Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

My children have difficulty in my repeating of myself when it comes to stories of my life or childhood while growing up.

They get so irritated when this happens.

They don’t understand that part of my repeating those stories is so that they don’t forget the story for there is a lesson in that story.

I tell them stories of my mother, there grandmother, and at times repeat those stories, because I want them to know their grandmother whom they did not ever get to know.

What we find throughout the Scripture are messages that are repeated.

We find that throughout the gospels when Jesus wanted to truly drive home a point, he would repeat that message in different and yet similar ways.

It was to drive home a point.

When we come to our text within our current message, it is God repeating a message already delivered to Jerusalem and her kings.

Jeremiah is commissioned to repeat a message that was needed to be heard.

For in that message was life and a refusal to respond positively would end in judgment and death.

What lessons has God been trying to repeat in your life to get you to understand and learn before it is too late?

What lesson(s) is he teaching Macedonia Baptist Church that we must grasp before it is too late?

What lesson(s) is he trying to teach his church in America that we need to grasp before it is eternally too late?

Focus Passage

Outline

A Message to the king from the KING (vv.1-2)

Once again, Jeremiah is called upon God to continue in faithfulness in declaring the truth of God’s Word to a rebellious people, Thus saith the LORD; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word.

Jeremiah, after spending time with God, comes out of the presence of God and goes back to the king of Judah with a Word for the KING.

The word from the KING to the king was to be discerned - ‘And say, Hear the word of the Lord’

The Hebrew rendering of ‘hear’ gives the idea of diligently giving attention to, obeying, discerning, consenting to, and considering.

God wanted the king to not hear but to take note of what was being said.

After taking note to what he was saying, he wanted to him to respond by applying this truth presented in his life.

There is a difference in hearing and listening.

When I read and study, I often will have the TV on, radio on, or have podcast on.

I have some kind of background noise.

While I can hear that sound, it does not mean that I am listening to what is being said.

My focus is not on what is playing in the background but what I’m working on.

God wants us to truly do something with what we have been told.

He wants us to take that truth and be active with that truth.

For us to hear the word and not do the word is deception at its core.

The deception is not again God, for he knows the heart and nothing is hidden from Him.

Our deception is against self.

As James writes...

The word from the KING to the king was to the king and his servants, and the people - ‘O king of Judah…thy servants…thy people who enter by those gates’

A reminder from the KING to the king (vv.3-5)

The KING reminded the rulers of their obligations (duties)

There are times when God reminds His people, in particular, his leaders of their responsibilities.

How many of us need a reminder of our responsibilities as children of God, as professing Christians.

Too many, just like the kings of Judah, were coasting along and doing their way rather than God’s way.

Eventually God gets tired of his children rebelling and do it their way and how they want to do it.

He reminds them and us about our responsibilities and then expects to step up and fulfill those responsibilities.

God, the KING, addresses the kings/authorities/leadership of Judah and says step up and be faithful to your obligations.

As king, as leadership, they were called to be an example in obedience to God’s commands - ‘…execute ye judgement and righteousness...’

As king, as leadership, they were called to protect the weak and defenseless - ‘…deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor...’

As king, as leadership, they were called to not shed innocent blood - ‘...neither shed innocent blood in this place...’

The KING reminded the rulers of the results of their decision

As stated prior to this message, we will reap what we sow.

There are two options to God’s message to the kings/leaders.

Just as they have two options, we have two options and those two options are the selfsame options.

We have can either choose to obey or disobey but there’s no straddling the fence.

There is blessing in choosing to follow God in faithfulness - ‘…if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David , riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people...’

There is cursing in choosing to disobey God in unfaithfulness - ‘…if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself , saith the Lord, this house will become a desolation.’

When God warns of the result or consequence of unfaithfulness, he swears by himself.

There was nothing greater to make an oath on or with.

He is the Great I AM.

There is nothing and no one greater than He.

His promise upon Himself, was a promise upon His character, His integrity, HIs being.

For him to make an oath upon himself, guaranteed the warned result.

God declares war (vv.6-7)

Judah’s beauty could not save her - ‘Thou art Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon’

Often we attempt to let looks, intelligence, gifting, etc., be that which we put our confidence in.

Judah was the same.

The city of Jerusalem was beautiful.

The temple and most of the city was built from the cedars of Lebanon.

This would not save them.

How many of us relying on something other than a repentant heart to save us tonight?

God would destroy Judah’s beauty and she would look like her sin, ravaged - ‘...yet surely I will make thee a wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited...’

God declared war on his people - ‘…And I will prepare destroyers against thee...’

The war that we found before us is a holy war.

It is the same type war that God had declared on the pagan nations when Israelites entered into the promise land and were told to conquer and destroy every city, every home, every man, woman, and child.

Nothing was to be spared.

The same God that had declared war on the enemies of Judah was not declaring war on Judah.

God, this time would not be against the enemies of God, but he would use the enemies of God to attack and bring judgment to His own people this time.

Heed the warning (vv.8-12)

The destruction of Judah would serve as a warning to others - ‘…many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbor, Wherefore hath the Lord done unto this great city’

The destruction of Judah would reveal God’s judgment to others - ‘...Wherefore hath the Lord done unto this great city...’

The destruction of Judah would acknowledge the people’s rebellion of God to others - ‘...Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God, and worshiped other gods and served them...’

The destruction of Judah should cause us to show sadness, not for the rebellious, but for those that have left to never return (vv.11-12)

Conclusion

God has given enough warning to understand the urgency in a change of heart and repentance.

How many of are heeding that warranty?

God has told us that he will judge sin and yet we find ourselves continuing in rebellion and sin.

Let us hear and take to heart that which God has called us too.

Let us return to a life and ministry of obedience.