Jeremiah 31 20-34 Waiting for Christmas People in need of a coming Savior

What are some of your family traditions as you await Christmas?

Let’s skip back 2,500 years. Judah has fallen to the Babylonians. Warned over and over again by God, they refused to turn from the sin and idols that they had pursued for years. Now they have reaped the result of their sin.

Yet in the midst of that time, God speaks. He offers hope. He points to a day yet future for them. He points them to day when restoration would be possible. He points to Christmas, the coming of a Savior. Veiled – yes. Without the details – Yes. But we know that God was offering hope based on what would begin at Christmas – the coming of the Savior. They were waiting for Christmas. And the final result of that day – the perfect offering for sin – that would open the way for a new relationship with God – A New Covenant.

(ESV) Jeremiah 31 20 Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he my darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, declares the Lord. 21 “Set up road markers for yourself; make yourself guideposts; consider well the highway, the road by which you went. Return, O virgin Israel, return to these your cities. 22 How long will you waver, O faithless daughter? …

24 And Judah and all its cities shall dwell there together, and the farmers and those who wander with their flocks. 25 For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.” 26 At this I awoke and looked, and my sleep was pleasant to me. 27 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast. 28 And it shall come to pass that as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring harm, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, declares the Lord

31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Our waiting on Christmas is very different than their waiting. But we share their need – the need for a Savior. Waiting for Christmas – People in need of a Savior

I. Waiting for Christmas: God’s yearns for judged people

A. The holy God to unholy people Jer 31:20a

(ESV) Jeremiah 31 20 Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he my darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, declares the Lord.

1. He declared Himself to be a righteous / just / holy God

(ESV) Exodus 23 21 Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him.

(ESV) Joshua 24 19 But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20 If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.”

(ESV) Isaiah 5 16 But the Lord of hosts is exalted in justice, and the Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness.

B. Yet God doesn’t forget them Jer 31:20b

(ESV) Jeremiah 31 20 Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he my darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, declares the Lord.

1. As a father/mother love their child

(ESV) Isaiah 43 1 But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.

2. But more so

(ESV) Isaiah 49 15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.

C. God longs for them Jer 31:20c

(ESV) Jeremiah 31 20 Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he my darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, declares the Lord.

1. Longs for them

(ESV) Hosea 11 8 How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? … My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender. 9 I will not execute my burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath.

D. God desires to show mercy Jer 31:20d

(ESV) Jeremiah 31 20 Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he my darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, declares the Lord.

1. Will make a way for God to be true to Himself / His justice and yet still offer mercy

(ESV) Lamentations 3 22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

(ESV) 2 Peter 3 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

II. Waiting for Christmas: God’s offer of restoration

A. Recognize the opportunity to return Jer 31:21a

(ESV) Jeremiah 31 21 “Set up road markers for yourself; make yourself guideposts; consider well the highway, the road by which you went. Return, O virgin Israel, return to these your cities. 22 How long will you waver, O faithless daughter? …

1. May yet live in the consequences, but there is a way back

2. Look where you have come

3. See the way back – remember the way back

B. Will require response Jer 31:21b

(ESV) Jeremiah 31 21 “Set up road markers for yourself; make yourself guideposts; consider well the highway, the road by which you went. Return, O virgin Israel, return to these your cities. 22 How long will you waver, O faithless daughter? …

1. And return – go back

2. Why are you waiting – return back to the place of blessin

C. Will require faith Jer 31:22

(ESV) Jeremiah 31 21 “Set up road markers for yourself; make yourself guideposts; consider well the highway, the road by which you went. Return, O virgin Israel, return to these your cities. 22 How long will you waver, O faithless daughter? …

1. Will require faith – a turning to God – Believe that He is / He rewards those seeking Him

III. Waiting for Christmas: Gods plans to reverse His actions

A. From curse Jer 31:27-28a

(ESV) Jeremiah 31 27 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, … 28 And it shall come to pass that as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring harm, so I will watch oveb them to build and to plant, declares the Lord. …

1. Trouble is God sent – sinners face consequences – made the world that way – will actually intervene as well – deserved what they got

B. To blessing Jer 31:27-28b

(ESV) Jeremiah 31 27 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, … 28 And it shall come to pass that as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring harm, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, declares the Lord. …

1. God desires to change His actions – to build them up / to cause them to prosper – to bless them

C. A promise of peace Jer 31:24-26

(ESV) Jeremiah 31 24 And Judah and all its cities shall dwell there together, and the farmers and those who wander with their flocks. 25 For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.” 26 At this I awoke and looked, and my sleep was pleasant to me.

1. Reverse the consequences as well

2. Satisfy those who are seeking endlessly

a. Satisfy those who have exhausted themselves in fruitless quests

3. Renew those who are beaten down with the consequences of their sin – make new – fill up

4. Peace to sleep without worry / restlessness / uncertainty

IV. Waiting for Christmas: God offers a New Covenant

A. A New Covenant Jer 31:31

(ESV) Jeremiah 31 31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenantwith the house of Israel and the house of Judah,

1. Something different – yet to come for them – coming with the redemption of Christ

The covenant signified with Abraham in Genesis 16 – sacrifices cut in pieces as God made a promise of blessing to Abraham -

B. Not works’ based Jer 31:32

(ESV) Jeremiah 31 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord.

1. Not works based (eph 2 – not of works)

2. Couldn’t keep works based relationship

3. Never good enough – can’t achieve the standard that is necessary

4. Nothing you do is good – all self centered / me based

C. An inner transformation Jer 31:33a

(ESV) Jeremiah 31 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. …

1. A change within is necessary

2. Not doing so that I can please God

3. Changed within in a way that pleases God – live this new life out

4. Not to satisfy the justice of God / but to please the one who has made us acceptable

D. A personal relationship with God Jer 31:33b-34a

(ESV) Jeremiah 31 33 … And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. …

1. Not us pursuing God / but God pursuing us

2. God drawing us to Him

3. God having a personal relationship with us

4. No need to be elite – all levels accepted by God – all have the privilege of this personal relationship

E. Sins dealt with Jer 31:34b

(ESV) Jeremiah 31 34 … For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

1. Sin forgiven – put away - Sin forgotten - Sin covered over

2. Sin’s debt paid in full – no more to required

3. Sin removed as far as the East is from the West

4. Sin taken on by Christ

5. Christ’s righteousness given to us instead.

6. It began at Christmas

(ESV) Galatians 4 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

For those who got it – to those who responded to Jeremiah’s message by faith – they could rest as the awaited Christmas – though the didn’t understand it all – God would somehow be their Savior and bring them rest

For us – for those who chose to get it – we know how all this can happen – it is because of Christmas (the coming of the Savior God) and ultimately His death on the cross for ours sins.

To those who respond to this – we can await the holiday celebrating Christmas with joy knowing ho