A Future Hope

Lamentations 3:17-26

I. Introduction:

Imagine receiving a message from God that you are to proclaim to your people. It is not a happy message; actually, it's a message of impending doom to your home country: "Repent from your sins, or the nation will fall to Babylon!" Jeremiah preached for 40 years, but was rejected, mocked, and even physically assaulted. Until one day, when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his troops were spotted on the horizon. For two years the city was besieged, then finally--at the peak of famine and despair--razed and burned. Jeremiah wrote the Book of Lamentations in response to the fall of Jerusalem. It would have been easy for Jeremiah to have rejected his country for their ignorance, but Jeremiah continued prophesying and preaching hope and restoration to a broken nation. In Lamentations 3, Jeremiah gives us insight to his hope.

II. The consequences of sin are devastating (vv. 17-20, ch. 4:1-10)

A. The besieging of Jerusalem left the people without food and water and reduced even the nobles to utter poverty.

1. The prosperity that had once characterized God's people was gone.

2. The temple's gold laid strewn in the streets, the nobles looked like peasants, and the women ate their own children for food (ch. 4).

B. My story of backsliding, and the consequences:

1. Lack of relationship with God

2. Every area of my life suffered, and I felt alone.

C. When you reject God's warnings, you will face the consequences.

1. God wants each of us to accept him as our savior.

a. God's Warning: Romans 6:23--“For the wages of sin is death...”

b. God's Promise: “...But the gift of God is eternal life...”

2. God wants each of us to serve him through our actions.

a. Jesus says “If you deny me before men, I will deny you before my father.”

b. Don't reject God's warnings, use Judah as your example!

III. Have you been listening to God's leading in your life, or rejecting it?

A. What areas of your spiritual walk with God have you done well in over the last year? What areas have you done poorly in?

1. Spending quality time with God in prayer?

2. Breaking bad habits? Establishing better ones?

3. Tithing?

4. Reading your Bible?

B. Have you listened? Have you acted on what God has told you? James 1:22-25 Be a doer of the Word!

C. You are not expected to experience victory in every battle, however, you should still strive for it!

1. New Year's Resolutions—Keep them! Strive for them!

2. If our goal is unattainable, why bother trying? (Philippians 3)

3. Striving for perfection keeps your standards high, and is a demonstration of a pure heart.

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:8-14

4. Paul admitted his own spiritual struggle with the flesh, yet his struggle for righteousness brought him peace and victory.

IV. There is hope for those who place their trust in God (vv. 21-26).

A. God's mercy is a source of peace of mind.

1. Because of his mercy, we can experience forgiveness from our sins.

2. His mercy offers a way around the impending doom.

3. God provides new mercy for every day and every task (v. 23).

a. As Paul said, forget what is behind you and the sins that have drug you down, and look forward to the victory.

b. Guilt can prevent you from being of service to God.

B. You do not have to be victim of complete devastation by your sin!

1. God wants you to be free from your sin.

2. He wants to reestablish the broken relationship.

3. He wants to bring you out of bondage and exile.

C. Judah's punishment and exile was a direct result of their sin, but God still offered mercy to those who would call on him.

V. Conclusion:

This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.

Jeremiah 29:10-14