When Going to Church is Not Enough

Introduction:

Jeremiah 7:1–7 ESV

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the Lord. 3 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place. 4 Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.’ 5 “For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another, 6 if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, 7 then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever.

Pray

Context:

The people had found the book of the Law

They had decided to try the Lord again

They were cleaning out the Temple and had a Passover celebration that had not been supported since the time of Samuel

Their hearts were not sold out to the Lord

1. God Desires Changed Behavior Over Religious Ritual (vv. 5-11)

Jeremiah 7:5–7 ESV

5 “For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another, 6 if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, 7 then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever.

The people could not just say they want to follow God

Sins they were committing

Perverting justice for the poor and weak

shedding innocent blood - especially in sacrificing their children

idolatry

Sexual immorality

Repentance requires change

How many times do we go to God and ask for forgiveness, with no intention of changing our ways?

We cannot come to Church on Sunday but Live like it’s the weekend

Jeremiah 7:8–11 ESV

8 “Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail. 9 Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’—only to go on doing all these abominations? 11 Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the Lord.

Jesus quoted from this passage referencing the religious leaders of His own day

What pet sins do we hold on to?

2. God Desires That We Listen With an Obedient Heart (vv. 12-15)

Jeremiah 7:12–15 ESV

12 Go now to my place that was in Shiloh, where I made my name dwell at first, and see what I did to it because of the evil of my people Israel. 13 And now, because you have done all these things, declares the Lord, and when I spoke to you persistently you did not listen, and when I called you, you did not answer, 14 therefore I will do to the house that is called by my name, and in which you trust, and to the place that I gave to you and to your fathers, as I did to Shiloh. 15 And I will cast you out of my sight, as I cast out all your kinsmen, all the offspring of Ephraim.

The people thought that since Jerusalem was the city of the King and the location of the House of God, He would never let it be taken.

God doesn’t need a building, but He desires a holy people

God invites the people to go and visit the site of the previous tabernacle at Shiloh

Illustration

You can go see the ancient churches mentioned in the Bible that no longer have a congregation.

You can also see some ancient churches in our land and some of them are still meeting, but they might as well be dead.

Jesus said of one of them (Sardis)

Revelation 3:1–3 ESV

1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “ ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.

3. God Will Bring Judgment that Will Cleanse His People (7:16-8:17)

One of the things Christ said that He would do if the churches did not repent or listen, is remove them from existence.

God tells Jeremiah not to pray for deliverance from judgment.

God says that he is going to judge His people by bringing destruction on them because they have gone so far as to even offer their sons in the fire to Him.

Look at Jer 7:31

Jeremiah 7:31 ESV

31 And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind.

Jeremiah goes on to say that the priests have healed the injury of the would God has inflicted on them too easily by saying that God wouldn’t

Conclusion

There are so many references from this passage that Jesus used about religious hypocrisy.

Jesus had called the Pharisees a brood of vipers, and again we See God said the same thing in Jer 8:17

Jeremiah 8:17 ESV

17 For behold, I am sending among you serpents, adders that cannot be charmed, and they shall bite you,” declares the Lord.

Jesus had said that the temple system was barren and so was Israel

Jeremiah 8:13 ESV

13 When I would gather them, declares the Lord, there are no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree; even the leaves are withered, and what I gave them has passed away from them.”

What about you and I?

Do we try to cover sinful disobedience with religious exercises?

Do we listen to God’s Word and obey?

Are we fruitful Christians or barren vines?