Not a friendly Culture

 Jeremiah 26:16-19

Yesterday, we ended with Jeremiah telling the people and those in authority over him these words: “But as for me, behold, I am in your hands.  Do with me as seems good and right to you.”  But also recall that he ended with a warning that he had only spoken the words God gave him, and they would be innocent blood on their hands.

Often, in the culture we find ourselves in, and let me be clear it is not a friendly culture for people who profess a belief in Jesus Christ at home or in the workplace.  The time we live in is not spent on philosophy and sophistication as many would desire us to believe, but on self and technology, but not on grace.  Grace has no room for self, self only serves self, but grace gives, Grace loves, Grace serves.

And one of the messages that screams out of this culture is the individual has no power, do you recall a person who said; it takes a village to raise a child.  Now that’s just a bunch of bull, it takes a mom and a dad who will love and discipline their child.  Parents who will be honest and make the child understand that in this world we do not all have the same gifts.  Some are better at sports than others; some are more gifted in math or language than others, but God has a plan for each person, and He will give them what they need.

Now you and I can only wonder what person in the crowd spoke first, maybe it was a man to his wife, and someone overheard what was said; we do not know, but someone had to be first.  Maybe it was one of the leaders, but that one person’s voice became the cry of the crowd, and whom are they addressing?  Their voices directed to the religious guys, I did not say the God followers no they were the rule followers, and not God’s rules but all the ones they had added.  They were the priests and prophets the ones that set the rules for everyone but them.

“This man does not deserve the sentence of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.” And certain of the elders of the land arose and spoke to all the assembled people, saying, “Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and said to all the people of Judah: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “‘Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height.’

Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Did he not fear the Lord and entreat the favor of the Lord, and did not the Lord relent of the disaster that he had pronounced against them? But we are about to bring great disaster upon ourselves.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice