The Reason For His Coming

Text: Zephaniah 3:14-20

Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. - The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. - In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. - The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. - I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden. - Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. - At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.

Introduction:

God has a love for humanity that won't give up, no matter how much we reject him, ignore him, put him in the closet or laugh at him with our friends. This passage shows, in a very special way, God's love expressed to an agonized and lonely people, deprived of all they considered holy. Israel, scorned by her neighbors, and robbed of all but hope (and that taken down pretty low). Yet Zephaniah, a prophet of few words, told the people not to fear...an announcement that has echoed for the people of God throughout all the times since the words were spoken. God's reason for sending His Son, a flesh-and-blood human yet fully God as well, was to dispell the fear inherent in sinful humanity and replace it with fellowship and love between Him and His creation.

 

I. God's relation to His people.

A. Their Covenant God

B. Their Rightful King

C. Their Mighty Savior

 

II. God's presence with His People - He is in their midst

A. In the Spirit of His Son

B. In the Word of His Truth

C. In the Ordinances of His Church

 

III. God's work for His People - Salvation

A. From the guilt and power of sin

B. From the danger of ignorance and error.

C. From the temptations and corruptions of the world.

D. From the fear of death and the dominion of the grave.

 

IV. God's delight in His People

A. True and Tender

B. Full and Deep (and Wide)

C. Perfect and abiding.

 

Conclusion:

Into a world of darkness and fear came Jesus, born into the world with the simultaneous ring of the glorious words from heaven "FEAR NOT". It is truly God's intention that we may approach Him without fear, as Adam and Eve did before they fell from sin. Can we truly approach Him? Let our hearts be pure, let us genuinely seek to let Christ work in our lives. He has told us "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except by Me." Through Christ Jesus our Lord, let us approach him, in full fellowship with our Heavenly Father, and banish the fear from our hearts.