Returning to God: Hope and Redemption in Christ

Here they are in utter weakness and confusion and they're threatened by a mighty powerful enemy from CA who is waiting to attack them and to destroy their cities and to carry them away into captivity now that was the condition of the Jews the children of Israel at this particular point when God raised up this Prophet. [00:01:43]

The object in sending Jeremiah was one of Grace the intention was I say to spare them to save them from what was coming to meet them now then that is the general message and the prophet puts it rarely in one great phrase which is this that all their troubles are due to the fact that they've turned their backs upon God. [00:02:43]

God in his great kindness and infinite compassion and condescension not only sends this message he pleads with them you remember we were looking at that a few Sunday nights back he says wherefor I will yet plead with you he like a barister handling a case deploying arguments giving reasons God does that and here we see the love and the compassion and the kindness of God. [00:03:30]

The world has never been more troubled than it is at this present moment do you feel happy about the situation can you feel happy happy it's impossible I'm not only thinking of the wars we've had and the threat of further Wars and calamities I'm thinking of the whole state of society the problems the minor problems when you consider these terrible problems of the end of the world. [00:05:18]

Man is not now what he once was this is the first and the fundamental proposition of the Bible that there has been a calamitous change in the condition of man man is not now what he once was listen is Israel a servant is he a homeborn slave now what's he mean well what he means is this here is the prophet looking at the children of Israel. [00:11:06]

The Bible says is this that the story of mankind is not one of evolution it is one of fall now it's one or the other and the Bible is perfectly clear and explicit the Bible in the case of the children of Israel says this that's what Jeremiah was saying to these people he says you know you were not made like this this wasn't the story at the beginning. [00:18:06]

Man was created uniquely in the image of God man is a special distinct a separate creation man is not not evolve from the animals God said let us make man in our own image and in the image and likeness of God made he him how did he make him he made him perfect he made him upright he endowed him with his own righteousness and original righteousness. [00:19:19]

The world is as it is tonight because for the last 100 years mankind has been treating itself on the false supposition all our multiplied activities have been on the basis of the fact that man is rising and developing but where have we arrived where have we landed what of the success of our treatment isn't it about time that we stopped for a moment and began to think. [00:22:40]

Man is a slave in his mind he's a slave everywhere and unfortunately he's not only a slave in that respect he's a slave to these terrible unseen spiritual forces that manipulate the mind and the Outlook of men but oh it isn't it doesn't stop at that does it man is a slave of lusts passions desires of the flesh desires of the Mind an absolute slave to these things. [00:28:39]

Man is disgraced and humble I needn't keep you with this don't we see the disc race at the present time look at men with all his learning and all his knowledge look at him drunk look at a man of ability a man of integrity in his profession in his business in his calling drunk It's a disgrace it's a humiliation that a man endowed with such faculties and propensities should be talking like a fool. [00:39:48]

God sent his only son into this world to take our guilt upon him that's why he died on calvary's Cross his body was broken his blood was shed why because he was receiving the punishment of my sins and thus God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them but he not only forgives me because Christ has died for me he gives me a new nature. [00:49:23]

You can be delivered you can be restored you can become a son again a child of God no longer a slave but a child and what you've lost will be restored in him the tribes of Adam boast more blessings than their father lost and you'll be able to look forward to the future without fear and without Terror knowing that if you're killed Suddenly by a bomb it just means going to be with Christ Which is far better. [00:53:08]