Hearing the Hard Things

Introduction

This political year we have seen the introduction of a new evaluation of a person’s qualification to be President of the United State. Presidential candidates must now answer for what their Pastor may say in his sermons. Dr. Jeremiah Wright the former Pastor of Presidential candidate Barack Obama has been under fire because a sermon he preached after the events of 911 in which he blamed the American Government of what took place on 911 and the black liberation theology he preaches.

Many have called him unpatriotic because of statements he has made concerning the American Government and a racist because of his call for black empowerment and demands the right of self-definition, self-affirmation and self-determination of the black community.

Rev. Wright is an undeniably fiery preacher who, in the long tradition of American preachers, proudly and often indiscriminately uses hyperbole or figure of speech not be taken literally to communicate a point. It is my belief that Rev. Wright loves America and realizes that God will not continue to Bless America if we continue down the path we are traveling.

It would be unpatriotic for him to keep quiet as our elected leaders lead us down a path of destruction. It was a call for Patriotism that got us caught up in the war in Iraq. It was a call for Patriotism that has diverted billion of dollars that are needed to address needs in America to establish democracy in a Tribal society.

It was the call for Patriotism that has us tied up in the longest war in American History and according to John McCain we may be in another hundred years. Our call for Patriotism has resulted in the lost of over four thousand American Service men and women and twenty-nine thousands wounded. Two thousands seven hundred fifty-seven died in the World Trade Center on 911. With this number more people have died in the war in Iraq than died at the World Trade Center.

We are called be Patriotic as gas price rises and the Oil Company such as Exxon Mobil are making forty billion dollar profit while the government gives them multibillions of dollars in tax subsidies. Family must now decide between medicine, food and gas. We are called to be Patriotic as the while foreclosure rates are at a record high and jobless rates are rising.

The Job-loss figures are the worst in five years. Employers reduced their payrolls by 80,000 jobs in March while our country is moving into a recession. We have had record session of hurricanes, flooding in part of the country and drought in our area. Could it be that God is trying to get our attention?

When we look back over our history, there was other Preacher who spoke out against the ills of our nation. Just as Dr. Jeremiah Wright is being called unpatriotic so was Dr. Martin Luther King. This week as they remembered his assignation forty years ago; Many have recognized that many of the things he was saying about America was true and if we listens to the content of Rev. Wright message we will find some truth in his words.

We are committing a great evil against ourselves if we remain silent to the injustice and wickedness for the sake of Patriotism. It would be unpatriotic to remain silent as our nation is traveling a road that leads to destruction.

There was another Jeremiah who was considered unpatriotic.

Jeremiah 26:1-6

26 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the Lord, saying,

2 Thus saith the Lord; Stand in the court of the Lord's house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord's house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:

3 If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.

4 And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you,

5 To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not hearkened;

6 Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth. KJV

Subject

“Hearing the Hard Things!”

Jeremiah was one who was called of God to be a messenger to nation of Israel to inform them of the consequences of sin and their backslidden condition. He was called very early in his life.

We are told in:

Jeremiah 1:4-5

4 Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. KJV

When we look at the life of the prophet Jeremiah there is something we as servants of God must learn. There are times as servants of God that we must speak and accept the consequence of God’s message. The prophet Jeremiah was considered to be an enemy of the state and unpatriotic because said things the felt were hard and things that did not want to hear.

Many times it’s important that we hear some hard things. That what’s wrong with many of our youth today, we have soft padded the message and they think that life is carefree and a bed of ease. Sometime they need to hear the hard thing.

In our message today Jeremiah uses three defenses against this charge.

First The Lord has Sent Him.

Jeremiah 26:1-2

26 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the Lord, saying,

2 Thus saith the Lord; Stand in the court of the Lord's house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord's house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word: KJV

God’s commission Jeremiah to speak in Judah. He told Jeremiah to “…stand in the court… and speak unto all the cities…”

As servant of God we must remember who has commission us to speak. It was not the government that sent us. It was not a corporation or business enterprise that sent us. It was not a special interest group or a political party, although many of our Christian Leaders seems to be spokesman for the Republican Party. It was not a committee that sent us. It was God that anointed us and appointed us to speak.

Note God’s instruction:

Jeremiah 26:2 Thus saith the Lord; Stand in the court of the Lord's house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord's house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word: KJV

God commanded him not to diminish a word, which mean the message may be hard to receive. Just as the Prophet Jeremiah was not accountable to the people for his message neither is Dr. Jeremiah Wright. As Preachers we are accountable to a power must greater than any governmental or private organization. We are accountable to God because it is God who sent us.

He told the people of Judah.

Jeremiah 3:15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

KJV

Why did they need a pastor? The answer was give in verse fourteen:

Jeremiah 3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: KJV

The preacher is sent to help the nation see its condition. Judah was so caught up in the world values and the world system that they could not see their condition and Jeremiah was sent to open their eyes to their condition. America can’t see its condition and when God messengers speak things that are hard to hear they call them unpatriotic. We also find this same spirit in the church. When the message seems hard we get mad at the preacher.

Jeremiah first defense was God sent him.

Secondly His message was conditional

Jeremiah 26:3-4

3 If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.

4 And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you, KJV

Note the condition of God’s message. “…If…they will hearken and turn…” In this conditional statement there are two things we should note.

First Note The Purpose of God’s message

God’s message has one purpose to get God people to focus and response. God’s desire for every word that is written in this book is that their be some change in the heart of those who hear. God said:

Jeremiah 26:3 Just maybe they'll listen and turn back from their bad lives. Then I'll reconsider the disaster that I'm planning to bring on them because of their evil behavior.

God wants you to respond to His word.

Secondly Note the content of God’s message.

Jeremiah 26:4-6

4 And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you,

5 To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not hearkened;

6 Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth. KJV

The content of God’s message was God’s judgment for disobedience. It’s what we all must face and in many cases is facing because we did not focus and responded to the message of God. God’s message may be hard but we need to hear and turn.

America may find the message of African American Preacher speaking to the social ill of our nation very patriotic, but we need to hear and turn from the wickedness in our nation.

Jeremiah first defense was God sent him and his second was his message was conditional.

Last His blood will be on their hand

Jeremiah 26:12-15

12 Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.

13 Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.

14 As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.

15 But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears. KJV

As a messenger of God, Jeremiah presented the message as God had given to him and would not admin it to please the people. He was ready to accept the consequences; but the question is will those who put him to death be willing to accept the consequences of their action?

Dr. Jeremiah Wright message is hard for some American to accept because it is a hard saying. But as American we need to focus on the message and repent of the wrongs we have done. As citizen of the Kingdom of God, we need to focus on His word and amend our ways and our doings and obey the voice of God.

We can begin by hearing the hard things that we may not suffer the greatest penalty Eternity in hell.