Embracing Life, Faith, and the New Covenant
Summary
The sermon begins with the pastor emphasizing the importance of recognizing the gift of life and the significance of Jesus in our spiritual journey. He encourages the congregation to share their faith and not be swayed by anyone who tries to turn them away from God. He then delves into various verses from the book of Jeremiah, highlighting God's love, faithfulness, and promises to His people. The pastor encourages the congregation to study the word of God and embrace the "wow factor" of His message.
The pastor then discusses the significance of the New Covenant established through Jesus Christ. He emphasizes that Jesus is not just a prophet, but the Messiah and the Son of God in the flesh. Through Jesus' blood, even corrupt nations can have new life in him. The pastor urges the congregation to accept Jesus as their Lord and to turn from their sins, acknowledging their need for repentance and a heart turned towards God.
The sermon then shifts to discussing the current state of war and conflict in the world, emphasizing the importance of not taking our liberties for granted. The pastor acknowledges the need for God's presence and guidance in these times. He then discusses the commonality between Jeremiah, Baruch, Abed MC, and Jein, who all listened to what Yahweh told them to do, even though it was costly and unpopular. The pastor draws a parallel between the destruction in Jeremiah's time and the potential devastation that could occur today, urging the congregation to appreciate what they have and not take it for granted.
The pastor then discusses the harshness of God's judgment on the Israelites for their disobedience, comparing God's actions to that of a parent disciplining a child out of love. The pastor highlights the contrast between the Israelites who did not obey God and the Rechabites who chose to listen to their ancestors and obey God, resulting in God's blessings upon them. The pastor concludes by discussing the consequences of defiance to God's word, emphasizing the importance of listening to God and choosing obedience.
The pastor concludes the sermon by emphasizing the importance of choice and repentance. He shares his personal experience of loving his child despite their bad choices, highlighting that God also loves us and wants us to choose to repent and return to Him. The pastor then discusses the message of Jeremiah, focusing on the oracles against the Nations in chapters 46-51. The sermon concludes by mentioning the events in Jeremiah 52, where some individuals, including Jeho kin and Jeremiah, survive as part of the remnant.
Key Takeaways:
- Recognizing the gift of life and the significance of Jesus in our spiritual journey is crucial. We are encouraged to share our faith and not be swayed by anyone who tries to turn us away from God. ([01:15])
- The New Covenant established through Jesus Christ is significant. Jesus is not just a prophet, but the Messiah and the Son of God in the flesh. Through Jesus' blood, even corrupt nations can have new life in him. ([15:30])
- In times of war and conflict, it is important not to take our liberties for granted. We need God's presence and guidance in these times. We are urged to appreciate what we have and not take it for granted. ([30:45])
- God's judgment on the Israelites for their disobedience is harsh, similar to a parent disciplining a child out of love. The contrast between the Israelites who did not obey God and the Rechabites who chose to listen to their ancestors and obey God, resulting in God's blessings upon them, is highlighted. ([45:00])
- The importance of choice and repentance is emphasized. God loves us and wants us to choose to repent and return to Him. The message of Jeremiah, focusing on the oracles against the Nations in chapters 46-51, is discussed. ([60:15])
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Jeremiah 34:8-24: "This message came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah made a covenant with the people proclaiming freedom for the slaves. He had ordered all the people to free their Hebrew slaves, both men and women. No one was to keep a fellow Judean in bondage. The officials and all the people had obeyed the King's Command but later they changed their minds. They took back the men and women they had freed, forcing them to be slaves again."
2. Jeremiah 36:1-4: "Yahweh tells Jeremiah to take a stroll and write down all the words he has spoken to him until this time. Yahweh or the Lord expresses hope that the people will hear these words and repent. So Jeremiah calls Baruch his assistant and scribe to write down all of these words."
3. Jeremiah 31:31-34: "The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the Lord. "This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time," declares the Lord. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the Lord. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
Observation Questions:
1. What was the initial response of the people to King Zedekiah's command to free the slaves in Jeremiah 34:8-24, and how did it change over time?
2. What was the purpose of Jeremiah writing down all the words spoken to him by Yahweh in Jeremiah 36:1-4?
3. What are the key differences between the old covenant and the new covenant God promises in Jeremiah 31:31-34?
Interpretation Questions:
1. What might have led the people to change their minds and take back the freed slaves in Jeremiah 34:8-24?
2. How does the act of writing down Yahweh's words in Jeremiah 36:1-4 reflect the importance of God's message?
3. How does the new covenant in Jeremiah 31:31-34 reflect God's love and forgiveness towards His people?
Application Questions:
1. Can you recall a time when you made a promise to God but later went back on your word, similar to the people in Jeremiah 34:8-24? How did you feel and what did you learn from that experience?
2. How can you make a conscious effort to remember and act upon God's words in your daily life, similar to Jeremiah writing down Yahweh's words in Jeremiah 36:1-4?
3. In what ways can you embrace the "new covenant" in your life, as described in Jeremiah 31:31-34?
4. Can you think of a specific situation in your life where you need to seek God's guidance and presence, similar to the times of war and conflict discussed in the context?
5. How can you demonstrate your faith through your actions to someone you want to share the gospel with tomorrow morning?
Quotes
"We have a new lease on life to not only ask God to forgive us of our sins, acknowledge our sins before him, turn back to him, but tell somebody else about him and don't let anybody turn us from God." [50:26]
"If we would only believe in Jesus Christ, have faith in Jesus, then everything else will work itself out, even through punishment you have a way forward for us." [51:19]
"This is the Covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time declares the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people." (Jeremiah 31:33) [41:58]
"Yahweh points out the stark contrast between the recites and the Judahites in Jerusalem. The recites continued to obey their forefathers while the Judahites have completely abandoned the commandments handed down by their forefathers or their father God, the Lord Yahweh." [08:40]
"Which one do you think is going to get the blessing? Not because I chose not to give him the blessing, but the one who just chose to obey. Quite naturally, he's going to get the blessing. Quite naturally, same children from the same cloth, but the choices are different." [10:23]
"Loving my child that has made some bad choices, I still love them. I still want to see how I can make things better for him, but I can't do it for him. He has to choose. That's what God is telling us, oh you get to choose, you get to choose."
"God fulfilled that New Covenant by sending Jesus his son, not a prophet but the Messiah. Jesus fulfilled what the prophets prophesied."
"Today we are without excuse. Believe in Jesus, accept the Lord, accept the blood sacrifice of Christ Jesus personally today, turn from our sins and turn back to God."
"The ones who choose not to listen, it's like saying no, I didn't sin, I'm not going to repent, I'm not coming back to you. No, my way is better than yours. And then he said, okay, have it your way. Have it your way. Then you're going to have it your way. There's destruction doing things our way."
"In my life, I know I can say, man, I don't deserve a thing when I look at some of the things that I have done that has been disobedience. Whether I was a teenager or even an adult, when I look at myself and I say, Lord, man, you are just, thank you Father for your grace and your mercy because I don't deserve to be living."
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