NOTHING IS HIDDEN FROM THE LORD (Outline)
July 30, 2023 – Pentecost 9 – JEREMIAH 23:23-29
INTRO.: The Lord God knows everything. He knows our hearts. Hears our words. Sees our actions. There is nothing done or not done that the Lord does not see. Or know. “For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing concealed that will not come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear” (MARK 4:22-23). From our text today we discover: NOTHING IS HIDDEN FROM THE LORD.
I. The Lord knows the lies. II. The Lord shows the truth.
I. THE LORD KNOWS THE LIES.
A. The Lord called, anointed, and appointed Jeremiah as his prophet. To proclaim his word.
1. The Lord sent Jeremiah to Judah (southern kingdom) with words of repentance, judgment.
2. Judah rejected the Lord. The Lord was preparing judgment for their idolatry.
B. Verse 25. The Lord heard the false prophets’ lies. They had a dream. But it was not from God.
1. Jeremiah preached doom and gloom. Many false prophets came with different messages.
2. Verse 26. Lord called false prophets “lying prophets”. Serious charge. Told only fantasies.
C. Verse 27. False prophets were leading God’s people away from him. Made people forget his name.
1. Sad. Israel delivered from Egyptian slavery. Provided for 40 years of wilderness wandering.
2. Lord directed them to the Promised Land. Milk and honey. Judah forgot God’s goodness.
3. Turned to false gods. Desecrated the temple. Offered child sacrifices. Forgot Lord’s name.
D. How could anyone forget the name of the Lord? Or the name of Jesus? Not me. I will not, no never ever forget the Lord’s holy, precious name. The name given above every name. That every knee on earth and in heaven bow to Jesus. Jesus’ name means to save. We live in world filled with alluring attractions. These worldly attractions easily become distractions from the one thing that is needful. All of have complained about the increase of electronic devices. People are drawn into a solitary, selfish life. Wealth and prosperity seem to be the only goals all too many feverishly pursue. “Do not give me poverty or riches. Give me food in the amount that is right for me. Too much, and I may feel satisfied and deny you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Too little, and I may become poor and steal and profane the name of my God” (PROVERBS 30:8b, 9). Too much stuff, we forget God. Too little, we steal and dishonor God.
E. Sadly, the world is not the only one distracting people. Today there are dangerous false teachers. These are the “lying prophets” who tell people what they want to hear. Not what they need to hear. We need to hear about sin. Knowing our disobedience drives us to the One and only who obeyed perfectly. Jesus. Law and Gospel. So important for every person, every believer to hear over and over and time and time again and again. Where is this precious message? Too often it is missing. Absent. Forgotten.
“For there will come a time when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, because they have itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in line with their own desires” (2 TIMOTHY 4:3).
F. We are living in the times of fulfillment of God’s Old Testament prophets. They warned God’s people in their day. Many did not listen. God’s call to repentance is just as important for us and our world today. But things seem to be turned upside down. And they are. “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who substitute darkness for light, and light for darkness, who substitute bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (ISAIAH 5:20). Many things that are good and right in God’s sight are called evil. Followers of Christ understand the importance of human life. All life. It still amazes me that our government wants to end life whenever it is inconvenient for a mother. Abortion is the false god that many worship.
NOTHING IS HIDDEN FROM THE LORD. The Lord knows the lies.
II. THE LORD SHOWS THE TRUTH.
A. Verse 23. The Lord offers questions with an obvious answer. Is God only nearby, not far away?
1. Verse 24. Can anyone hide from God? Do I not fill heaven and earth?
2. God is the God nearby and faraway. None can hide from God. God fills heaven and earth.
3. The Lord wanted Judah to remember these truths. False gods unable to do/be these things.
B. Verse 28. False prophets spoke of their false dreams. Own human fantasies.,
1. God’s prophet, Jeremiah was commissioned to “speak my word faithfully”. Responsibility.
2. The Lord God serious about his word. His truth. Jeremiah knew God’s call/purpose for him.
3. “What has chaff to do with grain?” Nothing. Do not mix any human teaching with divine truth.
C. Verse 29. God’s word is like a fire. Fire purifies. Like a hammer. Hammer destroys false doctrine.
1. Jeremiah faithfully brought God’s word to God’s people. Was to purify / destroy their pride.
2. Text today includes “declares the Lord” often. Jeremiah’s message was God’s declaration.
D. Nothing is hidden from the Lord. The Lord knows the false prophet. Their lies. False teachings. The Holy Spirit has worked faith in our hearts. We know the Truth. God’s Word is planted in our hearts. Lives in our lives. One of the great blessings of our faith is to know right from wrong. Good from evil. Truth from the lie. We are encouraged to listen to what comes out of the mouths of those who claim to proclaim God’s message. First, it is not just a message. God’s Word is truth. The only Truth. “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 JOHN 4:1). From Old Testament times to our New Testament times many false prophets have gone out into the world. Listen. Test. Mark. Avoid them.
E. Dear believers many of you, if not all, have grown up in the church. You have learned what the word of God teaches. In the Lutheran church you have studied the Catechism. Memorized passages. Memorized Ten Commandments. Apostles Creed. Lord’s Prayer. All even with the meanings. This is a good thing. A valuable spiritual treasure chest of eternal salvation. The divine things we have heard, learned, studied, and remember are the very teachings of God. God’s teachings are doctrines. “Pay close attention to yourself and to the doctrine. Persevere in them, because by doing this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you” (1 TIMOTHY 4:16). Stand firm in the faith the Lord has worked in our hearts.
F. Our earthly lives are our time of grace. We have the opportunity and privilege to grow more and more every day in the knowledge of our Creator. Daily reading the Scripture gives us godly wisdom. Hearing God’s Word strengthens us. Studying God’s Word increases our faithfulness. “Like newborn babies, crave the pure milk of the word so that by it you may grow up with the result being salvation” (1 PETER 2:2). The simple teachings in the Bible explain the difficult. Scripture interprets Scripture.
CONCL.: Nothing is hidden from the Lord. This is a good thing. The Lord does see and knows our sinful hearts, words, and actions. The lies. Our loving, heavenly Father also sees and knows that we need a Savior. The Lord Jesus. The Truth. “The Word became flesh and dwelled among us. We have seen his glory, the glory he has as the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (JOHN 1:14). NOTHING IS HIDDEN FROM THE LORD. The Lord knows the lies. Our lies. The Lord shows the Truth. Our Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
PENTECOST 9 rdgs: 1 KINGS 3:5-12; 1 TIMOTHY 6:17-21; MATTHEW 13:44-52; (PSALM 18)
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