Sermon Notes

This is a very popular portion of Old Testament Scripture that is wildly celebrated as “END OF THE WORLD” events.  Indeed, it is a very ugly picture.  However, I think Joel is promoting as more a blessing than a curse!  I purposely boldfaced two areas of Joel that are intriguing.  The mention of a valley name Jehoshaphat, also known as the Valley of Decision.  Now, if you were to read the word “Jehoshaphat” in Hebrew it is interpreted is as “Yahweh judges”.  This is significant and I am about to tell you why!

So, what’s up with the palm branches?

Take the words of Paul, the life of Jesus and his message of turn the other cheek and to give to people in need.  Now look at the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.  Do you see the common thread?  You have the purple robe wearing Pharisees that were well off who did not practice what they preached.  In the area called the court of the Gentiles, Jesus flips over money changer tables, drives out the livestock that were there for purchase and forms a whip out of chords and drove out the “regular business” of the Temple.  Then, Jesus preaches and heals, and meets people deemed too filthy to even go to worship, or people who did not have enough money to pay the Temple tax or buy their sacrifice.  It is by the Beautiful Gate that a beggar meets Peter and John after the day of Pentecost.  Jesus and the disciples used this space for ministry because that was where the people were at who needed help. 

Jesus reasons against worldly accepted and celebrated wisdom.  The Temples and synagogues where not sharing with the poor when people gave their tithes and offerings.  The Temple and synagogues were the focus, and the injustices of the poor were being overlooked.  This story is about the storing up and building bigger and better instead of taking care of the needs around them.

This area of Scripture is very interesting as Jesus makes a statement in verse 10 that for some these are parables, or stories, or riddles, as the truth is within the story, yet they do not perceive it.  Therefore, it is secret ONLY because our understanding is blind.  These verses of Scripture are broken down into three different parts, they are:

Jesus is stating that his Father gave us the pearls of truth, but we have removed the original intent and we keep moving ahead without understanding that what we are striving for is not worth what we think it is worth.  What God has given us is of the greatest value, so great, we couldn’t even purchase it for ourselves!

Blow the shofar in Zion! Sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all living in the land tremble—for the day of Adonai is coming—surely it is near!  (2)  A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, as blackness spreads over the mountains. A great and mighty people—from antiquity there was never anything like it, nor after it ever again from generation to generation.

The word anxious is such a unique word in the Greek.  The word root word merizo means to divide or draw different directions.  Merimna describes the state of “being pulled apart.” I guess the Apostle Mark died in Alexandria, Egypt, after being dragged by horses through the streets until he was dead had a very anxious time.

The word mammon is money personified, you put your full trust in money, and it becomes your god.  It is the opposite of what God intends.  We desire to accumulate and acquire wealth that we become fuller and content in a god, that we neglect to recognize or help those who are less fortunate.  God instead wants us to acquire more of Himself and to accumulate the blessing prepared for us in the next life. 

Today’s message from Jesus is kind the opposite of that.  Jesus’ message is more like Herbie the Love Bug.  Remember Herbie?  A Volkswagen Bug, that unlike the care in Christine, had a quiet personality that nobody expected anything out of, yet he won many races with some comedy in-between.  Or think of it this way.  Remember the old story, the Tortoise and the Hare?  Remember how braggadocios the Hare was?  Yet the quiet tortoise wins the race.  Jesus directs his audience on proper etiquette when is comes to religious fasting.