REMAINING FAITHFUL UNDER FIRE
Jer. 1:9-10; 20:7-13
Prayer
We can all think of Christians who are among the best people we know.
And yet, they live under very difficult circumstances.
Some have done their best to serve God.
But theyíve been plagued by tragedy, sickness, low incomes, family problems ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ
and a host of other afflictions.
Jeremiah was such a man.
God chose him before he was born.
He became a priest when he was very young.
He remained single because God told him not to marry.
He was so tender-hearted, he often cried when he prophesied.
He was faithful to God.
But he suffered some of the most terrible things anyone could ever suffer.
Today, I will discuss two passages that detail some of his personal history.
Theyíre meant to help us understand how difficult life was for Jeremiah.
And how difficult it may be for some of us.
They show that Jeremiah remained faithful under fire.
And call upon us to do the same.
Jeremiah said, ìThen the Lord put forth His hand, and touched my mouth.î
ìAnd the Lord said unto me, Behold I have put my words in thy mouthî
(Jer. 1:9).
I wish more preachers and Church leaders would pay attention to this.
Jeremiah was going to prophesy some bad things.
He was going to predict the judgment of God;
Predict the Babylonian captivity;
Predict the destruction of Jerusalem;
Deliver a harsh message that many keep out of the pulpits today.
But Jeremiah said, ìGod put forth His hand and touched my mouth and said I ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ
have put my words in thy mouth.î
These are God's words;
Not the words of a religious fanatic;
Not the words of a mean-spirited man.
Theyíre what God wanted the people to know about their future, if they ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ
didnít repent of their sins.
Prophet after prophet had already warned them about this.
But they didnít want to hear it.
Noah's generation didnít want to hear that the flood was coming.
Lotís generation didnít want to hear that the fire and brimstone would destroy ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ
Sodom and Gomorrah.
The ten northern tribes didnít want to hear that the Assyrians would destroy Ý them.
So no one repented.
And the floods came.
And the fire and brimstone fell.
And the Northern Kingdom was destroyed.
Someone said, ìGod's Word is like a highway sign.î
ìWe don't have to pay attention to it, if we don't care what happens to us.î
We don't have to pay attention to the sharp curves, speed limits and stop ÝÝÝÝÝ
signs, if we don't care about having a wreck, running off a cliff, etc.
Next, God told Jeremiah, ìI have this day set thee over the nationsî
( Jer. 1:10).
ìAnd over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to ÝÝÝÝÝÝ
throw down, to build and to plant.î
God prefers to build and to plant.
But when a nation calling itself a nation under God,
Sinks into the quagmire of constant sin,
And that nation wonít listen to the true prophets and preachers of God when ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ
they condemn that sin,
Then, God will root out, pull down, destroy and throw down that nation.
God would prefer that His prophets and preachers deliver a positive message ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ
of love, hope and renewal,
But when a nation claiming to be a nation under God, takes a crooked and ÝÝÝ
corrupt path,
And it tries to silence the prophets and preachers who call upon it to repent,
Then, that nation will come under the judgment of Almighty God.
This is the Word of God (hold up Bible),
Pastors can refuse to preach it;
People can refuse to listen to it;
But we cannot change what it says,
Or what God will do, if we ignore what it says.
Anyway, God put His words in Jeremiah's mouth.
And Jeremiah went forth saying what God wanted him to say.
But the people wouldnít listen.
They denounced Jeremiah's warnings of judgment;
Ignored Jeremiah's calls for repentance;
Laughed at Jeremiah;
Ridiculed Jeremiah.
His so-called friends deserted him;
Threatened him;
Plotted to kill him;
Had him beaten;
Cast into prison;
And locked in stocks;
He spent the night in jail.
And the next day they brought him forth.
Did that change anything?
No!
God gave Jeremiah another harsh message.
ìTell the people I am going to make them afraid of their own shadow.î
ìAfraid of their own friends.î
ìTheir enemies will kill them.î
ìThe Babylonians will capture Judah.î
ìJerusalem will be destroyed.î
ìThe treasures will be stolen.î
ìTell the high priest that he and his family will be captured and taken to ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ
Babylon.î
ìTell him that he and his family and friends will die in a foreign land.î
What a harsh message!
Itís so harsh that Jeremiah began to doubt his calling.
Have you ever doubted your calling?
Jeremiah doubted his calling.
This wasnít his idea of God;
A God who would destroy this nation;
A God who would let these people die in a foreign land.
Some commentators say Jeremiah was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
Some call him a cry baby.
Why?
Because Jeremiah was a good man;
A tender-hearted man.
He loved people.
He wanted to prophecy good things.
But God gave him a harsh message.
And delivering that harsh message just about got the best of him.
He said, ìO Lord, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived:î
ìThou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed:î
ìI am in derision daily, everyone mocketh meî (Jer. 20:7).
Jeremiah accused God of deceiving him;
Of leading him astray when He called him to be a prophet.
He said he wanted to resist God's call.
But God overpowered him.
And God FORCED him to deliver these strong words of judgment.
He wanted to be praised;
Loved by everyone.
But that wasnít the case.
Instead of prophesying the love of God, Jeremiah prophesied the wrath of ÝÝÝ
God.
Instead of receiving praise, he received ridicule.
So he accused God of deceiving him when He called him to be a prophet.
Jeremiah said, ìSince I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoilî
(Jer. 20:8a).
He said, ìGod, I want to tell you how I feel.î
ìEver since I started speaking for you, Iíve cried violence and spoil.î
ìEvery message you gave me was a message of denunciation.î
ìAnd God, the only thing you ever told me to say was bad.î
Then Jeremiah added, ìThe Word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ
and a derision dailyî (Jer. 20:8b).
He said, ìGod, I want you to know that saying what you want me to say is ÝÝ
breaking my heart and causing me trouble every day of my life.î
ìSpeaking the Word of God is causing me to be despised, mocked and ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ
ridiculed.î
ìIím under constant persecution because I say what YOU tell me to say.î
Next, Jeremiah made a very startling statement.
ìThen I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak anymore in his nameî ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ
(Jer. 20:9a).
He said, ìI decided I wouldnít talk about God anymore.î
ìTo resign my calling as a prophet.î
ìTo quit saying these bad things.î
Jeremiah was disgusted;
Ready to quit the ministry.
Charles Spurgeon said, ìWhen it comes to dealing with other people we all ÝÝ
need one deaf ear and one blind eye.î
ìOne deaf ear because we don't need to hear what everybody thinks about ÝÝ
us.î
ìAnd one blind eye because we don't need to see what everybody is doing to ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ
us.î
He said, ìThe criticism we get from others is worth about as much as the ÝÝÝÝ
praise we get from them.î
ìTheir criticism isn't worth much and their praise isn't worth much.î
Did Jeremiah abandon his calling?
He said, ìBut his Word was in mine heart like a burning fire shut up in my ÝÝÝÝ
bones.î
ìAnd I was weary with forbearing,î
ìAnd I could not refrainî (Jer. 20:9b).
Jeremiah was caught between ìa rock and a hard place.î
The pain of his harsh message was great.
But the pain of remaining silent was greater.
So he went back to denouncing the people's sin;
To declaring their coming destruction.
And that placed him in great danger again.
He said, ìI heard the defaming of manyî (Jer. 20:10).
He heard people ridiculing him.
And it was no small number of people doing it.
He said, ìThere was fear on every side.î
The people were afraid of him.
And he was afraid of them.
He heard someone say, ìReport, and we will report it.î
They spied on him.
They thought they could learn something to tell the authorities.
A multitude watched every move he made.
Jeremiah said, ìAll my friends watched for my fall, saying, perhaps he will be ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ
enticed.î
ìAnd we shall prevail against him.î
ìAnd we shall take our revenge on himî (Vs. 10).
They were hoping he would make a mistake that they could take advantage ÝÝ
of.
With friends like that, who needs enemies.
But these people where objecting to being told that their society was corrupt.
They sought to silence the messenger because they didnít like the message.
Next, Jeremiah said, ìBut the Lord is with me as a mighty terrible one.î
ìGod is with me like a mighty warrior.î
ìGod will fight for me.î
Doing what God wants is sometimes hard.
But doing what God wants always puts us in a favorable position with God.
Society will condemn our views on abortion, gays, pre-marital sex, the only Ý
way to be saved, etc.
But delivering the undiluted Word of God will put us on the right side of God.
Jeremiah said, ìTherefore, my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not ÝÝ
prevail;î
ìThey shall be greatly ashamed;î
ìFor they shall not prosperî (Jer. 20:11).
His persecutors would have a temporary victory.
But they wouldnít get away with their sin forever.
We find this teaching in the Bible over and over again.
The enemies of Jesus appeared to have won a great victory when they nailed
Him to a cross.
It seemed even more certain that they had won a great victory after He was ÝÝ
dead and buried.
But their so-called great victory turned into defeat when God raised Jesus ÝÝÝÝ
from the dead.
Jeremiah's enemies would temporarily succeed.
But their certain defeat was on the way.
He added, ìTheir everlasting confusion will never be forgotten.î
Their ignorance would bring them eternal damnation.
If we don't respond to God's plan of salvation, we may do just fine for awhile.
But if we never respond, our failure will bring eternal damnation.
Next, Jeremiah made a request.
ìO Lord of Hosts, who testeth the righteous, and seest the heart and the mind, ÝÝÝÝÝÝ
let me see thy vengeance on themî (Jer. 20:12).
Jeremiah wanted to see the punishment of his enemies;
To see their reaction when he was vindicated by God.
Did you ever want to see God take revenge on somebody?
Jeremiah did.
And yet, Jeremiah was so godly that when Jesus asked His disciples, ìWhom ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ
do men say that I the Son of Man am?î
They replied, ìSome say that thou art John the Baptist: some Elias, and others ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ
Jeremias, or one of the prophetsî (Matt. 16:13-14).
Some thought that Jesus was Jeremiah.
Finally, Jeremiah said, ìSing unto the Lord, praise ye the Lord;î
ìFor He hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoersî
(Jer. 20:13).
Following his request to see the punishment of his enemies, Jeremiah broke ÝÝ
into praise.
He knew his persecution would end;
And the harsh things he said would come true.
This is important.
What God says will happen, will happen.
We may not understand the details.
It may take longer than we think.
But itís a sure thing.
Godís quite able--and very determined--to do the things He says He will do.
What happened to Jeremiah?
They put him in jail.
And while he was sitting in jail, the Babylonians destroyed his nation.
They killed about two million Jews;
And enslaved about two million more.
But not Jeremiah.
He was safe in jail.
He was later released;
Allowed to live;
And included among the few that was allowed to remain in the land.
I will close with five quick points.
1st---Serving God isnít always easy.
Jeremiah served God.
But doing what God wanted him to do almost caused him to have a nervous
ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ breakdown.
2nd---Serving God can cause us to be unpopular.
People donít like to have their sin---and their tolerance of sin---condemned.
Some seek revenge on those who speak out against what they do.
3rd---God strengthens His people, during times of trial.
Jeremiah was disappointed because God didnít answer his prayers the way he ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ
wanted.
He felt frustrated;
Let down.
But God strengthened him.
God doesnít always do what we want Him to do during times of trial.
But He gives us the strength to endure, if we will let Him.
4th----We can throw up our hands and quit.
But that will be the worst mistake we ever made.
Jeremiah was miserable serving God.
But he was more miserable when he tried to quit.
One of my friends became a bi--vocational pastor.
He served a small Baptist Church.
And sold insurance.
He showed lots of promise.
Some believed he was on his way to becoming an outstanding preacher.
But a rift developed in his Church.
Some of his Church members started quarreling with each other.
He talked to them, preached about it, prayed about it.
Nothing worked.
Sometimes people harden their heart.
And nothing works not even the Word of God.
My friend resigned his pulpit.
He quit the ministry.
Some tried to get him to take another Church.
But he refused.
Over the years, his insurance business declined.
He went broke.
His mother died.
He moved into her house.
It needed a new roof.
He borrowed money against the house to pay for it.
But he couldn't pay the money back.
The bank took his house.
He went on welfare.
We can walk away from God, throw up our hands and quit, if we want to.
But walking away from God is the same thing as walking away from God's ÝÝ
help.
Itís a dangerous thing to do.
5th---Jeremiah's problems teach that ìThereís always hope.î
When Jeremiah went to jail, it looked like God had abandoned him.
But now we know that if he hadnít been in jail, he wouldíve probably been ÝÝ
killed.
Or made a slave in Babylon.
If we will remain faithful under fire,
No matter how bad things look right now;
No matter what weíre going through right now;
We can look forward to a better future.
God didnít establish this Creation for us to have a bed of roses.
He established it so that the best is yet to come for those who love Him.