Monday May 25, 2015

Coming up this Sonday : Jeremiah 18-20: Down But Not Out.

 Read Jeremiah 18:1-10

Do we know that God is sovereign? In good times and easy times, I suspect that the answer is ‘yes’ but in hard times I suspect that we often forget. In the midst of the mess of life it’s very easy to forget that God is sovereign and continues to reign on high. In the mess of life it’s easy to see the mud and pollution and the negatives. It’s easy to forget that God is still the Lord Almighty seated on His throne above.

It’s in this mess of life that Jeremiah was called to go to the Potter’s house. As he watches the potter spinning his clay the lump is marred. So the potter begins to make another shape from the clay.

It’s a simple scene but God uses it to teach Jeremiah a powerful lesson. Immediately the Word of the Lord comes to Jeremiah. Jeremiah realises that just like the Potter could do anything he wants with the clay, so too God can do anything He wants with people and even entire nations. God could announce that a nation will be built up or destroyed. He can do as He pleases with all nations, even the nations that refuse to worship Him.

But God does not randomly play games with nations like some heavenly lottery or game of chance. God calls nations to repent and to believe in Him, to worship Him as Lord and God. Nations that repent and turn to the Lord are blessed. Conversely, nations that continue in hard hearted rebellion are disciplined.

What a great blessing and comfort to know that God is so sovereign that He can do as He pleases. What great assurance to know that God has not lost control even though we may be in a whirlwind.

Knowing that God is in control strengthens us for the ministry ahead and allows us to endure and persevere through the toughest of times. As we minister and serve in tough times our hearts naturally ask and cry out, ‘When will this end?’ If we have the sovereignty of God rooted deep in our hearts then we can answer the cry of our hearts with the most reassuring answer, ‘When God’s purposes are fulfilled’.

Today in Australia we need to know intimately the sovereignty of God. As our nation races towards a redefinition of marriage, introduction of abortion on demand laws, the removal of God’s Word from all public arenas and possibly the illegality of evangelism we need to know deep within ourselves that God is sovereign and that He has not been caught of guard by any of these developments.

Will you not soldier on? Will you not continue to serve God and to minister faithfully? Will you endure the rocky road and continue giving to the Lord the great sacrifice of your service? When you know that God is sovereign and that His plans and purposes are in full swing the answer is ‘Yes, I will!’

Prayer:

Using the passage and reading for today spend time in

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

· Pray for the Session of your church that they would be men who know God’s sovereignty and are in tune with His Word. Pray that these men would be close to God and intimate with Him so that they can lead your church in accord with the will and Word of God.

· Pray that your church would grow 30, 60 even 100 fold as the Gospel is faithfully preached and as individuals take the Word of Life into their world and share it with others.

 Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. Share the struggles you are currently facing. How does knowing the sovereignty of God help in these struggles?

2. How did knowing the sovereignty of God help and strengthen Jeremiah?

3. On the basis of Jeremiah 18:1-10 how are you led to pray for your country? Include it in your supplication’s above.

                          P r e p a r a t i o n f o r C e l l

Read this week’s passage and jot down any problems or issues that come to mind about the passage, it’s application or meaning to you and/or your church.

                             O n Y o u r O w n

Key Words/Phrases                          Jeremiah 18-20

Use this space to write down and define key words/phrases. Look for repetition and biblical themes from other parts of the Bible.

                       P r e p a r a t i o n f o r C e l l

After your cell has met, jot down the solutions you found having studying the passage together.

                                S o l u t i o n s

Prayer:

How does this passage lead you to pray in terms of

Adoration: Confession Thanks Supplication:

Non Believers to be Praying for

              C e l l G r o u p - D i g g i n g D e e p e r .

The Passage:      Read Jeremiah 18-20

Before Cell, complete the ‘On Your Own’ section on the next page. Describe the context of this passage?

List the key words/phrases and what they mean? Use the previous page

Why was Jeremiah called to go down to the Potter’s house?

What was the key to the message given to Jeremiah at the Potter’s house?

What was the people’s response in 18:12? What was God’s response in 18:13-19?

What was Jeremiah told to do in 19:1-6 and why?

How did Jeremiah respond to all of this?

How was Jeremiah treated by Pashhur in 20:1-2?

What was Jeremiah’s reaction to this in 20:3-6?

How would you describe Jeremiah’s prayer in 20:7-18?

Is it wrong to pour out our hearts to God as Jeremiah did in these verses? Explain your answer.

Describe one practical thing you can take away from this passage that gives you stamina in terms of maintaining your ministry and calling. Think of your

head heart hands