WHEN GOD DOESN’T MAKE SENSE
JEREMIAH 32:1-3, 6-15
NOVEMBER 16, 2003
INTRODUCTION: Don’t let your troubles get you down. Genghis Khan, the 13th century Mongol conqueror, asked his philosophers to come up with a truth that would always be unchangeable. Thinking on it for a while, they came to their leaders with this quote: "It too shall pass." This reminds me of a dear black lady who was asked by her pastor what her favorite verse of Scripture was and she said: "And it came to pass." God in His mercy never gives us more than we are able to bear.
The Abingdon Disciple.
The story is told that Andrew Jackson’s boyhood friends just couldn’t understand how he became a famous general and then the President of the United States. They knew of other men who had greater talent but who never succeeded. One of Jackson’s friends said, "Why, Jim Brown, who lived right down the pike from Jackson, was not only smarter but he could throw Andy three times out of four in a wrestling match. But look where Andy is now." Another friend responded, "How did there happen to be a fourth time? Didn’t they usually say three times and out?" "Sure, they were supposed to, but not Andy. He would never admit he was beat -- he would never stay ’throwed.’ Jim Brown would get tired, and on the fourth try Andrew Jackson would throw him and be the winner." Picking up on that idea, someone has said, "The thing that counts is not how many times you are ’throwed,’ but whether you are willing to stay ’throwed’." We may face setbacks, but we must take courage and go forward in faith. Then, through the Holy Spirit’s power we can be the eventual victor over sin and the world. The battle is the Lord’s, so there is no excuse for us to stay "throwed"!
Our Daily Bread.
TRANSITOIN THOUGHT: Scripture, the word of God speaks to us of a different reality than that which the world can see. There is a reality in God which has been hidden from the masses but revealed to the people of God. The reality of it all is things aren’t always as they seem. Jeremiah speaks to this whole issue by explaining to us the true reality of God when it would seem, from his own life, Jeremiah that is, that God doesn’t make a bit of sense in the reality of this world. Tonight, we are going to look at life, and by the Help of the Holy Spirit, proclaim the reality of God, when the reality of life around us would say “GOD DOESN’T MAKE SENSE!”
THESIS SENTENCE: ONLY THROUGH FAITH DOES GOD MAKE SENSE!
I. GOD DOESN’T MAKE SENSE IN OUR LIFE SITUATIONS [VV. 1,2,3A, (6-8 FAMILY ASKS THE IMPOSIBLE)]
A. God doesn’t make sense in Jeremiah’s situation
1. Jeremiah is in Jail or at least house arrest (vv. 2).
2. Why would God allow Jeremiah to be thrown in Jail? Jeremiah was doing the will and work of God. What kind of God was he serving anyway?
a. Prison and all bad stuff. b. Family positioning! Then according to Leviticus 25: 25, Jeremiah had to buy some land from a destitute uncle that was in the hand of the Babylonians.
3. Let’s think about others who have been faithful to God:
a. In Daniel chapter 3, we read of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They would not bow at the sound of music and worship the golden image the king Nebuchadnezzar had set up. What was the outcome, these servants of God were thrown into a furnace of FIRE!
b. If you keep moving through the book of Daniel, chapter 6, we read another story of a prayer warrior who is rewarded for serving the living God. Three times a day he opened his window to Jerusalem and prayed. The result was that he was thrown into a pit with a bunch of hungry lions.
c. Job, a righteous man, but his whole world broke loose, at the hands of the enemy, not because of anything he had done!
d. THE DISCIPLES GAVE UP ALL FOR CHRIST-- IT ALL BROKE LOOSE. Stephen (stoned), Paul (EVERYTHING IMAGINABLE), John on Patmos (The revelator).
B. God doesn’t make sense in our life situation
1. Family strife.
2. You’re locked in to a bad job.
3. Your finances are all gone or you’re in debt up to your eyes.
4. Your health is all gone or you just can’t get well.
5. OUR NATION: The economy, the war in Iraq, jobs leaving the US to other countries and folks getting laid off every day only to find there is no job for them.
THOUGHT #1: WE HAVE PUT OUR SELVES IN THESE SITUATIONS
THOUGHT #2: GOD HAS ALLOWED US TO BE IN THESE SITUATIONS: BUILDING CLIMAX: NO ANSWERS!!!!!!!!!!
THOUGHT #3: WE ARE HERE FOR A REASON: GOD’S REASON!
II. GOD DOESN’T MAKE SENSE IN OUR MESSAGE (VV. 3B, 6FF)
A. Jeremiah’s message went against the time and stituation
1. destruction in peace
2. peace in destruction
B. God’s message goes against real logic and common sense
1. buy land that is over taken by the enemy
2. make a legal transaction
3. Swamp land for condo’s: Rolex’s for $25
C. Biblical examples:
1. Joseph’s message of famine during feast.
2. Noah’s message of rain when it had never rained.
3. Moses’ message to Pharoah, one man against “god!”
4. God’s message of Abraham: “Leave town, I’m going to bless you and make you a mighty nation!” God’s promise of a child in Abraham’s retirement years!!! 5. Jesus message of losing life to find it!! Giving all you have to get that which you cannot lose!! Matt. 10:39 “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
D. The message of the church in light of today’s culture
1. Serve God with all you have.
2. Versus severing self: Come to church verses the beach or the lake or the mall or race, or the football game or the baseball game, or just sleeping late?
III. GOD DOESN’T MAKE SENSE WITHOUT FAITH (vv. 8ff)
A. Jeremiah teaches us faith:
1. He listened for God’s message
2. When he heard God’s message, He knew it was from God.
3. He obeyed God’s message: REAL FAITH
4. Not only did he merely do what he was told, he did it maticulously. He turned the other cheek, he went the extra mile, and he gave his cloak as well. READ VERESES 11-14!!
5. He did it as a public testimony to God! He did not hide his light in a bushel basket. He put his lit on a Hill, He was not ashamed of His God. He wanted everyone to see and know what he was doing.
6. Faith bought and brought more light!
7. Our God responds to faith!!
B. God honors our faith: vv. 26-27; 28-35 and 36-44
1. Two things happen as a result of Jeremiah’s faith and trust in God.
2. First, God fulfills what He has promised as punishment: vv. 28-35.
3. Second, God honor Jeremiah. Note verses 36-44
4. DO you see the incredible love of God here??
TRUTH: Jeremiah believed God: For the Punishment of sin and for the restoration of HIS people. Shandrack, Meshack, Abednego, Daniel, Joseph, Moses, Noah, Stephen, Paul, and John all had faith to believe what God said.
QUESTION: Are we will to believe and live out our faith by investing in the Kingdom of our God? Are we willing to invest in God’s future regardless of the our present reality? Are we willing to invest in the Divine Promise in the outlandish conviction that our God is Faithful??
CONCLUSION: Yes, the reality of life is that it appears that our God doesn’t make sense. Things just don’t seem to line up as we think they should. The greater reality is that God makes sense in the big picture and this is what matters most. In Eternity, it will be all perfectly clear. Our responsibility is to trust God, to have faith, and not be consumed by present realities. THIS TOO SHALL PASS! WE ARE CALLED NOT TO BE FRANTIC, BUT FAITHFUL!
BENEDICTION: ROMANS 15:13
