Confronting Humanity's Rebellion: A Call to Redemption

 

Summary

In the book of Jeremiah, we find a profound question that resonates through the ages: "What is the matter with men?" This question is as relevant today as it was in Jeremiah's time. We gather not out of escapism but to confront the pressing issues of our world, to understand why, despite our advancements, we face such turmoil and devastation. The Bible, our guide, offers a singular answer: humanity's rebellion against God. This rebellion, rooted in sin, is the cause of our woes. Sin is not a superficial issue; it is deeply embedded in human nature, leading us to repeat the mistakes of history, unable to learn from past lessons.

Jeremiah's message to his people was clear: they had turned away from God, exchanging their glory for worthless idols. This is a reflection of the human condition, where we often reject the highest honor of knowing God for things that do not profit. Despite our intelligence and achievements, we are often foolish in matters of eternal significance. We are careful about our physical well-being but neglect the soul's needs. This contradiction is the essence of sin's perversion, making us fools in the most critical aspects of life.

Yet, there is hope. God's message through Jeremiah was not one of condemnation but of redemption. Even at the eleventh hour, God calls us back, offering mercy and forgiveness. No matter how far we have strayed, God's love remains steadfast. Through Christ, we can be restored, forgiven, and made new. This is the glory we are invited to embrace—a life lived under God's guidance and blessing, a life that leads to eternal joy and peace.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Timeless Question of Humanity's Condition: The question of what is wrong with the world is not new. It is a question that has persisted throughout history, and the Bible provides a consistent answer: humanity's rebellion against God is the root cause of our troubles. This rebellion, or sin, is deeply ingrained in human nature, leading us to repeat the mistakes of the past. [05:10]

2. The Perversion of Sin: Sin is not merely a lack of knowledge or understanding; it is a profound perversion that twists human nature. It leads us to reject the highest honor of knowing God for things that do not profit. This contradiction is evident in our lives, where we often prioritize the temporary over the eternal. [11:26]

3. The Foolishness of Rejecting God's Glory: Despite our intelligence and achievements, we often act foolishly in matters of eternal significance. We are careful about our physical well-being but neglect the soul's needs. This is the essence of sin's perversion, making us fools in the most critical aspects of life. [21:30]

4. The Hope of Redemption: Despite our rebellion, God's message is one of redemption. He calls us back, offering mercy and forgiveness. No matter how far we have strayed, God's love remains steadfast. Through Christ, we can be restored, forgiven, and made new. [47:53]

5. The Invitation to Embrace True Glory: We are invited to embrace the glory of a life lived under God's guidance and blessing. This is the true honor and glory that surpasses all earthly achievements. It is a life that leads to eternal joy and peace, a life that is possible through faith in Christ. [50:08]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:11] - Introduction to Jeremiah's Question
- [01:47] - The Relevance of Remembrance Sunday
- [02:59] - The State of the World Today
- [04:09] - Christianity's Relevance
- [05:10] - The Timeless Question of Humanity's Condition
- [06:22] - Jeremiah's Message to His People
- [07:18] - The Rebellion Against God
- [09:19] - The Nature of Sin
- [11:26] - The Perversion of Sin
- [17:02] - The Contradiction in Human Nature
- [21:30] - The Foolishness of Rejecting God's Glory
- [27:10] - Rejecting the Highest Honor
- [34:06] - Neglecting the Soul's Needs
- [47:53] - The Hope of Redemption
- [50:08] - Embracing True Glory

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Jeremiah 2:10-12

Observation Questions:
1. What does Jeremiah mean when he says, "My people have changed their glory for that which does not profit"? How does this reflect the human condition? [00:31]
2. In the sermon, what examples are given to illustrate humanity's inability to learn from past mistakes? [10:06]
3. How does the sermon describe the contradiction in human nature regarding physical well-being and the soul's needs? [36:38]

Interpretation Questions:
1. Why does the sermon suggest that humanity's rebellion against God is the root cause of the world's troubles? How does this relate to the message in Jeremiah? [07:18]
2. How does the sermon explain the concept of sin as a "perversion" that twists human nature? What are some examples given? [11:26]
3. What does the sermon imply about the hope of redemption through Christ, even for those who have strayed far from God? [47:53]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you prioritized temporary achievements over eternal significance. How can you shift your focus to align more with God's glory? [21:30]
2. The sermon mentions the foolishness of rejecting God's glory. What are some "idols" in your life that you might be prioritizing over your relationship with God? [13:07]
3. How can you actively embrace the hope of redemption in your daily life, especially when you feel far from God? [47:53]
4. Consider the ways you care for your physical well-being. How can you apply the same diligence to nurturing your spiritual health? [36:38]
5. Identify a specific area in your life where you feel you have strayed from God's guidance. What steps can you take to return to Him and seek His forgiveness? [48:12]
6. The sermon challenges us to confront the pressing issues of our world. How can you engage with these issues in a way that reflects your faith and trust in God's plan? [02:59]
7. Think about the concept of living under God's guidance and blessing. What practical changes can you make to ensure your life is aligned with this invitation to true glory? [50:08]

Devotional

Day 1: Humanity's Rebellion Against God

The question of what is wrong with the world is not new. It is a question that has persisted throughout history, and the Bible provides a consistent answer: humanity's rebellion against God is the root cause of our troubles. This rebellion, or sin, is deeply ingrained in human nature, leading us to repeat the mistakes of the past. Despite our advancements and intelligence, we continue to face turmoil and devastation because we have turned away from God. This rebellion is not just a historical issue but a present reality that affects every aspect of our lives. [05:10]

Jeremiah 2:13 (ESV): "For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water."

Reflection: In what ways have you noticed humanity's rebellion against God manifesting in your own life or the world around you? How can you begin to address this rebellion in your personal walk with God today?


Day 2: The Deep Perversion of Sin

Sin is not merely a lack of knowledge or understanding; it is a profound perversion that twists human nature. It leads us to reject the highest honor of knowing God for things that do not profit. This contradiction is evident in our lives, where we often prioritize the temporary over the eternal. Despite our intelligence and achievements, we often act foolishly in matters of eternal significance. This perversion of sin makes us fools in the most critical aspects of life, as we neglect the soul's needs in favor of fleeting pleasures. [11:26]

Isaiah 44:20 (ESV): "He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, 'Is there not a lie in my right hand?'"

Reflection: Identify one area in your life where you have prioritized temporary gains over eternal values. What steps can you take today to realign your priorities with God's eternal perspective?


Day 3: The Foolishness of Rejecting God's Glory

Despite our intelligence and achievements, we often act foolishly in matters of eternal significance. We are careful about our physical well-being but neglect the soul's needs. This is the essence of sin's perversion, making us fools in the most critical aspects of life. We exchange the glory of knowing God for things that do not profit, and in doing so, we miss out on the true honor and glory that surpasses all earthly achievements. [21:30]

Romans 1:22-23 (ESV): "Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things."

Reflection: Consider an area of your life where you have been wise in worldly terms but foolish in spiritual matters. How can you begin to seek God's wisdom and glory in that area today?


Day 4: The Hope of Redemption

Despite our rebellion, God's message is one of redemption. He calls us back, offering mercy and forgiveness. No matter how far we have strayed, God's love remains steadfast. Through Christ, we can be restored, forgiven, and made new. This hope of redemption is a powerful reminder that we are never too far gone for God's grace. It is an invitation to return to Him and embrace the life He offers—a life of eternal joy and peace. [47:53]

Isaiah 1:18 (ESV): "Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt distant from God. How can you embrace His offer of redemption and forgiveness today, and what steps can you take to draw closer to Him?


Day 5: Embracing True Glory

We are invited to embrace the glory of a life lived under God's guidance and blessing. This is the true honor and glory that surpasses all earthly achievements. It is a life that leads to eternal joy and peace, a life that is possible through faith in Christ. By choosing to live under God's guidance, we align ourselves with His eternal purposes and experience the fullness of life He intends for us. [50:08]

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV): "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."

Reflection: What does it mean for you to live a life under God's guidance and blessing? Identify one practical way you can begin to embrace this true glory in your daily life.

Quotes

We come because we are concerned about this great question of life and living because we are concerned about the state of the whole world and that I say must be the question in this enlightened sophisticated age in this 20th century from which so much was expected and of which The Poets of the last century VI with one another in prophesying its glories. [00:02:59]

The Bible is the textbook of life; it's the manual of the Soul. It is the real history, the story of man in this world under God. The real business of the Bible is to deal with this question that is so urgently in the minds of men and women today, and according to the Bible, there is only one answer to the question as to why the world is as it is. [00:05:51]

The world is as it is, men is as he is because he has rebelled against God, because he's fallen from God, because he's lost the favor of God. That's the answer, but as I've been indicating, that is worked out. It's not merely made as a general statement; it's broken up into its component parts. [00:07:18]

Sin is something very deep; it's very profound. It isn't something on the surface of men's life; it isn't the mere negation; it isn't the mere absence of knowledge or of understanding. Oh no, we saw that it is something that's down deep in the warp and woof of men's nature. [00:09:19]

Sin, as it were, twists men and perverts him and makes him do things which are utterly monstrous, things which rarely baffle our understanding. Now that's the matter that is put before us in these three verses that we're looking at tonight. Now you notice the dramatic way in which the prophet puts his point. [00:11:26]

Sin is that which makes a fool of men. Sin is that which turns men into a kind of monstrosity. Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this; be horribly afraid, ye be very desolate, saith the Lord. At what? Well, at men rebelling against God and sinning. [00:16:30]

Man was meant for a knowledge of God. God made man for himself; he meant him to be His companion. That is what God intended man to be. That's the biblical picture of man as God created him. He was meant to know God; he was meant to have fellowship with God; he was meant to have his life Guided by God. [00:30:08]

The world is as it is tonight because it is rejecting the greatest glory and the greatest honorable, and that is to live a life under God and with God and under the smile of God. Man was made in the likeness of God; he was made in the image of God. [00:32:56]

The world isn't considering this tonight. The world is living as it is. Why? Because it has no conception of man in his glory. It has lost this view of man as made in the image of God, standing upright, endowed with an original righteousness, the friend, the companion of God. [00:33:19]

God that sent Jeremiah to call them back at the 11th hour while there was still time, while the Gate of Mercy was still open, and all they needed to do was to acknowledge their unutterable Folly, their Indescribable monstrosity. They had but to return to God, acknowledging and confessing their sins. [00:47:53]

It matters not how far away you may have strayed; it matters not how hopeless you are; it matters not how black your sin; it matters not how foul your life has been. I have the authority of the almighty God for saying if you but see it, if you but recognize it, if you but go back to him. [00:49:33]

He'll give you new life; he'll give you a new start; he'll give you a new outlook; he'll make you a new man, a new woman; he'll adopt you into his family; he'll make you his own child; he'll lead you while you're still left in this world; he'll never leave you nor forsake you. [00:50:08]

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Transcript
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