Grace, mercy and peace be yours from your Savior who gave his life so that yours might be saved. Amen.
Jeremiah 26:8-15
As soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the LORD had commanded him to say, the priests, the prophets and all the people seized him and said, “You must die! Why do you prophesy in the LORD’s name that this house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted?” And all the people crowded around Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.
When the officials of Judah heard about these things, they went up from the royal palace to the house of the LORD and took their places at the entrance of the New Gate of the LORD’s house. Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man should be sentenced to death because he has prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own ears!”
Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and all the people, “The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the things you have heard. Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the LORD your God. Then the LORD will relent and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you. As for me, I am in your hands; do with me whatever you think is good and right. Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”
Dear friends in Christ,
Every parent dreads it – the day their child no longer follows their advice or rules. You know its coming. It’s inevitable. As the child grows older, the more they want to make their own decisions. They grow tired of listening to what you have to say. They’d much rather do their own thing. One of the first signs this is happening is when they roll their eyes at whatever you have to say. The rolling of the eyes is to let you know – they heard what you had to say, but they’re not buying any. It is their little act of defiance.
Have you ever wanted to just roll your eyes? Sure you have – we all do. Like when your wife gets on you because, as she says, you never help around the house. Ever. Or when your husband complains that all you ever do is shop. Now, both husband and wife know that if they say anything to defend themselves, there is going to be an argument. So the easier thing to do: roll your eyes. It lets the other know – you heard what they said; you’re just not buying it.
Not let me ask you this: have you ever rolled your eyes at God? You know what I mean? Have you ever sat there and heard what God is saying to you through the words of Scripture, but for whatever reason, you’re not buying it? You just roll your eyes.
Let me tell you – God’s people have been doing this same thing since the beginning of time. Oh, we’ll do him the honor of listening, but then we roll our eyes and go off and do our own thing. How many examples should we cite? How about Adam and Eve in the garden? They were told not to eat the forbidden fruit, but they did it anyway. How about the Children of Israel during their forty years of wandering in the wilderness? One moment they walked before God and trembled, the next they rolled their eyes and did their own thing.
And so it is with us. We too walk on holy ground but rarely do we tremble. The Lord thunders this word, but sometimes we view it as just noise. Instead of eagerly and humbly coming to worship, the trip to God’s house is reduced to mere ritual. And it’s not that God’s word doesn’t apply to our lives; it’s just that many times we choose not to apply it.
And as you can imagine, God doesn’t appreciate it when we listen to his word and then respond by rolling our eyes. He didn’t like it when his people did it in the Old Testament. He doesn’t like it when we do it today. Therefore:
Consider This Your Wake Up Call!
1. God warns us of judgment
2. God leads us to repentance
Our text for this morning comes from the Book of Jeremiah. Let me set the scene for you. About a hundred years before Jeremiah was called to be a prophet to Jerusalem, the Lord had punished the Northern Kingdom of Israel for their disobedience. The Assyrian army carried them away, and they pretty much disappeared from history. The Southern Kingdom of Israel, called Judah, should have been scared straight by that judgment against their northern brothers. They weren’t. Unfortunately, the people of Jerusalem placed their pride in their Temple. Not in God, mind you, but in the Temple. They figured as long as the Temple was there, God would be with them. They were convinced the Temple made them untouchable.
The Lord decided to get their attention. He sent the prophet Jeremiah with this message, “This is what the LORD says: If you do not listen to me and follow my law, which I have set before you, and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened), then I will make this house like Shiloh and this city an object of cursing among all the nations of the earth” (Jeremiah 26:4,5). Through the prophet Jeremiah, God issued his wake up call. The people were not just to listen to his Word; they were to live according to it. And if they didn’t, he warned he would do what he had done in the past.
God warned that he would make their temple like Shiloh. If you remember, Shiloh was where the Lord had his tabernacle during the period of the Judges. But when Israel was disobedient, the Lord allowed the Philistines to destroy the tabernacle and capture the Ark of the Covenant. So the warning is: change your ways and repent. If you don’t, judgment is coming.
You would think that when the Lord speaks, people would listen. You would think that when God sends a prophet, people would take note. Oh, the people noticed Jeremiah. He couldn’t be missed. There he was proclaiming God’s judgment in the Temple courtyards. But rather than change their ways, the people rallied against God and his prophet. We’re told, “But as soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the LORD had commanded him to say, the priests, the prophets, and all the people seized him and said, ‘You must die! Why do you prophesy in the LORD’s name that this house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted?’ And all the people crowded around Jeremiah in the house of the LORD” (Jeremiah 26:8,9).
It became apparent the people didn’t want to change their ways. They wanted to destroy the prophet who said they should. They refused to tremble before God’s judgment. They’d rather silence the voice that dared to warn them of it.
We, on the other hand, cannot follow their example. We cannot, we must not ignore God’s warning of judgment. Now I know the temptation is to say, “Judgment? Why are we talking about judgment? We don’t have anything to worry about. We believe in Jesus. We’re saved.” Yes, it’s true…that confidence does have its place in our lives. However, the devil can even use that confidence against us. Remember, Jeremiah was preaching at the Temple. He was giving the warning to people who had convinced themselves that what they were doing was right. The people of Judah enjoyed the idea that they were God’s people, but the problem was, they didn’t live like it.
Are we really any different? Do we let God’s word influence our lives only as far as the walls of this church? Oh, we hear what he’s saying. And as long as we’re here in worship, we promise to obey. But once outside these walls how often don’t we roll our eyes and do our own thing? “No sex before marriage? Come on, God! Nobody waits anymore.” “Love your enemies? Nice idea Jesus but that’s not reality.” “You say we’re supposed to be devoted to our family and our spouse? Why should I? They sure haven’t paid attention to my needs lately?” And with such thinking, God’s word becomes nothing more than a nice idea. God’s thunder becomes just noise.
Do you remember what happened on Sunday, May 18, 1980? That morning Mount St. Helens erupted. Nearly 230 square miles of forest was blown over or left dead and standing. For five years scientists had been predicting the volcano was getting ready to explode. And two months beforehand, the activity intensified. But people kept visiting the site, sneaking past barricades or simply refusing to leave. There were warning signs, but they went ignored. As a result, 57 people lost their lives.
In the same way, God’s judgment is coming. It’s no secret; the warnings are there. Everyone will stand in God’s judgment. And we’re not going to be judged on whether we’ve seen the inside of these church walls. God is going to be looking inside our hearts. Why? Because God wants us to change our sinful ways and repent.
After Jeremiah had proclaimed his message from the Lord, the rulers of Jerusalem came to the Temple to investigate the matter. “Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people, ‘This man should be sentenced to death because he has prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own ears!’” (Jeremiah 26:11). Isn’t it a bit amazing that both priests and prophets – those who should have known better – didn’t want to hear the truth? Ah, but that’s the way God is. He loves us enough to tell us the truth, even when we don’t want to hear it.
In the same way, God also confronts us with our sin. He shows us that we haven’t measured up either. Certainly the fear of hell – the fear of spending eternity in utter torment – ought to make everybody fall in line and gladly do what God demands, right? Actually, no. The fear of God’s anger might keep us from committing some sins, but it doesn’t take away our sin. If we only listen to God thunder his commandments, we might try to live according to them. But hearts that are motivated by God’s law do not serve him willingly or gladly.
Do you think God is pleased when he sees that the reason we come to worship is because of habit or because of peer pressure? Do you think God is pleased when he sees that the reason we put our offerings in the plate is because we have to? Do you think God likes it when he sees that the reason we care for our families, or the reason we defend someone’s name and reputation is because we have to? Do you think he likes it when he sees the only reason we share his word with someone else is because we’re afraid if don’t we’ll be punished? Do you think God is happy with that? Hardly.
God is now calling upon us to heed his wake up call. He’s looking for us to change from our sinful ways. And that’s the problem. As sinful human beings we are unable to change on our own. God knew that. So he took it upon himself to change us. He sent his son, his only son to do what we could not – live a life without sin. And now, by God’s grace, those who believe in Jesus to be their Lord and Savior have the forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life.
This confidence is now ours by grace through faith. And it is this same confidence that leads us to repent of our sins and to strive to live as the Lord would have us. Lord willing, this is why we come to worship; this is why we come to the Lord’s Supper; and this is why we support the Lord’s work with our offerings. It’s not because we have to! Lord willing, this has become our response to what the Lord has done for us!
However, please understand – Satan doesn’t want us to realize that. He doesn’t want us faithfully living our lives for Christ. He wants us to go back to the sinful life where God’s word doesn’t make us tremble. He wants us to think of it as just noise. “Go ahead,” he says, “roll your eyes at God. Forget about him – do your own thing.”
Let’s face it – he’s pretty successful at it, isn’t he? More times than we care to admit – Satan has us following him rather than God. Therefore, consider this your wake up call. Listen to what Jeremiah had to say, “Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the LORD your God. Then the LORD will relent and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you” (v.13).
The promise is there. Did you hear it? Those who turn from their sin and turn to God don’t have to live in fear. Because of Jesus, we live in the knowledge that one day heaven will be our home.
So may we consider today our wake up call. Our Lord is calling us to change from our sinful ways and to follow him. Listen to what he’s saying and then look at yourself. Don’t roll your eyes, turn him off and then go do your own thing. Listen to what he’s saying. Repent of your sins. And then give thanks and go home today with the knowledge that your sins have been forgiven for Jesus’ sake.
Amen.
And now may the peace of God that surpasses all human understanding, keep our hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus. Amen.