Who's Shaping Who (Part 2)

You're listening to Mount Carmel Baptist Churches weekly Sunday worship service message at 11 a.m. Mount. Carmel is located in Demorest, Georgia to learn more time. Is it Mt. Carmel Demorest, Facebook.com Mt. Carmel Demorest. Thanks for listening.

Jeremiah chapter 18 verses 12 through 15 and then we're going to also look at 2 verses and chapter 19. I'm going to continue a message part 2 of a message that I've been titled who's shaping who? Who's shaping who last week? I asked you if you were willing to see the hand of God shaping the nation's I've been more specifically were you willing to see the hand of God shaping the United States of America? I shared that. I don't believe I don't have any 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 Pioneer in the work of global missions. At the same time and I have to ask myself this are we willing to see the hand of God shaping the United States of America in some of our most horrific events in history. Almost 420,000 Americans gave their lives in World War II. Are we willing to see that God may have permitted their sacrifice to judge the sins of Hitler's Germany. Are you willing to see that God may have permitted 620,000 of the children of America to give their lives on the battlefields of the Civil War to deal decisively with our sin of slavery in our own country. Those are a lot harder to Grass because we definitely want to recognize. Shaping the nation in our blessings. But are we willing to see that God could even discipline or judge our nation based on our sins or even use our nation as an instrument of Justice in the world. In the book of Jeremiah the nation of Judah had abandoned God for false idols and this idolatry LED them to all kinds of personal and National sins and God called a young man Jeremiah to prophesy or speak to the nation that God will destroy them. If they did not repent a good King a game named Josiah came to the throne and heard the cries of the prophet and began to repay are God's Temple admit the repairs the high priest of Israel rediscovered the book of the law and I share this with you last week. Could you imagine that a nation would go so far from God that one day somebody stumbled into a church and happen to find a Bible and do it for the first time. That's what happened in the nation of Judah that they actually went to the place where God was worship and as they were remodeling they got what's this book here? And it was the book of their own religion that they were finally seeing for the first time with fresh Oz

King Josiah read that book and he began to purge Judah of its a Dollar Tree in the question was would it be enough to avert the disaster that God called Jeremiah to reveal to the nation. To God if you remember this God took Jeremiah Down To The Potter's House and showed him the Potter molding the clay and then teaches the principle on which God deals or relate to Nations. God made decide to destroy an evil Nation. But if not Evil Nation repents, he will have compassion on them. God made plan to bless a nation. But if they do evil, he will destroy them. This is how God works with any Nation not just the Covenant nation of Israel, but also non Covenant Nations like Assyria and Nineveh in the Bible God reshapes Nations by their response to his word. but that still leaves us with one more question that I want us to explore this week and probably Nest next week 2 What's Jeremiah's roll? Can the prophet say or do anything to shape the people he loves and for us today the church the called out people of God those who God have called to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Does the church here in America? Have a role in shaping America? I wants to look at the scriptures to see what Jeremiah's prophetic role was that maybe the role that we must Embrace if we want to see America reshaped in a way in which God can bless. Let's just read what was on the people's hearts that God revealed to Jeremiah and Jeremiah chapter 18 verse 12. This is God telling Jeremiah. Here's what's on the hearts of the people in this nation. He says this verse well, but they the people of the nation will say it's hopeless we will continue to follow our plans. Each of us will continue to act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart. Notice what the people did they acknowledge that they possessed evil idolatrous Hearts toward God and get deliberately decided to buy him anyway. And the question, how could they be so stubborn? How could they actually know we have evil Hearts we have plans that God is not pleased with an our plan is to continue with our plan. No matter what you say Church. How is that possible I want to share this to other Bible verses with you. They come in the previous chapter and Jeremiah 17 verses 1 and versus non Jeremiah 17 verse 1 verse 9. It says this the scent of Judah is inscribed with an iron stylus with a diamond point. It is engraved on the tablet of their hearts nurse how far they had gone. All that. God had essentially said their hearts have become hardened like Stone against me and they have put their plans to send babe accident in stone. They have no willingness to hear the message and change their lives. How can we get to such a place to look at what it says in verse non? The heart is more deceitful than anything else and incurable who can understand it who can know it. See here's the thing that you have to get deep in your soul no matter whether you're a Believer or an unbeliever human nature all of us admire following our hearts believing in ourselves and being independent, even if that Independence is from God and unaided by the word of God and the preaching of God. Our hearts are pathological Liars. Ehrhardt's law to us. They are naturally hardened against God and they lie to us and tell us the truth. That is not really the truth and we'll hear it safe in our cultural. That's just my truth know. That's your heart lying to yourself. Our hearts are broken compasses and we need a better God and God in his infinite grace and mercy has given us his word so that when we have our faults and feelings, we can compare our thoughts and feelings to the truth of God's word. And only when our hearts are in alignment with God's word or our heart speaking the truth, but if our hearts tell us one thing and the word of God says another our hearts are lying to us. So I'm okay with you having a positive outlook on life. I'm okay with you living passionately and courageously, but I have to warn you don't do whatever you think feel or believe you have this put it up against the word of God. We must consistently go to the word to find out who we are. And what the scriptures will tell us both good and bad that we are sinners and need of a savior. And unless we stopped dead in our tracks and turn from our sin acknowledging that we're Sinners and we deserve God's judgment. But God in his Mercy Davis's son. The one we've been singing about all morning to die on the cross for our sins to absorb that penalty and Punishment and then raised him to give him not just new life but to give you a new life a new beginning That's the only chance and hope that we have found in the scripture that it's Christ and Christ Alone repentance and faith in him. So stop and let him change your heart. Don't follow your heart follow King Jesus. If we were going to see I'm going to head out at now. We're going to get to a little bit later next week. One of the functions of the church admits the nation that is and evil is that we have to be committed to the faithful proclamation of the word. We have two and let me tell you this it's not because we have the truth or Hearts is just a seat for like the unbeliever. We have the truth because of Christ and the word we have to stay tethered and bound to this book. That's why these pulpits in America and in her own homes fathers and mothers. We must continue to disciple people in the word of God.

Now here's the devastating thing. How far can deceitful sinful Hearts go? And what you'll find is that they know no bounds. our hearts know no bounds It can get really ugly. That's how much we lost ourselves. Look what it says here in verse 13. The Lord's going to reveal something about his people know if you don't know anything about the the the background of the Bible the god of Israel y'all way save the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt brought them out with the 10 plagues parted the Red Sea miraculously provided for them in the wilderness help them come into the new Promised Land Canaan and devour their enemies and established a kingdom. God has been good to this people and listen to what God says about them in verse 13 He says they're for this is what the Lord says. He tells Jeremiah ask among the Nations who has heard things like these that's what he says. He says go ask Nations who don't know me who don't know me and ask them if it sounds logical what Judah is about to do notice what he says he says, Israel has done a most horrible thing. Does the snow of Lebanon this is a mountain ever leave the Holland Crags and the answer to that if you knew anything about Mount Lebanon is it's always snow-capped. There's never a time. It's not because of its altitude. So he says look at this mountain ever hear. Have you ever seen it without snow and Jeremiah goes? No, I don't look at the next one or do or does cold water flowing from a distance ever fell and he's in reference to another spring in Lebanon where there was a fresh spring. It was a well that never ran dry says if you ever been to this place and not been able to get water and Jeremiah goes. Oh, it's it's always there's always water there and look at what he says yet. My people have forgotten me. No catch that you see what he's not. He says go. Ask Heathen Nations how crazy this is. Think about a snow-capped mountain that doesn't have snow think about a place of a fresh spring that doesn't have water. It's just absurd that logical they're inconsistent. He says and yet my people have done what forgotten me. It is literally saying this to Jeremiah Jeremiah. My people have become a freak of nature. It's nothing like anything else. I've seen in the world. I've been so good to them. I've done nothing but bless them and get whatever they done. They have turned their backs on me. They have forgotten me that I'm there God. And that's what the rest of the verse goes on to say. They burn incense to worthless Idols empty titles and make them stumble in their ways on the ancient roads and made them walk on new pads. Not the highway what he's trying to say. He says there are Dollar Tree their worship of other gods while they forgot me. It's LED them down pads. They never wanted to go and get there. They are. Can I show you the most disastrous path? I think this idolatry or forgetting God had put them on and this is the one that makes my heart break. Look at what it says in Jeremiah chapter 19 Verses 4 and 5 What hap what can happen what can happen when we follow our sinful deceitful hearts and forget God get ready get ready to how far we can go. It says this because they have abandoned me and made this a foreign place. They have burn incense in the other God that they their fathers and the kings of Judah have never known they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent. They have built ha places to bail on which to burn their children in the fire as burnt offerings to Belle something. God says, I'm never commanded or mention. I never enter. Change the thought. How how far can we go with our sinful deceitful Hearts? It not only causes us to forget God and his ways but then forgetting God can help can cause us to sacrifice. What is most precious and dear to us? They would offer up their own children. as burnt offerings to false empty imaginary gods We in postmodern postmodern America all of the same accusations against Judah can be sustained against us. We have forgotten God we have forsaken. We to have followed other gods and our Gods aren't names like Molech and Baal, but they're the gods of sex and pleasure Beauty and money power and success comfort and self-induced dolgin. It's my way or the highway. I want to live from me me me. What we find is this human nature is fixed. We just gotten smart and we label are Idols different. They're just more socially acceptable Idols. We don't call him Molech or Bell. But we're all out looking for something else other than God that will satisfy her and our hearts have lied to us and don't think running from God or forgetting God won't cost you something precious. We postmodern Americans are guilty of the same. Barbaric sins of ancient Judah we to have shed the innocent blood of children. a children I would hope we would live in a nation where we would lay down. Our own laws not give our children's lives away. There are two burning issues this very moment in America. The first is the right to life. I want you to think about this God judge Judah for the shedding of innocent blood. From 1973 through 2011 nearly 53 million legal abortions have occurred in the u.s. 53. There's only been 1.2 or 1.3 million casualties in War. in our history and get 50 free legal abortions have happened on most of our watch. Nothing about this that is more innocent blood per capita than was necessary for God to bring judgment on his own people Judah. So if you're asking yourself how we already passed the lawn we've done passed it a long time ago.

I can say what I can say today not because this is politically motivated because I see it for what it is. This is a spiritual issue. It has nothing to do with your vote has nothing to do with any of that. This is a sin problem. This is a heart problem until hearts or change and let me tell you this. It's not that we can fix the heart only Jesus by the word for the spirit can change human hearts and the church has been entrusted with that message.

I want to teach you a couple of things about why from the word of God, we can't stand we can't allow this to happen while it's on our watch. abortion, right Advocates are increasingly conceding that the unborn child is indeed a human being science proves that the question has become if that human being is a full person. What constitutes full personhood some in the secular World suggest that anyone is a person as measured according to certain socially agreed-upon standards. So honestly new hear this in the talking points no matter who it's from the left or right? If that child is going to grow up poor disabled or have a physical defect that person is not a person.

That's the standards that the world has except but noticed what that means. That means the final court of appeal is still just the collective human are organs tell you about the human heart and human heart is a pathological liar.

We can't trust ourselves to tell ourselves the truth. So what does God's word say General that means creation and scriptural Revelation provide the ultimate answer to the search for value and personhood God is the creator of life and every human being whether he's a millisecond old or 150 years old has been made in the image of God. The poor are made in the image of God. The disabled are made in the image of God. Those who have physical defects are made in the image of God. All of them have a capacity casino and be loved by God. God says their mom, not yours.

Why do abortions occur Church you need to know what I'm about to say you're not going to like

K toughen up

This is just anecdotal evidence, but I found it compelling and worth your consideration. The State of Florida records a reason for every abortion that happens in its borders. In 2018 last year there were 70083 abortions in Florida. There's a table that gives you the an idea about why the abortions that occurred 75% of them elected to give no reason. Hey, that's their right. But listen to the remainder 20% of the abortions performed. We report where women who have boarded for social or economic reasons. K 1.67% so 1 and a little over a half percent the women's psychological help was threatened by the pregnancy 1.48 percent. The woman's physical help was threatened by the pregnancy. So one and a half percent threatened her life 1% There was a serious fetal abnormality. Point 27% to a quarter of a percent the woman's life was endangered by the pregnancy and then 14% the woman was raped and at .01% the pregnancy resulted from an incestuous relationship in general and this is kind of been what they found a use that as an example of anecdotal example, but in general 98% of abortions are performed for some kind of social reason That means less than one abortion in a thousand is performed because of risk of life to the mother. Now that's that's not I did not tell you that to stir up anger. I hope it stirs up. There's actually something we can do about that as the church. I want you moving in that direction who has abortion in 2015. This is all I'm trying to use statistics from the CDC both. We're both groups agree on things. Unmarried women accounted for 86% of all abortions all unwed women in their 20s accounted for the majority of the abortions in 2015. So here's what I want you to see do you see this and unwed young woman K probably with wood due to some poverty issues are the ones that are the most susceptible to this issue of abortion. This is not a public policy issue. It really is a spiritual problem. And I want you to write this down because here's what we as a church have got to do before we can really begin to pray and preach to the culture and I think an influential way is The Church Must practice the alternative write that down the church that's you and I are sitting here must practice the alternative. It would be good and right if the Supreme Court today overturn Roe v Wade, but if Roe v Wade was overturned given the statistics that I just gave you the church has a huge problem. Are you ready here SWA? The church has a special stigma for sins link towards sexuality. We have strong reactions to them and you can ask if you happen to be that unwed mother in their twenties that's walked in the church most churches and maybe even ours you get that that bad look.

There be a stigma Scarlet Letter put on you church and it starts with us here locally. Are you prepared not to judge young woman's actions leading to pregnancy which may have been sinful. We acknowledge that but prepared not to judge and instead choose to celebrate children as a gift from God no matter the circumstances. That's the that's the spiritual decision to church has to make Chain hook watch done is done. There's no judgment here. We love life.

Second are we prepared to care for and contribute financially to the possible hundreds of young women in our own Community for whom abortion is no longer a legal option or we prepared to council with an unplanned pregnancy finding accommodation for mothers both before and after their child's work help them secure employment and give financial help when Roe v Wade is overturned. Are we completely ready to re-evaluate our church budget to minister to them at the point of their need mangy? This won't be for a season or two or a year or two. This may be a lifetime of loving supportive involvement.

Maybe the reason this is Perry known as long as it's being is because we've been so easy. It's so easy to talk about it because if the problem was actually solved that would be a huge mess on the church's hand it would be What were called the practice now. Going to bring all the mess in? Will help you figure it out and we'll put our money where our mouth is.

The most burning issue in America and it is the most dangerous and damning. You have the right to life and then the question of the gift of eternal life.

The unforgivable sin of unbelief abortion if you had an abortion, it can be forgiven. Not believing Jesus as your savior merits Eternal damnation separated from a perfect. Holy God. Here's why we have to get on the same page. Listen to what Jesus said and I read these to you last week, but I need you to get it so that we can kind of way our priorities and hopefully he'll help cleanse us of any judgmental attitudes of stigmas Matthew 10:14 through 15 says this if anyone who Jesus is speaking to his disciples if anyone does not welcome you or listen to your words Shake the Dust off your feet when you leave that house or town truly. I tell you it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah van for that town. You save this Sodom and Gomorrah will receive more tolerant with their sin. Then the sin of unbelief in Jesus. When it comes to judgement day. Matthew 12:41 says this the men of Nineveh these were Violent Men that Jonah was sent to say repent to the men of Nineveh will stand up at the Judgment with this generation and condemn because they repented at Jonah's preaching with was poor by the way and look something greater than Jonah is here. He says Jesus the son of God, he's coming revealed himself you his love his Mercy his grace and forgiveness. They've been offered to you and you've rejected the Son of God. He says those Violent Men of Nineveh will set up on Judgement Day say we weren't that crazy and we had that poor preacher.

And here's how I know. It's a problem. Because it's not just a problem in America. It's a problem in the church. Remember? I think it's the the church is the only arena in which the word of God should be lifted up and be able to change our lives will come out of the church. It'll come out of here. But listen to be as in 2011 and Levin Barna research released released this report and it stated that one out of every four Born Again Christians said that all people are eventually saved or accepted by God, that would be one out of every four people sitting in this room would say, you know, what at the end of it all it doesn't really matter if you believe in Jesus or not, let it be said from this Pulpit you are wrong. Your heart has lied to you because that's not what this book says. Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me first. Timothy Chapter 2 says there is only one mediator between God and man and that is the man Christ Jesus.

And so let's not point fingers at America. When one out of every four people sitting in the church don't even agree with Jesus's words.

Puppy Only Hope for salvation and eternal life and a relationship with God and forgiveness is repentance and faith in Christ alone.

Church, I hope you see in this passage today.

Well, God reshapes Nations based on their response to his word notice this it's the profit or in our case the church that's entrusted with the word. You see this. What's our role to play in who shaping who we get to be the ones to go out and practice the alternative to live it out saying this is what God is calling you to get in the meantime until you get it. We're going to do it. We're not going to forget God. We're not going to shed innocent blood but we're going to not just try to prevent it with a vote. We're going to try to prevent it where people really are. How can we help you? How can we love you? How can we ship God's grace on you? We have to start doing that no more judgment. Recalibrating our time managing money and energy and resources to save whatever it's going to take. We're willing to put it all on the table to stop it.

I'm in the one that's the most important church church. Are we going to continue to be apathetic and indifferent as friends and family co-workers people in our community day by day have another opportunity missed for the. Our sins and trust in Jesus as their Savior and they're on their way to an eternity separated from God. When are we going to take it serious going we have the truth not because we figured it out because God saved us and revealed it to us. We must go and share this truth with others. They're alive and Eternity band on it and where the one entrusted with it. We have the word. So let's practice the word.

The church is responsible to present the alternative. That's our responsibility all we presenting it. I'll be presenting it with our lives. Are we presented it with our mouths and if we're not which it is, we are taking the only hope for America away. I'm going to ask every head bowed every eye closed. Thanks for listening to Mount Carmel Baptist Church in Demorest, Georgia, please join us this Sunday at 11 a.m. Com.