Song of joy that we will sing!

Let’s pray

God, please open our ears and hearts. So that we can hear today's word as the true God's word, and help us realize God's love. Pray in the Jesus name. Amen .

Intro

**Illustration **

Everyone wants to live happily. But there are times when we often experience unavoidable sadness. There is a small sadness that disappears in a few days, but there is also a great sadness that lasts for several years. A few days ago, on the news in South Korea, two 8-year-old girls who finished school were on the road when they were hit by a drunk driver and died. The children's mother's tearing screams and pain broke my heart over the speaker.

**Need**

In many cases, sadness comes because of sin. The Bible says that after Adam sinned against God, there were traces of sin for everyone. As a result, various sins such as lies, anger, violence, affair, and drug addiction lead to big and small tragedies and accidents in the world. We can't control this sinful world and my life with our own strength. Even if it's not necessarily a big tragedy, small sorrows also have a negative impact on our lives. Depression, anxiety, panic disorder, etc. We are too fragile and insufficient to overcome this! To overcome this, we must always retain the ultimate joy, the reason for life, and hope. Then we can rejoice in the midst of pain.

**Theme**

Today’s Bible gives us the ultimate reason to rejoice in any situation. First, because God is with us as the Almighty and saves us from tribulation. Second, because God loves us first and he is very happy with us. Third, because God has forgiven our sins through Jesus Christ, we will live forever with God without being judged on the last day.

**Reference**

Let's look at the word of God that is giving us today, Zephaniah 3:14-20.

14 Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;

shout, O Israel!

Rejoice and exult with all your heart,

O daughter of Jerusalem!

15 The LORD has taken away the judgments against you;

he has cleared away your enemies.

The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;

you shall never again fear evil.

16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:

“Fear not, O Zion;

let not your hands grow weak.

17 The LORD your God 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 exult over you with loud singing.

18 I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival,

so that you will no longer suffer reproach

19 Behold, at that time I will deal

with all your oppressors.

And I will save the lame

and gather the outcast,

and I will change their shame into praise

and renown in all the earth.

20 At that time I will bring you in,

at the time when I gather you together;

for I will make you renowned and praised

among all the peoples of the earth,

when I restore your fortunes

before your eyes,” says the LORD.

**Outline **

First, we will deal with the joy of this text, talk about how this joy came, and God's judgment and salvation. And I would like to share with you that these two things were completed by Jesus Christ.

**Point 1 **

Sing a song of joy because of God’s salvation

**Illustration(example) **

It's hard to help someone or get someone in trouble. That's because we need the ability and strength to help to succeed. There is a famous military drama in Korea. Soldiers who are deployed for the first time in the Korean military usually spend hard days such as swearing, beatings, and errands of seniors. However, the father of the new soldier, the main character of this drama, was the commander of the division, the captain of the army. At first, seniors who don't know it beat, curse and harassed this recruit, but later when he saw him calling the division commander ‘Dad,’ their attitude changed fully. And after that, the recruits will have a very happy and comfortable military life.

Like these recruits, we can be saved by God's help in our lives. This salvation means not only help for difficulties, but also salvation from eternal death.

**Exegesis**

Look at the word of God. Rejoice ! Israel ! Zephaniah shouts the word of God. Why God tells Israel to be happy? Look at the first half of verse 15. “The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. “ So he tells you to rejoice. Here the Judgement and enemies of Israel point to Babylon. This is the event that Zephaniah prophesies that Israel, who was a prisoner of Babylon, will be saved by the hand of God's salvation. What is our Babylon today? It can be a person, it can be a situation, it can be a painful disease.

But God has the power and ability to free us from Babylon. In fact, the Israelites returned to their homeland in 538 BC after 70 years of long captivity. That's what God did. The Bible has proved as a prophecy and result that He is the one who fulfills his promises and has the power and ability to keep His word.

The same in our lives God has the power to follow the judgement and enemies of our lives. How can he do that? Look at the second half of Verse 15 , "The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. " Says that It is because the king is with you. Do you have difficulties with things like the punishments or enemies of your life? Accept the God of Israel as your king. He is the Almighty who will give salvation among you. The repetition from the Bible means emphasis. Zephaniah once again declares to us the presence of God. Look at the first half of verse 17. “The Lord your God is in the midst of you! He is the almighty to give salvation.” I hope these words will be powerful in your life.

**Objection**

Some people might say, “Israel were taken captive because God didn't have the power! Or, why God let them get caught and save them again? Are you kidding me!?” But God didn’t have the ability to do that or mocked them. Rather, because he loved them, he warned them of their sins countless times through many prophets and tried to turn to himself. The invasion of Babylon was God's final discipline for them, and eventually, they return to Israel after their captivity and praise God again.

**Restatement**

Everyone, the God who can do everything is with us! Almighty God is among you, so what are you afraid of? He is the one who has the power to save you from all difficult situations! You guys think about it, If you were a child of a president in this country, no matter what you do in this country, no matter where you are, what happens to you, what would he do? He will do best to protect and take care of you. How much more, what about us who have Almighty God as our father? Yes! You can rely on him, believe in him, and live happily in all situations. Because He is our Father and He is in us.

**Point 2 **

Sing a song of joy because God loves us

**Illustration (Image)**

This is not the only. We have one more reason to be happy. The Almighty God first pleased and loved us. When a mother gives birth to a baby, she wraps the baby in a bag and hugs it in her arms. Quietly, and safely, she pray for baby. This is how God loves us quietly.

**Exegesis**

This is the word of God 17 "The LORD your God 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 exult over you with loud singing. " This is what God says when he sees us! How amazing is it? If I knew the friends next to me, my family, when see my true self and deep thoughts inside me, they wouldn't be able to love me as I am! But Almighty God, like a child, loves and cares for us as we are. It is also said that he is happy when he calls our names! When we call the person we love, it is a voice full of love, but God is greater and more loving! I can't imagine how much that voice is in love when it calls us joyfully. So how can we not be happy that he is pleased with us?

**Objection**

Some people think of the image of God only as a being who is completely different from us, or a God with cosmic laws that give awards and punishments according to our actions. But the God is in the Bible is not like that. He revealed through the Bible that He is God who creates, guides, and saves us in His own image. The fact that He created us in the image of God means that his personality and disposition are contained in our human form. So God knows our various emotions and personalities, such as our love, sadness, and joy

**Restatement**

Therefore, dear ones! Please meditate deeply on the God who loved us first. Feel his love quietly. Count how much of his overflowing, uncontrollable love for us is in our lives, and how many things to be thankful for. Surely you will be able to meet God who is with you.

**Point 3 **

But God who judges sin!

**Transition**

But everyone, we must know clearly that God loves us but is the one who judges our sins. Before today's text, Zepaniah continues to talk about God's judgment. The reason is here Zephaniah 3:2 "She listens to no voice; she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the LORD; she does not draw near to her God.

In verse 7, God's sad heart is conveyed. 3:7 “I said, ‘Surely you will fear me; you will accept correction. Then your dwelling would not be cut off according to all that I have appointed against you.’But all the more they were eager to make all their deeds corrupt.”

**Illustration **

If you're really a true parent, if you're a parent who wants your child to grow up honestly and right, you won't let him live as he wants. And if he sins socially, it really hurts their heart, but they will put him on the judgment seat of the law. You are all aware of the tragedy that happened in our city a while ago. News said that the young man's parents knew what he was trying to do and desperately tried to stop it. Of course, the effort failed, but what about the hearts of parents who see their children who have committed serious sins? I dare not imagine it. God's heart is the same.

**Exegesis **

What happened to the Israelites who continue to commit idolatry and injustice? Let's look at Zephaniah 3:18. “ I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival, so that you will no longer suffer reproach” The Israelites, who ignored God's word and lived their own way, had to suffer indelible insults, humiliation, and suffering during their 70 years of Babylonian captivity. That's their burden, shame. God has left his beloved children in this pain with his own hands. To admonish them! How heartbroken and torn would it be? But the God of justice and righteous is the one who always judges sin and wants his beloved children to repent and return to him.

Zephaniah chapter 1 details the days of God. Zephaniah 1:2-3 “I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD. “I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, and the rubble with the wicked. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.

The words "birds of the heavens and fish of the sea, face of the earth" are very similar to the records of the creation of the earth in Genesis, the first book of the Bible. In other words, these words are not aimed at Israel, but at the whole world we live in now. God's judgment is continuing not only in Israel and neighboring countries 2,000 years ago, but also now and now! It's a very scary judgement. Why are we afraid of this? Isn't it over when we die? No! The Bible makes it clear that death is not the end, but another judgment after death. "And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done." This is the last book of the Bible, Revelation. (20:13)

Everyone has no choice but to be afraid. Where is the person who has never sinned here? This is what the Romans of the New Testament says. “All people sinned, and they did not reach the glory of God”. Also, it saying that “there is no righteous person, so there is none.” How can we escape God's judgment?

**Jesus Christ**

Fortunately, the Bible is giving us the answer. It's the word of God. See Zephaniah 19-20. "19 Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. 20 At that time I will bring you in, at the time when I gather you together; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” says the LORD.

The content of verse 19 and 20 not only prophesies the return of the Israelites to Babylon, but also Jesus Christ, who will come again, and the people who will enjoy the glory of God together on that day. The God who punishes those who afflict, the God of salvation who avoids captivity, and we are shown together to receive fame and praise. Yes, We are joyful! because we have been acquitted from the judgment! Because Jesus Christ has already solved the problem of our sins!

Jesus Christ ! Bible says that He took all our sins and cleansed everyone's sins by being crucified to death. Blessed are those who realize what an amazing grace this is. Therefore, a human has a judgment, but we can rejoice! We can avoid God's punishment. Because we became the son of God, the almighty and judge! We already declare victory in the trial.

**Objection **

Some people think of human sins as a scale. No matter how many times you commit a sin, if you do good a few times, it will be something that never happened. But the sins in us cannot be solved by ourselves. Because we are all sinners, we don’t have the power to do that. The criminal cannot proceed with the trial. The blind cannot lead the blind. A baby can't teach a baby! The judge should judge the criminal and the parents should teach the child. Likewise, God, who knows everything and has established good and evil, must justify us so that our sins are forgiven. And God has set the way to believe only in the gospel of the cross of Jesus Christ.

**Restatement **

Therefore, everyone, there will be God's judgment. But God's children are not afraid of it, but rather rejoice! Because the blood of the cross of Jesus Christ has forgiven the sins of all mankind in place of the blood we must shed! All we have to do is believe that He loved me and died for me!

**Outro**

I want to summarize the words

**Restatement of Themes **

We talked about three reasons why we can be rejoice. First, because God is with us as the Almighty and saves us from tribulation. Second, because God loves us first and he is very joy with us. Third, because He has forgiven our sins through Jesus Christ, he will not be judged on the last day and we will live forever with God.

**Example**

As I said today, there is a family that rejoices in salvation. The mother of a child named Musa, who attends the children's class at ‘한글학교’, was diagnosed with 4th breast cancer a year ago. At first, the family was as frightened and sad as the Israelites had met Babylon. But the mother now says that “through that breast cancer, I feel more deeply than before, how much God is rejoice with me.” And her cancer has now been wiped clean.

**Application**

Did your life collapse due to various difficulties? Rejoice, God will build a harder house in you. Are you suffering from pain? Please be rejoice though! God is the one who heals the soul who will live forever, not only your body! Acknowledge and accept Jesus Christ as the Lord of your life. Then you will experience not only true joy and freedom in the world, but also eternal joy with Jesus who will come in the future.

Let’s pray

Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us first. Just as you are pleased with us, let me always live with joy in God. pray in the name of Jesus Amen .