TOPIC: Gods Standard For Life Sunday 14, September 2014 TEXT: JEREMIAH 22:1-12 KEY VERSE: “Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place” (Jeremiah 22:3). The Lord sent Prophet Jeremiah, in our text, to the house of the king of Judah, His servants and His people with a heavy message. He expected nothing less than righteousness and equity, justice and fairness. He would not condone any oppressive conducts, whether against strangers or the weak in the society, like widows and orphans. They must not spill blood in the land nor do violence of any kind to anyone. If they obeyed all these, the Lord said He would ensure a continuation of the kingdom, and a strengthening of their leaders and people. But if they disobeyed, He swore by Himself, that He would turn them into a desolate land. They may appear fruitful and well nourished now like Gilead and Lebanon, but He would turn their land into a desert, not suitable for human habitation. They would be so ravaged that passersby would wonder in great amazement at the utter destruction of the land. Those passersby would be told that the people of Judah were suffering because they had turned away from their God and chose other gods to worship and serve. The prophet warned them not to weep for those who had died, but for their king who had been taken into forced exile and captivity, for he would not return to his native land, but would die as a prisoner in a foreign land. The Lord values complete obedience to His words. It is not enough to believe all the right doctrines; it is much better to live by them. The key to happiness in life for Christians is to live by the principles of scriptures: keeping away from all evil practices, relating rightly to our fellow men, and doing good works, which clearly express our faith in the Lord. Those who would not subject themselves to God’s expressed will can only expect His dire judgment. God considers disobedience to be an affront on His Person, and because of this, He ensures that it attracts unavoidable repercussions. For this reason, “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore, choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19). THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: The flip side of God’s promises is His grave punishment.
Posted on: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 08:50:35 +0000
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