Never Say It’s Hopeless
Jeremiah 16:1?18:23
Big picture: These chapters continue the saga of God trying to get the attention of His prodigal people through His spokesman Jeremiah. God is trying to communicate with Judah that there is still hope by allowing the prophet to continue to talk about repentance.
Jeremiah is told to refrain from a number of normal things. These unusual actions are to get people’s attention as the prophet speaks of Judah’s sin and guilt. The same theme continues (Judah’s sin and guilt), but chapter 17 contrasts trust in ourselves and trust in God. Trust in ourselves dooms us to an unproductive life and service for the Lord that doesn’t produce fruit – just a lot of religious activity.
Jeremiah says misplaced trust reveals a deeper problem. The human heart is bent toward sin and is the root of all our sin, not just misplaced trust. God will always look at the heart and judge according to that. In other words, religious activity and ritual do not reveal our real heart, but our motive.
The next part of this story goes deep to some very basic, but important, things about God. The movie “Titanic” was not just about a boat hitting an iceberg, but about the contrast between those who saw what was really going on and those who were in denial. Judah was in denial. Judgment was coming, and the people of Judah acted as if everything was hunky-dory.
The Lord sends a messenger to warn Judah. Here is where God takes Jeremiah to the potter’s house. The lesson is that God is the potter. Judah is the clay. The clay is spoiled through idolatry and sin. The clay is crushed. God didn’t throw it away, but remade a good pot from it – according to His specifications, not the clay’s.
God gives options. He calls the people of Judah to repent and change. They refuse. Instead of lamenting or mourning the people of Judah, Jeremiah says, “Go ahead and judge. They are not listening.”
Conclusions and Questions
– Our final trust cannot be in others or ourselves.
– Our own hearts cannot be trusted.
– Our trust must be completely on the Lord.
– God is sovereign over all nations and history, but gives the choice for repentance that results in restoration.
– God’s indictment against nations, churches and cities can be reversed if we repent.
– If no repentance – then judgment.
Finally: All actions by God, even judgment, are not to pay us back, but to win us back.
Where are you? Where is your church? Where is our nation?
Barker– Lessons by Ron Barker, evangelism and prayer strategist for the evangelization and missions team of the South Carolina Baptist Convention. Barker also taught evangelism at Southwestern Seminary.