The Heart of the Matter - Jeremiah 17:1-14

Introduction

Seven years ago, I decided that I wanted to get in the best shape of my life. Alan, Andrew, and I committed to run a marathon together. And, if you’ve ever tried to do it, it feels like all you do is run. Well, on Saturday, the three of us had gotten together, and we’d done a seven mile training run. No problem. I felt like I could keep going. Monday came around, and a mile and a half in my stomach was hurting so badly I couldn’t keep going. Tuesday, the same thing happened, and a dull ache persisted throughout the day. I went to one doctor who thought it was acid, but it didn’t help. Another doctor thought it was an antibiotic I was taking, and that seemed to make a difference.

So, on to Africa I went I went. About five days into my trip, I was unable to eat. Then, I got a high fever. Then, it felt like someone had shot me with a rifle in the stomach. I went to the ER when I got home, and they gave me an antibiotic and my official diagnosis was “cough” on my discharge papers. That night was one of the most excruciating of my life. I went to a different ER the next day where it was discovered that my intestines had ruptured and that I was within 24 hours of dying. The doctor said to me: “The reason you’re being misdiagnosed is that your symptoms don’t look as bad as it is.”

God’s Word

You know, symptoms bother us, but disease kills us. That’s a good summary of what Jeremiah is trying to get across in his prophecy. Many of those in Judah didn’t think the symptoms were all that bad. Were things perfect? No! Were thinks fine? Sure. It was just a little cough. But, Jeremiah was sounding the alarm to take them to the heart of the matter so that they could see how dire the diagnosis really was. In chapter 17, Jeremiah really moves from prophecy to proverb, and it’s a proverb that’s meant to show How to Get a Good Diagnosis: (Headline)

What is your “life producing”?

Symptoms may not be the main problem, but they are important. Symptoms are the starting line for a proper diagnosis. They are the God-ordained means to alert us that all is not well. So, if you want a good diagnosis, you start with the symptoms.

Fruit is a synonym for symptom in the Bible. The fruit above the surface alerts you to what’s going on beneath the surface. In Jeremiah 17, Jeremiah uses two different trees — one that’s healthy and one that’s unhealthy — to illustrate to Judah the difference between who they are and who they’re meant to be. And, what’s most readily apparent is how different the fruit is that these two trees are producing. These two contrasting trees give us diagnostic questions that can alert us as well.

Are you “withering?”

Jeremiah 17:6 “He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.”

The first tree we’re told about is less of a fruit tree and more of a dried out bush covered in thorns. Jeremiah observes that no “good comes” from it all. That is, there’s no good fruit. The fruit it bears is the kind that nobody wants. The way Jeremiah describes it is telling. It’s “parched” and in an “uninhabited salt land.” If the “shrub” could talk, it would say: “I’m “parched.” I never have enough.” My land is “uninhabited”. I always feel alone. The ground is covered with “salt.” That is, nothing I can do will make a difference. The soil is poisoned.”

When you look at the fruit of your life, is that what you see? Do you have all the symptoms of a withering tree? Does nothing seem to be enough for you? Is that why you keep searching for a new job? Is that why you want another degree? Is that why you keep swiping your credit card? Do you always feel like you’re alone? Is that why you turn to porn? Is that why you tried the secret relationship? Is that why you drift away to virtual worlds? Does nothing you do seem to make a difference? Is that why you keep turning to alcohol? Is that why you’re on the edge of giving up?

Jeremiah wants Judah to see, and I want us to see, that you can have money in your bank account, a nice roof over your head, two kids, and a steady job while you wither toward death. What is the fruit of your life saying?

Are you “flourishing?”

Jeremiah 17:8 “He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.””

Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.””

Now, there’s a contrasting tree. The first tree is “cursed” and has bad fruit. The second tree is “blessed” and has good fruit. The first is withering toward death. The second is flourishing in health. By looking at the fruit of this tree, we can see that “blessed” in the Bible means something very different than what we often mean by it. In fact, our definition of “blessed” is exactly the kind of thinking Jeremiah is correcting. “Blessed” is not having everything you want so that you’re happy. Jeremiah says in chapter 9, that if you’re strong, you shouldn’t boast in your strength. If you’re wise, you shouldn’t boast in you’re wisdom. If you’re wealthy, you shouldn’t boast in your wealth. None of these are what it means to blessed. To be blessed is to live in peace and security no matter what you endure. “Heat is coming, but I’m not afraid. Drought is here, but I still have plenty. The world is withering, but I’m flourishing.”

“Blessed” is only needing God to be happy and knowing that you have him. “Blessed” is having as your chief ambition to enjoy the presence of God and being assured his presence is always with you. It’s you being totally content with what God wants for you and has provided. You don’t need more. You have God, and He’s all you need. You aren’t alone. God’s presence is with you, and really believe it. You don’t have to save the world. God is the one doing the saving. Let me ask you: Are you flourishing? Are you healthy? What does your fruit say?

What are your “circumstances revealing?”

Once we’ve been able to nail down what our symptoms are saying, we have to move deeper. If you have headache that won’t quit, tylenol may help for a minute, but you need to know if there’s a brain tumor. This is true of us spiritually. Too often, we stop with the presenting issue — porn, anger, or anxiety, and we fail to ask what the heart of the issue really is.

For example, if you have a person that’s a workaholic, that’s certainly a sin and needs to be repented of. But, you need to know more before you can be helped or help them. You need to know why, and there’s ten different reasons they could be a workaholic. Is he a workaholic because he’s greedy? Or, is it because he’s afraid of the future? Is it because he’s jealous of what others have or because he still needs his parent’s approval? Is he trying to escape an unhappy marriage, or is it the only way that he knows how to find any sense of worth? We need to know the root of our problem if we hope to resolve it.

Jeremiah helps us here. First, it’s important to note that...

Your “problems” are not your “problem.”

Jeremiah 17:6 “He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.”

Jeremiah 17:8 “He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.””

Most of us stop short of getting to the actual heart of the issue. We recognize that we are withering and that are fruit is bad, and we blame the sun for it. We believe that our lives are falling apart because our circumstances are bad. We tell ourselves that our lives would be different, our fruit would be different, we would be different, if only we would’ve had a better opportunity. So, it’s important to note that Jeremiah is sure we see that the sun is beating down on both trees. They’re both living in the desert. They’re both facing the heat.

Your problems are not your main problem. Of course, our circumstances influence the direction of our lives, but they don’t cause the people that we are. We have take responsibility for that so that we can get to the real issue. You see, I know of one family where there were two children, and the family was terribly dysfunctional. There was abuse, abandonment, and a lack of real care to go around. The other child became a heavy drug user and a poor parent. They blamed their upbringing. The other became a little league coach, committed spouse, and dependable neighbor. They credit their upbringing for showing them how it shouldn’t be. So, you have two different people facing the same “heat” but with completely different fruit. Your problems aren’t your main problem. Rather, Jeremiah shows us that...

Your “fruit” comes from your “roots.”

Jeremiah 17:1 ““The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; with a point of diamond it is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of their altars,”

Jeremiah 17:5-9 “Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

The reason the first man is “cursed” is not because of what’s happened to him. It’s because of who he trusts. And, the reason the second man is “blessed” is not because he just won the luck of the draw and got a smoother life. It’s because of he trusts. That is, one tree doesn’t flourish while the other tree withers because it was naturally more immune to drought than the other. One tree doesn’t flourish while the other tree withers because it’s been fortunate enough to be out of the sun. The difference lies only in the location of the roots. The withering tree turns to its own wisdom and its own “strength.” It tries to fight its way out and make itself happy. But, it’s roots are in “salt land.” It’s poisoned. The second tree “trusts in the Lord” and it’s roots find a stream. And, because it’s connected to the stream beneath the surface the sun overhead and the desert all around have no impact on its ability to flourish.

Jeremiah summarizes the problem with Judah in verse 9. Their problem is not that they don’t have enough. Their problem is not that God has not been good enough. Their problem is that their hearts have deceived them. They’re “desperately sick.” Yet, they keep believing they can turn to their own strength to make themselves well. Your issue is not your circumstances. The heart of your problem is your own heart.

In Matthew 7:17-20, Jesus says: “So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” What is your fruit revealing about your heart? Does your own heart keep deceiving you into believing that you can fix the mess that is your life? My goodness, don’t follow your heart. Crucify it!

What is your “path forward?”

Now, there appears to be a major problem if you find that you’re the wrong kind of tree producing the wrong kinds of fruit. Trees can’t change types. This is the heart of the issue. This is the question of Jeremiah. In the Old Covenant, the Law only seems to prove that we’re not the right kind of tree. The Law only proves that we bear bad fruit. So, what hope is there? None of us have ever managed to change poison ivy into honeysuckle. How much harder is it to change people?

Well, there is a way, and this is Jeremiah’s message, to change what type of tree you are...

If God is “above nature”....

Jeremiah 17:13-14 “O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be put to shame; those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living water. Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.”

Even if you poured water on that withering shrub, it was going to be parched again soon. It’s only hope for lasting fruit and lasting health was a spring that would outlast the drought. That’s who the Lord is. He’s not just a fountain of water. He’s beyond nature. He’s a fountain of “living water.” We’re desperately sick. A pill might treat our symptoms for a little while, but we’ll still die eventually. Unless we can be healed forever. Your heart may be desperately sick. But, God is sovereign over sickness and life and death. You can’t change poison ivy in to honeysuckle, but Jesus proved that God can turn death into life.

People can change. But, people can’t change because they’re good. The issue that Jeremiah is revealing is not that Judah is made up of a bunch of pretty good folks that fell into some oopsie daisies and need some help. They’re “hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately sick.” They’re not good. They’re bad. And, the same is true of you as much as I like you. But, people can change, and they can change because God is sovereign. He’s sovereign over nature — and the includes your sin nature and mine. The resurrection proves that. Death lost, and mine was included. So, with Jesus, we can be raised to “newness of life.” That is, we can be raised a different kind of tree. We were a bad tree bearing bad fruit. We may have tried to glue some apples on, but we were still poison ivy. But, Christ raises us to be good trees bearing good fruit.

Do you believe that? Do you really believe that Jesus can change you? Not some religious story you heard growing up. Not some fanciful myth. I’m talking the actual, historical, eternal, risen person of Jesus. Do you believe that. Then, there’s a path forward...

If you are “over yourself”....

Jeremiah 17:14 “Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.”

This passage presents two places to turn. That’s how it starts and that’s how it ends. You can see your problem and turn to your own strength and your own wisdom and your own wealth. And, your life is “cursed.” Because to turn toward yourself is to turn away from the Lord. Or, you can — like Jeremiah in his prayer — turn to God alone and says, “I’m sick, and I need you to heal me. I’m lost, and I need you to save me. You are my only hope. You are my only praise.”

Are you so over yourself that you’ll stop looking to yourself? Then, if you want to change the type of tree you are, you must visit cursed tree upon which Jesus died. Jesus’ cross says that you can moved from “cursed” to “blessed”, from “sick” and “deceived” to “healed” and “saved.” That is, you don’t have to remain as you are. Through Christ, if you’ll trust in him, you can become a different kind of tree producing different kinds of fruit. Will you cry out to him today? Will you pray with Jeremiah “Heal me!” “Save me!”

Now, what are you to do if you’ve trusted in Christ but still find the thorns of this desert world weaving themselves around the healthy tree Jesus has made you to be? Well, you recognize that you’re not home yet. You’re not completely made new yet. The Spirit is still at work. So, wherever the Spirit reveals the thorns, let him rip them up from the root. What are you not giving to him? Give it over. Where are you trusting your strength? Turn away from yourself and toward Christ. Where are you discontent and dissatisfied and feeling lonely? Return every day to see where those thorns were bore upon Jesus’ head so that you can know they’ve already been bore for you.