Chp 13    An Example and a Warning to Judah
Chp 14    Jeremiah’s Intercession for Judah
Chp 15    God’s Refusal to Jeremiah’s Intercession

Intro    How integral is personal obedience to our public ministry?

1.    Jeremiah needed God’s conviction before he could minister God’s Word convincingly (vs 1-11)

a.    Implicit obedience requires faith, not explanation (vs 1-7; Lev 16:4, Exod 19:6)
b.    The interpretation is given by God (vs 8-11)

i.    Judah was meant to cling spiritually to God
ii.    Their sin was pride and it showed up in they (vs 8-10)

o    refusing to hear God’s Word
o    follow their own heart
o    go after other gods – worship  and serve them
o    resulting in their existence becoming meaningless

iii.    God’s desire – they be a people, name, praise, glory (vs 11)

2.    Given a message of doom, Jeremiah’s responsibility was to accurately speak on behalf of God (vs 12-14; cf. Lam 4:10, Ezek 5:10)

3.    This message still requires displaying a compassionate heart that extends the hope of God (vs 15-19)

a.    It’s not about us, it’s about God (vs 16)
b.    Rather than delight, we sorrow in the wicked’s demise (vs 17)

4.    With impending disaster, God hopes for repentance (vs 20-27)
God uses pain (vs 21b), violence (vs 22), disruption (vs 24), and shame (vs 26) to draw people back to Him.

Concl.    We are God’s possession! (Deut 7:6, I Peter 2:9)