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September 7, 2020 7:05 am
Imagine the scene when Jeremiah commonly known as the weeping prophet strolled through the rubble of his city, Jerusalem, had been destroyed by the Babylonian invasion citizens.
The Israelites marched off into exile in their beloved Jerusalem lay in ruins.
This is the tearful backdrop for today's addition of Insight for living in which Chuck Swindoll continues a message started on Friday to study and Lamentations chapter 4 has striking similarities to some of our urban centers today.
Chuck titled this message ugly scenes of utter humiliation and he begins with personal burden.
Our father for our country. This great land which we were born. Many of us others to become citizens here place we call home. In some parts of the assembly would resemble what we want to look like hardly sound like the way we used to sound many leaders of fall in the way we once respected someone who once spoke your truth have now drifted from even that and one wonders further turn to find direction we need you every day every hour every moment we need you. We need you to protect us. We need you to direct us. We need you to warn us give us ears to hear in the hearts willing to obey and minds that remember and will not soon forget.
Why hard times come. We thank you for the young today. Those just beginning their lives, and we are grateful for the privilege.
We have shaping their thinking, providing protection instruction divine guidance from your word mother's and dad's parents and grandparents alike.
The discipline the reminder to take time to be with them to remind them of the value of the righteousness when it leads the nation bears great benefits but when the wicked rule. The people groan remind us as well.
Our father that it is vain for the watchman to watch the city if the Lord is not in charge. Jerusalem could fall any city could fall guidance.
We pray as we come before you today on this holiday weekend trusting in you to get us through this time of coronavirus. We pray for those suffering from it. Those very ill because of it and those over other reasons and we pray that you would give restoration hope renewal. Give extra strength to those who courageously serve them administer them in their medical needs and physical needs. We do thank you for our Savior, who loved us and gave himself for us and on this day we realize he is the same yesterday and today and forever. He cares for us. He died for us. May we live for him were so grateful for Christ in our father we pray that you will and endear yourself to us as we worship you may receive you in the pages of your word may we feel the sting of those warnings may we understand the reproof is not meant simply for ancient people who live 2504 years ago, but for us on this very day and maybe make a difference. We pray in the way we live the way we think the kindness we showed one another in the message we carry of everlasting hope.
Watch over those who protect us from harm.
Those wearing the uniform as well as those representing the cross in difficult and dark places, encourage them encourage their families to await their return minister to us through the memory of those who passed on in combat defending our freedom and give us a deep sense of gratitude for those who live beneath white crosses today, we commit our worship to you.
Now our father in the name of Christ our Savior. Everyone said to search the Scriptures with Chuck Swindoll. Be sure to download his searching the Scriptures. Studies by going to Insight world.org/studies another message titled ugly scenes of utter humiliation.
I wonder at times it Jeremiah didn't really lose heart, your profit and you are forever carrying out what you're called to do the rough road. I made a quick list. He was misunderstood by his own family and friends so they wrote them off. He was opposed by other prophets and priests who were false prophets and false priests.
He was mistreated and persecuted by the citizens of the city where he lived. Kings and princes as well.
He was mocked and shunned by those who took time to listen for a while and then turned their back on him and laughed at him.
He was tormented by thoughts of being abandoned and forgotten by God. He was haunted by his own warnings and on top of everything.
Behold, the Babylonians came in just like Jeremiah said they would in fact we just read about it here in this fourth chapter where verse 12 tells us not a king in all the earth. No one in all the world would've believed that an enemy could march through the gates of Jerusalem right through the gates, they could necessarily scale the wall or tear it down. But when you get a week gatekeeper you get in this part of the way they got into Jerusalem. By the way, that's what we are as people of God were gatekeepers.
We declare the truth ideally remodeled it and we understand it, even though we do that it may not go well with us. We don't have the promise of a and an easy life or popularity is easy to be spoiled in this wonderful country of ours until we happened upon the times in which we live, and suddenly realize just how vulnerable we are, we come the day in which many circles in our country for the gold has lost its luster. Verse one and the finest gold has become dull, but that's describing those that have great bank accounts, but an enemy is stolen at all.
What good is a great bank account. If you are not the owner of it anymore and there was once a time when the temple of Solomon is marked by these beautiful gemstones rare and some of them virtually priceless. Now look at the gemstones in the verse one there are sacred gemstones but they now lie scattered in the street, but it is the gold in the gemstones that concern the profit the most youth.
The children see how the precious children of Jerusalem worth their weight in gold are now treated like plots of clay by a common plotter. You can always tell a lot about a nation, by the way it treats its children stops training them well.
It stops teaching them virtue that allows them to run free and while to make up your own mind about life as even jackals feed their young, but not my people Israel. We don't feed our young parched tongue of their little one stick to the roof of their miles and first the children cry for bread, but no one is any bread to give them the people who once ate there richest foods not big in the streets for anything they can get those who once wore the finest of clothing now search the garbage dumps for food.
Listen to this. This is Jerusalem this is Jerusalem, the pride of the Jews, the place of honor, the Star of David flew over the city. Not now.
It doesn't even look like Jerusalem. I thought of that this week. As I looked at the part of our country that doesn't look like our country. It doesn't seem like the city by the sea, where we once enjoyed a leisurely walk down to a beautiful fish market or over to a lovely restaurant where we would enjoy seafood through the evening. Now, you would walk there to be afraid of being mugged was happened, listen to me there is violence about us. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise is nothing right about the violence is nothing good about arson since these are treacherous times in which whole areas are given over to the lawless as those in leadership of the other way doesn't even sound like the nation into which you were born. I'm not at all crotchety man trying to find a reason to complain. I just happened. Be alert and aware of the news like you are until I can stand to listen to it no longer Cynthia's and my heart broke.
As we watched the father, whose 19-year-old had been murdered in this lawless part of that city.
Mr. Horace Anderson set there and wept at a picture of his son on his T-shirt is that that's my boy, my boy is gone now but you didn't know what was there when I went to find them.
I wasn't even allowed in, of all things, a murder had taken place and there weren't even police there to take note they were allowed in it. He goes on and begins to weep at his companion with him, puts his arms around Mr. Anderson weeks with him and since then I break into tears. You can watch that interview without tears in the mangroves and we grown and we went hearts and went out to this this dear man and we said to each other. Could this be the same city. It isn't the same city.
We read Lamentations chapter 4 about a Jerusalem I could insert other names there. You could to sit is out of control cities where people worked hard to build her shops now walk back to rulings racial issue there is lawlessness that's breaking the law and getting away with this is what he saw there he saw the results of people that just released controls. We are trusted and are in those days it with the prophets and the priests who were the leaders and and and he says verse 13 it happened because of the sins of these false prophets in these phony priests who defile the city by shedding innocent blood in many pictures them as lepers look at this with the words of this may wander blindly through the streets only filed by blood. No one dared touch the way they say the way they shout the people shouted at them. Your your defilement, don't touch us and there's anarchy right here in the city that was once the jewel of the Jews, and he walks in the midst of it, never doubted without protection, though city is safe without providing for the protection, there is no way to sleep comfortably through the night.
That isn't simply the words of the preacher. Listen to Proverbs 2141 the horse is prepared for the day of battle safety is of the Lord listen to Psalm 127 verse one unless the Lord protects city guarding it with centuries will do no good.
The Lord must be in charge.
He must be the preeminent one. What is happened. This is why it fell those who were given responsibilities of leadership. Let the people down.
They lied to them they misrepresented the true and the called ally truth.
By the way, this is a good time to show you a passage of Scripture. Turn to Romans 13 just for a few moments, just the first few verses of Romans 13, I would imagine it's been a while since many of us have read this passage, so allow me to do that for you from the new living translation. Listen and reflect. Put your reminding here.
Don't wonder. Remember the news of recent weeks and listen to this, everyone must submit to governing authorities, for all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority had been placed there by God.
So anyone who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished for the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right.
But in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear.
Fear the authorities will then do what is right and they will honor you. The authorities are God's servants. This got servants sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course, you should be afraid, for they have power to punish you.
They are God's servants sent for the very purpose punishing those who do what is wrong, so you must submit to them.
Not only to avoid punishment but also to keep a clear conscience. Am I saying all authority or right are you kidding you. Remember Nero, who was Emperor. Toward the end of Paul's life nothing right about Nero. Paul still wrote Romans 13 because there are a few wrong doesn't mean all wrong. May we please remember that when it comes to those who watch over our safety. There are bad teachers to begin rid of all teachers because there are few bad ones. There are a few bad ministers we get rid of all ministers because there were few phonies. Charlatans who were in it for the money. Money to their bad physicians. We toss it out all the physicians because there are a few bad there are a few bad police with with his getting rid of all the police because a few were wrong.
Some even murderers there to be punished, but all of them. I don't sleep well knowing my street is not patrolled. I don't do well even though I set the alarm every night, nor do you.
We need those who minister protection otherwise. The city builds itself in vain. Since Psalm 27, 133. This is an era of groupthink where someone else tells us how to think. I never forget when I was interviewed to consider being the chaplain of the Senate. You believe that someone put my name in there and and I got a call of forget the man's name was very courteous, very kind, and he said no you of the reference mental and I said up almost and then I ate, we have a laugh and he said I apologize I'm not familiar with your name to know most people aren't that's an understandable tube I'm calling about, considering of the role of chap. The Senate, as an Mie said it. Yes I said. Actually, I'm awfully busy with the church and I've got plenty to do, helping at the seminary in a radio ministry, we have going called Insight for living.
You will know about that and then I said, I really am not the many will be set up, but you like to hear about what's involved us and while I would not affect I have a couple questions for you.
As we talked a while and he was again very gracious and I sit up. I just want to know if I'm able to pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is LOL no no no no you say were pluralistic society now and there were many people who have a broader understanding of of the God, the God and I said that's good definite article I believe in the God he something were saying the same thing and then we began to talk further and I said if I'm not able to break in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ on and he was very nice and I went a little further and heard, click was all over, so I'm here for the long haul. Folks are not doing the two Senate enough, not no please no, don't go there when the big rush for it anyway. Assure you. Can you imagine being in a place where you can pray to the living God, the one and only God there is only one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus you so it sounds pretty exclusive episodes. American Airlines when they say you want to fly to Chicago he that'll be gate nine.
It leaves at 9:15 AM annually to be here an hour too early. They don't say you have a choice.
You go to gate 10, 11, 12, nine might be one of them are eight. We don't want to be too specific were pluralistic here and by the way, you might want to go to Delta and check them out. You'd be hard to find American Airlines flight there but no, no, no, none of that were very exclusive American Airlines date 9909 or you don't get the flight we like that until he comes to our God, and then your scene is arrogant, bigoted, no more than the word of God is very specific.
That's how people get saved they found out they are sinners because they have never believed in the one true God through Jesus Christ.
The one true Savior who died on the one true cross and paid the penalty for our sins through the one true sacrifice. And when you understand that it's very clear you go right to the right gate at just the right time and you step in setting your rescue had great listening to Insight for living in a message from Chuck Swindoll where in the final stretch of our study in Lamentations and he summarize this fourth chapter of Lamentations in the title of his message ugly scenes of utter humiliation.
To learn more about this ministry. Be sure to visit us online@insightworld.org. Let me suggest that you make it a point to join us for the upcoming program because Jeremiah's discouragement turns a corner in the final chapter of Lamentations. Unlike the first four chapters that are poetic in nature.
The fifth chapter of Lamentations contains his prayer Insight for living offers a variety of options for keeping current with checks. Teaching and for staying on top of the latest resources we have to offer. And so we invite you to go to our website and explore what's available today. You'll find links to articles devotions and updates from Chuck Swindoll when you go to insight.war. These resources are made possible in part through voluntary donations from friends and our monthly companions, and God is using our partnership to touch lives very recently we received a voicemail from a young lady who said dear Pastor Chuck, thank you for being an instrument of our Lord and another who said I found the love of Christ through your messages on the airwaves literally change the course of my life and the lives of my children. So if you're one of our monthly companions. I have the honor of saying thank you. The countless listeners from around the world to a just quoted to become a monthly companion right now to give a one time donation colors glistening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 that's 1-800-772-8888 or give a donation online insight.Swindoll continues to present this time sensitive study and lemon Tatian right here on insight for living. The preceding message ugly scenes of utter humiliation and the sound recording were copyrighted 2020 by Charles R.
Swindoll. All rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited