Introduction

Good morning, beloved family of God. How wonderful it is to gather together in this sacred space, united by a shared faith and a shared hope in the promises of our loving Father. It is truly a blessing to stand before you today, and I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to share the word of God with you.

In the book of Zephaniah, the third chapter and the ninth verse, we find a profound promise from God. It reads,

"Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him shoulder to shoulder."

What a beautiful vision of unity and righteousness! Our sermon today will center around three main points drawn from this verse: Rebuilding the Ruins, Restoring Righteousness, and Reclaiming the Redeemed. It's a path that leads us from the ruins of our past, through the restoration of righteousness, and into the embrace of redemption.

The great preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, "To trust God in the light is nothing, but trust him in the dark—that is faith." Isn't it true that faith is often tested in the ruins of our lives, in the dark places where hope seems lost? Yet it is precisely in these ruins that God begins his work of rebuilding, restoring, and reclaiming.

In the ruins, we find the raw materials for a new beginning. In righteousness restored, we find the blueprint for a life that reflects God's love and justice. And in the redeemed, we see the finished product of God's grace and mercy—a people purified, a people who call on the name of the Lord and serve him shoulder to shoulder.

As we delve into this sermon, let us open our hearts and minds to the transformative power of God's word. Let us trust him in the dark as well as in the light, knowing that he is faithful to rebuild, restore, and reclaim.

Let's pray together.

Father, we thank you for your word, which is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. As we study your word today, we ask that you open our hearts and minds to understand your truth. Guide us as we seek to apply your word in our lives. In Jesus' name, we pray, amen.

Let’s get started!

Rebuilding the Ruins

When we think about ruins, we often picture something that was once grand and beautiful, but has now fallen into decay and disrepair. It's a place of brokenness, of loss, of disappointment. But it's also a place of potential. Because in those ruins, there are still pieces that can be used, still fragments that can be put together to create something new.

The lens of faith: This is the picture we get when we look at our lives through the lens of faith. We all have ruins. We all have areas of our lives that have been broken, that have been damaged, that have fallen into disrepair. Maybe it's a relationship that's been strained or broken. Maybe it's a dream that's been shattered. Maybe it's a past mistake that we can't seem to move past. These are our ruins.

The good news: God is in the business of rebuilding. He's in the business of taking our ruins and turning them into something beautiful. He's in the business of taking our brokenness and turning it into a masterpiece. This is the promise we find in Zephaniah 3:9. God says, "Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him shoulder to shoulder." This is a promise of rebuilding. It's a promise of restoration. It's a promise that God can take our ruins and turn them into something beautiful.

So, how does this rebuilding process work? How does God take our ruins and turn them into something beautiful?

First: It starts with recognition. We have to recognize that we have ruins. We have to recognize that there are areas of our lives that are broken, that are in need of repair. This can be a difficult step because it requires humility. It requires us to admit that we're not perfect, that we've made mistakes, that we have areas of our lives that are in need of rebuilding.

Second: We have to surrender our ruins to God. This is another difficult step because it requires trust. It requires us to let go of our control, to let go of our desire to fix things on our own, and to trust that God can do a better job of rebuilding than we can. It requires us to trust that God can take our ruins and turn them into something beautiful.

Third, We have to cooperate with God in the rebuilding process. This means that we have to do our part. We have to follow God's lead. We have to make the necessary changes. We have to put in the effort. God is the master builder, but we are his co-workers. We have to work with him in the rebuilding process.

Fourth: We have to have patience. Rebuilding takes time. It's not an overnight process. It's a process that requires patience, perseverance, and faith. We have to trust that God is working, even when we can't see the progress. We have to trust that God is faithful, even when the rebuilding process is slow.

Restoring Righteousness

As we move forward, we find ourselves in the realm of righteousness ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO