Jeremiah 23.1-8 “O Come, O Come Immanuel”

“O Come, O Come Immanuel”

Hope gives us reason to move towards the future. In we see that God promises hope for His people by providing His servant who is the Lord our righteousness. Jeremiah, although troubled and at times despairing, nonetheless had hope.

I. The Good Shepherd –

A. The failure of the pastors and leaders of God’s people –

1. Who destroy God’s people

2. And scatter them

3. The rejection of the authority of God’s Word as the infallible Word of God both kills people spiritually and scatters them

B. Failure to seek the needy among God’s people

1. Care for the weak and the wounded –

2. These pastors fed themselves

3. As do so many of our national and state leaders –

C. I will provide pastors after My own heart –

1. Jesus provides pastors – .-19

2. Jesus is the Chief Shepherd –

II. The Son of David –

A. The promise to David

1. To have a descendant rule on his throne forever – , ,

2. Isaiah foretold this promise –

3. Jesus born to the line of David –

B. Contrast between the promised King and the king of Israel during Jeremiah’s time

1. Zedekiah was a corrupt king –

2. The promised King Jesus would be righteous –

3. Jesus Christ is our righteousness –

4. We are righteous in Christ –

III. The Liberator –

A. No longer look back to the Exodus –

B. But the Lord will bring His people to a land of safety –

1. As Christians we do not look to go to Israel to be safe

2. Christ Himself is our liberator –

3. No one can take us from our Savior’s hand –

Let us worship the Shepherd of our souls and rest in Him today and forever.

Would you go to a restaurant that you knew resulted in numerous people having food poisoning such as e-coli or salmonella? How likely are you to go to a doctor, a clinic, or a hospital where there were repeated instances of performing surgical errors, improper medications, failure to diagnose or seek proper testing? Why do so many Christians go to pastors and support ministries that practice the ministry of the Word of God falsely and misdiagnose spiritual diseases and encourage unhealthy habits of worship or discipleship?

I. Grief –

A. Jeremiah’s broken heart

1. Jeremiah trembles at God’s Word –

2. The land is full of adulterers –

3. The political elites develop a narrative where they think they control the people by “law” –

4. The spiritual leaders are profane and encourage lawlessness – ;

B. Such pastors/political leaders

1. Encourage idolatry –

2. They motivate My people to error

3. They strengthen the hands of the evil doers –

II. Worthless Converts –

A. They speak a vision from their own heart –

1. Therapeutic gospel – God’s grace is all about you. Do you love yourself? Do you have good self-esteem?

2. Grace is often focused on miracles, not gratitude for the mercies that are new every morning –

3. Receive God’s daily providential care and provision for you –

4. Pastoral malpractice encourages people to “walk according to the dictates of your own heart” . Compare to

B. Those who listen to God’s Word are to turn from their evil way –

1. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a holy God –

2. Can we escape the holiness of God that fills the heaven and the earth? –

3. Sermons, podcasts, TV evangelists that make people forget God’s holy name are under the judgment of God –

4. I am against such false prophets –

III. Faithful Ministry –

A. Speak My Word faithfully

1. Stewards of the mysteries of God –

2. Do not preach to itching ears who only listen to what they want to hear –

B. Why do you need the Bible and ministry of the Word?

1. The Holy Spirit teaches you all you need to know –

2. The Bible fully equips you to live the Christian life –

3. Sin is a learning problem even for Christians. The sin of failing to obey.

4. Pastors and elders and the church as a whole are to bring the Word of God to bear so that believers actually repent and change

5. God’s Word is that instrument to reshape us into the character of Christ Jesus –

6. That is why we need faithful pastors after God’s own heart –

Pray for your pastoral leaders! Submit yourself to a faithful church that disciples and disciplines those under their care – – only to the glory