A Fire within My Bones!

 6^th Sunday of Easter!

Intro:

 

A.        If we "want" a new car or new carpets, we will usually tell someone!

 

B.        If we "get" a new car or new carpets (something good happens to us), we  

            will definitely tell someone!

 

C.        This is just natural, and there's nothing wrong with it!

 

Trans.

Shouldn't this be the way we are about Christ?  Our scripture today has a   

unique way of describing this; let's look at it today and consider our

eagerness to share Christ!

 

Prayer

Jeremiah 19:1 - 20:9

 

I.          First, a little background.

 

A.        Around a hundred years after Israel was destroyed by Assyria, Jeremiah

            became a prophet of Judah.

 

B.        He was a prophet during a very hard time. 

 

1.                  It was during the fall and destruction of Judah.

 

2.         He was prophet during the first deportation of people to Babylon in                                    597 B.C.

 

C.        Jeremiah is sometimes called the "Weeping Prophet," but when we

            understand the circumstances under which he served, we can see that he

            was a very brave and courageous man.

 

1.                  Many would have turned away under such stress.

 

2.         Not Jeremiah!  He stood a true messenger of God!

 

D.        Many times, his messages were not very pleasant and warned of

            destruction  if the people didn't turn back to God! 

 

1.         Of the Deportation, he said, "This is God's judgment, and it will

            last 70 years.  Be prepared to stay awhile!"

2.         Not a popular message!

 

E.         Such was the case in our scripture today.

 

II.        A look at our scripture!

 

A.        The Lord tells Jeremiah to go buy an Earthenware Jug.

 

1.                  Tell them the Lord of Hosts says, God will bring such disaster on

this place that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle!

 

2.                  Because you have profaned this place by worshiping other gods, this place will be called the valley of slaughter.

 

            3.         Judah will fall by the sword! 

                        a.         There bodies will be food for the birds!

                        b.         People will walk by and hiss at the city!

 

            4.         Then break the Earthenware Jug and tell them this is what God will do to this people so that they can never be mended!

 

B.        The priest didn't like Jeremiah's prophecy of destruction, so he had

            Jeremiah beaten and thrown into the dungeon.

 

C.        Jeremiah cries out to God:

 

1.                  "Lord, I did what you said!"

 

2.                  "Look at me now!"

 

3.                  "You have deceived me!"

 

4.         "I will not speak in your name anymore!"

 

D.        But Jeremiah couldn't do it.

 

1.                  He said, "His word was like a fire in my bones."

 

2.         He had to tell it!

 

III.       What about us today?

 

A.        If we got what we deserve, we would all never be with God, but instead,

we would spend life out of relationship with God and eternity separated from God and all that is good!

 

            B.        Because of God's grace extended to us through Christ, we can be forgiven

            of our sins and have a life of purpose and in relationship with God and an

            eternity with God and all that is good! 

 

1.                  It's getting a new lease on life!

 

2.         That's better than winning a million bucks!  It is better than winning the Lottery!

 

C.        This should burn within our bones!

 

1.                  We should be wanting to tell it, share it, & live it!

 

2.                  Jeremiah felt he had to tell God’s message even under persecution!

 

3.                  How about us?  Would we? We have the message of God about

                                    Jesus Christ!

 

a.                   The persecution that we might have is more than likely not like that of Jeremiah!

 

1)                  We are more likely to be laughed at!

 

2)                  We might be excluded from the group!

 

                        3)         Someone might not want to be our friend!

 

            b.         The news we have to tell is good news, unlike that of Jeremiah!

 

D.        We need to be filled up with the Love of Jesus Christ and compassion for

            other people!  The world so needs to hear about the Love of God!

 

1.         We can be if we will yield ourselves to Christ in a desire to be

            More like him!!  Christ will fill us with the love of God!

 

2.                  We need to be serious about Christ.

 

a.         We need to take Christ with us everywhere we go, all the

            time: home, work, school, and play !

 

b.         We need to constantly yield to Christ, letting Christ make

            us better people!

 

c.         If Christ is really life and death to us, if Christ is really a

            fire within our bones, we will!

d.         If Christ is only a so-so part of our lives, if we really don't  

            know if it makes any difference to be a Christian, we

            probably won't tell it!  That is what it comes down to.

 

Conclusion:

 

A.        Do we really feel the presence of Jesus Christ in our lives?

 

B.        Is Christianity life and death to us or just something to do?

 

C.        Are we in contact with Christ daily?

 

D.        Have we tried to tell anyone about Christ lately?

 

E.         Is Christ's word "A fire within our bones?"

 

F.         As we encounter Christ at the table, come to Christ this morning!  Receive God's grace!  Receive something that you will want to tell!

 

Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion