The Balm of Friendship

Scriptural Text: ,

Sermon: The Balm of Friendship

From my daily reading I came about this, that 80 percent of all physical illness is caused by repressed negative emotions. Eighty percent of our ailments, in other words, might be prevented if we took care of our inner world. In the same way, I believe, at least 80 percent of our spiritual ills are the self-inflicted result of repressed but cherished idolatry."

any aromatic or fragrant ointment. 

According to a recent study among doctors, their most common aggravation (next to patients who do not pay their bills) is patients who refuse to obey the doctor’s orders. It is estimated that as many as 90 percent of all patients leave half-used prescription bottles, cheat on diets, continue to smoke, or never return for checkups. Often this neglect proves detrimental to the patient’s health. Sometimes it’s fatal. There was an incident in Israel’s past which had a similar effect on the nation. In we read that God commanded Saul to eradicate the decadent Amalekites, including their livestock and their king, Agag. Saul chose to obey God halfway, defeating the Amalekites, but sparing their leader with some of the populace and the choicest of the livestock. Through His prophet Samuel, God condemned Saul’s disregard for His command, and rejected Saul as king. Samuel then executed Agag, though apparently some of the king’s subjects and descendants escaped to parts unknown. Today in the Word, May, 1989

Today in the Word, May, 1989

Samuel declared the supreme demand of God's Word: obedience ()

One thing above all others pleases God and makes a person acceptable to God: obedience, devotion to the Lord. God wants a heart of devotion, a heart that is set upon obedience.

⇒  To obey is better than sacrifice. Sacrifice is important, but it is acceptable only when it is brought to the Lord with a heart of devotion, a heart of obedience.

The supreme gift that could be given to God was obedience. This was the message of God to Saul, and it is the message that God proclaims to all generations.

Samuel declared the seriousness of disobedience ().[, , ]

Samuel declared the seriousness of disobedience ().

Nothing provokes the Lord like rebelliousness or defiance of His commandments. Note exactly what the Lord says about disobedience:

Nothing provokes the Lord like rebelliousness or defiance of His commandments. Note exactly what the Lord says about disobedience:

⇒  Rebellion is equivalent to witchcraft. To rebel against God is as bad as seeking to be saved, protected, and guided by an evil spirit or the world of the occult.

⇒  Being stubborn or arrogant is equivalent to idolatry. Stubbornly standing against God, refusing to obey the commandments of God, is as bad as committing idolatry.

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" ().

"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy" ().

"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon" ().

Also what causes disobedience that bring many sorrows,

The Love of money is the root of all evil, (a) covet, covetousness is idolatry, (b) people wander a way from the faith, (c) pierce themselves through with many sorrows (Ph.3:18-19, )

(NKJV) 18For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

18For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

19whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.

(NKJV) 9But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.

9But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.

Jeremiah 8:22 (NKJV)22Is there no balm in Gilead, Is there no physician there? Why then is there no recovery For the health of the daughter of my people?

The balm of friendship in troubled times: anything that heals, soothes, or mitigates pain.

In his vision, Jeremiah heard the people’s cry of hopelessness (v.20). They had missed the last opportunity to be saved. They had suffered God’s judgment and were still bearing the punishment for their sins. Note that their lost opportunity is compared to the harvest that has passed and the summer that has ended. It was now too late for the people to reap the harvest. The final chance for them to harvest the crop, to be saved, had passed.

Jeremiah identified with the people, feeling deep empathy for them. He saw them crushed, bruised black and blue—and the sight ripped his heart. Sensing the pain of their injuries, he was engulfed with grief. His heart ached for them. He longed for a balm (a medicine) in Gilead and a physician who could heal the people (v.22).

When he asked, “Is there no balm in Gilead?” he already knew the answer. He knew that the Lord was the only physician who could heal the wounds of the people. But he also knew that their sins had prevented the Lord from healing them. The people’s sickness was not healed because they worshipped false gods and because they followed the standards and beliefs of false teachers.

Conclusion: (NKJV) 26and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”

(NKJV) 26and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”

26and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”

(NKJV)17that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses.”

(NKJV) 5But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

5But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

“And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it” ().