““The Day of the Lord”The Day of the Lord”

Sermon for November 11, 2007Sermon for November 11, 2007

Joel 2:1Joel 2:1

    Blow the trumpet in Zion,Blow the trumpet in Zion,

And sound an alarm in My holy And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble;  For the day of the LORD land tremble;  For the day of the LORD is coming,  For it is at hand: is coming,  For it is at hand:

Joel 2: 12-15Joel 2: 12-15

  “   “ Now, therefore,” says the LORD, Now, therefore,” says the LORD,      Turn to Me with all your heart,      Turn to Me with all your heart,       With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”       With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”       So rend your heart, and not your garments;       So rend your heart, and not your garments;       Return to the LORD your God,       Return to the LORD your God,       For He       For He isis gracious and merciful, gracious and merciful,       Slow to anger, and of great kindness;       Slow to anger, and of great kindness;       And He relents from doing harm.       And He relents from doing harm.       Who knows       Who knows ifif He will turn and relent, He will turn and relent,       And leave a blessing behind Him—       And leave a blessing behind Him—       A grain offering and a drink offering       A grain offering and a drink offering       For the LORD your God?       For the LORD your God?       Blow the trumpet in Zion,       Blow the trumpet in Zion,       Consecrate a fast,       Consecrate a fast,       Call a sacred assembly;       Call a sacred assembly;

What are we to do? What are we to do?

We are to REPENT! We are to REPENT! – Note here that the Lord is speaking to HIS Note here that the Lord is speaking to HIS

peoplepeople– We are to turn to Him with our whole heart and We are to turn to Him with our whole heart and

with a broken spiritwith a broken spirit– We are to fastWe are to fast– We are to consecrate ourselves to the Lord in a We are to consecrate ourselves to the Lord in a

sacred assemblysacred assembly

What will the Lord do?What will the Lord do?

He is bringing judgment to those who do not He is bringing judgment to those who do not repent repent

He is bringing blessings to those who follow He is bringing blessings to those who follow His instructionsHis instructions

He will pour out His spirit! (Joel 2:28-29)He will pour out His spirit! (Joel 2:28-29) “ “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour

out My Spirit on all flesh: Your sons and your out My Spirit on all flesh: Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visoins. dream dreams, Your young men shall see visoins. And also on My menservants and on My And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.”days.”

His glorious appearing! His glorious appearing!

The Lord will return for His bride—the The Lord will return for His bride—the Church!!! (Joel 2:16 )Church!!! (Joel 2:16 )

Gather the people, Sanctify the Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes; Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his Let the bridegroom go out from his

chamber, And the bride from her chamber, And the bride from her dressing room.dressing room.

Are you ready? Are you ready?

Are you ready? Have you made sure that Are you ready? Have you made sure that your life is pleasing to the Lord? your life is pleasing to the Lord?

The altars are open.The altars are open.