Moral Makeover; Reshaping our Thinking
Jeremiah chapter 6:16-23
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Introduction-
Turn to Jeremiah chapter 6
I want to talk a moment about change. I want to talk about doing what is right.
I want to talk about allowing God to change you and your circumstances.
Jeremiah chapter 6 is about Israel paying the cost of disobedience to God.
It is about in the midst of turmoil that a remnant of God’s people care what happens to others and want to make a difference.
It is about foolish people thinking that they have plenty of time before they answer to God.
Jeremiah Chapter 6:16-23
I get upset every time I watch the news, not that people don’t see things the way I see them, but we have a country that is divided into 2 categories of people.
One that want to change every fiber of our lives, to take God out of our country. Force us to digest there teachings and immoral lifestyles and when we do not agree or do not accept it, we have no tolerance.
The other side is conservative, hold to the values in the Bible, hold to the value that life begins at conception. Believes that some things should stay in the closet.
Israel was at a crossroad, God was going to bring judgement upon them, the USA is at a crossroads, the gap between the two sides get wider and wider. The tension between the sides is intense.
Israel had their fortified cities, the USA is the most powerful military power. God was saying to Israel, your fortified cities are no match for God. He says to us in America, I can bring you down, I can bring you off your high horse.
Many powerful Nations in the past have been brought down because they turned away from God.
6:15- (not our text)
Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No, they have no shame at all, they do not even know how to blush.
Blushing is a body action. Embarrassment causes us to blush. They don’t blush because they do not care who sees them.
There is a battle going on
It is not about Republican or Democrat
Intelligent or uneducated.
Liberal or conservative.
It is about walking with God or fighting against God.
God tells Israel.
Flee Jerusalem- your fortified cities are no match for God.
Sound the trumpet- prepare for battle. This is going to get ugly.
Choose your allegiance- what flag are you going to raise and be willing to fight under.
There is a call to the church to stand it’s ground and reach hardened hearts for Christ.
There is still a call for each one of us to “go ye” into our world that God has us and call people back to God.
There was only a small remnant then, and the remnant for us is shrinking and pledging there allegiance elsewhere. At least in the USA.
We talked on Wednesday about the potter and the clay.
God being the Potter and we are the clay.
That the clay needs to stop back talking the potter. And allowing the potter to form us into the vessel of his choosing.
That we need to stop looking around and wishing we were someone we are not.
The potter needs to make that clay soft and pliably. That is the process that hurts. Hebrew- pounding the clay on the table of the potters wheel.
God needs to get the air bubbles out of the clay so that when the product is finished, the flaws within do not destroy what God intended it to be. That process hurts a little. We don’t like it.
The clay has to stay on the table until the product is finished.
The clay then has to be put in the fire so that it is tempered to withstand being used so that it does not lose it’s shape, again. This process is not fun. It hurts. It takes awhile.
6;16 “Stand at the crossroads and look, ask where the good way is, and walking in it. And you will find rest for your souls. I have appointed watchmen over you and said, listen to the sound of the trumpet.”
God puts people in our lives to help guide us.
God gave the people of Israel Jeremiah, a prophet called of God to proclaim the message of God.
They had a chance of listening and changing or tuning him out and keep doing what they wanted.
A watchmen is one who stands guard, protecting those that are around them.
Ezekial 37 talks about that the blood of the unwarned people is upon them. That if we don’t warn them , that we will answer for that.
There are times my heart is so heavy . I stand at the gate blowing the trumpet, rallying the troops, acknowledges a change needed, and it seems to fall on deaf ears. I preach my heart out, and lives do not change.
Apostle Paul understood this when he said to young Timothy.
“In the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His kingdom, preach the word, be prepared in season and out of season, correct, rebuke, encourage with great patience and careful instructions.”
Tell foolish people they are foolish. Tell them in love. Show them Christ.
2 weeks ago- cleansing power of God. Allowing God to change our hearts, our desires.
Last week, path of Servanthood. Jesus being our role model. Wrapped in a towel around his neck and humbly washing the disciples feet.
Today- being wise enough to let God mold us in the image of Christ and finished product what God intends for our lives.
Those that are where God wants them, not getting on their high horse, but being the watchmen, the one standing guard doing everything they can to help the kingdom of God.
This country needs a moral makeover. Fact.
This country and some of us need reshaping of our thinking. Fact.
How do we fix the meltdown?
Someone needs to stand in the gap.
The message of Christ has power, it needs to be taken to those that need to hear it.
Truth is important because it builds character. God truths can change a life.
A truthful witness give honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies. Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Truthful lips endures forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
Don’t move the pillar of truth. Bring others to the truth.
Let me bring this into perspective.
There is always a need for new in this country. Anything old is obsolete.
Anything slow needs to be faster.
Anything weird is considered fresh thinking.
I want you to know that we need to rethink our thinking.
We need to return to the basics of our faith.
The doctrine of “New Age” is thinking I am a god. We need to rethink that.
Thinking today and the mood in America is do your own thing Create the kind of religion and god that you want. I believe in god, but I like to do it my own way. We need to rethink that.
We stand at a crossroads for our country and we stand at a crossroads for our lives. We should play a part in the direction our country goes, but for sure we will stand before God for which way we go in our lives. We stand at a crossroads.
For 6 chapters of writings Jeremiah has told the story of rebellion and walking away from Yahweh, the one and true God of the Israelites.
God makes statements like:
I will pronounce judgement.
Return to me.
My people have committed sins against me.
My people are fools for their thinking.
We phone, fax, text, e-mail, page, have communication devises we carry in our pockets. But we have no time for God. 71 % of Americans know their schedules are too full, but only 43 % of that don’t think shaving their schedules would make them happier. We need to do some rethinking.
Matthew 16:24-25
“Then Jesus said to his disciples. “If anyone would come after me. He must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it”
You notice that Jesus was talking to his disciples.
We want to have communion together this morning, so I’ll wind it down.
God is looking for some to stand in the gap. To proclaim God’s message to a world that is either too busy or uncaring of the things of God.
God looking for some to decide that there is no closets in their life that have shut doors that God is not allowed into.
God is wanting some to awake a dying world about the kind of God that they serve.
This illustration may not work for everyone. Fruit Good. Cake good. Fruitcake not good. To me, there are some things that do not go well together.
Worldly thinking and Godly thinking is one of those things. Stinking thinking and the things of God will not have us find our place where God is pleased with us.
Closing:
This message is for every person who is tired of the moral decline in our country.
This message is for those willing to turn it around. Those willing to stand in the gap between God and those souls that He loves.
Those willing to examine themselves to make sure Godly principals are active in our lives.
You can lose your friends and still be blessed.
You can lose your possessions and still be rich.
You can lose your health and still be productive.
But if you lose your relationship with God, none of the rest will matter.
Back to the basics:
your first love is not something that you accidently misplace. You choose to leave it, and you know exactly where you left it. Wrong choices may be the reason you left it this morning, but right choice this morning will cause you to find it and pick it up again.
You can make things right with God this morning.
We will be taking communion in a few minutes, make things right with Him so that you can enjoy communion with Him again. It is as simple as being honest with God with where you are at, and asking him back into your love as your first love.
Altar Call.
