Return to Me - Jeremiah 4:1-4
Posted by Calvary Chapel Fremont at 9/29/2010 9:55 PM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Pastor Tim Brown Calvary Chapel Fremont Return Jeremiah
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Pastor Tim Brown Calvary Chapel Fremont Return Jeremiah
Pastor Tim Brown, Calvary Chapel Fremont, Wednesday September 29, 2010
Return to Me
Jeremiah 4:1-4
Imagine someone calling out to people to wash themselves as they emerge from a car wash. We know that in the carwash, you stay in the car as the car gets clean. Often, the cars are cleaner the people inside of them. They washed their cars, but not themselves. This is what was happening in Judah – they changed their ways w/o cleansing their hearts. You can change your ways - You can be a disciplined prayer/generous giver/diligent server – still have a crusty heart. J is calling the people to repentance in the midst of what looks like a revival. Yes, there’s a lot of soap/suds – but only outside is washed
1-2a Essence of repentance this is the heart/what it should look like
To Me – not rites/rituals – practices/performances – outer/visible TO ME
If a husband left his wife, she doesn’t want him to come back just so he can have a home-cooked meal/clothes washed. She doesn’t want him to come back because he feels guilty/obligated to care for her. She wants him to return to her, not the home/vows.
I spoke once w/ a single man who is no longer in the pastorate/struggling in his walk w/ the Lord. He had a deep disillusionment after leaving the ministry and his heart began to wander. The pressure of the pastorate – pulpit/public example - were not there and he began to do things that weren’t worthy of the Lord. He didn’t need to return to a more disciplined life – but to the Lord. The Lord doesn’t call us to practices/principles, but to a Person. He doesn’t call us to a life of discipline, but to a life of love.
In midst of Josiah’s reforms - J is not telling the people that they aren’t turning fast enough, but that they aren’t turning far enough. He’s not saying, “More, more, more.” He’s saying, “Further, further, further.” He’s not saying, “Pray more, read longer, give more, serve harder…” They were bad, now they’re doing good, but they’re missing the best – God Himself – not turned far enough. Here is a clear-cut case where the good is the enemy of the best.
J doesn’t say, “Return to it” but, “Return to Me.” So often we hear the call to return to a more disciplined life of prayer/Bible study/etc. We return to an IT and not to a PERSON – this is not far enough.
I taught at a men’s retreat in TX this last weekend. It is so easy for a man to say, “I want to get to that place where I’m fired up again.” I know what’s being said, but we need to return to a Person, not a place. A place isn’t far enough.
Put away detested things from My presence – (not: your presence) remove competitors/phone #s of other lovers deleted. A wife doesn’t want 2b part of a harem – and neither does God. We are the temple of the Lord to be inhabited exclusively by Him. This is why God purchased you, so He could dwell in you. Our God is jealous 4u.
Truthful speech - They would say, “As the Lord lives.” It is like “I swear to God.” This would be said to confirm what was done/said. J – don’t say that unless what you’re testifying to is true/say it for the right reasons/can be said out of pure motives. Don’t be flippant in speech/take the Lord’s name in vain. Growing up – “Mom said…” Sometimes mom didn’t say and her name was attached to things she would not want it 2b attached to.
Repentance brings you n2a real sense that urn the presence of God and live your life in the presence of God. A return to ritual/allowing lusts that wrestle w. God for control/flippant speech - all are signs of a ½ way turn to God – and this is what J faced – not far enough.
2b-4 Effects of repentance
The nations will bless themselves in Him…
When you are in proper alignment w/ God, He shines through you onto others. Mt. 4:12-16 light on Galilee thru Jesus… When you align w/ Him, ura vessel He can use. In getting n2 right relationship w/ God ur positioned to come n2 right relationship w/ people.
God is calling the people to deep, ongoing repentance. The Lord has called them to repentance for the sins that J is highlighting, and as they return to the Lord and begin to live in the light of His presence, there will be a deeper revelation of sin that hasn’t registered on their conscience, yet. They had smashed their idols, God tells them to continue further and break their hearts.
As you walk w. Christ, you become more sensitive to sin in your life. And this isn’t because ur becoming holier-than-thou, ur becoming holy. The one who is holier-than-thou compares himself to others while the one who is holy compares himself to God. The one who compares himself to others may always be proud/full of himself. The one who compares himself w/ God will always be humble/ empty of self. Cf. Pharisee/tax collector. Remember: return to Me
Fallow ground – plowed, but unsown/uncultivated – this is land that could be cultivated, but is not.
They are not living in the fullness of what God had given them. There were lands/fields sitting unsown/undeveloped/unharvested. God says, “I want to do a greater work in your life.” A greater work called for a deeper breaking. God wanted to do a greater work in them, but a greater work was dependent upon a deeper plowing.
This is true 4u. There are unplowed/unsown/unharvested areas in your life. Conviction of sin/desires to grow are God’s plow that bite n2 your heart. Sow the seed of the Word of God into all of your life – personal/marriage/business/friendships/entertainment/how you spend money... Let the Word bear fruit in every aspect of your life. As you walk w/ the Lord He will show you areas you can to grow in. The Lord would develop your full potential.
Don’t sow among the thorns… The uncultivated land is not yet sown w/ good seed and can be full of weeds/thorns. When the Lord called the 12 to follow Him, the possibility of their lives was greatly expanded – fallow ground was broken up. Matthew the tax collector forsook the love of $$. Simon the Zealot forsook his cause for Christ. Judas sowed among the thorns – this choked out the seed of what the Lord wanted to do. The plow never bit n2 his heart deep enough to remove the thorns and turn over the soil. He didn’t go far enough w/ Jesus.
Pursue holiness – circumcise your hearts/passion for separation unto God. This is another way of saying, “Don’t sow among thorns.” The forgiveness of sin w/o the denial of self will lead to a superficial walk w/ God.
The reforms of Josiah have all been focused on smashing idols/ cutting away the false altars of the land – this didn’t go far enough. J says that reform becomes revival when it is internalized. You can break and cut away all you want on the outside, but until you break and cut way on the inside, you are not yet walking w/ God.
As people wash their cars and not themselves, so J calls out to the people of Judah to change their hearts and not just their ways. Return to God.
Download | Duration: 00:43:35
Return to Me
Jeremiah 4:1-4
Imagine someone calling out to people to wash themselves as they emerge from a car wash. We know that in the carwash, you stay in the car as the car gets clean. Often, the cars are cleaner the people inside of them. They washed their cars, but not themselves. This is what was happening in Judah – they changed their ways w/o cleansing their hearts. You can change your ways - You can be a disciplined prayer/generous giver/diligent server – still have a crusty heart. J is calling the people to repentance in the midst of what looks like a revival. Yes, there’s a lot of soap/suds – but only outside is washed
1-2a Essence of repentance this is the heart/what it should look like
To Me – not rites/rituals – practices/performances – outer/visible TO ME
If a husband left his wife, she doesn’t want him to come back just so he can have a home-cooked meal/clothes washed. She doesn’t want him to come back because he feels guilty/obligated to care for her. She wants him to return to her, not the home/vows.
I spoke once w/ a single man who is no longer in the pastorate/struggling in his walk w/ the Lord. He had a deep disillusionment after leaving the ministry and his heart began to wander. The pressure of the pastorate – pulpit/public example - were not there and he began to do things that weren’t worthy of the Lord. He didn’t need to return to a more disciplined life – but to the Lord. The Lord doesn’t call us to practices/principles, but to a Person. He doesn’t call us to a life of discipline, but to a life of love.
In midst of Josiah’s reforms - J is not telling the people that they aren’t turning fast enough, but that they aren’t turning far enough. He’s not saying, “More, more, more.” He’s saying, “Further, further, further.” He’s not saying, “Pray more, read longer, give more, serve harder…” They were bad, now they’re doing good, but they’re missing the best – God Himself – not turned far enough. Here is a clear-cut case where the good is the enemy of the best.
J doesn’t say, “Return to it” but, “Return to Me.” So often we hear the call to return to a more disciplined life of prayer/Bible study/etc. We return to an IT and not to a PERSON – this is not far enough.
I taught at a men’s retreat in TX this last weekend. It is so easy for a man to say, “I want to get to that place where I’m fired up again.” I know what’s being said, but we need to return to a Person, not a place. A place isn’t far enough.
Put away detested things from My presence – (not: your presence) remove competitors/phone #s of other lovers deleted. A wife doesn’t want 2b part of a harem – and neither does God. We are the temple of the Lord to be inhabited exclusively by Him. This is why God purchased you, so He could dwell in you. Our God is jealous 4u.
Truthful speech - They would say, “As the Lord lives.” It is like “I swear to God.” This would be said to confirm what was done/said. J – don’t say that unless what you’re testifying to is true/say it for the right reasons/can be said out of pure motives. Don’t be flippant in speech/take the Lord’s name in vain. Growing up – “Mom said…” Sometimes mom didn’t say and her name was attached to things she would not want it 2b attached to.
Repentance brings you n2a real sense that urn the presence of God and live your life in the presence of God. A return to ritual/allowing lusts that wrestle w. God for control/flippant speech - all are signs of a ½ way turn to God – and this is what J faced – not far enough.
2b-4 Effects of repentance
The nations will bless themselves in Him…
When you are in proper alignment w/ God, He shines through you onto others. Mt. 4:12-16 light on Galilee thru Jesus… When you align w/ Him, ura vessel He can use. In getting n2 right relationship w/ God ur positioned to come n2 right relationship w/ people.
God is calling the people to deep, ongoing repentance. The Lord has called them to repentance for the sins that J is highlighting, and as they return to the Lord and begin to live in the light of His presence, there will be a deeper revelation of sin that hasn’t registered on their conscience, yet. They had smashed their idols, God tells them to continue further and break their hearts.
As you walk w. Christ, you become more sensitive to sin in your life. And this isn’t because ur becoming holier-than-thou, ur becoming holy. The one who is holier-than-thou compares himself to others while the one who is holy compares himself to God. The one who compares himself to others may always be proud/full of himself. The one who compares himself w/ God will always be humble/ empty of self. Cf. Pharisee/tax collector. Remember: return to Me
Fallow ground – plowed, but unsown/uncultivated – this is land that could be cultivated, but is not.
They are not living in the fullness of what God had given them. There were lands/fields sitting unsown/undeveloped/unharvested. God says, “I want to do a greater work in your life.” A greater work called for a deeper breaking. God wanted to do a greater work in them, but a greater work was dependent upon a deeper plowing.
This is true 4u. There are unplowed/unsown/unharvested areas in your life. Conviction of sin/desires to grow are God’s plow that bite n2 your heart. Sow the seed of the Word of God into all of your life – personal/marriage/business/friendships/entertainment/how you spend money... Let the Word bear fruit in every aspect of your life. As you walk w/ the Lord He will show you areas you can to grow in. The Lord would develop your full potential.
Don’t sow among the thorns… The uncultivated land is not yet sown w/ good seed and can be full of weeds/thorns. When the Lord called the 12 to follow Him, the possibility of their lives was greatly expanded – fallow ground was broken up. Matthew the tax collector forsook the love of $$. Simon the Zealot forsook his cause for Christ. Judas sowed among the thorns – this choked out the seed of what the Lord wanted to do. The plow never bit n2 his heart deep enough to remove the thorns and turn over the soil. He didn’t go far enough w/ Jesus.
Pursue holiness – circumcise your hearts/passion for separation unto God. This is another way of saying, “Don’t sow among thorns.” The forgiveness of sin w/o the denial of self will lead to a superficial walk w/ God.
The reforms of Josiah have all been focused on smashing idols/ cutting away the false altars of the land – this didn’t go far enough. J says that reform becomes revival when it is internalized. You can break and cut away all you want on the outside, but until you break and cut way on the inside, you are not yet walking w/ God.
As people wash their cars and not themselves, so J calls out to the people of Judah to change their hearts and not just their ways. Return to God.
Comments