United In Christ · Growing In Grace · Reaching Out In Love

Sunday Morning Sermon Summary 

Pastor Paul Lundberg

PLEA BARGAINS: (Part One) “Guilty as Charged” Jeremiah 1:16

Sunday, September 7, 2008

POINT: The more things change, the more they stay the same.

ME/WE:    Political Conventions, similarities to the other dozen conventions I’ve watched.

                  “Call for change” One group calls it change, the other, reform, both call for it – always have, never happens

GOD:    Jeremiah 1:16  I (God) will pronounce my judgments on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made.

Jeremiah and Josiah Jeremiah prophesied in the years before destruction by the Babylonians

(King) Josiah ordered massive changes, …read the account of the first Passover (2 Chr 34)

Nothing worse than trying to reform people who won’t be reformed!

The Charges

1. “forsaking me” (Married and divorced, left me)

        Man has become the center of the universe

        Science and reason are the only paths to truth 

        Answering the questions of meaning, significance, and truth for myself

2. “burning incense to other gods” (In love with someone new, took up with someone else)

        “freedom”, “rights” (without responsibility), philosophies that make sense without God

3. “worshipping what their hands have made” (Self-reliant)

        New forms of “worship”, watered down, “sympathetic, empathetic” – maybe just pathetic –theology. Idols: personal achievement, companies, houses, cars, boats, planes, symbols of success, Foster have and have-nots, gap widening between rich and poor,

SO WHAT? The only change God will accept is a lasting, personal spirit of obedience.

              Josiah’s changes were radical to a fault but they were temporary.  God honored Josiah’s personal faithfulness but carried out justice on the nation. A devoted religious leader didn’t change the heart of a people who refused to be reformed.

WE must have the wisdom to seek solutions that will bring about lasting change.

YOU:    (Small Group study)

              Called to CHANGE MYSELF: Walk the talk, claim the power of God over inadequacies

              Called CHANGE MY CULTURE: Proclaim fearlessly the “oracles” of God

MOVEMENT defines history.  The point of history is to remember and move on/up.

WHAT NOW?   Is lasting change is possible? How?

 Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." Go! Make disciples…of all nations!

Jeremiah prophesied in the years before destruction by the Babylonians

Jesus before the destruction of the temple by the Romans

         (“weeping prophet”, “man of sorrows, acquainted with grief”)

Jeremiah 1:17-19 "Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land — against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the Lord.

 Matthew 16:17-20 "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.  And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."  

Legend:

Green: Mission and Vision
Blue: Illustrations and quotes
Red: Scripture

Note to the visitor:  These are Pastor Paul’s sermon notes from Sunday Morning.  They probably won’t make much sense if you weren’t in the service.  Feel free to contact Pastor Paul if you’d like more detailed information.
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