Pastor's Sermon Notes
May 23, 2010
Jeremiah 20
Jeremiah continues to prophecy against Judah and Jerusalem causing the governor of the temple
to not like Jeremiah
Jeremiah 20:2:3
2Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate
of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD. 3And it came to pass on the morrow, that
Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The LORD hath
not called thy name Pashur, but Magormissabib(terror on every side)
Jeremiah continues by saying all his bad news prophecies are going to happen. The whole thing
is all very depressing for Jeremiah
Jeremiah 20:7-9
O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived; thou art stronger than I, and hast
prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me. 8For since I spake, I cried out, I cried
violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a
derision, daily. 9Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name.
But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with
forbearing, and I could not stay.
Jeremiah tries to quit, but he can’t. This prophet gig is not working out very well, but he can’t
stop, this is what God called him for, Jeremiah doesn’t have a choice, he can’t stop!
Jeremiah 20:14-18
Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.
15Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee;
making him very glad. 16And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and
repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide; 17Because
he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to
be always great with me. 18Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow,
that my days should be consumed with shame?
Jeremiah pretty much knows the only way he’ll get out of the prophet job is if he dies. Which
causes him to wish he’d never been born.
Why does God allow such horrible things to happen to His people? Because He wants His
people to learn what it’s like to be Him.
Psalm 119:71,72
It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
72The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.
1)Persecution allows us to know better what God says.
Philippians 3:7-11
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8Yea doubtless, and I count
all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have
suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9And be
found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through
the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10That I may know him, and the
power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his
death; 11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
2) Persecution brings us fellowship with Christ
1 Peter 4:12-14
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some
strange thing happened unto you: 13But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's
sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14If
ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth
upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
3) Persecution lays up joy with Christ for us for eternity
Colossians 1:21-25
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now
hath he reconciled 22In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and
unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled,
and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was
preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; 24Who
now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in
my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: 25Whereof I am made a minister, according
to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
4) Persecution allows us to save others by showing forth the sufferings of Christ.
Jeremiah 20
Jeremiah continues to prophecy against Judah and Jerusalem causing the governor of the temple
to not like Jeremiah
Jeremiah 20:2:3
2Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate
of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD. 3And it came to pass on the morrow, that
Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The LORD hath
not called thy name Pashur, but Magormissabib(terror on every side)
Jeremiah continues by saying all his bad news prophecies are going to happen. The whole thing
is all very depressing for Jeremiah
Jeremiah 20:7-9
O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived; thou art stronger than I, and hast
prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me. 8For since I spake, I cried out, I cried
violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a
derision, daily. 9Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name.
But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with
forbearing, and I could not stay.
Jeremiah tries to quit, but he can’t. This prophet gig is not working out very well, but he can’t
stop, this is what God called him for, Jeremiah doesn’t have a choice, he can’t stop!
Jeremiah 20:14-18
Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.
15Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee;
making him very glad. 16And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and
repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide; 17Because
he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to
be always great with me. 18Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow,
that my days should be consumed with shame?
Jeremiah pretty much knows the only way he’ll get out of the prophet job is if he dies. Which
causes him to wish he’d never been born.
Why does God allow such horrible things to happen to His people? Because He wants His
people to learn what it’s like to be Him.
Psalm 119:71,72
It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
72The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.
1)Persecution allows us to know better what God says.
Philippians 3:7-11
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8Yea doubtless, and I count
all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have
suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9And be
found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through
the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10That I may know him, and the
power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his
death; 11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
2) Persecution brings us fellowship with Christ
1 Peter 4:12-14
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some
strange thing happened unto you: 13But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's
sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14If
ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth
upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
3) Persecution lays up joy with Christ for us for eternity
Colossians 1:21-25
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now
hath he reconciled 22In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and
unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled,
and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was
preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; 24Who
now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in
my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: 25Whereof I am made a minister, according
to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
4) Persecution allows us to save others by showing forth the sufferings of Christ.