Joel

• Written by Joel, who we don’t know much about. There is much disagreement about the date of writing, anywhere from 900-350 B.C.

• Joel 1 – God was bringing destruction on Judah. The locusts may or may not be figurative.

• Joel 2 – God calls for repentance. God promised to restore the people if they would repent.

  • Joel 2:28-32 – Quoted in Acts 2:17-21 in Peter’s sermon on Pentecost.

• Joel 3 – God pronounces judgment on the nations. These nations may be figurative here, with Israel being spiritual Israel and Tyre and Sidon being those who are enemies of God’s people.

  • Joel 3:10 – See Isaiah 2:4. God’s people were to prepare for a spiritual battle.

  • Joel 3:18 – See Ephesians 1:3.

  • Joel 3:20 – Spiritual Judah can never be destroyed!

The church doesn’t really grow successfully if we only increase in numbers. We must also strengthen and build each other up.

Factors that cause the church to grow:

• Loyal to divine authority

  • Romans 1:16; Acts 8:4

  • Acts 4:18-19; 5:19 – Peter and John were loyal to divine authority.

  • Colossians 3:19

  • II John 1:9

• Diligent in teaching

  • Acts 2:42

  • Acts 7 – Stephen was so steadfast in preaching that he was stoned to death.

  • Acts 8:5, 12 – Philip was steadfast in preaching.

  • Paul suffered and worked much to grow the church through teaching.

• Consistent in practice

  • Acts 2:42; 8:4

  • II Thessalonians 2:13

• Purity in life

  • Without purity, others will see our hypocrisy and we will accomplish nothing toward God.

  • Romans 6:4

  • I Timothy 5:22

  • II Corinthians 6:14-16

  • I Corinthians 6:19-20

  • Ephesians 5:25

• Unity in service

  • Acts 2:46; 4:32

  • The apostles were of different backgrounds, but they all loved the same God. We are all one in Christ Jesus.

  • Galatians 3:29

• Liberal in giving

  • II Corinthians 8

III John 1:11

Gaius (III John 1:1-8)

• Gaius was walking in the truth.

• I John 1:6-7

• II John 1:4

• III John 1:5-8 – Gaius was evidently helping brethren who were passing through.

  • I Corinthians 12:13, 15-18 -= We all have our own roles.

  • Romans 16:1-5ff – Paul calls 35 people by name!

  • Romans 12:4; Ephesians 4:16 – Every part of the body does its part.

  • Matthew 10:42

Diotrephes (III John 1:9)

• He rejected the message from an inspired apostle!

• Matthew 23:2 – Diotrephes was doing the same thing!

• Diotrephes had a bad attitude, which was causing him to go wrong in all sorts of ways.

• We don’t want to exhibit the sort of pride and selfishness that Diotrephes did.

• Philippians 2:3

• John 13:14 – Jesus set the example!

Demetrius (III John 1:12)

• Only one verse about the man, but it was good!

• Psalms 119:1

• Hebrews 5:8-9

If God wrote a verse about me, what would it be?

• I Thessalonians 1:1 – See I Peter 5:12; Acts 15:40.