America, You Are Next - Zephaniah 1 (Pastor Christian Torres)

Now I want you to pay attention it wasn't anything in Israel wasn't their military.

We're gonna be in the book of Zephaniah chapter 1. Zephaniah chapter 1 not to be confused with Zachariah. Which is just two books over. Or even Nehemiah. Here we go. If you turn too quickly, you might miss it.

So If you're having trouble finding it a the table of contents at the beginning of the Bible is a beautiful tool. So a couple of weeks ago. I was thinking about what I would preach and It's always the hardest decision to make because there's so much in Scripture to preach about.

I Recently evangelized to this individual. Sharing the gospel and the question arose. Oh If I believe in Jesus, I'll be saved. Saved from what? And I realized I didn't do a really good job at explaining what?

You are saved from and so that started my journey into figuring out. Okay. Let me study more about the judgment and condemnation coming so that I can prepare for the next time I go and evangelize. The book of Zephaniah is three small chapters of God's judgment.

By no means is this a minor prophet. The message is major because in just three small chapters He covers the destruction of the entire world and I want to read that with you. So on your handout I listed the five W's of Zephaniah.

Because maybe some of us haven't read this book before or it's been a long time. So who wrote the book of Zephaniah you guessed it the prophets. Zephaniah who was a possible descendant of King Hezekiah.

Something interesting about this book is that there's actually a genealogy in verse 1. Most minor prophets don't have genealogies. They don't have well.

He was the son of this and the son of this and the son of this.

They're usually just shepherds. Minor prophets are usually shepherds who were out shepherding and God goes. Hey, I want you, but this one it looks like he was royalty. Zephaniah prophesied around 640 630 BC now.

This is important because you need to understand that the Babylonian attack on Jerusalem was in 586. So he is prophesying just a few years before Jerusalem was destroyed the pre-babylonian exile. And he was also prophesying during the reign of King Josiah.

And for those of us who know the Old Testament history. We know that King Josiah was one of very few kings of Judah who did the right thing. There were only about seven out of like 25. It was it was insane.

And he was likely a contemporary Zephaniah was with the prophets Habakkuk Daniel Jeremiah and Ezekiel. I find that super interesting that these people probably knew each other. I mean, that's so fascinating to me.

Where was he prophesying Judah the southern kingdom that separated after from Israel after King Solomon? So what was the message if I had to summarize the book of Zephaniah? What is it? The prophets Zephaniah spoke of impending doom and judgment on the nation of Judah and just three small Chapters.

Zephaniah prophesied the destruction of the entire world and brothers. Let me apologize if at any point I say Zechariah, I mean Zephaniah. Why why is this judgment coming. Rampant idolatry and injustice rule Judah.

Nothing can stop judgment from coming. So I'm gonna ask that you please stand with me as I read the scripture. Zephaniah chapter 1 verse 2 through 7. Yeah, we don't usually do this. But after attending other churches, I love this practice of standing when the Word of God is being read.

Zephaniah chapter 1 starting in verse 2. I Will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth declares Yahweh. I will sweep away man and beast. I will sweep away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea and the rubble with the wicked.

I Will cut off mankind from the face of the earth declares Yahweh. I Will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests.

Those who bow down on the roof to the host of heaven. Those who bow down and swear to Yahweh and yet swear by Milcom. Those who have turned back from following Yahweh. Who do not seek Yahweh or inquire of him.

Be silent before Yahweh God for the day of Yahweh is near. Yahweh has prepared a sacrifice and consecrated his guests. Skip down to verse 14. The great day of Yahweh is near near and rushing fast. The sound of that day of Yahweh is bitter.

The mighty man cries out loud there. A day of wrath is that day. A day of distress. A day of anguish. A day of ruin and devastation. A day of darkness and gloom. A day of clouds and thick darkness. A day of Trumpet blasts and battle cry against the fortified cities and the lofty battlements.

I will bring distress on mankind. So they shall walk like the blind. Because they have sinned against Yahweh their blood shall be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung. Let us pray father first and foremost.

I am sorry for my sin. Seeing this tear. I am so sorry Father. I pray that the word that I read may affect me first. That I may learn first to learn from their mistakes. To humble myself to your lordship.

To be just that more sensitive to your Holy Spirit. Lord, I pray that if there's anybody here with a hard heart I pray that you may open their eyes and open their ears so that they may see that judgment is coming.

Lord let us honor your word and let us apply your word in Jesus name. Amen. You may be seated. Okay, that's pretty bad, right? That's Fairly bad. So why is this judgment coming on Judah? The first thing is.

Idolatry.

Are you saying worshiping a golden statue? Led to all this. Oh. Chapter 1 verse 4 through 6. Let's exegete this passage real quick. Here God says I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal Sometimes pronounced Baal and the nation of the adulterous priests along with the priests. Those who bow down on the roof to the host of heaven those who bow down and swear to the Lord and yet swear by Milcom.

So a couple things about these idols here. We see two noted. We see Baal and we see Milcom. Now Milcom is a very strange name for an idol. So I had to do some research here. Baal was a Canaanite God and Milcom was a Amorite God.

Baal means.

Lord or King and Milcom also means the same. So I find that interesting that these idols just basically have the same title just in different languages. Israel was so susceptible to idolatry no matter where they went.

This temptation followed them I mean they were miraculously delivered out of Egypt into the promised land and. The moment things get a little tough.

They build an idol.

It's almost like an instinct for these people some things just never change and I'm here to tell you church that we are no different. We build idols all the time. We might not use gold and silver anymore, but we build them up.

One key feature of these so-called gods. They always demanded child sacrifice. They always demanded the death of the firstborn. Hey, you want to make me happy? You want me to answer your prayer?

Slaughter your firstborn.

These were the idols that they were worshiping. When I look at my country I am Deeply saddened to see the same thing. We just call it abortion now. We just call it abortion and I don't mean to offend.

I Christian Taurus don't mean to offend. I really don't. But the Word of God is the Word of God and I've been called to preach. So I don't care about your political view. I really don't because the Word of God says that it's murder and that's just it.

I can't change what the Word of God states. It is what it is. These ancient Israelites worship these gods. Because these gods allowed the Israelites to do whatever they want. Idolatry murder theft. Swearing falsely these things please these idols and so when I look and I'm thinking why on earth.

Would you worship a God that requires the death of your children? That doesn't make any sense to me. And then I started thinking what if this so-called God allowed you to do whatever you want? Anything is permissible.

You can do whatever you want. Just as long as you give me blood first. I Thought man, there's no way that we could and yet again Abortion clinics are popping off left and right. So again some things just never change.

R .C. Sproul once said a quote and it really did stick with me.

He said every idol.

If we peel away the paint is a mirror. Every idol we set up is simply a mirror at ourselves. It doesn't matter what you worship. I hear people say well drugs used to be my idol. Alcohol used to be my idol sex used to be my idol, whatever.

That wasn't your idol you were. You were the one that put that before God you were the one that chose to do those things. Nothing forced you to put that idol in your life. You did we set up idols all the time.

You might think well, we're not Israelites. We're way better than Israelites. We don't set up golden statues. No, as a matter of fact, we got more sinful. We just melted the gold and put it in our pockets and we still worship the idols.

Come on we don't need no idols to worship it. We worship ourselves. We worship money. Just look at our country. Look at the world. We worship power sex and money those three things they those three things control the world and It controlled Judah.

Man, poor Zephaniah I couldn't. I can't believe you know. If God called me to be a prophet and I'm not like a happy message. I'd like something nice. Man three chapters of the end of the world. No one's gonna listen to me, but that's exactly what this is causing.

I'm sorry. This is exactly what's causing the destruction in Judah this rampant Idolatry and with idolatry there will always come injustice. With idolatry there will always come injustice when you put something before God.

You will end up abusing your neighbor. 100 every sin Affects more people than you think you think. Oh wait, my own sin will affect myself. No your sin affects other people a hundred percent. Whenever I'm not doing good and my sanctification my brothers suffer.

Who here is part of an accountability group?

Praise God. That's right. Now. I know I know I'm not the only one. You ever walked in with a bad week. You know, you just didn't read the Bible enough, you know, you kind of saw a few things.

You weren't supposed to see and.

You don't want to speak up in accountability because because they get to ask me the same question. I don't want to be held accountable. Because obviously if I ask you hey, how are you doing? You have every right to turn around and go.

How are you doing pastor? Accountability is not for the weak. It is not for the weak. It gets bloody.

But hey.

It works out in the end, I promise you there's always mercy in the end. When you sin there is injustice. The Prophet Jeremiah who Unfortunately got to see this judgment come on Judah he saw the Babylonian siege.

He wrote this.

Jeremiah chapter 7 verses 9 through 11.

Will you steal?

Murder.

Commit adultery. Swear falsely make offerings to ball and go after other gods that you have not known.

And.

Then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name and say we are delivered. Only to go on doing all these abominations. Has this house which is called by my name. Become a den of thieves in your eyes.

Behold I myself have seen this declares the Lord. All right, I'm guilty. You know, nobody can escape that I'll take that I'm guilty. Committing any sin is idolatry. Committing any sin is thinking my way is better than God's way.

I know God said never to lie, but I feel like in this particular case me lying is better. I put myself before God.

Lusting.

Every sin Has its roots in idolatry. When I look at the world There are certain regions certain parts of the world that struggle more with a particular type of sin. But you know what sin every civilization ever has always struggled with.

Idolatry.

Every single civilization has had some sort of idol to worship. I use that as an apologetical reference of hey, we are designed to seek for God. But as Romans 1 states. We choose darkness over light. The problem church when we seek after God.

We sometimes look into ourselves for the light and that's pretty common in this generation. That's this particular generation specifically look to yourself. You are the light the truth is in you. Inside of you there's only darkness only sin.

Sorry, I was speaking to myself. I don't know if anyone here else relates. Romans chapter 3 is very specific about the evil that we can form the evil that lies inside of us. It always leads to injustice.

I can always tell. The health of a nation based on how it treats their defenseless the people that can't speak for themselves. Guys in 2022 the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. I Was very happy. Very happy that children got to live.

Let me hit you with some statistics. There were more abortions in 2023 than in the past decade. Are you kidding me we out we we got rid of Roe v. Wade. So certain states were able to ban it completely and you're telling me the next year we had more abortions.

More we reached one million twenty six thousand seven hundred deaths. You think God cares about the laws that we put into place? No, he cares about the heart of the people. What's the point of creating laws?

What's the point of putting Bibles back into schools if we're not going to read them? I keep hearing that we got to put Bibles back into schools guys. Like two out of fifteen youth will bring their Bible to church and that's just in church.

You think they're gonna read it in school. The change begins at home in your families. Stop looking for old politicians to to bring about Revival sanctification. It's not going to happen. It's never going to change.

Look voting is cool and all and you should as an American, of course you'd vote. But don't look for politicians for salvation. It didn't work then it isn't gonna work now. You think nine judges can change the heart of America?

The overturning of Roe v. Wade was something more celebrating but based on the uptake and abortions guys, we have so much work to do and If judgment was coming to Judah. For this particular sin of worshiping these idols America's next.

Millions of babies have been slaughtered in this nation. First of all, let me say I love this nation. I am willing to die for this nation, but I am seeing the same thing that damn Judah damning my own country.

Oh Christian that was inappropriate. No, the prophet Isaiah preached naked for two years. I think I'm alright here. All right, I think I'm alright. We will not escape this. This isn't a matter of whether we can avert Judgment from coming or not it will come.

Because of our injustice and our idolatry we live in Babylon. Some of you have gone too comfortable. Some of y 'all has set up shop on this planet. You're too relaxed. A couple of months ago during one of my staff meetings at work.

They were going around doing this really nerdy thing of hey say something that you're thankful for and I go. All right, I'll play. When a turn came to me I said I'm thankful for national security. I truly am.

I'm thankful that. My house isn't currently getting bombed with missiles. You know as I'm looking at Asia what's going on? I'm thankful that that's not me living in terror. Not knowing whether or not.

Oh, I don't know. I might have a house. I might not. My children might have a school they might not. That I don't have that type of anxiety here. So I thank God for the national security we have. But we have gotten way too comfortable.

The people in Zephaniah's time got real comfortable. We're the people of God. We pray we read the Bible. We go to church. We do all this in a bag of chips.

Alright.

Read a couple chapters later. They get destroyed. Look at what Jeremiah says in the middle of his passage. We are delivered. I want you to take a good look at the world. We are not exempt. Did you know we live in the safest part of the world?

Canada and North North America in general is Generally speaking the safest part of the world. American Christianity Specifically has gotten way too comfortable too complacent. If you continue reading in Zephaniah chapter 1 it actually says here.

You know, I didn't actually intend to read this but if I can find it. Hmm I can't find it, but there's a passage in here that says that a Yahweh God will search Jerusalem and punish those who are complacent.

I was debating whether or not to actually include this verse because. Twelve oh, thank you. Yes. I had a highlighted and Orange, I can't see it. Yeah, because the orange highlight is just Zephaniah chapter 1 verse 12 at that time.

I will search Jerusalem with lamps. I will punish the men who are complacent. Those who say in their hearts Yahweh will not do good nor will he do evil. Guys if the shoe fits.

Put it on.

Seriously I'm not trying to be mean here. If the shoe fits do put it on and if you don't like the way it fits Then grow up. It's just that simple. We were all there at one point. I Christian Torres was there at one point.

I didn't believe in Christ. I didn't put my trust in him. Then this man called Jesus came along opened my eyes. And I saw what I was doing in my own life in my injustice and in my idolatry. He didn't look at me with condemnation.

Jesus didn't look at me with hate as I if I were God will look at me. He looked at me with love, but we'll get to that in a second. Can anyone be saved? Clearly this portion in Zephaniah is directed to the inhabitants of Judah, but as what is natural with biblical prophecy it has a Partial fulfillment and then a full fulfillment.

We see that hey this message is for Judah. Babylon will come and you know. Why they will come? Because I have prepared you as a sacrifice and they're my guests and they're about to eat your flesh. It's gonna happen and it did but it also has a Futuristic fulfillment of this will happen.

I've read the book of Revelation. It goes into just a little bit more detail and there's a lot of blood. So Tread carefully. Let's read Zephaniah chapter 2 verse 1. Can anybody be saved? All right, let's read gather together.

Yes.

Gather. Oh shameless nation. Before the decree takes effect. Before the day passes away like shaft. Before there comes upon you the burning anger of Yahweh. Before there comes upon you the day of anger of Yahweh.

Seek the Lord. All you humble of the land. Who do his just commands? Seek righteousness. Seek humility. Perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of Yahweh. Notice the first thing that God says to do.

Gather together. You know, it's actually pretty hard to repent when there's division in the body. It's actually very difficult. You know what the most racist time I use the word racist lightly because there's only one race.

But the most racist time out of the week is Sunday. We choose to separate ourselves. Oh, I go to a white church. I go to a black church. Asian Church. Hispanic Church. We do that ourselves. Forget the nominations.

How about color? Let's go back to that. First thing he says is gather together and we preach this a lot at this church. But I'm going to preach it again. Because some of us including myself are hard hearted at times.

There is only one church. It doesn't matter where you go. If the Word of God is preached and Jesus Christ is honored as God. You are my family. You are my family. I Visited a couple churches over the past couple months and it is such a pleasure to visit these churches.

I get to see how they worship how they teach how they minister. I come back with notes every single time I go I take notes. Oh, I really like when they stood up when they read the Word of God. That's really nice.

Ooh I didn't like when the lights and the smoke machines came on during the altar call. I Didn't like that. But I do recommend if at some point you have Another church that you like to visit. As a pastor, it's not gonna offend me if you visit another church because it'll open up your imagination open up your perspective on.

Oh. We are doing this right and then maybe we should do this differently. It's just one church. We're all the same church as long as we worship Jesus Christ and honor his word as holy. So during this time with a little bit of background information on King Josiah.

King Josiah who lived during this time was eight years old. Eight years old when he became king his father. Amen. Served the very unsuccessful two years in his kingship and he was murdered by his own people.

So not a lot of happiness in this kingdom currently, so he was made king when he was eight years old. Scripture says that he followed the Lord like his father David that he wasn't like his daddy or his granddaddy.

He was different. He sought the Lord. And when I read the book of Proverbs, I also read Oh, man, those cities and those countries with children kings. Oh, whoa to them. We don't find that here. He actually did the right thing.

He started removing idols. All right, this new president. Oh, he's cool. Yeah, he's removing idols. That's awesome, man. He's getting rid of the all the poles that they used to burn children with get rid of that garbage.

We don't need it. He was 26 years old when he looked at the temple of God and said man, I Got stumbles a dump. We need to fix this. Is this where we come and worship Yahweh? It's clear. We haven't used it in a long time.

So let's start cleaning it up and in the midst of them cleaning it up. Guess what they find the book of the law. They find What I think is Deuteronomy. It had been so long since anyone entered that building that the Word of God was considered lost.

Lost. And you know what the irony is it was lost in the church. So if you simply looked you would have found it. It wasn't like it was lost in some tomb like the Ark of the Covenant. We're gonna find it No, it's it was lost inside of the temple where it should have been.

The priests came by to King Josiah and.

They read the book of the law.

Because at this time King Josiah was ignorant he knew about Yahweh and he knew that hey, he doesn't like idolatry. I don't need to know the Word of God to know he hates idolatry because he's been saying it since day one.

But when the word of the law was written Scripture says he tore his clothes. He started weeping on the floor. Because he saw how far the nation of Judah had landed. Moreover, he read about the destruction that was promised.

The same way God promises to never leave us or forsake us. It's the same promise that he's using on judgment on the world. You can bank on it. I Got a little bit here in 2nd Chronicles chapter 34 Verse 27 to 28.

Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God. This is what the Prophet is telling King Josiah because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants and you have humbled yourself before me and have Torn your clothes and wet before me.

I Also have heard you declares Yahweh. Behold, I will gather you to your fathers and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace. And your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place and his and its inhabitants and They brought back word to the king.

Once the last time your heart was tender I Find that such a interesting wording like I was expecting soft Tender. I usually use the word tender for meat. So to me it sounds kind of weird but For your heart to be tender, it means that God has to just simply do this and you fall on your knees.

When's the last time the Holy Spirit whispered and you broke down. How Hard-hearted has your heart become that even the Holy Spirit speaking to you Doesn't tenderize your heart when the Word of God is spoken you go.

Oh, oh, yeah. I've heard that before tenderize your heart humble yourself. The way to be saved has been the same way since the beginning. Humility seek the Lord and repent King Josiah. Listen, I'm gonna be straight with you as your god and father here I'm going to destroy Judah and there's nothing you can do.

There's no policies that you can put in place. I have to punish you. I have to punish this land. But you specifically because you humbled yourself and you repented of your sin. You will not see the destruction.

You won't get to be part of it brothers when Jesus Christ causes the salt of the earth. What does that mean to you? Some of us simply read that and go we give a little flavor to To the world. Welcome to Witten Baptist Church flavor town.

No, that's not what it is. It isn't simply just flavor. In the ancient days salt was a preserver, you know didn't have Refrigerators or deep freezers all the head was salt. And so if you wanted to preserve a piece of meat you dumped it in salt.

It did not stop the decaying process. It slowed it down. What God did with King Josiah is this I'll push my judgment just a little bit more to the right. You won't get to see it you will be spared. You know many times humility and repentance has pushed pushed back the judgment of God a.

Lot.

When we as the salt of the earth Witness evangelize and minister what you're doing to God is saying. Hold up just one more day. Hold on just one more day. How many of y 'all know? Corporal Desmond Doss served in World War two combat medic first of all.

Fantastic movie. I love the Hacksaw Ridge. His story is really fascinating not just because I was a combat medic but because he was a consciences objector. Which means he didn't carry a gun in a war. Now he fought on one of the bloodiest wars in World War two.

And here's a story. I had to print it out because I didn't want to miss anything. Due to his Christian convictions Corporal Doss served as a consciences objector refusing to take a life. Corporal Doss was the first and only consciences objector to receive the Medal of Honor during World War two.

In the Battle of Okinawa at Hacksaw Ridge. He managed to save 75 injured soldiers without a rifle. You know what his prayer was. Father let me get one more. Let me get one more. Your repentance and your humility.

Can give light to other people around you and they could repent. By your righteousness other people can see what you do your changed life and go. There's something different. I Don't know what it is, but I've never seen this before.

Hey, you want to come to church? Yeah, just come and it's wooden. Trust me. You'll fit right in. What do I gotta wear? Trust me. You can wear whatever you want. Just come that person walks in here sees the love sees the fellowship.

God is really among you. God is truly here. I thought this was all religion. I thought this was all fake. Simply by your good testimony that person was brought here and they encountered the grace of God.

We prevent The judgment from coming. It isn't going to stop. America will be no more. Sorry if that offends us hardcore patriots like me every American flag will burn. Hey burning an American flag right now is a crime.

Charge God with it. Every flag will burn. Because when the kingdom of God comes on this earth There will be one nation all under King Jesus. There ain't no voting. There's no Congress to decide no judicial court.

King Jesus.

Take it.

He is king and he is coming. Whoo. Not just seeking the Lord but seeking humility. As if an eye at chapter 3 verse 2 check this out. She listens to no voice. She accepts no correction. She does not trust in the Lord.

She does not draw near to her God. That was the description of Judah. You don't listen. You've sat under the teaching of Bible filled preaching for years and you still do not listen. You accept no correction.

Man, you hold on to the idol. You hold on to it tight even as it burns your hand. Scripture says you serve gods that you don't know but you reject the God that you do know. A God who is merciful and gracious.

Slow to anger and abounding and loyal love and he relents from sending disaster and. Still you don't listen. You accept no correction. You don't trust in the Lord. You don't draw near to your God, you know why people will go to hell.

Because they refuse to say God. I am sorry and mean it God. I am truly sorry I see the sin that I've committed. I am sorry Obviously, it's more than just the words. Is the heart behind it. But the general gist is this.

You refuse to apologize and change and I refuse to believe that everybody in here is a Christian. And I'm not talking about the guests. I'm talking about the members. If if everybody in here was a Christian Memphis wouldn't be the same.

You kidding me. Understand what a room full of Holy Spirit filled believers can do to this city.

No.

We're not all Christians in here. Examine yourself. Hell is way too hot to base it on a prayer or base it on. Well, I go to church. I Read the Bible. You think that we as pastors repeat that a lot just for shock value.

We don't. We hear that often in Counseling's. Well, I read the Bible. Wow. Is that the sum of your Christianity that you read the Word of God? How about you apply it. You were a cross. Cool. Represent it.

I Know the New Testament talks about this. You have the outer appearance of godliness, but deny its power and you think we don't realize.

We do but hey.

This is that's where I come as pastor Christian and go. I was there before God offers mercy. He will save you from judgment. But make no mistake the God that saved us is also the God that will destroy this world quick fast and in a hurry.

All right. So let's say that Seeing the impending judgment you go. Whoo. All right, my lord. I'm sorry for the sins that I've committed. Cool. What happens after that we're saved. What happens after God relents from sending his disaster on me?

Let's turn to Zephaniah chapter 3 reading in verse verse 14. Yeah, verse 14 and we'll read through the end here sing aloud. Oh daughter of Zion shout. Oh Israel. Rejoice and exalt with all of your heart.

Oh daughter of Jerusalem. Yahweh has taken away the judgment against you. He has cleared away your enemies. The king of Israel Yahweh is in your midst. You shall never again fear evil on that day. It shall be said to Jerusalem.

Fear not Ozion. Let not your hands grow weak. Yahweh your God is in your midst a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will quiet you with his love. He will exalt over you with loud singing.

I will gather those who mourn for the festival so that they will no longer suffer reproach. Behold at that time I Will deal with all of your oppressors. I will save the lame and gather the outcasts. I will change their shame into praise and their renown and all the earth at that time.

I will bring you in at the time when I gather you together. For I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your eyes says Yahweh. You know what you get to receive once you believe in Jesus Christ grace and mercy.

Zephaniah 3 15. The Lord has taken away judgment against you. You are now justified. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Do you understand the severity of that statement?

You probably don't if you don't understand where you were going and what you were facing that the same God Who was about to condemn you with the words of his mouth is now that God's singing over you. The sword that at one point was going to pierce your heart is now going to pierce the heart of your enemies.

Oh my goodness if God's judgment is just that severe imagine his grace. If he despises sin just that much if he's going to destroy his enemies, what will he do with his friends with his children? Grace and mercy mercy is sweet when we realize our sin.

So if you are here today, I Really? Hope you didn't hear a sermon. I Hope you were you heard the Word of God. I Tried my hardest to keep the Word of God as faithful as possible. I'm not here to You know entertain you.

I'm not here to even pique your interest in the Word that's between you and God. All I'm doing here is preaching Jesus Christ is worthy of your trust. He's worthy of your Surrender. He's worthy of your humility.

Don't be afraid. Some of us are afraid to show weakness. Emotion our sin. You know why it's so hard because you open yourself up to judgment. That's what it is. You open yourself up to judgment with vulnerability, but when you find God you will find grace.

When you find God He's not gonna look at you and go oh you disgusting filth get away from me you were dead and now you're alive. You were lost but now you're found you got a loving father. I Want to finish with this and I want to spend a Considerable amount of the rest of my time that I'm up here going through Zephaniah chapter 3 verse 17.