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3.8.15 Finding God in Unexpected Places Week Three
Jeremiah – Seeking the Welfare of the Place You Live Jeremiah 29:1-7
Pastor Douglas Scalise, Brewster Baptist Church
If you could be any character in the Bible for one week, other than Jesus, who would you want to be and why?
Jeremiah 29 begins with a letter from Jeremiah – stop for a moment and think about how amazing that is – we have a letter that is over 2,500 years old and we not only know who wrote it we know who delivered it! Here is the first part of it:
Jeremiah’s Letter to the Exiles in Babylon, Jeremiah 29:1-7
“29 These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2This was after King Jeconiah, and the queen mother, the court officials, the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the artisans, and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem. 3The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom King Zedekiah of Judah sent to Babylon to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. It said: 4Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”
Questions for Discussion
1. Have you ever had to move to a new community, state, or country? If so, was it your choice or someone else’s decision? What did you find most difficult about getting settled in a new place?
2. What would be the most difficult part of being forced to relocate like the exiles in Jeremiah or refugees today from nations like Syria, Iraq or Myanmar?
3. How do you think the exiles from Judah would have responded to Jeremiah’s letter telling them they shouldn’t plan on going home anytime soon and urging them to settle down and make lives for themselves in Babylon?
4. How would you feel about being told by the prophet of the Lord that you were to seek the “shalom,” the welfare, the well-being, of the capital city of the empire which had overwhelmed your country and to which you were taken?
5. How would you feel about praying for the capital city of the empire you saw as your enemy (which is what the Lord tells the people to do)?
6. As Christians, if we pray and work for the welfare of the place where we live, wherever we are – what does that look like? What are some ways we can do that as individuals and as a church?
7. How does working and praying for the welfare of where God has placed us help bear witness to the love and faithfulness of the Lord in our communities?
Read in Unison
Jeremiah 29:11-14, “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. 12Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. 13When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart.”
Prayer
Lord, give us deep in our heart the assurance that your plans for us are for our good and to give us hope. When like the exiles the circumstances of our life may cause us to wonder if you truly care or even if you have abandoned us, help us to keep on believing. Remind us that adversity and even suffering do not mean that you aren’t still with us. Inspire us every day to call on you and to pray and seek you with all our heart. May we have the joy of finding you no matter what we’re facing and may we be your people choosing life and hope and blessing our communities. In your name we pray, Amen.