Nothing Matters More

Let me pray before we get into God's Word, so let's have a seat and let me pray for us.

Our Father, thank you that you are speaking, God, that you do not give us a silent treatment.

No, you speak to us in your love and your grace.

I pray that you would do that now.

Would you take my words and would you make them your words from your scripture in our hearts

and help us to respond to you in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Great.

Now, if you've been here the past few weeks, not everyone has, then, yeah, you know that

we've been doing this series on the Book of Ruth, and today would be the last sermon maybe,

but actually half the church is away for Chinese New Year, so we decided to postpone that for

a week so that we don't have, like, everyone missing out on the finale, on the big climax.

So today is just like a standalone sermon, which is nice, right?

I can preach on anything I want.

You know, maybe I can preach on my favorite verse, my favorite book of the Bible.

I don't know, something in the news like the war in Ukraine, or I don't know, just something

about the gospel or Jesus, whatever.

I don't know.

God's sovereignty.

I don't know.

There's so many hobby horses, right?

I can just do.

It's really, yeah.

So I thought, what shall I preach on?

Would be, yeah.

Sorry.

I lost my train of thought.

And so, yeah.

What I thought I should preach on, actually, is...

Sorry.

I'm just not myself today.

Hmm?

Yeah.

Okay.

Sorry.

Okay.

Okay.

So this is a fire alarm.

Do we...

Is there any tests today?

Do you know?

No.

Okay.

Everyone, it's probably a fire.

So we need to get up.

Can you please go?

There's fire exits there and there.

Please save the lift for those who are...

Yeah, okay.

Never mind.

Sit down again.

Didn't go quite as planned, but...

I don't know.

So, I don't know.

Yeah.

It was hard to get it, make it sound real.

But a fire alarm, right?

It's really...

We don't do this every week.

If you're visiting, this is only a stunt that we...

You know, we've never done this.

No, but seriously.

Have you ever been in a real fire?

No.

Fires are dangerous, right?

Fires are deadly.

I once was in a fire when I was a student.

I was living in student halls.

And, yeah, someone...

Some other students in another part of the building,

he fell asleep with a cigarette in his mouth on a vinyl sofa.

And so the sofa, yeah, burst into flames.

And there was a fire.

And we had to get out.

And this was January in Holland, 5 a.m.

So it was freezing.

And so we were all outside in our pajamas and winter coats.

But, you know, we didn't mind, right?

Because there was this terrible burning smell that was kind of...

And you could see the flames.

Okay.

There was a real fire.

And so we were glad to be outside.

I mean, maybe you've seen the news in California.

And you've seen the, you know, the destruction.

All those houses on fire.

Maybe you have family there.

No, fires are deadly and dangerous.

And that's why, yeah, fire alarms.

They are loud and noisy because you're supposed to just drop everything and go out.

And, you know, nothing matters more.

There's a fire.

You need to go.

I don't know if maybe any parents here, if you thought, oh, my kids upstairs, fire.

Yeah, that's the thing.

And so the Bible says, actually, yeah, there is an alarm ringing.

There is something far more dangerous and deadly coming.

We are looking at Joel chapter 2.

Joel 2 · chapter mention

So if you have a bulletin, please take it.

Or if you have a Bible, please open it up.

It's one of the minor prophets, about two-thirds of the way in the Bible.

But there's all kinds of things going on in the world.

All kinds of things going on in our lives.

But the Bible says that there's one big thing coming, a big fire.

And that is the day of the Lord.

And Joel, yeah, it's one of the minor prophets.

We're not really clear when it was written.

We do know the occasion.

There was a locust plague in an agrarian society.

I don't know if you know what locusts do.

They destroy everything.

So there was this locust plague coming.

And, yeah, great alarm.

And Joel, the prophet, he sees in this locust plague.

He sees, okay, this is God's doing.

This is God intervening in our lives.

So he responds to that.

Chapter 1 is about the locust.

Chapter 2, which we're going to read, is more like a, it sounds like an army attacking Jerusalem.

But it's just more a reimagining of, yeah, of the same locust plague.

But, yeah, you can hear the day of the Lord.

And, yeah, the big thing that, you know, I think God wants us to hear.

We don't speak on it every week.

But this is really true.

The day of the Lord is coming.

So let's look at Joel chapter 2.

Joel 2 · chapter mention

Because, yeah, it starts with an alarm, right?

Verse 1.

Blow a trumpet in Zion.

Sound an alarm on my holy mountain.

Right?

An alarm.

Why let all the inhabitants of the land tremble?

For the day of the Lord is coming.

It is near.

And what is that like?

It's a day of darkness.

Verse 2.

A day of darkness and gloom.

A day of clouds and thick darkness.

Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains.

A great and powerful people.

Their like has never been before.

Nor it will be again after them.

Through the years of all generation.

Fire devours before them.

And behind them a flame burns.

The land is like the garden of Eden before them.

But behind them a desolate wilderness.

And nothing escapes them.

And a total destruction.

And it's so scary.

Their appearance is like the appearance of horses.

And like war horses they run.

As with the rambling of chariots.

They leap on the tops of the mountains.

Like the cracking of a flame of fire.

Devouring the stubble.

Like a powerful army drawn up for battle.

Before them peoples are in anguish.

All faces grow pale.

And they're just unstoppable.

Like warriors they charge.

Like soldiers they scale the wall.

They march each on his way.

They do not swerve from their paths.

They do not jostle one another.

Each marches in his path.

They burst through the weapons.

And are not halted.

They leap upon the city.

They run upon the walls.

They climb up into the houses.

They enter through the windows like a thief.

And it just can't be stopped.

And again darkness.

The earth quakes before them.

The heavens tremble.

The sun and the moon are darkened.

And the stars withdraw their shining.

And the scariest thing.

The Lord utters his voice before his army.

For his camp is exceedingly great.

He who executes his word is powerful.

For the day of the Lord is great.

And very awesome.

Who can endure it?

And it's such a scary reading.

Of this unstoppable army.

Attacking this city.

And just going everywhere.

Now what is the day of the Lord?

It's a very strange biblical phrase.

Well it's the moment when God intervenes.

When he puts things right.

When he shows up.

And sorts things out.

Let me give you a silly illustration.

I mean there's a family living in an apartment.

And mom is in the living room.

Scrolling on her phone.

And having a cup of coffee.

And then next door are her two children playing.

And she can hear them play.

And it's okay.

And then at some point though.

The voices get a bit louder.

And they get raised.

But you know she just has another cup of coffee.

But then at some point yeah.

A noise.

And crying.

And well what does she do?

She puts down the coffee.

And she gets up.

And what comes now?

The day of mommy.

Right?

Mommy steps in.

And she sorts things out.

Right?

Maybe they both need punishment.

Maybe one needs punishment.

And the other needs a hug.

And a cuddle.

To comfort her.

But she shows she's in charge.

Right?

She shows.

She makes things right.

She brings justice.

And that is basically the day of the Lord.

It's when God shows up.

And puts things right.

Shows that he's in charge.

That he's there.

Because you see the world.

And it looks like.

So often God isn't there.

Right?

There's so many people living whatever way they want.

And worshiping all kinds of gods.

And nothing happens to them.

Where is God?

There's all kinds of people suffering.

And the weak being oppressed.

And where is God?

Well.

Sometimes God.

He steps in.

In a big way.

And makes clear.

No.

I'm here.

And I'm just.

And he sorts things out.

That is the day of the Lord.

When he makes everything.

Well.

The Lord's way.

According to his character.

Right?

When he judges sinners.

And when he saves his people.

That is the day of the Lord.

And that can come a number of times.

Israel at a day of the Lord.

Judah at a day of the Lord.

Babylon at a day of the Lord.

And so on.

Now.

We think of it as judgment day.

But it's basically because.

Most people are sinners.

Right?

We're all sinners.

And so.

Usually when God shows up.

It's judgment.

And hence this dark.

Terrifying vision.

And so.

Joel says.

We need to act now.

Before it's too late.

And he.

He sounds the alarm.

Right?

And it's not just Joel.

God encourages them to return.

And look at verse 12.

Yet even now.

Declares the Lord.

Return to me.

With all your heart.

With fasting.

With weeping.

And with mourning.

And rent your hearts.

And not your garments.

Right?

It's a.

Come back to me.

If judgment is because of sin.

Then the right response is repentance.

Is to come back to God.

And he appeals to God's.

You know.

Joel appeals to God's mercy.

Return to the Lord your God.

For he is.

Gracious.

And merciful.

Slow to anger.

Abounding in steadfast love.

And he relents over disaster.

Maybe you remember from a year ago.

We preached on this.

It's from this.

Classic moment.

In Israel's history.

When they were nearly wiped out.

Because of the golden calf.

And.

Yeah.

But God showed that.

He is a God of mercy.

And we can come back to him.

And so that's what they do.

Verse 15.

Blow the trumpet in Zion.

Consecrate a fast.

Call the solemn assembly.

Gather the people.

Consecrate the congregation.

Assemble the elders.

Gather the children.

Even nursing infants.

Right?

They have this.

This huge prayer meeting.

And they all get together.

Even the babies.

And they pray.

And they fast.

And they call on God.

To.

To stop.

To relent.

They return to him.

And guess what?

It works.

Verse 18.

Then the Lord became jealous for his land.

And had pity on his people.

He had pity on them.

And there's rejoicing.

And instead of the locusts.

There's grain and oil and wine.

Verse 23.

Be glad.

O children of Zion.

And rejoice in the Lord your God.

The judgment is averted.

Instead there's blessing.

Gracious blessing.

From a gracious God.

That's a.

Yeah.

It's a wonderful ending.

To what could be a terrible event.

Now of course you may wonder.

So what?

This is two and a half thousand years ago.

In Jerusalem.

Does that have anything to do with me?

With us today?

Well.

Joel does something very interesting.

Because as you continue in the chapter.

He seems to jump to the future.

Right?

Because in verse.

He talks about his locust plague.

And then verse 28.

And it shall come to pass afterwards.

That I will pour out my spirit.

And all flesh.

Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.

Your old men shall dream dreams.

Your young men shall see visions.

And there's something after.

The day of the Lord.

But then you read on.

Verse 30.

And I will show wonders in the heavens.

And on the earth.

Blood and fire.

And columns of smoke.

The sun shall be during the darkness.

The moon to blood.

Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.

Now I don't know if you've ever read that.

And thought that's weird.

Right?

We have the day of the Lord.

And then afterwards.

The spirit is poured out.

And then we get the great day of the Lord.

Well.

That's because there is more than one day of the Lord.

And there is a future day of the Lord.

That he's talking about.

And this is on the whole world.

Right?

Because he will pour out his spirit on all flesh.

And verse 32.

And it shall come to pass.

That everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

So this is bigger.

This is not just Jerusalem.

This is the whole world.

And also it's interesting that it's individual.

Right?

It says everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

I mean with locusts you don't get that.

If the locusts come.

Either they destroy everything.

Or nothing.

But they.

Right?

There's no distinction between people.

But here it's those who come.

Yeah.

Those who call on the name of the Lord.

Individuals get saved.

And yet it's the same kind of day.

Right?

It's the.

Again the sun is turned to darkness.

The moon to blood.

It's called the day of the Lord.

It's even the same way of escaping.

It says everyone who calls on the name of the Lord.

Now the name of the Lord isn't Peter or James or John.

A label.

No.

The name of the Lord is his character.

And so in Exodus.

What did God say?

That.

You know.

That.

The Lord descended in the cloud.

And stood with him there.

And proclaimed the name of the Lord.

The Lord passed before him.

And proclaimed the Lord.

The Lord.

The God merciful and gracious.

The fact that he's merciful.

And gracious.

And slow to anger.

That is his name.

So.

It's the same thing as verse 13.

14.

Right?

So.

Here is the thing.

It's basically the same kind of day.

But slightly different.

For the whole world.

And just like the cross.

Is the greater version of the sacrifices.

And Jesus is the greater king.

So the great day of the Lord.

Is this bigger version of.

The small.

Locust plague.

But it's the same kind of thing.

And so.

I hope that makes sense.

But basically.

This is relevant for us.

Right?

This is for all flesh.

And the spirit was poured out.

2000 years ago.

We know this is quoted.

In Acts chapter 2.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

Just after Jesus went to heaven.

When the spirit was poured out.

But that is basically.

The sobering reality.

There is a day of the Lord.

Coming on the whole world.

And the fire alarm is ringing.

It's an urgent warning.

Joel says.

There is a big day.

Coming.

And there is all kinds of problems.

Right?

There's wars in Ukraine.

And in the Middle East.

And the economy is terrible.

And you know.

There's climate change.

And the risk of nuclear war.

And maybe personally.

You're facing unemployment.

Illnesses.

You know.

Family conflict.

You know.

We're so much more aware.

Of everything going on in the world.

And yet the Bible says.

The greatest problem.

Is our sin.

The way we have rejected God.

And the fact that judgment is coming.

And we don't talk about that all the time.

But yeah.

It's in the Bible.

Right?

We.

The day of the Lord will come.

And it will be like a fire.

It will be dark.

And terrifying.

And you've heard the reading.

That's what's coming on the whole world.

It's not an uplifting message.

But it's.

It's the truth.

Although we need to make sure we hear it right.

Right?

Because you hear this.

And I don't know.

It sounds to me like a Lord of the Rings movie.

Right?

This army attacking.

And you think of.

I don't know.

The Battle of Helms Deep.

If you've seen the movies.

Right?

You know what it's like.

It's dark.

And the rain is pounding down.

And all the women and children are hiding in the dungeon.

And there's 300 old men looking for swords.

And outside the wall.

There's 10,000 orcs.

Who are planning to kill everyone.

And you read that.

You see that.

And ugh.

Right?

And you read this.

And you think.

God is.

Yeah.

I don't want this God.

Right?

He's so terrible.

But that picture is wrong.

Because the thing is.

Those orcs are evil.

And those humans are innocent.

But that's not the Bible's picture of us.

The Bible says that all humans.

We've rejected God.

We've rebelled against the one who made us.

We've lived our own way.

We've treated each other terribly.

Right?

God is God's image bearers.

Even the best things we do are tainted by selfishness everywhere.

And if you want to think of Lord of the Rings.

It's good that God intervenes.

Right?

I mean that mom going to.

When her kids are fighting.

That's good that she intervenes.

Right?

It's good if God intervenes in the world.

Think of Lord of the Rings.

Maybe think of a white army of elves.

With long flowing hair.

And they go into Mordor.

And they kill every lost orc.

To make Middle Earth safe again.

That's a good picture.

It's still a brutal picture.

But it's a good picture.

And maybe that is more what we need to have in mind.

And judgment is a good thing.

Because it makes the world good again.

And safe.

And just.

But it means we need to return.

Heed the warning.

Return.

Be ready.

It's huge.

It's dreadful.

It's not here yet.

But you can escape.

Right?

Again verse 12.

Yet even now.

Return to me.

Says the Lord.

Return to me with all your heart.

Yeah?

Now notice it's God's initiative.

Right?

If God really wanted to destroy people.

He would just do it.

But he wants to save.

Justice needs to come.

But he wants to rescue people.

He wants people to come back to him.

That's why there's a warning.

Right?

The point of a fire alarm.

Is that people can be saved.

Can escape.

Right?

God wants people to come back to him.

And escape.

And so.

Yeah.

Come back to him.

Which means.

Well if it's sin.

Means.

Repenting.

Means responding.

Right?

So weeping.

And mourning.

And stop going our own way.

And yeah.

Calling on the name of the Lord.

As Peter puts it.

You know.

Repent.

And be baptized.

In the name of Jesus Christ.

For the forgiveness of your sins.

Right?

Come back.

And the thing is.

Nothing matters more.

What Joel says.

More than any other book.

Is that.

This is the most important.

Urgent thing.

There is.

You need to act now.

And we've heard the urgency.

In chapter 2.

Chapter 1.

Is the same.

1 verse 5.

Joel.

He goes to the pub.

Awake you drunkards.

And weep.

And wail.

All you drinkers of wine.

Verse 8.

Lament.

Lament.

Like a virgin.

Wearing sackcloth.

For the bridegroom.

Of her youth.

Verse 11.

He goes to the market.

Be ashamed.

O tillers of the soil.

Wail.

O vine dressers.

He goes to the temple.

Verse 13.

Put on sackcloth.

And lament.

O priests.

Wail.

O ministers of the altar.

Go in.

Pass the night in sackcloth.

Verse 14.

Consecrate a fast.

Call a solemn assembly.

Gather the elders.

Right?

Do something.

It's so urgent.

Again.

2.

Verse 15.

Blow the trumpet in Zion.

Consecrate a fast.

Call a solemn assembly.

Gather the people.

Consecrate a congregation.

Assemble the elders.

Gather the children.

Even nursing infants.

Let the bridegroom leave his room.

And the bride her chamber.

This comes before everything.

I mean.

I love that last detail.

Let the bride and groom leave their chamber.

A chamber is a bedroom.

Right?

This is a couple on honeymoon.

On a wedding night.

Can you imagine?

Right?

You.

You're getting married.

After years of dating.

And a year of engagement.

Finally the big day is here.

Right?

And you've had a wonderful wedding.

But now it's 11 p.m.

And all the guests are gone.

And the two of you go to.

You know.

The honeymoon suite.

And you've kept yourself pure.

All these years.

And this is your wedding night.

And then you.

You close the door.

And lock the door.

You've been reading the song of songs.

Yeah?

And then.

Joel's at the door.

Come on.

The day of the Lord is coming.

Come to the prayer meeting.

And.

And you're.

Oh Joel.

Can I come tomorrow?

You know what?

One hour.

Okay?

Give us one hour.

But Joel says.

No.

This is more important than your wedding night.

Right?

More important than that.

And.

I guess.

If your hotel was on fire.

My guess is you would interrupt your wedding night.

Right?

If your hotel was on fire.

You would go out.

And that's the thing here.

Nothing.

Matters.

More.

Yeah?

And if you're here.

And you wouldn't call yourself a Christian.

Yeah.

This is important.

I know this is not a positive message.

Maybe you were.

Hoping to hear something more positive today.

And it happens to be.

About this.

But I hope you see a fire alarm is good.

Because it warns you that something is happening.

That you need to get out.

Maybe you don't believe there's a fire.

I think in the beginning of the sermon.

Right?

None of you believe there's a fire.

That's the thing.

So you need to check.

You know.

Are.

Is there smoke?

Are there flames?

Yeah?

Have you ever looked at Christianity?

Have you ever thought whether it's true or not?

I think that that's the big question.

Right?

Have you ever read like a biography of Jesus?

You know.

Was this guy just a moral teacher?

Or is he actually something more?

You know.

Is he dead.

And in his grave?

Well then he's not going to come back and judge the world.

Well maybe he rose from the dead.

And then maybe there is something.

Right?

Have you ever looked at it?

Can I encourage you to do that?

These are free.

Just take one.

Come to this course called Explore.

We're doing in a few weeks.

Great chance to explore.

Whether this is really true.

But can I encourage you to do something?

Right?

And don't.

It's easy to postpone.

I know.

Life is busy with your job.

I will do it later.

Oh.

I have kids.

I'm too busy.

You know.

When they've left home.

Then I'll.

Then I have time.

Or maybe when I've stopped traveling.

And I retire.

Don't put it off.

Maybe this is urgent.

And maybe we should do this now.

Can I encourage you to do that?

And if it's true.

Well.

Yeah.

Return to the Lord.

Ask for mercy.

Take action.

Nothing else matters.

But let me speak to.

Those calling yourselves Christians.

Which is I guess most of us.

Yeah.

I'm sure you've responded.

And you've prayed a prayer.

How big is this in your life?

Is this.

Joel says this is the biggest thing that's happening.

This is bigger than your job.

Bigger than your savings.

Bigger than your.

Which university your kids get into.

Bigger than your upcoming wedding.

Is it so big in your life.

Or was this something that you.

You know.

You prayed about 20 years ago.

And that was it.

Right.

You know.

Partly.

Are we holding close to the cross.

If Jesus is the one who can save us.

Are we sensitive to our sin.

Aware of our needs.

And staying close to him.

But also.

Yeah.

Have we responded.

It's more than just a prayer.

Right.

It says.

Return to the Lord.

Which means that.

God is here.

And you're over there.

Right.

And rent your heart.

And not your garments.

Not just a superficial response.

But.

Change.

I mean.

If Jesus is going to come back.

It's going to change everything.

Now.

The thing is.

For us.

It's not so urgent.

As for Joel.

Right.

With Joel.

He saw the locusts coming.

And it was so urgent.

And for us.

Well.

I mean.

Jesus could come back tomorrow.

In which case.

I guess you wouldn't go to work.

But.

Maybe he will come back in a hundred years.

Which means we do need to go to work.

Right.

And we do need to eat.

And sleep.

And shop.

And save money.

And plan for retirement.

And all those things.

Right.

That's the.

That's the thing.

There doesn't seem to be much real urgency.

But.

Often that means that.

Just normal life.

Fills all my time.

And I just never think of what will really happen.

I don't know.

Think of a fire.

How would you live in a home?

If you knew a fire would come.

Right.

You have to live there.

But you know that.

At some point.

There will be an alarm.

And you need to leave.

And your home will be on fire.

How would that change?

My guess is.

You wouldn't spend a lot on furniture.

Right.

And you wouldn't put all your money.

In your mattress.

Because.

You know.

You would put it somewhere else.

Right.

You make sure that you.

Remember it.

You make sure that the alarm works.

If you have kids.

You know that.

You want to make sure that they really know what to do.

That they are ready for what will happen.

Right.

It would really change your life.

And it's not a perfect analogy.

But I hope you get the point.

Are we ready?

And does it.

You know.

The fact that we will stand before the Lord.

You know.

The things of this world.

Don't matter.

It's the things that we do for him.

Right.

We will do what he wants.

We will sit loose.

We will sit loose to the things that.

We will end up.

Gone anyway.

And things like love.

And good works.

And prayer.

And building the church.

That's a good example.

I don't know.

If you know this guy.

The Earl of Shaftesbury.

Who lived in the 19th century.

Anthony Ashley Cooper.

You probably don't know him.

This guy lived in England.

And he was a politician.

And he did amazing things.

He put.

He.

You know.

Campaigned for.

And got past so many laws.

About child labor.

Care for the mentally handicapped.

Trying to stop the drug trade.

Schools for the poor.

In his biography.

It said.

You know.

There was no one.

Who had done more.

To alleviate human suffering.

Than him.

And people asked him.

Why.

Later in life.

And this is what he said.

I do not think.

In the last 40 years.

I have lived.

One conscious hour.

That was not influenced.

By the thought.

Of our Lord's return.

Right.

He knew.

Jesus coming back.

And.

That shows.

That some things matter.

And some things don't.

And so.

He lived differently.

Jesus will come back.

It's the most important thing.

Nothing matters more.

But not just for ourselves.

Right.

Because.

The other obvious application.

Is we should.

Warn others.

Nothing matters more.

I mean.

That's the great thing.

About a warning.

Right.

A warning means.

That people can escape.

But people need to hear the warning.

You know.

Let me go back to that fire.

In my student days.

Did you know.

That I didn't hear the fire alarm.

I didn't.

I mean.

There were some reasons for that.

One.

This was.

My student days.

Before I was a Christian.

I went to bed.

Completely drunk.

At 3 a.m.

So I was very unresponsive.

At 5 a.m.

Second thing.

Is that.

Actually.

We had disabled.

The fire alarm.

On our floor.

It sometimes beeped.

And it was very annoying.

But instead of getting it fixed.

We just disabled it.

Right.

We were very intelligent students.

But basically.

I did not hear the fire alarm.

There was hardly any fire alarm.

How did I get out?

Well.

Because there were people going around.

And knocking on every door.

To make sure there was no one there.

Right.

They cared about others.

They didn't just run out themselves.

But they cared about.

Other people.

And so they went knocking on every door.

And that woke me up.

Right.

They didn't just think.

Oh well.

Maybe he likes sleeping.

Hey.

Let's not offend him.

You know.

Maybe.

Maybe he doesn't believe in fires.

Who am I to impose my beliefs on him.

Right.

No.

They.

Knocked on every door.

And I mean.

It wasn't a big fire.

It was a sofa.

One apartment.

On another part of the building.

But still.

If this was a serious fire.

Maybe I wasn't here.

If it wasn't for those people.

And we need to.

Warn others.

Right.

How much more do people need to hear.

About the day of the Lord.

I mean.

That's what Joel is doing.

Right.

That's why he.

He's being a prophet.

And he goes to the pub.

And he goes to the farm.

And he goes to the temple.

And he goes to the honeymoon suite.

He knocks on every door.

Get.

Get ready.

Repent.

And it's not just Joel.

Right.

Because.

How about that great day of the Lord.

Again.

God says.

There will be prophets.

Actually.

There will be lots of prophets.

Right.

Verse 28.

And it shall come to pass afterwards.

That I will pour out my spirit.

On all flesh.

Your sons.

And your daughters.

Shall prophesy.

Everyone with the spirit.

Will be a prophet.

And what will they do?

Well.

They will do what.

Joel did.

And warn people.

And the result is that.

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord.

Will be saved.

And again.

Isn't this encouraging?

Does God want to be people to be saved?

He does.

Right.

That's why he pours out the spirit.

And sends all these people out.

To warn others.

That's what he wants.

And yeah.

Who is that?

Of course.

Who has the spirit?

That's those who trust in Jesus.

They receive the spirit.

And.

Spirit does lots of things.

But.

Partly.

He helps us proclaim.

The gospel.

Right.

So we can go.

And win souls.

And we can.

You know.

Anyone you tell about a fire.

That's not easy.

And I know.

What I find very hard.

Is kind of balancing.

The urgent.

And the important.

Right.

I mean.

Joel.

He went to knock on the honeymoon suite.

My guess is.

We wouldn't do that.

Right.

I mean.

If Jesus would come back tomorrow.

Yes.

But maybe it'll be a hundred years.

And so maybe.

I wouldn't make any friends.

Doing this.

I know.

So we.

We don't know.

And so.

It's good to take your time.

Build friendships.

You know.

Explain things bit by bit.

But it's so easy to think.

Well.

It might be a long time.

I'll wait until tomorrow.

I'm too busy today.

And then tomorrow.

You think.

Well.

I'll wait another day.

And another day.

And another day.

And another day.

And basically.

You never end up.

Sharing the gospel.

Right.

I think that is the problem.

And let's not forget.

The fire alarm is ringing.

There will be a worldwide fire.

Some really good advice.

I once heard.

Is basically.

You know.

With all your relationships.

Think.

I've got two years.

With this person.

I don't have 30 years.

I have two years.

How would you live.

If you have two years.

My guess is.

It would become a bit more urgent.

Right.

To share the gospel.

If it's just two years.

Okay.

It's not.

Tomorrow.

I don't have to.

Interrupt your sleep.

But.

You know.

Two years.

But.

Maybe try that.

As you pray.

As you're in your office.

Maybe.

Try to do that.

But.

Yeah.

Let's prioritize this.

Let's.

Let's.

That's why as a church.

We want to.

Emphasize this.

And.

That's why we need each other.

To help each other.

Keep going.

That we.

We make this a priority.

It is.

But it is.

Right.

Because.

Nothing matters more.

Jesus will come back.

And no one will stand before him.

And think.

I wish I watched more Netflix.

No one will say.

Wish I got higher grades.

Wish I saved more money.

No people will say.

I wish I stopped that sin.

I wish I prayed more.

I wish I shared the gospel.

With more people.

And a day of the Lord is coming.

Let's pray.

We would be ready.

Let's pray that God would use us.

To win many souls.

Why don't I pray.

And as I pray.

Maybe the communion stewards.

The music team can come up.

Let's respond in prayer.

Our father.

Thank you for speaking to us.

That is not an easy message.

But warnings are good.

Warnings are done out of love.

And in love.

You warn us that.

Yeah.

Our way of living is not good.

And judgment will come.

And that is right.

But.

Yeah.

We know we're on the wrong side.

Help us to.

Respond.

For those of us who are not ready yet.

Help us.

Come back.

To return to you.

Put our trust.

In Jesus.

For those of us who.

Who have done that.

Would this be the biggest thing in our lives.

Would it change how we live.

And would it stir us up to.

Spread this message.

That more people may be saved.

Think that everyone who can call on your mercy.

Will be saved.

There's nothing else we need to do.

Just calling on.

Jesus.

Calling on mercy.

But people do need to hear.

So help us with that Lord.

Would you use today.

In our hearts.

And in our lives.

In Jesus name.

Amen.

Amen.