Reference

Joel 1.:1-20

Sermon Slides

Sermon Notes

I. Introducing  _________________ (v. 1)

 II. _________________ plague (v. 2-14)

A. Wake-up  _________________ (v. 2-4)

B. _________________ (v. 5-12)

1.   _________________ (v. 5-7)

2.   _________________ (v. 8-10)

3.   _________________ (v. 11-12)

C.   _________________ (v. 13-14)

Why is it hard to repent?

1. We  _________________ our sin

2. We don’t think sin is a  _________________ 

3. We are  _________________ 

III.   _________________ ahead (v. 15-20)

A. The  _________________ of the Lord (v. 15-18)

B.   _________________  (v. 19-20)

Going Deeper Questions

  1. Has God ever given you a wake-up call? What happened? How did you respond?
  2. What three groups of people are called to respond to this locust plague (v. 5-12)? What are they called to do?
  3. Read v. 10. Allan Harman says: “So desolate are the fields that they are pictured, in a personified way, as mourning.”
  4. What are all the people compelled to do in v. 13-14? Look at the last line of v. 14, “cry out to the Lord.” ESV commentary: “the elders and all the people were to ‘cry out’ to their God. This verb is used almost exclusively to describe crying out in time of great need and
    seeking help when in distress (e.g., Judg. 6:6–7; 1 Sam. 4:13; Jer. 47:2).” What is repentance? Why is it hard for you to repent? In what area of your life do you need to change your mind (repent)? Who will hold you accountable for it this week?
  5. We see the Day of the LORD in Ez. 7:8; Zeph. 1:17; 2 Pet. 3:10. “The Day of the Lord” is a motif in Joel. Will see it again and again. It can be really good or it can be really bad. Right now, it’s bad for Israel. They are experiencing the punishment of God for their sin. They have brought it upon themselves by their disobedience.
  6. Read v. 20. Fire is an expression of divine judgment (see Gen. 19:24; Num. 11:1; Deut. 32:22; Jer. 4:4; Hos. 8:14; Amos 1:4, 7, 10, 12, 14; Zeph. 1:18; 3:8).
  7. Richard Hess says: “Sometimes people long for God to come but don’t understand what it will mean for them when God appears.” How have you seen this in your life?
  8. Read Psalm 4:7. The LORD satisfies! The sinful life leads to misery.
  9. Read 1 Cor. 1:4-9. How can we escape God’s judgment?
  10. Day of the Lord in the Prophets chart