See If You Can Find a Man

 

Text: Jeremiah 5:1-13

 

I.          The last days of the Southern Israel Kingdom of Judah

             A.         The people had become very corrupt - Jer. 5:20-23

             B.         God purposed to severely punish His people - Jer. 5:26-31

II.         But there is one hope - Jer. 5:1

             A.         Jeremiah is told to run through Jerusalem and find a man

                          1.          A man who deals justly

                                       a.          Performs deeds of righteousness with equity

                                       b.          Impartial and treats others with dignity

                          2.          A man who looks for the truth

                                       a.          Not just a truthful man, but one who diligently looks until he finds the truth.

                                       b.          A man who looks for truth and then puts it into practice

             B.         If Jeremiah can find such a man, God will forego the punishment

                          1.          Just one, solitary person!

III.        Sadly, Jeremiah couldn’t find such a man - Jer. 5:2-11

             A.         They take oaths by God, yet they lie - Jer. 5:2

             B.         They refuse to even acknowledge that the Lord is punishing them - Jer 5:3

                          1.          Let alone learn and return to God

             C.         Their leaders have “freed” themselves from God - Jer. 5:5

             D.         They have gone into frivolous sex - Jer. 5:8

IV.       Lessons to be learned

             A.         God’s own people can fall away.

                          1.          God’s protection doesn’t mean we are saved from ourselves

                          2.          I Cor. 9:27 - Even Paul had the potential of being disqualified

                          3.          I Cor. 10:1-12 - Proof that Christians must be watchful is found in the lives of the Israelites

                          4.          Rom. 8:12-13 - If you live according to the flesh, you will die.

                          5.          II Pet 2:18-22 - Bad off knowing the truth and then departing from it.

             B.         God is just in punishing the disobedient

                          1.          God is not just a God of Love; He is also a God of Justice - Rom. 11:22

                          2.          Look at Daniel’s prayer concerning the punishment that Jeremiah tried to hold off - Dan. 9:9-14. God was righteous in destroying Jerusalem.

                          3.          God will repay all wrong - Rom. 12:19

                          4.          Vengeance comes in this world, but ultimately at the second coming - II Thess. 1:4-8

             C.         Absolute truth does exist and is attainable

                          1.          John 8:31-32 - If we abide in Christ’s words, we will know the truth.

                          2.          John 17:17 - God’s word is truth

                          3.          II John 4 - Unlike Jeremiah, John found Christians walking in the truth.

V.         Are we willing to stand for justice and truth?

             A.         Contend earnestly for the faith - Jude 3

             B.         Need to teach all, righteous and wicked alike - Ezek. 3:17-21

             C.         I Cor. 16:13-14

             D.         Are we the man Jeremiah was seeking?