Wake Up

Opening Framework

Prayer

Series Intro: Messengers

- Book of Joel - Joel’s name - Yahweh is God/The Lord is God. - Timing - Ending connects to Amos Joel 3:16 to Amos 1:2

Message Title: Wake Up

ME: Being woken up

One of those addrenaline… “oh my gosh something was happening” moments.

Joel is also trying to shake people awake as well. He’s giving a wake up call…

We: We all have these wake up call moments…

When we realized we’ve been asleep spiritually…

Or our faith has been on auto pilot, we’re not growing.

We’re comfortable with certain things we know we have no place entertaining…

Certain sin might be normal…

AND THEN OUT OF NO WHERE… Something wakes us up. An illness, a reading in our bible, a sermon you hear, maybe a friend giving you some hard truth, a spouse telling you something needs to change… and you wake up and realize something does need to change right.

That’s what Joel is doing here with this book, with this prophecy. A spiritual wake up call.

God:

CHAPTER 1 - Previous

Joel 1:2-3 - A call to everyone

Joel 1:4 - The extent of how bad this invasion of locust was. - Locust, big grass hopper type bug, swarms of them, millions - Economic collapse - Food collapse - Big problems were happening.

Joel 1:5 - The wake up call… Loss of luxury.

Ephesians 5:14 - Paul says something similar. Throughout scripture. When we fall asleep spiritually… God sends a wake up call.

Joel 1:6-7 - It’s like an army

Joel 1:14-15 - Call to cry out to God because something serious is coming one day “Day of the Lord”

CHAPTER 2 - FUTURE

Joel 2:1-2 - Blow the trumpet. Previous invasion was bad but this future one is bigger.

Day of the Lord when God’s judgement fully comes. Against sin & evil.

Joel 2:3 - Eden to Desert… nothing escapes this coming judgement. It’s like an unstoppable army.

But… There’s a remedy THE TURNING POINT

Joel 2:12-13 - Rend (tear) open your heart… not your clothes.

Return to God because even though judgement is coming… God’s desire is to be gracious and compassionate to us.

Essentially… God wants true repentance. Turning away from something and turning back to Him

Joel 2:25 - God doesn’t just forgive… He RESTORES!!!! Your life, your testimony, your marriage, your time wasted, your faith, your calling… Maybe not how you imagine, but in ways you never could imagine.

Joel 2:27 - God’s grace from your repentance ALWAYS leads other’s to know that He is God! BACK TO JOEL’s NAME - Yahweh is GOD!

The entire message of Joel’s book leads back to his own name… The Lord is God. Yahweh is God.

Joel 2:28 = Peter Quotes this in Acts 2:17-18 It’s not just for Joel’s people… this is for us as modern believers.

AND WHAT’S THE MESSAGE

Joel 2:32 - That EVERYONE who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Acts 2:21 - Peter repeats this.

You: What does this mean for you today?

Maybe you’ve been on auto pilot spiritually… Maybe you’ve been comfortable with things you shouldn’t be entertaining… Maybe you just know God’s giving you a wake up call about something…

Joel says… REND YOUR HEART It’s not about trying harder It’s not about looking good on the outside.

It’s about… - Opening your heart to God. - Letting God work on you from the inside out. - Turning to God for the first time today or turning back to Him today.

Because the Day of the Lord is coming… Judgement for everything is coming one day.

BUT THE GOOD NEWS… IS THE GOOD NEWS. THE GOSPEL… Jesus paid the price for it already ON THE CROSS Our sin Our judgement Our guilt ……

So Joel’s promise is STILL TRUE… Joel 2:32 - EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED

We: The beautiful thing is this…

God doesn’t wake us up because He wants to destroy us…

He wakes us up because He wants to restore us

What the Locust have eaten… God can restore.

Listen to me… God CAN redeem your story God CAN restore your faith God CAN restore our schools, our cities, our communities…. not through politics… but through people rending their hearts to God.

Alter Call: The wake up call is only good news IF we wake up…

I believe that you have an opportunity right now…

If God’s been trying to get your attention through… A circumstance… A situation… A conviction you feel… Or through this message…

Joel says the response is simple… Turn to God today…

- Maybe for the first time today ever. - Or maybe you just need to turn back because you got off track.

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved Not the perfect. Not the smartest. EVERYONE.