MOTIVATE

There is a short story about a peasant who is seeking to purchase property and build a home.[1] One day, he meets a landlord who makes an amazing offer: for $100 the peasant can have all the land he’s able to travel by foot in one day, but he must be back at his starting position before sunset or he forfeits his money and land.

The peasant sets out on his journey, salivating over the prospect of his new homestead. He runs and runs, and when he considers turning back, he runs forward even faster. He tells himself, “Just a little more!” Finally, he sprints back with his starting point in sight and only a few minutes before sunset. His last few steps lead to a collapse at the finish line. His journey and pursuit for more property killed him.

The narrator of the story asks, “How much land does a person need?” Then the author answers: six feet – just enough for burial.

There are many good things we can pursue: house and home, education and career, selection of a spouse, financial security, altruistic endeavors, or even working for God. But if our pursuit of an object hinders our relationship with God, then we will arrive at the end of our life empty.

Today, in a closing message on Confronting Cultural Creeds with Grace & Truth, I want to remind Christians (SPBC) that ambition without the heart of God is hollow.

If our pursuit of an object hinders our relationship with God, then we will arrive at the end of our life empty. Ambition without the heart of God is hollow.

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EXAMINE                 Broken Cisterns (Jeremiah 2:4-13)

The name Jeremiah means “Yahweh throws,” which was his ministry as a prophet – to throw down – “to uproot and tear down, to destroy and demolish, to build and to plant” (Jer 1:10). He was the son of a priest and was chosen as a prophet before he was in his mother’s womb (Jer 1:4).

• *Side note: God’s care starts even before conception. God is pro – PRE – life, so how much more should His people today care for the unborn!?!

Jeremiah started as a young prophet, who preached 40 years to stubborn and stone-cold hearts that would not heed the warnings of God’s judgment.

Jeremiah lived under multiple evil and monstrous kings (627-586BC). Many of these kings built multiple altars and temples of worship for idols, even offering children as burnt sacrifices for divination to pagan gods (2 Ki 21:2-9; 24:3-4). Judah had become a ping-pong nation allied with Assyria, Egypt or Babylon, whichever promised protection at the time.  

Unfortunately, Jeremiah would end up seeing the death of his nation. He wrote a book about it called, Lamentations, and Jeremiah was known as the “weeping prophet (Jer 9:1; 13:17; 14:17; 15:17-18; Lam 1:2; 2:11, 18). Through Jeremiah’s preaching we can learn 3 actions for God’s people to confront cultural creeds and spiritual complacency.

For Christians to confront cultural creeds we need to rekindle our first love.

Jeremiah 2:1-7 ¹ The word of the LORD came to me, saying, ² “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the LORD, “I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. ³ Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest. All who ate of it incurred guilt; disaster came upon them, declares the LORD.” ⁴ Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel. ⁵ Thus says the LORD: “What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless?
⁶ They did not say, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that none passes through, where no man dwells?’
⁷ And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination.

Jeremiah frequently reminded his hearers the source of his messages was from God and not his own – “The word of the LORD came to me…” This fact has two applications:

1. The messenger can speak with confidence. They’re not just stating ideas or opinions, but proclaiming the Creator’s commands. Likewise, today when we address cultural issues, we should be sure to understand Scripture and Christian convictions, and not just spout conspiracies or condemnation.  
   
   
2. The messenger can expect criticism. Since the beginning of time people have dismissed God’s words and commands. The Lord told Jeremiah, “get ready, stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not be intimidated… for they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail” (1:17, 19). Likewise, Jesus said, “Blessed are you when others revile and persecute you, and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Mt 5:11-12)

When we address cultural issues, we should be sure to understand Scripture and Christian convictions, and not just spout conspiracies or condemnation.  

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God spoke through Jeremiah to hold Judah accountable not just for a few blunders but brazen disregard of God’s commands.

There is a difference between striving for holiness while being imperfect and living complacent and unrepentant while professing faith in God. Israel, like some Christians today, were consistently inconsistent. They enjoyed the benefits of being God’s children, but they did not embrace the responsibility as servants in God’s kingdom.

God compared their relationship to a honeymoon between bride and groom. Their romance began at redemption. God’s love was proved with His rescue of the children of Israel in the wilderness. God spoiled His bride with blessings of spacious land and fruitful harvest. It was as if God was flipping through the photos in His wedding album, but instead of appreciation there is an ache in His heart.

⁵ “What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless?

God was faithful to Israel. He provided for her with spacious land and protected her from those who sought to consume their fruitful harvest.

But Israel cheated and prostituted itself after other gods. Love was interrupted, loyalty was shaken, and promises were broken. Israel had become like their idols – “worthless” (empty or vanity, Ecc 1:2).^[2] Idolaters chase after the wind with unfilled gain. They have spiritual amnesia and have forgotten who saved them when they hopelessly enslaved? Who loved them when they were insignificant and undeserving? Who guided them to safety and prosperity when they were disoriented and lost? Who stayed by their side and never abandoned them when they walked away?

If we ever doubt about God’s faithfulness or wonder about God’s love, it was not God who grew distant or betrayed the relationship. Yet sadly it has become easy to blame God for the detachment in our faith connection with the Lord.  

One of the key charges against Israel was its unfaithfulness, or what a previous generation called backsliding (cf 2:19 “Your own evil will discipline you; your own backsliding will reprimand you” see also 3:6, 8, 11-12, 14, 22, 49:4). You see, when we face challenges or consequences of our sin, we have the choice to either rekindle our faith and repent of sin, or we can withdraw and backslide from God.

• Hopefully in this series you have realized sin is not just outside in the culture but inside the church and our own heart. If you’re a Christian, one of my prayers is for you/us to rededicate ourselves to following the LORD. We do not want to be like those whom Jesus removes our lampstand (cf Rev 2:5).

• To prevent spiritual amnesia and forgetting God’s gracious redemption and sustaining strength, we should consider gratitude testimonies. Recite your salvation testimony to Christians and non-believers alike. This need not be awkward, but a simple statement like, “Without God I would be a mess… uncertain, confused, directionless, empty…” “But I’m thankful God is my rock, my help, my guide, my hope, and my Savior.” Small testimonies like these plant seeds and raises curiosity to begin gospel conversations.

For the church to confront cultural creeds we need to rekindle its leadership.

⁸ The priests did not say, ‘Where is the LORD?’ Those who handle the law did not know me; the shepherds transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that do not profit. ⁹ “Therefore I still contend with you, declares the LORD, and with your children’s children I will contend.

Jeremiah places blame for Israel’s lackluster love and unfaithfulness on their spiritual leaders. Three groups of leaders were in view:

• Religious priests who professed to know God but failed to practice such.
• Political rulers/shepherds/kings who were guilty of moral corruption and unholy alliances.
• Spiritual prophets who prophesied falsely for idols and led the people to worthlessness/vanity/emptiness.

While Israel’s leadership should have been part of solution, they were part of the problem. Leadership should be a stewardship of resources. Like it or not, leaders are held to a higher standard in the public eye and stricter judgment in God’s eye (Jam 3:1).

• So, we should seek to honor the position even if we disagree with people. We honor positions by praying for individuals to do well (1Tim 2:2), participating where we can advance good (Prov 3:27-35; Heb 13:17), and critiquing with constructive feedback rather than partial and personal attacks (Eph 4:29).
• Leaders must remember to work hard like a soldier battling to survive; like an athlete competing to win; or like a farmer who only eats if he’s faithful in the field preparation and harvest labor (2 Tim 2:4-6).

Today we have

• Priests who betray sacred trusts.
• Kings who speak falsely for selfish gain to the disadvantage of people and the destruction of a nation’s heritage.
• Prophets who blaspheme God yet feed their greed and pridefully but woefully store up wrath on the day of Christ’s return.

As goes the family so goes the church, as goes the church so goes the nation. All of these require disciplined leadership oriented to God. If not, the impact will not be godly generations but horrible and hollow heritage.

⁹ declares the LORD, and with your children’s children I will contend.

If the church is to rekindle godly and effective leadership, then we need to commit to key practices:

1. Training is vital to the health and effectiveness of leaders. Leaders must be learners. We learn through personal study and communal practices.
   1. Every member should be involved in a Bible Group or Gospel Group. You cannot grow in life or leadership without study of God’s word and service to God’s people.
   1. Every member should have a ministry of service. Serving starts with seeing and meeting needs individually, but it is sustained by dedicating focused time, talent, and treasure through our church ministry and beyond. Where would you like to serve?
      1. First Impressions Team
      1. CM/YM teachers & assistants (also TL/AHG & VBS)
      1. Group multiplication with teachers & assistants
      1. Music & A/V
      1. Logistics (finance, campus, other)
   1. Some to step up and lead. We need leaders to initiate and facilitate.
      
      
2. Transitioning to next generation. Transitioning does not mean dumping tasks or stepping back from responsibility. Instead, transitioning well implies an intentional process to walk alongside others to help them fulfill responsibilities and exceed the qualities you have.

For Christ’s kingdom to confront cultural creeds we must re-examine its allies.

¹⁰ For cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see, or send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has been such a thing. ¹¹ Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. ¹² Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD, ¹³ for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Jeremiah looks to the west for the coasts of Cyprus and to the east for Kedar and notes these nations’ faithfulness to their gods. Unbelievers are loyal to their idols. The Canaanites did not forsake Asherah altars. The Babylonians never forsook sacrificing to Bel. Yet sadly God’s people changed gods like they do sandals or shoes.

Jeremiah says the heavens are appalled and shocked (v.12)! Further, their sins were summed up in two actions…

• Forsaking the fountain of living waters.

Sin is not an abstract event but a relational determination. Our sins insult God’s glory and injure God’s heart. Sin separates us from closeness to God. And ongoing unrepentant sin implies a heart un-surrendered to the LORD, that is foolishly forsaking the fountain of living waters in a dry and thirsty land.

The Bible is replete with illustrations of God as satisfying water to our soul.

• One who follows God is like a tree planted by streams of water that yield fruit and its leaf does not wither.
  Ps 1:3
  • Whoever drinks of the water Jesus gives will never be thirsty again, but it will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life. John 4:14; 7:38; Rev 22:17

Our bodies cannot survive longer than 3-days without water. Without water, we become dehydrated, get headaches, dizziness or confusion, cramps, and perhaps pain. Our body becomes unable to sweat and regulate our systems, so our body temperature rises, blood circulation decreases, and we can quickly become weak, faint, or even die. After a couple days without water, the body system cannot remove toxins, which buildup and harms all our organs, especially the kidneys, heart, and brain. So – – – hydrate don’t dydrate 🙂

As hydration is to the body, so is the Spirit of God to our soul.

As hydration is to the body, so is the Spirit of God to our soul.

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• Our soul thirsts and flesh faints for God as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Ps 63:1
  • Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters!
    Isa 55:1

• Relying on broken cisterns.

A cistern is a water tank, typically underground. In modern day USA, we are spoiled that this concept is largely foreign to us. We can go to at least a couple different rooms in our house to turn a knob and drinkable water comes out. But that is not the case in every place in the world.

*Cuba: Many homes rely on water trucked in to fill a cistern, but mostly on sporadic rain-water. We wept with multiple families over their living conditions, yet saw spiritual resolve and joyful faith that was humbling and inspiring.

Jeremiah was saying that Jerusalem was relying on false gods and unfavorable nations and substituted God with political allies to protect them from enemies. Jeremiah asks, “What do you gain by going to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? What do you gain by going to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates?… For as many cities you host, are as many gods you worship.” (J 2:18, 28)

Time later, Jeremiah says “Zion stretched out her hands but there was none to comfort her… they called for their allied lovers but they were deceived” (Lam 1:17, 19)

The psalmist says it best, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses – some trust in government provision and others in military strength – but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. (Ps 20:7)

Christians/Church, to confront cultural creeds we cannot ally ourselves with the broken cisterns of political power, or much more toleration theology. The church of Jesus Christ is not at peace with worldly kingdoms or churches that have had its lampstand removed. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter the size of your cistern if its broken, cracked, or collapsing.

• Who or what are you relying on for protection, provision, purpose, or even pleasure? Before you answer too quickly, look at the way you spend your time…
  look at who you run to and vent when crisis strike…
  look at where your spend your affections and finances…

APPLY/THINK

The Bible is not a window where you look through it to judge others. Instead, the Bible is a mirror that reveals where we fall short and requires us to change our heart. Yet, we cannot change ourselves, we need the Holy Spirit to change us.

Jeremiah says, “Your injury is incurable, your wounds most severe… all your lovers have forgotten you and no longer look for you… But I will bring you to health and will heal your wounds… I will make a new covenant – [not one that relies on your will power but with my Spirit working in your heart]”
(cf Jer 30:12-17; 31:31-34)

The fountain of living waters is open and flowing. All you have to do is open your hands and bring to your face to feel the grace of God wash over your soul. Come to Jesus, today.

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[1] Story from Leo Tolstoy, “How Much Land Does A Man Need?” and adapted from the summary Aaron Menikoff, “A Word To Generation Z” accessed at TGC.org

^[2] F. B. Huey, Jeremiah, Lamentations, vol. 16, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1993), 63.