[music]
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[music]
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[music]
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[music]
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male: Good
morning and happy Sabbath.
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I want to thank all of you
joining us today, our online
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viewers and our
family here at Granite Bay.
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We're glad you're here.
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We're looking forward to an
exciting Sabbath School lesson.
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We are studying
rebuke and retribution from
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our studies in Jeremiah.
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I'm interested in finding out
what this lesson is all going
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to be about.
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We have a special guest who
will be sharing with us, but
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before he does, I'd
like to share with you our
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free offer for this week.
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It is going to be "The Brook:
Why Do Christians Suffer?"
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when the brook died up.
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We're going to be
looking at this as offer 161.
00:01:06.63\00:01:09.13
If you want to call
in for it, 161, it is...
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Just call that number
and ask for your free copy of
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"The Brook Dried Up:
Why Do Christians Suffer?"
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At this time, I'm going to ask
if our song leaders would come
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out and lead us in
some music for this morning.
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[music]
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Emma Quedzuweit: Good
morning and happy Sabbath.
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Welcome to our song
service here for Sabbath School
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Study Hour.
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We're glad you're
here to sing with us today.
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Our first song is going to be
number 245, "More About Jesus."
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¤ More about Jesus I
would know, more of his grace ¤
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¤ to others show, more of his
saving fullness see, more of ¤
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¤ his love who died for me. ¤
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¤ More, more about
Jesus. More, more about Jesus. ¤
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¤ More of his saving
fullness see, more of his ¤
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¤ love who died for me. ¤
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¤ More about Jesus let me learn,
more of his holy will discern. ¤
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¤ Spirit of God my
teacher be, showing the things ¤
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¤ of Christ to me. ¤
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¤ More, more about
Jesus. More, more about Jesus. ¤
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¤ More of his saving
fullness see, more of his ¤
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¤ love who died for me. ¤
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¤ More about Jesus in his word
holding communion with my Lord ¤
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¤ hearing his voice in every
line, making each faithful ¤
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¤ saying mine. ¤
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¤ More, more about
Jesus. More, more about Jesus. ¤
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¤ More of his saving
fullness see, more of his ¤
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¤ love who died for me. ¤
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¤ More about
Jesus in his throne ¤
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¤ riches in glory all his own ¤
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¤ More of his kingdom's sure
increase, more of his coming, ¤
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¤ Prince of Peace. ¤
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¤ More, more about
Jesus. More, more about Jesus. ¤
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¤ More of his saving
fullness see, more of ¤
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¤ his love who died for me. ¤¤
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Emma: You know, as we learn
more and more about Jesus every
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day, it makes us want to
be more like him, doesn't it?
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Have us be like him
in every way that we can.
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Our next song is going to be
number 330, "Take My Life and
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Let It Be," all five verses.
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[music]
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[music]
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¤ Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee. ¤
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¤ Take my hands and let
them move at the impulse of ¤
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¤ thy love, at the
impulse of thy love. ¤
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¤ Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee. ¤
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¤ Take my voice and let me
sing always, only for my king, ¤
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¤ always, only for my king. ¤
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¤ Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee ¤
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¤ Take my silver and my gold,
not a mite would I withhold, ¤
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¤ not a mite would I withhold. ¤
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¤ Take my will and make it thine
it shall be no longer mine ¤
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¤ Take my heart,
it is thine own ¤
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¤ It shall be thy royal throne ¤
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¤ It shall be thy royal throne ¤
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¤ Take my love, my Lord. ¤
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¤ I pour at thy feet
its treasure stored. ¤
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¤ Take myself and I will
be ever, only all for thee, ¤
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¤ ever, only all for thee. ¤
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David DeRose: Well, good
morning to you each one of you.
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If you're at all like me, as
you've been on this journey for
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now 3 weeks, we're into the
fourth week in this study on
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the book of Jeremiah.
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Probably something's been
running through your mind.
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It has been mine.
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I felt like in these first
three lessons, we were speaking
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a lot about background.
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We were speaking about the
kings of Judah, the final kings
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on the throne.
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We were speaking
about Jeremiah's background.
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And I knew that, as we were
coming to lesson four, we'd be
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jumping right into the book
of Jeremiah, and I was thinking
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maybe it's going to be
the first five chapters of
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the book of Jeremiah.
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So, as we turn there to
chapter four--to our lesson four
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actually, "Rebuke and
Retribution," I don't know, was
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my reaction any
different than yours?
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Were you a bit surprised
at where the lesson took us?
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Let's look at what is the
memory text for this week.
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It's actually in the New King
James version in the quarterly.
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It's Jeremiah's own words.
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"Heal me, O Lord,
and I shall be healed.
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Save me and I shall be
saved, for you are my praise."
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Chapter 17, chapter 17.
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Now, I have never
taken a course in homiletics.
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Now, some of you are sitting
there, you know, nodding your
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head, "Well, it's
obvious," you say, "Dr.
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DeRose, because we've
heard you speak before."
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But homiletics is the science,
if you will, of preaching.
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And at least when I think
about homiletics, I think of two
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great divisions, two
different methods of preaching.
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Now, this is why I'm telling
you I don't have any formal
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background in this, so if you
went to the seminary and took a
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class in homiletics,
they'd probably break it down
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a lot more than this.
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But for my simple
way of thinking, there is
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exegetical preaching.
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Exegetical preaching is where
we just take the Word and we go
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through it verse by
verse, and chapter by chapter.
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But then there's thematic
preaching, where we preach
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on themes of the Bible.
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Now, for someone like me who's
often a visiting speaker, we
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tend to preach thematically
because it's hard to walk
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people through, let's say, a
whole book of the Bible, even a
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short one, in a single sermon.
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But I know right here in the
Granite Bay Church, and many of
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you who view with us from week
to week, you're used to people
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preaching exegetically as well.
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We've had people go through,
in this very setting, the entire
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Book of Revelation,
or other books of the
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Bible systematically.
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That's exegetical preaching.
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And so, when I see a title on
a lesson where it says Jeremiah,
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I'm thinking
exegetical preaching.
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We're going to march through
the book of Jeremiah in 13
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weeks, and we'll
go from the beginning,
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chapter 1 to chapter 51.
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But I think--or 52
actually, you're right.
00:10:36.16\00:10:39.50
Some of you are looking at the
lessons and you've been reading
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through it, and you
say, "Well, that's not
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what's happening here.
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This is a very
thematic approach to Jeremiah."
00:10:46.21\00:10:49.51
Now, that's not wrong.
00:10:49.54\00:10:51.58
But the problem with it is is
I think it feeds into a mindset
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that we have in our
culture, which is the
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sound bite culture.
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Are you following along with me?
00:11:00.09\00:11:01.96
Sound bite
culture. What do we do?
00:11:01.99\00:11:05.16
We don't listen to
anyone make a presentation.
00:11:05.19\00:11:08.33
We don't listen to speeches.
00:11:08.36\00:11:09.70
We don't read the
whole context of things.
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We just get a sound bite.
00:11:11.73\00:11:13.27
"Did you hear
what--did you--did you hear what
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that--and I heard the 30--" You
don't know who it was, but, "I
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heard the 37th minute and 15th
second to 20th second of what
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that person said in those
45 minutes, and I'm so upset."
00:11:24.28\00:11:28.08
Because that's all they
played on the evening news.
00:11:28.12\00:11:32.22
Well, we don't want to make the
same mistake with the book of
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Jeremiah, so as I was preparing
to share this lesson with you,
00:11:34.22\00:11:38.13
I said, "Listen, if we're going
to jump into lesson 17, I'm not
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prepared to talk about
chapter 17 unless I read
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chapters 1 through 17."
00:11:45.87\00:11:48.70
So, I wanted to make sure I
did that this week just so it's
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fresh in my mind, not
that I hadn't read it before.
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And as I was doing
that--I'll be honest with you.
00:11:53.48\00:11:58.41
If I walked in this morning and
one of you came and said, "Dr.
00:11:58.45\00:12:01.78
DeRose, my son has
just broken a record."
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Broken a record. Well, excited?
00:12:06.86\00:12:11.63
Son has broken a record,
well, what did he--you know,
00:12:11.66\00:12:13.76
is he a track star?
00:12:13.80\00:12:15.13
Did he just get the highest
grade on his exam, you know,
00:12:15.16\00:12:17.40
a standardized exam?
00:12:17.43\00:12:20.04
What is it?
00:12:20.07\00:12:21.40
Someone speaks about breaking
a record, at least in my day, it
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meant usually something
different than what you may
00:12:24.57\00:12:27.21
hear about today.
00:12:27.24\00:12:28.68
In my day--now, some of you
are looking at me and you'll be
00:12:28.71\00:12:31.71
completely confused by
this, but we used to talk about
00:12:31.75\00:12:33.95
broken records
when I was a young man.
00:12:33.98\00:12:37.35
And it wasn't talking about
someone shattering the mile run
00:12:37.39\00:12:41.62
speed record.
00:12:41.66\00:12:43.06
It was actually talking about
scratching the surface of one
00:12:43.09\00:12:46.73
of these vinyl discs.
00:12:46.76\00:12:49.06
Now, some of you are
looking totally bewildered,
00:12:49.10\00:12:51.10
a vinyl disc.
00:12:51.13\00:12:53.03
Now, I think most of you
realize that historically, we
00:12:53.07\00:12:54.90
used to have sound
recordings on pieces of plastic.
00:12:54.94\00:12:59.71
And you put a
little needle on it.
00:12:59.74\00:13:01.71
And some of you may want to
read up on the history of this.
00:13:01.74\00:13:04.11
I know you're looking
bewildered, but we would put
00:13:04.15\00:13:06.51
this little needle on it.
00:13:06.55\00:13:07.92
And if you weren't very
careful, if you didn't have one
00:13:07.95\00:13:10.69
of those high-tech turntables
like one of my college
00:13:10.72\00:13:12.89
roommates have that would,
you know, slowly just lower the
00:13:12.92\00:13:16.06
needle right into
the right place, then you
00:13:16.09\00:13:18.29
could scratch the record.
00:13:18.33\00:13:19.96
We call it a broken record.
00:13:20.00\00:13:22.66
And what did a
broken record sound like?
00:13:22.70\00:13:26.37
Repeating and
repeating and repeating.
00:13:26.40\00:13:30.67
Let's look at Jeremiah because
we're going to find that much
00:13:30.71\00:13:34.71
of the book of Jeremiah sounds
like a broken record, one of
00:13:34.74\00:13:38.71
those old broken records.
00:13:38.75\00:13:41.15
I'm actually jumping into an
overview here that's actually
00:13:41.18\00:13:45.29
found in Sabbath Afternoon's
reading in the lesson.
00:13:45.32\00:13:49.46
And if you look at the bottom
paragraph in your quarterly, it
00:13:49.49\00:13:56.30
says, "This week, we'll
start to look at the trials of
00:13:56.33\00:14:00.37
Jeremiah, whose ministry
seemed to consist of nothing but
00:14:00.40\00:14:05.21
rebuke and retribution,
he giving the rebuke and the
00:14:05.24\00:14:11.81
leaders giving him retribution."
00:14:11.85\00:14:16.38
Well, I think most of us
know what rebuke and retribution
00:14:16.42\00:14:18.02
are, but I thought,
just to be safe, I'd actually
00:14:18.05\00:14:21.79
go to the dictionary.
00:14:21.82\00:14:23.79
And we're told that rebuke is
expressing sharp disapproval or
00:14:23.83\00:14:29.90
criticism of because
of behavior or actions.
00:14:29.93\00:14:38.54
So, sharp disapproval or
criticism based on actions.
00:14:38.57\00:14:44.71
And then what about retribution?
00:14:44.75\00:14:47.28
Well, retribution is
punishment, punishment that is
00:14:47.32\00:14:51.72
considered to be morally
right and fully deserved.
00:14:51.75\00:14:58.29
Interesting, huh?
00:14:58.33\00:14:59.93
Is it really a broken record?
00:14:59.96\00:15:01.46
Well, let's look at Sunday's
lesson and see if we can make
00:15:01.50\00:15:06.07
this thesis and make it clear.
00:15:06.10\00:15:08.77
Actually, one of the
interesting things that comes
00:15:08.80\00:15:11.24
out on Sunday is something that
really jumps us into the book
00:15:11.27\00:15:17.21
contextually, and to this
recurring theme, one of the
00:15:17.25\00:15:19.68
recurring themes of Jeremiah.
00:15:19.71\00:15:21.28
Look with me at
the first few words.
00:15:21.32\00:15:22.65
If you don't have a lesson
quarterly, by the way, you can
00:15:22.68\00:15:25.15
view those online.
00:15:25.19\00:15:26.99
You can also, if you're a
member here at Granite Bay,
00:15:27.02\00:15:29.59
pick those up in the foyer.
00:15:29.62\00:15:31.93
But the two ways--the
two ways are what is being
00:15:31.96\00:15:35.13
highlighted in Sunday's lesson.
00:15:35.16\00:15:37.27
It says, "From the earliest
chapters of Genesis to the last
00:15:37.30\00:15:40.00
chapters of Revelation,
the Bible presents us only two
00:15:40.04\00:15:43.81
options on how to live.
00:15:43.84\00:15:45.67
We either follow the Lord
with all our heart and soul,
00:15:45.71\00:15:48.34
or we don't."
00:15:48.38\00:15:51.75
What do you think about that?
00:15:51.78\00:15:53.52
Is it really only two options?
00:15:53.55\00:15:56.32
Look with me at
Jeremiah chapter 7.
00:15:56.35\00:15:58.42
I'm going to Jeremiah
7, beginning with verse 22.
00:15:58.45\00:16:02.62
Really, this is a very
good synthesis of what Jeremiah
00:16:02.66\00:16:06.16
is dealing with in his day.
00:16:06.19\00:16:08.36
Jeremiah 7,
beginning with verse 22.
00:16:08.40\00:16:13.50
And for all of us just to kind
of recap where we've been over
00:16:13.54\00:16:16.17
the last 3 weeks, Jeremiah, the
book of Jeremiah is being given
00:16:16.20\00:16:21.04
after, if you will, a sense
of close of probation for the
00:16:21.08\00:16:24.85
Jewish people.
00:16:24.88\00:16:26.41
Now, I know most of you,
when you hear about the close of
00:16:26.45\00:16:28.48
probation for the Jewish
nation, you think of that great
00:16:28.52\00:16:31.15
time prophecy in
Daniel and you think of 34 AD.
00:16:31.19\00:16:34.96
You think of the 70 weeks
of Daniel and the time that was
00:16:34.99\00:16:38.23
especially given to God's
people to make a full end of
00:16:38.26\00:16:41.40
sin, to accept the
Messiah in essence, to
00:16:41.43\00:16:42.90
accept Jesus' ministry.
00:16:42.93\00:16:44.40
Here's the point.
00:16:44.43\00:16:45.93
As a nation, God had called
them for a special purpose.
00:16:45.97\00:16:50.34
And when we pick up
the story of Jeremiah, they
00:16:50.37\00:16:53.27
have actually blown it.
00:16:53.31\00:16:55.48
They've blown it and God
is about to take them into
00:16:55.51\00:16:58.21
captivity in Babylon.
00:16:58.25\00:17:00.38
Okay, that's really the
setting, that's the background
00:17:00.42\00:17:02.42
of the book of Jeremiah, and
Jeremiah's ministry during the
00:17:02.45\00:17:05.05
time of captivity and the
various conquests of Babylon.
00:17:05.09\00:17:09.79
So, he's speaking to the kings
prior to the conquest of the
00:17:09.82\00:17:14.73
Babylonians and during
that process, because there were
00:17:14.73\00:17:17.37
three waves of conquest.
00:17:17.40\00:17:19.00
So, that's a summary of our
first three lessons together.
00:17:19.03\00:17:21.97
But now as we're in Jeremiah
7, we're catching a glimpse of
00:17:22.00\00:17:25.84
this broken record message.
00:17:25.87\00:17:28.31
So, Jeremiah 7, verse 22.
00:17:28.34\00:17:32.55
"For I did not speak to your
fathers," God speaking through
00:17:32.58\00:17:35.72
Jeremiah, "or command them in
the day that I brought them out
00:17:35.75\00:17:39.25
of the land of Egypt concerning
burnt offerings or sacrifices,
00:17:39.29\00:17:42.82
but this is what I commanded
them, saying, 'Obey my voice,
00:17:42.86\00:17:46.76
and I will be your guide,
and you will be my people.
00:17:46.80\00:17:49.60
And walk in all the ways that I
have commanded you, that it may
00:17:49.63\00:17:52.90
be well with you.'
00:17:52.93\00:17:56.71
Yet they did not
obey, nor incline their
00:17:56.74\00:18:00.28
ear, but followed the counsels
and the dictates of their evil
00:18:00.31\00:18:06.01
hearts, and went
backward and not forward.
00:18:06.05\00:18:09.62
Since the day that your fathers
came out of the land of Egypt
00:18:09.65\00:18:12.35
until this day, I have even
sent to you all my servants,
00:18:12.39\00:18:15.46
the prophets daily, rising
up early and sending them, yet
00:18:15.49\00:18:20.20
they did not obey me
or incline their ear, but
00:18:20.23\00:18:23.43
they stiffen their necks.
00:18:23.47\00:18:25.57
They did worse
than their fathers."
00:18:25.60\00:18:27.97
Now, this is quite a
rebuke coming from God himself.
00:18:28.00\00:18:31.51
And you might say, as we're
sitting here today, "I am so
00:18:31.54\00:18:34.04
glad we're not
that kind of a people."
00:18:34.08\00:18:36.88
Okay, we don't
have that problem.
00:18:36.91\00:18:38.31
We're obeying God.
00:18:38.35\00:18:39.88
We're right here
fellowshipping together."
00:18:39.91\00:18:42.52
This is one of God's commands.
00:18:42.55\00:18:44.09
Paul encouraged it
in the Book of Hebrews.
00:18:44.12\00:18:46.29
As we see the day approaching,
we're supposed to come
00:18:46.32\00:18:48.29
together, we're supposed
to encourage one another.
00:18:48.32\00:18:49.82
That's what we're doing.
00:18:49.86\00:18:51.43
We're keeping
God's commandments."
00:18:51.46\00:18:55.63
But were the Jews of
Jeremiah's day any different
00:18:55.66\00:18:59.23
than we are today?
00:18:59.27\00:19:03.24
This week, I was
looking at a famous
00:19:03.27\00:19:05.54
archaeological inscription.
00:19:05.57\00:19:08.41
Now again, I'm
treading on dangerous waters.
00:19:08.44\00:19:11.71
I'm not an archaeologist.
00:19:11.75\00:19:13.35
I could not even claim to
be an amateur archaeologist.
00:19:13.38\00:19:17.09
I guess my greatest claim
to archaeological training is I
00:19:17.12\00:19:21.36
had one master's level course
at the seminary in archaeology,
00:19:21.39\00:19:25.66
so it hardly qualifies for much.
00:19:25.69\00:19:28.23
But it was in that very class
that I was introduced to this
00:19:28.26\00:19:30.93
amazing inscription in a
place--and I will try to use my
00:19:30.97\00:19:34.44
best pronunciation of
the Semitic languages.
00:19:34.47\00:19:37.74
Quintelet Adruid.
00:19:37.77\00:19:40.84
There is there a
structure, a building.
00:19:40.88\00:19:43.61
And there has been debate among
the scholars, as best I can
00:19:43.65\00:19:45.91
tell, as to whether this
inscription was actually in a
00:19:45.95\00:19:51.92
temple, in a place of
worship, in a fortress.
00:19:51.95\00:19:54.69
You can see an image of it here.
00:19:54.72\00:19:57.39
And those of you who are
like me that don't read Semitic
00:19:57.43\00:20:00.20
languages, you'll see some
scrawling on it, but there is a
00:20:00.23\00:20:03.70
blessing here associated with
this graphic image, as well as
00:20:03.73\00:20:09.87
other places, at least
one or two other places
00:20:09.90\00:20:12.61
in this structure.
00:20:12.64\00:20:14.41
And it basically is
proclaiming a blessing
00:20:14.44\00:20:18.01
from Yahweh and Asherah.
00:20:18.05\00:20:25.35
I bless you by
Yahweh and Asherah.
00:20:25.39\00:20:30.73
Now, we know who
Yahweh is. Yahweh is Jehovah.
00:20:30.76\00:20:34.30
He is the God of
the Old Testament.
00:20:34.36\00:20:36.23
But who was Asherah?
00:20:36.26\00:20:39.50
Asherah was this
female deity of the heathens.
00:20:39.53\00:20:44.37
This dates back somewhere back
into the 8th or 9th century BC.
00:20:44.41\00:20:50.31
And it gives us a glimpse of
what was happening culturally
00:20:50.35\00:20:53.65
for many centuries.
00:20:53.68\00:20:58.39
King Ahab, you
remember that name?
00:20:58.42\00:21:02.26
What comes to your mind
when you hear King Ahab?
00:21:02.29\00:21:06.36
Jezebel, wicked.
00:21:06.39\00:21:09.06
You know, if you lived in
Ahab's day, it is likely you
00:21:09.10\00:21:12.57
would have
thought highly of Ahab.
00:21:12.60\00:21:15.40
Ahab was one of the most
competent, from a political and
00:21:15.44\00:21:18.74
economic standpoint, one of
the most competent rulers of the
00:21:18.77\00:21:22.51
northern kingdom.
00:21:22.54\00:21:25.58
He lived in an ivory palace.
00:21:25.61\00:21:28.42
He was--actually,
we find Ahab's name in
00:21:28.45\00:21:31.42
the writings of foreign kings.
00:21:31.45\00:21:34.82
Ahab was someone of prominence.
00:21:34.86\00:21:37.16
You would say,
"I mean, we've got
00:21:37.19\00:21:39.13
someone important
leading our country."
00:21:39.16\00:21:41.23
You say, "But
the guy was wicked."
00:21:41.26\00:21:43.43
Actually, you know, there is
something good said about Ahab.
00:21:43.47\00:21:45.70
Judgement was averted during
Ahab's day because even his
00:21:45.73\00:21:49.17
repentance, at
least on a certain level.
00:21:49.20\00:21:53.91
In Ahab's day, we know of
that great ministry of Elijah.
00:21:53.94\00:21:57.91
Elijah gave a similar
message of rebuke, didn't he?
00:21:57.95\00:22:03.22
Do you remember what
Elijah said on Mount Carmel?
00:22:03.25\00:22:08.26
What was the key challenge he
gave to God's people in his day?
00:22:08.29\00:22:14.60
Yes, "How long will you
halt between two opinions?"
00:22:14.63\00:22:18.43
Now, this is
where we get it wrong.
00:22:18.47\00:22:20.10
This is where we get it wrong.
00:22:20.14\00:22:21.87
In our minds, we're looking at
Jeremiah's day, or you go back
00:22:21.90\00:22:24.37
several centuries to Elijah's
day, and then where we get it
00:22:24.41\00:22:29.14
wrong is we think these
people had tossed God out
00:22:29.18\00:22:33.25
and they're serving Baal.
00:22:33.28\00:22:35.55
That was not their problem.
00:22:35.58\00:22:37.39
Jeremiah didn't say, nor
did Elijah say on Mount Carmel,
00:22:37.42\00:22:43.83
Elijah didn't say,
"Stop serving Baal and start
00:22:43.86\00:22:49.30
following Jehovah."
00:22:49.33\00:22:50.63
He did not say that.
00:22:50.67\00:22:52.90
He said, "How long halt
you between two opinions?"
00:22:52.93\00:22:58.67
In that era, those centuries,
you could easily have walked up
00:22:58.71\00:23:02.11
to someone and say, "I bless you
in the name of Yahweh and Baal.
00:23:02.14\00:23:08.55
I bless you in the name
of Jehovah and Asherah."
00:23:08.58\00:23:12.95
Are you following along with me?
00:23:12.99\00:23:15.46
What I'm trying to help us see
is the problem that they had is
00:23:15.49\00:23:20.00
something called syncretism.
00:23:20.03\00:23:22.03
Have you heard
that phrase before?
00:23:22.06\00:23:23.67
Syncretism is pulling
everything together and making
00:23:23.70\00:23:27.14
it all really--pronouncing
your blessing on it.
00:23:27.17\00:23:32.47
It's like a patient
I had many years ago.
00:23:32.51\00:23:34.84
Actually, may have been the
wealthiest patient I ever had.
00:23:34.88\00:23:38.75
We'll call him Zachary.
00:23:38.78\00:23:44.79
I don't know of a
Zachary here today.
00:23:44.82\00:23:46.52
If there is, I'm
not singling you out.
00:23:46.55\00:23:48.52
Zachary was a
billionaire, literally.
00:23:48.56\00:23:52.13
And I was fascinated because
as he came to one of our Seventh
00:23:52.16\00:23:55.83
Day Adventist health
centers, he came with his idols.
00:23:55.86\00:24:01.04
And it turned out--and I'm
exaggerating a bit as to how I
00:24:01.07\00:24:04.11
describe this, but on Sunday,
Zachary was a Catholic, and on
00:24:04.14\00:24:08.78
Monday he was Muslim, and
on Tuesday he was Buddhist.
00:24:08.81\00:24:13.48
Are you following along with me?
00:24:13.52\00:24:15.68
Everything was good, you
see? Everything was good.
00:24:15.72\00:24:19.99
If you don't realize that
this is the post-modern world in
00:24:20.02\00:24:23.63
which we live, there are many
people that you say, "Well, you
00:24:23.66\00:24:27.36
know, I just went to a
wonderful church service, and
00:24:27.40\00:24:29.70
we're studying the Bible."
00:24:29.73\00:24:31.10
I say, "Oh, that's
so good, I'm so glad.
00:24:31.13\00:24:33.74
I'm so happy when people
are, you know, spiritual.
00:24:33.77\00:24:36.30
And you know, I went to
the Buddhist temple yesterday
00:24:36.34\00:24:40.64
myself and I had such a good
experience, and then I was over
00:24:40.68\00:24:44.18
at the Jewish synagogue
a couple of weeks ago."
00:24:44.21\00:24:46.11
Are you following along?
00:24:46.15\00:24:47.88
And so, it's this
very neutral environment.
00:24:47.92\00:24:53.42
How are we
today? How are we today?
00:24:53.46\00:24:57.69
Can you obey God
just a little bit?
00:24:57.73\00:25:01.80
Have you ever thought about it?
00:25:01.83\00:25:03.30
How do you know if
you're obeying God?
00:25:03.33\00:25:05.13
How do you know if
you're really obeying God?
00:25:05.17\00:25:10.21
You only know if you really
obeying God when God asks you
00:25:10.24\00:25:14.01
to do something that you
wouldn't choose to do yourself,
00:25:14.04\00:25:18.38
and you do it.
00:25:18.41\00:25:20.08
Right?
00:25:20.12\00:25:22.42
"Oh, Dr. DeRose, I'm following
95% of what, you know, God is
00:25:22.45\00:25:26.29
asking me to do,
95% I'm following."
00:25:26.32\00:25:30.43
How much are you following?
You're following zero.
00:25:30.46\00:25:35.36
You say, "Wait,
how can you say that?
00:25:35.40\00:25:37.90
How can you say
you're following zero?"
00:25:37.93\00:25:40.70
Because what you're telling
me is that when you agree with
00:25:40.74\00:25:43.94
him, you're following him.
00:25:43.97\00:25:46.47
But when you don't, you're not.
00:25:46.51\00:25:47.98
So, who are you
really following?
00:25:48.01\00:25:50.58
You're following yourself.
00:25:50.61\00:25:52.81
This was the
problem in Jeremiah's day.
00:25:52.85\00:25:54.85
You think I'm making things
up perhaps if you haven't read
00:25:54.88\00:25:58.39
much from Jeremiah.
00:25:58.42\00:26:00.19
Let's look at
some examples here.
00:26:00.22\00:26:02.56
Let's look at some examples.
00:26:02.59\00:26:07.50
Let's actually look at Jeremiah
chapter 5, Jeremiah chapter 5.
00:26:07.50\00:26:16.14
And I feel like I have
some license to do this because
00:26:16.17\00:26:18.04
we're looking thematically.
00:26:18.07\00:26:19.67
Some of you are getting worried.
00:26:19.71\00:26:21.01
You're looking and you're
saying, "Well, wait a minute.
00:26:21.04\00:26:24.21
Are we going to actually get
through all of today's lesson?"
00:26:24.25\00:26:26.61
We're going to try to do this.
00:26:26.65\00:26:31.72
Look at what God
judges in his people.
00:26:31.75\00:26:35.89
I'm in Jeremiah 5,
beginning with verse 20.
00:26:35.92\00:26:41.10
Jeremiah 5, verses 20 and 21.
00:26:41.13\00:26:45.77
"Declare this in the house of
Jacob and proclaim it in Judah
00:26:45.80\00:26:49.97
saying, 'Hear us now, O foolish
people without understanding,
00:26:50.01\00:26:55.01
who have eyes and see not,
who have ears and hear not.
00:26:55.04\00:26:58.68
Do you not fear
me?' says the Lord.
00:26:58.71\00:27:00.92
'Will you not
tremble at my presence?'"
00:27:00.95\00:27:03.72
What's going on?
00:27:03.75\00:27:06.45
They don't have the
right reverence for God.
00:27:06.49\00:27:08.69
They're not seeing,
they're not hearing, they're
00:27:08.72\00:27:10.76
missing the whole point.
00:27:10.79\00:27:16.60
We'll pick up some of these
themes a little bit more, but
00:27:16.63\00:27:18.83
we want to look at
what Jeremiah is dealing
00:27:18.87\00:27:20.94
with in this context.
00:27:20.97\00:27:22.47
So, the broken record is
God is calling you to obey.
00:27:22.50\00:27:26.04
You think you're obeying.
00:27:26.07\00:27:29.11
You're saying that you're
following God, but you're not.
00:27:29.14\00:27:33.31
And God is calling
you to return, and you're
00:27:33.35\00:27:35.52
refusing to return.
00:27:35.55\00:27:37.35
This is one of the
essences of Jeremiah's message.
00:27:37.39\00:27:43.59
Sunday's lesson called
us to look at Jeremiah 17.
00:27:43.63\00:27:46.66
It is a powerful chapter,
so let's go there and look
00:27:46.70\00:27:49.46
together at Jeremiah 17.
00:27:49.50\00:27:57.27
So, here God is giving
a message to his prophet,
00:27:57.31\00:28:00.31
Jeremiah 17,
beginning with verse 5.
00:28:00.34\00:28:04.48
"Cursed is the man who trusts
in man and makes flesh his
00:28:04.51\00:28:10.29
strength, whose heart
departs from the Lord.
00:28:10.32\00:28:13.05
For he shall be like a shrub
in the desert, and shall not see
00:28:13.09\00:28:17.26
when good comes, but shall
inhabit the parched places in
00:28:17.29\00:28:21.76
the wilderness, in a salt
land, which is not inhabited."
00:28:21.80\00:28:26.77
So, first you have this
picture of judgement, right?
00:28:26.80\00:28:29.74
But then in the
following verses, we read this.
00:28:29.77\00:28:33.27
"Blessed is the man who
trusts in the Lord and whose
00:28:33.31\00:28:36.88
hope is in the Lord.
00:28:36.91\00:28:39.21
For he shall be like a tree
planted by the waters, which
00:28:39.25\00:28:42.12
spreads outs it--spreads
out its roots by the river, and
00:28:42.15\00:28:46.02
will not fear when heat comes,
but its leaf will be green, and
00:28:46.05\00:28:50.43
will not be anxious in the year
of drought, nor will cease from
00:28:50.46\00:28:55.50
yielding fruit."
00:28:55.53\00:28:57.30
They say beautiful
words, encouraging words.
00:28:57.33\00:28:59.03
I want to trust Jesus.
00:28:59.07\00:29:00.54
I want to take part in those
life-giving waters that are
00:29:00.57\00:29:03.37
promised to the faithful, right?
00:29:03.41\00:29:06.94
But contextually, there's
a very interesting passage.
00:29:06.98\00:29:11.15
Go back just a few chapters
because Jeremiah was struggling
00:29:11.18\00:29:13.92
just a few chapters
earlier in Jeremiah 15.
00:29:13.95\00:29:16.72
I want you to see this.
00:29:16.75\00:29:19.62
Jeremiah 15,
beginning with verse 16.
00:29:19.65\00:29:25.09
So, remember this is a book.
00:29:25.13\00:29:27.56
And so, if you want to get
the full impact of the Book of
00:29:27.60\00:29:29.63
Jeremiah, you've got to
read the book of Jeremiah.
00:29:29.66\00:29:32.63
You can't just look at
the themes in Jeremiah.
00:29:32.67\00:29:36.40
But so, I'm now
looking at Jeremiah 15.
00:29:36.44\00:29:39.74
And in Jeremiah 15, verse 16,
Jeremiah gives us--it's one of
00:29:39.77\00:29:44.51
the more inspiring
passages in the book.
00:29:44.55\00:29:48.15
"Your words were
found, and I ate them.
00:29:48.18\00:29:51.69
And your word was to me the joy
and rejoicing of my heart, for
00:29:51.72\00:29:57.56
I am called by your
name, O Lord God of hosts."
00:29:57.59\00:30:02.53
You know God wants to
give you that same experience?
00:30:02.56\00:30:06.07
He wants his
Word to be your joy.
00:30:06.10\00:30:09.40
And if it's not there, if it's
not your joy to read the Bible,
00:30:09.44\00:30:12.84
I might suggest to you that you
haven't been reading it enough.
00:30:12.87\00:30:18.81
I didn't grow up in a
culture that valued the Bible.
00:30:18.85\00:30:22.18
I was not raised in a
home where the Bible was read.
00:30:22.22\00:30:25.79
I never heard of a Seventh
Day Adventist growing up.
00:30:25.82\00:30:29.52
And so, I came out
of the secular world.
00:30:29.56\00:30:31.96
Was it easy for me to read the
Bible and become engaged by it?
00:30:31.99\00:30:34.76
Do you think it
was easy to begin with?
00:30:34.83\00:30:36.30
No, it was very difficult.
00:30:36.33\00:30:38.80
But after a while as I
continued to read it and I see
00:30:38.83\00:30:41.87
God speaking to
me through his Word.
00:30:41.90\00:30:44.54
It's such a blessing, I
don't want to miss having
00:30:44.57\00:30:46.81
my time to read the Bible.
00:30:46.84\00:30:48.41
It doesn't matter how early I
have to be up and going, I'm up
00:30:48.44\00:30:51.75
early enough that
I can read the Word.
00:30:51.78\00:30:56.45
So, Jeremiah is sharing
his own experience, and it's an
00:30:56.48\00:30:59.42
experience he wants us to have.
00:30:59.45\00:31:01.72
And it doesn't come just by the
sound bite, "Well, Dr. DeRose,
00:31:01.76\00:31:04.66
I read the devotional, you
know, the three paragraphs.
00:31:04.69\00:31:07.46
And then I--you know,
while I was eating my breakfast.
00:31:07.50\00:31:09.83
And so that--but I don't--you
know, I just do it because
00:31:09.86\00:31:11.83
I'm supposed to do it."
00:31:11.87\00:31:13.37
No, you got to spend more time
if you want to develop a taste
00:31:13.40\00:31:15.64
for tahini, and it's the same
for many of us with the Word.
00:31:15.67\00:31:20.91
Jeremiah said, "Your
word was, to me, the joy and
00:31:20.94\00:31:25.45
rejoicing of my heart."
00:31:25.48\00:31:26.78
But now listen carefully
as Jeremiah 15 continues.
00:31:26.82\00:31:30.22
He said, "I did not sit in
the assembly of the mockers."
00:31:30.25\00:31:36.02
I would have gotten bogged down
if I wasn't--I actually think I
00:31:36.06\00:31:38.39
was listening to this at
the time, someone reading it.
00:31:38.43\00:31:40.56
I would've gotten bogged
down right on that verse.
00:31:40.60\00:31:42.63
You'll see why in a minute.
00:31:42.66\00:31:44.13
"Nor did I rejoice.
00:31:44.17\00:31:46.20
I sat alone because of your
hand, for you have filled me
00:31:46.23\00:31:50.67
with indignation.
00:31:50.71\00:31:52.54
Why is my pain perpetual and
my wound incurable which refuses
00:31:52.57\00:31:57.35
to be healed?
00:31:57.38\00:31:58.88
Will you surely be
to me like an unreliable
00:31:58.91\00:32:01.88
stream as waters that fail?"
00:32:01.92\00:32:06.39
Jeremiah here, he starts by
saying, "I'm rejoicing in your
00:32:06.42\00:32:09.42
Word, Lord.
00:32:09.46\00:32:11.59
But why are you
treating me like this?
00:32:11.63\00:32:13.90
Why is this
happening in my life?
00:32:13.93\00:32:15.50
Why have you
given me this burden?"
00:32:15.53\00:32:16.87
God had commissioned him to
give a ministry of rebuking.
00:32:16.90\00:32:23.30
Now, when I heard
verse 17, my mind immediately
00:32:23.34\00:32:27.28
went to Psalm 1.
00:32:27.31\00:32:29.34
Go with me there.
00:32:29.38\00:32:31.15
And of course, I did that after
I listened to the chapter or
00:32:31.18\00:32:33.48
the chapters I was reading.
00:32:33.52\00:32:35.72
Made kind of a mental
note if I didn't write it down.
00:32:35.75\00:32:38.02
I said, "I got to go back
to Psalm 1 because this sounds
00:32:38.05\00:32:40.96
like Jeremiah is
quoting a Bible promise."
00:32:40.99\00:32:44.59
Psalm 1, "Blessed is the man
who walks not in the council of
00:32:44.63\00:32:52.03
the ungodly, nor stands in
the path of sinners, nor sits in
00:32:52.07\00:32:56.94
the seat of the scornful,
but his delight is in the law of
00:32:56.97\00:33:00.61
the Lord, and in his law
he meditates day and night.
00:33:00.64\00:33:03.91
He shall be like a tree
planted by the rivers of water."
00:33:03.95\00:33:08.08
You say, "Now, wait a minute."
00:33:08.12\00:33:09.85
You catch what
Jeremiah's saying?
00:33:09.88\00:33:12.32
As he's saying, "I
delight in your word."
00:33:12.35\00:33:14.19
This is Psalm 1.
00:33:14.22\00:33:15.82
"I delight in your
Word," and what's the promise?
00:33:15.86\00:33:17.89
The promise is if
you're not sitting, what?
00:33:17.93\00:33:20.40
With the ungodly.
That's what he's saying.
00:33:20.43\00:33:22.90
You see it there in Jeremiah 15.
00:33:22.93\00:33:24.93
"I'm not sitting in the
assembly of the mockers."
00:33:24.97\00:33:28.47
He's saying, "I'm fulfilling
the conditions of Psalm 1, but
00:33:28.50\00:33:34.34
why is my pain perpetual
and my wound incurable?"
00:33:34.38\00:33:41.15
Are you following along?
00:33:41.18\00:33:42.92
God is not
delivering on his promise.
00:33:42.95\00:33:47.39
This is the age old
challenge that we have
00:33:47.42\00:33:49.89
as believers, isn't it?
00:33:49.92\00:33:52.19
We're called to obey God,
to trust him, and it seems
00:33:52.23\00:33:55.70
sometimes that he's
not following through.
00:33:55.73\00:33:58.50
So, as you're reading through
the book of Jeremiah, you're
00:33:58.53\00:34:00.80
seeing that Jeremiah's
struggling with the message
00:34:00.84\00:34:03.04
he's been given.
00:34:03.07\00:34:04.37
But now, when we come to
Jeremiah 17, and that's why
00:34:04.41\00:34:06.71
we're back in Jeremiah 17, you
don't get the significance of
00:34:06.74\00:34:10.91
Jeremiah 17 unless
you read Jeremiah 15,
00:34:10.95\00:34:13.88
unless you read
what's before it.
00:34:13.92\00:34:15.32
Because what Jeremiah's been
struggling with is, how come
00:34:15.35\00:34:18.32
Psalm 1 is not being
fulfilled in my life?
00:34:18.35\00:34:21.46
How come it's
not being fulfilled?
00:34:21.49\00:34:22.79
And God sits him down
in Jeremiah 17 and he says,
00:34:22.82\00:34:27.50
"Know my promise is sure.
00:34:27.56\00:34:31.07
The man is blessed
who trusts in the Lord."
00:34:31.10\00:34:34.67
Jeremiah 17, verse 7.
00:34:34.70\00:34:36.81
"He will be like a tree planted
by the waters, which spreads
00:34:36.84\00:34:42.51
out its roots by the river."
00:34:42.54\00:34:44.75
This imagery from Psalm 1.
00:34:44.78\00:34:46.75
God is saying,
"My word is sure."
00:34:46.78\00:34:48.42
And then he goes on in
his passage in Jeremiah 17,
00:34:48.45\00:34:52.35
with verse 9.
00:34:52.39\00:34:54.56
The heart is what?
00:34:54.59\00:34:56.49
"Deceitful above all
things and desperately wicked.
00:34:56.52\00:35:01.16
Who can know it?"
00:35:01.20\00:35:03.87
So, Jeremiah, whether he's
looking at his own heart or the
00:35:03.90\00:35:07.04
hearts of the people
around him, what is he saying?
00:35:07.07\00:35:09.40
He's saying sometimes it doesn't
look like we can trust God.
00:35:09.44\00:35:13.78
It doesn't look that way.
00:35:13.81\00:35:15.38
But God calls us
to do what anyway?
00:35:15.41\00:35:18.48
To trust him anyway.
00:35:18.51\00:35:22.85
You know, if you're having
experiences right now where
00:35:22.88\00:35:25.79
it's hard to trust God, instead
of complaining, which, by the
00:35:25.82\00:35:30.26
way, it's okay
to complain to God.
00:35:30.29\00:35:32.06
Are you aware of that?
00:35:32.09\00:35:33.83
Many of the great Bible
writers complained to God.
00:35:33.86\00:35:39.27
But you've got to listen.
00:35:39.30\00:35:43.00
And what Jeremiah was being
told by God is his word is sure.
00:35:43.04\00:35:46.04
Here's the thing.
00:35:46.07\00:35:47.44
When we're going through trials
and challenges, these are the
00:35:47.48\00:35:50.38
times that strengthen our faith.
00:35:50.41\00:35:53.11
When you hold onto God
when it's difficult, when God is
00:35:53.15\00:35:56.08
saying trust me, and then you
see him deliver, these are the
00:35:56.12\00:36:00.56
things that establish our faith.
00:36:00.59\00:36:02.19
When you give in, that doesn't
strengthen your faith at all.
00:36:02.22\00:36:06.43
We talk about this when
we deal with addictions in
00:36:06.46\00:36:09.23
the medical community.
00:36:09.26\00:36:11.03
You know, I've told my
patients, let's say they're
00:36:11.07\00:36:12.83
dealing with nicotine
addiction, I'll say to them,
00:36:12.87\00:36:15.34
"You know what?
00:36:15.37\00:36:17.14
The temptation is not
going to last forever.
00:36:17.17\00:36:20.48
Temptation is not
going to last forever.
00:36:20.51\00:36:23.48
You're going to either give
in to it, or you're going to
00:36:23.51\00:36:26.28
resist and it will pass.
00:36:26.31\00:36:30.69
But the consequences of what you
do are very different, you see?
00:36:30.72\00:36:36.66
If you have that cigarette
after a week of not smoking, is
00:36:36.69\00:36:41.06
the consequence going to be
different than if you stayed
00:36:41.10\00:36:43.23
away from that cigarette?"
00:36:43.26\00:36:45.27
They're huge, right?
00:36:45.30\00:36:47.47
So, the point is when
temptation comes, temptation
00:36:47.50\00:36:50.21
doesn't last forever.
00:36:50.24\00:36:51.91
Press close to Jesus.
00:36:51.94\00:36:53.81
James said, "Draw near
to God, and he'll do," what?
00:36:53.84\00:36:56.64
"He'll draw near to you,
whether you feel it or not."
00:36:56.68\00:37:00.98
Jeremiah 17 is a pivotal
chapter, and I appreciate the
00:37:01.02\00:37:03.95
lesson highlighting it for us,
about the deceitfulness of the
00:37:03.99\00:37:08.32
heart and yet the surety of
God's promises, the surety of
00:37:08.36\00:37:12.96
God's promises.
00:37:12.99\00:37:14.73
Well, let's move
on a little bit more.
00:37:14.76\00:37:17.70
In Jeremiah chapter 17, we
were called to that very same
00:37:17.73\00:37:21.80
chapter again
in Monday's lesson.
00:37:21.84\00:37:24.54
A little bit more of the
immediate context talking just
00:37:24.57\00:37:28.64
about what we've been talking
about as far as the background
00:37:28.68\00:37:31.85
of his messages.
00:37:31.88\00:37:33.92
In Jeremiah 17, the chapter
began with these words, verse
00:37:33.95\00:37:37.72
1, "The sin of Judah is written
with a pen of iron, with the
00:37:37.75\00:37:42.06
point of a diamond.
00:37:42.09\00:37:43.69
It's engraved on the tablet of
their heart and on the horns of
00:37:43.73\00:37:47.93
your altars, while their
children remember their altars
00:37:47.96\00:37:51.67
and their wooden images by the
green trees on the high hills."
00:37:51.70\00:37:57.04
What's going on here?
00:37:57.07\00:38:00.84
Well, God wants to write
his law on our hearts, right?
00:38:00.88\00:38:05.51
How is his law
written on our hearts?
00:38:05.55\00:38:09.98
Is it just a supernatural work?
00:38:10.02\00:38:13.05
I would suggest to you that part
of it is supernatural, okay?
00:38:13.09\00:38:15.59
When we give our hearts to
Jesus, he gives us his Holy
00:38:15.62\00:38:18.86
Spirit, he give us
the desire to follow him.
00:38:18.89\00:38:21.56
But part of God
changing our characters is based
00:38:21.60\00:38:24.53
on our obedience.
00:38:24.57\00:38:26.30
It's not just a miraculous work.
00:38:26.33\00:38:30.21
God calls us to obey him.
00:38:30.24\00:38:32.07
You read through the book of
Jeremiah, even just those first
00:38:32.11\00:38:34.18
17 chapters, again
and again the call is to
00:38:34.21\00:38:37.08
obey, to obey, to obey.
00:38:37.11\00:38:40.38
And when we obey, even if
it's difficult, what happens?
00:38:40.42\00:38:46.25
It changes us.
00:38:46.29\00:38:49.32
The way we behave changes
us. Are you aware of that?
00:38:49.36\00:38:53.29
There's a saying in
psychological circles and it's
00:38:53.33\00:38:56.23
this: expression
deepens impression.
00:38:56.26\00:39:02.60
Have you heard that before?
Expression deepens impression.
00:39:02.64\00:39:08.28
So, if you come to church
and you sing about Jesus' love,
00:39:08.31\00:39:11.55
what is that doing?
00:39:11.58\00:39:15.48
That's deepening the impression
of Jesus' love for you.
00:39:15.52\00:39:19.42
If someone walks
up to you and says,
00:39:19.45\00:39:21.29
"How are you doing today?"
00:39:21.32\00:39:22.92
and you say, "I
am doing so terrible.
00:39:22.96\00:39:24.93
I had such a terrible week.
00:39:24.96\00:39:26.70
I mean, it was terrible at
work, it was terrible at home,
00:39:26.73\00:39:29.93
it's terrible here in church.
00:39:29.96\00:39:31.73
I mean, nobody's treating
me right," and you start going
00:39:31.77\00:39:34.07
through all this, and
how do you start feeling?
00:39:34.10\00:39:37.81
The expression of negative
thoughts is deepening those
00:39:37.84\00:39:41.91
negative
impressions on your own mind.
00:39:41.94\00:39:44.88
Now, you may be feeling just as
bad and someone walks up to you
00:39:44.91\00:39:48.18
and you say,
"How are you doing?"
00:39:48.22\00:39:49.65
And you say, "I'm just so
thankful to be here in church.
00:39:49.68\00:39:52.65
I'm just praising the
Lord that it's Sabbath.
00:39:52.69\00:39:55.06
I'm just praising the Lord that
I can come to a church and we
00:39:55.09\00:39:57.69
can study the Bible together."
00:39:57.73\00:39:59.66
Now, you may feel just as
lousy as the person who was
00:39:59.69\00:40:02.16
complaining about how
bad their week was, but
00:40:02.20\00:40:04.03
what's happening to you?
00:40:04.07\00:40:06.94
I mean, has it
ever happened to you?
00:40:06.97\00:40:08.40
Have you ever actually
started talking praise?
00:40:08.44\00:40:11.11
I mean, sometimes, God has
had to put someone in my path to
00:40:11.14\00:40:14.44
get me out of a rut.
00:40:14.48\00:40:17.08
Really, someone, you know,
they're having some terrible
00:40:17.11\00:40:19.65
day, and I'm not
feeling all that good myself.
00:40:19.68\00:40:23.32
And so, I start
trying to encourage them.
00:40:23.35\00:40:25.15
And what do you know,
what do you know, then I start
00:40:25.19\00:40:26.99
encouraging myself.
00:40:27.02\00:40:29.12
We start talking
about the Bible promises.
00:40:29.16\00:40:32.23
And you know, depressed people
walk into my office, some of
00:40:32.26\00:40:34.56
them want me to
open the Bible with them.
00:40:34.60\00:40:36.60
And I start studying
the Bible and I just,
00:40:36.63\00:40:38.57
"Oh, what a blessing,"
you know? It's encouraged me.
00:40:38.60\00:40:44.04
Expression deepens impression.
00:40:44.07\00:40:47.28
The impression on the hearts
of God's people, it was like an
00:40:47.31\00:40:50.11
engraved--it was
engraved in their being.
00:40:50.15\00:40:56.42
"The compromise, the worship
of the secular gods of the age."
00:40:56.45\00:41:04.26
Did you catch that? The
secular gods of the age.
00:41:04.29\00:41:08.60
We don't worship Baal
today. We don't worship Asherah.
00:41:08.63\00:41:12.70
But what are the
secular gods of our age?
00:41:12.73\00:41:17.14
What are they?
00:41:17.17\00:41:18.64
What are the secular gods that
try to intrude into your life?
00:41:18.67\00:41:22.44
And this is what
Jeremiah's dealing with.
00:41:22.48\00:41:25.78
Well, we hasten on
to Tuesday's lesson.
00:41:25.81\00:41:31.95
And Jeremiah, I
mean, he had a rough time.
00:41:31.99\00:41:36.86
Jeremiah 11, our attention is
called there, and some powerful
00:41:36.89\00:41:41.40
imagery here in Jeremiah 11.
00:41:41.43\00:41:45.87
Jeremiah's been giving
faithfully these messages of
00:41:45.90\00:41:48.67
rebuke and how is it received?
00:41:48.70\00:41:53.48
Well, let's look.
00:41:53.51\00:41:55.08
Jeremiah 11,
verses 18 through 23.
00:41:55.11\00:41:59.05
Jeremiah 11,
verses 18 through 23.
00:41:59.08\00:42:04.95
"Now, the Lord gave me
knowledge of it," speaking of
00:42:04.99\00:42:08.42
some of the Baal worship and
things that were going on, "for
00:42:08.46\00:42:12.86
you showed me their doings.
00:42:12.89\00:42:14.93
But I was like a docile lamb
brought to the slaughter, and I
00:42:14.93\00:42:20.27
did not know that they had
devised schemes against me,
00:42:20.30\00:42:24.34
saying, 'Let us destroy the
tree with its fruit, and let us
00:42:24.37\00:42:28.11
cut him off from the land of
the living, that his name may
00:42:28.14\00:42:32.25
be remembered no more.'
00:42:32.28\00:42:34.35
But O Lord of hosts,
you judge righteously,
00:42:34.38\00:42:36.62
testing the mind and the heart.
00:42:36.65\00:42:38.72
Let me see your vengeance
on them, for to you I have
00:42:38.75\00:42:41.89
revealed my cause.
00:42:41.92\00:42:44.03
Therefore, thus says the Lord
concerning the men of Anathoth,
00:42:44.06\00:42:47.40
who seek your life, saying, "Do
not prophesy in the name of the
00:42:47.40\00:42:51.47
Lord, lets you
die by your hand.'"
00:42:51.50\00:42:53.84
That's what they
were saying to Jeremiah.
00:42:53.87\00:42:56.44
"Therefore, thus says the
Lord of hosts, 'Behold, I will
00:42:56.47\00:42:58.21
punish them.
00:42:58.24\00:42:59.84
The young men shall die by
the sword, their sons and their
00:42:59.87\00:43:03.24
daughters shall die by famine.
00:43:03.28\00:43:06.92
And there shall be no remnant
of them, for I will bring
00:43:06.95\00:43:09.48
catastrophe on the men of
Anathoth, even the year of
00:43:09.52\00:43:14.06
their punishment.'"
00:43:14.09\00:43:16.66
Anathoth, where was that?
00:43:16.69\00:43:19.86
If you remember Jeremiah
chapter 1, that was Jeremiah's
00:43:19.89\00:43:24.07
home town, home town.
00:43:24.10\00:43:28.90
What were they saying about him?
00:43:28.94\00:43:31.47
They wanted to kill him.
00:43:31.51\00:43:32.81
I mean, you're picking
up on the imagery here.
00:43:32.84\00:43:36.34
These lessons have
pointed us to the book of John.
00:43:36.38\00:43:38.48
It's a good place to compare
because Jeremiah's experience
00:43:38.51\00:43:41.48
is much like Jesus' experience.
00:43:41.52\00:43:45.45
I'm looking at John 1.
00:43:45.49\00:43:48.56
In John chapter 1, we're
reminded that Jesus is the Word.
00:43:48.59\00:43:52.89
He has been God's
thought made audible from the
00:43:52.93\00:43:55.93
beginning of time.
00:43:55.96\00:43:57.93
And so, by the way, when you're
reading the Word, you're not
00:43:57.97\00:44:01.47
just interacting with a
book, you're interacting with
00:44:01.50\00:44:04.67
a person, you see?
00:44:04.71\00:44:06.57
Jesus wants to personally reveal
himself to you through his Word.
00:44:06.61\00:44:11.01
And if you're not having
that experience, just ask him to
00:44:11.05\00:44:13.85
show himself to you, to give
you something that will make a
00:44:13.88\00:44:17.39
difference in your life.
00:44:17.42\00:44:18.75
I've found God extremely
faithful on this point.
00:44:18.79\00:44:22.59
I mean, my life has been
changed by things that God
00:44:22.62\00:44:26.49
shows me in my
morning worship time, changed.
00:44:26.53\00:44:28.23
I'm dealing with some issue
and I'm reading systematically
00:44:28.26\00:44:33.60
through something.
00:44:33.64\00:44:35.57
I'm not looking for an answer
to a problem I'm dealing with
00:44:35.60\00:44:37.44
and the Lord puts the
answer right in front of me.
00:44:37.47\00:44:38.77
The Lord is
willing to do that for you.
00:44:38.81\00:44:40.41
Now, other times,
you know what he does?
00:44:40.44\00:44:42.61
Just what he did for Jeremiah.
00:44:42.64\00:44:44.35
And I'm scratching my head
and I'm saying, "Why are you
00:44:44.38\00:44:46.08
allowing this to happen, Lord?
00:44:46.11\00:44:47.52
What's going on?
00:44:47.55\00:44:49.25
I thought I'm following your
will, and it's not working out."
00:44:49.28\00:44:51.25
They're both part of
the Christian experience.
00:44:51.29\00:44:54.66
John chapter 1.
00:44:54.69\00:44:56.42
Jesus, the Word
being revealed here.
00:44:56.46\00:44:58.79
It says in verse
11, "He came," where?
00:44:58.83\00:45:02.16
John 1:11, "He came to his own."
00:45:02.20\00:45:05.60
He came to his own. And
how did they receive him?
00:45:05.63\00:45:11.87
They didn't receive him.
00:45:11.91\00:45:15.01
And as we read through the
Gospel of John and the gospel
00:45:15.04\00:45:17.61
stories, we see that Jesus was
treated just like Jeremiah was.
00:45:17.65\00:45:22.68
In fact, just like we saw
in Jeremiah and those earlier
00:45:22.72\00:45:24.92
chapters, God was pleading
to his people through his
00:45:24.95\00:45:29.16
prophets, and
they kept saying no.
00:45:29.19\00:45:40.90
Wednesday's lesson calls
us to Jeremiah chapter 12.
00:45:40.94\00:45:46.41
It's a theme that we've
already seen as we've been
00:45:46.44\00:45:49.01
looking--it's a recurring theme
in Jeremiah and a recurring
00:45:49.04\00:45:51.01
theme in the Bible.
00:45:51.05\00:45:53.31
And it's worth us spending a
little bit more time with it.
00:45:53.35\00:45:56.72
Jeremiah chapter 12,
verses 1 through 4 is the focus.
00:45:56.75\00:46:02.16
Jeremiah 12, verses 1 through 4.
00:46:02.19\00:46:05.49
We're speaking
about what is called in
00:46:05.53\00:46:07.50
theological circles theodicy.
00:46:07.50\00:46:10.27
Why does God allow bad
things to happen to good people?
00:46:10.30\00:46:15.14
Why do the wicked prosper
and the good seem to suffer?
00:46:15.17\00:46:20.44
Jeremiah is dealing
with it in chapter 12.
00:46:20.48\00:46:22.84
Jeremiah 12, verse 1 and onward.
00:46:22.88\00:46:25.81
Jeremiah 12, beginning with
verse 1, "Righteous are you, O
00:46:25.85\00:46:28.92
Lord, when I plead with you.
00:46:28.95\00:46:31.09
Yet let me talk with
you about your judgements.
00:46:31.12\00:46:34.82
Why does the way
of the wicked prosper?
00:46:34.86\00:46:37.23
Why are those happy
who deal so treacherously?
00:46:37.26\00:46:42.33
You've planted them,
yes, they have taken root.
00:46:42.36\00:46:45.97
They grow, yes, they bear fruit.
00:46:46.00\00:46:48.14
You are near in their
mouth, but far from their mind."
00:46:48.17\00:46:51.94
Interesting, isn't it?
00:46:51.97\00:46:53.94
I mean, do you see,
do you see how all these
00:46:53.98\00:46:55.78
things are fitting together?
00:46:55.81\00:46:57.21
One of these themes
is, why does it look like
00:46:57.25\00:46:59.65
the wicked are prospering?
00:46:59.68\00:47:03.92
And what he's saying in
Jeremiah 12 is he's arguing
00:47:03.95\00:47:06.35
with God again.
00:47:06.39\00:47:08.36
Jeremiah is saying, "How come
Psalm 1 is not being fulfilled?
00:47:08.39\00:47:12.19
The wicked are prospering.
00:47:12.23\00:47:13.53
They're the ones that
are like the green tree."
00:47:13.56\00:47:16.67
Verse 3, Jeremiah 12.
00:47:16.70\00:47:19.63
"But you, O Lord,
know me and you've seen me.
00:47:19.67\00:47:23.24
You've tested my
heart toward you.
00:47:23.27\00:47:25.24
Pull them out like sheep for
the slaughter and prepare them
00:47:25.27\00:47:28.04
for the day of slaughter.
00:47:28.08\00:47:29.51
How long will the land mourn and
the herbs of the field wither?
00:47:29.54\00:47:32.88
The beasts and birds are
consumed, for the wickedness of
00:47:32.91\00:47:36.58
those who dwell
there, because they said,
00:47:36.62\00:47:39.49
'He will not
see our final end.'"
00:47:39.52\00:47:41.62
They're basically
saying--the wicked are saying,
00:47:41.66\00:47:43.86
"God is not going to judge us."
00:47:43.89\00:47:47.96
You know, we've been looking at
verses that were highlighted in
00:47:48.00\00:47:51.17
this lesson, but I will
tell you if you read through
00:47:51.20\00:47:54.57
Jeremiah 1 to 17, you're going
to see that, mingled with the
00:47:54.60\00:47:58.34
expressions of judgment,
are ample calls to come back.
00:47:58.37\00:48:04.11
God is continuing to
call to his people to return.
00:48:04.15\00:48:08.02
And that's the message
that Jeremiah was given as well.
00:48:08.05\00:48:12.09
Go with me to a parallel
chapter in the Bible, Psalm 37.
00:48:12.12\00:48:17.23
Psalm 37, the psalmist is
dealing with this very same
00:48:17.26\00:48:20.50
issue as to why--and
it almost starts the very
00:48:20.53\00:48:23.47
way Jeremiah 12 starts.
00:48:23.50\00:48:25.90
It starts with some words
that sound like the writer is
00:48:25.93\00:48:28.74
praising God, but it
immediately descends into
00:48:28.77\00:48:31.97
a severe struggle.
00:48:32.01\00:48:34.54
Psalm 37 says, "Do not fret
because of evildoers, nor be
00:48:34.58\00:48:47.66
envious of the
workers of iniquity."
00:48:47.69\00:48:51.33
This is pulling back the curtain
on where we should be going.
00:48:51.36\00:48:54.76
"For they shall soon be cut
down like the grass and wither
00:48:54.83\00:48:57.97
as the green herb.
00:48:58.00\00:48:59.33
Trust in the Lord and do good.
00:48:59.37\00:49:01.54
Dwell in the land and
feed on his faithfulness.
00:49:01.57\00:49:04.64
Delight yourself also in the
Lord and he shall give you the
00:49:04.67\00:49:07.38
desires of your heart."
00:49:07.41\00:49:10.28
Do you know
what a palindrome is?
00:49:10.31\00:49:14.58
Palindrome is where you go
one direction, and then you go
00:49:14.62\00:49:18.75
backwards and it's the same.
00:49:18.79\00:49:21.39
Able was I ere I saw
Elba, same forward and backward.
00:49:21.42\00:49:28.30
Psalm 37, if you had a
palindrome with another verse
00:49:28.33\00:49:33.87
beside it, it would be 73.
00:49:33.90\00:49:36.07
Psalm 37 and Psalm 73, okay?
00:49:36.10\00:49:43.75
Psalm 73.
00:49:43.78\00:49:47.02
This is the one I wanted to look
at first if you were wondering.
00:49:47.05\00:49:50.72
This is the one where it
starts with an expression
00:49:50.75\00:49:52.69
of God's goodness.
00:49:52.72\00:49:54.32
"Truly God is good to Israel,
to such as are pure in heart."
00:49:54.36\00:49:59.33
But look at verse 2, "But
as for me, my feet had almost
00:49:59.36\00:50:03.60
stumbled, for I was," what?
00:50:03.63\00:50:08.54
"Envious of the boastful
when I saw the prosperity
00:50:08.57\00:50:12.44
of the wicked."
00:50:12.47\00:50:13.84
Psalm 73 goes on and it says
things are not happening like
00:50:13.88\00:50:17.61
Psalm 37 promised.
00:50:17.65\00:50:20.12
The wicked are prospering,
until you come down in Psalm 73
00:50:20.15\00:50:25.89
to a very, very
specific verse, verse 16 and 17.
00:50:25.92\00:50:33.86
"When I thought how
to understand this," the
00:50:33.90\00:50:36.80
prosperity of the
wicked, it was what?
00:50:36.83\00:50:39.50
"Too painful for
me until," until what?
00:50:39.53\00:50:46.98
"I went into the
sanctuary of God.
00:50:47.01\00:50:50.75
Then I understood their end."
00:50:50.78\00:50:53.68
You know, some people think
that Seventh Day Adventists are
00:50:53.72\00:50:57.15
legalistic or shortsighted
because they look back to the
00:50:57.19\00:51:00.26
Old Testament and the sanctuary.
00:51:00.29\00:51:02.29
The sanctuary explains
this great controversy theme.
00:51:02.32\00:51:06.66
It explains that there is a
God who is willing to be the
00:51:06.70\00:51:09.83
sacrifice for our sins, who
reminds us no matter what we've
00:51:09.86\00:51:14.34
done in the past, no matter how
things look, we can come with
00:51:14.37\00:51:17.37
confidence, as
Paul put it in Hebrews,
00:51:17.41\00:51:20.44
to the throne of grace.
00:51:20.48\00:51:22.31
So we can find
mercy, we can find grace to
00:51:22.34\00:51:25.61
help in time of need.
00:51:25.65\00:51:27.15
Aren't you glad for that?
00:51:27.18\00:51:28.72
Jeremiah, yes, he
had a ministry of rebuke.
00:51:28.75\00:51:32.99
And we didn't spend
much time about that.
00:51:33.02\00:51:35.96
I think we need
balance in the church.
00:51:35.99\00:51:38.23
We need to be free
to speak when we think
00:51:38.26\00:51:40.96
something is not right.
00:51:40.96\00:51:42.40
But most of the people that
feel that way, that's all they
00:51:42.43\00:51:44.77
do is complain.
00:51:44.80\00:51:46.47
Hopefully you're not in either
camp, but that we're calling
00:51:46.50\00:51:49.47
ourselves to be accountable.
00:51:49.50\00:51:51.51
You know, if you're still
struggling with these things,
00:51:51.54\00:51:52.91
we have good news.
00:51:52.94\00:51:54.28
We do have a free offer that
I want to remind you of, it's
00:51:54.31\00:51:57.28
free offer 161.
00:51:57.31\00:52:00.78
You can get it, the booklet is
called "The Brook Dried Up: Why
00:52:00.82\00:52:05.45
Do Christians Suffer?"
00:52:05.49\00:52:06.99
a great follow-up to the themes
that we've looked at in the
00:52:07.02\00:52:09.52
Book of Jeremiah.
00:52:09.56\00:52:11.06
Free offer 161, you can get
it by calling 866-STUDY-MORE.
00:52:11.09\00:52:15.90
That's 866-788-3966.
00:52:15.93\00:52:21.17
And until our next lesson,
hopefully we will be doing what
00:52:21.20\00:52:26.04
Jeremiah did, diving into the
Word, finding it to be the joy
00:52:26.07\00:52:31.58
and the rejoicing of our hearts.
00:52:31.61\00:52:33.62
female: "Amazing
Facts" has impacted my life.
00:52:34.55\00:52:36.65
male: And I just praise
God for "Amazing Facts".
00:52:36.69\00:52:37.99
male: "Amazing
Facts" actually did have
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an impact on my life.
00:52:39.55\00:52:41.09
male: This whole process
getting to where I am today--
00:52:41.12\00:52:42.89
female: "Amazing
Facts" has been--
00:52:42.92\00:52:46.53
female: I began
reading the Bible.
00:52:46.56\00:52:48.30
female: I got baptized into--
00:52:48.33\00:52:50.13
male: I realized that
there had to be more to life.
00:52:50.17\00:52:51.93
male: God is really doing this.
00:52:51.97\00:52:53.57
male: The life
that he's given me.
00:52:53.60\00:52:55.20
male: This
message was so powerful.
00:52:55.24\00:52:58.94
male announcer: "Amazing
Facts," more than 45 years of
00:52:58.97\00:53:03.04
proclaiming God's
message around the world.
00:53:03.08\00:53:05.91
male: And then the logo pops
across, Amazing Facts Presents.
00:53:05.95\00:53:09.82
I've listened to a lot of
different ministers, but this
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was the first time that he's
actually saying something where
00:53:12.29\00:53:15.59
I had to grab my Bible
and actually pick it up, and,
00:53:15.62\00:53:18.33
"I've never heard this before.
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Let me look
through and find this."
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Then I just couldn't get enough.
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male: And so, I
started doing Bible studies.
00:53:23.67\00:53:25.77
Every single one of these
guys started being changed,
00:53:25.80\00:53:29.34
including myself.
00:53:29.37\00:53:30.94
female: My question was, "Why
did that happen to me, God?"
00:53:30.97\00:53:34.14
The Lord was able to
reach out and I actually
00:53:34.18\00:53:36.95
saw him as a Father.
00:53:36.98\00:53:38.58
female: I lost everything,
and that was when I realized
00:53:38.61\00:53:41.52
that it was God
missing in my life.
00:53:41.55\00:53:44.02
male: I went to a prophesy
seminar, which knocked me out.
00:53:44.05\00:53:47.76
This message was so powerful
and so irrefutable, I just
00:53:47.79\00:53:51.43
went, "This is real.
00:53:51.46\00:53:53.06
This is--this is amazing."
00:53:53.09\00:53:56.06
[music]
00:53:57.07\00:54:01.94
announcer: "Amazing
Facts" began in 1965 with a
00:54:02.37\00:54:06.04
God-inspired concept.
00:54:06.07\00:54:08.38
Joe Crews: Hello, this
is Joe Crews on the "Amazing
00:54:08.41\00:54:10.31
Facts" broadcast,
facts which affect you.
00:54:10.35\00:54:13.58
announcer: Each radio
broadcast would begin with an
00:54:13.62\00:54:15.68
amazing fact from science,
nature, or history, followed by
00:54:15.72\00:54:19.99
a Bible message that touched
the hearts of listeners from
00:54:20.02\00:54:23.19
every walk of life.
00:54:23.22\00:54:24.83
The program was an instant
success, and the ministry soon
00:54:24.86\00:54:28.73
began expanding to
include Bible lessons.
00:54:28.76\00:54:31.73
In 1986, "Amazing Facts" added
the medium of television to its
00:54:31.77\00:54:36.27
growing outreach
efforts, offering soul-winning,
00:54:36.30\00:54:39.61
evangelistic messages
for viewers around the world.
00:54:39.64\00:54:43.48
In 1994, Pastor Doug Batchelor
assumed leadership of the
00:54:43.51\00:54:47.22
ministry, adding the "Bible
Answers Live" call-in radio
00:54:47.25\00:54:51.02
program, and new ministry
TV programs began airing on
00:54:51.05\00:54:54.82
multiple
networks around the world.
00:54:54.86\00:54:57.83
For 50 years, the driving
vision of "Amazing Facts" has
00:54:57.86\00:55:01.93
been the bold proclamation
of the everlasting gospel.
00:55:01.96\00:55:05.87
And with a team of evangelists
circling the globe, and
00:55:05.90\00:55:08.94
thousands of men and
women being trained through the
00:55:08.97\00:55:12.04
Amazing Facts Center of
Evangelism program, AFCOE, the
00:55:12.07\00:55:15.61
ministry is helping God's church
see a rich harvest of souls.
00:55:15.64\00:55:20.68
"Amazing Facts,"
God's message, our mission.
00:55:20.72\00:55:26.32
female: So, my mother passed
away when I was three, and my
00:55:30.49\00:55:33.63
paternal grandparents decided
they would care for my two
00:55:33.66\00:55:37.73
older sisters and I
so that my father would
00:55:37.77\00:55:41.17
have time to mourn.
00:55:41.20\00:55:43.27
We never really had a mother
or a strong fatherly figure, and
00:55:43.30\00:55:47.08
I'm not blaming my dad.
00:55:47.11\00:55:48.61
I'm just saying
that's how things worked out.
00:55:48.64\00:55:52.45
When I was in high school,
my oldest sister got into an
00:55:52.48\00:55:58.32
argument with our father,
and my sister and I decided to
00:55:58.35\00:56:03.29
have--we would take her side,
and so that caused a split in
00:56:03.32\00:56:10.37
our family.
00:56:10.40\00:56:13.77
For 4 years we lived in
the same house, we ate from the
00:56:13.80\00:56:17.37
same pot, we used the same
restroom, we walked by each
00:56:17.41\00:56:20.58
other, but we never said
anything to our father, and he
00:56:20.61\00:56:23.18
never said anything to us.
00:56:23.21\00:56:27.48
A year later, I had decided
I would move out for college.
00:56:27.52\00:56:31.62
He wasn't very happy with that.
00:56:31.65\00:56:33.02
We got booted out of the house.
00:56:33.05\00:56:36.56
We went back to apologize,
but we weren't really accepted
00:56:36.59\00:56:40.66
back.
00:56:40.70\00:56:43.20
I have felt so
alone a lot of my life.
00:56:43.23\00:56:47.00
I've felt like I've
had to fend for myself.
00:56:47.04\00:56:49.90
I've been
missing a fatherly love.
00:56:49.94\00:56:53.38
I don't have family with me.
I don't have a lot of things.
00:56:53.41\00:57:03.49
But I have God and
I've been fulfilled.
00:57:03.52\00:57:07.32
I've been satisfied.
God has been my Father.
00:57:07.36\00:57:11.63
announcer: Together, we have
spread the gospel much farther
00:57:22.47\00:57:25.47
than ever before.
00:57:25.51\00:57:27.58
Thank you for your support.
00:57:27.61\00:57:33.08
male announcer: Can't get enough
00:57:35.58\00:57:36.99
"Amazing Facts" Bible study?
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You don't have to wait
until next week to enjoy more
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Watch "Amazing Facts"
television by visiting aftv.org.
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At aftv.org, you can view
"Amazing Facts" programming 24
00:57:49.23\00:57:53.77
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Why wait a week? Visit aftv.org.
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