This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "In The Mist Of Bad God Promises Good", 9/28/2014

IN THE MIST OF BAD, GOD PROMISES GOOD

 

Jeremiah 33:1-11

 

ALWAYS BE OPEN TO A WORD FORM THE LORD

V:1. " While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him a second time."

 A. In the mist of our troubles, God wants to communicate with us.

     1. When you are going through trouble, you may not see the end, but God does.

     2. God will not leave you comfortless.

 B. In  troubled times, keep your focus on the Lord.

     1. Study the Word of God daily.

     2. Through your studies, God will reveal to you what  He wants you to do.

     3. It is the Word that gives comfort and assurance in times of trouble.

 

V:2 "This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it — the Lord is his name."

 A. We must continue  reminding ourselves that God is in control of our circumstances.

     1. We must keep our focus on the truth;  the earth is the Lord's and the fullness

          there of. 

     2. God is able to take care of all our needs according to His will

 B. God uses us and the circumstances He places us in to build up the body of Christ.

     1. Someone is always watching and can be encouraged by how we handle ourselves.

     2. God is the creator and the supreme authority who use us to benefit others.

     3. The  more times you open your Bible, the more times God will speak to you.

    

CALL ON THE LORD IN ALL TIMES

 V:3.  "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

 A. Prayer is the believers way to communicate with the Lord.

     1. God commands  believers to pray without ceasing.  1 Thes 5:17

     2. God has all knowledge.

     3. God is omniscience.

     4. You will never get to the point where you know everything about God.

 B. Everything we need to know is in the Word.

    1. God promises to answer our prayers.  John 15:7

    2. The prayers of the righteous does much good.

    3. Jesus said whatever you ask the Father in His name will be done for you.

 C.  There are some things that God has not given us  an understanding of.

     1.There are some things that God has not brought to our attention, that we do

         not know about.

     2. There are some things that we have not studied that we need an understanding of.

 D. God has some great things He want us to know.

     1. Our minds are finite.

     2. God chooses the time when He will take us into a higher knowledge of Him.

 E. God has some things that He wants us to know that we cannot find out on our own.

    1. There are some things that God causes to happen to us that we cannot conceive,

        that is in our best interest.

    2. When we submit ourselves to God's service, He will get us involved  in some

        things that are unimaginable that bring Him Glory.

 

PAY ATTENTION TO THE PROPHIES OF GOD

V:4-5 " For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege ramps and the sword 5 in the fight with the Babylonians: 'They will be filled with the dead bodies of the men I will slay in my anger and wrath. I will hide my face from this city because of all its wickedness."

 A. The God we serve is longsuffering, but true to His Word.

      1. Sometimes God is long on keeping His promises when it comes to punishment.

         a. The Children of Israel had been disobedient since God gave the law to Moses.

         b. In the law was a promise of prosperity if they kept the Law and a promise of

             punishment if they fail to keep the law (1500 BC).

 B. The time was at hand when God wrath fell on Israel  (600 BC).

     1. God sent the Babylonians to destroy their houses, their city and the temple.

     2. God is in control of your enemies and any action that succeed against you.

     3. The one thing you don't want God to do, is turn His face away from you.

     4. You are playing with fire when you continue to disobey God.

     5. You may get away with sin today, but tomorrow is not promised.

 

HEALING IS IN THE WORD

 V:6 "Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security."

 A. It is a good thing that God's promises do not depend on our obedience.

     1. What God promised for the nation of Israel took place, and there were

            some casualties.

        2. Most of the promises that God made to Israel were not individual but national.

            a. God made both individual promises and national promises.

            b. A whole generation of Israelites died in the desert and did not enter the

                promise land.

            c. God grew up another generation in the desert that did enter the promise land.

    B. It was Israel's sin that angered God and resulted in 70 years of captivity.

        1. At the time of God's wrath on Israel, He promised their restoration.

        2. Many Israelites died doing the war and the 70 year captivity, but a remnant survived

            and were restored to the promise land.

        3. Israel's sin took them into captivity, but God's love brought them out.   

 

This next series of verses may cover three different time frames.

  1. The immediate return of Israel from the 70 year captivity in Babylonia

  2. Birth of the Jesus in the flesh.

      a. His death and resurrection.

      b. The beginning of the present Church age with Jesus as Lord and Savior.

 3. The rapture of the Church

     a. The 1000 year reign of Christ

     b. The new heaven and new earth.

 

GOD PROMISES RESTORATION

 V:7. " I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before."

 A. After the 70 year period of chastisement, Israel was restored to the promise land.

     1. The city of Jerusalem was rebuilt.

     2. The walls around the city was rebuilt.

     3. The Temple was rebuilt.

 B. Israel again worshipped God in  the promise land.

     1. This period of restoration did not last long, before Israel began disobeying

          God's commands.

     2. Israel fell under Roman occupation before the birth of Christ.

 

THE POWER OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS

V:8. " I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me."

 A. Israel and all believers are cleanse from their sins by the blood Jesus shed on the

      cross.

 B. The atonement of sins come only through the blood of Jesus Christ

      1. This present age of Grace began with the death of Jesus on the cross.

      2. Our faith in Jesus created a new creature in us.

      3. We now belong to Christ. He is our Lord and Savior.

 

A NEW CREATION IN CHRIST

 V:9. " Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it."

 A. In Christ a new creation is born,

     1. In Christ a new Israel is born.

         a. This new Israel includes all who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

 B. It is in Christ Jesus that we bring praise and honor to God the Father.

     1. Peace with the Father is obtained by our faith in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ.

     2. The joy we have originates from the heart because of the love of Jesus.

          a. God so loved the world that He gave His Son as a sacrifice for our sins.

 C. Prosperity in life comes through being a good steward of the gifts and talents

     God gives us through the power of the Holy Spirit.

 D. Awe from those who are outside the body of Christ come because of our

      ability to handle the trials and tribulations of life with peace and joy in our

      hearts.

 

JESUS THE BRIDE GROOM

V:10-11. "This is what the Lord says: 'You say about this place, "It is a desolate waste, without men or animals." Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither men nor animals, there will be heard once more  11 the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord, saying, "Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; his love endures forever." For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,' says the Lord. "

 A. The Church is the bride and Christ is the bride groom.

     1. Before the coming of the bride groom, cities were spiritually desolate.

     2. Man was a waste dump or all kinds of sins.

     3. Without Christ, none can claim the righteousness of God.

B. In this present age of Grace, the Church is being prepared as the bride of Christ.

    1. Our sins are washed in the blood of Jesus Christ.

    2. We are cleanse by the Words of Christ through the indwelling power of the

        Holy Spirit.

C. When we reflect on the goodness of  God, we are able to give Him thanks and praise.

    1. Through the enlightenment of the Word, we realize that the Lord is good

         all the time and His mercy endures forever.

    2. During the millennium the fortunes of Israel will be restored.  Rev 20:4-7

    3. After the millennium, God will create  a new heaven and  new earth

        a. All believers will be in heaven in God's prepared place forever. Rev 21:1-2

 

ARE YOU READY TO BE THE BRIDE OF JESUS?

 

Rev M Mitchell, Asst Pastor of GMBC