Why I Can’t Keep Quiet

When popular personalities reveal that they have a personal, saving relationship with Jesus Christ, they are told to keep those comments to themselves; or they are ignored and pushed to the side as irrelevant. When a student starts to tell someone else about Jesus Christ, they are told to stop pushing their beliefs on other people. (Ironically, this is a one-way street.) If a politician believes in Jesus Christ, they are labeled as someone who is out of touch with reality and should keep that sort of thinking to themselves. The labels given to people who gladly share about Jesus are words like: ignorant, misinformed, naive, gullible, etc.

Would Jesus have agreed with that thinking? Would He have suggested that in order to keep peace with the world, we need to keep quiet regarding our worship of Him? I hardly think so.

In fact, as you read the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament, we see something totally different in the 19th chapter. There we see Jesus riding into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. The people that were there were extremely enthusiastic. They had carpeted the path with branches and coats; something like what we would think of as the red carpet treatment. They were loud and wild with enthusiasm and excitement. They were thrilled to have the Great Teacher, the One referred to as the Messiah, coming to their city.

Yet, not everyone shared that excitement. The religious leaders were not so enamored by Jesus. In fact, as you continue in that chapter, we read that they told Jesus that He need to quiet the crowd.

Jesus’ response was absolutely perfect, silencing the religious leaders: “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!”

Church, this morning as we look at a few verses in Jeremiah 20, here’s what I want you to keep in mind:

As followers of Christ, we cannot and should not keep quiet in our worship of God.

God’s Promises Ignite Proclamation. - 20-7-10

Jeremiah 20:7–10 (NASB95)

O Lord, You have deceived me and I was deceived; You have overcome me and prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all day long; Everyone mocks me. For each time I speak, I cry aloud; I proclaim violence and destruction, Because for me the word of the Lord has resulted In reproach and derision all day long. But if I say, “I will not remember Him Or speak anymore in His name,” Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; And I am weary of holding it in, And I cannot endure it. For I have heard the whispering of many, “Terror on every side! Denounce him; yes, let us denounce him!” All my trusted friends, Watching for my fall, say: “Perhaps he will be deceived, so that we may prevail against him And take our revenge on him.”

I have always been one who enjoys sports. This began back when I was a little boy. In fact, sporting events was one of the few things I was allowed to watch on television on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. My younger brother, Clark, along with me, would often root for opposing teams, declaring ourselves the champions if our team won. We even went so far as to pretend we were certain players.

Some teams that used to be quite good, would sometimes end up on the bottom of the standings. No matter what their early years may have been, once they ended up in a drought of victories, they became most popular as losers to everyone. No amount of cheering from us boys could help them.

I wonder if this is what Jeremiah might have experienced. The language in verses 7-8, suggest that Jeremiah felt like God had lured him into this ministry. That is a real emotion, and Jeremiah expressed it privately to God. He could recite to God all of the glorious times when God’s incredible, supernatural power took His chosen people from a crisis into great contentment. Jeremiah was able to recall and share with many other people, how God had willingly taken a nation full of falterings and foul-ups and brought them to a place of freedom. He could recite all of the information available regarding God’s creation and how God had chosen for Himself this people. Yet, this people arrogantly saw themselves as being able to create their own gods. They were certain they could choose for themselves whom they would serve.

Sadly, every time Jeremiah would begin to speak for God, the people would ridicule and mock him. Every time Jeremiah would warn the people, giving counsel for them to repent and turn to the Lord, the people would sneer.

It’s no wonder that Jeremiah felt as if God had made him a laughingstock. It’s no wonder that he felt as if God had set him up to be a spiritual clown. And if that was indeed the case, which we know it wasn’t, then Jeremiah felt it would be much simpler to be quiet and let people think what they wanted to think. After all, if speaking for God got him into more trouble, then Jeremiah was going to try and stay out of trouble by keeping his thoughts and God’s Word to himself.

But hold on, while we go back to verse nine, when Jeremiah considers the idea of being quiet. Jeremiah 20:9 “But if I say, “I will not remember Him Or speak anymore in His name,” Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; And I am weary of holding it in, And I cannot endure it.”

When you and I have such incredible words and actions to share with others as to the great works of the Lord, we simply cannot keep quiet. It is almost as if we shall burst from within. If God’s Word is within us, we are compelled to share it. We can’t help but to proclaim it. I can no more keep quiet regarding God and His holy Word that I can keep quiet from cheering as my favorite team makes a successful play. Paul expressed the same thought in 1 Corinthians 9:16: “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.”

God’s Presence Encourages Proclamation. - 20.11-12

Jeremiah 20:11–12 (NASB95)

But the Lord is with me like a dread champion; Therefore my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will be utterly ashamed, because they have failed, With an everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten. Yet, O Lord of hosts, You who test the righteous, Who see the mind and the heart; Let me see Your vengeance on them; For to You I have set forth my cause.

We see in these verses a realization. Prior to this section, the verses might seem to suggest that it is safer and more comfortable to be quiet. The reality is that there is no need to fear. Jeremiah points out the truth that the Lord is with us. It seems as though he were remembering God’s promises which were given early in his ministry.

Yes, many will attack and persecute us for sharing about Jesus. However, they will not ultimately win. I understand that it may seem that for a time they are having the upper hand. But the Lord is the mighty warrior, the dread champion, the dread warrior. Those who try to silence God’s children are not going to be victorious; but the Lord will.

I am reminded of the old TV western series, “Gunsmoke.” It didn’t matter what predicament the sheriff, Matt Dillon found himself facing, you always knew he would come out victorious. As a boy, I recall my Grandma reminding me, when I started to look worried, that everything was going to work out just fine. After all, he had to be on the show next week.

You see, when you have knowledge of the big picture, there is comfort and encouragement. It is the same with us today. It might seem to be safer and simpler just to keep quiet. It may seem to be less unpleasant than being attacked and possibly defeated. Yet, when you and I know the big picture, and we do, we can proclaim God’s goodness. He is with us like “a dread champion” or a “mighty warrior.” He knows our hearts and minds. If our motives are godly, then God will be glorified.

God’s Provision Invited Proclamation. - 20.13

Jeremiah 20:13 (NASB95)

Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord! For He has delivered the soul of the needy one From the hand of evildoers.

As Jeremiah moves across the emotional spectrum, we can certainly identify with him, can’t we? He first of all felt abandoned, which caused him to seriously consider keeping quiet about his faith. Then he experienced what every godly individual should experience when they attempt to squelch and silence their testimony for God. He senses that internal drive and compulsion to speak out for God.

Upon a more objective perspective, Jeremiah recognized that even though God’s enemies may have seemed that they had the upper hand, they didn’t. God was on his side. God knows the heart and mind.

That brings Jeremiah and us to where we want to be; giving praise to the Lord.

This is not simply a quiet and reflective thankfulness in the heart. Who hears that? This is not just a private prayer offered while on the knees. He knows about our wonderful Lord that way? This is not a delicate thank you, given with head lowered and eyes closed.

Church, this is a hearty “Praise the Lord!”

Listen carefully, again, to Jeremiah 20:13: “Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord! For He has delivered the soul of the needy one From the hand of evildoers.”

When life seems to be attacking you from every side, sing praise to the Lord. When Satan tries to convince you that it would be much better for you to keep quiet about your faith, sing to the Lord. When the world or your next door neighbor or your co-worker thinks that you’ve just arrived from Mars if you believe in Jesus Christ, give praise to the Lord.

We cannot and should not keep quiet in our worship of God.

Our faith and our testimony cannot be based upon circumstances. It has to be based upon God’s unchanging Word. It must be based upon the fact that Jesus Christ is unchanging. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the One Who has given eternal life. He has provided the Holy Spirit Who will see us through to the day of our completed redemption. Even when circumstances and situations are downright ugly and hurtful, we can still sing and give praise to God.

Gleanings

I believe I have matured a bit since my childhood years of pretending to be a famous athlete as my chosen team went on to victory. I have also grown up a lot since experiencing childish disappointment when being harassed for still rooting for a team that looked like losers to everyone else.

Yet, have I truly grown? Spiritually, don’t we all sometimes want to be part of the revelry when God’s Kingdom is seen to be strong and powerful?

But what about those times that are here and will be getting increasingly worse, when it seems wiser just to be quiet about the things of God? How will you and I respond when it seems as if living and speaking for Jesus brings persecution in whatever form it may take?

Remember that New Testament scene we looked at in the beginning of the message? Many in that group of people who were cheering Jesus as He came into Jerusalem may have no longer looked at Him in the same way when He headed towards the cross. Some of those followers were only fair-weather followers.

There was also a group that was involved in the trial and crucifixion of Jesus who cheered, thinking that they had taken care of and silenced this strange thinking individual. Yet, in neither scenario, did the crowds see the big picture. You see, what they hadn’t considered was the fact that on the first day of the week, Jesus would rise from the dead and the grave.

Let’s use our sanctified imaginations for a little bit. Can you just hear the incredible roar that took place in heaven with the cheering that must have taken place?! Jesus Christ had proven that His sacrifice was acceptable to the Father on my behalf and yours. Death would no longer be the victor for all those who placed their hope in Jesus Christ.

So, no matter what comes your way in life—be it good times or bad times—don’t let anyone convince you that it is better to be quiet about your relationship with Jesus Christ. Get excited about what God has done in your life. There’s plenty of other things about which we get excited. However, nothing compares in value to Jesus Christ.

Agree with Jeremiah: “Sing to the Lord, Praise the Lord! For He has delivered the soul of the needy one from the hand of evildoers.” As Bill Gaither used to sing, “Get all excited, go tell everybody that Jesus Christ is King.”