001_[Outline] Lamentations: 'Tween Creation & New Creation: Introduction to Lamentations

Introduction:

Illustration: Job 1:18-22

To whom is the book of Lamentations relevant?

It is especially relevant to those who are the elect exiles of God. I Peter 1:1-2

Proposition:

Learn to lament as elect exiles!

Kid’s Pause: Lamentations is the language of God’s children who are not currently with God.

Body:

Part I: The Beginning of Lamentations

The Temple-Garden before Lamentation (Genesis 2:8)

The Temple-People rebelled against God’s Word (Genesis 3:6)

The Temple-People Exiled by the Faithful God [Genesis 3:8, 15, 21]

[into the NEED for Lamentation]

Illustration: National Forest, Oregon, fungus called “honey mushroom”, started - single microscopic spore, spreading to 2200 acres for around 2400 years…original sin.

Application: We are all infected with sin. Romans 5:12, We are all born in exile from God. We all suffer the affects of sin. We are all in need of lamentation...

Suffering and affliction are the result of sin and the initial curse. No one is immune.

Why do bad things happen to good people? Bad things happen to all people.

Kid’s Pause: Children, the story of the book of Lamentations actually begins before the book of Lamentations. We need Lamentations because we live in a sin-filled world as people separated from God.

Recap: The exile of God’s people from God in the Temple-Garden led to the first need for Lamentation. [Temple destroyed]

Part II: The History of Lamentations

The Elect Nation Laments her Affliction (Exodus 2:7-8, Deut. 7:6-9)

The Elect Nation Is Given Blessings/Cursings of Covenant (Deut. 28:1-2, 15, 45-48, 29:1)

The Elect Nation is Exiled Into Lamentation [586 BC]

The Elect Nation is Exiled w/Promise (Deut. 32:16-18 [Moses Song], 30:6 [Heart Circumcision])

God cannot lie: Hebrews 6:18

Hebrews 6:18 KJV 1900

18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

Application: Lamentations will teach us that even in God’s afflictions, He is faithful to his Word. Lamentations 3:22-23

Parents, the kind of fathers/mothers you should strive to be are ones who keep your word, even when it means afflicting those you love.

This is where the book of Lamentations fits into our study. Lamentations is the grief of a writer who is seeing the devastation (Lamentations 1:1).

Poetic, acrostic, lament

22 Verses

Chapter 3 Unique and central to defining “Lamentation”

Application:

(1) Don’t confuse lamentations with our modern definition of grief. (burdened, heavy, under great distress…etc).

(2) Don’t confuse lamentations as something everyone can do. Lament is the language of the people of God - the elect exiles. [existing faith]

(3) Don’t water down the present help of lamentation by immediately going to I Thessalonians 4:13 or when things are difficult praise him anyhow...

My definition:

Lament is an expression of deep sorrow that exposes both confidence in God’s steadfast love and hope in God’s sure justice.

Kid’s Pause: Children, people who believe that God keeps His Word are the people who lament.

Recap: The beginning of Lamentations & the History of Lamentations

Part III: The Climax of Lamentations

The Elect Son is Called out of Egypt (Matthew 2:15)

The Elect Son is the Temple of God Who Laments (John 2:19)

The Elect Son is the Elect Exile on the Cross (Matthew 27:46, Hebrews 2:9-18)

If lamentation is an expression of deep sorrow that exposes confidence in God’s steadfast love and hope in God’s sure justice - the cry from the Cross is the Climax of all lamentation.

Illustration: “Do the crime, pay someone else to do the time” was the headline in the Sydney Morning Herald. In May 2009, a wealthy 20-year-old Chinese man was drag racing through the streets of Hangzhou when his Mitsubishi struck and killed a pedestrian at a crossing. This crime can be the death penalty for some. When they found out about his excessive speed (over 70 mph) and his light and callous attitude afterward, it caused an outcry in the city. So he was arrested, or so they thought. Later they found out that the man who was sentenced was not the criminal at all but someone who had been paid to take the three-year prison sentence for him.

The rich families of China do this to avoid justice. In China this is so common they call the person who does the time a “substitute criminal” or “replacement convict.” They agree to a price, then do the time. People who are broke and/or desperate are willing to make as little as $31 for every day they pay for another’s crime. Jesus was not desperate or penniless, yet he became a “substitute criminal” for you and fully paid for your crimes. What but love could motivate Jesus to do that for us? — Jim L. Wilson and David Mills

Wilson, J. L., & Mills, D. (2015). Do the Crime, Pay Someone to Do the Time. In E. Ritzema (Ed.), 300 Illustrations for Preachers. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Application:

Will you receive Jesus as your Substitute today?

Recap: The beginning of lamentations (Temple-Garden Destroyed), the history of lamentations (nation of Israel destroyed), the climax of lamentations (the son of God destroyed)...

Part IV: The Purpose of Lamentations

The Elect Exiles are the Temple of God (I Corinthians 3:16)

The Elect Exiles are Those who Lament (II Corinthians 6:10, 7:9-11)

The purpose of lamentation is that it is a means whereby God exposes and refines the faith of his elect exiles.

Illustration: I Peter 4:12-19 In the Hunger Games Trilogy, there is a scene where Katness and Peeta are riding in a chariot before the killing games begin. They are clothed in apparel that is high class. Katness had been instructed to hit a button when she was ready and when she did, it gave the allusion that her and Peetas clothing were brilliantly on fire. It was designed to give a flare to the event. The allusion of this is that we know fire burns and consumes and hurts. We must see lamentation as the means by which we cope with the fire and whereby the brilliance of faith in God is manifested.

Kid’s Pause: Children, expressing your sorrow to God, and believing that he loves you will help you deal with difficulty you cannot avoid.

Application:

Embrace lamentation as a means God has given you to express sorrow and dependence upon Him.

Do not make seeking relaxation and comfort the ultimate pursuit of your life.

Convenience is not the first qualification for your decisions.

Recap: The beginning, the history, the climax, the present purpose of lamentations…and...

Part V: The End of Lamentations

Elect Exiles hope in God’s Justice (Revelation 6:9-11)

Elect Exiles will experience the end of Lamentation (Revelation 21:1-5)

But the path from Eden to Eternity is through Lamentation. In one sense, you could say that Lamentation is the story in between the Creation and the New Creation.

Concluding Applications:

Where are you in this story?

Between Part IV (present purpose) & V (the end):

Already/Not Yet: Living as elect exiles with confidence in his hesed and hope in his justice.

What is lament and where is this in God’s sovereign plan?

Lament is the cycle in this life whereby God uses suffering to shape the hearts of his elect exiles to continue to trust in his goodness and hope for his justice.

Specific applications to hearers, individually and corporately.

Lamentations are for God’s people. Will you receive Jesus Christ right now?

Lamentations are expressions of faith. Are you stopping at the grief? (not just loss of loved one)

Lamentations are expressions of sorrow. Are you putting on so people don’t really see the grief? (i.e. your the showman)

Lamentations are confessions of sin. Are you proactively grieving sin?

Lamentations are expressions of faith in God’s word. Do you really believe God’s mercy?

Lamentations are both individual and corporate. Do you seclude yourself?

Lamentations are deep expressions of hope in God’s sure mercy and justice. Are you vengeful?

Illustration: Christian Quotations (Faithfulness Of)

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side: / Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain; / Leave to thy God to order and provide; / In every change He faithful will remain. / Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend / Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end. Katharina von Schlegel, tr. Jane Laurie Borthwick