SCRIPTURE READING : Jer 6:16-21; Jer 18:1-17; Jer 19:1,10,11; Jn 14:6
Kerugma
TITLE: Understanding the times( In 1 Chr 12:32 we read of the children of Issachar, under David’s mighty men who “had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do”)
SHORT DESCRIPTION:Read the scriptures about the ancient pathways, explain the background. Then describe the modern thought of post-modernism and its effects. Thereafter focus on Jesus as the Way, truth & Life. End with a word of encouragement.
SCRIPTURE READING: Jer 6:16-21; Jer 18:1-17; Jer 19:1,10,11; Jn 14:6
TEXT: Jer 6:16:Thus saith the LORD: "Stand ye in the highways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, `We will not walk therein.'
Jer8:15: Because My people hath forgotten Me, they have burned incense to vanity; and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, on a road not cast up
1. INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:
- Jeremiah worked (From 627 BC) as prophet / priest for 40 years amongst the kingdom of Judah, about 100 years after the kingdom of Israel was taken Captive by Assyria. Before this fateful event, the northern kingdom was warned by prophets like Isaiah, Hosea, Amos & Micah, but they of course did not listen. Now, 100 years later, Jeremiah is giving the same kind of warnings to Judah. By now Assyria was taken over by Babylon, who in turn had become a threat from the North. Judah was a tiny and exposed remnant of God’s people – would they survive? The answer depended on whether they would listen to God’s message to them. God’s plans for His people were linked with the historical and political situation over which He had control – He Himself would bring the enemy against His people. In Jeremiah’s preaching he was highly critical of Judah, especially of the leaders, and he suffered much for it. Towards the end of his message he brought the concept of the new covenant.
- Jeremiah had an understanding of the times, because he heard from God, therefore he could speak to the people on what they ought to do.
- Against this background the vivid messages of the work on the Potter’s wheel, and the vessel that had to be broken should be seen.
2. UNDERSTANDING TODAY’S TIMES:
- The philosophical age we are living in is called Post-modernism. What is it? Perhaps you’ll think it doesn’t concern yourself – but you’ll see shortly that it does concern you,and even more so your children.
- Post-modernism is a breakawayphilosophy from modernism (High modernism 1910-1930). Modernism was about totality,order, rationalisation, creating order out of chaos. About science that produces truth, and reason being the highest judge. Modernsociety they say organises itself by means of “Grand narratives” or “Master narratives” which are stories that cultures tell about themselves: e.g The USA – that democracy is the most enlightened form of government. Every culture/ religion/ ideology has such “grand narratives” about themselves.
- Post modernism rejects all these “grand narratives”. It favours fragmentation, diversity, there are no absolutesor reality (reality only exists in people’s minds), everything is relative to your cultural viewpoint, value knowledge only for its usability. It rejects the notion of the sovereign, autonomous individual and places emphasis on anarchic collective,anonymous experience, Collage, diversity,the mysticallyunrepresentable, the dissolution of distinctions,merging of subject & object, self and other. See expression of different subcultures: Women’s lib, Gay& lesbian Rights, Greens, Anti globalisation groups, etc.
- How does it influence me?
- Education: Teachers must not transmitknowledge to children. They must just facilitate the children to construct their own knowledge base.
-Health care: The science of medicine is questioned andsuperstitiousalternative medical technologies are being taught in medicalschools & practiced. (Traditional healers and sometimesoccult practices)
- Science is being discredited, opening the way for superstition.
- Law: Judges & law cannot be fair, because they rule from dominant political constructs that does not represent marginilised groups like the poor,women,etc.
- History: History cannot tell us what happened, because each group has its own realities
- Literature:Meaning of a text is not determined by what the author had in mind, but whata readerwill conjure up about it fromhisbackground.
- Bible interpretation: The message of the Bible is not authoritive, inspired by God, each reader interprets it according to his own background. We do see much of this in the various new ‘Theologies’ that have erupted – a theology for this and a theology for that.
- Religion: Tolerance – do not question other religions (Except fundamentalist Christianity)
- From Christian viewpoint: No place for God; Do not feel accountable to God; Do not recognize God; Man himself or something else has now become God, and the results are predictable.
- One cannot fail to see the comparison between Jeremiah’s times and today. And in the end the judgement of God is inevitable.
3. THE ANCIENT PATHS/ OLD PATHS.
- We have read the Bible saying we should be asking for the ancient/ old paths, the good paths.
- Does that mean we should live as our fatherslived?
- Does that mean then that conservatism is right?Is modernism then right?
- Does that mean we should go back to our previous lifestyles in South Africa?
- Does it mean we should live like our forefathers in Europe, Africa or India, or even old Israel?
I do not believe so. Let’s examine a few other Scriptures:
- Pr 14: 12 ¶ There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (You cannot trust your own insight, your own “reality”)
- Is 30: 21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, "This is the way; walk ye in it," when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left. (Choosing the right way is dependant on listening to God’s voice. There IS an absolute Truth- God Who knows better than your own ‘constructs of knowledge’ – it is something supernatural)
- John 14:6 : Jesus said unto him, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me. (There’s no room for diversity of beliefs to gain salvation – on the contrary there is but one Godly solution for all the diversity of the earth’s people)
- Acts 4:12 : Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." (There is such a thing as sin and guilt, and only one way to be relieved of the burden thereof – salvation through the blood of Jesus)
- 1 Cor 2:2 : For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.(True knowledge does not hinge on your perception of the Bible- but on your personal experiential knowledge of Jesus Christ – and that alone)
4. “WHAT ISRAEL OUGHT TO DO”:
- What kind a lifestyle do we need to adopt?
- I have good news for you. There’s no reason to be fearful. We need not fear the modern age, nor the judgement of God.
- As true children of God survived all previous ages & -isms, so also for postmodernism.
- We have an Allmighty Father looking after us.
- We need not fear the world- they should fear us!
- We need not fear that the Truth of God’s Word will be overtaken by philosophies in the world. All these philosophies will long be history, and then the Word of God will still stand.
- We need not fear that the things we believe are relative or only our own perception because : “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever!
- Who of you know what buoyancy is? A ship has got buoyancy – therefore it floats. A piece of cork has buoyancy, therefore it quickly rises to the top. So with the true Christian. In all circumstances he’ll rise to the top.
- 1Joh 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greaterisHe that is in you than he that is in the world.
- You can trust the work that God has done inside you.God has done an eternal and perfect work. God has placed an eternal hope inside you.
- God has empowered you for life – in what circumstances whatever, in all cultures, in all times – because your Help is the Lord of Creation.
- There’s no reason to be ashamed of the salvation and the message of salvation that you possess because that is the essence of what all people are seeking, although they may be hostile to the thought.
- There’s no need to be depressed,because God has placed a hope in you for this life and eternity.
- There’s no need to feel guilty, because your sins and wrongdoings have been forgiven
- There’s no fear of life, because if you follow after God and close to God He’ll give you creativity and He’ll inspire you to do new things, and make a life where there seems to be no way for others.
- We do not have to fear the claims of liberal theologians or other religions because Jesus Christ said: “ John 10: 28 And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.
- Although it is a priviledge to carry the gospel inside you we must remember it is also a God given responsibility we have to convey the wonderful message to those around us.
- Rom1:16, 17: For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one who believeth, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written: "The just shall live by faith."
5. CONCLUSION:
- Why have I read to you the passages about the work at the potter’s houseand the vessel that was broken?
- Of course it is true for our nation –God will reform us if we repent and turn back fromour evil ways, or we’ll come under His judgement if we don’t.
- But is will also be true of our lives as Christians. He will makesomething beautifulof our lives when we yield to Him.
- If we however do not want to submit – God may place us under His discipline.
- I therefore challenge you to again dedicate yourselves to Jesus Christ – the One who has paid for our sins.
- Where do you stand today? Are you perhapson the Potter’s wheel? Perhaps in difficult circumstances,and God is speaking to you – then yield! If there is sin in your life – repentbefore God and leave it! If there are problems in your relationships –please go and ask for forgiveness. If you owe someone something to someone – please go and do restitution.
- If you find a hardness in your heart, and an unwillingness to repent - beware! God may perhaps smite and break the earthen vessel of your life to save you.
Thus saith the LORD: "Stand ye in the highways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.