Scroll down to see and play Audio.
Happy weekend to you my ‘Walking with Jesus” friends,
Normally in the past these December weekends have probably been filled with Christmas gatherings, Christmas church concerts, trips to big cities to see Christmas decorations, and perhaps travel to family for Christmas. But oh so much is different this December 2020 due to the global Coronavirus Pandemic. I wonder how different your Christmas will be this year?
Of course we are not the first generation to face such challenges, are we? 80 years ago the world was being drawn into the great second world war, and that changed life for a huge majority of the world’s population.
100 years ago the world was recovering from two global crises: the 1st World War (1914-1918) which is estimated to have resulted in 15-20 million deaths and 23 million wounded. And then came the deadliest of all global health pandemics, the “Spanish Flu”. This “Spanish Flu” swept the world infecting 1 of every 3 people and killing an estimated 50 million people in just over one years time (1918-1919). Pause for just a moment and think about what it would have been like to be alive, anywhere in the world, in those traumatic years.
What if it were possible for you and me to have stood in the throne room of God, and along with Jesus look down at planet earth, watching the human race being decimated by a horrific world war and a global, deadly, flu pandemic? What questions would you ask Jesus and what answers do you imagine He would give. as more than 100 million people were killed or their lives horribly altered in those few terrible years?
Our courageous friend Mr. Jeremiah has been calling us to hear how God speaks in times of despair. Today, join me in Jeremiah chapter 6. Listen to these painful words from God: “To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to Me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the LORD is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.” (Jeremiah 6:10).
My “Walking with Jesus” friends, as you look around your part of our world, do these words of God sadly apply all too well in December 2020? Are the ears of most people apparently closed to any Word from God? In fact, does it appear God’s Truth, God’s moral standards, are offensive to people in your city, your society? Do you see people not only refusing God’s truth for themselves but going to great lengths to assure God’s Truth is NOT in the schools, or not part of health care, or not honored in courtrooms or judicial debates where laws are being made for your city or society?
And what do you think God should do when a city or nation or our world comes to such a place of wholesale rejecting God and refusing to hear Him?
God continues to speak to us through Jeremiah, listen: “From the least to the greatest all people are greedy for gain, prophets and priests alike all practice deceit…Peace, peace, they say, when there is no peace.” (Jer. 6:13,14) So again I ask us to look around the part of the world where you live. Is this a fair evaluation from God as HE looks at your city, your society in December 2020?
You see my friends, I think it’s really important that we pause occasionally taking the time to look honestly at ourselves, our families, our churches, our schools and businesses, our leaders, our politics and sports… and try to look at our societies through the eyes of GOD. What does God see when He looks at our world this Christmas season? What does God want to say to our world this unusual December?
I think these next words from Jeremiah, even though spoken 2600 years ago, might just be God’s word to us today. Jeremiah 6:16 is one of the most powerful verses in my Bible: “This is what the LORD says: Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Jer. 6:16)
Pause right here… take your journal and make note of that verse and write what the Holy Spirit of God says to you as you read it over and over. How does God want this powerful truth to be applied in YOUR life this December? What can you teach your children and grandchildren, or any who will hear you, about this powerful truth?
Sadly, we must hear the next thing Jeremiah wrote as his message from God: “But you said, ‘we will not walk in it.’ Oh my, do you hear the defiance? Is that what you see in many people where you live?
Let’s keep listening to what God says next: “I appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’. But you said ‘We will not listen!”. (Jer. 6:17) Oh my friends, honestly now, is this our world? Has God been faithful in raising up ‘watchmen’, people who see the great dangers in our world, the downward moral spiral of our societies, the moral revolution rejecting all that is God honoring and holy, the sexual dysfunction now even rejecting our God created gender identity!
And have those ‘watchmen’ been crying out their warnings? Once again I urge you to consider “The Daily Briefing” from Dr. Albert Mohler and his recent books, as wonderful examples of a God honoring “watchman” boldly proclaiming God’s truth in view of the daily events in our world. You’ll find the links at the end of my notes today.
So what about God’s analysis, is it fair? Are we as a human race, and specifically the people of your city, your society… rejecting God’s truth and God’s ‘watchmen’? We must understand God does not simply warn, God acts in His justice. Listen as Jeremiah continues: “Therefore hear, you nations; you who are witnesses, observe what will happen to them. Hear you earth; I am bringing disaster on this people, the fruit of their schemes, because they have not listened to My words and have rejected My truth.” (Jeremiah 6:18,19)
Jeremiah the prophet was speaking these warnings from God around 615bc or so. The people then, as now, assumed if God’s judgment was going to come, it surely would not come in their lifetime…but it did! 2 Chronicles 36 gives us the record and we’ll look at it in detail next week. Not once, not twice, not even three times, but FOUR times over the following few years God allowed foreign armies to attack Jerusalem and each time it was horrible. People were killed, others were taken captive, houses and businesses were destroyed, wealth was taken by the invaders, and even God’s great Temple was ransacked. When God speaks His warnings, wise people listen and take action, foolish people ignore God.
So my friends, I call us to reflection and prayer this weekend. What’s happening in your part of the world this December? What has 2020 been like for you and your friends/family?
As we’ve been reading through these first 6 chapters of Jeremiah and applying these powerful messages from God to OUR day. . .what is the Holy Spirit saying to you, about YOU and your part of our world? Please don’t rush away from God’s powerful words of invitation and warning here in Jeremiah 6. Personalize them, own these words for yourself and the people all around you. LISTEN… what does the Holy Spirit say to you today? And what should you do in response?
Oh God, please speak clearly and powerfully to us, this weekend, I ask in Jesus’ Name!
Click to read today’s chapter: Jeremiah 6. (At the top you can choose a different translation.)
NEW FEATURE: Click here to listen to a dramatized reading of Jeremiah 6.
 |  |
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
Archived back issues of “Walking with Jesus” and other resources are available by clicking here to open our ‘home page’ (or go to HOME at upper right of this page).
Share with friends. Subscribe below for daily “Walking with Jesus”.