Go! And Do Not Listen to Lies - Jeremiah 23:16
Introduction
Church, I want to begin with a question: Whose voice are you listening to?
In our world today, we are surrounded by voices—news channels, social media influencers, politicians, friends, and even preachers. But not every voice that speaks with authority is a voice of truth. Some voices soothe, some voices flatter, but some voices deceive.
This morning, as part of our “Go! And…” series, we will look at Jeremiah 23:16, a verse that thunders across the centuries with urgent relevance for the 21st century church.
Jeremiah 23:16 (NLT): “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says to his people: ‘Do not listen to these prophets when they prophesy to you, filling you with futile hopes. They are making up everything they say. They do not speak for the Lord!’”
Jeremiah lived in a time of national crisis. The people of Judah were in rebellion against God, yet false prophets arose, proclaiming peace when there was no peace, promising prosperity when judgment was at the door.
The Lord warns His people: “Do not listen.”
The Hebrew word here is šama?—which means more than just “hearing with the ears.” It implies listening with obedience, giving weight to, responding to. The people were giving authority to liars, treating falsehood as truth.
The phrase “futile hopes” in Hebrew (ha?bal) speaks of vanity, emptiness, nothingness. These false prophets offered cotton candy theology—sweet for a moment, but with no nourishment.
Friends, this is not just an Old Testament issue. Jesus Himself warned in Matthew 7:15: “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.”
The problem is not a lack of voices—it’s that we give our ears and our hearts to the wrong ones.
1. Do Not Listen to Lies—Cling to the Word of God
The first command is simple: Do not listen. We must learn to discern.
Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4:3–4 (NLT): “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.”
Doesn’t that sound like today? People love a message that makes them feel good, but truth is not always comfortable.
John Piper said: “The prosperity gospel will not make anybody prosper. It will make people love money and send them to hell.”
Church, Piper’s words remind us—comforting lies are deadly. God’s Word may cut, but it cuts to heal. Lies soothe, but they lead to death.
Imagine a doctor who knows you have cancer but says, “Don’t worry, you’re fine. Just take a holiday.” Would you call him kind? No—you’d call him criminal. Better a hard truth that saves than a sweet lie that kills.
In our digital age, we must anchor ourselves in Scripture. Test every sermon, every prophecy, every spiritual book against the Word. If it doesn’t line up, don’t listen.
2. False Voices Offer Hope Without Repentance
Jeremiah’s contemporaries were told: “Don’t worry, God won’t judge you. Peace is coming.” But the true message was: “Repent, for judgment is at hand.”
The Hebrew phrase “making up everything they say” (?azah šeqer) literally means “seeing lies in visions.” They claimed divine dreams but invented them.
In Acts 20:29–30 (NLT): Paul warned the Ephesian elders: “I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following.”
The greatest danger often comes from within—from voices that sound religious but deny repentance.
Tim Keller once said: “The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.”
False prophets remove the first part—they skip sin. They say, “You’re fine, God loves you, don’t change.” But without repentance, there is no salvation. Keller’s words point us back to the full gospel—bad news about our sin, followed by the good news of Christ.
If you jump from a plane without a parachute, it doesn’t matter if you “feel positive.” Gravity still pulls you down. False hope is deadly.
Church, do not accept any gospel without the cross. Do not follow any teaching that says you can have the kingdom without the King, or forgiveness without repentance.
3. The True Voice Points to Christ Alone
Ultimately, Jeremiah’s warning was not just about rejecting lies—it was about embracing truth. And the truth is a Person: Jesus Christ.
In John 14:6 (NLT): “Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’”
Notice: Jesus did not say, “I speak about the truth.” He said, “I am the truth.”
Charles Stanley said: “Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.”
False prophets promise safety if you compromise. But truth demands obedience—even when it’s costly. Stanley reminds us: God takes care of the outcome when we trust Him.
Gospel Presentation:
The greatest lie Satan tells is: “You don’t need the cross.” But the truth of God’s Word declares: “Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4, NLT).
Jesus bore our sins. He faced the judgment we deserve. By His resurrection, He conquered death. This is the truth that sets us free.
Test every voice by this standard: Does it exalt Jesus? Does it call me to repent and trust Him? If not, it is not of God.
Call to Action:
Church, we are called to Go! And do not listen to lies.
Go into the world grounded in Scripture.
Go with discernment, refusing counterfeit gospels.
Go proclaiming the true Gospel of Christ crucified and risen.
This requires courage. It requires humility. But most of all, it requires faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
Invitation to Salvation:
Friend, perhaps you’ve been listening to the wrong voices. Perhaps you’ve believed that being “good” is enough, or that God overlooks sin. Today, hear the voice of truth.
Jesus Christ died for your sins. He was buried. He rose again to give you life. He calls you to repent—turn from your sin—and trust Him fully as Saviour and Lord.
Romans 10:9 (NLT): “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Will you believe today? Will you stop listening to lies and embrace the truth of Christ?
Benediction:
Beloved, as you go from here, may you be anchored in the Word, guided by the Spirit, and centred on Christ. Do not give your ears to lies or your heart to empty hopes. Instead, walk in the truth that Jesus is Lord, and live as His witnesses in a world desperate for truth.
Amen.
