getting it all of it.

As one comedian said, uh, a graveyard, the first death, a first taste tastes like heaven, the second sip will take you to heaven.

And the reason I say that is because I think that's a picture for us in our hearts to expose the sin of syncretism for some of us.

We've got our cup, which is our life, and we've identified with the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

And all of a sudden we pull back when we come across difficult teachings.

You're gonna say, what about sexual purity?

You're gonna say, what about the covenant of marriage?

You say, what about my time, my energy, and my finances?

We come across as something that's that we don't like, and Jesus no longer appeases me or pleases me, all of a sudden we're just going down the line.

Here's some Hinduism, here's some Taoism, here's some Buddhism.

Yeah, that all sounds good.

All paths lead to the Lord, right?

Here we go, we'll walk down that.

And then if that's not enough, right, then I need a little bit more individualism, some consumerism.

Why?

Because I'm full of narcissism.

Oh, yeah.

And then we get even further down the line of if I can get up all in your business, right?

Uh, all of a sudden, these conflicting ideas, man, all of a sudden, uh, here's some materialism, here's some nationalism, and then uh here, by the way, is some business strategies that are uh hopefully gonna make me really successful, but not only disagree, directly conflict some of the principles we find in scripture.

But it's gonna make me God and allow me to control everything that I want to.

Oh, don't forget, I got my favorite podcaster.

A lot of humanism in that, but man, he's got a lot of listeners.

Latest TikTok trend?

Gonna manifest to the universe?

What do you think is behind that one?

At the end of the day, there's no resemblance to the holy God who has called you and who saved you.

Question for you, what profane beliefs are you missing, mixing with your sacred faith?

And are you guilty of treating Jesus as just one of the many influences in your life rather than the only Lord and Savior?

Part of my definition of discipleship is I surrender and I submit the totality of my life underneath the loving Lordship of Jesus Christ, including my intellect.

Terrible word and a terrific opportunity.

Now, here comes the terrific opportunity for salvation.

Be silent before the Lord, for the day of the Lord is near.

The Lord has prepared a sacrifice.

Hey, oh, I think I know what that's about.

And consecrated those who he's invited.

Seek the Lord, all you humble the land, who do his just commands, seek righteousness, seek humility.

Perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the day of the anger of the Lord.

Surely you will fear me and accept my correction.

Zephaniah calls the people of the Lord to humble themselves, repent, and pursue righteousness.

Or in other words, to trust and obey.

So I want you to hear that incredible, terrific opportunity around salvation.

And then for those of us who are in Christ Jesus, I've got another terrific opportunity that I want to make sure you know of before you leave here.

That is, one, Jesus took the wrath of God, the punishment of our sins, upon himself at the cross.

We can stand before God one day, fully free, fully forgiven, and enter into eternal life.

But the other terrific opportunity sometimes that we don't talk about is found in 2 Corinthians 5, verse 10.

2 Corinthians 5:10

For we, that's Christians, must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body according to what he has done, whether good and bad.

Uh-oh.

Wait, what?

Back that one up.

We're gonna appear in front of some kind of judgment seat?

No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

That's for the unbelievers, and they go to the lake of fire.

That's not that's not for me.

Hey, look, I don't want to confuse you.

I do want you to know what the Bible says so that you can live appropriately.

I don't want to scare you.

I want to wear you.

This is not fire and brimstone moment.

This is for me to let you heat your hands up by the holy fire of Scripture.

Revelation 20 describes the great white throne of judgment.

That's the one most of us uh have probably heard of before, right?

Book of life is opened up, and if your name is not written in it, those who have not submitted and surrendered to Jesus Christ are cast into a lake of fire along with the devil and his demons.

This is the second death.

Now, it also tells us in Revelation 3.5, if you've trusted God, believed in him, followed him, then your name's written in that book, and nothing's ever going to take it out.

I got a lot of Church of Christ people and they're always worried about losing their salvation.

I'm like, hey, look, right here.

I will never blot out his name from the book of life, will acknowledge his name before my fathers and the angels.

Revelation 3.5.

This is a promise that should be written on the heart of every believer, okay?

So you can stand up and stand firm and be ready for the next one.

This is the judgment seat of Christ, specifically for believers, called the Bima seat, which in that time would confer a raised platform upon which public official government announcements were made.

And guess what else?

Prizes and rewards for athletic competitions.

In this judgment, believers will not be judged for their faith as Jesus Christ a savior, but for their faithfulness in following Jesus Christ as their saviors.

We'll give an account for how we've lived our lives.

One's works will determine whether one is rewarded or denied rewards.

This is familiar to some of you.

If it's not, I'm rereading it and I'm like, uh, uh, I don't know if I've ever preached pretty clearly on this.

My people need to know about it, and I need to wake up on the inside and go, ooh, it's time to start laying out treasures in heaven.

1 Corinthians 3, for no other foundation can anyone lay than that which has been laid, Jesus Christ.

Now, if anyone builds on this foundation, this is your salvation, right?

With gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay straw, each one's work will become clear.

For the day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire.

And the fire will test each one's work of what sort it is, and if anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.

If anyone's work is burned, he's gonna suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so is through fire.

So Peter reminds us judgment begins in the house of the Lord.

Be clear again, don't want to be misunderstood.

Uh, this is not uh a judgment for salvation or damnation.

This is those of us who are in Christ Jesus stepping forward to the beam of seat of Christ, and he's gonna say, Hey, I want to take a look at what you did.

And some of that stuff that you think is awesome, it's going up.

Some of that stuff you thought no one noticed, there was no big deal, there's gonna be a precious stone or a reward for it.

Um the Bible clearly teaches, again, that salvation is not possible except through grace, through faith in Jesus Christ.

But the Bible also clearly teaches that once you are saved, you can be rewarded for good acts of service in heaven.

Uh we just read that, 2 Corinthians 5, right?

We're rewarded based off of works done in the body, whether good or bad.

I thought this was a helpful nuance here.

This is Doug Boykman, professor of Bible exposition at Shepherd's Theological Seminary.

Bad in this verse is useless, vile, hopelessly good for nothing.

Earlier, Paul characterized such valueless works as wood, hay, and straw.

They're certainly going to be consumed by the fire of divine scrutiny, when contrasted with such good works as gold, silver, and precious stones, which will be refined by the fire of divine scrutiny.

The point is that some work, the superficially noble and selfless, will be demonstrated at the judgment seat of Christ to have been born out of wicked motives, animated desire for self-aggrandizement, andor empowered by fleshly devices.

This will be discarded and burnt up as worthless.

Translation anything, anytime you've ever posted that you're doing your quiet time on Instagram, it's gone.

I'm kidding.

I'm kidding, I'm not on that stuff, but seriously, I think like Instagram's gonna have like 80% of burnt goods.

Oh, look at me, I'm so spiritual.

Keep doing what you're doing.

Don't bother me.

I'm old now and I don't care about that stuff.

But uh again, how does that raise your awareness for how I'm doing certain things that only my father in heaven sees and will reward me for?

Now, real quickly, I understand this brings up some questions.

That's what your pastors are here for.

Amen.

It's interesting.

It it's almost a circular logic, right?

Hey, we're gonna get rewards, but it's only for those that were done out of good motivations, right?

Not false motivations.

Awesome.

Now, when I go out today and try to live in a way that will actually have a reward in heaven, isn't that a false motivation?

Isn't that not being selfish?

Four replies to that, real quick.

One, once again, Christ is not rewarding us for salvation, is rewarding us for the good works that we've done in the body.

Two, the Bible is crystal clear about using rewards in heaven as motivation and awareness to live the Christian life.

First Corinthians 3, Matthew 5, 6, 4, 10, 41, 627, Corinthians 3.8.

The list goes on.

Three.

This is not a competition.

That's tough for Americans, that's tough for Texas.

That's tough for those of you who are watching basketball, right?

And our microchurch is, I don't think we're very racially diverse, but we're incredibly SEC diverse, which I think is almost worse.

I have two Auburn fans uh in my microchurch, and I as an Alabama fan, I actually engage them in conversation and pray for them.

It's unbelievable.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

It's not a competition, it's faithfulness.

Those running the waste are not competing against one another, they are struggling against a common enemy.

I look at it this way.

I uh last time I was here, I told you about I I come from three generations of decorated war heroes.

Do you think when they hand out medals to war heroes, that some of the people are just like, oh my gosh, I can't believe he got the purple heart.

That was friendly fire.

Seriously, totally doesn't deserve that.

Army accommodation, medal of our he was running in the wrong direction because he was scared.

He tripped over someone who was injured.

Oh.

I wondered warriors are gonna look at one another and go, thank you for your service.

You did what was required of you.

World War II people aren't gonna look at people in Vietnam and go, that's not a war.

This is a war.

To the season and to the life and to the family and to the resources we were called.

You'll be honored and recognized for those good things.

And here's what I'm not gonna do.

I'm not gonna get to heaven and get my participation trophy and hold my breath when here comes the martyrs of the faith and they're backing up a U-Haul for all the rewards gone.

That's not fair.

I can't believe you did that.

Nonsense.

Here's what I love Jonathan Edwards says when it comes uh to rewards in heaven.

This is from his sermon in 1740, The Portion of Righteous.

Um, Edwards believed uh that we would all be 100% happy in heaven.

However, there will be varying degrees of capacity for happiness, rewards.

God's enlarging your cup for possible joy with him.

In heaven, everyone's cup will be full.

There's not gonna be any frustrated saints.

And he says it this way when he's talking about a vessel or enlarging your capacity to experience God's joy, every vessel thrown into the ocean of God's infinite joy, every day will be full.

Everyone completely full.

Now, some people may have more capacity, some many might have less capacity, but none of us are looking at each other and going, I'm so jealous of your joy.

Oh, God bless you.

Awesome, thank you, Father.

And then uh this led Edwards to create this resolution, which some of you need to get tattooed on your lower back over that tramp stamp.

Two quest, I don't know why that came out.

I really apologize.

I'm insecure that I've been teaching too much, and I tried to use humor to lighten the mood, so I will not get a reward for that.

Will burn up.

That's a it's already burnt.

And you need to burn that tattoo off as well.

Edward's resolution, number 22, to quest for the broadest capacity of heavenly reward possible by faithfully serving God.

Stand up on the inside, man.

To quest for the broadest capacity for heavenly reward possible.

And then fourthly, I'd submit to you what does the Bible suggest that we do with these rewards?

Revelation 4 10, we cast them at the feet of Jesus.

That's the equivalent of me giving my kids money to buy me a birthday present.

He's giving me rewards on it.

I gotta be a part of it.

I got to count.

What I don't want to be up there is like the end scene in Schindler's list.

When he's on the railroad track and looking at a pen and going, I gotta save one more.

I gotta save one more.

A terrible word and a terrific opportunity.

Beloved, depending on how you're living, this is either a terrible word or a terrific opportunity.

Either way, it's a sobering reality for us.

Daniel Webster says it this way The greatest thought that has ever entered my mind is that I will have to stand before a holy God one day and give an account of my life.

Sober up! Maybe that's why we're drinking so much.

Because we don't want to embrace that reality sober.

And on that day, we will need a God who's described in Zephaniah chapter 3.

Zephaniah 3 · chapter mention

Some of us, why they get burnt up, we're gonna need him to quiet us with our love.

Okay.

This is just purely speculation.

But maybe that's why in Revelation 20, in heaven, where there's no weeping or crying, the older things has passed away, behold, all things good new.

Why is he wiping every tear from an eye?

Is it because some of us are weeping with the pile of rewards and the pile of ash?

I don't know.

Total speculation.

But we will also need that God, and we will be able to, in that moment, experience a God who delights in us with gladness and quiets us with his love.

And sings and shouts with us with songs of loud celebration.

Amen.

Amen.

Um take a picture of it.

We'll also be able available to you to discuss in your small groups or with your family and just kind of see which one the Holy Spirit puts a highlighter on.

Um when I'm with my men, I always tell them, hey, answer the question you want to answer.

And then after we get done, I say, now answer the one that you don't want to.

Just take some time and let the Holy Spirit lead you.

Speak, Lord.

Your servants are listening.

Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you.

You've done more than enough for us.

Amen.

Amen.

There's a lot going on in the life of this church.

You guys are good and generous and gregarious, and there's lots of opportunities for you to get involved.

You'll watch the screens.

Here's what's up.

Here's a look at what's happening at Grand Parkway Baptist Church.

Loving Aliana is happening next Sunday, April 13th.

We'll meet here in the church parking lot at 5 45 p.m.

to pray for our neighbors in Aliana as we walk through the neighborhood.

For our student ministry, Why Weekend is coming up on April 25th through 27th.

Students will learn the significance of the Apostle Peter's words, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.

It will be a weekend of asking hard questions that deepen our faith.

It also encourages students to bring their unbelief friends to think critically about the greatest movement in human history, the Christian faith.

Each session will be led by Breakaway Worship with Elijah Lamb as the speaker.

Register online at grandparkway.org slash events.

Hike for Hope is coming up this Saturday in Sugarland.

Here's a look at what to expect.

Hi, Grant Parquet family.

I'm Gretchen.

I have proudly volunteered with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention since my brother took his life 21 years ago.

Once again, our church is one of the biggest sponsors for the Fort Vent Hike for Hope.

And last year, Grant Parquet Baptist Church didn't just show up.

We showed out by winning the tent for having the biggest team.

Let's do it again.

It's free to register and watch, so bring your family, your friends, your stroller, and even your well-behaved doggies.

The fun starts at 8 a.m.

on April 12th at Brassus River Park with our amazing Kids Zone, Team Village, and more.

At 9 a.m., Ryan Chase from the Rula and Ryan Show will kick off a 30-minute presentation.

Then we'll hit the sidewalk for our hike.

So Grand Parkway Baptist Church, let's show up, let's make an impact, and hey, let's keep that top team streak alive.

Next Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week as we remember and celebrate the week leading up to Jesus' death and resurrection.

Palm Sunday will be our normal service times.

Good Friday, our celebration of what Jesus' death accomplished, will happen in the sanctuary at 7 p.m.

This is a very full service, so we encourage you to arrive early to find a seat.

Childcare is available for kids 5 and under.

Register online at grandparkway.org slash events.

Easter will include an early service at 7.30 a.m.

with no child care.

Services at 9 and 10.30 a.m.

will follow with all Bible studies available for children through adults.

If you have questions about anything you've heard today or would like someone to pray with you, please find one of our pastors or elders at the front of the stage at the conclusion of our service.

Brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of the Most High God, may you determine that the day of the Lord is real and that you will be ready.

May you decide this week to quest for the broadest capacity possible for heavenly rewards.

And in doing so, may you discover a God who delights in you with gladness, who quiets you with his love, who sings and dances over you and with you with songs of loud celebration.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.