Finish/It! - Jeremiah 29

Introduction

Today, we are going to begin a sermon series about some Scripture that many of you may have on the wall, but that often go unfinished when quoted or completely taken out of context. Every one of us pastors comes across this so regularly that I thought, why not turn it into a sermon series?

Our Purpose is simple: As we go through the next few weeks, we are going to put these verses into proper context and then look at what we can apply from them.

We are going to do this in a three point format. Text, Context, and Application.

Today’s Verse:

Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

PRAY.

Point 1: Text

This is one of the most famous verses and probably the one that is used out of context the most. Very likely someone in this very church has this verse on their wall. However, many take it out context treating it as a blanket statement of God’s provision with no conditions or requirements. This is not the case. verse, we can see a different picture being painted.

The original Biblical texts did not have chapter divisions. This was something that was implemented by Stephen Langton, the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1227 as a way of being able to index the information contained with in and reference it.

Many times we fall into the mistake of picking a single verse without reading it in light of what is before it and after it, how it relates to the chapter, then the book, and the Bible as a whole. When we do this, we run the risk of missing the meaning altogether.

Let’s Back It Up:

Jeremiah 29:10–11 NKJV

10 For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Knowing this verse makes a difference? We can see that it is not just a blanket statement given by God with no requirement on our part. In fact, if we search out its context, we will see that there is much to be learned.

Point 2: Context

When we search the text out, we can see that this is the Babylonian Captivity of 586 B.C. in which the Jews were exiled to Babylon.

The prophet Jeremiah foretold of this captivity and he had preached his message 12x, yet it went unheeded.

Jeremiah 24:1–6 (NKJV)

1 The Lord showed me, and there were two baskets of figs set before the temple of the Lord, after Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and the princes of Judah with the craftsmen and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon. 2 One basket had very good figs, like the figs that are first ripe; and the other basket had very bad figs which could not be eaten, they were so bad. 3 Then the Lord said to me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” And I said, “Figs, the good figs, very good; and the bad, very bad, which cannot be eaten, they are so bad.” 4 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge those who are carried away captive from Judah, whom I have sent out of this place for their own good, into the land of the Chaldeans. 6 For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up.

Many prophets had spoke of the Day of the Lord that was to come, and Jews were looking forward to it, yet the prophet Amos made it clear, that if they had any understanding of what the Day of the Lord was about, they would turn.

Amos 5:18–22 NKJV

18 Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! For what good is the day of the Lord to you? It will be darkness, and not light. 19 It will be as though a man fled from a lion, And a bear met him! Or as though he went into the house, Leaned his hand on the wall, And a serpent bit him! 20 Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light? Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it? 21 “I hate, I despise your feast days, And I do not savor your sacred assemblies. 22 Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings.

As we studied in my message Enough, the people had not gotten the purpose.. Their hearts were still not with God. In fact, the book of Malachi simply consists of 6 disputations .. 6x they argue with God.

When I say that, we think “How could they do that,” yet here we sit in the same disobedience trying to mask it with good deeds instead of focusing on what God really wants.. fruit and much fruit.

God is not playing with you or me, you must be about producing MUCH FRUIT.

The Jews were saying the right thing and even doing their Good Deeds, yet they were still in COMPLETE DISOBEDIENCE. Don’t mess around and get fooled. The Spirit will reveal what you need to know by you seeing fruits.

Galatians 5:22 NKJV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Galatians 6:7 NKJV

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Point 3: Application

There is a spiritual lesson here

Stop paying attention to words and even actions—they can deceive you. The thing you will see in someone who is living it and being obedient is FRUIT.

Matthew 7:18–20 NKJV

18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

John 15:1–2 NKJV

1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

John 15, which we studied in a previous message makes it abundantly clear that if we do not bear fruit, we will be taken away. This is what happened in the captivity, the people’s hearts were still not turned to God, so he had to send them into this new captivity.

Jeremiah 25:1–11 NKJV

1 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), 2 which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the people of Judah and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying: 3 “From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, this is the twenty-third year in which the word of the Lord has come to me; and I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, but you have not listened. 4 And the Lord has sent to you all His servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear. 5 They said, ‘Repent now everyone of his evil way and his evil doings, and dwell in the land that the Lord has given to you and your fathers forever and ever. 6 Do not go after other gods to serve them and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands; and I will not harm you.’ 7 Yet you have not listened to Me,” says the Lord, “that you might provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt. 8 “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Because you have not heard My words, 9 behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ says the Lord, ‘and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations. 10 Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. 11 And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

God wanted to plant them.

Jeremiah 29:4–12 NKJV

4 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. 6 Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished. 7 And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace. 8 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed. 9 For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the Lord. 10 For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

God is calling out today. Are you producing fruit? I’m here to tell you.. the Bible is clear.. if you aren’t producing fruit, you are likely going to go through a new captivity.

However, there is a way out… it doesn’t have to be this way.. the way out is the shape of a cross, and like the thief on the cross who looked upon Jesus… it can happen just like that.

Altar call.