Jeremiah # 28 09-27-15 MVBC Jeremiah 6:16 Thus Says the LORD: “Stand in the Ways and See, and Ask for the Old Paths, Where

Jeremiah # 28

09-27-15

MVBC

Jeremiah 6:16

Thus says the LORD:

“Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

1. Old paths  Our problem is not the environment.  Our problem is the distribution of wealth.  Our problem is not that we need to teach that God has many names and heaven can be reached in many ways.  Fundamentalism is also a problem.

Humor: On Sundays, President Calvin Coolidge went to church. According to a famous story told about him, after he had returned from the service Mrs. Coolidge asked him what the sermon had been about. "Sin", he said. "Well, what did the minister say about it?" she asked. Coolidge said: "He was agin it." Unknown

 The #1 problem facing our world today is sin.  Develop a fictitious scenario in which the following are interviewed by today’s current news team of Bill O’Reilly, Wolf Blitzer, Bill Hemmer, Chris Coumo, Megyn Kelly, Anderson Cooper, or Scott Pelly.  Adam  Noah  Moses 2

 Paul

Discover what the problem is:

 Sin in us…murmuring, complaining  Sin in our relationships  Sin in our home  Sin in the workplace  Sin in the church

“The Zoad in the Road”

Did I ever tell you about the young Zoad? Who came to a sign at the fork of the road? He looked one way and the other way too - the Zoad had to make up his mind what to do. Well, the Zoad scratched his head, and his chin, and his pants. And he said to himself, "I’ll be taking a chance. If I go to Place One, that place may be hot So how will I know if I like it or not. On the other hand, though, I’ll feel such a fool If I go to Place Two and find it’s too cool In that case I may catch a chill and turn blue. So Place One may be best and not Place Two. Play safe," cried the Zoad, "I’ll play safe, I’m no dunce. I’ll simply start off to both places at once." And that’s how the Zoad who would not take a chance Went no place at all with a split in his pants.

Dr. Seuss

Jeremiah 6:16 Thus says the LORD: “Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Old paths:

The Old Rugged Cross By George Bennard On a hill far away, stood an old rugged Cross The emblem of suffering and shame And I love that old Cross where the dearest and best For a world of lost sinners was slain [Chorus] So I'll cherish the old rugged Cross Till my trophies at last I lay down I will cling to the old rugged Cross And exchange it some day for a crown

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Acts 4:12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

 Path to salvation is clear.  Path to sanctification  Path to self-sacrifice  Path to service

In our contemporary church we have:

 removed the Word for music  removed the pulpit for motivational speakers  removed the church for the great outdoors  removed fellowship for foolishness  removed holiness for happiness

Illustration: Job’s situation was not exactly a happy one.

What path are you on?  A path for the soul to rest vs.16  “We will not walk in it.” vs.16

Our contemporary church:

 We will not return to prayer.  We will have separate services, for what’s to be learned from the old folks?

Joshua 24:15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

200 years later

1 Kings 18:21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

2 Cor 6:14-18 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will dwell in them And walk among them. 5

I will be their God, And they shall be My people.”

17 Therefore

“Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” 18 “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.”

Romans 10:14-15 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

2. No delight in the Word of God

Jeremiah 16:10 To whom shall I speak and give warning, That they may hear? Indeed their ear is uncircumcised, And they cannot give heed. Behold, the word of the LORD is a reproach to them; They have no delight in it.

 Who are these people? None other than God’s people.  The word is actually a reproach or disappointment.  Not getting anything out of it?  Ears

Personal illustration: Asked for brother’s hearing aids should something happen to him. I want to hear till the day I die.

Need for the entire Bible:  Genesis, the book of beginnings  We are a Bible church. The Bible is our main resource.  Everything we need to implement in our lives is contained in the Bible.

3. Fruit of thoughts

Jeremiah 6:19 Hear, O earth! Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people— The fruit of their thoughts, Because they have not heeded My words Nor My law, but rejected it.

 God or judgment  What you sow, you will reap.  No one likes me. What did you sow?  I am unhappy. What did you sow?  I can’t make ends meet. What did you sow?  I can’t find a church that suits me. What did you sow?  Life is vain. What did you sow?  I seem to be going backwards. What did you sow?  My body is falling apart. What did you sow?  I lost faith. What did you sow?  We are sowing every day.  We are reaping what we sowed years ago.  Somebody walks up to a coffin and says, “I’m glad he’s gone.” That’s reaping what you sowed.  Maybe it is time to sow a different seed.

Jeremiah’s listeners:

 didn’t listen to God vs.19  didn’t obey his law vs. 19

4. Burnt offerings not acceptable

Jeremiah 6:20 For what purpose to Me Comes frankincense from Sheba, And sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, Nor your sacrifices sweet to Me.”

 The latest in fragrance  They brought the most expensive into the service.  They made sure the smell was right.  Wonderful, fantastic, unforgettable, dynamic, contemporary..,

Does a contemporary service mean there’s no doctrine being taught at that time? Will its adherents go to hell happy? Are we keeping the main thing the main thing?

5. The day is gone.

Jeremiah 6:4 “Prepare war against her; Arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe to us, for the day goes away, For the shadows of the evening are lengthening.

God declared war on Israel. You can’t win a war when God is your opponent. The Babylonians were a tool in God’s hand. There had been lots of days to change the direction they were going in, but that opportunity is now gone.

 Walk up to the coffin and ask, “Would you like to live for the Lord?”

 Luke’s gospel tells us there was a man in hell that wanted to live for the Lord. It’s too late then.

2 Timothy 3:1-17 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

 Struggling pastors receiving no support from their congregation  Christians not doing what they know to be the right thing  What about me? Am I a good soldier of the cross?

Revelation 13:16-18 - And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

Jude 1:7 - Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Matthew 24:30 - And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Matthew 24:14 - And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Revelation 21:8 - But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

2 Peter 3:3-4 - Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

Quote: In the third century St. Cyprian wrote to a friend named Donatus,

"This seems a cheerful world, Donatus, when I view it from this fair garden under the shadow of these vines. But if I climbed some great mountain and looked out over the wide lands, you know very well what I would see: gangs on the high road, pirates on the seas, in the amphitheaters men murdered to please the applauding crowds, under all roofs misery and selfishness. It is really a bad world, Donatus, an incredibly bad world. Yet in the midst of it, I have found a quiet and holy people. They have discovered a joy which is a thousand times better than any pleasure of this sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They have overcome the world. These people, Donatus, are the Christians...and I am one of them.

SOURCE: Gordon McDonald, Forging a Real World Faith. Nashville; Oliver Nelson Publishing, 1989. Citation: From Edward England’s "The Unfading Vision."