Hope for the Future
a sermon based on Joel 2:23-32
Rev. Randy Quinn

            Before reading the text, it may be helpful to hear its context, both in terms of the book of Joel and in terms of the Old Testament prophets.

            The prophet Joel was probably written late in the history of Israel, as late as 400 BCE, and addresses concerns of the people in a time period when it was possible to worship publicly at the temple.  Joel called the people to worship in the manner that they had been taught and warned them of the implications of not gathering for that purpose.

            A recent plague or famine or drought seems to be the primary metaphor that Joel uses as he explains the result of abandoning God.

            By the time we get to our passage for this morning, Joel is now talking about a future time when things would be different:  the famine and plagues and drought would be things of the past.  And Joel saw a time coming when everyone would be given the power to be prophets, everyone would experience the power of God in their lives.  Let us turn now to the second chapter of Joel.

 Read Joel 2:23-32

            You may recognize some of these words as being quoted by Jesus (Matt 24:29), and again being referred to by Peter on the day of Pente­cost (Acts 2:17-21).  In many ways, the Church has insisted that these 'pro­phecies' have been fulfilled.  And certainly, they have been.

            There is danger in reading them as fulfilled, however.  For I believe that when we only read these scriptures in that light, we overlook what the message was to the people in Joel's day and what it may offer for us today.  When we see it as a fore­telling that has been fulfilled, it is simply history.

            I think there is more there.  And I guess I am not as convinced that the Old Testament prophets are to be read simply as foretelling the events of Christ's life or the life of the early church.  I believe that they continue to offer us words of hope and encouragement.

            Read in that light, these words of Joel are indeed to be seen as a pro­phet's dim image of what was to come AND as an insight into the human condition and the will of God for ALL people at ALL times.

            The key to understanding them is that Joel is talking about a wonderful day, the "Day of the Lord", a poetic title implying the day when God's will would be fulfilled, when all people would return to God, when God would be respected and honored and obeyed.  To many, this is seen as the time of the reigning Messiah, the Anointed One, who would reveal God's will for us and guide us in our quest to please and honor God.

            Often, the "Day of the Lord" was portrayed by the prophets as a day of judgement, a day of destruction of all that is evil, a day to be feared.  Not so in Joel.  (At least not as I understand Joel's message.)  Here, Joel promises that salvation will come on that day.  This is not a day to fear, but to celebrate.

            Joel seems to see this as a glorious day.  A day when all of creation would abound with the blessings of God.  A day when God's goodness would be recognized and celebrated.

            The words of Joel are words of hope for a dry and thirsty land.  They are as cool and refreshing to the people of his day as the recent rains have felt to us and especially those who have felt the impact of drought-like conditions in our area.

            They are words to anyone who suffers from the lack of rain or food or health.  They are words of comfort that there is a day coming when there will be ample water, bountiful food, and restored health.

            These are not words to be relegated to history or cast aside in favor of their apparent fulfillment in Christ -- as true as it is that they have been fulfilled.

            These are powerful images of hope.

            Hope for people of all types who may see their condition as hopeless.

            These are words of hope for the people in war-torn Yugosla­via.  These are words of hope for the famine-stricken people of Somalia.  These are words of hope for those who are grieving, those who are lonely, those who feel tormented by disease, those who are trapped in relationships that only bring pain.

            But these words are not merely a means to escape from reality by separating the physical from the spiritual.  Joel suggests that both the physical world and our spiritual lives are affected when the 'Day of the Lord' arrives.

            Joel suggests in his images that the world will be changed, that the land will no longer thirst, that the birds will sing, that health will return, that war will cease, that comfort will be found.  That the presence of God will be known and experienced by all who call upon the name of the Lord.

            For us, today, I believe that Joel's words are most appro­priate as we celebrate the work of our Sunday School teachers and our ministry of educating young people, helping them to learn about God's love and grace.

            The young people in our Sunday School, the students in each of the classes, are in many ways like the drought-stricken land of Joel's day.  They are hungering and thirsting for the living water that can only come from God.

            And that water, that life-giving water, is being made available to them through the spirit-inspired work of our Sunday School teachers.

            I know that whenever I have taught Sunday School -- as a college student teaching the 3 and 4 year-olds or the Junior High Class; as an adult teaching the High School class; as a pastor teaching the Adult class -- whenever I have taught Sunday School, I knew that I was preparing my students for the future, for a time in their own lives and in our world when God would reign supreme.

            I suspect that many of our teachers here also see themselves as fulfilling Joel's prophecy as they teach their children about the coming "Day of the Lord" and the Kingdom of God.

            And in that sense, these people, our Sunday School teachers, are following in the tradition of Joel as they bring a sense of hope into our world and into the lives of our young people.

            Without their influence, without their sense of calling, without their dedication, without their sense of the Holy Spirit within, our students may easily hear about the "Day of the Lord" as a day to be feared, a day to be judged, a day of punishment rather than a day of hope and joy and wonder.

            That sounds like an awesome task, doesn't it?

            It is.

            And it cannot happen without the support and prayers and consideration of the rest of us.

            WE are the ones who benefit from the work of our Sunday School teachers, we are the ones who are changed and transformed by their commitment.  And we are the ones who must continue to give them our full support -- in a variety of ways.

            God promises to all of us that the Holy Spirit will come, that we WILL be made different on that day.  It matters not if you are young or old, new to the faith or mature in your faith.  The words of Joel are clear:  all people will be touched by the power of God and will prophesy, dream dreams, and see visions.

            Those promises, however, are contingent on two factors.  The first is a humble spirit that allows God to speak to us and the second is a willingness to share those prophecies and dreams and visions with one another.

            Joel makes it clear in the passages preceding ours for today that the work of God cannot transpire if the people refuse to hear God, refuse to worship God, refuse to honor God.  Joel makes it clear that we limit what God can do when we abandon God.

            Joel also makes it clear that the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives is not for our sake only, but for the sake of the entire community of faith -- and even the world in which we live.  It is not to be kept to ourselves, but shared.

            Our Sunday School teachers can be seen as models for the rest of us.  They are making themselves available and are sharing what they have received from God.  The hope for our future lies in our willingness to be like them:  to allow God to speak to us and to share what God reveals to us for the sake of others.

            Let us commit ourselves to the service of God.

            Amen.