SEEK & FIND – JEREMIAH 29
By Rev. Dr. Jerry Schmoyer jerry@schmoyer.net
http://india.christiantrainingonline.org/
Main Idea: god will reveal Himself to us when we put Him first i
INTRODUCTION
GOOD EVENING
My name is AVRAHAM (ah-vrah- HAHM)אַבְרָהָם
Sounds like AbraHAM – named after him
Parents wanted to instill in me the importance of
following God
Abraham faced many tests & trials
Parents knew I would as well
Not easy time to raise a family – nation
going downhill fast
But I’m not here to talk about myself this evening
Talk about my good friend Jeremiah
Even more than that about our God JEHOVAH
We’ve heard it said that God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives.
It’s easy to agree when we like the plan.
But sometimes, God’s plan turns out to be different than what we were thinking.
BIRTH OF HANDICAPPED CHILD, changes whole life
LOSS OF JOB, can’t find another
MATE GETS CANCER, pray, gets worse
SAME THING to us Jews in 597 BC
NATION about to be destroyed for their sin and rebellion against God
GOD SENT A PROPHET TO WARN THEM – JEREMIAH
JEREMIAH THE MAN
yirmeyahu abbreviated to yirmeyah = “Yahweh hurls” or “Yahweh founds
Hilkiah – father a priest – godly upbringing
most priests unfaithful, Jeremiah & father were
called by God when about 20, 13th year of King Josiah 627 BC
I was from same hometown and knew him growing up
Among very few Jewish boys who wanted to obey law and
follow God
moved to Jerusalem to minister to capital of nation
Gentle, tender, sympathetic – loved his people (who hated him)
Went through much pain and suffering “Weeping Prophet”
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND LEADING UP TO CAPTIVITY
MINISTERED as prophet until Jerusalem destroyed 586 BC – 41 years
under Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah
JOSIAH found Law (Gen-Deut), reinstituted it
Many opposed, ridiculed Jeremiah for supporting it
Own relatives said he was a dangerous fanatic
Other kings less godly
Jeremiah prophesy, warn them about idolatry, false
prophets, immorality, greed
Jeremiah physically abused, threatened, tried to kill
several times
WEEPING PROPHET
Not ‘leaping prophet’
Sin & consequences broke his heart
Broke God’s heart as well
DIDN’T THINK THEIR COUNTRY WOULD EVER FALL (like you feel USA)
God always comes through for them
-misery in Egypt, God sends Moses and leads them out,
through Red Sea
-40 years later leads into Promised Land under Joshua
-2 Kings 19 Assyrian army invaded, people scared,
Hezekiah prayed killed, 185,000
God will come through again
-Babylonians invade, all the prophets say God will
destroy Babylon (false prophets)
CAPTIVITY ITSELF
1. In 605 B.C.
2. In 601 B.C.
LEADERS OF ISRAEL taken to Babylon captive
Lesser men took their place, continued to rebel Babylon
Jeremiah told them to submit – seemed like unpatriotic,
But what he had been saying for 30 years was right!
Jeremiah 29 during this time
Things then get WORSE
3. Final rebellion, Jerusalem destroyed 586 BC
JERUSALEM UNDER SIEGE – much suffering inside
People took it out on Jeremiah, cruel prison, accused of being a traitor
Some fled to Egypt – took Jeremiah as prisoner, died in Egypt almost 80 years old
Ministered faithfully for 50 years
I wasn’t with him when he died. I was thousands of miles away in Assyria.
Jeremiah gave me a letter to take to the Jews in capt
Just before final destruction, Jeremiah taken to
Egypt
Honor & privilege he’d entrust me with such an
important document
Later became part of your Bible – Jeremiah 29
TRANSITION
Our focus: Jeremiah 29 – Jerusalem 2nd defeat, deportation
JEREMIAH 29
LETTER TO THE CAPTIVES IN BABYLON:
SETTLE IN AND STAY, THERE A LONG TIME
False prophets: home within 2 years
God, no, 70 years!
JEREMIAH 29 LETTER
NOT get discouraged, quit
Don’t demand God change circumstances so live easier
NOT to fight, oppose Babylonians where live
NOT believe false prophets who say you’ll be back in a year or
2 so don’t settle in
BUT to settle in, make the best of it, live peaceful lives of
prosperity
Not be bitter, resentful, difficult
But to adjust to life with unbelievers, be good example, even if unfair/unjust
US: “love your enemies,” not bitter toward them
TRANSITION
God’s word through Jeremiah to us back them apply to you today
JEREMIAH 29:1-3 tells about how and why this letter was written
4-23 give the whole letter
Lift out one particular section that is heart of God’s message then and now:
10 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.
Prophecy Daniel Knew, watched coming
Deliverance not coming quickly – but is coming eventually!
GREAT THINGS GOD DID during these 70 years
Daniel ministered, great impact on Babylon & Assyria for hundreds of years
Magi come to see Baby Jesus
Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael also greatly used, role models of faith (fiery furnace
Nebuchadnezzar a believer (Dan 4:37)
Old Testament books written during this time
2 Kings Ezekiel
Lamentations Daniel
Jeremiah Psalm 137
*Jews started seeing need to repent, get right with God
400 years in Egypt to do this, 70 years here
I could see it happening
11 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.
plansGod thinks about us all the time
I wondered Always thinking of us-because He loves us (like we have plans for our children)
God has plans for us Not just thoughts –Rom 8:28
They are plans to bring us GOOD THINGS
NOT by change in circumstances, immediate defeat of enemies and return
BUT by change within heart
Ps 40:5 Many, O Lord my God,
are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us
no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them,
they would be too many to declare.
God knows the plans He has, we don’t know them!
But God knows our tomorrows better than we know our
yesterdays!
Top of a tall building looking down and watching parade go by below
Jeremiah 31:31, 34 “The time is coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
630 YEARS LATER God ratified this covenant by sending Jesus to die on cross for us
God kept His promise, will keep future ones
Psalm 139:16 says “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
MY REACTION TO THIS
Prosper, not harm God wants to PROSPER us
God gives us what we NEED, not what we WANT
He gives what would have asked for if knew all He knows!
Why do some think God wants to harm them?
If God doesn’t give you what you pray for its because He has
something FAR BETTER
We can’t always tell what is prosperous and what isn’t
HORSE, 15 WILD HORSES, BROKEN LEG,
hope and a future God wants to give us HOPE & A FUTURE
ETERNAL SECURITY
Eph 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Seal = guarantee (ring in hot wax, like nortary public seal)
Holy Spirit is like the NOTARY PUBLIC. He helps to guarantee the accuracy of the signature, and if necessary will testify in court.
When a piece of registered mailis mailed from a post office, it is sealed until delivered. Actually, only two persons can open registered mail – the sender (if it is returned to him) and the designated recipient.
Holy Spirit in us guarantees God signed our salvation with the blood of Jesus – eternally secure
“I give to them (Christians) eternal life and they shall never perish. No one can snatch them out of my hand. My father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of my father’s hand.” John 10:28-9
WE ARE SECURE BECAUSE:
“It is a trustworthy statement: … If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself.”
“A battered reed He will not break off, and a smoldering wick He will not put out.” Mt 12:20, quoting Isa 42:3
“Christ, who has begun a good work in you, will carry it on to completion as the day of Christ Jesus.” Ph 1:6
“Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.” Romans 4:1-12 (v. 8 here),
“In all these thins we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us, For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom 8:37-9
“I give to them (Christians) eternal life and they shall never perish. No one can snatch them out of my hand. My father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of my father’s hand.” John 10:28-9
“Eternal” life already a possession now
“Given” – sheep just receive it unconditionally
Jesus says we will “Never” perish – “NEVER” = ou ma
strongest Greek negative
Secure in Christ’s hand, none can open it – “NO ONE” =
Satan or man himself
BIRTH, born again, new babies, etc – Can’t be UNborn
SONSHIP & ADOPTION – Can’t change being physical son, irreversible
CARNAL BELIEVERS – Christians living by flesh, sin; still believers, didn’t lose salvation
LOST SHEEP stray from flock, but still legally part of that flock no matter what
GIFT – nothing to earn/deserve, nothing to lose
PETER denied Christ 3 times, never lost salvation
BLESSINGS IN CHRIST
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Eph 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
Eph 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
Eph 1:5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—
Eph 1:6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
ThenIt will take captivity 70 years for them to repent, turn, call on God
call upon me and come and pray to me prayer, BELL IN HEAVEN
Prayer not PREPARATION for the battle/ministry, prayer IS the battle/ministry!
I will listen to you. Promise!!!
I RELY on this promise all the time
13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Seek ME – not seek my blessings! PARENTS want children to love them
Seek = hunger and thirst – Like deer pants for streams of water,
OT Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.
NT Matt 7:7-8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Seek with all your heart
HOW MUCH YOU SEEK SOMETHING SHOWS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO YOU
I loose something, look for it – the more important the harder I look!!!
Matt 13:44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
COST: “SOLD EVERYTHING HE HAD” head may seek God, heart than finds him.
Phil 3:7-11 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ — the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
findGod waiting to be found, never hiding, always up to us
14 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.”
JEWS LOOK FORWARD to returning to home land, temple, God’s presence and blessing
I looked forward to returning to Jerusalem – Jeremiah again – never did – heaven
YOU LOOK FORWARD to going to our home in heaven
We all go into places of captivity – Our own fault, Not our fault – God behind, uses them all
HOW TO HANDLE LIVING IN ’CAPTIVITY’ TODAY?
READ Jeremiah 29:10-14
ACCEPT IT AS FROM HAND OF A LOVING GOD WHO HAS PLAN
DISCIPLINE – to turn us from sin (repent and it turns to suffering) – Reap what we sow
SUFFERING – mature us, stretch us, opportunity to trust God, others see God in us
Either way, submit to it, don’t fight it, don’t complain, blame, try to force God
Don’t fight the Babylonians, submit and trust
Our heavenly Father longs for us to be significant parts of His story.
GIVE UP FALSE HOPES OF A QUCK FIX OR EASY WAY OUT
Don’t listen to the false prophets today
Keep faith in God no matter what
SEEK GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, 100%
MATE: seek 110% with all heart, not partly or won’t find
Ps 145:17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and loving toward all he has made.
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
20 The Lord watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
CONCLUSION
We’ve heard it said that God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives.
It’s easy to agree when we like the plan.
But sometimes, God’s plan turns out to be different than what we were thinking.
Seek God with all your heart
Him first in all things in life
DON’T WRITE YOUR STORY AND ASK GOD TO EDIT IT – LET GOD WRITE YOUR STORY, WITH NO EDITING!
We write our own story and want God to edit it
God doesn’t want to be your editor but AUTHOR
GOOD PLANS for us– prosper us
He will incorporate all of the little chaptersof our lives – whether we see them as triumphs or tragedies – into His epic story.
Not all the chapters will be easy. Don’t try to edit what He writes!
But God promises that the last chapterwill make sense of all the others if we let Him write our story.