“Experiencing A Word From God”
Jeremiah 23:25-29
Illustration: Herman and Henrietta were touring their brand-new house, a house that Henrietta had paid for with her money, a fact of which she often reminded Herman. In each room of the house, she said to her husband, “Herman, if it were not for my money, we wouldn’t be here.” Herman didn’t say a word.
That afternoon a truck delivered to the house a load of furniture, furniture that Henrietta paid for with her money. After the furniture was in place, the couple toured the house again. As they observed each room, beautifully appointed and magnificently decorated, Henrietta reminded her husband, “Herman, if it were not for my money, this furniture would not be here.” Again, Herman was silent.
Late in the afternoon a truck came with a special piece of furniture which was to be the focal point of the den, a combination stereo-television-computer all wrapped into one gorgeous piece of furniture which Henrietta paid for with her money. When it was in place, Henrietta again addressed her husband, “If it were not for my money, that piece of furniture would not be here.” Finally, Herman spoke, “Honey, I don’t want to make you feel bad, but if it were not for your money, I wouldn’t be here!” (Harbour, Rising Above the Crowd, 7)
Transition: That story begs the question – Why are you here? You know, many people come to church for a variety of reasons.
1) Some come for SOCIAL REASONS
2) Some come for RELIGIOUS REASONS
But for whatever reason you are here today, we SHOULD be here because we want to experience a genuine encounter with the Living God and receive a word from him – A WORD THAT WILL CHANGE OUR LIVES.
In our text for today, we learn just how the word of God affects our lives.
Background
Jeremiah was a prophet of God.
He is often called the weeping prophet.
Do you know why?
1) The people he loved were about to experience the wrath of God if they would not repent.
2) The people he loved hated him because he preached the TRUE word of God – which was a message the people did not want to hear.
The message the people wanted to hear was what the FALSE PROPHETS were preaching.
False Prophets Message
Jeremiah 6:14 “Peace, Peace when there is no peace.”
If the people had listened to the real message of God, it would have changed their lives and their future.
Application: That is where I believe most Christians are today. What we need more than anything else is to allow God’s word to do what only his word can do.
In our text for today, we learn of at least three things the word of God can do in our lives.
I. The FIRST thing God’s Word does in our Lives is it NOURISHES.
A. In verse 28, God compares his word to GRAIN.
B. Have you ever been to a Bible Study or a worship service, studying the word of God and when you were done have an awesome feeling of being spiritually fed?
C. Matthew 5:6 says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
D. So, if you are here today to experience a genuine encounter with the living God and to receive a word from him, you WILL GO AWAY FED.
E. I find it interesting that Jesus, who is referred to as “the Word” in John 1:1, is also referred to as “the bread of life.”
F. Deuteronomy 8:3 “man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Manna/Word – we need God more than we need food!
G. Like “grain,” and “bread,” the word of God satisfies/nourishes our spiritual hunger that we cannot otherwise live without.
II. The SECOND thing God’s Word does in our Lives is that it COMPELS.
A. In verse 29, God compares his word to a FIRE.
The fire analogy “could” carry with it several meanings, one of which is that it purifies. This is certainly a meaning attributed to both fire and God’s word throughout the Bible.
B. But I want us to consider another possible meaning of this analogy. It is a meaning that we derive from another passage in the book of Jeremiah where he describes the word of God as a fire.
Jeremiah 20:9 – “But if I say, ‘I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,’ his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.”
The CENTRAL THOUGHT is that the Word of God cannot be contained!
David (same thing) Psalm 39:2-3 – “But when I was silent and still, not even saying anything good, my anguish increased. My heart grew hot within me, and as I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue.”
C. The word of God is a compelling power that cannot be contained.
I am reminded of Isaiah’s experience (Isaiah 6) – Here am I, send me!
III. The THIRD thing God’s Word does in our Lives is that it BREAKS US.
A. In verse 29, God compares his word to a hammer that breaks a rock to pieces.”
B. There are times in our lives when we become “hard” with indifference toward God. And God cannot use us when we’re like that. So, he comes to us, in the Power of his word and breaks us down, like a hammer breaking a rock.
C. One of the hardest things for a child of God to go through is the “breaking” process.
D. But it is a position before God that receives the greatest blessing.
E. What is Brokenness?
1. It is a breaking of our self-will
2. And becoming totally dependant upon God
F. Isaiah 57:15
1. “Contrite” – something that is crushed into fine powder.
2. What is it that God wants to pulverize in us?
3. Illustration: When we “break” a stallion, we are breaking his self-will.
4. The amount of pain you experience in times of brokenness depends on what is being broken and how long it has been a part of your life.
G. Matthew 5:3
1. “poor” – two possible words to use.
2. First word suggests a person living just below poverty.
3. Second word suggests utter and absolute destitution. The only hope of survival is to resort to BEGGING. Total reliance on someone else.
H. God’s work through brokenness calls us not to accumulate, but to discard. He calls us to get rid of this, get rid of that, rid ourselves of this trait and that habit, give up that desire and that goal, and finally strip ourselves of all self until we say, “All that I am and all that I have is God’s. He is in me and I am in Him and that’s all that matters.”
Conclusion
All of this begs the question
If all of these things are a part of having a genuine encounter with the Living God and experiencing a word from him, is it fair to say that when these elements are missing from our “Church experience”...
1. being spiritually fed
2. being compelled to do works of service
3. being broken and humble before God
...has church merely been something on our “To Do” list? OR, said another way, have we truly invited him in...to come in and dine with us? (Revelation 3:20 – “Here I am! Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”
