Believing and Belonging

I'm going to post the chapters of a new booklet we are producing at First Presbyterian. It's called "Believing and Belonging" and is a brief introduction to church membership. Today, after an introduction, we look at the nature of God.

Believing and Belonging

What does it mean to be a member of First Presbyterian Church? As with any organization, there are expectations laid upon us all as members. There wouldn’t be much point in saying that we belonged unless that belonging actually made a difference in the things that we believe or in the way in which we live. So, what is expected of you when you become a member? This booklet will help you to understand and, we hope, decide that you, too, want to say that you believe and belong.

There are certain foundational beliefs to which you must subscribe if you are to be a member of the church. Don’t worry, we’re not going to ask you how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, or to explain supralapsarianism, whatever that is! But we do think you should be able to say who God is to you, and what Jesus Christ has done for you. In the following pages you will find an introduction to these core beliefs. It’s only an introduction, but it’s a start. We hope that you will learn more and more about what it means to call yourself a Christian as you take the journey of faith with us.

You will also find a basic introduction to the way the church is organized, locally, regionally, and nationally. You’ll learn some of the terminology that will help you to understand us. Hopefully, too, you will be able to discern the shared values that are important to us. Most of all, we hope that you will feel that you want to belong. Of course, you are already welcome, but if you become a member you will be able to participate in every aspect of the church’s life.

We hope that you will never stop asking questions, but we trust that, in the faith we share, you will find enough answers to be able to say that you take:

- The Father to be your Father;

- The Son to be your Savior and Lord; and

- The Holy Spirit to be your Helper and Guide.

May God bless you richly.

Alan Trafford.

I : GOD – OUR HEAVENLY FATHER

Isaiah 40:28-31

Who is God?

When the Westminster Confession of Faith was being written, in the seventeenth century, in London, those who had been charged with writing it had great difficulty in formulating a simple, yet comprehensive, definition of God. It was during this period, in which they were earnestly seeking the right words, that one of the ministers was asked to lead in prayer. The words that came from his lips have come down to us as a wonderful definition of our Heavenly Father. He began, “O God, who art a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in Thy being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth.” The Westminster Assembly took this and used it as the definition of God. It is still a fitting definition for us, today.

The Basis of the Christian Religion

All religions are founded on belief in God, but they differ as to who and what He is. The Christian religion begins with revelation. It is based on the belief that Christ is the Son of God; its understanding of who God is and of what God is is based upon what Jesus Christ said about Him, and upon the life Jesus lived on earth. Many times, Jesus referred to God as His “Father.” This is how He prayed, and this is how He taught the disciples to pray. “When you pray,” He said, “say, Our Father, who art in heaven.”[1] Or, “In the same way let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”[2]

How Jesus Revealed God

Jesus said, “He that has seen me has seen the Father.”[3]And so it is that, as we look at Jesus, we see God. We see Jesus feeding the hungry, and we know that God cares about our physical needs and our economic problems. We see Him weeping at the tomb of Lazarus, and we know that God is sympathetic to our sufferings. We want to know whether God forgives our sins, and we see Jesus bending over a sinful woman and saying, “Neither do I condemn you. Go now and sin no more.”[4] We worry about death, and we hear Him saying, “I am going there to prepare a place for you,”[5]and we are at rest. We hear Him speak, and we hear the voice of God. As Christians, we know who God is because He has revealed His nature through His Son.

---

[1] Luke 11:2

[2] Matthew 5:16

[3] John 14:9

[4] John 8:11

[5] John 14:2

Fellow Servants of Christ

Read Colossians 4:10-18

Paul's letter to the Colossians concludes with a portrait gallery of pen-pictures of his circle of friends and helpers. They live again for us in these verses.




First: three Jewish Christians (v.11). Aristarchus, who shared Paul's imprisonment, possibly voluntarily in order to serve Paul. Mark, who had failed so badly once that Paul would not have him as a companion; he is now back in his place on the team and is fully accepted. (Do we ever harbor grudges and keep people down by reminding them of their failures?) And Jesus, called Justus. Some commentators have wondered whether he changed his name in order to avoid using the same name as his Savior.




Second: five Gentile Christians (non Jews), all very different. Epaphras, the man of prayer, who is "working hard" (v.13), which demonstrates that prayer and hard work are not mutually exclusive, and that prayer is not a way of avoiding work! Luke, a dear friend and a doctor, which was God's way of providing a personal health service for Paul. Demas, who later yielded to the pressures of the world and walked away from his responsibilities. Nympha, who opened her house for the Christians to meet in - a risky thing to do in those days. And Archippus, a leader in Colossae, who needed to be encouraged to keep going and not to give up.

Have you ever wondered how your Christian service would be summed up in one sentence?

Prayer: Lord God, so work in my life that I may, in the end, hear Your commendation, "Well done, good and faithful servant." To you alone be the glory. Amen.

Devoted to Prayer

Read Colossians 4:2-9

1. Dealing with God (v.2-4). There are four factors in prayer to consider here: two concerned with our attitude in prayer ("devoted" and "watchful"); and two concerned with the content of our prayer ("thankful", "pray for us, too"). "Watchful" suggests the sentry, on alert. Alert for what? Could it be for the voice of God answering our prayer? Do we make time to listen? "Pray for us," says Paul, reminding us not to be self-centered in our prayer.

2. Dealing with Non-Believers (v.5,6). "Be wise" suggests careful thought about our relationships with non-Christians; we have to remember that though they may not read or value the Bible, they are "reading" us. We may be the only bible they ever read. "Seasoned with salt" suggests deliberately including in our conversation comments which draw attention to God's plan for the great scheme of things.

3. Dealing with One Another (v.7-9). Paul doesn't stop at asking for their prayers, he takes care to supply them with information to help them to pray (v.8). "Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother" (v.9), was in fact a slave who had run away from Colossae and had come under Paul's influence in Rome. He is "one of you"; this means he is to be accepted back as if nothing had happened.

Prayer: Lord, I confess that I have stopped bothering to pray about... Draw me back to You. Give me a heart for those in need. Through Christ my Lord. Amen.

Yielding to Christ

Read Colossians 3:18-4:1

1. Where Problems Start. Most of our lives are lived in some sort of relationship with other people - at home with our families, where each member has to learn to make some sacrifices for the sake of the family as a whole; at leisure with our friends, when we get together to enjoy common activities; or at work, where employer and employee, manager and apprentice are all involved in a network of relationships. We were made to live like this, but we quickly discover that this is where most of our problems begin. Our relationships can bring us great joy, but they can also result in quarrels, misunderstandings, jealousies, and so on.

2. Where Answers Begin. The key phrases are "in the Lord" (v.18), "pleases the Lord" (v.20), "reverence for the Lord" (v.22), "serving/working for the Lord" (vs.23, 24), and, most explicitly of all, "you also have a Master" (4:1). In other words, we do not rest content with training to be better managers, studying domestic relationships, etc. We are to see all these relationships as coming under the control of Christ. We are to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21). If this principle was really put into practice it would solve many of our problems, for what too frequently becomes a collision of wills would become a common concern to know and to do the will of God.

Prayer: Lord God, You have involved so many people in the story of my life, and I am grateful; help me, in all of my relationships, to seek to do Your good and perfect will. For Jesus' sake. Amen.

Put on Love

Read Colossians 3:12-17

Here, we are called upon to do two different things - First "Put on" or "clothe" (v.12, 14); second, "Let..." (v.15,16). In the first case we have to take positive steps to do something; in the second we have a more passive part to play - we allow something to influence us. Both have their place in Christian discipleship.

1. "Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience" (v.12). Here are five qualities which, as Christians, we are to cultivate. Paul does not mean that we have to pretend to have them, putting them on like an actor's make-up. He means to cultivate them as a gardener might cultivate flowers. We are also to "put on love" (v.14). This is like the string on which the pearls are threaded; without love the Christian virtues can be an untidy, unseemly mess; with love, they are orderly, winsome, and attractive.

2. "Let the peace of Christ rule..." (v.15). We cannot in any sense contribute to this; but we can open ourselves to Jesus Christ, in prayer and in trust, so that He controls us in thought, word and deed. His peace flows from absolute confidence in God. It is not affected by changes in our circumstances or in the world round about us. Then, Paul adds, "let the word of Christ dwell..." (v.16). Again, this is a case of keeping our minds and hearts open, remembering His Word, meditating on His commands. Results are sure to follow.

Prayer: Lord God, I need Your peace in my life to enable me to live at peace with others; so give me Your love, also, for I cannot be at war with those I truly love. In the name of Christ. Amen.

Therefore...

Read Colossians 3:1-11

1. The Root of Christian Behavior. The apostle turns from matters of Christian doctrine and the special problems of the church at Colossae; now he deals with down-to-earth problems, specifically, with the question of behavior. These are not really separate subjects; they are closely linked, as verse 1 proves: "raised with Christ" means sharing all of the benefits of His death and resurrection - forgiveness, peace with God, salvation, the promise of eternal life, and so on. "(S)eek the things above" means "aim for those things which will please and honor God." To put it rather bluntly, a corpse has no appetite for the food which once nourished it - and Christians have "died" to their old, sinful way of life.
2. The Fruits of Christian Belief. So, we reach the great "therefore" of verse 5. We are to deal sternly with all kinds of evil - immorality (v.5), anger (v.8), lies (v.9) etc. Then, suddenly, Paul changes the metaphor. Instead of using the illustration of dying and rising again, he speaks instead of "putting off" the old way of life, like taking off an old suit. He then continues by urging the Colossians to "put on" the Christian life, like a new set of clothes.

Finally (v.11), Paul shows one outstanding consequence of this new life: it breaks down barriers - racial (Gentile and Jew), religious (circumcised and uncircumcised), cultural (barbarian and Scythian), and social (slave and free). Christ makes us one, whatever the accident of our birth.

Prayer: Lord God, You have given Jesus to be my Savior and my living Lord; I can do no less than to give my full allegiance to You. In the name of Christ. Amen.

A Full and Perfect Sacrifice

Read Colossians 2:16-23

The teachers of error at Colossae were saying that the the cross of Christ was not the only, complete, and final way to be forgiven and accepted by God. That argument has recurred throughout the history of the church. Whenever this argument is voiced it is generally accompanied by an insistence that various rules or laws have to be obeyed in order to gain acceptance. The argument seems to be that, if Jesus Christ did not pay the toll fee in full, then those who want to cross the bridge to reconciliation with God must pay in part themselves. In Colossae, this led to rules about what could and could not be done on the Sabbath (Sunday for the early Church), rules about what could be eaten, and when, and so on. This was, in effect, a throw-back to how the Jews had understood religion before the time of Christ. It is, essentially, a religion based on merit. It confuses actions necessary for our salvation with actions that are appropriate because of our salvation. It mistakes the fruit of faith for its root.

Merit-based religion is still very popular. It can be detected easily. Those who practice merit-based religion are very fond of doing what verse 16 forbids. Some of the taboos are listed in verse 21. They contradict the plain teaching of Jesus in Mark 7:14-23. Notice how Paul restates the point in Colossians 2:23 - keeping strict rules and regulations may appear to be a very faithful way of living the Christian life, but in fact it is without merit in terms of salvation. "I came here to escape the temptations of the flesh," said the man in the monastery. "And did you succeed?" he was asked. ""No," the man replied, "for I find that I brought myself with me when I came...".

The underlying point to get clear is that if we distort the doctrine of Christ's full, perfect and sufficient sacrifice for our sin, by either adding to it or taking something away, then we are bound to get our Christianity wrong in almost every other respect.

Prayer: O Lord, Your death was really a triumph; may something of its power be revealed in me today. Amen.

The Fullness of Christ

Read Colossians 2:8-15

Again, Paul warns about the teachers of error; their "hollow and deceptive philosophy" (v.8) came from to sources - human tradition and spiritual agencies. Ephesians 6:12 is worth looking at on this matter. There is plenty of this kind of thing about today.

The answer, once again, is the fact that Jesus Christ is absolute and supreme. In Him there is:

1. "The Fullness of the Deity" (v.9). This means that He was and is truly and fully God, even as He was truly and fully man. This is hard to explain, but it is what gives verse 14 its authority - the "bridge" rests firmly on both sides of the chasm of sin, on God and Man, and because of this, many may cross it and be saved.


2. "Fullness in Christ" (v.10). This is the other side of the coin. The same Lord Jesus Christ who is fully God is able to fill us; that is, He renews, in us, the life of God, so that we become what we were always meant to be - those who know, love, and obey our Maker. So, there is no room and no need for any other bridge between God and humanity; Jesus Christ meets every need. He can carry all of the traffic that there ever could be between sinful man and a holy God. And the toll for the crossing? Verses 12 and 14 tell us how this was paid.

Prayer: Lord, I seek the fullness of Christ in me. May I know more and more of Your life in mine. For Your glory. Amen.

Christ the Key

Read Colossians 2:1-7

1. The key to God's treasure. Paul writes, here, about those false teachers who were leading the Colossians astray (v.4). They seem to have been saying that, between man and God, there exists a series of angelic beings, and that Jesus was only one of these. But Paul is firm in his opposition. Today's English Version translates verse 3 in this way: "He is the key that opens all the hidden treasures of God's wisdom and knowledge." In other words, there may be many treasures, but there is only one key. God's treasures - love, mercy, truth, and so on - are not scattered around carelessly. Remember how Jesus warned His disciples not to "cast pearls before swine"? But these same treasures are available to anyone who uses the key.

2. The secret of God's life. Then the word-pictures change. Instead of the Christian being seen as a person with the key, opening up the storehouse of God's bounty, the Christian is seen as a living plant or a sturdy house, "rooted and established" in Jesus Christ (v.7). These two pictures appear to contradict one another, but Paul is simply using different metaphors. Mixing metaphors never bothered Paul. He simply wants to emphasize one thing , that Christians have only one source of life, that they rest on only one basis, and that is Jesus Christ Himself. When we first come to Christ we do so with simple trust and confidence; we must keep that confidence and trust as we grow in Him (v.6).

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to abound in thanksgiving as I live my life in Your strength and build my life on Your truth. Amen.

Christ in You

Read Colossians 1:24-29

Reading this passage is a little like peeling an onion. As each layer is removed another is revealed until the very heart of the text is laid bare before us. Paul leads us from one level to the next.

First Layer: Paul is suffering as a prisoner, but he knows how to rejoice (v.24).

Second Layer: in some mysterious way, Paul's suffering is part of the total of Christ's suffering for His people (v.24).

Third Layer: Christ's people are so closely related to Him tht they can be described as His "Body" (v.24).

Fourth Layer: Paul had been set apart to serve that Body (v.24).

Fifth Layer: The way Paul serves the Body of Christ is by proclaiming the Word of God (v.25).

Sixth Layer: That Word concerned something that had only recently been made known (v.26).

Seventh Layer: this new development, recently revealed, was that the Gentiles (the non-Jews) had been brought into the circle of God's grace (v.27).

Eighth Layer: the very heart of the matter - this, Word of God, was all about "Christ in you..." (v.27); not simply about Jesus as some far-off or theoretical person, but "Christ in you," that is, the tremendous truth that the Savior actually lives in every person who truly believes and trusts in Him.

This was Paul's message. It involved "warning", teaching", "toil", and "striving" (vs. 28, 29), so it wasn't likely to make Paul very popular, neither did it describe an easy life for those who accepted Jesus Christ as Lord. But, what a gift, to have Him living within you! That alone makes it possible for us to live as Christ's disciples.

Prayer: "Christ in you, the hope of glory." Lord Jesus, make Yourself so real to me today that the light of hope may shine out through all I do or say. Amen.

The Image of the Invisible God

Read Colossians 1:15-23

1. "He..." (vs.15-20). Jesus Christ is the true "image" of God (vs.15, 19); that is one reason for taking our Bible reading very seriously, since it is in the Bible that we meet Jesus. But Christ is not just some kind of carved and painted figure, like an idol or icon. See how many different things He is described as being and doing in verses 16 to 18. The most important is put last, for emphasis (v.20). It mattered more to Jesus, and it cost Him more, to "make peace" between you and God than it did to fling the stars into space and to build the universe.

2. "And you..." (vs.21-23). Christian doctrine has to do with real people in real-life situations - "you" in Colossae, in London, in New York, in Lake Jackson. The paragraph has two parts: (a) What Christ has done (vs.21,22). Again, try to pick out the highlights. There is no one else like Jesus. To be the Church is to proclaim the fulness of the Godhead in Christ. No less will do. (b) What we have to do (v.23). Our part is straight-forward - holding on to what we have been given. "Every creature under heaven" - this is obviously a figure of speech. Paul means "far and wide across the Roman Empire." The Gospel has been proclaimed far and wide. It is beginning to bear rich fruit. That is a process that continues to this day. What kind of fruit are you bearing?







Prayer: For all that Jesus is and for all that He has done, I thank You, heavenly Father. Amen.

Help for Today

Read Colossians 1:9-14

Paul had not visited Colossae - but he was often there, in his prayers. Note what Paul prays for: he outlines a program for Christian living.

1. Knowledge of God's will (v.9). Note that this is not just head-knowledge or human wisdom, it is "spiritual"; that is, it is given by God's Spirit to receptive Christians.

2. Living in God's way (v.10). This is made up of several parts: obedience, which pleases Him; good works, which are the "fruit" of His presence; and, a growing understanding of what God is like, which brings us nearer to Him.

3. Made strong with God's power (v.11). The purpose of this is not to help us to perform spectacular miracles, it is to help us to endure and to be patient. We don't usually think so much about this kind of virtue, but it's a sign of strength when we can suffer patiently, and "with joy."

4. Acknowledging God's favor (v.12). Usually, when we talk about people being qualified we are referring to their ability and their achievements; but see how, in this text, it is God who qualifies us. How? See verses 13, 14.

Prayer: Your will, Your way, Your power, Your favor, O God; let these dominate my life today. For Christ's sake. Amen.

At Colossae

Read Colossians 1:1-8

1. "At Colossae..." "Faithful brethren..." This passage gives us insight into the daily surroundings and the human relationships of the Christians in Colossae. They were under immense pressure to conform to the way of life of the vast majority of people in a city noted for its idolatry, its paganism, and its loose morality. Followers of Jesus went about their daily tasks worried about making a living, but also facing the hostility of their idol-woshipping neighbors. They also had to endure the suspicions of those who did not believe it possible both to acknowledge Jesus as Lord and to be loyal to Caesar. As "brethren" they had to take special care of one another. The Roman world could be very harsh on outsiders; there was no safety net, no Social Security. The Christians had to learn to depend upon one another.

2. "In Christ..." "saints..." The passage also emphasizes the unseen world in which they also lived. Although they lived and worked in one world, they also inhabited another. In fact, they were to take that other world with them into their everyday experience. Even as they dealt with the pressures of the day, they were to draw on the strength and grace of Jesus Christ. They were "saints," which means that they were "set apart for the purposes of God."













To what extent are we citizens of another country? As we go about the business of our lives, do we remember that we are also citizens of the Kingdom of God?


Prayer: Lord God, thank You for Jesus, and for the peace that He can bring, even in a troubled world. May I live in hope and learn to cast all of my cares upon Him. Amen.

Listen and Learn

Read Jeremiah 44:1-10

In these verses, the last of our readings from the book of the prophet Jeremiah, we have God's pronouncement against His people who were living in Egypt.

They would not listen (v.5). Again and again God's warnings had come to the people of Israel through the Law and the Prophets, but they had refused to heed and had gone on in their wicked ways. God then gives two reasons why they should have listened to His voice and turned from their sin. First, they were only punishing themselves (v.7) by bringing evil and sorrow upon the land and upon their families; and, second, they were provoking Him (v.8) and bringing punishment upon themselves for their sin.

They would not learn (v.9). The history of Israel was a long catalog of sin followed by punishment, and repentance followed by favor. Over and over again the lesson had been repeated, at individual, tribal and national level, but all to no effect. "They have not humbled themselves... nor have they feared, nor walked in My law..." (v.10). God's steady, persistent teaching had been met by a proud mind, a stubborn, hard heart, and wayward feet.

Are our failures more frequently due to the fact that we will not listen, or that we will not learn?

Prayer: Lord, open my ears to hear Your Word, my heart to receive it, and my hands to do it. For the sake of Christ my Lord. Amen.

Image: Jeremiah prophesying.

If You Ask God, Do What He Says

Read Jeremiah 43:1-13

The people were insincere. What about the solemn promise they had made (42:5,6)? Jeremiah hadn't answered them on the spur of the moment or come back to them the next day. Only "at the end of ten days" (42:7) was Jeremiah certain enough of God's will to be able to pass it on.

The people had an excuse. Jeremiah was "telling a lie" (v.2). Had he told them the truth, they would have obeyed! But that wasn't the real reason: forgetfulness of the past, fear of the present and disregard for the future made the people disobey and insist on this suicidal course of action. Further, they condemned themselves, for they broke their promise to abide by his answer "whether it is good or evil."

The people went their own way. The trek to Egypt began, an exodus in reverse. Jeremiah and Baruch went too, possibly as prisoners. But notice, God's people couldn't get away from God's word (v.8-13). Running away from a problem is no solution. And when you turn your back on what God commands, your future can never be bright! This is solemn news, but it's true. Not a glimmer of hope shows up in these verses. The prodigal son found an answer (Luke 15:18,19), but it was a step the people of Israel were not prepared to take.

Prayer: Lord, make me as ready to hear Your rebukes as I am to enjoy Your promises. For Jesus' sake. Amen.

Image: Jeremiah prophesying.

How to Make a Decision

Read Jeremiah 42:7-17

The great national temptation at this time was to find refuge in Egypt. The idea was attractive, it would put a further 200 miles and the formidable Red Sea between the Jews and the Babylonians. But such a policy, urged Jeremiah, would be fatal:

1. It took no account of the past. God had rescued His people from Egypt at tremendous cost. How could they walk back again into the trap from which they had been released?

2. It took no account of the present. If they stayed, they had the firm promise of God's protection and presence. This was better than anything Egypt could offer.

3. It took no account of the future. God had promised glorious days for His people, but how could He be expected to fulfill His promises if they deserted the country at this time?

Solving a problem often involves a conflict between what is immediately attractive and what is right (when all of the facts are taken into account). Christians are privileged in that we can often consult a seasoned saint or an established leader; we can pray about all of the relevant issues and bring to bear, on our problem, any principles that God's Word makes clear. If you have a problem, the apparently easy way out may not be the right way. Work at it.

Prayer: Lord, when decisions have to be made, give me strength to resist the temptation to take the easy way out. Amen.

Image: Destruction of Jerusalem.

How to Give Advice

Read Jeremiah 42:1-6

Bereft of their leaders, and perhaps afraid of further invasions, the officers came to Jeremiah to ask for his prayers and advice. Their mood seemed serious, their tone humble and their promises sincere. But Jeremiah appears a little cool and reserved. He doesn't welcome the deputation with open arms or great enthusiasm. If they had only listened to him in the first place, all would have been well. His answer, therefore, is conciliatory, but firm and uncompromising.

"I will pray." That was his priestly function - standing on the God-ward side to bring the needs and problems of mortals before the throne of mercy. Whenever we pray or intercede for others we are acting as priests, a function which belongs to all true believers. This is made quite clear in Revelation 1:6. To offer prayer, on behalf of others, to almighty God, is a privilege that belongs to all who own the name of Christ, not simply to those who have been ordained.

"I will tell." Here Jeremiah acts as a prophet. He has turned around now and is addressing a message to the people on behalf of God. Having represented the people to God, he now represents God to the people. As Paul puts it, "So, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us..." (II Corinthians 5:20). This, too, is a task for every Christian.

Prayer: Lord, make me faithful in the way I bring the needs of others to You in prayer; and make me faithful in speaking Your word in confidence but with humility. For Your love's sake. Amen.

Image: Jeremiah in Egypt.

True Loyalty

Read Jeremiah 39:1-14

Nebuchadnezzar's raids now became a full-scale invasion, bringing utter defeat and ruin to Zedekiah and the city of Jerusalem. It is clear that Nebuchadnezzar was well-informed about the part that Jeremiah had played in recommending surrender, and this accounts for his lenient treatment of the prophet.

And so Jeremiah became, in the eyes of the people, not only a defeatist but also a traitor - a "Quisling." But these are emotive words. "Patriotism," said Edith Cavell, "is not enough." We are subject to a higher loyalty than any country can demand. Our ultimate loyalty must always be to God.

Loyalty to the laws of God has compelled many people to stand against their national leaders. Some have paid for their opposition with their lives. No, patriotism by itself is never enough. God asks us first and foremost for loyalty to Himself and to His laws. Having said that, if we do put God first then, in the long run, we are also serving the best interests of our country. Jeremiah could have claimed to be the real patriot. He who serves God faithfully also serves his country.

Prayer: Keep me clear-sighted enough to see, O Lord, just where Your honor and Your glory lie. Amen.

Are You Willing to be Misunderstood?

Read Jeremiah 38:14-23

Have you ever found yourself in the strange position of only being really brave if you were willing to be thought a coward? True courage for Zedekiah meant refusing to fight to the end as the princes advised but, instead, following Jeremiah's counsel and surrendering without striking a blow. At heart he probably agreed with the prophet, but he was "afraid of the Jews" (v.19) and so refused to surrender the city.

The Christian must be ready for this sort of situation. Sometimes, for example, we can only really be kind by appearing to be cruel; and a person who is secretly generous often has to bear being thought of in public as mean or tight-fisted. It has in fact been said that the deepest form of humility is that which can accept without protest the charge of being proud.

It is one thing for people to misread our actions, but much harder to bear when they misunderstand our motives. Paul experienced this. People thought that his refusal to take a salary (I Corinthians 9) was due to the fact that he was not a real apostle unlike Peter, whereas all the time it was due to his desire not to be a burden to the growing Christian churches. It remains the case that loyalty to Christ is easily misinterpreted by those who do not know Him.

Prayer: Lord, help me always to be true to You, even if other think me false. For the sake of Christ my Lord. Amen.

Image: Jeremiah before King Zedekiah.

A Word in Season

Read Jeremiah 38:1-13

As a pessimist, Jeremiah was just about tolerable, but as an out-and-out defeatist it was impossible to have him around any longer! In times of war, such people were imprisoned for spreading alarm and despondency, for "weakening the hands of the soldiers", and, accordingly, Jeremiah ended up in jail.

Time would show that all along Jeremiah had been speaking in the best interests of the people; his policy would be vindicated. To brave men, surrender is always hateful in the extreme, but it is sometimes better for all concerned than fanatical and hopeless resistance.

But, of course, the point here is not that Jeremiah was giving his own counsel or advice. Indeed, he probably hated the idea of surrendering to the murderous Babylonians as much as anyone else did, but he could only say what the Lord had told him to say (v.2). He could not alter it. Israel had sinned; they had to accept what was coming to them.

It is pleasant enough when you can say what people want to hear, but as God's servant you have to speak His words whatever the reaction. True, in the end there is always good news to proclaim; there is a remedy that is wonderful to hear; but it is a remedy that can only be received by those who have admitted their need, and pocketed their pride.

Prayer: Save me, O Lord, from watering down Your message out of fear of what others may say or think. For Your love's sake. Amen.

Image: Jeremiah in the pit.

God's Word Unfettered

Read Jeremiah 36:11-26

There is something faintly amusing about Jehoiakim solemnly cutting Jeremiah's prophecy into pieces and throwing it into the fire. It's a little like King Canute sitting on the shore ordering the tide not to come in. The Word of God cannot be fettered or chained; neither can it be destroyed. The Word of God "abides forever" (I Peter 1:25), as King Jehoiakim found out, to his cost.

Throughout history there have been "Jehoiakims". Think back to the time when the English Bible was publicly burned by those who wanted its message to remain obscure and unknown. Or, what about Spain in the days of the Inquisition, or Eastern Europe under communism? Sadly, the same conditions exist for many Christians in Moslem lands. A new threat has emerged in recent years in militant secularism. In some places, sections of the Bible are regarded as hate-speech. A prominent actor declared, recently, that he always removes certain sections from Leviticus from the Gideon Bibles he finds in his hotel rooms, because he does not agree with the content. There are still those who believe that they can shackle the Word of God.

Why are the Jehoiakims of the world doomed to failure in the long run? Why has the Bible survived for so long? The answer is that the power of the Bible comes from God. For millions of people the Bible is the only book which answers the searching questions in the heart of every man and woman. As long as these questions remain (which will be as long as human beings exist), there will continue to be a hunger for the truths which the Bible contains, and an unceasing demand for it. Despite what people say about it, and despite its woeful neglect by some councils of the modern church, the Bible will remain what it has been throughout the centuries, the most powerful and the most precious book in the world. How could it be any other way, since the Bible is God's self-revelation, it is the Word that points to the Word-made-flesh, in Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord God, for all those who have given their lives to preserve and promote Your Word. Help me to value the privilege and freedom that they have bought for me. In the name of Christ, my Lord. Amen.

Image: Jehoiakim burns Jeremiah's prophecy.

God's Word Must Speak

Read Jeremiah 36:1-10

Exasperated by Jeremiah's apparent defeatism, the authorities had obviously banned him from making any further public statements. Now the only way he could get his message across was through his faithful secretary, Baruch.

Jeremiah's enterprise. Here was a man burdened with a tremendous message for his people. Prevented from speaking, Jeremiah went into print, so to speak, a simple but effective method of accomplishing his task. Paul faced a similar problem and overcame it. See II Timothy 2:9, God's Word cannot be chained or muzzled.

Where there is a will, a way can be found to transmit the Gospel. History is full of stories of men and women who risked their lives in an attempt to bring the message to those who needed to hear it. Death is better than a guilty silence.

Baruch's courage. Many secretaries remain anonymous, some do not wish to be identified with their bosses' opinions. Baruch was not like that. He stood shoulder to shoulder with Jeremiah. He was willing to speak Jeremiah's message, and to share his fate (v.19,26). He joins that great army of "second violins", people like Aaron, Jonathan, John the Baptist, and Silas. These were the men whose loyalty and devotion made the work of others possible.

Prayer: Lord, make me willing to play the second fiddle if necessary in order to make the Gospel known. For Jesus' sake. Amen.

Image: Jeremiah and Baruch.

Head or Heart?

Read Jeremiah 31:27-34

There are really only two kinds of religion, however many there may seem to be.

1. There is religion based on head-knowledge. Jeremiah points back to when God had given the Israelites His commandments (v.32). From then on, they knew (with their heads) what was right and what was wrong. Whatever God had said, "you shall..." was right, and whatever He had said, "you shall not..." was wrong. Many Christian people today live by a code that goes something like this: "You shall help your neighbor, be faithful to your husband or wife, give your children a good start in life, do your duty to God," and so on. The trouble is, with the best will in the world, they break their own rules (v.32).

2. There is religion based on heart-knowledge. When Jeremiah talked about the "new covenant" (v.31), he was looking ahead to the cross of Calvary. Read Matthew 26:28 where Jesus claims that His blood is the sign of a new covenant - a new way of knowing God. Now, notice: Christ's way is not just a matter of obeying new rules and trying one's best. As a Christian, I have the Lord in my heart! Now, read Jeremiah 31:33 and 34, and ask yourself whether this is your kind of religion.

Prayer: I pray, Lord, for all who have never invited Christ into their hearts. Show them the true and living way; through the blood of Jesus. Amen.

Image: Moses and the Ten Commandments - the Old Covenant.

Pessimism or Sanctified Realism?

Read Jeremiah 31:1-9

Gloomy old prophet? Jeremiah deserves the title no more than Winston Churchill did in the 1930's, when he foresaw the situation which was to develop into World War II. There is a world of difference between a gloomy defeatist and a perceptive strategist; between a pessimist and a realist; and Jeremiah was a realist. Look where it took him in today's reading.

To a beaten and penitent people there was something even better than the promises of material prosperity, and that was that God still loved them "with an everlasting love" (v.3). That sounded good, but what did it mean? Surely, God could never be with them again as He had been in the past? Why, yes! God was not going to send them back to their beloved homeland, but bring them Himself (v.8) and lead them (v.9). How wonderful! But once they were resettled, would He not then leave them to get along as best they could? They could hardly expect God to take full responsibility for them after the way they had let Him down. not so; for this amazing God, whom they had so often disobeyed and deserted, would again be a Father (v.9) and a Shepherd (v.10) to them. This really was good news. Jeremiah saw beyond the pain to the promise.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You for the promise that, despite my failures, You will continue in Your faithfulness to me. For such amazing grace I give You praise. Through Christ my Lord. Amen.

Image: Jeremiah proclaims jubilation.

Making the Best of Difficult Circumstances

Read Jeremiah 29:1-14

The threatened invasion had now begun and some of the nation's leaders had been taken captive. We can imagine the misery and heartache, so vividly captured in the words of Psalm 137 as "by the rivers of Babylon" the people sat down and wept, hanging their harps on the willow trees and singing songs of Zion no more.

Then, suddenly, there arrived this extraordinary letter from that gloomy old prophet who was still, apparently, prowling the streets of deserted, war-ravaged Jerusalem. Instead of advocating a policy of non-cooperation, as they might have expected, he argued in favor of reconciliation and integration. Instead of prophesying a short, sharp exile, Jeremiah spoke of a period longer than two generations. What were they to make of it? Happily, the letter ended on a more optimistic note, with the promise that God had a timetable and a plan to which He was working.

That many took Jeremiah's advice, to their own advantage and that of Babylon, we can see from reading the book of Daniel. But what is the lesson for us? Simply, that there are situations in which God places us which may not be what we really want, but which we can learn to accept, and from which we can profit. We must not always be thinking of the next vacation, the next job, or how to get out of the situation in which we find ourselves. Paul says as much in I Corinthians 7:17-24. Perhaps it is, indeed true, that we should bloom where we are planted.

Prayer: Give me, Lord, the strength to change what needs to be changed; the patience to accept what cannot be changed; and the wisdom to know the difference. Through Christ my Lord. Amen.

Image: Rivers of Babylon

Living Courageously

Read Jeremiah 26:1-15

In the early part of his ministry, Jeremiah's difficult task was made easier by the support he must have enjoyed from King Josiah; but now he was faced with a very different ruler in King Jehoiakim, who had inherited little or none of his father's faith, or his reforming zeal. What Jeremiah was now called upon to do required the very greatest courage.

God's prophet knows what he has to say. It seems that Jeremiah preached twice, repeating his sermon chiefly for the benefit of the royal princes (v.12) who do not appear to have been present on the earlier occasion. His message was simple, clear and uncompromisingly candid. "Obey God and the nation will be saved; continue as you are doing, and He will be compelled to destroy you."

God's prophet knows what he has to be. The message was clear, but what about the man? First, Jeremiah obviously lived close to God. They met together as friends, and God was able to give His message to Jeremiah personally. Secondly, he spoke from deep conviction ("in truth", v.15). He was not simply saying what he had to say, but speaking with passionate sincerity from the heart. Thirdly, notice his complete lack of self-regard ("as for me", v.14). Let them do what they will, his only concern was to be utterly faithful to God. Can you see how these different points apply to our work as witnesses for Christ?

Prayer: Lord, give me the sort of courage, faithfulness, and sincerity that Jeremiah demonstrated in his life. For the sake of Christ my Lord. Amen.

Image: Jeremiah prophesying.

Fake Religion

Read Jeremiah 23:23-40

The false prophets who surrounded Jerusalem were guilty of three sins:

1. Complacency (v.23-25). They imagined that they were out of sight of God. But there is nowhere that can hide from Him (Psalm 139:7-12). No place on earth is "God-forsaken", but to Him "all hearts are open... and from Him no secrets are hid."

2. Conceit (v.26-32). Deliberately, they gave the people their own ideas instead of the Word of God. As a result, the people forgot the true God (v.27); they went to pieces both morally and spiritually (v.32). There are still preachers and teachers like that today who give their own views on life rather than God's Word. When that Word is preached, it really does something. Look at verse 29. It burns like a fire into the conscience; and it breaks hardened hearts into pieces, like a hammer.

3. Cynicism (v.33-40). The question in verse 33 is asked sarcastically: "Well, Jeremiah, and what has God got to say to us today?" This superficial, cynical approach to the message of the living God brought an immediate and stinging rebuke. "You are the subject of God's message today," Jeremiah was told to reply, "and for you, because of your attitude towards Him, there can only be expulsion from His presence and everlasting shame." God has no time for this, or any other kind of sham. He wants leaders who are genuine and true.

Prayer: Save me, O Lord, from giving my ideas, when all the time people are hungry to know Your Word and Your way. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Image: Jeremiah weeping.

False Shepherds

Read Jeremiah 23:9-22

Jeremiah resumes his attack on the leaders of the nation, but this time he turns his attention to the prophets and the priests. It is their turn to be subjected to God's wrath, and the charge against them is twofold.

1. Corrupt lives (v.9-15). Instead of setting an example to the ordinary men and women, the religious leaders became ungodly. They gave way to greed, impurity, dishonesty, and every kind of sin. In Samaria, perhaps, such things were to be expected, but surely not in Jerusalem! There is a saying, "Like priest like people." It means that the standards of ordinary Christians will never be higher than those practiced and maintained by the spiritual leaders of the country. This is true today.

2. False doctrine (v.16-22). They did not preach what God told them to preach, but instead gave their own opinions and ideas, colored by what they imagined the people wanted to hear. Such preaching, carrying no authority and proceeding from sinful hearts and minds, could not but be fatally misleading. It was denounced in the most scathing terms by Jeremiah.

We all teach to a greater or lesser extent, not least in our families and personal relationships. Only the life which loves God's Word as well as speaks it is truly effective in the work of the Kingdom.

Prayer: O Lord, save me from speaking about You without seeking Your guidance or without living under Your law. Amen.

True and False Shepherds

Read Jeremiah 23:1-8

The Faithless Shepherds (v.1,2). These men are not the prophets and priests (Jeremiah has something to say about them a little later on), they are the civil leaders of the land. As always, when the leaders are corrupt, the common people suffer most. Many of them had become scattered among the neighboring nations. "You have not bestowed care on them" is a terrible indictment to be brought against a leader at any level.

The Reliable Shepherds (v.4). God would have mercy on His people, and a time would come when a remnant would emerge, as had happened in the past. Men like Nehemiah and Ezra would bring security and prosperity where, at the moment, there was only poverty and fear.

The Ideal Shepherd (v. 5,6). It was customary to look back to David as the ideal leader and ruler, but in fact he was only the prototype of One who was still to come - "The Lord is our Righteousness." Notice two of the marks of His reign. He will "deal wisely" and His people will "dwell securely". These two things really go together. The wise ruler brings peace and confidence to his people. Those who submit their lives to Christ find how true this is in a spiritual sense. In His wisdom lies our security.

Prayer: I thank You for Your leadership, Lord Jesus. Give me Your wisdom, so that I might meet whatever life brings me today. For Your love's sake. Amen.

Image: The Good Shepherd

God has a Plan for You

Read Jeremiah 18:1-12

Made, marred, and mended (v.1-4). That is a concise spiritual history of mankind; and that is precisely what this acted parable is intended to teach. Made, in the first place in the image of God, to love and serve Him, we were marred by sin. But God did not leave things there. He offered to mend us. That is why, in the New Testament, we find Jesus' emphasis on new birth (John 3), and why Paul tells us that "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation" (II Corinthians 5:17).

Israels' refusal to go God's way had put her on a collision course with judgment - unless she changed her attitude she was scheduled for destruction as surely as unworkable clay would be reduced to a shapeless mass by the potter's hands. Re-read verses 6-11. The ability to avoid judgment was theirs (11b, 12). This lesson still has to be learned. You can't play around with God.

But God is constructive, not destructive. What sort of vessel does He wish to turn us into? See II Timothy 2:20,21. We shall not all be alike, but that is because in a "great house" as is the Kingdom of God, there are functions for vessels of many kinds. But when God wants to use us for any purpose, He does not say, "How much did this cost?", but, "Is it clean?" What interests Him most is not whether we are silver, but whether we will serve.

Prayer: Lord, make me a vessel which You can use in whatever service You have planned for me. Amen.

Heart Disease

Read Jeremiah 17:1-10

Notice the times in which the word "heart" is mentioned. When the Bible speaks of the heart, it doesn't usually mean the muscular organ that pumps blood around our bodies, it refers to the center of our personality, what has been called "the parliament of our lives."

The heart records sin (v.1). Others may never know what sins we have committed, but they leave permanent scars like bullet marks on a wall, on our inner lives. Sin leaves wounds which hurt.

The heart commits sin (v.5), because it governs our behavior. As we incline our heart, so we live and so we behave (Proverbs 23:7).

The heart produces sin (v.9), because basically it is tainted and corrupt, and no good thing can flow from it. Read Mark 7:21.

But God (ah, what a phrase), like some great heart specialist, understands the heart as no one else can (v.10). He alone can test it, diagnose it, and cure its complaint.

Verses 7 and 8 provide a refreshing contrast to this theme. Here, in a poetic form, the one who fears and loves God is described: a person with faith rooted deeply in the person of God; having rich supplies of nourishment from the water of His Word; possessing a calm, evergreen witness, providing shade and shelter for the passer by; producing abundant fruit in the form of Christian virtue and service.

Could your Christian witness be described as evergreen?

Help me daily, Lord, to draw from Your fullness all that my emptiness requires. By grace alone; in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Image: Jeremiah at the gate.

God's Personal Possession

Read Jeremiah 13:1-11

The "linen belt" that Jeremiah was told to go and purchase (v.1) was the garment most closely associated with a man, and it also possessed a certainly priestly significance. It was meant to represent, therefore, a people who had been bought by God for His own personal possession, and who were living close to Him day by day.

In the ordinary course of events, the linen belt, after having been worn for a time would become soiled and need to be washed. The water normally used for this purpose is intended to represent the repentance and cleansing by which Israel might be forgiven and restored; but since she had persistently refused this provision made by God, the prophet was told specifically not to dip it in the water (v.1), but to go and conceal it in a cleft of a rock by the river.

Here it seems to have been left for quite a considerable time (v.6), until in the end the prophet was told to go and recover it. When he did so, he found it very much the worse for wear and, in fact, "ruined and completely useless" (v.7).

And so, because His people had refused the normal process of restoration, God would have to send them into exile. This would not last forever, but when, "many days later," God came to their rescue, they would be but a tattered remnant of their former greatness and glory.

Lord, help me to listen the first time You speak to me in rebuke or warning, and never refuse to hear Your words. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Image: Jeremiah hiding his linen belt

The Point of No Return

Read Jeremiah 8:4-13

The apostasy of the people at this time was far worse than during the periods of backsliding that they had gone through in the past. These had generally ended in national repentance and renewal; but this time it was different. The power to turn seemed to have gone. Their 'homing instinct,' the spiritual equivalent of that which enables migrant birds to return home, had broken down. "They refuse to return."

In our generation we can see another consequence of rejecting God. True wisdom is lost. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom", but in places where He is rejected, it isn't long before history is doctored, art is perverted, and knowledge is willfully misused.

In our last study we saw the shamelessness of the people; in this passage we see more evidence of spiritual decline. The people have become complacent (v.11). They refuse to look facts in the face. The threat to their national security is glossed over and ignored. Could they have said, with some of today's pundits, "The international situation has nothing to do with religion, that's a private affair. We don't expect any major incidents to occur"? In Jeremiah's day, as in ours, commentators must have been quick to come up with all sorts of plausible explanations for their problems. They probably had a bucketful of remedies, too. What they did not have, and what is sadly lacking today, was the courage to call sin by its name. In their diligence not to offend, they offended the Law of God. But their posturing could never work. Prognosis requires accurate diagnosis. You can't supply a remedy for a disease you refuse to acknowledge.

Grant, O Lord, that however badly I may fail, I will never reach the point of no return, and that I will never call my sin by any other name. In the name of Christ my Lord. Amen.

Image: Judgment

Belief Governs Behavior

Read Jeremiah 6:9-21

You sometimes hear people say, "I don't think it matters too much what people believe, as long as they behave decently." But this is nonsense. It is beyond dispute that behavior springs from belief. You cannot divorce life from your fundamental beliefs. Creed and conduct must go hand-in-hand.

In our last study we saw that the people's religion had collapsed and they had given way to idolatry. In other words, their worship was all wrong. It was misdirected! So, it's not surprising to discover that their walk (v.16) had gone wrong, too. They refused to listen to God's voice (v.10), and even when He spoke in a voice of thunder (v.17) they still paid no attention. They were determined to go their own way and to have done with God's Law. As a result, we find them consumed by greed and jealousy (v.13). Corrupt conduct will always follow corrupt faith.

It would not have been so bad if they had been at all concerned about their behavior (v.15). But they had reached the stage where their consciences seemed dead. In Paul's frightening words, "they have become callous and have given themselves up to... practice every kind of uncleanness" (Ephesians 4:19).

O Lord, I ask that, to the very end of my life, whenever that may be, that You will preserve in me a sense of shame at sin. For Your love's sake. Amen.

Image: The Shame of Adam and Eve.

Forsaking God

Read Jeremiah 2:1-13

Two very serious charges are leveled against the people of Israel. You will find them in verse 13.

1. They had forsaken their God. They are reminded of the wonderful 'honeymoon' (v.2) they enjoyed with the Lord in the old days. But their love for Him had quickly cooled. The old, eager question, "Where is the Lord?" as they constantly sought His presence is no longer heard. Now that He had rescued them from Egypt and established them in the Promised Land, God was quietly left out of their national life.

Does God mean all to you that once He did?


2. They had changed their God. If a nation abandons God it must fill its life with something else instead. For many years, materialism, nationalism, and humanism have been the preferred substitutes for the Christian God: things to live for, which make the minimum of moral demands and call for no faith in anything greater than the human intellect. In more recent years the spiritual vacuum has been filled, increasingly, by Islam. And so, the second charge which God brought against His people through the words of the prophet Jeremiah was that they had "changed their God" (v.11). For the one, true, living God whom they had been taught to serve and worship, they had substituted the false gods and idols of the nations all around them; instead of spiritual worship they practiced idolatry.

Have we abandoned our spiritual heritage? Does God rule your life, or do you live by another standard?

Rekindle in my heart, O Lord, the love I had for you at the first; may I lose no chance of seeking You in prayer and in Your Word. For the sake of Christ my Lord. Amen.

Image: Manasseh's idolatry

"I am with you."

Read Jeremiah 1:13-19

Jeremiah's preparation began with two visual aids. The almond tree may have looked dead (v.11), but just as there was life within, so God, who appeared to be disinterested or simply unaware of what was going on in the country, was actually very interested and was watching events closely.

The seething cauldron in the north (v.13) stood for Babylon, the regional power rising into even greater prominence at that time; and it was from this quarter that the new threat would come. The invasion would be God's judgment on the idolatry which still riddled Judah despite King Josiah's reforms.

In verses 18 and 19 there is a vivid description of how God would fortify His timid servant. It reminds me of Churchill's fine description of Anthony Eden at the time of his resignation over the policy of appeasement before World War II. "There seemed one strong young figure standing up against the long, dismal, drawling tides of drift and surrender, of wrong measurements and feeble impulses... He seemed at this moment to embody the life-hope of the British nation..." That was how Jeremiah was intended to stand for God - a bulwark against the swirling waters of evil. That is how we should stand.

Have there been times when you have had to stand alone like that, and have succeeded, because God has said, "I am with you" (v.19)?

O Lord, make me a fortified city in which others can find refuge, an iron pillar to which they can cling, bronze walls behind which they can shelter, not in my strength but in Yours; through Christ my Lord. Amen.

Image: the city of Babylon.

God Chooses the Right Person

Read: Jeremiah 1:1-12



Jeremiah, a shy, retiring young man of perhaps twenty years of age was reluctant to enter public life as a spokesman for the Lord. He shrank from the prospect with fear and misgiving, pleading the fact that he was no sort of a speaker and was too young for the task (v.6). But the Lord dealt with Jeremiah's problems. "Gods commands are His enablings", and He never calls a person to undertake a task for which He will not supply the necessary power.

Has God's call come to you, as it did to Jeremiah, to witness for Him at school, at the plant, or in the office? Does it mean that you have to oppose what is wrong, or to stand up openly for what you know to be right? It may involve you, as it involved Jeremiah, in loneliness, opposition, or hostility.

Perhaps, too, the excuses which Jeremiah made have already occurred to you - "I'm too young, and anyway I wouldn't know what to say." Perhaps you have been tempted, as no doubt he was, to "go underground", to become a loyal but secret disciple.

If all this seems to fit your particular circumstances, don't despair, but be encouraged! Jeremiah's God is your God, and if He has called you into the front line of His service, He will not leave you unarmed or ill-equipped.

Lord God, give me the words to speak and the power to stand firm. In Christ my Lord. Amen.

Image: the Call of Jeremiah.