Saturday May 2, 2015

Read Jeremiah 6

Even though retribution or judgement is a horrible topic and one that is grossly unpopular today in churches across the world, Jeremiah is called to continue preaching the Lord’s retribution. He is called to an unenviable task. In chapter 6, we see that the retribution is deserved. The Lord is not unfair and callous in metering out retribution. The punishment is deserved and earned.

Notice carefully the following verses.

· v6b    The city is filled with oppression

· V7     Wickedness, violence and destruction resound in the city

· V10   Their ears are closed to God and they find the Word offensive. They take no delight in it.

· V13 Both prophets and priests practice deceit and all are greedy for gain.

· V16 They refuse to walk in the good ways of the Lord

· V17 They refused to listen to the trumpet blast that warned them of coming judgement.

· V20 They burn incense and make offerings to false gods

· V28 They are hardened rebels going about to slander.

Jeremiah made it clear that the coming judgment would be totally deserved. So too at the great judgment at the end of all time, no one will be able to say that the Lord’s judgement is unfair. No one will be able to claim that God has been unjust or that all the evidence hasn’t been duly considered. Judgement will be deserved by all who receive His wrath and anger. Everyone will be justly and fairly repaid on that day.

But the incredibly good news is that in the face of retribution God always sends a call of repentance. Those who repent and turn to God will be forgiven and will be renewed by God’s grace and mercy. And so as an aside we can say that the difference between and unbeliever and a believer is NOT that a believer did good works and proved him or herself to God. The difference is not that a believer did not deserve retribution. The difference is that the believer had his or her judgement taken away by faith. The unbeliever did not!

God takes no pleasure in metering out punishment but does take great delight in people turning and coming back to Himself.

1 Tim 2:4 says

{God} 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Is God calling you to repent and to believe in Jesus? Is God calling you away from a life of sin and rebellion? Is the forgiveness of God weighing heavily on your heart? God is calling you today to turn and come back to Himself. He’s calling you to repent and to believe in His Son Jesus so that you too can have all of your rebellion and sinfulness dealt with at the cross. God is calling you back to Himself so that you too can be lavished with love and mercy as a child of God.

Prayer Points:

Using today’s Bible passage and reading notes spend time in adoration, confession, thanks and supplication.Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

· Pray that the Lord will grant repentance to the people you know who are unbelievers. Pray for each person by name and ask God to give you an opportunity to share the good news with each of them. Pray that all of them would come to believe in Christ Jesus.

· Pray that God would bring great blessing on your congregation and that this blessing would be joyfully shared within the congregation and outside of it so that more people come to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

 Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. Your non Christian friend Lambert comes to church with you and after a fiery and rousing sermon says, ‘But I’ve been really good all my life.’ How do you respond in a biblical yet sensitive way?

2. Can we have good news without judgment?

     Explain your answer