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Lamentations 3:17-24 (ESV)

 

17 my soul is bereft of peace;

I have forgotten what happiness is;

18 so I say, “My endurance has perished;

so has my hope from the Lord.”

19 Remember my affliction and my wanderings,

the wormwood and the gall!

20 My soul continually remembers it

and is bowed down within me.

21 But this I call to mind,

and therefore I have hope:

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

23 they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

“therefore I will hope in him.”

 

     It is worth so very much to hear a passage of Scripture in its context. Certain passages are especially meaningful when we see what is happening when they are said.

 

     Looking above at verses 17-20, we are reminded that Jeremiah is miserable. He has spent all of the first twenty verses in great sorrow and pain. He feels that his hope is gone. He feels afflicted by God. The prophet has been crushed by his pains and his circumstances. He has watched with his own eyes the horrific destruction of the city of Jerusalem and the temple that Solomon built. He has seen that which he treasured most fall.

 

     It is only at verse 21 that we begin to see that something is changing. Of course, it is not Jeremiah’s situation that is changing. Rather, it is Jeremiah’s focus that is changing. He turns his thoughts to the character of the Lord. God’s mercies are made new every day. And, in the latter line of verse 23, Jeremiah declares, “Great is your faithfulness.”

 

     That phrase, of course, is the refrain of a popular hymn, one that I love. How often have we sung “Great is Thy Faithfulness?” But how seldom do we remember that this line is not one sung out of a position of prosperity? Jeremiah is not happy. He is hurting greatly. Yet, in the middle of his pain, in the middle of his sorrow, in the middle of the loss of a nation that he loves, Jeremiah remembers the character of God enough to declare, “Great is your faithfulness.” The trust that Jeremiah places in the person of God shines all the brighter because it is offset against the backdrop of the dark sufferings and sorrows of the fall of Jerusalem.

 

     Where are you in life? Are you in a place of ease? Are you in a place of sorrow? God knows. God cares. God is faithful. His character does not change, whether life is treating us gently or harshly. God is good. His faithfulness is steadfast. And we, like Jeremiah, need to find our hope, not in our present situation, but in the perfect character of the Lord. His faithfulness is great, and all the greater in our pain.

#en

Lamentations 2:13-14

13 What can I say for you, to what compare you,

O daughter of Jerusalem?

What can I liken to you, that I may comfort you,

O virgin daughter of Zion?

For your ruin is vast as the sea;

who can heal you?

14 Your prophets have seen for you

false and deceptive visions;

they have not exposed your iniquity

to restore your fortunes,

but have seen for you oracles

that are false and misleading.

 

     How ought the people of God communicate the word of God to a lost world? Of course, this question has been asked and answered in a variety of ways, in a variety of books, at a variety of conferences, and in a variety of schools. We have tried social justice, street evangelism, random acts of kindness, gospel tracts, movies, relational evangelism, and much more. But I believe, as I consider the above verses, that a serious and straight forward communication of the truth of God is more and more needed than ever before.

 

     The book of Lamentations is the poetic sorrow of Jeremiah the prophet at the destruction of the city of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonian army. Jeremiah spent his life and ministry warning Judah against the nation’s rebellion against the Lord. Jeremiah warned the people that God had promised them judgment if they chose to worship false gods and to continue to live as the idolatrous nations around them. But, sadly, Jeremiah was one of the only voices preaching this message.

 

                What caught my attention this morning was the portion of verse 14 which says, “Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not exposed your iniquity

to restore your fortunes.” Speaking of the false prophets of Judah, Jeremiah laments that the people the nation will listen to have refused to expose the iniquity, the sinfulness, of the people. Why is it sad that the teachers have not exposed the iniquities of Judah? It is sad because exposing to the people the evil of their actions would be for their good, for their restoration before God.

 

     Jeremiah is saying, by the inspiration of God, that it would have been good for the people had there been somebody honest enough to tell the people of Judah of the evil they were doing. It would have been good had there been people who called their evil actually evil. But, instead of that, the religious teachers of Jeremiah’s day came up with false ways to preach promises of prosperity to the people. This false preaching which hid the truth of the danger the people faced contributed to the downfall of the nation.

 

     Thus I return to the question of how we communicate the word of God to a lost world. And my answer becomes, “Honestly.” There is no room for a child of God to communicate anything other than the genuine word of God to the world around us. We need to be honest enough to warn people against their sin. Yes, there should be wisdom in our dealings. Yes, we should be kind to others and form genuine friendships. But, we are fools if we hide from the lost the danger they face because of sinning before a holy God. We are unkind if we do not warn people that they face the judgment of God if they do not repent and turn to Jesus for mercy.

 

     Our society considers any declaration of sin to be judgmental and unacceptable. But how can we allow ourselves and our message to be shaped by such values? Of course nobody wants to be told that their actions are sinful. We do not like that ourselves. However, it is far better to have a genuine call to repentance than to stumble blindly to destruction. If we are to love God and to love others, we must be willing to communicate to our world that their actions and values are not those of the God who made them. We dare not be the false prophets who prophesy false and deceptive proclamations that the morality of the Bible is now passé and that we are all OK with God so long as we are happy. 

1 Peter 1:8-9 (ESV)

 

8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

 

            The above verses are a beautiful picture of Christianity. They tell the story of the hearts of believers from the first century to today.

 

            We have not seen Jesus, not with our eyes. Sadly for us, the Lord Jesus walked the earth so many years ago. There was no way for him to do the things that his Father called him to do and to be physically here for all generations to behold. So, an aspect of our faith is to serve, to trust, to believe in, and to love one whom we have not seen with our physical eyes.

 

            Remember that love is the right word for how we as Christians respond to Jesus. We love him. Now, you may or may not feel a deep and abiding emotion at all times. That is not the point. Love is emotional, for sure, but it is bigger. Love is commitment. Though we have never seen the physical body of Jesus, we are fully committed to him. Our trust is in him. Our lives are reshaped around his will. And, yes, our hearts rejoice in his goodness and his loving kindness.

 

            Though we do not now see him, we rejoice in him. Why? Jesus has accomplished our forgiveness. Jesus is the only way we can be made clean before God and welcomed into his family. Jesus suffered the great punishment that we have earned for our sin in order to accomplish this wonderful grace on our behalf. And, Jesus lives though he died, meaning that we have the hope of seeing him, thanking him, and serving him. We will worship him now and we will worship him in the future.

 

            What comes of all this loving one we have never seen and rejoicing over one we still do not see? Trusting Jesus in this way obtains an outcome that all Christians both have and are looking forward to, the salvation of our souls. Jesus saves us. When we trust him, we are saved. We are not saved by doing things. We are not saved if we act good enough. No, Jesus saves the one who, though he has not seen Jesus, he believes in Jesus. Jesus has saved the one who, though she does not now see Jesus, she has trusted in him and rejoices in is mercy.

 

            Christians, it is beautiful to think that one day we will actually look upon Jesus. We will meet our Lord. The one who died and took on his own shoulders the hell that we deserved will not always be someone to hope to meet. We will know Jesus. We will talk with Jesus. We will worship Jesus. Though we are not in his physical presence today, he will return to earth, bodily, transform our sin-ravaged bodies, and set up an eternal kingdom with us as his worshipful subjects.

James 5:19-20 (ESV)

 

19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

 

            Connection, active fellowship, with believers in a local church is an important part of the Christian life. God has placed his people together on purpose. Such purposes include encouragement, comfort, and even testimony—Jesus said the world would see us as his disciples if we love one another (John 13:35). Sadly, many Christians miss out on one of the key purposes for the local church to exist that is listed in the verses above: correction.

 

            James writes to his readers that, should one of us go astray in our thinking, wandering from the truth, and if somebody in the church brings him back, it is a really big deal. God intends that part of the life of the church is that we work with each other to keep each other in the truth of the word of God.

 

            Most Christians, I think, would affirm that statement. Most would say that they agree that we are to help each other out here. But, I wonder how many of u have the privilege of being a part of a church where such action actually takes place?

 

            In order to be a part of a church where what James just wrote would happen, some characteristics have to be a part of your church. One is that your church has to care about doctrine. If your local church hides from doctrinal teaching for the sake of supposed unity, or even for the sake of outreach—a very good thing—the church will lack the strength and courage to correct you unless it is on something quite obvious and egregious. Truthfully, if the church does not teach doctrinally, it is likely that, even when one falls into egregious error, the most likely outcome is for the leaders to send the errant person off to another church rather than trying to correct and restore a wayward thinker. Church discipline is generally out of the question.

 

            Speaking of church discipline, this too must be a characteristic feature of a church that would see happen what James here affirms. I am by no means arguing for a church to be aggressive and harsh in discipline. If you read through passages like Matthew 18:15-17 and Galatians 6:1-2, there is no hint of harshness or cruelty. There is honestly little hint of formality until things get deep into the process. No, church discipline is simply one believer approaching another and lovingly helping an errant brother to turn around. This should mark our lives and our churches. But, if your church will only enact discipline if a person is going to jail, it will probably lack in the kind of God-honoring restoration James wants for us.

 

            Now, before anybody suggests that the things I just said in the last two paragraphs are reasons not to be a part of a local church, let me affirm that God wants believers to be connected to the local church. Find the best one you can. Do not make the excuse that, because your local church is imperfect that you cannot have any church to be committed to. God wants you under the care of elders in a local church body. God wants you to be served by or to serve as a deacon, a servant, caring for needs in a local church body. God wants you to sing together with saints, to hear the word read and preached, and to love and be loved by others.

 

 

            The truth is, God wants us to have relationships in which we speak into each other’s lives and we challenge each other’s thinking. God wants us to talk theology. God wants us to get into each other’s business for each other’s good. Please, for the good of others and the glory of God, do not be only partly connected to others in the church. Find a church that teaches the word of God, that emphasizes doctrine, that is willing to discipline, and that will not compromise on the Scriptures. Find believers who are willing to be challenged when someone raises a point with grace and kindness. Find a place where the believers will challenge you. Open your life to others who love you and love God’s word even more.

Jeremiah 29:10-14

 

10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.”

 

        I’ve never liked the question, “What is your favorite Bible verse?” As I have grown as a Christian, I think I am beginning to understand why. Asking this question motivates a person to pull a sentence out of its context and apply it in ways that God may not have intended.

 

        Of course, I have a great example above. Many people will tell you that Jeremiah 29 11 is a favorite of theirs. How great to hear God say to me, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Sadly, this verse is not being quoted in anything like its original context or intent.

 

        What is the context? The people of Judah are going to be exiled to Babylon. But, after the time of the nation’s punishment is over, God intends to bring his people back out of exile and into the land. After the 70 year exile is over, the people will pray, seek God, and be restored. They will repent, and God will show his faithfulness to his promises.

 

        That original intent is not at all what most people are thinking about when they quote that verse. Instead, most who quote that verse are “claiming” it as a promise that God only has plans to let them experience good things for all their lives. That has nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with the verse.

 

        Do I mean that we have no reason to love Jeremiah 29:11? Of course I do not. What we need to see from it, however, is the character of God. We also need to see the implications of the gospel. God’s character is one of a faithful promise maker and promise keeper. God always, absolutely always, keeps his word. He has plans. His plans will be fulfilled. He never leaves anything to random chance. Nor does he even leave his big plans in our hands. He is sovereign. That is comforting in this verse.

 

        Also, this verse is full of gospel. Just as God has plans to restore Judah after the exile, God has great plans for his children who are in Christ. This is no guarantee that our lives will not be full of hardships. Rather, it is a guarantee that, at the end of our sojourn on earth, God has perfect plans of eternal joy for his children. We can see that hinted at in a verse like Jeremiah 29:11.

 

        No, I’m not wanting to ruin anybody’s favorite Bible verse. But, I would like to call us to be careful, really careful, in the way we handle Scripture. Let verses like this, in their context, show us the glory of God and the perfection of his character. Let verses like this point us to the gospel of Christ. But let’s not pull something out of context and say that it applies to us in ways that God did not intend for it to apply.

Jeremiah 26:4-5 (ESV)

4 You shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law that I have set before you, 5 and to listen to the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you urgently, though you have not listened, 6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth.’ ”

 

            Here is a quick thought on the prophets of the Old Testament. Look at what God told Jeremiah to prophesy to the people. The word pretty much said that, if Israel does not begin to obey the commands of God, God will enact a particular punishment on the nation. I would hasten to say, without any actual measure, that this is the theme of most Old Testament prophecy.

 

            Here is what I think we need to consider. Jeremiah was not communicating anything that should have been new to the people. In Deuteronomy, the nation of Israel had been reminded that if they obeyed the laws of God, they would be blessed, but, if they rebelled, they would be punished. The prophets’ job, then, was to communicate to Israel the way in which God would enforce the very laws that he had already given and they had already agreed to as a nation long ago.

 

            Gordon Fee says the following about the prophets in How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003), page 184:

 

 

Through them God announced his intention to enforce the covenant, for benefit or for harm—depending on the faithfulness of Israel—but always on the basis of and in accordance with the categories of blessing and cursing already contained in Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 4; and Deuteronomy 28-32. If you will take the trouble to learn those chapters from the Pentateuch, you will be rewarded with a much better understanding of why the prophets said the things that they did.

 

            Understanding that the prophets most often spoke for God as they applied his already-given law to the present situation may be very helpful in opening our understanding of their words. The prophets are not as mystical as we often think. Yes, they spoke for God in a different way than a New Testament preacher may speak. But they did not often spend their time predicting the future in ways that are not basically God saying, “OK, I promised that this would happen if you did not obey, and here is how I’m going to actually do what I promised.”

 

            We learn from the prophets that God is faithful, that he keeps his word, and that he enforces his laws. We learn that God does not ignore his promises. We see that God wants his people to hear his commands and to be challenged to obey them. God also wants his people to hear his promises of blessing and to be encouraged by those promises to faithfully follow him.

 

            So, Christians, let’s be careful with the prophets. Let us not make them mystical giants who were hearing brand new, never heard of, predictive revelation all the time. Yes, they did hear such things from God and communicate it from time to time. But, when you read the prophets, what you most often see is them applying the already-given promises of God to the present situation as God led them to do so.

John 3:31-36 (ESV)

 

31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

 

            One of the ways in which the world around us does not understand the Christian faith has to do with how belief in Christ could have such a determining impact on one’s eternity. How, the world wonders, could God make the difference in heaven and hell simply be whether or not we believe this or that. Isn’t it OK to believe whatever you want to believe so long as you are sincere?

 

            John the Baptist, speaking in the verses above, understands the significance of believing the testimony of Christ. He makes it plain for us all to grasp. And, he shows just how it is that faith is so central to our eternity. This is because, whatever we choose to believe about Jesus is a statement about how we wish to stand before God.

 

            Christ has come. He has testified to the world that he is God in flesh who came to die for the sins of God’s children. He has had this testimony confirmed by rising from the dead and ascending to heaven. Then that testimony was further clarified by the writings of the holy apostles.

 

            What we do with this testimony of Christ is evidence of what we declare to be true of the character of God. John the Baptist said, “Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.” Thus, to refuse to believe the testimony of Christ is to declare that God is false, evil, untrustworthy. To turn from the testimony of Christ to your own beliefs is to look at the God of the universe who has offered you salvation and to say to him, “No thanks, I do not believe that you are honest or good.” To make such a statement against God is just as destructive as Eve choosing to eat the fruit in the garden and declare to God that she preferred to rule her own universe rather than obey him.

 

            John also said to us, “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.” To refuse to place your trust in Jesus is to say to the Father, “I refuse to love what you love. I refuse to receive that which you say is most important.” This is rebellion against God.

 

            This is how we end up with John the Baptist saying, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” The conclusion is simple. God equates faith in the Son of God with obedience to God. God has called us to believe in the Son of God. If we do so, we receive grace and life from God as we yield to his goodness and mercy. If we reject the Son of God, we have disobeyed God, and we then face God’s wrath for our rebellion against him.

 

            The world would say that one’s belief or disbelief in Jesus is simply a matter of opinion. People would argue that this is little different than preferring jazz to classic rock. But, in reality, what you believe about Jesus is the determining factor as to whether or not you are willing to submit to the God who made you. He has made a way, one way for you to be saved. That way is also a person, and one whom the Father loves above all else. To reject that way is to reject God altogether. To embrace that way is to embrace God and his mercy.  

Ecclesiastes 7:5-6 (ESV)

 

5 It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise

than to hear the song of fools.

6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot,

so is the laughter of the fools;

this also is vanity.

 

     To be rebuked is a good thing. What a strange thought for our modern sensitivities. We live in a world of autonomy. We assume that each individual has the perfect right to rule over his own life, making his own decisions, determining his own morality. But God gives us, in his word, a call to actually embrace being rebuked.

 

     Why is rebuke good for us? We are not perfect people. We think and act in ways that oppose God and his ways. And, when we are thinking and acting wrongly, we are quite often the very last ones to notice. But, when we have godly friends, we can hear that we are messing things up and be challenged to change.

 

     On the other hand, if the only friends we have are fools—the biblical term for people who do not know or care about God—we will not have any sort of faithful rebuke. Instead of warning us, fools just laugh right along with us. Solomon, here in Ecclesiastes, tells us that fools laugh and laugh through life. Their laughter at things that they should not laugh at becomes as regular as the crackling of a fire under a cooking pot.

 

     So, the point here is that we need real, wise, godly friends who will tell us that we are messing things up. Such friends are a treasure. Such friends sober us and help us to see the world and our own lives through the lens of reality. But, if we are not careful, we will only surround ourselves with people who giggle along with us as we destroy ourselves.

 

     These verses give us a great example of why we need a good, godly church. We need pastors who will preach the actual word of God to us from the pulpit so that we will know more than just a few principles for life. We need men who show us God’s word and God’s ways so that we will be challenged, encouraged, and rebuked. We also need solid believers to live around us, to know us, and to speak into our lives.

 

     And, Christian, know that God wants you to be this kind of friend too. God does not just want you to have people who will speak into your life. God also wants you to be the kind of person who will lovingly speak into another’s life. When you see a fellow believer in spiritual danger, warn them, gently but firmly, in order to help them to grow and to turn from danger.

 

     Who speaks into your life? Into whose life are you speaking? Are you a committed part of a local church where the word is taught and where lives are shared? These are things you need in order to live in a world that prefers to grin and giggle through life.

John 2:18-21 (ESV)

 

18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

 

            The Jewish religious leaders were quite upset with Jesus. He walked into the temple like he owned the place. He drove out the thieving money-changers and price-gouging sellers of animals. He frightened off the customers. He even brought up the original purpose of the temple in the faces of those who thought they knew.

 

            When the Jews asked Jesus to do something amazing to prove that he had the right to do what he had just done, Jesus told them something odd. He told them to tear down “this temple,” and he would have it back up in three days. Of course, this sounded impossible. It is impossible to rebuild a building that took over four decades, not to build but simply to renovate. No way could anybody do that.

 

            But, as we see in the text, Jesus was not even talking about the physical temple building. Instead, he was talking about something even more impossible than the Jews understood. Jesus was talking about the fact that, in a couple years, the Jews would kill him, but he would rise from the grave three days later. This was more impossible, because, Jesus would die a death in which he wore the guilt of all of the people God would ever forgive. Jesus bore the wrath of God for all the sins that God would not choose to punish in people like you and me. For anyone to take the brunt of that punishment and then get up again, that is more unfathomable than a man rebuilding the ancient temple of Herod in less than a week.

 

            What impossibilities do we face? It seems impossible for sinners like us to be forgiven. Jesus’ resurrection shows us that we indeed can be. Some hurts seem impossible to overcome. Jesus’ resurrection shows us that he can help us overcome anything. Some people seem like they would be impossible for God to save. Jesus’ resurrection shows us that God can do the impossible, even bringing the dead to life. Some churches seem like it would be impossible for them to grow and thrive. Jesus’ resurrection shows us that God can build up the body just as he brought up the body of Christ from the tomb.

 

            Jesus showed the Jews that he had every right to own the temple because he could do what no person in the universe could do. Jesus did what only God could do. He died the death of the perfect Lamb of God. He rose from the dead. He is infinitely superior to the temple as he embodies and fulfills all of God’s promises. So, Christians, let us worship Jesus and find our hope in him.

Jeremiah 12:1-2 (ESV)

 

1 Righteous are you, O Lord,

when I complain to you;

yet I would plead my case before you.

Why does the way of the wicked prosper?

Why do all who are treacherous thrive?

2 You plant them, and they take root;

they grow and produce fruit;

you are near in their mouth

and far from their heart.

 

     Sometimes, the best thing for us to see in the Bible is the honest struggle and pain of the people of God. How great a help this is for those of us who, though we know better, can drift toward doubt and discouragement. God has chosen to show us, in inspired Scripture, that men of God have expressed frustration at the seeming lack of justice and success that his people face from time to time.

 

     Jeremiah was frustrated and confused. He looked out over the world, and he saw that the false and the wicked were succeeding. Nations of evil men were thriving. Leaders of godless religions were leading many astray. People who mouthed the name of God though their hearts were not for God were growing their followings while Jeremiah’s influence seemed not to be strong.

 

     Of course, the main message that we are to gain from Jeremiah 12 is to see that God is acting, even when Jeremiah cannot see it. God promises to judge the wicked and to ultimately set all things right. We have hope in knowing that our Lord will not be ultimately defeated.

 

     But there is something else good to see here. Jeremiah struggled. People of God can and do struggle. Your questioning is not unheard of. This is not to say that it is OK to accuse God, for God is always right and always perfect. But, it is still comforting to know that we are not alone when we feel the dissonance of a world that is going in the wrong direction even though we know God is in control.

 

     So, today, Christians, let your hearts be honest before God. Do not feel that you are the only ones to have ever doubted or hurt. Do not feel that you cannot pose your questions to God. Yes, trust him. He will always do right in the eternal end. He will always be faithful. But, when you hurt, know that he knows. Know that he cares. Know that he inspired authors of Scripture to share with you their hurts so that you would see that such things happen, even to the prophets of God.