(Day38) Jeremiah 15:19-21 – Today (Yesterday) was my prep for my Devotion that I will give to the Pastors and Elders at the monthly elders meeting on Monday (No pressure!). I think that this devotion is very appropriate (timewise) for where we are at today as a church -> in the middle of a pandemic, an aggressive ungodly culture who is actively targeting the church, and a time where there are many false teachers confusing the truth-seeker. I will share my notes on this devotional as soon as I have delivered them. UPDATE: Here it is! :-p
Pastor/Elder Devotion – Delivered November 9, 2020
SETUP:
The verses directly preceding this passage are a lament from Jeremiah where he finishes his thought with an accusatory sentiment -> “Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will you be to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail?” Jeremiah 15:18 Jeremiah has been faithful to what God has called him to do but you can see that he has had a heart of distrust and waning spirit. Now we see God’s response.
[ESV]
Therefore thus says the LORD:
“If you return, I will restore you,
and you shall stand before me.
If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless,
you shall be as my mouth.
They shall turn to you,
but you shall not turn to them.
And I will make you to this people
a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you,
but they shall not prevail over you,
for I am with you
to save you and deliver you,
declares the LORD.
I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,
and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.” Jeremiah 15:19-21
Verse 19:
- “If you repent, I WILL restore you” (ESV)
- Repenting is entirely on us.
- Repenting is a precursor to God’s restoration.
- …and for what purpose??
- “That you shall stand before me” (ESV)
- “That you may serve Me.” (NIV)
- “..be My minister” (AMP)
- “If you utter what is precious and not what is worthless, you SHALL be as My mouth” (ESV)
- I can see 2 applications for this:
- Speak only meaningful words: words not backed by human intuition and intelligence but from the word of God; then we will be a voice of God representing the absolute authority of his word.
- We need to trust in God’s promises and we need to cleanse our own hearts of unworthy and unwarranted suspicions concerning God’s faithfulness. This is something that can creep up on us; especially in times where it seems to us that nothing is going in a godly way — we should anticipate this. I for one, believe the time of our Lord is drawing near and I can only predict it will get worse before He comes.
- I can see 2 applications for this:
- “Let this people turn to you, but you MUST NOT turn to them” (NIV)
- Do not yield to those who have deviated from the word and heart of God; either through false teaching [the false prophets in Jeremiah’s day] or their own inability to see the truth.
- For us this is a super important message! We are only a short time away from an unbiblical cultural/social challenge from a group looking to push an agenda against our church. We can not move in any way to toward this ungodly culture of identity first mentality. We are to retain and affirm a Christ first mentality.
Verse 20:
We have been set aside and as long as our hearts (motives) are pure before the King, He promises the following:
- “And I WILL MAKE you, to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you.”
- God essentially tells Jeremiah that people will come press against him, using a battering-ram even, but they will not be able to shake God’s message through him.
- It also gives the premise that they are caged in by Jeremiah; that they will not escape God’s message through him.
- Again for us this is a clear message of support from our one and only King. We support and commit ‘making more and better disciples’ and He will ensure that through us His goals are achieved.
- “for I am with you, to save you, and deliver you, declares the Lord” (ESV)
- This all builds – so lets take everything above:
- Repentance begets Restoration
- Worthy words produce a Almighty God backed ministry
- We must have a willingness to serve and stand before the throne
- Never yielding to a sinful listener or culture counter the TRUTH we know given to us in the complete/inerrant word of God
- Patiently waiting for those who are against us, to come to us
- God is always with us
- … God will save us and deliver us from the persecution of this world
- Could be through His strength in our hearts
- Through His coming
- Through actual deliverance of the situation
- This all builds – so lets take everything above:
**We must be careful not to let our definition of deliverance rule our thought; we must cling to God’s promises**
Verse 21:
- “I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless” (ESV)
- I believe there are tremendous challenges coming to our church. This fallen world is beginning a direct attack on our Faith in Christ and His Word we hold so firmly to here at Canyon Hills.
Summary:
- Big Points:
- Jeremiah did not choose his prophetic task…God Chose Him.
- God brings comfort to Jeremiah’s laments, not by solving the problems, but by renewing his call, assuring Jeremiah of His presence, and preserving his life.
- We are not prophets but we are no less called/chosen by God.
- As over-seers, we must follow the word of God to be His shepherds as defined in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1
- We have so much more than what Jeremiah did!
- We have the complete justification of our souls through the perfect sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ – Jeremiah had forbearance.
- We have the presence of the ‘Helper’ in the Holy Spirit as our in-dwelling guide and counsel.
- Jeremiah didn’t have a Risen Savior at that point who had experienced all of the persecution, betrayal, and pain he did. We Do – Jesus is at the right hand of God the Father right now interceding on our behalf!
- Jeremiah was alone but we have each other.
So, as we move forward together into this season of the life of our church and God’s will and purpose for it; lets keep what we are doing here [experiencing togetherness and brotherly love] moving forward…a relational support structure where, as God intended, have each other to lean on and persevere. As we move into prayer time before this meeting, let’s bring any unworthy and warranted suspicions concerning God’s faithfulness before Him. Let our first action of this meeting of all of us together be the clearing of any veils of unbelief, worry, and sin. Let’s lean into the fact that Jesus, our Risen Savior, is standing beside the Father, knowing precisely what it feels like to be right where we are.