Prophetic People

Jeremiah 33:1-16

A Prophetic People

INTRIGUE

There are two teachers in life, wisdom and consequence. Israel wasn’t learning through wisdom, so consequences were to come.

The judgment and restoration were equally promised and commitments of God. it’s easy to get lost in the nuanced complexity of Biblical truth. Mainly, because we tend to want to reduce things to the lowest common denominator…like we struggle to accept that God can be both Judge and Restorer.

The mystery invites us to deeper relational experience, rather than reducing it to single fact we can master.

God wants us to move into being a people who are prophetic - representing His ways and standards to world, reconciling people back to God. The church is the fulfillment of God’s desire for a nation of priests. From Mt Sinai and the 10 commandments to 1 Peter…Scripture reveals God’s desire for a people to bear His name and declare His truth to lost world.

We are a prophetic people, called by God to hear His voice and declare His message to others, helping them turn or return to God.

This is what Jeremiah is pointing us toward…

INTERPRET

God is the Creator who gives us breath.

Genesis 1:1–3 “1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”

Hebrews 11:1–3 “1 Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. 2 For by this our ancestors were approved. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.”

He formed and established it…then filled it.

plenty of mystery here…

thus he can recreate it.

God invites us to call upon Him and hear Him.

Jeremiah 29:12 “12 You will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.”

calling on God is praying…ask, seek, knock. the main point of prayer is communion with God.

illus: God genuine likes being with you.

...help

...rescue

…wisdom

…comfort

His sheep hear his voice…You can hear Him speak. Most of the time it’s an inspired thought or impression within.

Many times it’s an inspired thought prompted from Scripture.

We must develop a Biblical imagination…a mind soaked and saturated in Scripture.

“but i’m not qualified to hear or speak…” God’s righteousness says otherwise.

God redeems and restores, forming us into a prophetic people.

The Lord is our Righteousness.

The title “The LORD Our Righteousness” operates across multiple levels of fulfillment, moving from a specific messianic promise to a corporate identity ultimately realized in the Church.

The New Testament reveals that this righteousness ultimately derives from Christ himself. Christ became “our righteousness” for believers (1 Cor 1:30), and through him, those united to him “become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21). God’s righteousness is revealed and made available through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe (Rom 3:21–22). Christ is the singular fulfillment of the messianic promise, yet his righteousness extends beyond himself.

i will heal them and bring abundance of true peace (referring to wholeness through union with God)

I will purify them and remove the iniquities.

sound of joy and gladness

give voice of praise and rejoicing

…God wants you to stand and declare how good He’s been to you, not how bad others are.

you represent Jesus on the earth.

We receive HIS NAME. His name is our new, restored reputation.

Illus: I AM THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS.

Radiant people bear His name. (Jer. 31)

Our reputation is His reputation and His reputation is ours.

INTEGRATION

You can pray, hear, and prophesy.

prophets were filled with the Spirit and spoke a message on behalf of God.

every human experiences God’s general grace, by having spirit energy and breath in their lungs...1.0…regeneration is 2.0, receiving the life-giving spirit without measure.

Prophesy is, in most basic terms, man speaking on behalf of God.

edify and encourage others

pictures, scriptures, words

not weird, keep you right mind and normal voice

Yet God wants to reveal His ways and desires to our hearts.

NT prophesy focuses on this.

Illus: Standard Bearer.

you all can prophesy, because the Spirit enables us and one of the gifts of Spirit is prophesy.

1 Corinthians 14:1–19

1. Be filled with the Scriptures and the Spirit.

Most prominent biblical model for prophecy was: Spirit-empowered partnership

Divine agency heightens human agency. The Spirit does not make a person less human; the Spirit enables a person to become more fully what God created humanity to be.

illus: Work with swords and spades

2. Be holy in your speech.

God wont put his holy words in your filthy mouth

renewed by the ruach of God.

wind, breath, spirit.

gossip, slander, hatred, deathly words -- all break the command to not take name of lord in vain.

life and death in our words…words form thoughts, thoughts form beliefs, beliefs form behavior, behavior creates a representation (radiant or radioactive)

…words cannot be uttered without breath.

…breath is and intimate working of the spirit within us.

to use words to cut down, tear down, gossip or slander is to use spirit gift in unholy way.

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Talk it Over (being honest & open with friends, a spouse, or your Group)

This week we looked at God’s desire to speak to us and through us. What is one idea from Sunday’s message that impacted you?

Read Jeremiah 33:1-16. What observation(s) is the Holy Spirit is highlighting to you?

What does it mean to you personally that Christ is called 'Our Righteousness'?

In what ways can we cultivate a deeper relationship with God that allows us to hear Him speak? (Read Galatians 5:16-25).

Read 1 Corinthians 14:1-19. What observation(s) is the Holy Spirit brining to light for you?

Have you ever shared a prophetic word with someone else? Has anyone ever shared a prophetic word with you? Share about the experience.