Israel had bad kings. These kings abused their people and oppressed them. They fed their fat bellies and failed to care for the people. Instead of shepherding the people, they were wolves. Instead of ruling for the people, they ruled over the people for their own benefit. In Jeremiah 23, God has something to say to these kings. He has a word of “woe” for these fat kings. And his oppressed people were in the background, hearing what God said to the kings and what he promised to do for them, the scattered and oppressed sheep. Yes, there is a word for the oppressed people here too. Hear his Word from Jeremiah 23:1-8.
In the Garden #6 - This is the Way.
God set before his people a way of life and death. Babylon had laid siege to their city, and the walls were about to fall. How would they survive? To these threatened people, God laid out the way of life and death: Surrender. Surrender, and you will live. This week, we consider this way for our own lives and see how “surrender” is God’s way to life. Jeremiah 21:1-10.
In the Garden #5 - Smashing Jars
There is a side of God that we don’t often see. There is a side of God that troubles us when we see it. It’s the image of God smashing pots in the kitchen. We’re not sure what to do when we see this in God. We’re making a turn in this series as we see God smashing pots. A sermon on Jeremiah 18:18-23, 19:1-2, 10-11.
In the Garden #4 - Stupid Scarecrows
There is no one like our God. He made the heavens and the earth and everything else in it. There is none who compares with him. So why did Israel take a stick of wood that God made and then worship it? Why do we turn to things or people whom he created and lean on them? It’s foolish! This week, Jeremiah uproots idolatry from our hearts, teaches us to mock the idols, and to lean on our incomparable God. A sermon on Jeremiah 10:1-16.
In the Garden #3 - The Sanctuary
Israel’s worship had become meaningless movements through rites and rituals. It was false and fake. They had fallen into false security. God keep us from such worship. A sermon on Jeremiah 7:1-15
In the Garden #2 - The Great Divorce
Imagine this. A husband or a wife walks into a courtroom, a divorce courtroom. They have charges to bring and multiple exhibits of their right to sue for a divorce. Their spouse has turned away from them to others. They are broken, saddened, spurned and even upset. Should they take their spouse back, even if they’re sorry?
Though the story above is all too common, we’re not going to be talking about marriage and divorce, not this week. This week, as we get back into Jeremiah, it is God who is bringing the suit and we who are being charged with unfaithfulness. It is God who is broken, saddened, spurned and even upset. Should he - will he - take us back, even if we’re sorry? Would he do that for Israel? We’ll be looking at selections from Jeremiah 2 and 3.
NEW SERIES In the Garden: God's Lenten Work
In the Garden: God’s Lenten Work
We’re back at Jeremiah again. Last time, we learned from Jeremiah, the model survivor. This time, we’re listening to him. Get out your hardhats and your life-preservers. Jeremiah has some demolition work to do on us. Listen up but be ready; his message is not for the faint of heart. But he only means to re-make and resurrect us through it.
In the Garden #1 - God's Lenten Work
We're back to Jeremiah again. This time we get to see God at work. He works on us like a Gardener, uprooting and planting. He works on us like a Demolition Man, tearing down walls and rebuilding. He works on us even like an enemy. His only goal is to see that his Word is carried out and accomplished in our lives. A sermon on Jeremiah 1:9-12. (We apologies that there is not video of the speaker. We pray that the audio will be a blessing to you).