REFINED: FIRE IN MY BONES

IN THE BEGINNING…

THINK BACK TO YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY OF WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP.

I WANTED TO GET IN A CAGE IN THE OCEAN AND SEE SHARKS.

TO BE HONEST, I’M SURE MY MIND CHANGED A DOZEN TIMES ABOUT WHAT I WANTED TO DO WHEN I GREW UP.

THERE WERE THINGS I THOUGHT I WANTED TO BE OR DO BUT THOSE THINGS WERE SHORT-LIVED AND RARELY CONSIDERED AS LIFE WENT ON.

AS I GOT OLDER, THERE WERE THINGS THAT I REALLY REALLY WANTED TO DO AND TO A POINT, I DID.

WE MIGHT CALLS THESE THINGS OUR DREAMS OR DREAM JOB.

WE GET OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THE THINGS WE DREAMED ABOUT AND THEN IT HAPPENS. WE FIND OUT THAT SOMETIMES, WHAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE A DREAM CAN TURN INTO A NIGHTMARE.

WE THOUGHT WE WOULD BE THIS FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.

WE THOUGHT BECAUSE WE WERE EXCITED OR TALENTED OR PASSIONATE THAT IT WOULD BE A LOT EASIER.

TURNS OUT, SOMETIMES THINGS AREN’T WHAT WE EXPECTED. SOMETIMES WE CHANGE. SOMETIMES THE WORK REQUIRED TO CONTINUE IS SO MUCH MORE THAN WE EVER IMAGINED.

TRANSITION: BEING REFINED MEANS BEING CHANGED. THE THINGS THAT GOD ALLOWS OR CAUSES TO CHANGE US MAY NOT ALWAYS BE EASY, PAINLESS, OR FREE.

JEREMIAH

JEREMIAH THE PROPHET WAS GIVEN VISIONS AND DIRECTION.

HE HAD A PICTURE OF WHAT FOLLOWING GOD WAS SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE, BUT HE WAS CONFRONTED WITH SO MUCH OPPOSITION IT SEEMED HE WAS FAILING AT FOLLOWING GOD.

SLIDE: HOW DO YOU KEEP GOING WHEN THE WORK YOU’RE DOING SEEMS TO BE WORKING AGAINST YOU?

READ: JEREMIAH 19:14-15, 20:1-9 ESV

NAMES AND CONTEXT

THE LORD SENT JEREMIAH TO TOPHETH TO PROPHESY.

TOPHETH MEANS TO SPIT AS AN ACT OF CONTEMPT.

IT BECOMES MORE INTERESTING WHEN YOU KNOW THE LOCATION: VALLEY OF HINOM = IN GREEK “GEHENNA”

THIS WAS A PHYSICAL PLACE KNOWN FOR CHILD SACRIFICE AS AN ACT OF WORSHIP MOST LIKELY TO MOLECH. IT WAS OUTSIDE THE CITY WALLS OF JERUSALEM IN A VALLEY.

JEREMIAH WAS SENT TO PROPHESY ESSENTIALLY AT THE GATES OF HELL

WHEN YOU FIRST BEGAN

SLIDE: HAVE YOU EVER BEEN SO EAGER TO FOLLOW JESUS THAT YOU WOULD GO ANYWHERE TO DO WHAT HE SENT YOU TO DO?

I REMEMBER TIMES IN MY FAITH WHERE BEING BOLD SEEMED EXCITING

HOW ABOUT IN YOUR FAITH?

WHAT ABOUT FOR OUR CHURCH?

THIS CHURCH IS HERE IN JAMESTOWN AS A RESULT OF A REVIVAL THAT CAME THROUGH HERE OVER 100 YEARS AGO.

OUTREACH USED TO BE SO CENTRAL THAT THE CHURCH HAD MORE PEOPLE IN SUNDAY SCHOOL THAN WERE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH.

THERE WAS A TIME WHERE THE WORK HAPPENING AT THIS CHURCH SEEMED TO WORK POWERFULLY

BUT THINGS CHANGED…

BACK TO JEREMIAH

NOW, WE PICK UP WHERE HE HAS COME UP THE MOUNTAIN TO THE TEMPLE TO CONTINUE PROPHESYING.

HE’S FOLLOWED GOD FROM HELL TO THE HOLY MOUNTAIN

JEREMIAH’S MESSAGE WAS THAT GOD IS BRINGING JUDGEMENT AGAINST ISRAEL BECAUSE OF THEIR CONTEMPT (REMEMBER TOPHETH) AND NOW A PRIEST IS HOLDING JEREMIAH IN CONTEMPT!

THE PRIEST BEAT JEREMIAH.

THE LORD HAD GIVEN JEREMIAH A VOICE, OR A PLATFORM, AND NOW HE IS BEATEN AND PUT INTO STOCKS BY A GATE FOR EVERYONE TO SHAME AND MOCK.

HE LEFT HIM THERE ALL NIGHT.

THE PRIEST’S NAME WAS PASHHUR WHICH MEANS LIBERATION IN HEBREW.

PASHHUR WAS A CHEIF OFFICER. HE WAS THERE TO KEEP ORDER IN THE TEMPLE COURTS. HE THOUGHT HE WAS DOING WHAT WAS RIGHT ACCORDING TO GOD.

COMPLICATIONS

WHEN YOUR WORK SEEMS TO WORK AGAINST YOU, EVEN INSIDE THE CHURCH, WHAT DO YOU DO?

THERE ARE POOLS, HOMES, AND GOLF COURSES FULL OF PEOPLE TODAY WHO USED TO BE IN CHURCH. THEY LEFT BECAUSE SOMEONE THOUGHT THEY HAD GOD INTENTIONS AND THEY “STRUCK” THEM FOR SOMETHING THEY THOUGHT WAS OUT OF ORDER.

I’M NOT SPEAKING ABOUT A CLEAR SITUATION OF SIN, I’M SPEAKING OF SITUATIONS OF PREFERENCE.

THE WORLD IS A CRUEL PLACE WHICH EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS. WHAT PEOPLE DON’T UNDERSTAND IS HOW CHURCH CAN ALSO BE CRUEL OVER MATTERS OF PREFERENCE AND NOT PURITY.

EVEN AFTER BEING BEATEN AND HUMILIATED, JEREMIAH CONTINUES TO PROPHESY.

THIS IS THE CENTRAL POINT OF WHAT I BELIEVE GOD IS WANTING US TO RECEIVE AND RESPOND TO TODAY

IF JEREMIAH WAS JUST DOING THIS AS A DREAM, HE WOULD HAVE QUIT AS SOON AS PEOPLE IGNORED HIM.

IF JEREMIAH WAS ONLY DOING THIS BECAUSE IT WAS A JOB, THE WORK CONDITIONS AND DANGER WOULD HAVE CAUSED HIM TO QUIT.

SLIDE: WHY DOESN’T JEREMIAH QUIT?

THE REVELATION

O LORD, YOU HAVE DECEIVED ME

IT’S NOT THAT JEREMIAH WASN’T AWARE OF HOW HIS ASSIGNMENT WAS GOING TO GO.

VS 7-9 WAS THE MOMENT IN JEREMIAH’S LIFE WHERE HE REALIZED HE WAS THE ASSIGNMENT THAT HIS ASSIGNMENT WAS REFINING.

SLIDE: YOUR HEART CANNOT BREAK FOR SUFFERING PEOPLE WITHOUT PERSONAL SUFFERING.

THERE ARE MOMENTS IN LIFE AND FAITH THAT JUST HURT.

SOMETIMES IT’S NOT A MOMENT WHERE WE WANT TO QUIT, WE JUST DON’T KNOW HOW WE’RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD.

CAN I BE REAL: WE ARE IN ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS.

MANY HAVE ASKED ME “HOW HAS YOUR FIRST YEAR AS A PASTOR BEEN?”

THERE ARE TWO ANSWERS THAT ARE TRUE AT THE SAME TIME: INCREDIBLY FULFILLING AND UNBELIEVABLE DIFFICULT.

I FEEL YOUR PAIN AS A LOCAL CHURCH COMMUNITY.

I SEE THE OBVIOUS TIMES OF GROWTH AND EXCITEMENT EVERYWHERE I LOOK.

THERE ARE MANY FLAWS WE CAN EASILY LOOK PAST AND SOME THAT ARE UNAVOIDABLE AND SOMETIMES, LIKE JEREMIAH, IT FEELS LIKE “GOD WHAT HAPPENED HERE? I THOUGHT WE WERE DOING WHAT YOU CALLED US TO DO. THIS FEELS HEAVY AND SOMETIMES IT FEELS HOPELESS.”

IT’S OK TO BE HONEST WITH GOD. HE ALREADY KNOWS WHAT’S INSIDE BEFORE WE SAY IT.

MORE THAN WORK. IT’S THE CALL

JEREMIAH WASN’T CHASING A DREAM, HE WAS PURSUING THE CALL OF GOD.

JEREMIAH QUESTIONED WHAT IT MIGHT BE LIKE TO QUIT AND WALK AWAY.

AS DIFFICULT AND PAINFUL AS JEREMIAH’S CIRCUMSTANCE WAS, PRAISE GOD HE WAS NOT FINISHED SPEAKING…

READ VS 9 FROM NET

NET translates it:

The NET Bible (Second Edition) Chapter 20

9 Sometimes I think, “I will make no mention of his message.

I will not speak as his messenger any more.”

But then his message becomes like a fire

locked up inside of me, burning in my heart and soul.

I grow weary of trying to hold it in;

I cannot contain it.

SLIDE: BUT THERE’S A FIRE IN MY BONES…

I WANT WITH ALL OF MY HEART FOR YOU TO SEE THIS CHURCH DOING OUTREACH AND MINISTRY LIKE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

I WANT TO SEE PEOPLE CROSS OVER FROM DEATH TO LIFE IN JESUS NAME

I WANT TO BAPTIZE SO MANY PEOPLE WE LOSE COUNT

I WANT TO SEE ADDICTION VANISH IN THE FREEDOM OF THE LOVE OF GOD

IT’S EASY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO SEE HAPPEN, BUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WHETHER WE GET TO SEE IT OR NOT?

GOD HAS NOT CALLED ME OR YOU INTO HIS KINGDOM TO SHRINK BACK WHEN THINGS AREN’T GOING OUR WAY.

WE MAY NOT KNOW RIGHT NOW HOW WE ARE GOING TO REACH PEOPLE FOR CHRIST, BUT I AM ASKING YOU TODAY WILL YOU COMMIT TO THE CALL TO PURSUE GOD ANYWAY.

JEREMIAH SAID, EVEN IF I WANTED TO STOP SPEAKING HIS WORDS, I CAN’T BECAUSE MY HEART HAS A FIRE THAT IS CONSUMING ME AND I CANNOT KEEP IT INSIDE.

THIS IS THE ESSENCE OF HOLINESS

TO BE CONSUMED BY THE CALL OF GOD

I DON’T KNOW IF MY DESIRES WILL HAPPEN BUT I’VE BEEN CONSUMED BY GOD AND I CANNOT STOP DOING WHAT HE’S CALLED ME TO.

WE ARE NOT ALONE

READ: JEREMIAH 20:11A ESV

THE LORD IS WITH ME LIKE A DREAD WARRIOR

IT SEEMS LIKE JAMESTOWN HAS FORGOTTEN ABOUT US, IT’S OK, WE’RE STILL GOING BECAUSE THE LORD IS WITH ME LIKE A DREAD WARRIOR!

IT SEEMS LIKE PEOPLE AREN’T LISTENING, IT’S OK, HE CALLED US TO GO, SO WE ARE GOING BECAUSE THE LORD IS WITH ME LIKE A DREAD WARRIOR!

SLIDE: THIS IS NOT OUR SEASON OF RETIREMENT, IT’S OUR SEASON OF REFINEMENT.

OUR NEW GS JUST SHARED WITH US THIS PAST WEEK, NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BE SILENT.

I’M ASKING YOU TODAY, IF YOU’VE NEVER ANSWERED THE CALL OF GOD THAT TODAY IS THE DAY TO GET ON MISSION WITH JESUS TO REACH OUR COMMUNITY AGAIN WITH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS.

I’M ASKING, IF YOU WERE ONCE ON FIRE FOR GOD BUT YOUR FIRE HAS DIMMED, TO RESPOND TO THE CALL OF GOD FRESH TODAY. ASK HIM FOR IT.

THE TIMES ARE DARK, THE BROKENNESS IS SO BROAD, BUT THE GOSPEL IS SO POWERFUL AND IT IS NOT THE TIME TO RETIRE BUT TO BURN.

I’M ASKING TODAY, BEFORE YOU ASK GOD TO BRING ONE MORE PERSON INTO OUR CHURCH TO FIRST ASK GOD TO BREAK YOUR HEART FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR FAMILIES.

JUST AS IT WAS IN DAYS GONE BY, IF WE ARE EVER GOING TO SEE ANOTHER REVIVAL IN JAMESTOWN, IT WILL BE THE FIRE OF GOD NOT THE WISHES OF MAN THAT DOES IT.

THE LORD IS WITH US LIKE A DREAD WARRIOR, AND HE IS CALLING US TO GO.

INVITATION

IF YOU’RE ABLE I WANT US ALL TO COME TO THE FRONT FOR A TIME OF PRAYER AND CONSECRATION

RESPOND TO GOD IN FAITH TO BREAK OUR HEARTS THAT WE WOULD HAVE EYES THAT SEE AND EARS THAT HEAR.

ASK GOD WHAT HE WOULD HAVE YOU DO IN YOUR HEART, YOUR HOME, OUR CHURCH, AND OUR COMMUNITY.

I WANT TO PRAY THESE WORDS OVER YOU AS A BENEDICTION

READ: PHILIPPIANS 1:6 ESV

Philippians 1:6 ESV

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

PRAY