A Heart That Won't Hear

Introduction

Despite persistent rejection, Jeremiah proclaimed the Word of God for at least 40 years. His ministry lasted from a time when Judah still had the opportunity to change its ways and directions in life and avoid punishment, to the time when judgement finally came as Jerusalem was destroyed and the people went into exile.

Argument

Judah has become so spiritually deaf that God the creator begins to wonder if any warnings are being heard by this rebellious group of people. He says their ears are uncircumcised, insensitive and unresponsive. In stead of them finding God’s Word to be precious, they find it to be a problem.

Jeremiah, the Weeping Prophet, expresses in chapter 6 and verse 11 the Lord’s fury was so intense that he didn’t feel he could contain it. People of God, you may not see it but this is confirmation that when God keeps calling ministers, He is trying to warn us of the wrath to come. You and I will need to be under the arch of safety when It comes.

Greed had become the poison of the people. Everyone seem to be pursuing self gain. Even the prophets and priest were corrupt. This was sad because Spiritual Leaders bear the responsibility for guidance. The prophets were preaching a false message about peace and there was no peace in sight. Figuratively, verse 14 is saying that the prophets were putting a bandage on a gunshot wound. The people were committing abomination and were not even ashamed. They had become numb to the truth of God’s Word.

A Heart That Won’t Hear is a message that when you become spiritually numb and insensitive to the Word and Warning of God’s Word, then destruction will be the consequence of your choice. You cannot ignore sin and expect it to go away. You have to confess your sins. And today, our message will share an invitation extended by God to those who have chosen to take the wrong path of life.

Message

Jeremiah 6:16,17

Jeremiah 6:16–17 NKJV

16 Thus says the Lord: “Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ 17 Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’

God’s Invitation to Return

God states Five Imperatives in verse16.

Stand

See

Ask

Walk

Find

After making this appeal through His invitation, they refuse His invitation

God sent watchmen: They are station at higher or above normal position so that they can see what might be ahead. Is the path clear or will you encounter danger, the watchmen would warn the people.

They refuse to walk the ancient path (proven successful ways and path of security) and they refuse to listen to God

Ways - Religious Rituals.

Grow Weary living against the “Grain of Life”

Covetousness - the passion for unrighteous gain. Self Centeredness and disregard for God’s Law and Word

Notice the Invitation:

Grace - God says “ye shall find rest for your souls.”

Matthew 11:28 NKJV

28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Proclamation and Provision- God set watchmen over them

Application:

Always choose the path of life that is proven to be successful and secure.

Point: Judah was looking ahead instead of looking up.

Luke 9:62 “But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.””

Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Jeremiah 6:18–20 NKJV

18 Therefore hear, you nations, And know, O congregation, what is among them. 19 Hear, O earth! Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people— The fruit of their thoughts, Because they have not heeded My words Nor My law, but rejected it. 20 For what purpose to Me Comes frankincense from Sheba, And sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, Nor your sacrifices sweet to Me.”

God’s People Reject The Invitation (v.18-20)

God calls Two Witnesses

According to the Law, (Deut 19:15), a single witness could not establish a case against someone. A matter had to be confirmed through the testimony of two or three witnesses.

God calls the Nations (surrounding people who would witness Judah’s destruction).

God calls His first creation, Earth as a witness. This is significant because calling the Earth as a witness means that Judah your rejected me privately but I am going to punish you openly so that all creation can see. Deuteronomy 17:6 “Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness.”

Judah continues to perform sacrifices to God

Judah maintained the rituals of worship while rejecting the God they were supposed to worship. They brought the sacrifice, but rejected the One who commanded the sacrifice.

He ironically rejects their offerings

They are not aligned with Him

Illustration: The Man Who Wouldn't Leave the Burning House

Imagine a man asleep in his house late one night. While he is sleeping, an electrical fire starts in the kitchen. A neighbor sees the smoke and immediately calls 911. Then the neighbor begins pounding on the man's door.

"Wake up! Your house is on fire! You need to get out!"

The man finally comes to the door, sees the neighbor, and says, "I appreciate you looking out for me, but I'm fine."

The neighbor pleads with him:

"No, you don't understand. The fire is spreading. You have to leave now!"

But the man responds:

"I've lived here for years. I know this house. I'm not going anywhere."

The firefighter arrives and gives him the same warning:

"Sir, this is your last chance. You need to come out."

But he refuses.

The firefighter doesn't lack compassion. The neighbor doesn't lack concern. The warning isn't unclear.

The problem is the man's refusal to respond to the warning.

Bring it into Jeremiah 6

That's what makes Jeremiah 6 so heartbreaking.

God says:

"Hear, O earth! Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people..." (Jer. 6:18–19)

God had already told them:

"Stand in the ways and see... ask for the old paths... and walk in it." (v. 16)

He sent watchmen:

"Listen to the sound of the trumpet!" (v. 17)

But they responded:

"We will not walk in it."

And:

"We will not listen."

Then God says in verse 20 that even their religious sacrifices had become unacceptable because their hearts were refusing His Word.

Preaching Point

"The tragedy wasn't that Judah didn't receive an invitation. The tragedy was that they received the invitation and rejected it."

"God gave them a way out, but they chose to stay on the road to destruction."

A transition into verse 20

"And here's the danger, church:

you can reject God's Word and still keep coming to church.

You can reject God's direction and still bring your offering.

You can refuse to walk in His ways and still perform religious rituals.

Judah had the sacrifices, but they had rejected the God of the sacrifices. They had religion, but they had rejected the relationship."

That sets up Jeremiah 6:20 extremely well:

"Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet to Me."

Bottom line: God's invitation was gracious. God's warning was clear. Judah's rejection was deliberate. And their religious activity could not compensate for their disobedience.

Jeremiah 6:21 NKJV

21 Therefore thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people, And the fathers and the sons together shall fall on them. The neighbor and his friend shall perish.”

God’s People Inevitable judgement for Rejection (v. 21)

Now that Judah refuse to listen to God and change their directions, the Lord places stumbling blocks before them. This illustrates how far Judah had gotten off the path of success and security. This would be their ruin.

Illustration: The Roadblock

Imagine driving down a familiar road when suddenly you come upon a roadblock. You have traveled that road many times, but today the road is closed. You ask, "Why?" The answer is simple: you ignored the warnings that came before the roadblock.

Jeremiah 6:21 says:

"Therefore thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall on them...'"

The stumbling blocks were the consequence of Judah continually refusing God's direction.

Transition to Your Close

"Church,

God had warned them.

God had called them.

God had given them an opportunity to turn around.

But when they continually rejected His Word, they eventually encountered the consequences of their choices. Sometimes God's greatest warning is the stumbling block we meet on the road we refused to leave."

Then bring it home:

"The question tonight is not, 'Has God spoken?' The question is, 'What will we do with what God has said?' Because when God gives us a Word, we have a choice: walk in it, or stumble over it."

That gives you a natural runway into your closing appeal: "Don't reject the invitation. Don't ignore the warning. Walk in the good way while the invitation is still being extended."

Application:

Look what Paul says in the NT, 1 Corinthians 1:23 “but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,”

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”