HEALTHY INDEPENDENCE-XI—Jeremiah 17:1-14
Attention:
Wants & Needs:
The President visits a remote western Native-American reservation. A cameraman documents the trip. The President asks the Chief if there was anything that they need.
"Well," says the Chief, "We have three very important needs. First, we have a medical clinic but no doctor to man it.”
The President whips out his mobile phone, dials a number, ‘talks’ to somebody for two minutes & then hangs up. He replies smugly, “I’ve pulled some strings. Your doctor will arrive in a few days. Now what was the second problem?”
The Chief explains, “We have no way to get clean water. The local mining operation has poisoned the water that our people have been drinking for thousands of years. We've been flying bottled water in, & it's terribly expensive.”
Once again, the President dials a number, ‘talks’ to his ‘right-hand-man at the white house’ & then hangs up. He confidently says, “The mine has been shut down, & the owners are being billed for setting up a new purification plant for your people.”
“Now what was that third problem?”
The Chief looks at him, cocks his eyebrow, perceptively stares the President down, & says, “We have no infrastructure for mobile phone service up here!”
•The President’s ‘unhealthy independence’ from reality—via his fake phone calls—was found out by the Chief!
*Unhealthy Independence from God must be dealt with, so that a Healthy Independence from sin, the world, & the devil prevails!
Jn. 17:15-16—Jesus prayed for His disciples:—“I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.”
God’s people must exhibit a ‘Healthy’ independence from the world in which they live.
?Are you walking/living INDEPENDENTLY from what can destroy you spiritually?
The prophet Jeremiah contrasted two major aspects of Independence—Independence from God versus independence from the world.
*Dependence upon YHWH brings independence from worldly influence.
What can be gleaned by contrasting healthy & unhealthy independence?
*How can I be independent of worldly influence?
So far we’ve found that A Healthy Independence Engages(deals with/handles/manages)...
1. A RESIDENT REBELLION(:1)
2. An ABERRANT EDUCATION(:2)
3. BLINDLY SIGHTED BENEFITS(:3-4)
4. An ANGERING LIFESTYLE(:4e)
5. MISPLACED/Aberrant TRUSTS(:5)
6. The ‘CURSE’ Of MISPLACED/Aberrant TRUST(:6)
7. A CORRECTED TRUST(:7)
8. A TELLING PLANTING(:8)
9. INTERNAL DECEITFULNESS(:9)
10. A THOROUGH & DECISIVE SEARCH(:10)
11. BROKEN ENDEAVORS(:11)
12A. The ENTIRE SCOPE Of TIME(:12)(:12-13)
Today we’ll continue looking at the fact that,
(CONT...)12B—A Healthy Independence Engages...
The ENTIRE SCOPE Of TIME(:13a-c)(:12-13)
:13—“O LORD, the hope of Israel,
All who forsake You shall be ashamed.
Those who depart from Me
Shall be written in the earth,
Because they have forsaken the LORD,
The fountain of living waters.”
“O LORD, the hope of Israel,”—
“O”
Expresses a cry of the heart. It expresses a yearning of the soul.
“LORD,”
*This word, “LORD,”—in all capital letters—is one of two English translations of a Hebrew word. It can also be pronounced, ‘Jehovah.’ The Hebrew, is pronounced as ‘YaHuhWeH.’ YHWH is rooted in the Hebrew verb hyh—pronounced ‘HahYah.’ hyh is the common verb—‘To Be.” So ‘YHWH’, or ‘Jehovah’, or “LORD,” is a very descriptive word which carries the meaning of: ‘the One Who Is’ or the one Who ‘exists’ continually.
“The hope of Israel,”
•In order to be free from the influence of the world, a person will recognize YHWH as “the hope of Israel”...That is, they will recognize the fact that YHWH is the basis & source of every aspect of “hope” across the board.
•Here, it is important for us to recognize that Not all who are “Israel” are actually “Israel”!(Rom. 9:6)...
Rom. 9:1-8—the apostle Paul tells us:—“I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow & continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, & the promises; of whom are the fathers & from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen. But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.”
*The ‘brand’ or source of “hope” that most people rely on in the world, has & will continue to be decisively shown to be utterly useless for life in eternity. And because of that, the world’s “hope” is no “hope” at all! Likewise, trust in flesh is no “hope” at all!
•False “hope” determines the daily various maneuvers that people suppose they need to navigate life’s temporal trials. People who do this live/walk by sight & not by faith.(2Cor. 5:7)
•Such false “hope” is always ‘religious’ in nature. False “hope” is a ‘religion’ that invites it’s outworking thru fleshly derived practicalities. That is, their false “hope” is the context within which a person ‘supposes’ to find some ‘version’ of ‘life’ that is mostly to their liking, even though that ‘version’ of ‘life & hope’ may be entirely subjective & not based on fact.
Ps. 59:16-17—“But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble. To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; For God is my defense, My God of mercy.”
That was written some 2900 years ago & it is still true! YHWH the God of Israel was & is & can be our “hope.”
Ps. 62:5-8—“My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock & my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation & my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah”
Acts 24:14-16—the apostle Paul in his defense to Governor Felix—“But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law & in the Prophets. I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just & the unjust. This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God & men.”
Acts 28:20—the apostle Paul to the Jews in Rome—“...for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.”
Rom. 5:1-6—“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, & rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; & perseverance, character; & character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”
Rom. 8:18-25—“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans & labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we...were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”
Rom. 15:12, 13—“And again, Isaiah says: “There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope.” Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy & peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Heb. 10:23, 35—“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”.....“Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.”
1Pet. 1:3-5—“Blessed be the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible & undefiled & that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
The Christian’s salvation is both ‘now’ & ‘future.’ Once you invite Christ to be your Savior, your ‘salvation’ remains continually. So once you put your trust in Christ your ‘salvation’ has begun—trustingly initiated & prayerfully maintained—but it has not yet & will not, reach it’s ultimate fulfillment, until the time of the New Heaven & New Earth(Rev. 21:1)
1Pet. 1:13-16—“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, & rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.””
1Pet. 1:20-21—“He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead & gave Him glory, so that your faith & hope are in God.”
“God” here is NOT some ‘god’ of your imagination, or of the imagination of anyone else! Your faith must be in the ‘biblically revealed’ “God” who has revealed Himself in & thru Christ Jesus alone!
1Pet. 3:15-16—“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, & always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness & fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.”
1Jn. 3:2-3—“Beloved, now we are children of God; & it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
The Christian “HOPE” is life-changing & life-sustaining.
The Christian “HOPE” is the motivation for/behind:—?-Your career choices.?-Your choices at work.?-Your choices at home.?-Your motivation behind anything you do.?-Your Marriage or Singleness.?-How Your marriage or singleness operates.?-Your motivation behind specific direction for your children.?-Your Friendships.?-Your Political decisions....etc., etc.
“LORD”2X—hwhy Yeh-ho-vaw’—Noun Proper Deity—Jehovah = “the existing One”—1) The proper name of the one true God—1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of ynda Ad-o-noy’. Strong—from hyh[To exist, be, become, come to pass]; (the)Self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God.
“Hope”—hwqm mik-veh’, OR--hwqm (1Ki 10:28)mik-vay’, OR--awqm (2Ch 1:16)mik-vay’—Noun Masc.—1) Hope—1a) Hope, 1b) Ground of hope, 1c) Things hoped for, outcome; 2) Collection, collected mass.—Noun Proper Masc.—3) (CLBL)Kue, a place in Cilicia from which Solomon imported horses. Strong—Something waited for, i.e. Confidence(objective or subjective); also--A collection(i.e. of water--A pond, or of men & horses--A caravan or drove). Used 12X.
“Israel”—larsy Yisra’el—Noun Proper Masc.—Israel = “God prevails” OR “He will rule as God”—1) The second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel; 2) The name of the descendants & the nation of the descendants of Jacob—2a) The name of the nation until the death of Solomon & the split, 2b) The name used & given to the northern kingdom consisting of the 10 tribes under Jeroboam; the southern kingdom was known as Judah, 2c) The name of the nation after the return from exile. Strong—‘He will rule as God’; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically)Of his posterity.?From—hrs saw-raw'—a primitive root; To prevail or have power(as a prince).—&—la ’el—Strength; as adjective--Mighty; especially--The Almighty(but used also of any deity).
“All who forsake You shall be ashamed.”...
•The religiosity of false “hope” is actually useless. And because of such empty religion, “shame” is the ultimate payment, lot, & inheritance of false “hope.”
Lk. 11:29-34—“And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, & no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation & condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; & indeed a greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation & condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; & indeed a greater than Jonah is here. No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light. The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.”
Thus “All who forsake” YHWH will ultimately & entirely “be” characterized by a belief-system that invites & brings “shame” to themselves.
YHWH-God says in Isa. 49:23—“...they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.”
Regarding all “who forsake” YHWH, The prophet Isaiah says:
Isa. 50:7-10—“For the Lord GOD will help Me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed. He is near who justifies Me; Who will contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me. Surely the Lord GOD will help Me; Who is he who will condemn Me? Indeed they will all grow old like a garment; The moth will eat them up. Who among you fears the LORD? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness And has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD And rely upon his God.”
Jer. 6:16—“Thus says the LORD: “Stand in the ways & see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’”
Both Peter & Paul apply one of Isaiah’s prophecies(Isa. 28:16) to Jesus in, Rom. 10:9-11—“that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus & believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, & with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”
And 1Pet. 2:6, 1 Peter 2:1-10—“Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, & all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God & precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” & “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”
“Forsake”2X(See—‘forsaken’--below)—bze aw-zab’—Qal Participle Active—1) To leave, loose, forsake—1a) (Qal)--To leave—1a1) To depart from, leave behind, leave, let alone, 1a2) To leave, abandon, forsake, neglect, apostatize, 1a3) To let loose, set free, let go, free; 2) To restore, repair; 2a) (Qal)--To repair. Strong—To loosen, i.e. Relinquish, permit, etc.; a primitive root.
“Ashamed”—vwb boowsh—Qal Imperfect—1) To put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed—1a) (Qal)--1a1) To feel shame, 1a2) To be ashamed, disconcerted, disappointed(by reason of). Strong—a primitive root; properly--To pale, i.e. by implication--To be ashamed; also by implication--To be disappointed or delayed.
Illustration:
Why does a well-respected & successful homegrown business sometimes grow old & die?/Because there is no plan to exist beyond or outside the family who created it/When the ‘desired’ ‘would-be successors’(extant family members) don’t pan out, then the business fails/The ENTIRE SCOPE Of TIME must be considered...
•EXAMPLE:
One of our children once worked for someone who had a successful business/But after the father got older, he attempted to ‘pass the reigns’ to one of his sons/The son did not have the same passion & drive as his father & the son soon ran the business into the ground...TWICE!/If the father-owner of the business had gone outside the family, then the business would still be thriving/The ENTIRE SCOPE Of TIME
Application:
?Are you properly engaging(dealing with/handling/managing) The ENTIRE SCOPE Of TIME?
?Are you exhibiting A Healthy Independence?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Remember the President’s fake calls of salvation?
•There are Healthy ways of dealing with independence, & they all flow from the throne of God!
Action:
A Healthy Independence Engages(deals with/handles/manages)...
12B. The ENTIRE SCOPE Of TIME(:13a-c)(:12-13)
1. A RESIDENT REBELLION(:1)
2. An ABERRANT EDUCATION(:2)
3. BLINDLY SIGHTED BENEFITS(:3-4)
4. An ANGERING LIFESTYLE(:4e)
5. MISPLACED/Aberrant TRUSTS(:5)
6. The ‘CURSE’ Of MISPLACED/Aberrant TRUST(:6)
7. A CORRECTED TRUST(:7)
8. A TELLING PLANTING(:8)
9. INTERNAL DECEITFULNESS(:9)
10. A THOROUGH & DECISIVE SEARCH(:10)
11. BROKEN ENDEAVORS(:11)
12A. The ENTIRE SCOPE Of TIME(:12)(:12-13)
Pt# 12B only! Presented 03/07/2021am to:
1BCCbelle(Video to YouTube shared to Facebook @ ‘Byron Sherman’ & ’First Baptist Church Carrabelle’)
206 SE Ave. A(Storrs Ave.)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
