Remember.

Well, it seems that not one week goes by without God graciously warning us of the consequences we will face if we are disobedient to His word. This past Sunday was no exception.

Pastor Sam, paraphrasing C.S. Lewis, said it well: in considering the image of Christ as the Lion of Judah who is also the Lamb of God, we would do well to remember that our Lord cannot be domesticated. He is God, and though His mercy is great His judgements are final. Ignoring His word leads to eternal death.

What Was The Problem In Jeremiah's Time?

• False prophets ignored God's word. In their desire to please the people, they insisted that Jeremiah was wrong and that he had not heard from the LORD, but was a madman deserving of removal from ministry.
• False prophets imparted their own word. They insisted that the Babylonian exile would be short-term, and in doing so they encouraged the people to not become engaged in the life and times of the community in which they lived.

You know, it seems we have the same problem in our time. Television and radio are full of men and women who are happy to sell lies to the people of God. Men and women who claim to love the LORD, but who are bound to their own self-interest, are sitting ducks for the lies of those who promise a life of ease and comfort in a context where God has clearly indicated that we should expect to live the life of an exile.

Friends, we are exiles on the earth. We have built homes and our children are in schools and we are engaged in community, and we are going to be here for a while. Our true home is heaven, but we cannot lay down in our beds and beg God to take us out of this world. He has placed us here to represent Him in every area of life, and we are responsible to fulfill the calling He has placed upon us.

So, plant your gardens of political influence. Build your homes as study halls in which family and neighbors can experience a taste of heaven's protocol. Forgive freely and live in love and peace, so that those around you can see the difference Jesus makes. Show the world that Christians are in the game, not on the sidelines. And watch God work.