WEBVTT 00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:14.000 Ministering to the heart of Western Arkansas's River Valley for over 165 years, welcome to Chapter and First, the Bible Teaching Ministry of Fort Smith's First Baptist Church. 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:19.440 You'll find sermons and teachings from Pastor Greg, our ministry staff, and guest speakers. 00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:21.199 Thank you for listening. 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:25.679 Turn with me in your Bibles, if you will, to Jeremiah 29, 11. 00:00:25.920 --> 00:00:28.320 This is a very famous verse. 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:36.159 If you go into a Christian bookstore, you're liable to see it as a some kind of a verse on a picture or something. 00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:39.039 Many of you have those in your house, which I think is great. 00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:44.799 The Old Testament talks about when God taught the children of Israel how to teach their children. 00:00:45.039 --> 00:00:51.920 He said that we should put Scripture that visibly all around our homes and in our lives. 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:53.679 And so I think it's great to do that. 00:00:53.840 --> 00:01:03.679 But this is an interesting verse in that when you read it just by itself, it is very encouraging and it is a blessing. 00:01:03.840 --> 00:01:09.280 And it certainly is a fundamental principle of Scripture that God has plans for our lives. 00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:18.000 But as you're going to see in a moment, it's really not as encouraging as you think it is when you understand it in context. 00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:25.280 In fact, it was written in a very difficult and significant time in the lives of the children of Israel. 00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:34.319 And so I think it has an even richer value and promise for us when we understand the context of the Scripture. 00:01:34.400 --> 00:01:38.319 And so I've entitled today's message, The Promise in God's Plans. 00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:59.840 And so what the intro tells us is that this is a letter that God instructed Jeremiah the prophet to write and is being delivered to the children of Israel who are living in exile. 00:02:00.079 --> 00:02:09.120 In other words, the nation has been judged because of their consistent rebellious sin. 00:02:09.840 --> 00:02:25.520 They were conquered by the Babylonian nation, and massive numbers of Jews were taken out of Jerusalem and the land of Judah as a conquered nation and were placed in exile. 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:34.479 Then you had a number of false prophets who came and they were telling everyone, hey, we have a word for you. 00:02:34.719 --> 00:02:36.800 You're not going to be here very long. 00:02:37.199 --> 00:02:38.879 You're not going to be here very long. 00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:51.280 And what we're going to find out is that this is a letter written from the Lord to those children of Israel in exile, telling them that he was serious about the judgment that he exacted on them. 00:02:51.439 --> 00:02:53.919 So let's read the letter and we'll talk some more about the context. 00:02:54.159 --> 00:03:10.080 Verse 4 says, This is what the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, and I think he gives that intro to his letter to the children of Israel to give some strength and authority to it, some forcefulness. 00:03:10.319 --> 00:03:13.520 I am the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel. 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:18.879 I am allowed and have the authority to pronounce these judgments. 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:28.719 This is what the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles, I deported from Jerusalem to Babylon. 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:35.439 You see, God takes responsibility for this, and he makes it clear this is his plan. 00:03:35.759 --> 00:03:47.680 It wasn't Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian Empire that uh conquered Israel and deported them off out of the nation, out of their home. 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:50.960 God says, I did this. 00:03:51.280 --> 00:03:52.560 Listen to me. 00:03:53.199 --> 00:03:57.120 He says in verse 5, Build houses and live in them. 00:03:57.360 --> 00:04:00.159 Plant gardens and eat their produce. 00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:02.800 Take wives and have sons and daughters. 00:04:03.039 --> 00:04:09.520 Take wives for your sons and give your daughters to men in marriage, so that they may bear sons and daughters. 00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:13.199 Multiply there, do not decrease. 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:17.279 Seek the welfare of the city I have deported you to. 00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:23.680 Pray to the Lord on its behalf, for when it has prosperity, you will prosper. 00:04:24.079 --> 00:04:28.240 For this is what the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, says. 00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:49.040 This is the Lord's declaration. 00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:52.560 For this is what the Lord says. 00:04:52.879 --> 00:05:04.240 When seventy years for Babylon are complete, I will attend to you and will confirm my promise concerning you to restore you to this place. 00:05:04.480 --> 00:05:10.560 In other words, you're going to be in exile for seventy years and don't let anybody tell you differently. 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:26.720 In fact, some people reading this letter, who were hoping they would be returned to Israel, are being told, Nope, you're in Babylon, live there, give your kids in marriage there, you're going to die there because you're not going to live seventy more years. 00:05:26.959 --> 00:05:29.920 And then here's what he says in verse 11, our verse. 00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:34.720 This is the Lord's declaration. 00:05:34.959 --> 00:05:40.639 Plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 00:05:40.800 --> 00:05:46.000 You will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:52.560 You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. 00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:57.920 Verse 14 goes on to say, I will be found by you. 00:05:58.160 --> 00:06:00.000 This is the Lord's declaration. 00:06:00.240 --> 00:06:06.800 And I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and places where I banished you. 00:06:07.040 --> 00:06:09.279 This is the Lord's declaration. 00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:13.680 I will restore you to the place I have deported you from. 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:18.800 So it's interesting when you read this letter, everything is context. 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:23.920 When you're understanding a teaching of Scripture, you really have to understand the context. 00:06:24.079 --> 00:06:26.000 So here's what God is telling them. 00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:36.399 He is saying, Listen, you sinned, and if you came up to this point, if you understood the history up to this point, you understood that God warned them about their sin. 00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:43.839 Then he said, Because of your sin, I am going to have you deported, and I'm going to allow you to be conquered. 00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:48.959 And then after 70 years, then I'm going to begin to work in you. 00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:51.040 Again, this was prophesied. 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:52.160 It was understood. 00:06:52.319 --> 00:07:04.079 Now at this time in the life of the nation of Israel, there had been a major civil war, and the twelve tribes that make up the nation of Israel had been divided into two nations. 00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:14.160 The ten tribes in the north, and they had sinned and walked away from the Lord and had a history of being rebellious to the Lord. 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:18.240 And they had been conquered by the Assyrian Empire. 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:21.040 And they had been deported and all of that. 00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:25.439 Then you have the two tribes that were left in the southern part of Israel. 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:29.120 And Jerusalem is the capital, and that's the nation of Judah. 00:07:29.199 --> 00:07:30.720 It's referred to as Judah. 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:38.240 And that is the group that God was going to continue to work with to bring Jesus the Messiah into the world. 00:07:38.480 --> 00:07:45.519 And so what you have now is the people of Judah have times when they walk with the Lord, and then times when they walk away from the Lord. 00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:54.959 In the time of the prophet Jeremiah, early in his ministry, there was a good king, and they followed the Lord, and they were obedient to the Lord. 00:07:55.120 --> 00:07:59.360 But then the next king came in, and he was evil, and they walked away from the Lord. 00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:08.480 And in that time the northern nation was conquered, and they were taken out in exile, and there were all those problems, and the children of Judah could see that. 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:15.040 And Jeremiah and certain other prophets began to prophesy and tell them, Listen, if you don't repent, God's going to judge you. 00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:29.680 And they did not repent, and God is always at work, and so what he does is he said, Listen, I'm now going to judge you, my people, because you have not repented, and you have worshipped false gods, and you have walked away from me. 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:40.080 And so he allowed the Babylonian Empire, used them as his tool to conquer Judah, and they began to deport people out of Israel. 00:08:40.320 --> 00:08:57.759 This would be the book of Daniel, and Daniel and many of his friends and others were in that group of exiles who were deported from Judah, as the Lord says in this letter, by the Lord himself, and took them off into Babylon. 00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:04.480 Now, what you have in this Babylonian time is they are living in exile and in judgment. 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:08.399 And the question is, what is going to happen to the children of Israel? 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:12.240 Well, we know that God had a purpose for his children. 00:09:12.480 --> 00:09:20.320 He had established the nation of Israel to be the funnel through which he brought the Messiah and redemption into the world. 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:38.720 And so God clearly has a plan, but in that plan is the children of Israel to live for him, to point the world to him, to prepare the way for the Messiah, to help folks understand that the God of Israel was the one true God and he had a plan for redemption. 00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:42.080 And when they walked with the Lord, they created that testimony. 00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:51.759 And when they walked away from the Lord and they worshiped false gods, they were damaging to the work and the redemptive plans of God. 00:09:52.240 --> 00:10:03.360 And so what you have here is God speaking to the children of Israel, because you had all these other folks that came and these political leaders and they were erstwhile prophets claiming they were from the Lord and all of that. 00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:06.159 And they're saying, Listen, we're not going to be here very long. 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:07.919 Don't really dig roots. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:09.200 Don't unpack your bags. 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:10.960 God's going to take us back. 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:13.840 And so God speaks into this moment. 00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:16.080 And that's why he writes this letter. 00:10:16.240 --> 00:10:19.519 That's why he continues to repeat, this is what the Lord says. 00:10:19.679 --> 00:10:20.720 I am the Lord of hosts. 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:21.840 This is what I say. 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:27.600 That's why he says in verse 9, these prophets that are claiming that are falsely prophesying. 00:10:27.919 --> 00:10:36.399 Because I have told you, as he says in verse 10, that you sinned and you're going to be judged, and I'm going to discipline you and you are going to be deported. 00:10:36.639 --> 00:10:39.600 And he says, In fact, I'm the one who did it. 00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:46.480 I'm in charge of this deal because you have walked away, and I have got to deal with this sin issue. 00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:54.159 And then he comes back and he says, Even in this time of judgment, though, my people, my plans are not evil for you. 00:10:54.639 --> 00:10:56.639 You have a future and a hope. 00:10:57.360 --> 00:11:05.600 So, with that context, let's take a minute and look at a few key truths that we see in this passage of Scripture. 00:11:05.840 --> 00:11:08.639 Now, this is an interesting passage of Scripture. 00:11:08.799 --> 00:11:22.480 One of the things that I struggle with at times as a preacher is what is the balance between calling out sin and illustrating God's grace? 00:11:22.799 --> 00:11:25.600 Now, I don't have a problem doing either one of those. 00:11:25.759 --> 00:11:26.559 That's not the struggle. 00:11:26.720 --> 00:11:29.200 The struggle is where is the balance in that? 00:11:29.440 --> 00:11:34.480 It's not a struggle calling out sin because God calls out sin and we're called to be holy. 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:39.600 Jesus stepped out of heaven and went to the cross to pay the price for our sin. 00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:44.960 Sin is real and God judges sin, and we must call out sin. 00:11:45.039 --> 00:11:47.039 It's a part of sharing the gospel. 00:11:47.279 --> 00:11:50.720 All of us are sinners by birth, by nature, and by choice. 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:56.879 The Bible says, For God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whosoever believes in him will never perish, but have everlasting life. 00:11:57.039 --> 00:11:59.440 We're going to die because of our sin. 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:15.519 But Jesus loved us and he stepped out of heaven, lived a sinless life, went to the cross so that our sin could be placed on him and he could die in our place to pay the price for our sins as a substitutionary death for us. 00:12:15.759 --> 00:12:27.279 He rose again, conquering death and sin, and then he offers us the opportunity to repent of our sin and turn to him and trust his death, burial, and resurrection to be the payment for our sin. 00:12:28.080 --> 00:12:29.679 Never a problem to call out sin. 00:12:29.840 --> 00:12:31.279 Scripture calls out sin. 00:12:31.440 --> 00:12:37.919 When we call out sin, we are calling people to Jesus and the forgiveness that only comes through him. 00:12:38.879 --> 00:12:46.240 But you also have sin is hard and it's difficult and it leaves baggage and wounds and struggles. 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:54.320 In fact, Satan comes and he lies to folks and he says, listen, if it you've done so many things, God will never forgive you. 00:12:54.879 --> 00:12:56.639 God will never forgive you. 00:12:57.440 --> 00:13:02.559 And so we have to speak into the love and grace of the Lord. 00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:08.879 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. 00:13:09.360 --> 00:13:13.759 God loves you, and that's why Jesus went through that process. 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:23.919 Jesus was not satisfied with our sin being judged and condemning us to being separated from him for all of eternity in hell. 00:13:24.320 --> 00:13:29.600 He loved us so much that he stepped out of heaven and took the payment for our sin on the cross. 00:13:29.840 --> 00:13:32.080 But where is the balance in that? 00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:42.480 And if you if you if you push too hard in the sin and you never tell people about salvation and grace in Jesus, how are we redeemed? 00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:51.919 But if you only spend time talking about the grace and God forgives you and all that, when do we ever take seriously the importance of repenting of our sin? 00:13:53.039 --> 00:13:57.919 And in this passage of Scripture, you see very clearly here that God is serious about sin. 00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:06.799 And so this is a great passage for us to see how those two things work together. 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:14.559 How there is no, there is no grace without understanding the sin that must be forgiven. 00:14:14.799 --> 00:14:21.360 And the calling of sin is to help us see the grace of God and the salvation that is in his name. 00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:23.840 And in this passage, you see both of those things. 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:28.000 There's another interesting thing that we struggle with in this passage of Scripture. 00:14:28.639 --> 00:14:41.120 Now, I think it's great that we use this verse, for I know the plans I have for you, and we turn that into a personal verse because there are times we need the encouragement to know that God has a plan for our lives. 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:44.159 In fact, it is a biblical principle throughout Scripture. 00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:50.320 In Psalm 139, the Bible says that God knew you and planned you before you were formed in your mother's womb. 00:14:50.799 --> 00:14:56.960 It also says in Ephesians chapter 2, 8, 9, and 10 for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves. 00:14:57.120 --> 00:14:59.759 It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:09.279 Because we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, that he has prepared beforehand for us to walk in. 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:12.480 So it's clear that he has a plan for us. 00:15:12.720 --> 00:15:19.279 But here's the deal: God has saved you to something greater than you. 00:15:20.720 --> 00:15:24.480 Salvation is not just about you or me as individuals. 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:40.399 And when you are saved, you were grafted into the flow of the gospel, and you were grafted into the body of Christ, and you, your identity as a believer means that you are a part of the people of God and God's plans for the people of God. 00:15:40.799 --> 00:15:43.440 And this letter was not written to individuals. 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:47.919 This letter was written to the children of Israel as a nation, as a people. 00:15:48.639 --> 00:15:52.720 This is not a personal verse, this is a collective verse. 00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:57.360 And so, how do you mesh those two things together and where do we fit in that plan? 00:15:57.600 --> 00:16:03.120 Well, let me show you some principles I think are inherent in this patch of scripture that'll help us with some applications. 00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:08.080 First, God is always engaged in his redemptive work. 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:11.279 Verse 11, for I know the plans I have for you. 00:16:11.440 --> 00:16:16.159 Plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:27.200 What those plans are does not mean that in a moment of difficulty in your life, God is going to make a way for you as an individual to come out of that difficult situation. 00:16:27.440 --> 00:16:29.519 That is not what this verse means. 00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:35.360 This verse is, you have a future and a hope because Jesus gave you one through salvation on the cross. 00:16:35.679 --> 00:16:47.360 This verse, written collectively to the children of Israel, is listen, everything I've promised about bringing a Messiah to the world through you as my people, I will accomplish. 00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:50.320 I know the plans that I have for you. 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:59.360 My plans are higher than your plans, and my plan is to use you to bring the Lamb of God into the world, which will save the world from their sins. 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:00.720 That is my plan. 00:17:00.799 --> 00:17:06.960 And your future and your hope rests in your repentance and your getting back in the flow of that plan. 00:17:07.039 --> 00:17:17.839 And I am going to use you, and I'm going to use you dramatically and spiritually and powerfully and eternally as my people to continue my redemptive work. 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:32.480 When they sinned under this evil king and walked away, God was not going to let them sin and not besmirch the testimony of him as the God who brings the Redeemer into the world. 00:17:32.640 --> 00:17:37.279 And so he is always at work, even in discipline with his children. 00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:41.839 It is all about him flowing the plan of redemption. 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:52.880 Everything in this book, from the beginning to the end, is about the promise of redemption through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross. 00:17:54.480 --> 00:17:57.279 And God is always involved in his redemptive work. 00:17:57.440 --> 00:17:59.839 You see that all working out through here. 00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:06.720 He says this stuff about build houses and live in them and plant gardens and take wives or sons and daughters and all that. 00:18:06.880 --> 00:18:09.200 Multiply there, do not decrease. 00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:10.000 Why? 00:18:10.400 --> 00:18:14.720 Because he needs them to be a strong nation and he wants to bless them. 00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:20.720 And he is going to use them and continue to use them to bring Jesus, the Messiah, into the world. 00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:23.039 And so he does not want them to wane. 00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:35.759 He wants them to understand even in discipline you can flourish because I am about creating this nation to be the testimony that I will use to bring the Redeemer into the world. 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:45.759 Next thing you see, God always disciplines sin, and he disciplines with grace towards his plans. 00:18:46.319 --> 00:19:04.319 He says, in this context, look where it says, verse 10, for 70 years for Babylon, when 70 years for Babylon are complete, I will attend to you then after 70 years and will confirm my promise concerning you to restore you to this place. 00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:07.759 In other words, I'm going to leave you there for 70 years. 00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:13.839 We're going to learn this lesson of being faithful and walking with me. 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:17.920 Remember, this is not the first time God has judged his children. 00:19:18.160 --> 00:19:30.480 You think about the famous time where the children of Israel, God brings up Moses to lead them out of Egypt, and he's going to lead them into the promised land he's created for them, all a part of his redemptive work. 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:34.559 He takes them from there, he takes them to the banks of the river Jordan. 00:19:34.880 --> 00:19:40.640 This was verse 10, if you'll remember, with uh Joshua 1 9. 00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:48.880 Because at that moment the children of Israel fail and they do not place their faith in God as their redeemer. 00:19:49.039 --> 00:20:02.640 And he pronounces judgment on them for their lack of faith, and they wander 40 years in the wilderness for that generation to die off and to train the next generation to trust him in his provision. 00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:11.519 And then he brings them under Joshua to the River Jordan, and they place their faith in the Lord, and they go into the land of Canaan. 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:14.079 God always disciplines sin. 00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:19.440 We always have to understand and deal with sin. 00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:21.839 God is always going to deal with sin. 00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:31.839 You can never take for granted the significance and the faithfulness that God will discipline our sin as his children. 00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:34.640 We cannot get away from that. 00:20:34.880 --> 00:20:42.160 But in the midst of that discipline, you see in the beauty of this picture that it is always with grace. 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:49.599 He is not just stamping down on them, stepping on them, destroying them. 00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:57.039 In the midst of this, no, you're going to stay here for 70 years because I said you would, and because you need to learn this lesson. 00:20:57.279 --> 00:20:59.920 But even in the midst of that, he encourages them. 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:02.079 I know the plans I have for you. 00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:06.160 When the years are up, I will attend to you and confirm you. 00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:12.000 He says, These plans are for your welfare and not for a disaster to give you a future and a hope. 00:21:12.160 --> 00:21:13.920 I am going to accomplish my plan. 00:21:14.079 --> 00:21:16.400 I am going to use you to bring redemption. 00:21:16.559 --> 00:21:19.039 There will be forgiveness of sins because of that. 00:21:19.279 --> 00:21:22.240 He even encourages them in verses 12 through 15. 00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:33.119 You will call to me at that point, and I will hear you, and I will love you, and I will restore you, and I will continue this journey that we have together as a people. 00:21:33.599 --> 00:21:37.839 Even there in Babylon, he says, Listen, I want you to multiply there. 00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:45.039 I want you to have your kids grow and have grandkids and have great grandkids, and I want you to flourish there. 00:21:45.440 --> 00:21:52.000 He even says, I want you to pray to me that I will bring peace to this pagan nation. 00:21:52.160 --> 00:21:59.759 You are viewing this as a conquering people, and I'm telling you, you're going to live there 70 years, but I'm going to protect you even in Babylon. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:07.680 Pray and ask me to give peace and welfare to the city in which you live so that it will bless you. 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:08.880 Why does God do that? 00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:10.799 Number one, because he loves his people. 00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:17.119 Number two, he is bringing grace even in the midst of that discipline because he doesn't want to push them away from him. 00:22:17.440 --> 00:22:20.079 They were running away from him in their sin. 00:22:20.319 --> 00:22:23.440 He wants to restore and bring them back to him. 00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:29.599 He wants to establish the testimony of his people. 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:34.000 Look, where there are Jews there, we want to live there because there's peace there. 00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:40.559 That city flourishes because of what those people do and because of who their God is when he does that. 00:22:40.880 --> 00:22:44.000 And he brings grace to them even in those moments. 00:22:44.319 --> 00:22:47.680 God always desires to work in the lives of his people. 00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:55.839 Now here's the deal: he is working at the collective level and the individual level at the same time. 00:22:56.559 --> 00:23:01.359 God doesn't forget about you as an individual when he's dealing with us as a church. 00:23:01.680 --> 00:23:10.240 He doesn't forget about us as a church when he's dealing with us as the body of Christ in the country of America or whatever. 00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:13.279 He balances both of those. 00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:17.440 And so he makes it clear this was a collective sin of the children of Israel. 00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:18.880 Everyone has walked away. 00:23:18.960 --> 00:23:21.599 And someone may say, Well, I didn't worship Molech. 00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:24.160 Why in the world am I being deported? 00:23:24.400 --> 00:23:28.400 Yeah, but were you a part of calling the children of God back to him? 00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:37.200 Were you a part of discipling and impacting people spiritually so that the nation did not walk away from the Lord and worship Moloch? 00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:39.359 And we're all in this together. 00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:41.279 We are collectively attached. 00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:46.079 And so when God exercises judgment on his people, we're all there. 00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:49.839 And yet at the same time, he brings home to them his love for them. 00:23:50.079 --> 00:23:53.519 You take wives and have sons and daughters. 00:23:53.920 --> 00:23:56.640 In your life, I still want to bless you. 00:23:56.880 --> 00:24:04.160 In the city where you are, if you will pray for peace in that city, I will hear you and I will answer your prayers. 00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:08.640 He is building some balance between those. 00:24:08.880 --> 00:24:15.519 But because God is always at work in his redemptive plan, we have to understand we are attached to the whole. 00:24:16.079 --> 00:24:18.720 And then finally, God will accomplish his plans. 00:24:19.039 --> 00:24:22.559 He repeats over and over again in this passage of Scripture. 00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:25.279 Look how many times he says this. 00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:28.480 He says in verse 11, I know the plans I have for you. 00:24:28.799 --> 00:24:31.279 This is the Lord's declaration. 00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:35.039 He says in verse 14, I will be found by you. 00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:37.920 This is the Lord's declaration. 00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:43.359 He says, I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and places where I banished you. 00:24:43.680 --> 00:24:46.319 This is the Lord's declaration. 00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:49.440 God always accomplishes his plan. 00:24:50.000 --> 00:25:04.640 Satan could not stop the eternal plan of the Lord for Jesus to be born of a virgin, to live a sinless life, to go to the cross and sacrifice himself for their sins and rose again, conquering death and sin. 00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:06.480 Satan could not stop that. 00:25:06.720 --> 00:25:11.359 On Wednesday nights, Pastor Matt and I are teaching a Bible study through 2 Peter. 00:25:11.599 --> 00:25:14.559 And he addresses a question that we have at times. 00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:21.759 Man, we've been waiting for a long time for Jesus to come back and take us home. 00:25:22.000 --> 00:25:27.680 As a dad, I really didn't like this passage of Scripture about giving your daughters in marriage and stuff. 00:25:27.920 --> 00:25:31.599 That's really not a fun experience for the dad of a daughter, okay? 00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:33.599 I mean, it's really not. 00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:39.839 And I believed, I just adopted this theology that Jesus is going to come back before my daughter has to date. 00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:43.680 Because he loves us, right? 00:25:44.240 --> 00:25:46.000 I know the plans that I have for you. 00:25:46.079 --> 00:25:48.480 You're not going to have to go through that, son, because I love you. 00:25:48.640 --> 00:25:53.359 Some rotten hair-legged boy showing up at my house trying to take my precious daughter out. 00:25:54.319 --> 00:26:11.359 And then when that didn't happen, I just knew that God was going to return and Jesus was going to call us home before I had to walk her down the aisle to one of those rotten sinner hair-legged boys is going to take my daughter out of my house. 00:26:11.680 --> 00:26:12.079 Right? 00:26:12.240 --> 00:26:17.200 Now he's gotten a little better now that we're going to have a grandchild, so he's improved a little bit. 00:26:20.960 --> 00:26:27.839 But we're waiting for Jesus to return, and they had waited so long in the book of 2 Peter that they begin to have this struggle. 00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:29.440 Jesus is not going to come back. 00:26:29.519 --> 00:26:34.559 And Paul says, listen, no, God is not slack in any of his promises. 00:26:35.359 --> 00:26:42.559 It may take longer than you think, but God is in his redemptive work and he is always going to accomplish his plan. 00:26:42.720 --> 00:26:49.039 And one day when you do not expect it, Jesus is going to return and call his people home. 00:26:49.680 --> 00:26:58.240 And God is not slack in that promise any more than he was slack in the promise to bring Jesus the first time as our Redeemer. 00:26:58.640 --> 00:27:01.759 And we must understand that God will accomplish his plans. 00:27:01.920 --> 00:27:06.160 Now let's look at just a few applications to us as individuals. 00:27:07.039 --> 00:27:11.200 First thing you understand, we must never lose sight of the advance of the gospel. 00:27:12.480 --> 00:27:19.359 He said, Listen, I know the plans that I have for you, not for evil or not for disaster, but to give you a future and a hope. 00:27:19.440 --> 00:27:30.559 And the only hope that there is for you as an individual or for us as a human race is the fact that Jesus came as the Redeemer and conquered death and sin on the cross. 00:27:30.799 --> 00:27:37.440 That he rose again off offering life and eternal life to everyone who will trust him as their Savior. 00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:42.480 And we must never lose sight that God is always in that plan of redemption. 00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:46.880 And you were not saved just for you. 00:27:48.480 --> 00:27:53.920 You were not saved just so you would not have to go to hell and you could go to heaven. 00:27:54.160 --> 00:28:03.599 Now you were saved so you would not have to go to hell and you would go to heaven, but you were saved for other people not to go to hell and to also go to heaven. 00:28:03.920 --> 00:28:11.440 God puts you in your family so that there is an example of Jesus in your family so people can be saved. 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:16.640 He puts you in the place where you work and kids in the school where you attend. 00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:18.799 He puts you on the street where you live. 00:28:37.119 --> 00:28:40.799 When you were saved, you were saved into the body of Christ. 00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:44.079 And you were saved into the advance of the gospel. 00:28:44.400 --> 00:28:51.119 And there is never a moment in our lives where we are free to walk out of the advance of the gospel. 00:28:53.200 --> 00:28:58.400 I wake up sometimes on Sunday mornings and I'm having my quiet time this morning, and there comes the rain. 00:28:58.640 --> 00:29:06.400 And all I can think about is my pastor where I grew up used to say, every time a raindrop falls, a Baptist stalls. 00:29:13.759 --> 00:29:18.400 I mean, seriously, the rain keeps people from church. 00:29:19.599 --> 00:29:20.960 Why does that happen? 00:29:21.680 --> 00:29:32.319 Because we do not have a true understanding that our identity rests in God's people being used to advance the gospel. 00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:46.240 You have people in the world and in the culture who are far more passionate about whatever it is that they are into than we are about advancing the gospel. 00:29:49.279 --> 00:29:59.680 I've been in churches where people fought over we have got to pay that millage because we've got to support our schools and all that, and I love our schools. 00:29:59.759 --> 00:30:01.279 Please don't misunderstand what I'm saying. 00:30:01.359 --> 00:30:02.400 Let me finish. 00:30:02.799 --> 00:30:08.079 They are mad about somebody who invites against the millage, and they don't ever tithe. 00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:13.759 How can that be? 00:30:14.319 --> 00:30:30.480 I mean, just how wrong-minded is our perception when we get wound up about stuff that's not the gospel, and we are limited in our commitment to the advance of the gospel. 00:30:37.200 --> 00:30:43.039 We got people who call the hogs and they'll get mad at us if I don't call the hogs. 00:30:43.440 --> 00:30:46.480 I got people who resent that I drive an orange car. 00:30:47.839 --> 00:30:48.799 I'm kidding. 00:30:48.960 --> 00:30:52.160 Y'all get the movie, and listen, I think we ought to call the hogs. 00:30:52.240 --> 00:30:53.279 I love call the hogs. 00:30:53.359 --> 00:30:55.279 I paid tuition at the University of Arkansas. 00:30:55.359 --> 00:30:58.319 I've earned a right to call the hogs, okay? 00:30:58.960 --> 00:31:00.559 But here's the deal. 00:31:00.960 --> 00:31:09.599 If you call the hogs louder than you sing in worship, man, we don't understand our identity in advance of the gospel. 00:31:09.680 --> 00:31:17.119 And so many times we have taken our individual situation and we put it above the advance of the gospel. 00:31:17.200 --> 00:31:22.000 And we've got to understand, man, this wasn't written to get you out of a tight spot. 00:31:24.079 --> 00:31:25.759 It's not this verse. 00:31:26.160 --> 00:31:36.880 And when it hangs on the wall in our home, and it should, it should remind me constantly who have I prayed for that needs Jesus? 00:31:37.200 --> 00:31:39.680 What have I done to advance the kingdom? 00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:47.759 Am I teaching my kids that it's more important to go visit my grand their grandparents every weekend? 00:31:48.000 --> 00:32:00.480 Or is it more important that they be in the body of Christ and dig roots in the church so that they grow up to be missionaries for the gospel? 00:32:01.440 --> 00:32:06.720 God always desires for us to walk with him in his plans. 00:32:07.119 --> 00:32:13.680 Listen, he is telling you, he's telling them, even in judgment, listen, I have not moved you away as my people. 00:32:13.839 --> 00:32:15.200 You are still my people. 00:32:15.359 --> 00:32:25.039 In verses 4 through 7, where you are, pray to me for the peace of the city that you are in, because I want to bless you there. 00:32:25.759 --> 00:32:30.880 Even in the midst of struggle, I want you to increase as my people there. 00:32:31.200 --> 00:32:32.319 Look at the end of this. 00:32:32.480 --> 00:32:38.559 He tells them in verse 12, you will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 00:32:39.119 --> 00:32:40.960 Listen to what he says in verse 13. 00:32:41.119 --> 00:32:45.359 You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. 00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:50.799 He even says in that next sentence, I will be found by you. 00:32:51.119 --> 00:32:54.880 This is the Lord's declaration. 00:32:55.839 --> 00:32:57.519 I will be found by you. 00:32:57.839 --> 00:33:06.160 He says, I am saying with my name attached to this, if you will search for me with your heart, you will find me. 00:33:06.319 --> 00:33:08.079 I am here for you. 00:33:14.880 --> 00:33:17.119 That's the whole point of the gospel. 00:33:17.759 --> 00:33:20.240 That's why sin is serious. 00:33:21.200 --> 00:33:26.000 He so desires to be with us that our sin takes us away from him. 00:33:26.880 --> 00:33:30.960 Application number three: God will discipline us as a loving father. 00:33:32.079 --> 00:33:34.799 Make no mistake about it. 00:33:36.720 --> 00:33:40.400 You will be there for 70 years. 00:33:41.440 --> 00:33:45.359 I warned you, I told you, you sinned. 00:33:46.240 --> 00:33:47.920 I have deported you. 00:33:48.079 --> 00:33:48.880 You see what he says? 00:33:49.039 --> 00:33:52.559 Twice he says, I have deported you. 00:33:53.359 --> 00:33:56.559 And only I can return you. 00:33:57.039 --> 00:33:58.880 He disciplines us for our sin. 00:33:59.039 --> 00:34:01.839 We cannot play around with those matters. 00:34:02.319 --> 00:34:05.039 But he disciplines us as a loving father. 00:34:05.519 --> 00:34:07.200 As a loving father. 00:34:07.599 --> 00:34:10.960 It is a picture of his grace and it is the balance of that. 00:34:11.199 --> 00:34:15.440 You're going to be there 70 years, but I want to prosper you while you are there. 00:34:15.599 --> 00:34:18.320 I want to continue to prepare you as my people. 00:34:18.480 --> 00:34:31.679 Do not decrease, increase and grow so that when I return you, we get back on track and have the opportunity to continue to advance the gospel so that you can have that hope. 00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:40.880 You see, God's grace is there to forgive our sin, but our sin has to be dealt with so God can forgive us of our sin. 00:34:42.639 --> 00:34:47.039 Never doubt his love and grace, even when being disciplined. 00:34:47.519 --> 00:35:01.039 Never doubt his love and in the book of Hebrews, the Bible says this do not despise the disciplining of a father because that proves you are his child. 00:35:03.599 --> 00:35:05.119 It is the fact that he loves you. 00:35:05.199 --> 00:35:10.320 We say it in the office sometimes when I've been leading staff through the years. 00:35:10.559 --> 00:35:16.880 Listen, when I stop coaching you, that's when you need to worry and get your resume ready. 00:35:18.320 --> 00:35:19.760 Isn't that true? 00:35:20.880 --> 00:35:34.800 Because when you are a part and I care about you and want you to flourish, I'm going to invest in you and I'm going to coach that and correct that and debrief that and help that grow because I believe in you and I want you to flourish as a leader. 00:35:34.960 --> 00:35:36.800 That's what we do with our children. 00:35:36.960 --> 00:35:45.840 One of the reasons we get so intense in coaching our kids in sports or music or whatever is because we believe in them, not because we're mad at them. 00:35:46.079 --> 00:35:47.440 We know what they can be. 00:35:47.599 --> 00:35:49.360 We want them to learn that discipline. 00:35:49.599 --> 00:35:54.400 Son, daughter, if you just practiced a little more, you would be so awesome. 00:35:54.639 --> 00:35:59.599 I see a future for you that you don't see yet, and I want you to know it. 00:35:59.840 --> 00:36:02.000 I'm passionate for you. 00:36:02.880 --> 00:36:04.719 The disciplining of a father. 00:36:04.880 --> 00:36:08.800 And that's why he says, listen, I know the plans that I have for you. 00:36:08.880 --> 00:36:11.519 And they are plans for a future and a hope. 00:36:11.679 --> 00:36:13.280 These are not bad plans for you. 00:36:13.440 --> 00:36:18.400 I have not put you here, and I am not leaving you here for 70 years because I'm mad at you. 00:36:18.480 --> 00:36:20.960 It is because I love you and I have a plan for you. 00:36:21.119 --> 00:36:28.000 And I am working to restore you and bring you into that plan so that I can use you for that. 00:36:28.880 --> 00:36:36.400 Don't doubt his love and his grace, even when you're having to spend some time in Babylon. 00:36:38.639 --> 00:36:41.519 Just another simple application. 00:36:42.320 --> 00:36:44.960 Our testimony always matters. 00:36:46.400 --> 00:37:01.199 The testimony of the children of Israel mattered to the Lord when they were in sin, and it mattered so much that he brought judgment to fix it. 00:37:02.079 --> 00:37:07.199 But even in Babylon, their testimony mattered. 00:37:07.519 --> 00:37:12.239 He said, Give your sons and daughters into marriage. 00:37:12.400 --> 00:37:22.400 Flourish as a people, do well, increase, do not decrease, because you are still the children of God. 00:37:22.719 --> 00:37:30.960 You are still the people that show the God of Israel and his strength and power and love and plans. 00:37:31.360 --> 00:37:36.559 He said, pray for the peace and the place that you live so that I can answer those prayers. 00:37:36.639 --> 00:37:46.639 And wherever you go, you flourish and you bear fruit, and people will know hey, the God of Israel is God. 00:37:47.760 --> 00:37:51.679 He is a God who takes care of his people. 00:37:53.119 --> 00:37:57.760 In all times, our testimony matters. 00:37:58.079 --> 00:38:01.119 Sometimes it's important to remember that. 00:38:01.440 --> 00:38:05.599 Man, you mess up something and you and we've all been there. 00:38:05.760 --> 00:38:09.280 You mess it up, and the Satan crawl in the back of your head. 00:38:09.440 --> 00:38:14.079 The Bible refers to him in one place as the accuser of the brethren. 00:38:14.320 --> 00:38:15.119 What does that mean? 00:38:15.280 --> 00:38:19.440 He's trying to tell you, oh, you messed up so bad, God can't use you anymore. 00:38:19.760 --> 00:38:21.199 God can't do anything with you. 00:38:21.519 --> 00:38:23.360 You are a doubter. 00:38:24.000 --> 00:38:25.280 Shame on you. 00:38:25.519 --> 00:38:27.599 God can't use a doubter. 00:38:28.239 --> 00:38:30.480 You don't even believe it's true. 00:38:30.800 --> 00:38:35.920 And he pokes at us and he tries to hold us down and he tries to kick us where we're down. 00:38:36.000 --> 00:38:42.880 And what he's trying to say is listen, I am afraid of your testimony as a child of God. 00:38:43.440 --> 00:38:54.320 Because when you repent and see God's favor and restoration, it makes me look bad and it shows the world who God really is. 00:38:55.840 --> 00:39:01.039 Even in mistakes, even in failures, even in struggles, our testimony matters. 00:39:01.119 --> 00:39:04.000 And in the restoration, our testimony matters. 00:39:04.159 --> 00:39:14.400 And God says, Listen, you're going to come to me and I'm going to restore you and I'm going to restore your fortunes because I am going to accomplish what I promised and I'm going to bring salvation through you. 00:39:14.719 --> 00:39:17.039 And our testimony continues to matter. 00:39:17.199 --> 00:39:21.440