June 2, 2019 -Jeremiah 33: Adjusting Expectations.

June 02, 2019 The smaller groups in our church community are inside our homes where we go deeper, build friendships, and walk out the Christian life with each other. HOME CHURCH GUIDE + “Breaking the Ice” question (group facilitator) + CHECK-INS: Introduce, check-in + CARE: Needs in the group + COMPASSION: What is the group planning? Are you inviting your neighbours to join in? + GROUP ANNOUNCEMENTS Church-wide, group-only + DIG IN: Discuss questions as a group + END AND HOMEWORK: Final questions, prayer huddles for personal requests. Consider breaking into small groups (huddles) of 2-4, by gender, if large enough. General “guest sunday” DISCUSSION questions: + Have you had to change your strong expectations about something/someone or help someone else change or “manage” their expectations? + This prophetic word comes right before the fall of Jerusalem and the exile of its people, the worst possible outcome. Why do you think it would come at that time? + Jeremiah was in prison when this word of hope came. What connects can you see between the forced stillness and receiving hope-filled words from God? Talk about solitude and spiritual “hearing,” experience, etc. + Kings and spiritual leaders are called to account. According to God via Jeremiah, it was unjust, bad leadership that resulted in the people going astray and the nations political system being destroyed. The New Testament tells us all political systems are broken and blessed, but they should not try to control everything lest they be judged more harshly by God. Talk about the division of power in geographic places between governments, people and non-governmental powers. + There is debate if God is still working with the first Davidic and Levitical promises to always “have a man.” Did Jesus fulfill all these covenants or will there be an end-times role for ethnic Levites? What do you think about the role of Jerusalem in the end of all things as we know it (Revelation 21 and Heb. 11.1, 1 Peter 2.9-12) + While in their worst state, the prophetic word was given by Jeremiah to the people of Judah to manage their expectations of God, their future, and for good. What has been your worst state and have you heard or sought a “word from the Lord” through solitude in that time? Prayer Requests: New life is found in God’s gracious action that requires us to break from the past. God’s word adjusts our expectations, faith-based living (in part) is adjusting our expectations as if Jesus is the truest thing now and in the future. OVERVIEW • 30-33 strategic location in Jeremiah as the pivotal centre between prophecies that predict the destruction of Jerusalem and those that depict the actual fall of the city. • Four major breaks in the Book of Consolation: • Temple and temple systems • Davidic ruler not like other kings • New unified community- all God’s people • More personal and group relationship with God, “Written on the heart”. 31:31-34 New Covenant. 32:36-44 Everlasting Covenant. THROUGH THE TEXT • 1-5 Terrible Judgment is Coming • Suggested resource: Charles Stanely’s Power of Solitude series 1 and 2 https://www.intouch.org/listen/featured/the-power-of-solitude-part-1 • We let our guard down in joy and in pain and have the potential to hear what we usually push away and ignore. Limited in our normal “freedom” we are open to what we normally push off. • What will it take for you to choose the ancient wisdom of solitude, fasting, and listening by choice of limiting your freedom? 6-13 GOD WILL RESTORE AND HEAL • Healing for Israel and Judah means: • Return from exile • The rebuilding of ruined cities • Reconciliation with God, spiritual lives • Jerusalem maintains it’s worldwide importance • V.11 a familiar line of worship, “Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; his love (hesed) endures forever!.” • 1 Chronicles 16:41; Psalms 106:1, 118:1, 29; 136; cf. 100:4) 14-16 THE RIGHTEOUS BRANCH AND THE RIGHTEOUS CITY Jeremiah tells us there is much tragedy because of failures in leadership. Irresponsible, despotic kings and priests who forgot their teaching, prayer, and worship ministry. A new community needs better leaders. 17-22 PROMISES OF PERPETUITY TO DAVID AND THE LEVITES Some see this being literally fulfilled one day in a millennial reign, others see the restoration in spiritual terms - fulfilled in Jesus Christ and the church. 23-26 A PROMISE OF PERPETUITY TO THE TWO CHOSEN FAMILIES Ends with another promise, “I will have compassion over them.” James 2:13b “Mercy triumphs over judgment!” For Jeremiah, the future must come through brutal honesty about our past. “[The] temptation to cling to past...as though their crisis were only a momentary disruption...But Judah cannot return to its life before exile...only when one recognizes this reality can new hope take shape” (Stulman, 283). TAKE THIS WITH YOU • The adverse situation of Jeremiah in prison... • The darkest times do not have the final word nor do they own the future. • The shape of God’s promises are surprising as they are reconfigured in Christ, who is David’s son and heir. • The powers that shape the world and claim total loyalty: Canada, US, China, etc. do not have the last word. They cannot destroy the Kingdom of God. • Is God using this post-christendom situation in Canada to purify His church? • This promise of God through Jeremiah is STILL unfolding! • You are called to follow Jesus first with your allegiance and loyalty.