Light(en) Your Load
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Jocelyn’s Baptism Verse
Jocelyn’s Baptism Verse
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
I have shared with you many of my favorite verse. But have I ever shared my absolute favorite verse?
It comes from Zephaniah. You might not be familiar with Zephaniah he is a minor prophet whose message though short (3 chapters) was powerful. The voice of God during a great reformation. Leaving the leadership of a really really bad king to the young king Josiah who led the people back to the Law of God.
People’s practice and heart had gotten so far from God that the prophecy begins with this....
The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah. “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.
He threatens the reversal of His creative work. In 6 days he ordered creation, and here He threatens to sweep it away in reverse. Man, beasts, birds, then fish, finally the rubble.
That is a pretty serious punishment. The first two chapters outline the severe punishment God will inflict on sin, and those who tempt God’s people into sin.
Do you hear the sound of the drill? Like a dentist cutting out the cavities in your mouth. God removes the sin and vices of his people.
I had a cavity once that went deep, and as the dentist drilled it out he killed the nerve, but not entirely. It was dying for days when I relented and went back in and said I needed a root canal. It had three roots so I had to come in multiple times. The second day the Novocain missed its mark and I could feel as the little file rubbed against my nerves digging them out.
I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the 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 the earth shall be consumed; for a full and sudden end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.
It is tough love to inflict pain on someone because you know its whats best for them. To show them the true value of their treasures. Things wont save them from a terrible fate, neither will their false Gods.
The plea of chapter 2 is the voice of deep yearning. As the prophet wants to spare them this terrible fate. He calls them to action:
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.
The contrast between verse 8 and verse 9-10 is astounding.
“Therefore wait for me,” declares the Lord, “for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed.
But the very next this He says is....
“For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord and serve him with one accord. From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering.
How is it in one verse He can say he will pour out his indignation on the nations - “all my burning anger” To say all the earth will be consumed. But then immediately after say, I will purify the speech of the peoples I will call my worshipers from the nations to bring my offering?
How can those two things possibly be related?
To those who believe, He gave the right to become children of God.
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.
So God is with you, and will save. In the victory of His Son Jesus He rejoices over you with exceeding joy. He has brought you, his creation, to himself and given you life to the full.