WEBVTT

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 The book of Zephaniah, the Old Testament prophet Zephaniah.

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 We have been spending a number of weeks in this little book.

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 This whole book is written as a poem or as a song.

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 What we're going to do this evening is I'll read all of chapter 3 again,

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 but then we'll focus on words from verse 11 to verse 15.

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 So Zephaniah chapter 3.

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 Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled.

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 She obeys no one.

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 She accepts no correction.

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 She does not trust in the Lord.

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 She does not draw near to her God.

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 Her officials are roaring lions.

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 Her rulers are evening wolves who leave nothing for the morning.

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 Her prophets are arrogant.

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 They are treacherous men.

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 Her priests profane the sanctuary and do violence to the law.

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 The Lord within her is righteous.

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 He does no wrong.

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 Morning by morning, he dispenses his justice.

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 And every new day, he does not fail.

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 Yet the unrighteous know no shame.

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 I have cut off nations.

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 Their strongholds are demolished.

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 I have left their streets deserted with no one passing through.

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 Their cities are destroyed.

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 No one will be left.

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 No one at all.

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 I said to the city,

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 Surely you will fear me and accept correction.

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 Then her dwelling would not be cut off,

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 nor all my punishments come upon her.

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 But they were still eager to act corruptly in all they did.

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 Therefore, wait for me, declares the Lord.

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 For the day I will stand up to testify.

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 I have decided to assemble the nations,

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 to gather the kingdoms,

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 and to pour out my wrath on them,

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 all my fierce anger.

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 The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger.

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 Then will I purify the lips of the peoples,

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 that all of them may call on the name of the Lord,

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 and serve him shoulder to shoulder.

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 From beyond the rivers of Cush,

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 my worshippers,

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 my scattered people,

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 will bring me offerings.

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 On that day you will not be put to shame,

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 for all the wrongs you have done to me.

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 Because I will remove from this city,

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 those who rejoice in their pride.

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 Never again will you be haughty on my holy hill.

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 But I will leave within you the meek and humble,

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 who trust in the name of the Lord.

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 The remnant of Israel will do no wrong.

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 They will speak no lies,

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 nor will deceit be found in their mouths.

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 They will eat and lie down,

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 and no one will make them afraid.

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 Sing, O daughter of Zion.

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 Shout aloud, O Israel.

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 Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,

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 O daughter of Jerusalem.

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 The Lord has taken away your punishment.

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 He has turned back your enemy.

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 The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you.

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 Never again will you fear any harm.

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 On that day they will say to Jerusalem,

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 Do not fear, O Zion.

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 Do not let your hands hang limp.

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 The Lord, your God, is with you.

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 He is mighty to save.

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 He will take great delight in you.

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 He will quiet you with his love.

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 He will rejoice over you with singing.

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 The sorrows for the appointed feasts

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 I will remove from you.

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 They are a burden and a reproach to you.

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 At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you.

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 I will rescue the lame

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 and gather those who have been scattered.

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 I will give them praise and honor

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 in every land where they were put to shame.

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 At that time I will gather you.

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 At that time I will bring you home.

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 I will give you honor and praise

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 among all the peoples of the earth

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 when I restore your fortunes

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 before your very eyes,

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 says the Lord.

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 Amen.

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 Once again at the book of Zephaniah.

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 Zephaniah's closing words

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 are about fortunes being restored.

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 So what I want to think about this evening

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 is the promise of God

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 to the city of Jerusalem

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 of a change in fortunes

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 that would come for them

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 because of the grace of God.

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 And to think how in the gospel of Jesus

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 they were promised

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 that same change of fortune.

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 But let's begin here.

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 Let's begin with two cities under siege.

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 The first one,

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 Stalingrad in Russia

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 during the Second World War.

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 So in 1942,

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 Stalingrad had already

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 been under German attack

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 for over a year.

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 So they were surrounded on all sides

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 by the German army

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 trying to make a march east.

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 And the people within the city of Stalingrad,

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 they were starving.

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 The bombs were falling regularly.

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 This was a suffering people.

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 But then in the summer of 1942,

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 the conductor of the Stalingrad Orchestra

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 decided that what was left of the orchestra

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 that hadn't been killed and fighting to date

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 would perform a new symphony

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 composed by Shostakovich.

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 And so this battered and starving city

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 and musicians that could hardly draw enough puff

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 to get their instruments working

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 worked together for a number of months

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 until the 9th of August

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 when they were due to perform this new symphony.

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 So to make sure that there was peace

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 for the performance,

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 Russian planes flew over the city

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 bombing the German areas around the city.

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 And so they were free as a city

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 to listen to this new symphony.

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 It was a hugely significant moment for them

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 in their effort to endure.

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 For 18 months,

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 they would still have to hang on

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 until the Soviet army en masse would come

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 and give them deliverance.

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 But the city recognized

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 in the music of Shostakovich

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 and in the production of that symphony,

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 that's a hard word to say, hope,

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 the city endured

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 because in part of this music

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 that spoke courage into their bones.

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 There's another city under siege

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 in Zephaniah 3.

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 And that's Jerusalem,

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 the city of God,

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 under siege

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 because of the judgment of God.

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 That they had so often turned their back on God,

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 turning towards other gods

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 that God had sent the nations.

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 He's promising He's going to send the nations

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 to surround,

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 to bring judgment on them.

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 So Jerusalem here in chapter 3

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 is a city under siege.

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 And so the question then is,

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 where will hope for this city come from?

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 That hope won't come from a symphony,

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 but it will come from the song of the gospel.

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 What we'll see this evening

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 is that hope is promised,

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 deliverance is promised

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 from outside of themselves.

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 A hope that will make them sing

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 because they are being reminded

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 of the gospel of God with us.

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 Every Christmas we remind ourselves

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 of one of the titles of Jesus,

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 that He is Emmanuel,

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 God with us.

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 Well, that same promise is given

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 to the city of Jerusalem.

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 It's the same promise given to each one of us

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 in the gospel,

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 that in Jesus we can know God with us

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 in our lives,

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 even when we perhaps feel like

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 we are under siege,

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 under attack,

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 experiencing all kinds of suffering.

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 But before we get there,

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 let's remind ourselves

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 from the beginning of chapter 3,

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 why is Jerusalem facing

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 this promised judgment?

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 So quick recap,

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 it's been a few weeks

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 since we've been in Zephaniah.

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 The day of the Lord

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 is a major theme in this book.

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 The day of the Lord,

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 God's people presumed

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 it would mean salvation for them,

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 but they're being warned

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 against complacency.

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 They're being told

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 because of their rebellion,

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 the day of the Lord

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 will bring judgment.

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 Judgment, chapter 1,

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 judgment for Judah.

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 And then in chapter 2,

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 there's a break

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 and they're told of judgment

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 on the surrounding nations.

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 But then in chapter 3,

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 focus returns to God's city,

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 to Jerusalem,

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 and they're told judgment

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 will fall on them.

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 The day of the Lord

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 in the first eight verses

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 will come as judgment.

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 So let's think about

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 why that's the case.

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 Look at the first two verses.

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 There is an announcement

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 of woe on this city

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 for a number of reasons.

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 We see them as lawbreakers.

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 We see them as rebels.

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 We see them as defiled

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 and religiously unclean before God.

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 We see them in verse 2

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 as disobedient towards God,

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 untrusting of God.

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 We see them deliberately

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 walking away from God

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 instead of drawing near.

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 In verses 3 to 5,

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 there is a contrast

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 presented for us.

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 In verse 5,

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 we're introduced to the Lord

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 within the city,

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 the Lord with them,

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 who is righteous,

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 who performs in ways

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 that are just

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 and who seeks righteousness.

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 So you've got the righteous Lord,

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 but then all around that,

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 you have the unrighteous leaders

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 of the people,

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 whether that's the officials

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 of verse 3,

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 whether that's the prophets

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 and the priests

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 of verse 4,

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 whether it's the religious

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 or political and moral

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 and social leaders,

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 all of them

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 are acting in ways

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 that are unrighteous.

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 That's why judgment will come.

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 In verses 6 and 7,

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 Zephaniah is sent

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 to remind them

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 of what God has been doing

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 in the surrounding area.

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 God has begun

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 to bring about judgment

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 on the surrounding nations.

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 And that was intended

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 to be a wake-up call.

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 Verse 7,

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 I said to the city,

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 surely you will fear me

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 and accept correction,

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 having cut off nations

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 in verse 6.

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 But they don't.

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 They don't hear those warnings.

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 They don't respond

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 to the judgment of God.

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 They remain complacent.

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 That they'll be okay

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 because they're part of Israel.

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 So that in verse 8,

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 they're told to wait

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 for the Lord.

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 God's judgment would come.

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 God within the city

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 will now be God against the city

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 because of their rebellion.

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 What has Jerusalem got to do

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 with you and me?

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 Well, here in this book,

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 we have God,

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 the Creator King,

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 saying,

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 I am the Lord with you.

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 And this same God

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 who says,

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 I am the Lord with you,

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 is the same God

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 who sends Jesus

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 to be our Emmanuel.

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 The same Jesus

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 who is sent to be

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 our suffering servant.

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 But just as the people

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 in Zephaniah's day,

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 so by nature,

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 we say to God,

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 we don't want you

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 and we don't want

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 your salvation.

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 We want to go our own way,

00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:38.980
 make our own choices.

00:12:40.620 --> 00:12:42.879
 That just as in Zephaniah's day,

00:12:43.060 --> 00:12:43.940
 they are not alone

00:12:43.940 --> 00:12:45.780
 in establishing idols

00:12:45.780 --> 00:12:46.580
 for themselves.

00:12:46.580 --> 00:12:49.420
 placing someone

00:12:49.420 --> 00:12:50.759
 or something higher

00:12:50.759 --> 00:12:51.540
 than God

00:12:51.540 --> 00:12:53.639
 in terms of significance

00:12:53.639 --> 00:12:54.500
 and worship.

00:12:55.780 --> 00:12:57.280
 All of us stand

00:12:57.280 --> 00:12:59.060
 in covenant relationship

00:12:59.060 --> 00:12:59.720
 with God,

00:12:59.879 --> 00:13:01.040
 but all of us,

00:13:01.440 --> 00:13:03.639
 because of our disobedience,

00:13:03.720 --> 00:13:05.220
 have broken that covenant

00:13:05.220 --> 00:13:07.160
 just as they did.

00:13:08.620 --> 00:13:11.400
 And in our daily decisions,

00:13:12.700 --> 00:13:14.560
 just as in Zephaniah's day,

00:13:14.559 --> 00:13:16.059
 all too often,

00:13:17.159 --> 00:13:18.579
 we are rejecting

00:13:18.579 --> 00:13:19.739
 God as king

00:13:19.739 --> 00:13:20.439
 and as Lord

00:13:20.439 --> 00:13:22.779
 because we would have

00:13:22.779 --> 00:13:24.099
 that place instead.

00:13:25.179 --> 00:13:26.299
 So one of the things

00:13:26.299 --> 00:13:27.439
 that the Old Testament

00:13:27.439 --> 00:13:28.779
 prophets do for us,

00:13:28.839 --> 00:13:29.859
 and Zephaniah certainly

00:13:29.859 --> 00:13:30.819
 does this for us,

00:13:31.119 --> 00:13:32.799
 is it reminds us,

00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:33.759
 they remind us

00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:35.079
 of the heart of sin.

00:13:35.779 --> 00:13:36.879
 They remind us of the sin

00:13:36.879 --> 00:13:39.439
 in our human hearts.

00:13:40.559 --> 00:13:41.399
 J.C. Ryle,

00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:43.459
 a Bible teacher

00:13:43.460 --> 00:13:44.879
 from a previous generation

00:13:44.879 --> 00:13:45.300
 said,

00:13:45.420 --> 00:13:47.120
 a right knowledge of sin

00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:49.040
 lies at the root

00:13:49.040 --> 00:13:51.240
 of all saving Christianity.

00:13:52.820 --> 00:13:54.420
 When we lose sight

00:13:54.420 --> 00:13:55.660
 of our sin

00:13:55.660 --> 00:13:56.379
 and rebellion

00:13:56.379 --> 00:13:57.519
 against God,

00:13:58.700 --> 00:13:59.900
 when sin is something

00:13:59.900 --> 00:14:00.379
 that's treated

00:14:00.379 --> 00:14:01.660
 as no big deal,

00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:03.200
 when we look at ourselves

00:14:03.200 --> 00:14:05.180
 as fundamentally good

00:14:05.180 --> 00:14:05.920
 and right,

00:14:06.120 --> 00:14:07.040
 and surely,

00:14:07.220 --> 00:14:07.820
 just by virtue

00:14:07.820 --> 00:14:08.680
 of being people,

00:14:08.759 --> 00:14:09.980
 we're in a good relationship

00:14:09.980 --> 00:14:10.639
 with God,

00:14:11.560 --> 00:14:12.180
 then the message

00:14:12.179 --> 00:14:12.819
 of the Bible,

00:14:13.739 --> 00:14:14.699
 it doesn't come to us

00:14:14.699 --> 00:14:15.639
 with any urgency.

00:14:17.399 --> 00:14:18.239
 The message

00:14:18.239 --> 00:14:19.219
 that Jesus died

00:14:19.219 --> 00:14:20.019
 for sinners

00:14:20.019 --> 00:14:21.139
 makes no sense

00:14:21.139 --> 00:14:22.259
 if we don't understand

00:14:22.259 --> 00:14:23.359
 ourselves to be

00:14:23.359 --> 00:14:25.479
 in that place.

00:14:26.699 --> 00:14:28.159
 It was John Newton

00:14:28.159 --> 00:14:29.479
 who famously sang

00:14:29.479 --> 00:14:31.059
 about amazing grace,

00:14:31.719 --> 00:14:33.279
 but we will only sing

00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:34.299
 that from our hearts

00:14:34.299 --> 00:14:35.219
 when we understand

00:14:35.219 --> 00:14:36.579
 it saves a wretch

00:14:36.579 --> 00:14:38.399
 like me.

00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:40.480
 And so,

00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:41.840
 the message

00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:43.240
 against Jerusalem

00:14:43.240 --> 00:14:44.000
 is a message

00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:44.480
 that we need

00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:46.139
 to pay attention to

00:14:46.139 --> 00:14:48.559
 because it reveals

00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:49.939
 the sin

00:14:49.939 --> 00:14:50.860
 that lies within.

00:14:52.439 --> 00:14:53.179
 But then,

00:14:53.319 --> 00:14:54.379
 the wonderful message

00:14:54.379 --> 00:14:55.059
 of Zephaniah

00:14:55.059 --> 00:14:55.840
 also speaks

00:14:55.840 --> 00:14:57.179
 so much gospel hope

00:14:57.179 --> 00:14:57.819
 to us.

00:14:58.699 --> 00:14:59.899
 Remember that theme

00:14:59.899 --> 00:15:00.759
 towards the end

00:15:00.759 --> 00:15:01.500
 of chapter three

00:15:01.500 --> 00:15:02.480
 of fortunes

00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:03.600
 being restored.

00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:05.559
 Let's look together

00:15:05.559 --> 00:15:08.399
 at how these images

00:15:08.399 --> 00:15:10.399
 of transformation

00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:11.659
 are brought

00:15:11.659 --> 00:15:12.859
 from Zephaniah

00:15:12.859 --> 00:15:14.439
 to this people

00:15:14.439 --> 00:15:15.799
 standing under

00:15:15.799 --> 00:15:17.099
 God's judgment.

00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:18.899
 First of all,

00:15:19.239 --> 00:15:19.839
 shame

00:15:19.839 --> 00:15:21.199
 will be

00:15:21.199 --> 00:15:22.479
 removed.

00:15:23.439 --> 00:15:24.539
 Look at verse 11.

00:15:25.119 --> 00:15:26.919
 On that day,

00:15:27.759 --> 00:15:28.579
 you will not

00:15:28.579 --> 00:15:29.679
 be put to shame

00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:32.199
 for all the wrongs

00:15:32.200 --> 00:15:33.820
 you have done

00:15:33.820 --> 00:15:34.840
 to me.

00:15:36.040 --> 00:15:37.220
 For Jerusalem,

00:15:37.960 --> 00:15:38.700
 they had done

00:15:38.700 --> 00:15:40.140
 shameful things.

00:15:40.520 --> 00:15:41.220
 Chapter one

00:15:41.220 --> 00:15:42.300
 and chapter three

00:15:42.300 --> 00:15:44.040
 are a catalogue

00:15:44.040 --> 00:15:45.660
 of people

00:15:45.660 --> 00:15:46.720
 who should have

00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:47.440
 been following

00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:48.300
 God's way,

00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:49.140
 God's law,

00:15:49.700 --> 00:15:51.220
 mistreating others

00:15:51.220 --> 00:15:53.580
 and dishonoring God

00:15:53.580 --> 00:15:55.180
 in false worship.

00:15:56.060 --> 00:15:57.420
 They had done

00:15:57.420 --> 00:15:58.460
 shameful things

00:15:58.460 --> 00:15:59.200
 and because

00:15:59.200 --> 00:16:00.400
 of that,

00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:02.059
 they have brought

00:16:02.059 --> 00:16:03.559
 shame on themselves.

00:16:03.559 --> 00:16:05.139
 They have become

00:16:05.139 --> 00:16:06.759
 unclean,

00:16:07.500 --> 00:16:08.179
 defiled,

00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:09.399
 as we're told

00:16:09.399 --> 00:16:10.459
 in verse one.

00:16:10.980 --> 00:16:12.600
 Sin had polluted

00:16:12.600 --> 00:16:13.059
 them.

00:16:13.159 --> 00:16:13.639
 There is this

00:16:13.639 --> 00:16:15.199
 ugly stain

00:16:15.199 --> 00:16:17.000
 on the city

00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:17.919
 and there is

00:16:17.919 --> 00:16:18.879
 no soap

00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:20.240
 to deal with

00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:21.379
 that disgrace

00:16:21.379 --> 00:16:22.860
 that they possess

00:16:22.860 --> 00:16:24.539
 in and of

00:16:24.539 --> 00:16:25.379
 themselves.

00:16:28.439 --> 00:16:29.939
 So Zephaniah

00:16:29.940 --> 00:16:32.620
 has been sent

00:16:32.620 --> 00:16:34.180
 to show

00:16:34.180 --> 00:16:35.260
 them their shame,

00:16:36.220 --> 00:16:37.720
 to show

00:16:37.720 --> 00:16:38.600
 how they have

00:16:38.600 --> 00:16:39.040
 treated,

00:16:39.200 --> 00:16:39.760
 how they have

00:16:39.760 --> 00:16:41.060
 mistreated

00:16:41.060 --> 00:16:42.060
 God,

00:16:42.180 --> 00:16:42.900
 that they would

00:16:42.900 --> 00:16:44.380
 feel the sense

00:16:44.380 --> 00:16:45.260
 of that,

00:16:45.400 --> 00:16:46.200
 the weight

00:16:46.200 --> 00:16:47.180
 of that,

00:16:47.440 --> 00:16:48.180
 but also

00:16:48.180 --> 00:16:48.860
 then that they

00:16:48.860 --> 00:16:49.480
 would see

00:16:49.480 --> 00:16:51.060
 God's grace

00:16:51.060 --> 00:16:53.240
 as good news.

00:16:54.160 --> 00:16:55.160
 When these

00:16:55.160 --> 00:16:56.600
 city streets

00:16:56.600 --> 00:16:57.640
 would be washed

00:16:57.640 --> 00:16:59.280
 clean of shame,

00:16:59.279 --> 00:17:00.179
 when their

00:17:00.179 --> 00:17:01.679
 shameful past

00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:02.839
 would be

00:17:02.839 --> 00:17:04.099
 forgotten,

00:17:05.559 --> 00:17:06.899
 when this

00:17:06.899 --> 00:17:07.460
 God who

00:17:07.460 --> 00:17:08.000
 they have

00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:09.000
 dishonored

00:17:09.000 --> 00:17:10.559
 would be

00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:11.160
 willing to

00:17:11.160 --> 00:17:11.819
 associate

00:17:11.819 --> 00:17:13.660
 with them.

00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:15.660
 Look at the

00:17:15.660 --> 00:17:16.160
 end of verse

00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:16.879
 13,

00:17:17.819 --> 00:17:18.660
 or verse

00:17:18.660 --> 00:17:19.220
 13,

00:17:19.220 --> 00:17:20.079
 the remnant

00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:20.519
 of Israel

00:17:20.519 --> 00:17:20.920
 will do

00:17:20.920 --> 00:17:21.500
 no wrong,

00:17:21.579 --> 00:17:21.819
 they will

00:17:21.819 --> 00:17:22.440
 speak no

00:17:22.440 --> 00:17:22.940
 lies,

00:17:23.019 --> 00:17:23.299
 nor will

00:17:23.299 --> 00:17:23.900
 deceit be

00:17:23.900 --> 00:17:24.380
 found in

00:17:24.380 --> 00:17:25.059
 their mouths,

00:17:25.400 --> 00:17:25.920
 they will

00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:26.579
 eat and

00:17:26.579 --> 00:17:27.500
 lie down,

00:17:28.120 --> 00:17:28.839
 and no one

00:17:28.839 --> 00:17:29.259
 will make

00:17:29.259 --> 00:17:29.860
 them afraid.

00:17:30.660 --> 00:17:31.059
 That's a

00:17:31.059 --> 00:17:31.539
 picture of

00:17:31.539 --> 00:17:32.400
 God as

00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:33.259
 their shepherd,

00:17:34.120 --> 00:17:34.600
 God in

00:17:34.600 --> 00:17:35.120
 the midst

00:17:35.120 --> 00:17:35.600
 of them

00:17:35.600 --> 00:17:36.500
 to care

00:17:36.500 --> 00:17:37.360
 for them,

00:17:38.200 --> 00:17:38.799
 willing to

00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:39.420
 associate

00:17:39.420 --> 00:17:40.180
 with those

00:17:40.180 --> 00:17:40.600
 who will

00:17:40.600 --> 00:17:41.480
 humble

00:17:41.480 --> 00:17:42.140
 themselves,

00:17:42.319 --> 00:17:42.539
 who will

00:17:42.539 --> 00:17:43.319
 acknowledge

00:17:43.319 --> 00:17:44.740
 their shame,

00:17:45.000 --> 00:17:45.660
 and who will

00:17:45.660 --> 00:17:46.539
 trust once

00:17:46.539 --> 00:17:47.839
 again in the

00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:48.099
 Lord,

00:17:48.179 --> 00:17:48.480
 they will

00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:49.159
 find this

00:17:49.159 --> 00:17:50.179
 shepherd king

00:17:50.179 --> 00:17:50.919
 who would

00:17:50.919 --> 00:17:51.879
 honor them

00:17:51.879 --> 00:17:52.899
 and who

00:17:52.899 --> 00:17:53.579
 would care

00:17:53.579 --> 00:17:54.339
 for them.

00:17:56.519 --> 00:17:57.439
 And we

00:17:57.439 --> 00:17:58.079
 see these

00:17:58.079 --> 00:18:00.119
 values again

00:18:00.119 --> 00:18:00.699
 in the coming

00:18:00.699 --> 00:18:01.279
 of Jesus.

00:18:02.159 --> 00:18:03.599
 This gospel

00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:04.240
 of hope,

00:18:04.639 --> 00:18:05.199
 this good

00:18:05.199 --> 00:18:06.119
 news is

00:18:06.119 --> 00:18:07.039
 brought by

00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:07.819
 Jesus,

00:18:08.299 --> 00:18:08.980
 that instead

00:18:08.980 --> 00:18:10.240
 of shame,

00:18:10.519 --> 00:18:11.019
 we can

00:18:11.019 --> 00:18:11.779
 receive

00:18:11.779 --> 00:18:12.659
 honor.

00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:14.759
 Perhaps we

00:18:14.759 --> 00:18:15.500
 see it most

00:18:15.500 --> 00:18:17.279
 strikingly in

00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:17.940
 the conversation

00:18:17.940 --> 00:18:18.660
 that Jesus

00:18:18.660 --> 00:18:19.460
 has with a

00:18:19.460 --> 00:18:20.079
 Samaritan

00:18:20.079 --> 00:18:21.279
 woman in

00:18:21.279 --> 00:18:22.019
 John chapter

00:18:22.019 --> 00:18:22.519
 4.

00:18:23.279 --> 00:18:23.899
 This is a

00:18:23.899 --> 00:18:24.399
 lady who

00:18:24.399 --> 00:18:25.420
 lives with

00:18:25.420 --> 00:18:26.359
 very public

00:18:26.359 --> 00:18:27.059
 shame and

00:18:27.059 --> 00:18:27.920
 disgrace because

00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:28.799
 she has had

00:18:28.799 --> 00:18:30.259
 five husbands

00:18:30.259 --> 00:18:30.940
 and now she's

00:18:30.940 --> 00:18:31.639
 living with

00:18:31.639 --> 00:18:32.899
 somebody who

00:18:32.899 --> 00:18:33.500
 she's not

00:18:33.500 --> 00:18:34.440
 married to.

00:18:34.879 --> 00:18:35.619
 And in this

00:18:35.619 --> 00:18:36.819
 religious society

00:18:36.819 --> 00:18:37.379
 in which they

00:18:37.379 --> 00:18:37.819
 live, this

00:18:37.819 --> 00:18:38.539
 brought shame

00:18:38.539 --> 00:18:39.460
 and disgrace

00:18:39.460 --> 00:18:40.819
 on her.

00:18:41.220 --> 00:18:41.799
 But Jesus

00:18:41.799 --> 00:18:44.000
 comes and

00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:44.559
 Jesus is

00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:45.079
 willing to

00:18:45.079 --> 00:18:46.000
 associate with

00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:46.299
 her.

00:18:47.299 --> 00:18:47.839
 Jesus in

00:18:47.839 --> 00:18:48.819
 love talks

00:18:48.819 --> 00:18:49.680
 with her,

00:18:50.359 --> 00:18:51.140
 offers himself

00:18:51.140 --> 00:18:52.460
 as living

00:18:52.460 --> 00:18:53.200
 water,

00:18:53.819 --> 00:18:54.339
 lovingly

00:18:54.339 --> 00:18:55.579
 shows her

00:18:55.579 --> 00:18:56.619
 her sin

00:18:56.619 --> 00:18:57.220
 and her

00:18:57.220 --> 00:18:58.220
 shame so

00:18:58.220 --> 00:18:59.880
 that he

00:18:59.880 --> 00:19:00.720
 might bring

00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:01.819
 healing.

00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:03.960
 Shame

00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:05.140
 turns to

00:19:05.140 --> 00:19:06.759
 honor when

00:19:06.759 --> 00:19:07.359
 we encounter

00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:07.859
 the Lord

00:19:07.859 --> 00:19:08.339
 Jesus.

00:19:09.660 --> 00:19:10.740
 And that's

00:19:10.740 --> 00:19:11.140
 such a

00:19:11.140 --> 00:19:12.640
 powerful truth

00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:13.000
 of the

00:19:13.000 --> 00:19:14.740
 gospel because

00:19:14.740 --> 00:19:15.500
 shame can

00:19:15.500 --> 00:19:16.259
 be such a

00:19:16.259 --> 00:19:17.140
 heavy burden.

00:19:18.259 --> 00:19:18.460
 Many

00:19:18.460 --> 00:19:19.039
 psychologists

00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:19.779
 would reckon

00:19:19.779 --> 00:19:20.660
 that shame

00:19:20.660 --> 00:19:21.279
 is actually a

00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:21.880
 heavier thing

00:19:21.880 --> 00:19:22.359
 to deal

00:19:22.359 --> 00:19:22.900
 with than

00:19:22.900 --> 00:19:25.180
 guilt in

00:19:25.180 --> 00:19:25.680
 terms of

00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:25.940
 its

00:19:25.940 --> 00:19:27.039
 psychological

00:19:27.039 --> 00:19:28.759
 damage.

00:19:31.740 --> 00:19:32.339
 Shame can

00:19:32.339 --> 00:19:33.420
 crush us,

00:19:34.299 --> 00:19:34.759
 leaving us

00:19:34.759 --> 00:19:35.680
 feeling worthless,

00:19:36.579 --> 00:19:37.339
 unclean,

00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:38.880
 and dirty.

00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:38.960
 mercy.

00:19:40.080 --> 00:19:40.920
 But here

00:19:40.920 --> 00:19:41.900
 in Jesus

00:19:41.900 --> 00:19:43.380
 we can

00:19:43.380 --> 00:19:44.280
 find hope.

00:19:45.320 --> 00:19:45.760
 Here

00:19:45.760 --> 00:19:46.220
 through

00:19:46.220 --> 00:19:46.940
 Jesus

00:19:46.940 --> 00:19:48.140
 we can

00:19:48.140 --> 00:19:49.480
 sing as

00:19:49.480 --> 00:19:50.020
 those who

00:19:50.020 --> 00:19:50.780
 have found

00:19:50.780 --> 00:19:52.500
 honor to

00:19:52.500 --> 00:19:53.120
 replace

00:19:53.120 --> 00:19:54.200
 shame.

00:19:55.660 --> 00:19:56.660
 Because

00:19:56.660 --> 00:19:57.080
 Jesus

00:19:57.080 --> 00:19:58.400
 will come

00:19:58.400 --> 00:19:58.880
 into the

00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:00.720
 world in

00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:01.240
 order to

00:20:01.240 --> 00:20:02.140
 bear our

00:20:02.140 --> 00:20:03.620
 shame on

00:20:03.620 --> 00:20:04.300
 the cross.

00:20:04.299 --> 00:20:06.119
 Jesus

00:20:06.119 --> 00:20:06.859
 will take

00:20:06.859 --> 00:20:07.720
 on himself

00:20:07.720 --> 00:20:08.740
 the pollution

00:20:08.740 --> 00:20:10.059
 of sin

00:20:10.059 --> 00:20:10.740
 and he

00:20:10.740 --> 00:20:11.359
 will be

00:20:11.359 --> 00:20:12.500
 punished

00:20:12.500 --> 00:20:13.180
 for that.

00:20:13.359 --> 00:20:13.659
 He will

00:20:13.659 --> 00:20:14.299
 bear the

00:20:14.299 --> 00:20:15.059
 shame and

00:20:15.059 --> 00:20:15.779
 disgrace

00:20:15.779 --> 00:20:18.200
 so that we

00:20:18.200 --> 00:20:18.779
 might not.

00:20:20.059 --> 00:20:20.339
 Jesus

00:20:20.339 --> 00:20:20.899
 will face

00:20:20.899 --> 00:20:21.659
 the shame

00:20:21.659 --> 00:20:23.500
 of being

00:20:23.500 --> 00:20:24.240
 mocked

00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:25.299
 and rejected

00:20:25.299 --> 00:20:27.000
 so that you

00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:27.500
 and I

00:20:27.500 --> 00:20:28.720
 can be

00:20:28.720 --> 00:20:29.299
 welcomed.

00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:30.779
 Jesus

00:20:30.779 --> 00:20:31.379
 will pay

00:20:31.379 --> 00:20:32.000
 the ultimate

00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:32.779
 sacrifice

00:20:32.779 --> 00:20:33.440
 giving his

00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:34.500
 life for

00:20:34.500 --> 00:20:37.259
 us so

00:20:37.259 --> 00:20:37.500
 that we

00:20:37.500 --> 00:20:37.900
 might know

00:20:37.900 --> 00:20:38.640
 the honor

00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:39.759
 of being

00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:40.440
 children of

00:20:40.440 --> 00:20:40.880
 God.

00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:43.019
 In the

00:20:43.019 --> 00:20:43.660
 gospel we

00:20:43.660 --> 00:20:44.400
 discover that

00:20:44.400 --> 00:20:45.360
 Jesus secures

00:20:45.360 --> 00:20:46.019
 our honor

00:20:46.019 --> 00:20:46.779
 before God

00:20:46.779 --> 00:20:47.360
 because he

00:20:47.360 --> 00:20:48.600
 identifies with

00:20:48.600 --> 00:20:49.160
 us in our

00:20:49.160 --> 00:20:50.539
 sin and our

00:20:50.539 --> 00:20:51.180
 shame and he

00:20:51.180 --> 00:20:51.799
 gives us a

00:20:51.799 --> 00:20:53.400
 new identity

00:20:53.400 --> 00:20:54.960
 so that we

00:20:54.960 --> 00:20:56.500
 can live as

00:20:56.500 --> 00:20:57.279
 children of

00:20:57.279 --> 00:20:57.720
 God.

00:20:58.640 --> 00:20:59.840
 That Samaritan

00:20:59.840 --> 00:21:00.980
 woman who

00:21:00.980 --> 00:21:01.420
 had known

00:21:01.420 --> 00:21:02.559
 such disgrace

00:21:02.559 --> 00:21:03.279
 when she

00:21:03.279 --> 00:21:04.259
 met Jesus

00:21:04.259 --> 00:21:05.119
 as she

00:21:05.119 --> 00:21:05.819
 went back

00:21:05.819 --> 00:21:06.240
 to her

00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:07.379
 village and

00:21:07.379 --> 00:21:07.740
 she said

00:21:07.740 --> 00:21:08.440
 come see a

00:21:08.440 --> 00:21:08.879
 man who

00:21:08.879 --> 00:21:09.460
 told me

00:21:09.460 --> 00:21:10.579
 everything I

00:21:10.579 --> 00:21:11.159
 ever did.

00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:11.779
 Could this

00:21:11.779 --> 00:21:12.159
 be the

00:21:12.159 --> 00:21:12.720
 Christ?

00:21:13.259 --> 00:21:14.200
 Those awful

00:21:14.200 --> 00:21:14.960
 things of her

00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:15.940
 past that

00:21:15.940 --> 00:21:16.559
 has served to

00:21:16.559 --> 00:21:17.440
 condemn and

00:21:17.440 --> 00:21:18.579
 crush now

00:21:18.579 --> 00:21:19.539
 become pointers

00:21:19.539 --> 00:21:20.319
 to the good

00:21:20.319 --> 00:21:20.819
 news that

00:21:20.819 --> 00:21:21.639
 Jesus offers

00:21:21.639 --> 00:21:22.460
 to anyone

00:21:22.460 --> 00:21:24.079
 that is hope

00:21:24.079 --> 00:21:26.139
 beyond shame

00:21:26.139 --> 00:21:27.519
 in knowing

00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:27.960
 Jesus.

00:21:30.279 --> 00:21:31.220
 But there's

00:21:31.220 --> 00:21:32.039
 more gospel

00:21:32.039 --> 00:21:32.779
 hope, there's

00:21:32.779 --> 00:21:34.160
 more transformation

00:21:34.160 --> 00:21:35.859
 promised by

00:21:35.859 --> 00:21:36.480
 God through

00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:37.680
 Zephaniah here.

00:21:38.139 --> 00:21:38.660
 There is the

00:21:38.660 --> 00:21:39.859
 promise of

00:21:39.859 --> 00:21:41.639
 punishment that

00:21:41.639 --> 00:21:42.740
 will be removed.

00:21:43.000 --> 00:21:44.059
 Verse 14 and

00:21:44.059 --> 00:21:44.539
 15.

00:21:45.539 --> 00:21:47.099
 Sing, O

00:21:47.099 --> 00:21:47.839
 daughter of

00:21:47.839 --> 00:21:48.859
 Zion, shout

00:21:48.859 --> 00:21:50.160
 aloud, O

00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:50.660
 Israel.

00:21:51.500 --> 00:21:52.720
 Be glad and

00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:53.940
 rejoice with all

00:21:53.940 --> 00:21:55.000
 your heart, O

00:21:55.000 --> 00:21:55.720
 daughter of

00:21:55.720 --> 00:21:57.680
 Jerusalem, the

00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:59.220
 Lord has

00:21:59.220 --> 00:22:00.140
 taken away

00:22:00.140 --> 00:22:01.720
 your punishment.

00:22:03.960 --> 00:22:05.160
 Here is a

00:22:05.160 --> 00:22:06.339
 truth to

00:22:06.339 --> 00:22:07.000
 make our

00:22:07.000 --> 00:22:08.039
 hearts sing.

00:22:08.180 --> 00:22:08.940
 The Lord, the

00:22:08.940 --> 00:22:11.019
 personal covenant

00:22:11.019 --> 00:22:12.940
 God, the

00:22:12.940 --> 00:22:13.640
 God who has

00:22:13.640 --> 00:22:14.940
 entered into a

00:22:14.940 --> 00:22:16.120
 relationship with

00:22:16.120 --> 00:22:17.140
 his people, who

00:22:17.140 --> 00:22:18.100
 has always proved

00:22:18.100 --> 00:22:19.360
 faithful to his

00:22:19.360 --> 00:22:21.460
 people, offers

00:22:21.460 --> 00:22:23.000
 hope to those

00:22:23.000 --> 00:22:23.360
 who have been

00:22:23.360 --> 00:22:24.279
 faithless to

00:22:24.279 --> 00:22:24.600
 him.

00:22:25.720 --> 00:22:28.100
 there has

00:22:28.100 --> 00:22:29.799
 been rebellion

00:22:29.799 --> 00:22:31.440
 against the

00:22:31.440 --> 00:22:32.640
 king, as

00:22:32.640 --> 00:22:33.299
 we've seen all

00:22:33.299 --> 00:22:34.279
 through Zephaniah.

00:22:35.000 --> 00:22:36.200
 There has been

00:22:36.200 --> 00:22:37.839
 spiritual adultery

00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:40.140
 committed against

00:22:40.140 --> 00:22:41.579
 God, the

00:22:41.579 --> 00:22:42.940
 faithful husband,

00:22:43.539 --> 00:22:44.299
 as we've seen

00:22:44.299 --> 00:22:45.880
 through Zephaniah.

00:22:46.839 --> 00:22:47.680
 Morally, we've

00:22:47.680 --> 00:22:48.660
 seen that rebellion

00:22:48.660 --> 00:22:49.640
 and unfaithfulness

00:22:49.640 --> 00:22:50.640
 in their lies,

00:22:51.400 --> 00:22:51.819
 in their

00:22:51.819 --> 00:22:53.400
 corruption, in

00:22:53.400 --> 00:22:54.299
 their exploitation,

00:22:54.299 --> 00:22:56.079
 in their pride,

00:22:56.579 --> 00:22:57.519
 in their greed.

00:22:58.659 --> 00:23:00.039
 Spiritually, we see

00:23:00.039 --> 00:23:00.859
 it in their false

00:23:00.859 --> 00:23:02.500
 worship, in their

00:23:02.500 --> 00:23:04.200
 mixed worship, in

00:23:04.200 --> 00:23:05.200
 their misplaced

00:23:05.200 --> 00:23:06.720
 trust, and in

00:23:06.720 --> 00:23:07.879
 their misplaced

00:23:07.879 --> 00:23:08.700
 love.

00:23:08.899 --> 00:23:10.119
 And yet,

00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:12.799
 although their

00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:13.960
 sins are many,

00:23:15.359 --> 00:23:16.399
 God's mercy is

00:23:16.399 --> 00:23:16.779
 more.

00:23:18.379 --> 00:23:19.099
 Maybe you know

00:23:19.099 --> 00:23:20.200
 the parable, the

00:23:20.200 --> 00:23:21.839
 story that Jesus

00:23:21.839 --> 00:23:22.459
 told.

00:23:22.459 --> 00:23:23.399
 He told the story

00:23:23.399 --> 00:23:24.419
 once of a king

00:23:24.419 --> 00:23:26.139
 who decided it was

00:23:26.139 --> 00:23:27.919
 time to settle up

00:23:27.919 --> 00:23:28.619
 with those who had

00:23:28.619 --> 00:23:30.199
 got in debt with

00:23:30.199 --> 00:23:30.539
 him.

00:23:31.379 --> 00:23:32.439
 And one man was

00:23:32.439 --> 00:23:33.459
 brought before the

00:23:33.459 --> 00:23:34.959
 king, and he had a

00:23:34.959 --> 00:23:36.259
 great mountain of

00:23:36.259 --> 00:23:36.980
 debt that he could

00:23:36.980 --> 00:23:38.619
 never pay off.

00:23:38.679 --> 00:23:39.980
 So he was unable to

00:23:39.980 --> 00:23:41.179
 pay it, and the king

00:23:41.179 --> 00:23:42.539
 said, well, because of

00:23:42.539 --> 00:23:43.980
 that, you need to go

00:23:43.980 --> 00:23:45.079
 to prison, you and

00:23:45.079 --> 00:23:45.779
 your family.

00:23:45.779 --> 00:23:47.160
 But then the man

00:23:47.160 --> 00:23:48.779
 falls on his face and

00:23:48.779 --> 00:23:50.099
 seeks mercy, and that

00:23:50.099 --> 00:23:52.379
 king instantly forgives

00:23:52.379 --> 00:23:55.420
 and cancels the debt.

00:23:56.879 --> 00:23:58.519
 Instead of punishment,

00:23:59.399 --> 00:24:00.700
 mercy.

00:24:02.160 --> 00:24:03.819
 How can anyone sing

00:24:03.819 --> 00:24:06.619
 like Zephaniah calls the

00:24:06.619 --> 00:24:08.680
 people of God to sing

00:24:08.680 --> 00:24:10.200
 when they've just been

00:24:10.200 --> 00:24:12.899
 told this catalog of

00:24:12.899 --> 00:24:14.319
 sin and disobedience that

00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:16.639
 means they are guilty

00:24:16.639 --> 00:24:18.399
 before God?

00:24:20.279 --> 00:24:21.419
 Well, Zephaniah

00:24:21.419 --> 00:24:23.519
 proclaims here that

00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:24.379
 there is a taking

00:24:24.379 --> 00:24:25.919
 away of punishment,

00:24:26.139 --> 00:24:27.220
 but it's with the

00:24:27.220 --> 00:24:28.819
 coming of Jesus that

00:24:28.819 --> 00:24:29.980
 that proclamation is

00:24:29.980 --> 00:24:32.379
 then explained to us.

00:24:32.799 --> 00:24:34.759
 How is this possible?

00:24:36.759 --> 00:24:39.159
 Well, guilt is removed

00:24:39.159 --> 00:24:40.500
 by sacrifice.

00:24:40.899 --> 00:24:41.659
 It's the picture that we

00:24:41.659 --> 00:24:42.240
 have in the Old

00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:42.720
 Testament.

00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:44.279
 But that was a pointer

00:24:44.279 --> 00:24:46.160
 to the coming of Jesus.

00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:47.700
 Jesus, who on the cross

00:24:47.700 --> 00:24:49.180
 will become that perfect

00:24:49.180 --> 00:24:51.339
 sacrifice to make

00:24:51.339 --> 00:24:53.460
 atonement for the sins

00:24:53.460 --> 00:24:55.519
 of his people, to take

00:24:55.519 --> 00:24:57.200
 on himself the punishment

00:24:57.200 --> 00:24:58.759
 that you and I deserve

00:24:58.759 --> 00:25:02.000
 so that we might be free.

00:25:04.259 --> 00:25:05.440
 One of the things that

00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:07.339
 Zephaniah shows us clearly

00:25:07.339 --> 00:25:08.759
 and the Bible teaches us

00:25:08.759 --> 00:25:10.879
 is that God is just.

00:25:12.240 --> 00:25:14.000
 God must deal with sin

00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:15.779
 in order for him to be

00:25:15.779 --> 00:25:16.579
 holy and good.

00:25:16.660 --> 00:25:18.220
 He cannot simply turn a

00:25:18.220 --> 00:25:19.259
 blind eye to sin.

00:25:19.319 --> 00:25:20.400
 He cannot sweep sin

00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:22.420
 under the rug.

00:25:22.879 --> 00:25:24.559
 But God is also

00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:26.599
 merciful and gracious.

00:25:27.599 --> 00:25:29.039
 And he has provided a way

00:25:29.039 --> 00:25:30.700
 of forgiveness through the

00:25:30.700 --> 00:25:31.980
 sending of his own son,

00:25:32.099 --> 00:25:33.779
 Jesus, to take sin

00:25:33.779 --> 00:25:35.420
 and its penalty.

00:25:35.420 --> 00:25:37.240
 And because Jesus has

00:25:37.240 --> 00:25:39.039
 fully satisfied God's

00:25:39.039 --> 00:25:41.060
 justice against our sin,

00:25:41.840 --> 00:25:43.440
 God can justly forgive

00:25:43.440 --> 00:25:46.660
 those who will trust in Jesus.

00:25:48.240 --> 00:25:51.980
 So Jesus becomes God with us

00:25:51.980 --> 00:25:55.460
 in order to be the Savior for us

00:25:55.460 --> 00:25:57.500
 so that we can sing,

00:25:58.060 --> 00:25:59.480
 so that we can sing of a

00:25:59.480 --> 00:26:01.080
 punishment that's been removed.

00:26:01.079 --> 00:26:01.980
 We can sing,

00:26:02.119 --> 00:26:03.139
 no condemnation,

00:26:03.480 --> 00:26:04.720
 now I dread,

00:26:05.059 --> 00:26:06.439
 because Jesus and all in him

00:26:06.439 --> 00:26:08.460
 is mine.

00:26:10.519 --> 00:26:11.639
 One last picture

00:26:11.639 --> 00:26:13.819
 of transformed fortunes.

00:26:15.299 --> 00:26:17.159
 Peace will be restored.

00:26:17.419 --> 00:26:18.319
 Verse 15,

00:26:19.339 --> 00:26:20.879
 the Lord has taken away

00:26:20.879 --> 00:26:21.679
 your punishment.

00:26:22.619 --> 00:26:24.179
 He has turned back

00:26:24.179 --> 00:26:25.399
 your enemy.

00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:26.559
 So remember that picture,

00:26:26.679 --> 00:26:27.019
 Jerusalem,

00:26:27.179 --> 00:26:28.159
 the city under siege

00:26:28.159 --> 00:26:29.039
 because of the judgment

00:26:29.039 --> 00:26:29.740
 of God.

00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:33.120
 Well, here is how it resolves.

00:26:33.500 --> 00:26:35.400
 The Lord will act

00:26:35.400 --> 00:26:37.200
 to deliver his people

00:26:37.200 --> 00:26:39.200
 from their enemies.

00:26:40.259 --> 00:26:41.200
 The Lord,

00:26:41.339 --> 00:26:42.480
 the King of Israel,

00:26:42.539 --> 00:26:43.220
 is with you.

00:26:43.599 --> 00:26:45.160
 Never again will you fear

00:26:45.160 --> 00:26:46.640
 any harm.

00:26:47.200 --> 00:26:48.539
 God is with his people

00:26:48.539 --> 00:26:50.500
 now to fight for them

00:26:50.500 --> 00:26:52.079
 and for their salvation.

00:26:53.160 --> 00:26:55.200
 We have this remarkable truth

00:26:55.880 --> 00:26:56.700
 side by side

00:26:56.700 --> 00:26:58.240
 that Jerusalem had chosen

00:26:58.240 --> 00:27:00.319
 to become God's enemy,

00:27:00.700 --> 00:27:02.200
 but God in his grace

00:27:02.200 --> 00:27:04.079
 chooses to be a savior

00:27:04.079 --> 00:27:05.680
 for his people.

00:27:06.339 --> 00:27:08.980
 God chooses to show grace,

00:27:09.980 --> 00:27:12.400
 grace that will bring them peace,

00:27:13.359 --> 00:27:14.640
 grace that will reconcile

00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:15.839
 them to God,

00:27:17.500 --> 00:27:19.900
 grace that will turn enemies

00:27:19.900 --> 00:27:21.400
 back into friends

00:27:21.400 --> 00:27:22.640
 once again.

00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:27.020
 made me think of Jesus

00:27:27.020 --> 00:27:28.880
 meeting with Saul

00:27:28.880 --> 00:27:30.940
 on the Damascus road.

00:27:31.180 --> 00:27:31.600
 Saul,

00:27:32.440 --> 00:27:33.300
 who was an extremely

00:27:33.300 --> 00:27:34.500
 religious man,

00:27:35.120 --> 00:27:36.600
 but Saul who had decided

00:27:36.600 --> 00:27:37.700
 that Jesus

00:27:37.700 --> 00:27:39.600
 was not telling the truth

00:27:39.600 --> 00:27:40.200
 about himself,

00:27:40.200 --> 00:27:41.920
 that he wasn't the son of God,

00:27:42.259 --> 00:27:43.680
 that Jesus and his church

00:27:43.680 --> 00:27:45.320
 should be destroyed.

00:27:45.520 --> 00:27:45.620
 Well,

00:27:45.720 --> 00:27:46.900
 Jesus comes

00:27:46.900 --> 00:27:48.040
 and seeks out

00:27:48.040 --> 00:27:48.960
 this enemy,

00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:50.920
 the risen Lord Jesus

00:27:50.920 --> 00:27:52.860
 comes to him

00:27:52.860 --> 00:27:54.620
 and confronts him

00:27:54.620 --> 00:27:57.579
 with his persecution

00:27:57.579 --> 00:27:58.880
 of the church,

00:27:59.740 --> 00:28:00.759
 converts him,

00:28:01.279 --> 00:28:03.079
 brings him into God's kingdom

00:28:03.079 --> 00:28:05.160
 and calls this enemy

00:28:05.160 --> 00:28:07.039
 into service

00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:08.160
 in this great act

00:28:08.160 --> 00:28:09.559
 of reconciliation

00:28:09.559 --> 00:28:12.700
 on the Damascus road.

00:28:12.700 --> 00:28:15.480
 And that's what God

00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:16.779
 through Jesus does

00:28:16.779 --> 00:28:18.039
 for anyone

00:28:18.039 --> 00:28:19.059
 who puts their trust

00:28:19.059 --> 00:28:19.519
 in him.

00:28:20.160 --> 00:28:21.220
 Instead of us

00:28:21.220 --> 00:28:22.460
 being at war

00:28:22.460 --> 00:28:23.920
 with God,

00:28:24.700 --> 00:28:26.319
 God establishes

00:28:26.319 --> 00:28:27.240
 peace

00:28:27.240 --> 00:28:29.000
 between us

00:28:29.000 --> 00:28:30.059
 and our God.

00:28:31.200 --> 00:28:32.420
 So that instead

00:28:32.420 --> 00:28:33.720
 of living with that

00:28:33.720 --> 00:28:35.660
 fear of judgment,

00:28:36.539 --> 00:28:38.059
 when we're trusting

00:28:38.059 --> 00:28:38.640
 in Jesus,

00:28:38.759 --> 00:28:39.640
 we can know

00:28:39.640 --> 00:28:41.019
 his welcome.

00:28:42.700 --> 00:28:45.580
 back in Stalingrad,

00:28:45.980 --> 00:28:47.299
 decades after

00:28:47.299 --> 00:28:49.240
 the siege had ended,

00:28:49.980 --> 00:28:51.100
 survivors would still

00:28:51.100 --> 00:28:52.340
 gather together

00:28:52.340 --> 00:28:54.000
 in different pockets

00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:54.799
 and they would listen

00:28:54.799 --> 00:28:56.740
 to that piece of music

00:28:56.740 --> 00:28:59.039
 from Shostakovich.

00:28:59.360 --> 00:29:00.019
 And by then,

00:29:00.080 --> 00:29:01.100
 it had been a reminder

00:29:01.100 --> 00:29:02.620
 of how that hope

00:29:02.620 --> 00:29:03.440
 that they had

00:29:03.440 --> 00:29:04.680
 back in 42

00:29:04.680 --> 00:29:06.120
 had then become

00:29:06.120 --> 00:29:07.680
 reality.

00:29:08.920 --> 00:29:11.680
 So that music

00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:13.420
 was a message

00:29:13.420 --> 00:29:13.799
 for them

00:29:13.799 --> 00:29:14.460
 of hope

00:29:14.460 --> 00:29:16.519
 becoming victory.

00:29:18.960 --> 00:29:20.320
 In verse 14,

00:29:20.420 --> 00:29:21.259
 we have the people

00:29:21.259 --> 00:29:21.940
 of God

00:29:21.940 --> 00:29:23.799
 called to sing.

00:29:24.320 --> 00:29:25.340
 What do we sing?

00:29:25.420 --> 00:29:26.160
 What do we need

00:29:26.160 --> 00:29:26.860
 to sing?

00:29:28.360 --> 00:29:29.080
 What we sing

00:29:29.080 --> 00:29:30.880
 is how we talk

00:29:30.880 --> 00:29:31.480
 to ourselves

00:29:31.480 --> 00:29:32.140
 so often.

00:29:32.240 --> 00:29:33.779
 Our greatest need

00:29:33.779 --> 00:29:34.940
 is to make

00:29:34.940 --> 00:29:36.259
 this wonderful gospel

00:29:36.259 --> 00:29:37.000
 the soundtrack

00:29:37.000 --> 00:29:38.279
 to our lives.

00:29:38.279 --> 00:29:40.139
 to sing,

00:29:40.279 --> 00:29:41.740
 to remind ourselves

00:29:41.740 --> 00:29:43.319
 of what Jesus

00:29:43.319 --> 00:29:44.819
 has done

00:29:44.819 --> 00:29:45.599
 for us.

00:29:46.579 --> 00:29:47.259
 That Jesus

00:29:47.259 --> 00:29:48.279
 has come

00:29:48.279 --> 00:29:49.539
 to turn our shame

00:29:49.539 --> 00:29:50.259
 to honor.

00:29:51.220 --> 00:29:51.839
 That Jesus

00:29:51.839 --> 00:29:52.519
 has come

00:29:52.519 --> 00:29:53.079
 to take

00:29:53.079 --> 00:29:54.039
 our punishment

00:29:54.039 --> 00:29:55.259
 so we might receive

00:29:55.259 --> 00:29:56.539
 his reward.

00:29:57.019 --> 00:29:57.799
 Jesus has come

00:29:57.799 --> 00:29:58.700
 to end

00:29:58.700 --> 00:29:59.859
 that warfare

00:29:59.859 --> 00:30:00.519
 with God

00:30:00.519 --> 00:30:01.200
 and to bring

00:30:01.200 --> 00:30:02.519
 us peace

00:30:02.519 --> 00:30:03.500
 through

00:30:03.500 --> 00:30:05.200
 his blood.

00:30:05.200 --> 00:30:07.080
 He has come

00:30:07.080 --> 00:30:08.279
 to be God

00:30:08.279 --> 00:30:09.380
 with us,

00:30:09.500 --> 00:30:10.319
 to be that

00:30:10.319 --> 00:30:10.840
 Savior

00:30:10.840 --> 00:30:12.640
 for us

00:30:12.640 --> 00:30:14.160
 so that we

00:30:14.160 --> 00:30:14.880
 might sing.

00:30:16.160 --> 00:30:16.860
 I wonder,

00:30:17.000 --> 00:30:17.440
 does the song

00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:18.080
 of the gospel

00:30:18.080 --> 00:30:19.039
 give us joy?

00:30:19.920 --> 00:30:20.620
 Does it give us

00:30:20.620 --> 00:30:21.059
 peace?

00:30:22.200 --> 00:30:22.940
 Does it help us

00:30:22.940 --> 00:30:23.460
 to remember

00:30:23.460 --> 00:30:24.160
 that honor

00:30:24.160 --> 00:30:25.539
 that we have

00:30:25.539 --> 00:30:27.000
 as the people

00:30:27.000 --> 00:30:27.559
 of God?

00:30:27.559 --> 00:30:29.000
 Jesus

00:30:29.000 --> 00:30:41.419
 is

00:30:41.419 --> 00:30:43.359
 to make

00:30:43.359 --> 00:30:43.879
 a

00:30:43.879 --> 00:30:44.159
 sense

00:30:44.159 --> 00:30:44.759
 of

00:30:44.759 --> 00:30:45.419
 sharing

00:30:45.419 --> 00:30:46.200
 with rith

00:30:47.019 --> 00:30:47.379
 Father

00:30:47.579 --> 00:30:48.919
 and

00:30:48.919 --> 00:30:49.519
 to be

00:30:49.960 --> 00:30:50.799
,

00:30:51.440 --> 00:30:51.899
 to be

00:30:51.899 --> 00:30:52.200
var

00:30:52.419 --> 00:30:53.940
 thi

00:30:53.940 --> 00:30:54.139
 is

00:30:54.139 --> 00:30:55.319
 for

00:30:55.319 --> 00:30:55.919
 the

00:30:55.919 --> 00:30:56.299
 st

00:30:56.299 --> 00:30:56.639
 to be