Steve Gentry
[0:00] If you talk to a preacher, one of their favorite Bible verses, [0:03] you know, everybody’s got these favorites. [0:05] One of mine personally, and a lot of different preachers, is Jeremiah, Chapter 20, Verse 9. [0:11] I want to go ahead and get that up on the screen. [0:13] I want to start with that this morning. [0:16] I’m just reading that.
[0:18] It says in Jeremiah, Chapter 20, Verse 9, [0:20] If I say, I will not mention him or speak any more in his name, [0:26] there is in my heart, as it were, a burning fire shut up in my bones, [0:32] and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot. [0:38] In this text, Jeremiah, the prophet of Israel, [0:41] is proclaiming that if he were to just quit proclaiming the word of God,
[0:47] if he were to stop preaching, if he were to stop, [0:50] and as a prophet, he’s literally the mouthpiece of God to an entire generation. [0:54] And he says that if I stop, it’s like inside of me, there’s a fire and I can’t. [1:03] I have to keep preaching. [1:04] I have to keep telling. [1:05] I have to keep allowing God to speak through me,
[1:08] because he will not leave me alone unless I do it. [1:14] And in that, it’s this great encouragement to me. [1:18] But it’s like a lot of other texts in the Old Testament. [1:20] It’s kind of like the kind of the popular one, which is in Jeremiah, [1:24] that he knows the plans he has for us, plans to prosper us and give us a great future. [1:29] And I think sometimes the reason that we look at those verses
[1:33] and they don’t really coincide with the way that we’re feeling in our lives, [1:36] because I don’t know about you, but many of us go weeks and months and years [1:40] and we never speak of the gospel. [1:42] We never get in the word. [1:44] We never pray. [1:45] And there really doesn’t feel like there’s a fire burning in our bones about it.
[1:49] And the fact of the matter is, as I look at that text,
[1:54] and I feel encouragement, but then at the same time, I want to know the whole story. [1:59] Is this a text that just stands alone or is there more to it than this? [2:04] And the fact of the matter is, is when Jeremiah says this, [2:07] he is not having a mountaintop experience. [2:11] He’s not on this spiritual high where he’s the closest he’s ever been to God. [2:16] Actually, he says that right after he comes very close to blaspheming
[2:21] the name of God and calling God a liar.
[2:26] This text finds Jeremiah at the worst, lowest point in his life. [2:33] If you don’t know much about Jeremiah, he was a prophet [2:36] during a very dark time in Israel. [2:39] God called him with a special calling, and that is was to be a prophet, [2:43] to be the mouthpiece of God in Israel during a time in which the entire nation [2:48] was exceedingly sinful and in absolute rebellion against God.
[2:54] And he spent close to five decades, [2:57] 50 years warning Israel of the coming judgment of God [3:03] and the coming captivity that they would experience in Babylon, [3:08] and excuse me, in Babylon, that the Babylonians were going to come in [3:12] and just ransack Israel and imprison every one of them as slaves to Babylon.
[3:19] During the ministry of Jeremiah, he saw two converts.
[3:26] Fifty years.
[3:29] Jeremiah is sometimes called the weeping prophet. [3:33] And when you look at his life.
[3:37] I kind of get it. [3:39] So when he says this, he says this in a time where he really wants to quit. [3:47] He wants to give up. [3:49] He wants to stop preaching the word of God. [3:53] And he says, I simply can not because the alternative is even worse [4:00] than what I’m experiencing right now.
[4:04] One great part of pastoring is that I get to know a lot of you guys. [4:10] And we’re at a size now where I really know the lives and what’s going on [4:14] in a lot of the lives throughout the village. [4:16] And I’ll tell you, a lot of you are in a period in your life [4:20] where you’re facing and you’re dealing with great discouragement.
[4:25] Where life, let’s be honest, [4:27] it’s not working out the way that you thought it would. [4:31] Things are not going in the direction that you assumed that they would in your life. [4:36] And you’re facing turmoil, you’re facing grief, you’re facing illnesses even. [4:42] And you’re facing relationships that have broken apart. [4:45] And you’re just in a place where you are completely discouraged.
[4:50] And maybe people have come to you and they just said, you know, [4:53] you know, Romans eight, 28 says all things work together for good. [4:56] And you just want to kick them. [4:58] And say, if one more person brings me Romans eight, 28, I’m going to scream. [5:05] Because I don’t need to hear that. [5:06] I’m struggling to even believe the gospel for my life.
[5:10] Things are going so bad. I don’t need that.
[5:15] So I’m not going to give you that even though I already did.
[5:19] But I want to talk about is really what’s going on in Jeremiah’s life. [5:22] Why is he facing such discouragement? [5:25] And then I want to talk about how does that apply to our lives? [5:27] And how does my life coincide with a guy that could say something like this, [5:33] that felt this burden to preach the word? [5:36] And it’s because I think what we do is is we really misunderstand the gospel
[5:41] and we think that the gospel came to help us to avoid discouragement, [5:48] that the gospel comes so that no one will ever have to feel like Jeremiah felt [5:53] that the gospel comes to relieve all of my problems. [5:56] The gospel comes to take away all of the pain. [5:59] And the fact of the matter is, is that all of the analogies given about the gospel [6:02] in the New Testament tell us otherwise.
[6:07] Really, the greatest analogy that we’re given in the New Testament [6:11] is that the gospel is actually a call to death. [6:16] And that’s not very positive sounding.
[6:20] But we’re called to deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow him. [6:25] We’re called to die with Christ. [6:29] We’re called to crucify our flesh. [6:32] Paul actually says, I am crucified with Christ. [6:38] I don’t know if you know this, but crucifixion was somewhat painful.
[6:42] You know, with all of these analogies, somehow we convince ourselves [6:46] that we are going to be able to avoid the pain that the scriptures say. [6:51] The gospel invites us to walk headlong into.
[6:56] And we’re called to face this ugly thing called despair.
[7:04] And that when we face discouragement.
[7:09] This temptation to feel absolute despair [7:13] in our lives, where there is no hope, will come. [7:18] If you follow him long enough.
[7:23] Let’s get back to Jeremiah. [7:25] Join me in verse one of Chapter 20.
[7:31] Jeremiah has just finished in Chapter 19 of telling Israel of their coming doom. [7:37] And he’s in the temple when he does this. [7:39] And not only were the people of Israel sinful, [7:43] but even the priests of Israel had entered into a period of sin. [7:47] And the king of Israel is in is a sinful man. [7:50] And here’s what happens when Jeremiah prophesies that because of Israel’s sin,
[7:55] God is coming with judgment. [7:57] Here’s what happens. [7:59] Now, Peshur, the priest, the history tells us this guy Peshur, [8:04] he’s the chief officer of the temple at that time. [8:07] And the chief officer is really kind of the second in command of the priest. [8:11] He’s right under the high priest tasked with stopping any trouble makers
[8:17] that could come and defame the temple. [8:19] And Jeremiah, who’s the prophet, the mouthpiece of God, [8:22] he comes with a word from God. [8:24] And here’s how Peshur reacts.
[8:29] He was the chief officer in the House of the Lord, [8:31] heard Jeremiah prophesying these things, then Peshur beat Jeremiah, the prophet, [8:38] and put him in the stocks that were in the upper Benjamin gate of the House of the Lord. [8:42] Now, we don’t know if these were physical stocks like you might see in Jamestown, [8:45] but the upper Benjamin gate is where they would put people [8:48] that were causing disturbances or even had blasphemed the name of the Lord.
[8:51] So that they could be a public spectacle to the people of Israel [8:56] for what happens to troublemakers in the temple. [8:59] This is upper Benjamin gate is a place where if you’re passing by the temple, [9:02] which to go anywhere in Israel at that point, you had to. [9:05] And you could actually see a person and they would mock that person [9:10] and they would call that person sinful and they would call that person a blasphemer
[9:14] and they would call that person a liar. [9:17] It’s a Jeremiah first doing the thing that he was called to do by God himself. [9:21] He’s been beaten. He’s being mocked.
[9:26] It says the next day when Peshur released Jeremiah from the stocks, [9:31] Jeremiah said, The Lord does not call your name Peshur, but terror on every side. [9:36] This is a play on words. [9:37] Peshur literally means prosperity everywhere. [9:41] Literally, and in Hebrew, [9:44] Jeremiah simply does a play on words and he changes his name to terror everywhere.
[9:49] And Peshur’s name, this is why the scriptures filled with sovereignty. [9:53] Even his name represents Israel at that time. [9:58] That the most important thing to Israel at this time in history [10:00] was that they would be comfortable, that they would be safe, [10:04] that they would be rich with wealth, that they would be secure from anyone [10:08] hurting them or causing them to feel any type of discomfort.
[10:12] And Jeremiah comes against them and says, Your commitment to discomfort [10:16] has led you to worship false gods, [10:20] thinking that they will give you instant gratification rather than eternal joy, [10:24] which is what the God of Israel Yahweh will bring them.
[10:29] He says their commitment to prosperity [10:31] in the short run will bring them absolute terror from God in the long run.
[10:39] He says, For thus says the Lord, behold, I will make you a terror to yourself [10:42] and to all your friends. [10:43] They shall fall by the sword of their enemies while you look on, [10:47] and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon. [10:50] He shall carry them in them captive to Babylon and shall strike them down [10:55] with a sword. Moreover, I will give all the wealth of the city, all its gains,
[10:59] all its prized belongings and all the treasures of the kings of Judah [11:02] into the hand of their enemies, who shall plunder them and seize them [11:06] and carry them into Babylon. [11:08] And you, Peshur, and all who dwell in your house shall go into captivity [11:12] to Babylon. You shall go and there you shall die and there you shall be buried [11:18] and you and all your friends to whom you have prophesied falsely.
[11:24] This sounds like a guy with some guts.
[11:30] But then immediately, Jeremiah goes off to himself, [11:33] and this is what he prays in verse seven. [11:36] He says, Oh, Lord, [11:38] you have deceived me [11:42] and I was deceived. [11:44] You are stronger than I and you have prevailed.
[11:47] I have become a laughing stock all the day. [11:50] Everyone mocks me.
[11:56] See, Jeremiah.
[11:59] He’s following God, is obeying God. [12:03] And he’s not seeing any good outcome in his life.
[12:10] And he gets to a place where he’s probably as weakest. [12:13] He’s faced suffering. [12:14] I’ve never faced this type of suffering. [12:15] Where is it his weakest? [12:17] This is a prophet of God, a man who the spirit comes into and just speaks freely.
[12:25] And he gets alone and he says, God, you’re a liar.
[12:30] That’s what he’s saying.
[12:34] How dare you lead me into this life where I’m a laughing stock? [12:38] How dare you lead me into a life where your will overcomes my will? [12:44] And I actually feel you and I actually see you speak through me. [12:48] And I actually go to Israel knowing your power is in me. [12:52] But it is not fun anymore.
[12:56] So I’m dealing with real pain.
[13:02] You see, what I want us to understand in this is that the path of following God first
[13:12] is a path of pain.
[13:16] And for us, Jesus is God and we know that and he’s revealed that through the gospel. [13:19] Jeremiah hadn’t seen that. [13:21] But understand that the road of following Jesus is hard.
[13:27] He’s promised us that. [13:28] That the gospel does not come to alleviate the pain that Jeremiah was feeling. [13:34] Rather, the gospel comes to let us know and to give us the promise that in eternal values, [13:41] in the realm of the future where God will deliver on his promises, when he said he’s [13:46] delivered on his promises, that he will fulfill everything that he said. [13:50] He will bring us into his presence.
[13:52] He will eradicate sin and the powers that do things like what Jeremiah has done. [13:56] But the life that we have in this present sinful world is to face the same turmoil [14:03] that Jeremiah faces in Chapter 20.
[14:08] And that to live in the avoidance of that type of pain is to live, avoiding the very [14:14] life that Jesus told us we would face in Matthew, Chapter seven. [14:20] Jesus tells the people of Israel before his crucifixion, he says, enter by the narrow [14:25] gate, for the gate is wide and the way is easy. [14:28] That leads to destruction. [14:29] And those who enter by it are many for the gate is narrow and the way is hard.
[14:34] That leads to life. [14:36] And those who find it are few.
[14:40] Jesus tells us that the path of those who will follow him is a hard path. [14:46] Then in Matthew, Chapter 10, Jesus says this to his disciples. [14:51] He says, behold, I’m sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. [14:54] So be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. [14:57] Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their [15:02] synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake to bear
[15:06] witness before them and the Gentiles when they deliver you over. [15:09] Do not be anxious how you are to speak and what you are to say for what you say and [15:14] will be given to you in that hour. [15:17] For it is not you who speak. [15:19] Just like Jeremiah, for it is not you who speak, but the spirit of your father [15:24] speaking through you.
[15:25] Brother will deliver brother over to death and the father, his child and [15:29] children will rise against parents and have them put to death and you will be [15:33] hated for my name’s sake. [15:35] But the one who endures to the end will be saved when they persecute you in one [15:39] town, flee to the next. [15:41] For truly, I say to you, will not have gone through all the towns of Israel
[15:45] before the Son of Man comes. [15:47] A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. [15:51] It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher and the servant like his [15:55] master. If they called the master of the house Beelzebul, which means which is the [15:58] name for Satan, how much more will they malign those of his household?
[16:09] See, the call to come to the gospel.
[16:14] Is a call to come and die.
[16:19] A few years ago at Liberty College, I went to we had a missionary from India [16:24] come. His name was M.A. Thomas, a man who had been a missionary there. [16:28] He was actually from there. [16:29] He’d been serving for years and he had started a Bible Institute for people that [16:33] he had led to Jesus Christ and they would come. [16:37] And this is an area that is rampant with Hinduism and Islam and just all sorts of
[16:43] false gods and false religions. [16:45] And when they would come and when you would come and you would see the [16:47] you would take Christianity into these villages, even the Hindu ones, they would [16:50] kill the missionaries.
[16:53] When the missionaries would come and they would graduate, M.A. Thomas, this great [16:58] missionary who’s recently gone to be with the Lord, would have them recite what he [17:04] called the martyr’s oath.
[17:09] That they were willing to die for the gospel, but not only willing, but that they [17:15] understood that taking the gospel to the unreached places in India most likely meant [17:21] they would never see their families again and they would die.
[17:27] He would tell a story after story about how many of them did and they gave their lives [17:33] for the gospel.
[17:36] You see, I tell you that because I want you to understand in the scope of the world. [17:41] What Jesus says in Matthew, Chapter 10, it is happening.
[17:48] People are dying for the name of Jesus, but my question is always why?
[17:56] Why are they willing to give up everything? [17:59] Why are they willing to face death? [18:01] I’ve never even faced the threat of death for the gospel. [18:04] I’ve never been faced with the threat of my family turning their back on me. [18:08] I’ve never been faced with the threat of having to leave all of my possessions, but [18:12] so many in the world have and we’ve heard from one family in here that has.
[18:20] My question is why?
[18:23] I tell you what Jeremiah was facing was great discouragement and what you’re probably [18:28] facing this today is great discouragement. [18:31] But what God is doing is bigger than Jeremiah and it’s bigger than any of us here today. [18:39] And I want to talk about why is it bigger than me? [18:42] Why is the gospel more important than my comfort? [18:44] Why is this faith worth dying for and giving up?
[18:48] And the reason for that is that God’s faithfulness never ever fades.
[18:56] You say, what do you mean? [18:59] You say, if you look in verse seven and then on into verse eight, when he says, [19:03] You’re stronger than I and you have prevailed. [19:06] I’ve become a laughing stock all the day. [19:07] Everyone mocks me for whenever I speak, I cry out, I shout violence and destruction [19:12] for the word of the Lord has become for me a reproach and derision all day long.
[19:19] If I say I will not mention him or speak anymore in his name, there is in my heart, [19:23] as it were, a burning fire shut up in my bones and I am weary with holding it in. [19:28] And I cannot.
[19:31] What Jeremiah is facing in his darkest hour in the moment when he says, [19:38] God, you’ve deceived me. [19:39] God had not deceived him.
[19:43] It’s he’s facing the power of God in his life that will not prevent him to quit. [19:51] It will excuse me, it will not allow him to quit. [19:54] It will not allow him to give up on the power of God in the people of Israel [20:00] that even though he knows the outcome may not be good in his favor, [20:05] that God’s promises are going to prevail. [20:11] And this pain and this fire that he’s feeling inside of him,
[20:15] it is actually the grace of God in his life with power.
[20:22] And that the pain he’s facing is actually the grace of God, because let’s look at this. [20:28] If God promises through the gospel that all things will work together for good, [20:33] if in Genesis chapter 50, verse 20, Joseph had the faith to look at his brothers [20:37] who’d done great evil against him and would turn their back on him and sold him [20:41] into slavery where he faced imprisonment, where he faced slavery for decades. [20:46] And he looks at his brothers who took everything away from him.
[20:49] And he said, understand one thing that what you meant for evil, God meant for my and your good.
[21:02] How is that true when they’re facing such pain?
[21:07] Because even the sin of Israel did not go unredeemed by the power of the gospel. [21:14] What Jeremiah does not understand is that he is a forerunner of the gospel, [21:20] that God in taking Israel into captivity and then allowing repentance that will lead them out of captivity [21:26] and then procuring the people of Israel in exile, out of exile, [21:31] what he’s doing is he is working history towards the redemption of the people of Israel. [21:34] He’s working history towards the redemption in Jesus Christ.
[21:38] And that the reason that we know all things will ultimately work for our good [21:44] is that God is faithful to reconcile us to himself in Jesus and he will not abandon us. [21:53] What if God had abandoned Jeremiah?
[21:58] What if God had just said, fine, Jeremiah, I will leave you alone and I will leave the nation of Israel alone? [22:04] They would have faced eternal torment and eternal hell under the wrath of God. [22:09] But here’s how much God loves Jeremiah. [22:12] God loves him that even in his doubt, even in his blasphemy, God says, I will not leave you. [22:19] I will not forsake you. [22:21] I will make you so uncomfortable in your life that the dread of disobeying me will be worse
[22:27] than the physical pain that you feel under the hand of Bashur. [22:31] I’ll not allow you to leave me. [22:34] I will keep you. [22:35] I will endure you. [22:39] I will give you faith even when you don’t have it.
[22:49] See, in John 15, verse 20, Jesus says, Remember the word that I sent to you, Matthew 10. [22:59] A servant is not greater than his master. [23:03] If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
[23:08] If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
[23:12] See, Jesus looks again to his people and he says, understand that you’re going into a great life of pain for the gospel, [23:18] a great life of pain that the gospel is going to bring and I’m not ignorant of it. [23:22] I know it’s coming. [23:24] You see, we look at stories like this and we’re like, but we don’t face that.
[23:31] We may not face lynch squads. [23:34] We may not face death. [23:37] We may not face physical harm.
[23:41] But understand that your suffering is for the gospel.
[23:48] See, when God says all things, he includes your suffering. [23:54] He includes your doubt. [23:57] He includes your heartache. [23:59] He includes those people that turn their back on you. [24:03] He includes those promises that people don’t keep towards you. [24:07] You’re being persecuted day in and day out in the despair that you believe is setting place in your life
[24:12] to where you won’t live for the gospel. [24:14] It’s coming because you’re being persecuted. [24:16] In Ephesians chapter six,
[24:21] Paul includes the persecution that comes not from people, but from Satan and his demons. [24:26] He says, for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, [24:30] against the cosmic powers over this present age, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. [24:35] Therefore, take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day [24:42] and having done all to stand firm.
[24:48] See, Jesus is not simply talking about the persecution in the first century under Rome. [24:54] He’s not simply talking about the persecution that he would face in the cross. [24:57] He’s talking about the persecution that we endure day in and day out from the enemy for the gospel.
[25:06] Where do you think that doubt in your mind comes from? [25:10] Where do you think that temptation to quit comes from?
[25:17] Where do you think that sin that you know has been covered by the grace of God, [25:24] the guilt for that sin continues to come into your mind?
[25:29] God can’t use you.
[25:32] God doesn’t use sinners.
[25:36] God’s power can’t be alive in your life. [25:39] Look at what you did. Look at what you are. [25:42] You begin to define yourself by your sin. [25:45] See, the persecution that you face is a persecution to not believe the gospel for all of your sins, [25:49] to not believe the gospel for all of your enemies, to not believe the gospel for all of your doubts. [25:53] That’s the persecution that we often face in this culture.
[25:59] The scriptures warn us. The scriptures say, it’s coming.
[26:03] It’s coming. [26:04] But it doesn’t say, prepare yourself by being tough. [26:10] Prepare yourself by just biting down and just facing it head on.
[26:17] The scripture says, no, no, no. [26:20] Take up the armor of God.
[26:27] Because when you face an enemy that you can’t even see, [26:30] when you face an enemy that can confuse you and you don’t even know where it’s coming from, [26:38] the power to face an enemy doesn’t come from you. [26:43] See, Jeremiah’s power did not come from him. [26:47] His power came from God. [26:49] And he didn’t understand it.
[26:51] And he couldn’t escape it. [26:53] And he said, God, you have just simply overcome me with your power. [26:58] How does that even take place? [27:00] And in the gospel, we understand it. [27:03] Because Jesus says in John chapter 14, he says, if I go one greater than I will come, [27:09] and he’s the comforter, he’s the God, you will see miracles through him that are greater than anything I’ve even done.
[27:15] You will see people’s lives changed. [27:18] And Jeremiah faces this great turmoil so that in part I can look at it and I can say, [27:25] I know what pain looks like and I feel like I’ve been where Jeremiah is. [27:29] But I feel and I want the power of God to endure me because I know because of the gospel that if I turn my back on God [27:37] and if I do not live the mission of Jesus and I do not go headlong into a life where the gospel is my number one desire [27:45] and it is my number one power and it is my number one value and it is my number one vision,
[27:50] if I do not go into that life, then I know the outcome will be complete absence of the life of God in my life. [27:58] And that is more pain than I can bear.
[28:03] And the difference between a follower of Jesus and someone that’s just pretending to be a follower of Jesus [28:08] is that a follower of Jesus would rather have Jesus than anything.
[28:14] And someone that’s masquerading.
[28:18] Someone that believes a false gospel that the gospel is going to come and just take my pain away.
[28:24] See, there’s a great chance that you believe in a cosmic genie that doesn’t even exist.
[28:34] Because what Jesus has called us to is a life in which he is our treasure.
[28:41] A life in which he’s our great desire. [28:44] A life that shows the world that whether I face doubt, whether I face destruction, [28:50] whether I face pain, no matter what, whether every person I know turns their back on me, [28:58] as long as I have God, I have the greatest treasure I could ever have.
[29:09] See, the Spirit of God gives the grace of endurance.
[29:15] Look at verse 10. [29:18] For I hear many whispering, terror on every side, which is what he prophesied. [29:24] Denounce him. Let us denounce him. [29:26] Say, all my close friends watching for my fall, perhaps he will be deceived. [29:31] Then we can overcome him and take our revenge on him. [29:37] See, Jeremiah is facing the loss of friendship.
[29:40] Jeremiah is facing people gossiping about him. [29:44] Jeremiah is facing, on a level that we’ve never experienced, people saying, [29:47] if you read the text, yeah, his message is coming from God, [29:51] but maybe he’ll give us a wrong message one time, and we can jump on it, [29:55] and we can show that we don’t like him, and we can actually have his downfall on our hands.
[30:05] But then look at the promise of God in verse 11.
[30:09] But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior.
[30:16] Therefore my persecutors will stumble. [30:19] They will not overcome me. [30:22] They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. [30:26] Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten. [30:31] Jeremiah finally comes to a place where he looks, and he says, [30:35] in spite of everything I’m enduring, I know and I trust that as long as God is on my side,
[30:44] I will not be overcome, but I must continue to live in trusting him above trusting my circumstances. [30:55] See, many of you this morning, you’re facing discouragement [30:57] and you’re trusting your circumstances over trusting the power of God in your life.
[31:03] And part of it is that you haven’t been living the mission, [31:06] so all you have to trust are the circumstances in your life. [31:09] All you have to hold on to is how things went yesterday. [31:14] All you have to hold on to is your job, your family, your house, your comfort, your security. [31:24] That’s all you have.
[31:28] And so when they begin to crumble, your life falls apart.
[31:36] But Jeremiah looks at his life, which is literally falling apart before him, [31:42] facing the possibility of being executed by his own people whom he loves.
[31:49] And he says, but I know that the Lord is with me as a dread warrior, [31:53] and no matter what the outcome, I have eternity in his presence, [31:57] while those whom only have that which is in this world will have eternal torment.
[32:08] You see, the Spirit of God gives him the grace of endurance. [32:13] Because in Ephesians 1.13, we have the same endurance [32:16] because Ephesians 1.13 says that those whom have been redeemed, [32:20] those who have been saved by God, have been called into our relationship with him [32:24] and have been sealed until the day of redemption by the promised Holy Spirit.
[32:31] God has promised that we will not endure ourselves. [32:34] He will endure us when we trust him.
[32:40] And when we don’t understand the suffering, we look to God’s Word in Romans 5.3. [32:45] It says that suffering produces endurance. [32:50] And endurance produces character. And what does character produce? [32:53] It produces hope.
[32:57] And then in Romans 8.18, Paul writes that the suffering of this modern age [33:02] is not even worth comparing to the greatness that God has promised us in the coming kingdom. [33:11] That he will reveal a great splendor and a great pleasure and a great joy to us in his kingdom. [33:17] That even if I face terminal suffering in this world, [33:22] whether it be persecution, whether it be sickness,
[33:28] I believe that he has a hope for me that isn’t even worth comparing to this illness.
[33:38] And you say, but that is so hard.
[33:42] Steve, you don’t know what I’m going through. You’re absolutely right, I don’t. [33:46] Some of you, I do. And you’re like, did he write the Thurman for me? Probably. [33:51] And that’s like 17 people right now, every one of you. But only you. [33:56] No, I’m just kidding.
[34:00] You say, how do I go into a life where it’s just painful?
[34:08] Where I feel like I’m losing everything. Maybe you’ve lost a business. [34:11] Maybe you’re in bankruptcy right now. Maybe you’ve lost loved ones. [34:15] Maybe you’ve lost a spouse. Maybe someone’s turned their back on you. [34:19] Maybe you’re sick. And you’re ill.
[34:26] You’ve got cancer. You’ve got some other illness. And you think it might be even terminal.
[34:33] And you say, how can I believe that God is good when everything in the world is telling me he’s not?
[34:44] And when I say the gospel, I want to lend why the gospel says it. [34:52] See, in Romans chapter 8, starting in verse 31,
[34:59] Paul writes, he’s coming off of where he said that the suffering in this age don’t even compare to the glory we have in him. [35:05] And here’s what he says in Romans 8. He says, what shall we say to these things?
[35:11] If God is for us, who can be against us? [35:14] Take it off the screen real quick, because I know you guys will just keep reading and I’ll listen to you.
[35:21] I want to stop. And I heard, I’m not going to lie, this isn’t plagiarism, because I’m going to cite it.
[35:27] John Piper, years ago, when I was probably a sophomore in college, I heard a sermon by him on this very text.
[35:35] And he put it differently, but I’ll put it this way for this sermon. [35:40] Who will stand against us? That’s an interesting question. [35:43] Because if you ask Jeremiah, what’s he going to say? [35:46] Peshawar.
[35:49] The whole nation of Israel is standing against me. Duh.
[35:57] I ask you, who or what is standing against you? [36:00] Because we know Satan and his demons are standing against us. [36:04] Maybe sickness is standing against you. [36:07] Maybe doubt in the Gospel, or doubt in your endurance, or doubt in your spouse. [36:16] I don’t know. Doubt on any number of levels is standing against you. [36:21] Maybe financial ruin is standing against you.
[36:24] Maybe failed businesses are standing against you. [36:27] Maybe just a relationship gone sour and it is standing against you. [36:31] Maybe a spouse whom you trusted with everything is now standing against you. [36:36] Or a child, or a parent, or a sibling, or a friend is standing against you. [36:43] Or an enemy at work, because I know they exist, there’s one at every job, is standing against you. [36:49] Maybe you’re being accused of something you didn’t do.
[36:51] Maybe you’re called a liar when you know you told the truth. [36:55] And that standing against you. [36:57] Or maybe you’ve sinned and your sin is standing against you right now.
[37:06] Put it back up, please.
[37:13] Verse 32. [37:15] He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all, [37:20] how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? [37:24] Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? [37:27] And you say, I hear them all the time. [37:30] I know my sin.
[37:32] I know those whom have sinned against me. [37:34] They’re bringing charges against me. [37:36] He says, it is God who justifies, not them.
[37:42] He says, who is to condemn? [37:43] Christ Jesus is the one who died. [37:45] More than that, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, [37:49] who indeed is interceding for us. [37:51] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [37:53] Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness
[37:58] or danger or sword, as it is written, for your sake we are being killed all day long, [38:02] we are regarded as sheep for the slaughter? [38:04] No!
[38:07] In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38:13] For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, [38:17] nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, [38:20] nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us [38:24] from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. [38:26] Paul is looking at the realm of eternity.
[38:29] Read a little bit about Paul. [38:30] He had plenty of people standing against him, [38:32] plenty of people making charges against him. [38:34] And he looks at the realm of eternity and he says, [38:36] in the scope of eternity, the charges that are being brought against me [38:40] by those whom would lie about me is not worth comparing
[38:43] to the eternal splendor that God has promised me [38:47] and proven to me by the fact that he sacrificed his own son for my redemption [38:53] so that I could be reconciled to him, [38:56] so that I could be in a relationship with him. [38:58] He has spared no expense. [39:00] He has given everything over to me.
[39:02] He’s called me a joint heir with Christ. [39:04] He’s filled me with his Spirit. [39:05] I have the life of God in me. [39:07] He’s called my body his temple. [39:09] He’s come into me. [39:11] And Paul looks at that and says,
[39:12] my doubt will not succeed. [39:15] My sin will not succeed. [39:18] My pain will not succeed. [39:21] My sickness will not succeed. [39:23] Those who stand against me will not succeed. [39:26] Those who would taunt me will not succeed.
[39:28] Satan himself can come into my living room [39:31] and call me a sinner to my face. [39:33] And I can look at him and I can say, [39:34] you’ll not succeed because the cross of Christ succeeds above all [39:40] and he will restore us to his kingdom one day. [39:45] And when we look at a life filled with pain
[39:47] and we look at a life filled with temptation [39:50] and we look at a life and we say, [39:51] God, what have you gotten me into? [39:53] He looks to us and he says, [39:55] you can trust me because of my son.
[40:00] He says, I know. [40:04] It’s about as clear as mud right now.
[40:08] But look to Jesus, [40:11] because he’s the proof [40:12] that I will spare no expense
[40:18] at being in relationship with you.
[40:25] So Jeremiah in verse 13,
[40:29] for a moment, because he then faces some more discouragement, [40:33] he says, sing praises to the Lord.
[40:40] Isn’t it amazing?
[40:44] That God allows a man
[40:47] who calls him a liar [40:49] to just a few moments later, [40:52] sing his praises. [40:55] And you say, that doesn’t make much sense.
[41:01] And I don’t know why God does that. [41:02] I don’t know why God redeems us. [41:04] I don’t know why God wants me. [41:07] But I’m thankful he does.
[41:11] Because God will not stop fighting for you.
[41:19] Do not stop fighting for God.
[41:25] Because when you are down to your last breath of strength,
[41:37] you’ll continue to be able to fight.
[41:42] And when you’re living for the Gospel, [41:44] you’ll say, I don’t even know how I’m continuing.
[41:51] I close with this. [41:52] I see a day for Jeremiah [41:56] after 50 years of preaching and seeing no results,
[42:01] where he died.
[42:03] And he was immediately in the presence of the Lord.
[42:07] And he looks to God and says, [42:09] God, you did not deceive me.
[42:15] You were faithful even when I wasn’t. [42:19] And I see a day for you.
[42:24] When in the face of all the pain [42:26] that you face in this life, when you see him,
[42:31] when you see him, when I’m face to face with him,
[42:39] and even then he’ll be enduring me, isn’t that amazing? [42:41] And he’ll give me the faith to look at him and say, [42:45] oh God, you did not deceive me.
[42:50] Because you were my dread warrior.
[42:54] And guess what I’ll do then? [42:55] Revelation says, I’ll sing praises to his name for eternity [43:02] through Jesus Christ.
[43:07] If you’re facing a hard time this morning,
[43:12] number one, I want you to understand that Jesus is enough.
[43:18] Number two, don’t suffer alone. [43:20] See, Jeremiah is at this interesting time in history [43:23] where it’s him against the world. [43:24] God called him to a special calling where it was just him against the world. [43:27] It’s not just you. [43:29] God has not called you to that period of history
[43:31] and you’re like, I’m like Jeremiah, I’m all by myself. [43:32] No, you’re not.
[43:35] There are people here. [43:36] God has given you the church. [43:37] It’s not just you and Jesus. [43:39] It’s you and the church empowered by Jesus.
[43:46] And finally, understand that God seems to get great glory [43:50] out of giving you more than you can handle. [43:52] You say, wait a second, God’s not going to give me more than I can handle. [43:56] He will. [43:58] Pastor Darren Patrick says it this way, contrary to popular belief, [44:02] the notion that God will not put on us more than we can handle is unbiblical.
[44:10] God always calls us to do more than we can handle [44:13] and he does this in order to bring us back to him [44:17] as our source of strength and power. [44:20] He lays supernatural tasks on us [44:23] because he wants us to rely on him for supernatural strength.
[44:31] When I feel like giving up, [44:34] I will endure through the power that God gives me through his Holy Spirit. [44:39] But I will not give up
[44:43] because I am one of his children. [44:48] And Jesus has won me [44:52] and he has won you through the victory on the cross [44:56] and you need only to trust that victory [45:00] and he will endure you to the end [45:03] because we will endure because we know it’s true
[45:06] that if God before us, and he is in Jesus, [45:13] who can stand against us?
[45:18] And right now as we reflect on this through the Lord’s Supper, [45:23] as we do every week,
[45:26] I want you to understand [45:29] that when you take this bread, when you take this cup,
[45:33] you’re not partaking in just a religious activity [45:36] but rather you’re proclaiming that even in the face of discouragement, [45:39] God is enough. [45:42] That even in the face of great despair, [45:45] which in the Gospel we know is not true, [45:50] but he is enough.
[45:53] Because we know that faith causes despair [45:59] to give way, to trust [46:03] in future and eternal hope. [46:09] And if you’re a follower of Jesus this morning, [46:12] these tables are open to you. [46:14] Father, we love you.
[46:18] Lord, you are so faithful to us even when we are not. [46:23] Lord, I pray that somehow this morning [46:27] that you would use your word to communicate your greatness to your children [46:32] and that as we reflect on the hope that we have in the Gospel,
[46:39] Lord, that you would show yourself true on our behalf [46:42] and that you would fight for us. [46:45] And that if there’s anywhere in here this morning [46:48] who doesn’t trust, [46:51] I pray right now that you would make yourself known to them.