Hope for the City

Honoring Leadership

Have you ever felt like you don’t belong? If so, you are not alone. God’s people have always felt a little out of place. In fact, there were times in history where they actually were outsides, exiles. One of those times is in Jeremiah when the people of Israel are captive in Babylon. Certain prophets had started saying that God was going to set them free very soon. This wasn’t from God and He got pretty mad about it.

Jeremiah 23:33–34

“Suppose one of the people or one of the prophets or priests asks you, ‘What prophecy has the Lord burdened you with now?’ You must reply, ‘You are the burden! The Lord says he will abandon you!’

“If any prophet, priest, or anyone else says, ‘I have a prophecy from the Lord,’ I will punish that person along with his entire family.

This is just a clip. Go read Jeremiah 23 when you get home. The LORD goes hard after people who use His name to promote their ideas.

God isn’t warm and fuzzy and sunshine and rainbows. He takes His name and His WORD seriously. He also loves His people like crazy.

What is something you really want for Christmas? Now imagine your brother or sister came to you and told you “Hey, mom and dad got you exactly what you wanted.” How would you respond? you would be excited right? You would be looking so forward to Christmas morning. You run to the tree, open all your presents, and it’s not there. You are mad at your sibling but probably more mad at mom and dad, right? You would have a hard time trusting them or believing them again.

Now image you are Israel. You have lost everything and now you are living in a country and among people you don’t understand. Your hope is that God is going to rescue you, and all these people who say they speak for God are saying that you will be home for Christmas! What are you going to do when it doesn’t happen?

Then God sends Jeremiah, the weeping prophet. AKA, Cry Baby. Jeremiah was young for a prophet when God called him. He was 17! Jeremiah called out the false prophets! One of his messages is often quoted, put on T-shirts and mugs, there is even a church in Tempe named after this quote. Jeremiah 29:11

Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

That sounds super uplifting right? God has plans to give you a future and hope. But read the rest of it.....

Jeremiah 29:10–14 NLT

This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

God was speaking through Jeremiah here. And He was telling them, and us, to pray for and work towards the good of the land. That even though these people were evil, that they should pray for their land, get married, have kids and grandkids..... God tells His people to bless the people keeping them captive.

This may seem crazy. It’s not. Jesus did that exact same thing from the moment He was born. Jesus was born into a world literally trying to kill Him. He blessed Shepards, tax collectors, and roman soldiers. All either criminals or people that actively hurt His people. But He worked to move them and the city forward.

For us, that means we are to honor and obey those God has placed in authority over us. Even if we don’t agree with them or support their ideas.