Faithfulness in the fire
Notes
Transcript
Handout
“Fire!”
“Fire!”
(Insert Fire picture from desktop here)
Imagine a lone fireman standing before a raging inferno. The flames are everywhere, all around the community he is to protect. People mock him, people blame him, even hat him for sounding the alarm. Yet he does not walk away. He stays, because he knows the fire must be faced, not fled.
Jeremiah is the firefighter. God is the one who equips Jeremiah with the flameproof gear not to escape the fire but to endure the fire.
Jeremiah chapter 15 shows the prophet with a devastating lament showing deep anguish and yearning for understanding from God. Despite the overwhelming despair, it emphasizes God’s faithfulness and hope of restoration for those who remain faithful.
The big idea
The big idea
Even in our deepest despair, we can trust in God’s faithfulness and find hope through honest prayers and reliance on Him.
Our Study Passage
Our Study Passage
1 Then the Lord said to me, “Even though Moses and Samuel were to stand before Me, My heart would not be with this people; send them away from My presence and let them go! 2 “And it shall be that when they say to you, ‘Where should we go?’ then you are to tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Those destined for death, to death; And those destined for the sword, to the sword; And those destined for famine, to famine; And those destined for captivity, to captivity.” ’
3 “I will appoint over them four kinds of doom,” declares the Lord: “the sword to slay, the dogs to drag off, and the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy. 4 “I will make them an object of horror among all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem.
5 “Indeed, who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem, Or who will mourn for you, Or who will turn aside to ask about your welfare? 6 “You who have forsaken Me,” declares the Lord, “You keep going backward. So I will stretch out My hand against you and destroy you; I am tired of relenting!
7 “I will winnow them with a winnowing fork At the gates of the land; I will bereave them of children, I will destroy My people; They did not repent of their ways. 8 “Their widows will be more numerous before Me Than the sand of the seas; I will bring against them, against the mother of a young man, A destroyer at noonday; I will suddenly bring down on her Anguish and dismay.
9 “She who bore seven sons pines away; Her breathing is labored. Her sun has set while it was yet day; She has been shamed and humiliated. So I will give over their survivors to the sword Before their enemies,” declares the Lord. 10 Woe to me, my mother, that you have borne me As a man of strife and a man of contention to all the land! I have not lent, nor have men lent money to me, Yet everyone curses me.
11 The Lord said, “Surely I will set you free for purposes of good; Surely I will cause the enemy to make supplication to you In a time of disaster and a time of distress. 12 “Can anyone smash iron, Iron from the north, or bronze?
13 “Your wealth and your treasures I will give for booty without cost, Even for all your sins And within all your borders. 14 “Then I will cause your enemies to bring it Into a land you do not know; For a fire has been kindled in My anger, It will burn upon you.”
15 You who know, O Lord, Remember me, take notice of me, And take vengeance for me on my persecutors. Do not, in view of Your patience, take me away; Know that for Your sake I endure reproach. 16 Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.
17 I did not sit in the circle of merrymakers, Nor did I exult. Because of Your hand upon me I sat alone, For You filled me with indignation. 18 Why has my pain been perpetual And my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will You indeed be to me like a deceptive stream With water that is unreliable?
19 Therefore, thus says the Lord, “If you return, then I will restore you— Before Me you will stand; And if you extract the precious from the worthless, You will become My spokesman. They for their part may turn to you, But as for you, you must not turn to them. 20 “Then I will make you to this people A fortified wall of bronze; And though they fight against you, They will not prevail over you; For I am with you to save you And deliver you,” declares the Lord.
21 “So I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked, And I will redeem you from the grasp of the violent.”
Anything stand out to you in this chapter? What emotions does this bring about?
Outline of chapter
Outline of chapter
(insert PowerPoint Here)
Judgment Beyond Intercession (vv.1-4)
Why does God reference Moses and Samuel? What does this say about Judah’s spiritual state?
They have gotten to a point beyond return; judgment is inevitable, unavoidable.
There is a time when prayer is not a substitute for repentance.
Insight: Judah’s sin had reached a point where even the greatest intercessors could not sway God’s decision. This underscores the seriousness of persistent rebellion.
2. The Consequences of Sin (vv.5-9)
(v.6) is on the PowerPoint on the screen now)
What emotions does God express here? Is His judgment Cold or grieving?
Maybe you notice that Jeremiah feels the sting of rejections- despised and cursed by his own people in these verse.
Faithfulness to God often brings often brings misunderstanding and loneliness
Insight: God’s judgment is reluctant but righteous. His grief reveals His desire for repentance, not destruction. Another key truth is obedience to God may cost us our comfort, popularity , and even our relationships.
3. The Prophet’s Lament (vv.10-14)
(v.10) is on PowerPoint on the slide now.
Jeremiah’s lament lament teaches us about the emotional toll of ministry on the prophet, and on those in ministry today.
You can see for Jeremiah it brought feelings of isolation and bitterness. He questions his own bath in light of the divine calling, verses his own personal suffering. His struggle between calling and hardship that many believers experience, eventhough Christ clearly told us we would suffer, as did Paul, and Peter too. Our struggles are not without purpose in God’s hands. they can lead to profound character development.
Insight: Faithful service often brings isolation and sorrow. Jeremiah’s honesty reminds us that lament is part of spiritual leadership.
4. God’s assurance and call to faithfulness (vv.15-21)
(v.19 is on PowerPoint slide on screen now)
Look at Jeremiah’s prayer for deliverance and God’s reassurance of His presence and restoration. This section shows how God responds to sincere faith-filled cries for help.
What conditions does God place on Jeremiah’s restoration?
He calls Jeremiah to repent of speaking words of despair and to continue speaking words of truth.
God promises to make Jeremiah like a fortified wall and to deliver him from his enemies.
Insight: Restoration is tied to repentance and speaking what is precious — not popular. God promises protection, but not ease. And another truth to add in, God’s presence and protection are the ultimate source of courage in ministry.
Discussion questions PowerPoint Slide is here
Summary of Jeremy 15 PowerPoint Slide Here
Summary
Summary
Jeremiah 15 reveals, one more time, the gravity of sin and the limits of intercession. It shows the emotional cost of prophetic obedience and ministry. Yet it also affirms that God does not abandon His faithful servants. He calls for them to return, to speak truth, and to stand firm- even when the fire rages and you feel alone and abandoned.
Application
Application
Application PowerPoint slide on Screen
There are actually two slides, just read the slides
(Prayer) (Exit)
