Who's Shaping Who (Part 1)
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Jeremiah chapter 18. I want to preach to you one of two parts of a sermon that I've entitled who's shaping who? Who's shaping who?
What Jeremiah 18 18 sash? Since this then certain ones said come. Let's make plans against Jeremiah. For instruction will never be lost from the priest or counsel from the Waze or a word from the Prophet come. Let's announce him and pay no attention to all his words that word denounce here literally means to slay him. But as you see it, it has the idea that it's verbal or oral. This would be a campaign of verbal campaign to assassinate Jeremiah's character so that no one would listen to him. When you read that burst your left to ask yourself, what did Jeremiah say that set all these people off?
And it started with a trip. to a Potter's House
or ask you a question. Are you willing to see the hand of God in shaping Nations? Are you willing to see the hand of God in shaping Nations? In the tearing down of the Berlin Wall. Are you willing to see that God may have been judging the sins of communism?
Almost 420,000 Americans gave their lives in World War II. Are you willing to see that God may have permitted their ultimate sacrifice to judge the sins of Hitler's Germany. Are you willing to see that God may have committed over 620,000 of the children of America to give their logs on the battlefields of the Civil War to deal decisively with the sin of slavery in our own country.
I do not possess a supernatural gift of Prophecy like Jeremiah to tell you with 100% accuracy that that exactly was what God was doing yet biblically. It's possible. Biblically, it's possible. Let's make it even more personal church. Are you willing to see the hand of God shaping the United States of America our dear Homeland? It gets a little personal we're starting to find out what made the people of Judah so upset with Jeremiah. Let's go back to Jeremiah. God's people the people of Israel. The Jews were steeped in personal and National sin. They were a banding God and will speak about that more next week and God called Jeremiah to prophesy or speak to them that God will destroy them. If they continue in this Rebellion the king of the Jews at the time when Jeremiah began prophesied was a man named Josiah and Josiah begins to reform the nation of after about five years of Jeremiah's preaching he kind of gets the message and goes maybe we should do something about this. And here's what he does his first one of his first orders a business as king of Judah Josiah orders. The repair of God's Temple the bishop tell you how far the people of God had gone to King Josiah's amazement. But how pretty is this is the leader of their religion actually among the repairs finds the book of the that's the first five books of the Bible. That's what they had at that top Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy. Could you imagine what I think about this is just put it into our context de America drifted so far away from God that one day somebody just happened to stumble in a basement of a church and found a Bible.
We'll wait. What is this? We've never seen or heard from this?
When they find that book and they begin to read at the King Josiah King Josiah is remorseful, and he begins to obey God's walls and Purge the Nation about Dollar Tree. So as to avert disaster, you can be back this about 2nd Kings and we were not there's a prophetess Hilda or hold up who actually win the Kings are science and because of your ripped in it that's going to delay it until you're not around. You won't see it happen King Josiah because there's a there's another element to this repentance than just the king. So there is a glimmer of hope When the people ReDiscover the word of God, but Jeremiah is still skeptical about this National Reformation or Revival because he knows what God told him back in Jeremiah chapter 1 that God had called him to build up Nations and to tear down Nations and Judah look like they were a part of that second scenario. So we're left with the question. But what's God going to do to her or his people going to repent and in fact God continue to bless them? And here's the question for us today in 2019 in the United States of America. How does God shape Nations? How does God shape America? My question is who's shaping who? Let's read Jeremiah chapter 18 verses 1 through 4. This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord. Go down at once to The Potter's House and they're I'll reveal my words to you. So I went down to The Potter's House and there he was working away at the wheel. But the jar that he was making from the clay became flawed in The Potter's hand. Stop right there. I'll try to really get alive sermon props for Scotland. So we're going to use Play-Doh for just a minute. Display that here we bought last night Scotty Pickett. And this planet this is fresh shocks. You should come smell it ever snowed the smell of fresh plate of a yes. We have it's terrible.
But see how moldable it is. I was still soft with my stress is just leaving me as I'm doing this.
But it's still at that place right where I can make it into anything that I wanted to be. It's moldable. It's changeable. It'll do my bidding. So to speak the last night. I came back to church. I was printing off some things for Beach camp. And I thought you know, what would be a better dealer stration though. And you've had this happen. I know if you have a small child in your home anybody have or had their Play-Doh left open all night. The feeling is just not the same, right it crumbles and the smells terrible and look how it cracks. It's become defective. It's hard to restore it's hard to do just anything I want with it. Now this is what's happening. Is he saying this? He said that first piece of clay that Jeremiah saw the part of dealing with this much like the red piece to do whatever the the Potter wanted as you begin to work with. It it somehow we're not told how it just becomes defective. Now. The Potter has to look at it and he's got a decision to make is he going to throw it at the cat and move on?
I don't like that.
Or and I'm allergic to dogs. That should tell you how much I hate cat.
I'm jacking. Or did she go? Wait a minute? I can still do something with this even though it's beyond my original intention. Listen to the next verse of the last half of her support. This is what he did. So he made it into another jar AS it seemed right for him to do but praise God. That piece of clay, so to speak wasn't Beyond Redemption but had good intentions because you know what? I can't carry out what I originally wanted to do, but I'm not just going to discard it or throw it away. I can do something else with it. But let's give it a shot. Now. We got to get more personal this if we preached on the parabola long, that's not helpful. God actually interprets the parable of the Potter for us looking verses 5 through 7. Then the word of the Lord came to me. He's a let me explain to you what you just saw. House of Israel, this is the people of Judah can I not treat you as this Potter treat his clay. This is the Lord's declaration. Just like clay in The Potter's hand. So are you in my hand House official? This is the whole nation. This is the whole people for seven at one moment. I might announce concerning a nation or Kingdom that I will uproot tear down and destroy it. This is amazing. Notice the sweeping statement concerning how God shapes the nation's this is not just about Israel and Judah Israel in June or included the look at that first half of verse 7. He says I might announce concerning a nation or a kingdom. Please see this God's dealings with nations are not just restricted to his Covenant Nations. This is what we have to accept God is Sovereign over the nation's whether they have a judeo Christian origin or not. God is God. He is king of kings and Lord of lords Every Nation doesn't matter who you are will answer to heal. So what God is doing here? He's not just rebuilding a truth particular to Judah or Israel. He is revealing a universal Timeless truth that transcend all cultures and kingdoms. I'm God. I am the Potter. No Nation, not even Judah can escape the hands of the Potter none. America and listen America can separate church and state and by and large if you don't know anything about Baptists history where for that we don't want the state telling us what we can say from this pulpit. We want to separate them, but I do have a word from the word of God. You will never separate God from America. But here's what you can take out the chicken that you can do all that by want you to know. We're still at clay Nation. We're not the Potter. We can't just shoe Got Away. Does your family have forgotten how this relationship works. I'm the Potter. You are the clay not the other way around. We can never declare our independence from God. I mean you can try it. He's not going to listen. You can say it. You can try to throw him off. He'll just shrug your shoulder shoulders because he won't go quietly. Only. God has the freedom to do anything. Okay, we love to talk about our freedom. We don't have that kind of freedom.
Chihuahuas Badu this is important. You need to pay attention this affects you I'm not just hung up leaders and National policy. You need to carry on with me. Look at what it continues to say in that rest of the Merced. He says I might announce concerning the nation or a kingdom that I will uproot tear down and destroy it. However, if that Nation about which I have made the announcement turns from its evil. I will relent concerning the disaster. I plan to do it look a person off at another time concerning the nation or Kingdom that I will build and plant it. However, if it does what is evil in my sight but not listening to me. I will relent concerning the good I had said I would do to it but notice what happens God gives us too straightforward and opposite scenarios. He's giving them to us today. I need you to listen to him not like they were just given to ancient Israel and 700 BC. I'm coming. He's given the same scenario to you and I and to the rest of America in 2019. And notice what happens in both scenarios who takes the initiative to say what's going to happen say it loud church God might announce. It starts with him, but here's what's so amazing after he makes an announcement. He includes that little word if
Now one commentator has called this concept responsive sovereignty and I've had a life that God is free. He will and does a shirt his own right at The Sovereign over the nation at the same time. He is equally free can and will give Nations a zone of Freedom the please don't see them as unlimitless freedom to do whatever we want even at the expense of disobeying God. That's how we like to interpret Freedom. That's not biblical Freedom. He says I might bring you into me and give you a zone of freedom to say if you'll obey me I'll bless you. It shall we see two scenarios the first scenario is God made us decide to destroy an evil Nation. But in this zone of Freedom if they were people have compassion on them and he'll turn his wrath or anger away based on their response to his word the second scenario is that God made plans to bless a nation, but if those people do evil may continue in it, he will judge them instead. He can't bless them any longer. Show together God's Divine initiative and sovereignty and a nation's response and obedience to him come together to shape. Nation. A lot of both of these truths coming together. Judah is exhorted to choose carefully which scenario at Walt's whichever scenario. You want will determine your future and God will execute one either way.
Does the simple truth write this down into the bank this live on this pray on this preach on this vote on this Eastside of civic duty. You need to do this with with this in mind. God reshapes Nations. By their response to his word. God reshapes Nations by bear response to his word We just think of it. We don't have the Potter's ability to do whatever we want. Write the Potter comes in and goes this is my intention. And here's my announcement concerning what I'll do to you now, how will you respond to me? Because how you respond to meet determines what happens with your nation? It's that simple. So what does that mean for you? And I in 2019 in the United States of America? According to Jeremiah 18 not let us what it says. I'll just read it one more time to make sure you got it at another time. I might announce concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it firsthand. However, if it does what is evil in my sight but not listen to me. I will relent concerning the good I had said I would do to it. America I can say this biblically I have complete authority to do this America was built up and planted by God. I really believe that he's responsible for our nation's existence. There is no doubt in my mind that God has shed his grace on America. The Constitution of the United States is based mainly upon judeo Christian values. God has blessed America and he has used her to bring tyrants to Justice and to paneer in the work of global missions, but at the end. Have United States history God is still the Potter and we are still the clay.
I believe America like Judah is in the second scenario. America must repent of hatred violence wastefulness laziness racism Injustice selfishness materialism and all forms of sexual immorality the two most burning issues at this very moment in our nation our life and eternal life. God judge both Judah and a non Covenant Nation Nineveh for the shedding of innocent blood. I want to put this into perspective for you. The total number of Americans killed in all us Wars is more than 1.1 or 1.2 million. Tomorrow we honor those who gave their laws to secure the freedoms. We enjoy going to be sent we're here able to preach without fear of persecution because of 1.1 million people gave their life. I have no problem at all honoring them. It is due to them, but can I put this into perspective in and I submit it with gentleness and respect and it is excruciating to talk about From 1973 through just 2011. This is not the complete data. But according to AGI and other resources the CDC. Over 40 million legal abortions have a court record in the US.
Play some gentleman will take a day tomorrow rightfully to order 1.1 to 1.2 million Americans to lay down their lives and shared that shed their blood for blood for our freedom. And over a span of 30 to 40 years over 40 million people have. Legally. murdered
we'll talk about it more next week.
Is this our sin or is that God's judgment?
And I want to tell you what happens. I can't change the walls. I'm just one vote like the rest of you. What can I do maybe over a domain that I do have? I'm a pastor of a small rural Church in Demorest, Georgia. Here's what I can tell you. We preached sex outside of marriage or wedlock to the point of stigmatizing pregnancy. And what I mean by that is yeah. This what happened may be ashamed to let me tell you children. No matter the circumstance are a gift from God. . It's okay. If you're a young woman who has an unplanned pregnancy. I want you to know that our church will see it as planned because it came from God. There's no shame. There's no guilt. We celebrate you and that beautiful baby and will not just celebrate church. We got to be willing to get our wallet and contribute if that be the case. We're going to have to put our money where our mouth is on this issue cuz this is beyond just to vote. This has to be a complete culture change in the church about how we address the issue of abortion. And until it becomes excruciating for us to address until we we want to burst into tears. We probably should keep our mouths shut.
And just lead the way by example. But if you come to a point where you go, I can grieve and mourn over this then speak up. Because I think the church in the world right now doesn't need to see a church that just seething with anger. I write in my Bible anger doesn't leave the righteousness, but those that mourn will be comforted. That's a promise. And I'm getting more and more to the place that let us see this happen. It affects my heart. Not just my mind. I know it's wrong raising gentlemen. I know I'm riffing for just met. This is important science has shown us that human life begins at conception. The debate today is whether that being is a person how they function in the world. And this is why I wear science has to stop for a moment cuz science cannot tell you what constitutes personhood this is where religion has to speak up it does because here's how I can know whether you're the smallest millisecond old or you're a hundred and forty years old. The reason we should protect your life is because you're made in the image of God and science will never give you that. No philosophy will ever give you that.
And so you need at least understand be a little sympathetic. They don't see it. Like we see it. Do you see that? We're on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to that viewpoint, but I'll tell you this is just deep in my soul. I can't sit thus saith the Lord. But I can say looking at the biblical examples. We can go look at in Jeremiah 19th, and may who chapter 3 when God sees cities filled with blood and violence. That's a good sign that it's judgement is coming.
And yet abortion or permitting it to go along it is not the unforgivable sin.
I know the statistics. There's probably someone in here who has God can forgive you. We hold nothing against you. None of us are perfect. None of us are it can easily be removed by the blood Jesus just like any other thing. There is one sin that is unforgivable. And I need you to hear this is the sin of unbelief.
Listen to what Jesus said about your response to him. What do you decide to repent of your sins and Trust Jesus as your savior? Listen what it says in Matthew chapter 10 verses 14 through 15. He's talking about sending his disciples out to preach the gospel of the Kingdom. So it's I pecans and knocked on your door. I got good news the Kings hear what happens if they rejected disciple preaching the word of God. Listen to this. You should have anyone does not welcome you or listen to your words Shake the Dust off your feet saying how you tried you gave it your best shot and when you leave that house or tribtown listen is truly a man. I tell you it'll be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. That should show you how severe unbelief in Jesus is we kind of pic on Sodom and Gomorrah for their sin of homosexuality. It's worse than homosexuality is to stay and unbelief.
Listen to another instance in Matthew 12:41, Matthew 12:41. This is the men of Nineveh will stand up at judgment with this generation to the duration Jesus preached to and condemn it because they repented at Jonah's preaching and if you never heard Jonas sermons, like eight word the Lord's going to overthrow you in 40 days. I hate your gut. I'm gone. He did not want to preach and they turned he says on Judgement Day you sit here and reject me and the men of Nineveh cuz we had Jonah as a preacher and repented you had Jesus the son of God.
Because you said something greater than Jonah is here.
Listen, I don't want America to become a theocracy.
So what I want now what now what we're got answers it looking for 11. It'll give you the Practical implication. So now say to the men of Judah and to the residents of Jerusalem. This is what the Lord says. Look. I'm about to bring harm to you and make plans against you turn now each from your evil way and correct your ways and your Deeds. God will not save us personally as a family as a church as a community as a nation without repentance repentance Bible word repentance is turning from evil ways turning from your evil ways the picture is that of a person who's headed in One Direction and they turn around and go a different direction that repentance and said there's three things that are involved in Repentance number one and you can write this down here and we must stop the first thing I do is actually stop. We cannot continue in our evil we cannot continue in our sin. We cannot continue to practice it and some of us have gotten really good at it.
But I want you to think of this just stopping our evil ways this stopping it is not good enough. That's not repentant. What were Princess. He says or what? And here's the second one. We must turn we must turn around and face the opposite direction and what will you see if you stop and u-turn. You will see the face of God. Dulce Jesus himself hanging on a cross shedding his blood for your sins. Would you acknowledge that? It's your sins that put them on the crawl. Would you ask that save your bleeding on the cross for forgiveness of sins? And will you receive his holy spirit into your heart who can reshape your life?
That's what we're saying. I'm not just looking for a moralistic culture. We just simply don't do this. I want us to turn and embraced Jesus and everything. He asked to offer teaches to a bay Everything Jesus commanded. It is good. It is satisfying it will change us through and through and when are we to do it notice what this text says now number 3 we must now we must do this now, please listen this term should be the immediate. It should happen in your heart and your in your soul while you're sitting in your seat this moment. If you do not turn now, I cannot guarantee you you'll live another moment to have the opportunity.
And who is to turn?
See when we tend to think of national sins we tend to think will the president and Congress are the Supreme Courts in our governor. Are State reps they all should turn but I want you to see who it's addressed to. He stopped speaking politically for a moment. And God said so now talk to the men of Judah and its residents. Talk to citizens. Tell the people that comprise the nation and tell them to turn who is to turn. It's not just something that happened or a national or corporate-level. The turn here is the actual people themselves cuz it's you and off you understand. God could judge this nation for how you and I respond to this message.
You sure I didn't think I'd trade that much weight. You just don't work like button. it doesn't
He's looking at his church because judgement always starts in the family. Where are we as a church start here? If you want to clean the street you start at your doorstep. We don't walk over the trash on her own yard, then go up the street to go. It's nasty out here. Look at your yard. You're making a big mess. We've got the term repent of our sins and Trust Christ Alone in our own lives to disciple our family in the gospel to have the gospel ReSound throughout our church to call people to repentance hear. How can we sit there on National Park from and call people to repentance, but he won't even call pildora pinataro charges.
All of us have fallen short of the glory of God. All of us is sin. So God is calling every man woman and child to repent each of us including myself turn from our own way.
Some of you may be offended. by the message I'll send it this to you gently and respectfully, but only proud Center centers can't enjoy God's good news. Only crowd centers can't enjoy it. And there's only two kinds of people and only two. They're proud Sinners and forgiving sinners.
The question before us is which one are you going to be? Will you come humble? And ask God to forgive you and reshape you and what you'll find according to this verse he's quicker to forgive and reshape then you are quicker to repent. I'll say it one more time. He is quicker to forget and reshape then we are to repent.
If you'll come I can guarantee on the basis of Jesus's death and Resurrection. He will forgive you and he will change you. He is the Potter. We are the clay who's shaping who?
Thanks for listening to Mount Carmel Baptist Churches weekly, Sunday worship service message Mount Carmel is located in Demorest, Georgia, please join us this Sunday at 11 a.m. To call Demaris. Com.
