Return Series

Have you ever become aware of a problem and put off taking care of it? A couple months ago, I noticed some significant corrosion at the top of our water heater where the cold-water line comes in. I kept thinking I should get this checked out but delayed doing so. I’d look at the problem every week or so but still didn’t do anything about it because I knew it would be a hassle and probably more expensive than I wanted to pay. Finally, after visions of a burst water heater began appearing in my dreams, I called a professional to come and look at it.

When I met him at the door, I prepped him for what he was going to see and asked him not to laugh at me for putting it off so long. He told me he’s seen almost everything and promised he wouldn’t laugh. When we went downstairs, I showed him the issue. He got out his flashlight and took a closer look. I held my breath and he remained stoic. Then, he lost it and started laughing so hard his shoulders were heaving. I guess I should show you what he was laughing at.

After composing himself, he recommended a course of action to resolve the problem. He explained that a slow leak had caused considerable corrosion and weakened the fitting.

Do you have a slow leak in your life? Has sin been causing some corrosion in your soul? Have you been putting off what you know you need to do because you’re afraid it will cost you something?

This summer, we’ve been studying biblical concepts which begin with “RE.” Last weekend, we defined repentance this way: Turning from sin to the Savior, resulting in a change of attitude, affection, and action. Repentance involves both a turning away from sin and a returning to the Savior. While we never know how the Holy Spirit uses a sermon, I sensed many were softened by the Holy Spirit. Several have reached out to say they were saved or have surrendered again to the Lord.

Our topic today is “return.” In one sense, it’s a follow-up to the sermon last weekend. To “return” implies physical movement and means, “to turn, to go back and do again; to turn from evil by turning to the good.” It was also used in the Bible to refer to returning home.

Speaking of returning, let’s return to the prophet Joel, a book we studied in late May. One of the recurring themes in the book is the call to repent in light of the devastation caused by locusts, which were both real and representative of future judgment. Joel is the first prophet to develop the apocalyptic event referred to as the “Day of the Lord.”

The context of our text is the devastation caused by the locusts and the coming destruction triggered by the Day of the Lord. Because of how His people were living, God disciplined them by sending locusts and the promise of future judgment as we saw in Joel 1:15: “Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is near, and as destruction from the Almighty it comes…let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the Day of the Lord is coming; it is near.”

Now turn to Joel 2:1: “Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming; it is near, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness!” Trumpets were blown from towers to announce an attack, much like a modern air raid siren.

Drop down to Joel 2:11: “The LORD utters His voice before His army, for His camp is exceedingly great; He who executes His word is powerful. For the day of the LORD is great and very awesome; who can endure it?”

The Day of the Lord will have its ultimate fulfillment during the Great Tribulation, an event you don’t want to be around for. Listen to this description of what the conquering Christ will do according to Revelation 19:15: “From His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.” The plague of locusts was severe, but the Day of the Lord will be horrific for those who are not saved. Malachi 3:2 says, “But who can endure the day of His coming, and who can stand when He appears?”

I’m thrilled Edgewood will be hosting a prophecy conference called, “Living Now in Light of Forever” on September 16-18. The purpose of biblical prophecy is far more than just knowing the main events of the future, it is to teach us how we should live now in the light of forever. Dr. Ray Pritchard will be preaching that weekend and Dr. Michael Rydelnik will be speaking Friday night and live hosting Moody Radio’s Open Line Saturday morning from our Worship Center. Levi Hazen, Gerad Hall, Jason Crosby, and I will also be speaking. We had some issues with our registration software, but it should be fixed soon.