Jeremiah 50:31-34 "A Strong Redeemer"

Prayers for Fran Wood family, Sally Swanson family, Marion Hutson, Barb Boettcher, Connie Olf, Ken Van Camp Family, Kay Parker Family, Fay Carlsen’s brother Francis Steininger family, Dorothy Hotzel family, Bill Gustin’s brother died.

Jeremiah 50:31-34  A Strong Redeemer

In this last month we have seen many families dealing with loss, we have watched news of fires, tornadoes, and war.  Who can overcome this? This is the question of Israel and Judah. Babylon has been ruthless in it’s attack, defeat, and treatment of Israel and Judah. Though directed by God to take over the land, God is angry with the manor in which it has been done. It is a classic case of doing the right thing in the wrong way. (a wrong way to kill a rattle snake)

1. The Arrogant one
               a. Babylon then
               b. Babylon to come Rev 14:8, 16:19, 17:5
               c. A government, or world system, that is the base for the Antichrist and Satan

2. The Judgment of Babylon
               a. Vs. 31-33
               b. Daniel 5:25-31
               c. Rev 18:2-10

3. The strong Redeemer
               a. Movies and Books, the could, should and might work
               b. For Israel, the Medes and Persians, who let them return
               c. Revelation God sets the world right
               d. We have a strong redeemer
               e. no matter our life situation
               f. John 3:16, 1 John 1:9, Revelation 3:20

You have a strong Redeemer, one who died to save you, one who can cast away all the sin that oppresses you. Not a might work, could work, should work, it will work, God’s guarantee.

Jeremiah 33:1-5

This week has been one of watching the rubble that was More Ok. On TV. Heroic stories of people holding their child by their hair to save them and teachers putting their arms around frightened children, even a woman in the OR of the hospital who opened her eyes to see the side of the building gone. If you could put yourself in their place you would have some idea of where Jeremiah finds himself. His prophesies of destruction have come true. The people are angry with God so they lash out at Jeremiah and his warnings. Soon he will be in prison, his words burned, then tossed down a dry well.

1. Where Jeremiah is at.
            a. Jeremiah personally, house arrest, words rejected, prison, Cistern
            b. Jerusalem in ruins, starvation, destruction, siege works and swords
            c. Our life, people around us, our nation
            D. The rubble of life and spiritual starvation

2. The word God gives.
            a. “I will tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know
            b.  Vs 6
            C. It sounds to fantastic, unrealistic, how can God ever break through this?
            d. Yet God will bring His blessing, the people return, and vs 15 Jesus comes

3. The coming blessing
            a. Memorial Day
            b. our own broken Jerusalem
                        friendships, marriages, finical, jobs, health
            c. God’s promise of blessing
                        it seems great, unsearchable, unknowable, unrealistic, fantastic, impossible.
                        Yet it will come to be
                        Live to bring faith and hope to those who will follow us
                        Live through the troubles of today because God’s blessing will come

The great, unsearchable, and unknowable blessing of God is coming, and we live for it.

Jeremiah 24:1-10

Jeremiah 24:1-10

We were sitting with friends the other day one of them said that while many churches have been preaching good times for believers, her experience is that the most Godly people she knows have gone through times of injustice, and suffering. This is the experience of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah has been the prophet of Judah who proclaims the occupation, destruction and exile of the people of Judah. Jeremiah wanted better for his people, to be a prophet who wins the people back to God. The first exile takes place. All the best and godly are taken to Babylon.  Soon the evil people left in Judah will suffer one of the worst siege attacks of Israel’s history. To understand this Jeremiah is given a vision of two baskets of figs.

 

1. Past

            a. righteous to exile but protected

            b. the evil to destruction

            c. restoration

 

2. End times

            a. the righteous are taken, Matthew 24:40-44

                        a. taken through rapture or sword

            b. evil go through tribulation

            c. restoration rev 21:1

 

3. our lives today

            a. times of trouble

                        a. Jesus predicted it. john 16:13

                        b. Paul wrote of it. 2 Cor 4:6-18

 

Conclusion: Where do you find yourself today? Being blessed, being stressed, in exile? Know that where ever you are in this moment, God is watching over and protecting you. What times lie ahead we do not know. What we do know is that we have not been abandoned, and a time of restoration is coming, for those who put their trust in God.

Jeremiah 18:1-10

Jeremiah 18:1-10

It is a short hike from the top of Mt. Whitney (highest spot in the lower 48) to Death Valley (the lowest place). It is a short 50 mile hike. As I was walking in Death Valley I came across a patch of clay. Not all desert is sand, and in this spot was clay, hot, dried and cracked. With the help of a pick and a few hours work enough is dug out for an art project. Soaking it in water for a few weeks while beating it with a hammer made it useful again. With this clay I applied all my pottery skill and got a D on the project.

Jeremiah is lead by God to the potter’s house. He watches as a pot is being made, then crushed and remade. It is shaped and reshaped until the potter is finished.

Jeremiah is told several things that are important for all of us.

 

1. First is that God is the potter and we are the clay.

            We do not mold and shape God by our design, that is idol making.

            The world around us and even many Christians are in the God making

            Isa 29:16 God ask the question “Who made Who?”

 

2. We must cooperate with God

            The pot is marred because part of the clay was not pliable.

            We are pushed down to the wheel and raised back up

            As the potter desires

            Isa 45:9 “What do you think you’re doing”

            “I want to be a vase not a vase. “

 

3.  The potter has a reason.

            Describe the person with one word, possible, unfinished, clay, potential.

            God is still at work

            Be the clay

            Isa 64:8 you are the work of the potter’s hand

 

Will you soak up the water of life, leave behind your hard dried out life and attitudes? Will you become pliable, moldable? Will you dare to place yourself on the potter’s wheel and say “God, I am willing, make of me what you will.” You may be surprised to find that you really are a vase not a vase.

Boston

            Yesterday was Sunday the 21^st of April. I preached my scheduled sermon because I was still in shock from all the events of last week. People killed and injured by bombs, car chases, shoot-outs, first responders killed at a fire, how do we handle all that. I have struggled to get past the world is headed to and end thought. All through history that has been the answer and yet history has gone on. I can only find my answer in two very similar pictures that happened in two very different events, that I want to share with you.

               The first is a picture of a man at the finish line in Boston. The man is carrying a woman to his car to drive her to the hospital. Just before the picture was taken he had used his belt as a tourniquet to stop her leg from bleeding, saving her life. Seeing the crowd of people he was not going to wait for help he picked her up and carried her. One man carried one woman to where she would be safe.

               The other picture was taken on a bridge during the Vietnam War. A South Vietnamese soldier was the last one across, assigned with blowing the bridge. That is when he saw someone struggling to carry a baby across to safety. Seeing they would not make it, he took the baby, blew the bridge, and ran. He took the baby girl to an orphanage and left her in their care. Only a month ago were they reunited. One man took one baby to where she would be safe.

               Both of these pictures were taken in extreme conditions. But there are people all around us fighting for their lives. They are beside us injured in many different ways. They need someone to carry them to where they are safe, Jesus. We cannot stop their addiction, fix their broken marriage, or heal their live’s brokenness, but we can carry them to someone who can, Jesus.

               It’s really not that hard, God will show you how. They really are not that heavy, God will help you lift them if you try. Stop and look around you. Pick up the person God has placed in your arms and carry them to Jesus. No sermons, no scripture quoting, or finger pointing needed, just your time and love will get them there.

               Nothing can make sense of the events of last week. No law or government will have the answers, but God does. The answer to the people fighting for their lives all around us is in those two pictures. One person carrying another person to where they are safe.

Jeremiah 1:4-10 “Called by God”

Jeremiah 1:4-10 “Called by God”

As we start Jeremiah we come to His calling. Calling should not be confused with vocation. This is a special mission or assignment given to a person by God, usually at great cost. Here we get a look at the conversation of the heart that brings Jeremiah into the select group of The Called.

 

1. The calling

            a. Jeremiah hears God speak

            b. sometimes people hear it audible some it’s impressed on their mind

            c. Jeremiah’s test

            d. Isaiah 6:6 see’s God and there is the burning coal

            e. 1 Samuel 3:4 “Here am I”

            f. Ezekiel 3:1-4 Visions and an assignment

            g. Jonah 1:2-3 Runs away

 

2. The work of the Called

            a. Jeremiah 7-10  do not be afraid, uproot, tear down, destroy

            b. Isaiah brought judgment

            c. Ezekiel words of judgment

            d. Timothy green (winning goal for the wrong team)

            d. Jonah words of redemption for the wrong team.

 

3. Called today

            a. Called to a purpose, pastors and missionaries

            (Will you do this for me), Roy Pope, Tim Dillon

            b. teachers and elders

            c. every believer Romans 8:28-31

 

What has God Called you to do? To speak His word, lead His people, Teach, heal, encourage? Seek that call with all your heart.

Isa 65:17-25 “A New Way”

Isa 65:17-25 “A New Way”

 

Since Adam and Eve were removed from the Garden we have lived in a fallen world, filled with fallen people. The sins of generations have distorted and corrupted God’s creation. Sickness and death, it’s part of the judgment, hurricanes, tornados, and super storms, all part of the judgment. Sandy hook, columbine, Chicago, Afghanistan, all part of the judgment. In Isaiah’s time it was the exile. The way of things was that the world is sinful and God judges sin. But in Isaiah 65:17-25 God says there is a new way coming.

 

1. A new heaven and new earth

            a. This earth is no longer viable, redeemable vs 1

            b. Water, oil, food

            c. rules of life (blue fin tuna fisherman)

            d. a new canvas

            e. Rev 21:1-4

 

2. A redeemed people

            a. a change in the direction of living

            b. a change of values

            c. a change of actions

 

3. Living the in the new world today

            a. it is possible

            b. will not be complete (John 16:33)

            c. we will often fail (Romans 7:15)

 

This world and this life will one day collapse from the burden of bearing humans sin. But God is building a new home for us, one only the redeemed can be part of. But here and now in those moments we choose to live the life of Jesus, we bring a glimpse of the new way, God’s way, into the world.