Subject: Back to The Future
Text: Jeremiah 6:16, 17
“Thus says the LORD: "Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ’We will not walk in it. I set watchmen over you, saying, ’Give heed to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ’We will not give heed.”
Introduction: Most of us may remember a movie by this same title. In fact there were several “Back to the Future” sequels. In the movie starring Michael J. Fox and Claudia Wells, after traveling back in time, they found that the only way to return to the future was to recreate the system and follow the same principles that led to the successful journey in the first place. One of their greatest challenges was recreating the speed and momentum needed for time travel.
Jeremiah was the prophet who God called before his birth. The name Jeremiah means “Yahweh hurls”. What an accurate picture of his ministry! He was called to ministry at age 7, begin his public ministry when was about 20, and his ministry extended over a period of about 50 years in all. Jeremiah serve Judah and Jerusalem for many years, and most of those years were filled with misery. The years Jeremiah serve under Josiah, a godly king were the most happy in his career.
Although much of Jeremiah’s prophecy was about impending judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem, they always included a call for national repentance and the promise of possible restoration. It is easy to sit around and talk about the good ole days, especially, when the present days seem bleak, with little hope of returning to former glory. The prophets during Jeremiah’s day were offering conflicting reports. Some were predicting coming blessings, while other were predicting certainty of calamity without repentance and turning back to God.
What do you do when the so-called experts don’t agree? Can you imagine serving in congress today? They hear countless reports on the economy, but none of the experts agree. If the experts knew so much, how did we get into this mess in the first place?
In today’s text, Jeremiah offers some sound advice, I believe. This advice is not limited to Israel of old, but it is for the church today. If Judah and Jerusalem would have any hope of returning to a glorious future, they must examine themselves. Since they were in doubt, Jeremiah advices them to “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it,..”
Jeremiah is not suggesting an old way of doing things, but a recovery of successful principles that caused Israel to become a great nation in the past. What principles were used to make Israel a strong, successful nation? What made them the people of God? Jeremiah would say to the church today, what principles made the church successful in the past? What made the Methodist Movement successful in Charles and John Wesley’s day? I believe If we can rediscovery those way, there is a glorious future ahead for the church today.
The founding father of Methodist movement, John Wesley built the faith community around three simple rules: “Do No Harm, Do Good, and Stay in Love with God.” No matter what time period we live in, those three simple rules still apply. There are some underlying, foundational truths we need to revisit. We must ask ourselves some probing questions. What are some of ways that were used to build this great movement? How can we use them on the road to recovery?
2Ch 7:14, 15 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. (RSV)
God desires to heal the land. God desires to be attentive to our prayers, if we meet the condition. There is another promise in Haggai 2: 8, 9 which says;
“The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of hosts. The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the LORD of hosts.”(RSV)
God clearly states, that the economy is not the problem. The gold and silver belong to God. Then He promises that there is splendor, or “glory”, says the King James that is far greater than what we have experienced so far, awaiting us. This is a call to a glorious future! I want us to embrace that promise for our personal situation. How do we get there? What did they do that cause them to be successful?
1. Methodists were careful but earnestly open to change. Change is in the DNA of our church. Some things required radically change. Living things must change. Whatever refuses to change must die.
a. They were willing to change their hymnology. They set music to melodies familiar to the people.
b. They were willing change their attitude towards lay participation.
c. They were willingly change the way the shared the message. Open air preaching was a radical idea. They took the message to the masses. Where do you fish? Are the fish biting there?
d. They were willing to change their organization structures. The class leader system was highly criticized.
What do you need to change in order to be what God is calling you to be? What price are you willing to pay for change? Change is always costly, but someone must pay the price. If you and I are not willing to pay the price, we forfeit our right to complain. Unless we pay the price, nothing is going to happen.
2. Methodists held an honest submission to biblical doctrine. They did not try to know more than what the Scripture clearly taught. They did not try to invent, improve or change doctrine, they submitted to the clear word of God. The simple rules were do no harm, do good, and love God. They believe.
a. The Scripture contained every necessary for salvation.
b. They loved God and people according to the dictates of scripture.
c. The scripture contained all they needed for Christian living.
d. They stayed away from distorted, vague concepts, and new truths. Wesley was a practical theologian whose purpose was finding the place where Scripture and human activity connected. He sought a theology that transformed lives.
There was an honest submission to Scriptures. Are we willing to do the same thing? It is easier to preach and teach it, than to live it. Many times our walk has been is different than our talk? Can we again willingly submit to the dictates of Scripture?
3. Methodists witnessed firsthand, a heartwarming experience with God. Wesley did not rely on his personal knowledge, seminary education, and personal giftedness. He needed his own personal, heartwarming experience with God. They preached and lived what they experienced. The heartwarming experienced cause them to pursue several things: (1) pursued a personal holiness (2) pursued a personal Christian walk that witnessed their faith to others. (3) a pursued Christian perfection, an endless growing process of personal growth.
Our road to a glorious future, I believe must include a careful, but earn openness to change; an honest submission to the Scripture, and finally, a firsthand, heartwarming experience with God that continues in pursue of personal holiness, witnessing to others what we have experienced and an endless growing process.
Growth requires change; change causes pain as we are stretched. Yet the Lord is inviting us to go to a glorious future. Change begins with an individual! Change begins with you and me. Do you have a firsthand, heartwarming experience with God? If so, maybe we need to ask the Lord to do it again! Touch me again! Revive us again!
