Learning From God's Judgments - Nathan Rages

The OT prophet books contain lengthy passages describing the punishments that God would bring upon people for their sins.  Some examples are Jer. 13:12-19, 15:1-9, and 16:1-13.  

So what are the main lessons we can learn from these kinds of Scriptures?

1. God must always punish sin. 

2. God’s patience will eventually run out.

3. God always fulfills His threats. 

4. Most people are unmoved by God’s warnings.

SIN: Its Ugly Reality and God's Gracious Solution - Nathan Rages

This is a sermon about the subject of SIN, drawn from the book of Jeremiah:

1. Descriptions of sin (Jer. 2:11,34, 5:8,28, 7:6-10, 9:2-5, 17:11,19-27, 22:13).

2. Universality of sin (Jer. 6:13, Is. 53:6, Rom. 3:23).

3. Irrationality of sin (Jer. 7:31, 44:18).

4. Power of sin (Jer. 5:23, 9:13-14,25-26, 11:7-8, 13:23, 16:12, 17:1,9-10, Matt. 15:19-20).

5. Grace for sinners (Matt. 1:21):

     Changed heart (Jer 31:33).

     Complete forgiveness (Jer. 31:34).

Living Waters or Broken Cisterns? - Nathan Rages

“Has a nation changed gods When they were not gods? But My people have changed their glory For that which does not profit. .... For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water." Jer. 2:11,13

Applications to ourselves:

1. Don’t give up your glory. 

2. Treasure the “fountain of living waters”.

3. Reject all substitute cisterns.  

7 Facts About False Prophets - Nathan Rages

One of the greatest difficulties for God's true prophets like Jeremiah was contending with the many *false* prophets in the land.  This situation is described in Jer. 23:9-32, from which we can easily make application to our own situation in America.    

False prophets:

1. Cause confusion about God’s Word (v9,21,28).

2. Like to give positive messages (v14,17,19-20,22, Jer. 6:14).

3. Enjoy greater popularity (Jer. 5:30-31, Isa. 30:10, 2Tim. 4:1-4).

4. Are both deceived and deceiving (v26, Jer. 14:14, 1Kgs. 22:22, Matt. 15:14, 2Tim 3:13).

5. Live sinful lives (v11,14, Jer. 6:13, Isa. 28:7, Zeph. 3:4, 1Pet. 2:1-3).

6. Destroy their followers (v1-2,16,27,32).

7. Will be punished by God (v12,15,30, Jer. 28:16-17, Jer. 29, James 3:1).

Hopefully this study will cause us to:

1. Prize the truth.

2. Learn our Bibles well.

3. Delight in the Lord Jesus as the perfect prophet and ultimate revealer of God. 

Suffering in the Lord's Service - Nathan Rages

As we continue our series focusing on the OT prophets, we consider the six ways that they suffered as they served the Lord:

1. Rejected message (Jer. 7:27, 25:3, 36:1-23).

2. Verbal insults (Jer. 15:10, 20:7-8, 43:2).

3. Secret conspiracies (Jer. 11:19-21, 18:18, 20:10).

4. Family disruption (Jer. 16:1).

5. Emotional distress (Jer. 6:11, 8:18-21, 20:14-18).

6. Physical abuse (Jer. 20:1-2, 32:2-3, 37:14-16, 38:4-6).

These same categories of suffering can then be applied: 

1. To Christ.

2. To preachers.

3. To all believers.