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Jeremiah's Prophecies Before, During, and After Jerusalem
- 13. The book falls into 3 parts: 1. Prophecies before the siege of Jerusalem 1-24 2. Prophecies during the siege of Jerusalem 25-32
- 14. 3. Messages after the fall of Jerusalem 33-48
Editor's Notes
- Show slide before I come to the pulpit. A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation and talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: "I don't believe that God exists.""Why do you say that?" asked the customer."Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things."The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: "You know what? Barbers do not exist.""How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber."I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!""No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."Ah, but barbers DO exist! That's what happens when people do not come to me.""Exactly!" affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! Because people do not look to God for help is why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."After I finish story, put up next slide: “HOW ARE YOU DOING?
- How are you doing today? This is a rhetorical question, but I’m asking it to help you think about where you really are emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually. Life is hard sometimes and we often go to great lengths to make ourselves feel better, look better or even hide our real emotions to appear to be and feel better. But underneath the Christian exterior we have on today, are you dry bones, the walking dead, zombies going from one thing to another, struggling along the way?I love what women do to hide their ages… [SLIDE of dry skin]
- This is a picture of dry skin. Dry, cracked, and not so pretty to look at under a microscope. So, what do many women do? Put on the moisturizing mask to help plump up the wrinkles and help slow the aging process. I found this product – Hope in a Jar! Daily maintenance is very important to keep our skin looking healthy and young for years to come.[NEXT SLIDE - CHAIN AND BIKE OIL]
- CHAIN AND BIKE OIL. Sometimes our parts get rusty and dry, just like the chain on a bicycle. Without maintenance and care, the chain rusts and makes the bike almost impossible to ride. So, there is a solution – Bike Lubricant. Bike Lubricant helps the chain for a while, but without continual use, or replacing the chain altogether, the bike chain will eventually wear out.Sometime our lives are like this chain – rusty and in need of maintenance. [SLIDE – Engine seized up in Nissan]
- Ahhh, the Nissan Altima. Share story of oil change and oil cap not put on properly.No matter what we do to prepare, sometimes our lives are at the mercy of others. Sometimes they succeed; sometimes they fail. Either way, we endure trials because of mistakes.What I want you to hear isn’t that the inconvenience of our car losing oil because of the faulty work of others, but to remember it is always important to maintenance your vehicle on a regular basis.Maintenance is crucial to the longevity of your vehicle.[SLIDE – Girls appearing to be fine, but has a broken heart]
- Putting on heirs is something we all have done from time to time. Essentially we do it to hide our emotions; to make others believe we’re okay even though were not. Often times our hearts are so broken, we don’t know where or who to turn to, so we “FAKE IT UNTIL WE MAKE IT.” Just like the car, we are:Sometimes at the mercy of others.Sometimes were broken hearted because of an illness or disease.Sometimes our hearts get broken because of the choices we make.Sometimes we end up living like the Israelites in captivity because of the sin we’ve committed.There is a solution of course – and that’s where we need to end at the close of our time together.
- I want you know you don’t have to end up like the Israelites held in captivity for hundred of years. Their captivity was physical captivity because of their sin as a nation. Our sin’s captivity is often a result of our personal sin, or as the result of the sins of others. Either way we are dead, lifeless, shells of people.Today, God wants to give you:[SLIDE] THE BREATH OF LIFE
- THE BREATH OF LIFEGod wants to breath life into your body. He wants to restore that which is dry, rusted, seized and broken.He wants you to have a dynamic, personal and ongoing relationship with Him. But it will take work…maintenance!VIDEO: DRY BONES
- God takes Ezekiel to a valley filled with dry bonesEzekiel is told to preach to the bonesIn a wonderful scene, life returns to the bonesNoise and shakingBones are joined into skeletons – ligaments bind the bones – muscle covers the bones – then skinNow the valley is filled with corpsesThe breath of God comes into the bodies and the army stands
- The dry bones were “the whole house of Israel” (37:11) now in captivity & filled with despairThe Israelites were God’s chosen peopleGod wanted to give them new life and restore them to their land if they repented of their sin, and,They needed to keep their faith in God. Ezek. 39:25-28
- Ezekiel 39:25-2925 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will now bring Jacob back from captivity and will have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name. 26 They will forget their shame and all the unfaithfulness they showed toward me when they lived in safety in their land with no one to make them afraid. 27 When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will show myself holy through them in the sight of many nations. 28 Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind. 29 I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
- SO WHAT?This message of Ezekiel to the Isrealities is the same message for them as it is for us – GOD desperately wants to bring hope back into your life.Is your hope gone?Are you dead, lifeless, or dry?[slide] God wants to breathe life into the dead parts of your life.
- How?Sometimes God restored us piece by piece.He mends brokennessHe heals woundsHow does he mend and heal? Sometimes he uses doctors and medicine, or surgery to bring healings.Sometimes healing begins with something as simple as Neosporin and an Band-Aid.STORY:Kaylie is our Band-Aid queen. If she has a scratch, a bruise, or anything that can be covered by a Band-Aid, she’ll put it on it.
- There are some of you here today who have lived unimaginable lives.Some of you have made wrong choices and, although your consider yourself to be a Christian, the result of your actions have left you spiritually lifeless.Maybe you’ve had…An abortion,An affair, you’re a raging alcoholic, or you’re addicted to pornography.Nicotine and drugs are holding you hostage.OR…Maybe it isn’t as dramatic as any of these, but…You haven’t read your bible or prayed and you feels separated from God. And as a result you feel lifeless and no longer immune to the schemes of the Devil. Your vulnerable, and he knows it. “The Devil prowls around like a lion looking for someone to devour” – and IT IS YOU! 1 Peter 5:8I brought two bible with me today to share with you. Study Bible – I’ve had this since I was in college, and I’ve put a lot of mileage on it. As you can see it’s tattered, torn and the back cover has come off. It’s been a good bible through the years, and I’ve learned a lot of God’s laws, precept; I’ve been convicted, and fallen on my knees because of studying God’s Word.
- I brought two bible with me today to share with you. Study Bible – I’ve had this since I was in college, and I’ve put a lot of mileage on it. As you can see it’s tattered, torn and the back cover has come off. It’s been a good bible through the years, and I’ve learned a lot of God’s laws, precept; I’ve been convicted, and fallen on my knees because of studying God’s Word.STUDY BIBLE TWO: This is my new study bible. As you can see, it’s still very much pristine. I’ve read it a bit, used it to study a bit, and marked a few pages, but it isn’t like my old bible. The truth is I haven’t studied the Word as much as I once used to. I used to devour it, pour over it, and plead with God about his discipline. But, I set aside His Word recently in lieu of family obligations, work demands and, quite frankly, I feel like I’ve lost that love relationship with my God. Yes, I am still a Christian, but our relationship has been fractured, and all because I haven’t spent time with my Heavenly Father.Why do I share this? Because you and I aren’t so different here this morning. We all could use an outpouring of God’s spirit (breath) in our lives today.How are you doing? Are you dead, broken, or lifeless?Second – need to maintain a relationship with him!
- God want to Breath Life back into your lifeless soul today! Are you ready to receive the outpouring and infilling of his spirit today? Please understand, if you come to be filled, you will be! Through confession of sin and recommitment of your life to the laws, precepts and disciplines of God, God will pour out his Spirit on your life as he did the house of Israel. But if you come, you will be held responsible maintain this gift of God. Are you willing to take the responsibility for your spiritual growth through the power of Holy Spirit?2 WATER PITCHERS. BOTH FULL. POUR ONE INTO THE OTHER AND OVERFLOW as you say: To be filled completely, your have to be overfilled with the Spirit of God CONTINUALLY!I invite you to come to the altar this morning. As you come to the ALTAR, I want you to know God want a vibrant, personal relationship with you! He wants you to know he’s not finished with you yet. PLAY Brandon Heath, Wait and See.[slide] OPEN ALTAR
- Is it well with your soul?God wants to breath life into your body. He wants to restore that which is dry, rusted, seized and broken.Tell the story of when you hit the altar when this song was played during a revival! Is it well with your soul?The altars are open while this song plays.PLAY IT IS WELL WITH MY SOULCOME AND RECEIVE THE OUTPOURING AND INFILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.At conclusion of song, pray and dismiss. (If people at the altar, release congregation quietly.)