Awaken To Restoration
Pulpit Curriculum
June 2, 2024

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Pulpit Curriculum: Awaken To Restoration

June 2nd – June 8th, 2024

Sermon Summary

Continuing the series “Awaken”, today’s sermon transitioned to the second half of the book of Joel which focuses on God’s restoration. In this half, God answers the people’s prayers, reverses the economic devastation from the locust invasion and offers assurance of a future day of judgment when Yahweh will punish the nations and renew Israel. We are invited to 1) Awaken to God’s Compassion and Provision 2) Awaken to God’s Promise of Restoration and 3) Awaken to the Outpouring of the Spirit. We are called to awaken to this reality – to recognize and embrace the full extent of God’s redemptive work in our lives

Verse of the Week

Joel 2:18-19
18 Then the LORD became jealous for his land and had pity on his people.19The LORD answered and said to his people, “Behold, I am sending to you grain, wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.

Going Deeper

Review: Joel 2: 18 – 32

1) God’s jealousy should never be confused with human jealousy”. How does understanding the contrast between God’s jealousy and human jealousy impact our view of God’s character and His relationship with His people? (Examine passages such as Exodus 20:5-6, Exodus 34:14, James 3:14-16, and Proverbs 6:34.)

2) What biblical examples can you find that illustrate the consequences of human jealousy, and how do they differ from the outcomes of God’s jealousy? (Example the jealousy of Saul towards David in 1 Samuel 18)

3) God responded to the prayers of the priests, promising to bless the land and the people (Joel 2 :25-27).
a. What aspects of God’s character are revealed in this text?


b. Search the scriptures and list ten other promises of God which are meaningful to you.

4) God promised an outpouring of his Spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28-29), apart from Acts 2 where else is this promise made?


a. How do these other texts compare to Joel 2:28-29?


b. What results from the outpouring of the Spirit?

Assess Your Life

The following questions are meant to encourage personal reflection and identify areas for spiritual growth in your relationship with God. Ask yourself the questions, respond honestly, write down your responses, and then prayerfully seek God’s conviction and guidance to move forward to repentance and restoration. In your Small Groups this week, or in discussions with your friends and family, be open to sharing your responses with others in a spirit of accountability and transparency


1) Joel 2 describes God’s response to the prayers of the people. Reflect on your own prayer life, can others depend on your prayers? Are your prayers powerful and effective (James 5:16)?

2) How do you experience the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in your personal life?

a. Can others see the evidence of a life filled with the Spirit in you?

3) “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Joel 2:31). When was the last time that you shared the gospel with someone. Do others want to know the Christ in you?

Application

A key objective of this Pulpit Curriculum is taking God’s truth as exposed in the sermon and helping people apply that truth in practical and intentional ways to plot a course toward obedience and transformation. This section is intended to achieve that objective.


1) Reflect on the promises that you have recorded. Make a commitment to share the promises of God with someone this week (e.g. Small Group or social media).

2) God answered the prayers of the priests and restored the nation. Discuss in your Small Group any area in your life which needs prayer and restoration. Pray for each other.

3) Alternatively encourage someone with a testimony of God’s goodness and restoration. Pray for each other.

I will ask_____ to hold me accountable in this.

Sermon Main Points

As we awaken to God’s restoration:

Be awakened to God’s compassion: Joel 2: 18-19
God is compassionate and merciful. God promises to remove the enemies that threaten our well-being. He assures us that He will replace our fear with His abundant provision, transforming our barren lands into fertile ground. Just as He restored the devastated land of Judah, He is eager to renew and bring fruitfulness to the desolate areas of our lives

  • God is compassionate with a protective and passionate love for his people and his land.

Be awakened to God’s Promises: Joel 2: 20-27
God promises to repay the years the locusts have eaten, offering comprehensive restoration for all that has been lost. God’s restorative work is ongoing and all-encompassing, ensuring that no loss is permanent, and every tear is redeemed.

  • God’s intervention is a powerful reminder that He is our protector and deliverer.
  • God’s restorative work is ongoing and all-encompassing, ensuring that no loss is permanent and every tear is redeemed.

Be awakened to the outpouring of the Spirit: Joel 2: 28-32
God promises to pour out His Spirit on all people, empowering us to prophesy, dream, and see visions. This call to action invites us to step into the fullness of our spiritual gifts and participate actively in God’s mission.

  • The gift of prophecy is neither a permanent endowment nor a private possession. It is equipment for ministry.
  • Calling on the name of the Lord is not just a one-time act but a continual posture of dependence and faith.

Sermon Reflection

What stood out for me in this sermon?

What can I do to remember this?

5 Day Study Plan

Use the Inductive Bible Study method to study these scriptures this week and remember to share with someone else.

Follow these steps
1. Observe the text.
(What do you see in the text? Look for answers to questions like: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?)
2. Interpret the text.
(What did God and the human author of the text want the original people reading this text to understand/do? Why?)
3. Apply the text.
(How do I need to change in my thinking, my affections, my attitudes, and/or my actions?)


Day 1 - Deuteronomy 11:13-17
God promised to pour out a blessing on his people and on the land if they obeyed his commandments

Day 2 - Deuteronomy 31:8
One of God’s promises to his people.

Day 3 - 1 Peter 5:10
God in his grace and mercy promises to restore and strengthen his people.

Day 4 - Isaiah 44:3
God promises to pour out his Spirit on the land and his chosen people

Day 5 - Romans 10:13
God promises salvation to all who call on him.


For best results, this content should be read and prepared privately and then discussed in your small group or with family / friends. We were not created to do life alone - get connected with a small group and grow together.