What Ya’ Fishin’ For?

Text:

Jeremiah 31:3:

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

 

Theme:

What Ya’ Fishin’ For?

 

Introduction:

• Jeremiah:
  • The book of Jeremiah is the second book of the Major prophets in the Old Testament. The first of two written by the prophet Jeremiah.  The other being Lamentations.
  • Who was Jeremiah?:
    • The “weeping prophet” for his constant crying out to a stiff-necked, hardheaded people to return to God.
    • Working so hard to do the Will of God can leave you “weeping”!
    • One of the “greater prophets” of the Old Testament, son of Hilkiah, a priest of Anathoth (Jeremiah 1:1; 32:6).
    • He was called to the prophetical office when still young — Jeremiah 1:9, “Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.”
    • God had an early ordination service before his calling – Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”
    • He left his native place, and went to reside in Jerusalem, where he greatly assisted King Josiah in his work of reformation (2 Kings 23:1-25). The death of this pious king was sorrowfully proclaimed by the prophet as a national calamity (2 Chronicles 35:25).
    • Jeremiah lived through pressures and sieges against the Jews from the Babylonians, Egyptians, and Chaldeans.
    • It is believed that Jeremiah’s life came to an end, around the age of 90, during his time in Egypt…although it is uncertain.
  • The scripture is historically placed during the reign of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah. Jeremiah was Zedekiah’s counselor being that Zedekiah began his reign at the young age of 21.  Because he did not cease to do evil in the sight of the Lord, Zedekiah’s life ended after seeing his own children put to death, his own eyes were put out, and, being loaded with chains, he was carried captive to Babylon, where he remained a prisoner, how long is unknown, to the day of his death.

 

Body:

• Out text has many gifts that it presents through the words of the Lord through Jeremiah to the people of Israel:
  • Authority à God appeared of OLD…He was the same God that the people knew…Nothing new!
    • “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me”
  • Consolation à God loves them with an everlasting love…He won’t let them down no matter what!
    • “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love”
  • Understanding à God has used this everlasting love to draw them as His chosen people.  There is life after the death of sin through God’s Love!
    • “therefore”
  • Guidance à God wants Jeremiah and the people of Israel to see that His lovingkindness is what wins souls….we are to be the same way with others.
    • “with lovingkindness have I drawn thee”
• God has drawn us, but…WHAT ARE WE DRAWING?
  • Story of me going fishing. I bait my hook, throw line in the water, and get nothing but a branch.  Clean hook, bait it again with good live bait, and throw back in the river in anticipation of catching fish.  I KNOW that there are fish in the river.  I just have to keep fishing for what I want.
  • So, WHAT ARE YOU FISHING FOR?
    • We come to church fishing for the wrong things
      • Mate
        • People are looking for a mate
      • Excuses
        • People come to church to find an excuse to keep doing what they are already doing
      • Rumors about others
        • People come to just get dirt on other people. They don’t want to miss anything.
      • Fault in others
        • They don’t want anything good for others. They just want to get something to tear others down with
      • We all have a need to be more!
        • Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”
        • We all know that we need help!!
      • Don’t get discouraged when fishing returns something bad!
        • It’s just the result of using the wrong bait
          • If you bait with junk, you will get junk
          • If you come to church with bad intentions, you will get bad results
        • We have all made that mistake. If you get bad results, do settle for them:
          • If you draw back anger, throw it back!
          • If you draw back malice, throw it back!
          • If you draw back envy, throw it back!
          • If you draw back strife, throw it back!

 

Conclusion:

• I don’t know what you been fishin’ for, but we need to be fishing for good things from river.
  • There’s love in the river!
  • There’s peace in the river!
  • There’s power in the river!
  • There’s salvation in the river!
  • There’s Jesus in the river!!!
• “with lovingkindness have I drawn thee”
  • As long as we use the right bait, we will draw the right result!
    • You can draw more flies with honey that with vinegar
    • Treat folks how you want to be treated!
    • Proverbs 18:24, “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly:”
• With this foundation are we commissioned!
  • Mark 1:17, “And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.”
    • “with lovingkindness have I drawn thee”
  • Mark 16:15, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
    • with lovingkindness will we draw others!!
• We are able because God is able!

  • He’s able!!!!

#139