The Lord is My Portion
Lamentation 3:19-39
I. Introduction
A. A Bad Start
1. The Millennium and Tragedy
a) The Y2K scare and the talk of the end of times – Great if you were a water salesman or a generator salesman. This shook our faith in technology.
b) The Presidential election of 2000 that was marred with pregnant chads, suspicious questioning of election officials, and political polarization of our nation. This shook our faith in the democratic process.
c) The “dot-com” crumbled and with it a down turn in the Stock Market and the demise of companies like Enron. This shook our faith in our economic system.
d) Then 9/11 and the terrorist attacks on our soil. This shook our faith in our national security.
2. For many the start of the millennium was an end to hope.
a) Their confidence and way of life was based in these things.
b) Their security and hope was bolstered by our national systems of democracy, finance, and defense.
c) When these were shaken, hope faded.
B. A Bad Ending
1. God’s Chosen and Cared For People.
a) Delivered from slavery in Egypt – Exodus 14
b) Given a land of milk and honey – Joshua 2:24
c) Building the greatest kingdom on earth – 1 Kings 10:14-29
2. God’s Rebellion and Defeated People
a) A kingdom that divided – 1 Kings 12
b) A kingdom that was carried away – 1 Kings 17
c) A lifestyle utterly destroyed – 2 Chronicles 36:15-21
3. A Feeling of Hopelessness
a) From the book of Lamentations, we feel the hopelessness of God’s people.
b) We through Jeremiah’s tearful eyes see the pain and sorrow that comes with sinful rebellion.
c) We get the heart-wrenching agony that comes when all that people once counted on is taken away.
4. A Renewed Hope
a) In 3:18, Jeremiah begins to look toward a hopeful outcome.
b) He realizes that God is all that we need in order to have hope.
c) God’s faithfulness is the portion (allotment, inheritance) that we need to get through turbulent times in life.
d) In 3:19-39 we learn of three reasons that God is where our hope lies.
II. The Lord is My Portion – Three Reasons to Hope
A. God’s Faithfulness – 3:19-26
1. God is faithful in the midst of affliction (19-22)
a) Remembrance of sorrow brings God’s faithfulness to mind (19-21)
b) When great tragedies occur, they best place to turn is to the One above – Colossians 3:1-2
c) Jeremiah reminds us all that human tragedies are not match for God’s compassion.
d) Love never fails – 1 Corinthians 13:8
e) God is the essence of Love – 1 John 4:8
f) Therefore God never fails to love His children – Romans 5:8
2. God’s faithfulness is seen every day (23).
a) Every day brings a day of renewal.
b) Another opportunity to draw closer to God – James 4:8
c) Another day closer to the return of Jesus – Philippians 3:20-21
d) Another day to rejoice in a day of life – Psalm 118::24
e) Another day to encourage brethren – Hebrews 3:13
f) Another day to serve others – Galatians 6:9-10
g) Another day to teach someone the good news.
3. God’s faithfulness will never be taken away or run out (24).
a) The Lord is My Portion – Inheritance, surety, allotment.
b) Psalm 73:25-26 (everlasting) – “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is none upon the earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart fail. But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
c) Psalm 16:5-6 (pleasant) – “O Lord you are the portion of my inheritance and my cup. You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Yes, I have a good inheritance.”
4. God’s faithfulness in seen in God’s goodness (25-26).
a) The Lord is good to all – Psalm 145:9
b) But especially good to those that walk uprightly – Psalm 84:11
c) God’s goodness is seen is his accessibility (25) – He can be found by those that seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).
d) God’s goodness is seen by those that quietly wait on Him – Psalm 46:10
e) God’s ultimate goodness is seen in salvation – Psalm 27:1, Luke 19:9
B. God’s Helpfulness (3:27-30)
1. Trails Help Produce Faith and Hope (27)
a) The Cape of Good Hope was once called the Cape of Storm until sailor learned to navigate. Once around the Cape, the water was smooth sailing.
b) James 1:2-5 – Trials lead to completeness
c) Psalm 119:71 – “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes.”
2. The Attitudes Needed Finding Help in Affliction (28-30)
a) Reflective Silence (28) – Luke 15:16-17
b) Reverent Submission (29) – Submission to God (2 Corinthians 10:5)
c) Receptive to Smiting (30) – Accept God’s correction without resentment – Hebrews 12:5-6
C. God’s Justness (31-39)
1. Punishment is Not Forever from God (31-32)
a) Though we may be cast down, we are not cast off.
b) God’s people are still a treasure to Him – Deuteronomy 7:6
c) God’s compassion has no end.
d) Psalm 89:32-33 – “Then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless My loving kindness I will not utterly take from him nor allow My faithfulness to fail.”
2. Punishment is not Pleasurable for God (33).
a) The word that is translated willingly literally means from the heart.
b) Therefore God does not punish for pleasure or excitement – Ezekiel 18:23
c) God is not looking for us to fail, but rather desires us to succeed and be exalted by Him – James 4:10
3. Punishment is Part of the Nature of God (34-39)
a) God’s justice requires penalty for sin. He cannot approve of willful disobedience (34-36).
b) God’s justice is seen in both his mercy and his severity (37-38) – Romans 11:22-23
c) Man therefore should not complain about being punished for their wrong doing.
III. Conclusion
A. When Hope Seems Gone, God is Greatest
1. From the bottom of the barrel, Jeremiah saw God.
a) His faithfulness
b) His mercy
c) His goodness
d) His justice.
2. When Jeremiah saw God, he saw hope
3. The Lord is truly My Portion
B. Invitation
