What Does Jesus Expect of His Followers Today?

In daily life, what does real righteousness look like? What does Jesus really expect of His followers today? The Beattitudes and the Sermon on the Mount answers the question of what authentic righteousness is—what Christians are to be and do. Along with many other highly regarded Christian authors, Dr. Wiersbe describes the Sermon on the Mount as what human life and human community look like when they come under the gracious rule of God. Here is a Christian value-system, ethical standard, spiritual devotion, attitude toward money, ambition, lifestyle, and network of relationships—all of which are totally different from those of the non-Christian world.

But how should we approach this passage in Matthew's Gospel on the Beattitudes? It would be to our advantage to keep these observations in mind:

• The Focus is on the Blessings of Righteous Character.  Being a master Teacher, our Lord did not begin this important sermon with a negative criticism of the scribes and Pharisees. He began with a positive emphasis on righteous character and the blessings that it brings to the life of the believer.

• The Focus is On Internal Actuality and Not Only External Activity. The Pharisees taught that righteousness was an external thing, a matter of obeying rules and regulations. Righteousness could be measured by praying, giving, fasting, etc. In the Beatitudes and the pictures of the believer, Jesus described Christian character that flowed from within.

• The Focus is On the Internal Condition of the Soul, and Not the Environment Surrounding Us. Imagine how the crowd’s attention was riveted on Jesus when He uttered His first word: “Blessed.”
• This was a powerful word, which meant “divine joy and perfect happiness.” It was not used for humans; it described the kind of joy experienced only by the ‘gods’ or the dead.

• “Blessed” implied an inner satisfaction and sufficiency that did not depend on outward circumstances for happiness. This is what the Lord offers those who trust Him!

• Blessed means “happy, fortunate, blissful.” Not a mere surface or shallow emotion. Jesus was describing the divinely-bestowed well-being that belongs only to the faithful child of God.

• The Beatitudes demonstrate that the way to heavenly blessedness is the opposite of the worldly path normally followed in pursuit of happiness.
• The worldly idea is that happiness is found in riches, merriment, abundance, leisure, and such things.
• The real truth is the very opposite. The Beatitudes give Jesus’ description of the character of true righteousness.
• The Beatitudes describe the attitudes that ought to be in our lives today. Four attitudes are described here.

What Is True Righteousness?  (Matt. 5:1–6)

A.   A Right Attitude Towards Self (V. 3). “Blessed are the poor in spirit”

1. Our Role is Explained (5:3 A): God Blesses Us When We Realize Our Need For Him.

To be poor in spirit means to be humble, to have a correct estimate of oneself (Rom. 12:3).

a.      Consider What Poor in Spirit is Not.

1.      It does not mean to be “poor spirited” and have no backbone at all!

2.      It is not a false humility that says, “I am not worth anything, I can’t do anything!”

3.      This does not refer to natural disposition even, but to one’s deliberate choice and discipline.

4.      “Poor in spirit” is the opposite of the world’s attitudes of self-praise, self-promotion, self-aggrandizement, and self-assertion. It is the opposite of self-sufficiency.

b.      Consider What Poor in Spirit is.

1.      The deep humility of recognizing one’s utter spiritual bankruptcy apart from God. It describes those who are acutely conscious of their own lost condition and hopelessness apart from God’s grace.

·        Matthew 9:12, But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.  

·        Luke 18:13, And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

2.      In this humble honesty with ourselves we look to God to help us: know ourselves, accept ourselves, and try to become what He recreated us to be for the glory of God.

3.      We are poor in spirit when we acknowledge our own helplessness and rely on God’s omnipotence.

4.      We must sense our own spiritual need and find our supply in the Lord.

2. Our Reward is Explained (5:3 B): The Kingdom Of Heaven Is Given To Us.

a. Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

1.      Jesus was teaching that the kingdom is a gracious gift to those who sense their own poverty of spirit.

2.      Beloved the truth of salvation by grace is clearly presupposed in this opening verse of the Sermon on the Mount.

3.      The message is not for the lost, but for the saved.

c.       The kingdom of heaven, is where self-sufficiency is not a virtue and self-exaltation is a vice, this spiritual kingdom of Christ belongs to genuinely humble believers right now.

1.      James 4:10, Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

2.      1 Peter 5:6-7, Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: [7] Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

3.      Proverbs 29:23, A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

4.      Isaiah 2:11, The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.

5.      Luke 18:9-14, And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: [10] Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. [11] The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. [12] I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. [13] And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. [14] I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

 B. A Right Attitude Towards Sin (Vv. 4–6). 

1. We Mourn Over Sin And Despise It. “Blessed are they that mourn”

We see sin the way God sees it and seek to treat it the way God does. Those who cover, excuse, explain away, rationalize, or defend their sin certainly have the wrong attitude.

a. Our Role is Defined: God Blesses Those Who Mourn (5:4 A).

1.      They that mourn.  Mourning over sin is the correct attitude, the godly sorrow that produces repentance leading to salvation without any regret (2 Cor. 7:10).

2.      This does not refer to mourning because of the unfavorable situations of life.

3.      This is the sorrow which one experiences because of fellowship with the Lord Jesus. It is an active sharing of the world’s hurt and sin with Jesus.

a.       Therefore, it includes, not only sorrow for one’s own sin,

b.      But also sorrow because of the world’s appalling condition,

c.       The World’s rejection of the Savior, and the doom of those who refuse His mercy.

b. Our Reward is Defined: We Will Be Comforted (5:4 B).

We who mourn are blessed because a day of comfort awaits us.

1.      The “comfort” is the blessing of forgiveness and pardon.

·        Isaiah 40:1-2, Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. [2] Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins.  (1Jn. 1:9; Jer. 33:8)

2.      The “comfort” is the blessing of renewed fellowship and strength.

•      Isaiah 12:1-2, And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. [2] Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

3.      We who mourn now will be comforted in the coming day also when “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” (Rev. 21:4). Believers do all their mourning in this life; for unbelievers, today’s grief is only a foretaste of eternal sorrow.   

2.      We Meekly Submit to God’s Will.  “Blessed are the meek”

We not only mourn over our sins, but we should also meekly submit to God (Luke 18:9–14; Phil. 3:3–10).

a. The Role (5:5 A): God Blesses The Meek/Gentle And Lowly.

1.      Meekness Is The Opposite Of Being Out Of Control.

·        It is supreme self-control empowered by the Spirit (Gal. 5:23).

·        “Meekness-- an attitude of humility toward God and gentleness toward people, springing from a recognition that God is in control”  –Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary

2.      Meekness Is Not Weakness, For Both Moses And Jesus Were Meek Men (Num. 12:3; Matt. 11:29).

a.       Although weakness and meekness may look similar, they are not the same.

1.      Weakness is due to negative circumstances, such as lack of strength or lack of courage.

2.      But meekness is due to a person’s conscious choice. It is strength and courage under control, coupled with kindness.

b.      By nature we may be volatile, harsh, grouchy, temperamental, and gruff.

c.       But by purposefully taking Christ’s spirit on us, we become meek (adaptable, tolerant, subdued, pliable); there is a gentleness of strength about the believer submitted to the Spirit’s control (Matt. 11:29).

3.      This word “meek” describe a horse that has been broken. It refers to power under control for the purpose of satisfying God’s will.

a.       Meekness implies acceptance of one’s own lowly position.

b.      The meek person is gentle and mild in his own cause, though he may be a lion in God’s cause or in defending others.

b. The Reward (5:5 B): The Whole Earth Will Belong To Us.

1. A Third Blessing Is Pronounced On The Meek: they shall inherit the earth.

a.       The meek do not now inherit the earth;

b.      Rather we currently inherit abuse, mistreatment, disregard and dispossession.

c.       But we will literally inherit the earth when Christ, the King, reigns for a thousand years in peace and prosperity.

2. This Promise Gives Us The Strength To Be Patient and Tolerant In Unfair Conditions.

a.       We know God’s in control. Therefore, we don’t have a need to always fight, challenge, or demand our rights.

b.      Many times a failure to “Submit to God’s Will” leads us into sin!

c.       But, if we Graciously Bear Up Under the Mistreatment Now, The Entire Earth will be ours when it’s worth having (Ps. 37:11).

This is only the beginning of our examination of our Lord's legitimate expectations for us as His followers. We have seen that we are to have a right attitude about self and sin from His Sermon on the Mount. The next or sequel to this post will afford us additional insight into Christ's designs for the Christian experience. I sincerely hope you will continue with me through this exploration of our Lord's expectations and blessings. 

It has been well observed, that no comment could be more hurtful to the Christian than the words “But you are no different from anybody else.” One recurring motif throughout the entire Bible from beginning to end is that God purposes to call out a people for Himself. Such privileged individuals are to be reserved exclusively for His purposes, pleasure, and excellent glory. We do not belong to the world; we do belong to Him. As such we want to honor and obey Him. Our focus is to be true to our spiritual identity, that is, to be “righteous” in all our outlook and behavior.

The Last Great Event of Human History!

It was W. W. Wiersbe who said,

In one sense, the millennial kingdom will sum up" all that God has said about the heart of man during the various periods of history. It will be a reign of law, and yet law will not change man's sinful heart. Man will still revolt against God. The Millennium will be a period of peace and perfect environment, a time when disobedience will be judged swiftly and with justice; and yet in the end the subjects of the King will follow Satan and rebel against the Lord. A perfect environment cannot produce a perfect heart.God is now about to "wrap up" human history One great event remains.”  

 All Sinners are Condemned After the Millennial Age (Rev. 20:11-15).

The time of grace and patience on the behalf of God is over; the time of eternal reckoning has come. God offered salvation, forgiveness, a relationship with Himself, and Heaven to whoever will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for centuries. Too many people simply rejected God's offer and in the final event of human history God will respect their decisions. Every unsaved individual will be examined by God Himself and all will be thoroughly recompensed for their rejection of Jesus Christ and life-long career of sin. Note the words of Dr. H. Willmington,

A test no one will pass. John saw the Judge of the universe seated behind his great white throne, sentencing all the unsaved to the lake of fire forever. Faith in Christ would have placed their names in the "Book of Life," and they would have been saved.— Harold Willmington 

   — After the millennial age, the unsaved are ushered into a gigantic courtroom. Millions of people are there—waiting to see the judgment sessions. All wait in trepidation. Suddenly, off to the right, a huge movie screen lights up and begins to show the entire life works of the wicked. All of the thoughts, motives, and actions of which they are most ashamed shine forth before the assembled crowd.... and a holy God! This is the idea that many have of the final Great White Throne Judgment. But the main question will not be, "What did you do in life?" Rather they will answer for what they did with Jesus. As we have stated in past studies, believers in Jesus share the conviction and joyous hope that Christ will return to earth not only as King, but as Judge, also. This judgment is the climax of them all for all the sinners of all the ages. (MacDonald, W)

   — The final five verses of Revelation 20 introduce the judgment at the end of human history and the beginning of the eternal state.

A.  THE MAJESTIC JUDGE (REV. 20:11).

The sinner, Christ rejecters will have to face the Lord Jesus Christ as Judge and Prosecutor in the Supreme Court of the Universe!

   1. His Court. "A great white throne"

        A. Not Like Modern Courts.

             1. The White Throne Judgment will be nothing like our modem court cases.

             2. At the White Throne, there will be a Judge but no jury, a prosecution but no defense, a sentence but no appeal.

             3. No one will be able to defend himself or accuse God of unrighteousness. What an awesome scene it will be!

        B. It Is a Great Court.

Great because of the issues involved and the sentences issued.

        C. It Is a White Court.

             1. White because of the perfection and purity of the decisions handed down.

             2. This is a judgment throne, elevated, pure, and holy.

         D. It Is a Throne Court.

            1. Nearly 50 times in Revelation there is the mention of a throne. It is not the sight of the previous thrones in heaven nor in the earth.

            2. This court throne is in space beyond the old heaven and the old earth. Like the Judgment Seat of Christ which took place in heaven before the Millennial age, this judgment will also be in a scene other then the earth.

            3. Tills court convenes in space during an indescribable void between the end of the present universe (Rev 20:11) and the creation of the new heaven and earth (Rev 21:1).

   2. His Christ, “an him that sat on it”

       A. The Judge is Jesus Christ.

The Father has committed all judgment to Him (Matt 19:28; Rom. 2:16).

John 5:22-30, For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: [23] That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. [24] Verily, verily, I say unto you. He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life [25] Verily, verily, 1 say unto you. The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. [26] For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; [27] And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. [28] Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, [29] And shall come forth; they that have done good. unto the resurrection of life; and thev that have done evil. unto the resurrection of damnation. [30] I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I Judge and my judgment is just: because 1 seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Acts 10:42, And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

Acts 17:30-31, And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent [31 ] Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness bv that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

While Christ is now seated on the throne in heaven and will be seated on the Davidic throne on earth in the Millennium (Matt. 25:31), this white throne judgment is a special situation.

       B. These Lost Sinners Rejected Christ in Life.

Now they must be judged by Him and face eternal death.

Matthew 7:21-23, Not every one that saith unto me. Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but lie that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. [22] Many will say to me in that day. Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name0 and in thy name have cast out devils9 and in thy name done many wonderful works';' [23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

   3. His Countenance, "from whose face the earth and heaven fled away"

We all must admire the grandeur of this image; no one can think on it without being awed by the majesty and glory of the Christ, Great Judge.

          A. John Saw the Contaminated Universe Vanish out of Existence.

1.      Peter described this moment when the universe is "uncreated," going into non-existence.

2 Peter 3:10-13. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. [11] Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, [12] Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? [13] Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

2.      The Lord Jesus Also Stated This Very tiling. Matthew 24:35. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. (See also Mk. 13:3 1; Lk21:33).

3.      Like the stars, during the rising of the sun, seem to flee to more remote regions, and vanish from view, so also when the Son of God shall appear in his glory to judge lost humanity, the earth and all other worlds shall indeed vanish. "The earth and the heaven fled away" An un-creation shall ensue as the natural world shrinks back with awe at the presence of God the Son! (Compare Ps 18:7-15; 77:16-19; 114:3-5; Hab. 3:6, 10-11). The image expresses, in the most emphatic manner, the idea that they entirely disappeared, and no language could more sublimely represent the majesty of the Judge.

B. Will the Heavens and Earth be Cleansed or Destroyed? The question has been raised as to whether the earth and the starry heavens as they are today will be destroyed at this point in the future or will be simply restored to a new state of purity.

1.      Many Bible passage suggest that the earth and the heavens, as now known, will be destroyed (Matt 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 16:17; 21:33; 2 Peter 3:10-13).

2.      This is confirmed by the opening statement of Revelation 21, "the first heaven and the first earth were passed away."

3.      QUOTE: "The present universe was created like a gigantic clock which is running down, and if left to itself, would ultimately come to a state of complete inactivity. Inasmuch as God created the universe and set it in motion for the purpose of enacting the drama of sin and redemption, it would seem proper to begin anew with a new heaven and a new earth suitable for His eternal purpose and built on a different principle. The new heaven and new earth described in chapter 21 has no similarity to the present earth and heaven." —John Walvoord

4.      His Cause. "And there was no place found for them"

A. This Is Preparation for the Eternal Kingdom of God. There is no place for a contaminated earth, heaven, nor people.

B. The Physical World Is Thus Judged and Eliminated Because They Are Utterly Unfit for a Perfect Universe.

B. THE MASSIVE MULTITUDES JUDGED (REV. 20:12A-13)

1. The Final Judgment of All “the dead”—Unbelievers of All Ages (Matt 10:15; 11:22,24; 12:36,41,42; Luke 10:14; John 12:48; Acts 17:31; 24:25; Rom. 2:5,l6; Heb. 9:27:2 Pet. 2:9; 3:7; Jude 6).

A. The Purpose of Establishing the Great White Throne Is to Judge the Dead.

1. John tells us that the dead, great and small, stood before the throne. Hebrews 9:27, And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

2. From other Scriptures it seems that all the righteous dead have been raised, including Old Testament saints, the dead of the Great Tribulation, and the church saints, the body of Christ (Rev 20:4-5).

B. Thus it May Be Assumed That Verses Rev. 20:11-15 Refer to the Judgment of the Wicked Dead, who according to verse 5 would not be resurrected until after the thousand years and will have no part in what is called "the first resurrection. "

C. Those People Who Are Judged at the Great White Throne Judgment Have Rejected God Throughout History, from Adam's son Cain, who killed his brother, to those who rebelled during the end of the Millennium and are killed at the second coming of Christ. In Revelation 20:12-13 and the previous passages, we see that all who reject God, from the first unbeliever to the last, will stand before Jesus at the Great White Throne.

2. Christ Referred to this Event as the "Resurrection of Damnation" (John 5 29)

A. From Where Do These "Dead" Come? (Rev 20:13)

1. Death will give up the bodies, and

2. Hell-hades (the realm of the spirits of the dead) will give up the spirits.

3. The Seas— There will even be a resurrection of bodies from the sea.

4. No sinner will escape.

B. There Shall Be a Second Resurrection!

1. Do not confuse this judgment at the White Throne with the Judgment Seat of Christ where believers will have their works judged and rewarded.

2. At this judgment, there will be only unbelievers; and there will be no rewards.

3. John described here an awesome scene. Heaven and earth will flee away and no place will be left for sinners to hide! All must face the Judge!

3. They Stand Condemned Before God. “stand before God”

A. The unsaved will be raised and will stand before God's judgment. In a judicial sense as guilty condemned prisoners before the bar of divine justice.                                           

B. There are no living sinners left in the destroyed universe since all sinners were killed and all believers glorified.

C. THE MANNER OF THEIR JUDGMENT (REV. 20:12B-13).

1.      They Will Be Judged By Records. Jesus Christ will judge these unsaved people on the basis of what is written "in the books." What books?

A. The Books of Record. Daniel 7:10, A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened

1. These books record every thought, word, and deed of sinful men—all recorded by divine omniscience (see Dan. 7:10, the verse that is the source of this text).

2. They will provide the evidence for eternal condemnation Rev 18:6,7

3. QUOTE: "The fact that these dead have not been raised before is evidence in itself that they do not have eternal life and that their judgment is a judgment of their works. All final judgments deal with works, whether the works of Christians rewarded at the judgment seat of Christ or the works of the unsaved which are in view here. The question of who is saved is determined not in heaven but in life on earth. What is revealed here is the confirmation of one's destiny by means of God's written records." — John Walvoord

B. "The Book of Life" Will Be There.

1. It will be present containing the names of God's redeemed people (Dan. 12:1; Rev 21:27; note also 13:8; 17:8). Philip. 4:3, And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

2. No unsaved person will have his or her name in the Lamb's Book of Life; only true believers are recorded there. Luke 10:20, Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

3. Perhaps the Lord Jesus will check this record as a last and final act of mercy.

2.      They Will Be Judged By the Word. John 12:48, He that rejecteth me. and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. God's Word will be there. The Word that Christ has spoken, will judge sinners in the last day. Every sinner will be held accountable for the truth he or she has heard h this life.

3.      They Will Be Judge By Their Works, "judged everyman according to their works. "

John 3:17-20, For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. [18] He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned^ already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [19] And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. [20] For every one that doeth evil hatetli the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

A.     Their thoughts (Luke 8:17, Rom. 2:16), words (Matt. 12:37), and actions (Matt. 16 27) will be compared to God's perfect, holy standard (Matt 5:48, 1 Pet 1 15, 16) and will be found wanting (Rom 3:23).

B.     This Also Implies That There Are Degrees of Punishment in Hell (Mark 12:38-40; Luke 12:47, 48; Heb. 10:29). Matthew 10:14-15, And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you. It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

C.     Matthew 11:22, But I say unto you. It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.

D.  THE MISERY OF JUDGMENT (REV. 20:14-15).                 

When the judgment is finished, all of the lost will be cast into hell, the lake of fire, the second death. Many people reject the biblical doctrine of hell as being "unchristian," and yet Jesus clearly taught its reality (Matt 18:8; 23:15, 33; 25:46; Mark 9:46). A sentimental kind of humanistic religion will not face the reality of judgment, but they teach a God who loves everyone into heaven and sends no one to hell. This is really one of the biggest lies the devil has ever introduced! Sadly, too many people have believed it.

Hell is a witness to the righteous character of God. He must judge sin. Hell is also a witness to man's responsibility, the fact that he is not a robot or a helpless victim, but a creature able to make choices. God does not merely "send people to hell"; they send themselves by rejecting the Savior God provided (Matt 25:41; John 3:16-21). Hell is also a witness to the awfulness of sin. If we once saw sin as God sees it, we would understand why a place such as hell exists.

In light of Calvary, no lost sinner can condemn God for casting him into hell. God has provided a way of escape, and He has patiently waiting for sinners to repent while believing the Gospel. He will not lower His standards or alter His requirements as they are entirely just. He has ordained that faith in His Son is the only way of salvation. Wisdom is demonstrated when we admit our sinfulness and trust the Savior, Jesus Christ

Conclusion:

Before God can usher in His new heavens and earth, He must finally deal with sin; and this He will do at the Great White Throne. Anyone,...you can escape this terrible judgment by trusting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. By so doing, you never will be a part of the second resurrection or experience the terrors of the second death, the lake of fire.

"He that heareth My Word," said Jesus, "and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation [judgment], but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24).

Have you trusted Him in order to pass from death unto life?

God's Cell Phone Number!

Jer. 33:1-9

Take God’s invitation to Prayer seriously, because it is one way we enter a deepening relationship with Him.  

1.  The cell phone is an extremely popular communication device. They boost of myriads of entertainment features and conveniences. They are so much a part of our technology and information age that we find it difficult to image life without them. Of course their grandest quality it that they permit us to stay in contact with friends and family anytime and anywhere as long as we have their number.

Well, God has a Cell Phone with universal access, Bluetooth, hands free headset, infrared, texting, touch screen, and voice activation. It is not a Blackberry, Nokia, or iPhone, but it is certainly a GPhone and His number is “Call Unto Me.”

2. In spite of the conveniences of the cell phone, communication is still a real problem. Actually a Failure to Communicate, is a Major Problem in Our technologically advanced World.

• So often we don’t say what we mean.
• We have difficulty putting our feelings into words.
• We leave people with misunderstanding.
• Some of us even expect others to read our minds.

Whether in our family, the workplace, the church, on Face Book, Twitter, or texting we have problems communicating. In our text, God issues an invitation to ‘call Him up’ to His servant.

3.  In Jeremiah 33:1–3, God’s issued a prayer invitation to His prophet (Stanley, C.).  It was given:

A. To a righteous man. All believers may pray, but it is “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man that availeth much” (James 5:16).  Prayer works when righteous people work it!

B.  To a beloved servant. If a heavy weight prophet of Jehovah needed to pray, then no believer knows so much or is so far spiritually advanced that he can discard the holy habit of prayer. Whenever you find it difficult to clear off time to pray or to make prayer a daily priority, ask yourself these questions:

1.  Am I too smart, too in control, too proud, too prosperous, too self-contained, too self-sufficient, or too discouraged to pray?

2.  Do I fail to communicate with God consistently because I don’t even try?  Why?

3.  Am I too frustrated, too isolated, too misunderstood, or too messed up to ask God for help?

Lesson: “CALL UNTO ME” (Jer. 33:3)

When God’s invitation came to Jeremiah, he was in prison for disagreeing with the king and leaders of Jerusalem. They wanted to align themselves with the Egyptians in order to defeat the invading Babylonians. But Jeremiah knew this was useless because the Lord had told him that Judah would be taken into captivity by the Babylonians for seventy years.

Jeremiah, therefore, recommended to King Zedekiah that they surrender peacefully and voluntarily (Jer. 32:1-5). God’s Word was already coming to pass, so there was no point in fighting against it. The leaders responded by putting Jeremiah in prison. His words sounded too much like treason and disloyalty.

But the Prophet still had access to the Lord.  As Jeremiah’s imprisonment dragged on, God’s word came to him again (Jer. 33:1). The sovereign God who created all things told the prophet, He would do “Great and mighty things! Just ask Me!” He was fully able to restore his people to their land and give them prosperity (Jer. 33:4-13), this would cause all nations to praise Him (Jer. 33:9).  This is the context for this wonderful and much welcomed invitation to cry out to the Lord who keeps His promises. There are three applications in this word of the Lord to Jeremiah, I’d like to make.

I.  CALL ME DURING THE TIMES YOU FEEL TRAPPED.

 Jeremiah 33:1,  Moreover the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying,

1.      Call When You Feel Closed In. (Sometimes we feel captive to our circumstances)

a.      The invitation came to Jeremiah in prison.

                                                      i.      Stone walls cannot shut out God from us, nor prevent our souls from rising in prayer to Him. No one can rob you of your choicest jewel—communion with Jehovah, your heavenly Father.

                                                     ii.      God often visits the soul in scenes of earthly distress to initiate dialog.

b.      No one or nothing can imprison the soul that longs for God.

                                                      i.      When people try to close you in with their rigid ideas and unfair expectations for your time, energy, money, and life.  God invites you to prayer.

                                                     ii.      When your options, opportunities, and hopes for positive changes dry up right before your eyes leaving you trapped where you don’t want to be in life; still God invites you to prayer.   

c.       God says, “Call unto Me.” There’s probably no better place for a person to catch up on his or her prayer life than behind bars!  I have had several former inmates confirm this reality!

2.      Call When You Feel All Alone.

a.       Jeremiah Felt Alone.  He was the only one declaring this message of surrender to the Babylonians.

                                                      i.      Often in standing on the Word and Promises of God we feel alone.  Very few others seem interested or motivated to see God truly at work.

                                                     ii.      Often in standing for what’s right, because God said its right, we stand alone.  It may be at school, home, work, in a relationship, and even on rare occasions at church.  God still invites us to “Call unto Me.”

                                                  iii.      Sometimes we find ourselves arguing with ourselves saying, “Why are there so few advocates for real spiritual change?” “Why isn’t there a great deal of spiritual energy from the masses of God’s people behind this?” “Why aren’t more believers concerned about this?”

b.      Sometimes We Feel Isolated. Although we may not be behind physical bars or residing in a public prison, we very often are isolated through a series of events or problems so that we find ourselves feeling alone in our circumstances—unable to connect with others in meaningful ways.

                                                      i.      In those times our attention very often turns to God.  This invitation came a second time to Jeremiah. God repeatedly invites his troubled people to turn to Him; He offers this open door to Him again and again. You see the prayers of yesterday will not make those of today unnecessary.

                                                     ii.      You may discover a wonderful and faithful companion in your Lord who will never leave you alone.  Spouses do deploy or pack up and leave, friends PCS and move away, children graduate and go off to college, and some relationships grow cold and unsatisfying.  But God says to you, “Call unto Me.”

                                                   iii.      There is nothing like feeling alone or abandoned to get our attention back on God and conversation with Him.

3.      Call When You Feel Desperate.

a.       In Desperate Times We Want an Escape.  Our cry when life slaps us with some desperation is usually, “God, get me out of this place” or “God, get me out of this mess.” Sometimes we may even attempt to barter with God, saying, in effect, “God, if you get me out of here, I will serve You better and read the Scripture and pray more than I have in the past. God I’m serious this time!”

b.      God Does Not Guarantee Escape! Notice this prayer invitation did not bring deliverance from trouble.

                                                      i.      Though God visited Jeremiah in prison once and again, the prophet still remained there.

                                                     ii.      We have no right to expect God to automatically remove our source of trouble or desperation. The Lord may find it better to bless us in our troubles.

                                                   iii.      Therefore, on the other hand, the continuation of the trouble is not evidence that we are deserted by God.  It is quite possible that the opposite is true, because “whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.”

c.       The Desperate Circumstance May be From God. In reality, the “prison” in which we find ourselves may be the very place that God has designated for us to learn better how to serve Him, read the Bible, and pray more. This is especially true when the prison is one of our own making—a prison marked:

                                                      i.      By our sins, failures, character flaws, poor judgment, or errors.

                                                     ii.      By our lack of emotional control or forms of anger and bitterness—other emotional problems.

                                                   iii.      By our relationship problems—conflict, abuses, distrust, betrayal, poor friendship choices, a bad marriage that is getting worse, loneliness, and boredom.    

                                                   iv.      By our self-created financial problems and impulsive spending habits.

                                                    v.      By our self-inflicted health problems—poor diet, bad habits, alcohol, and drugs.

                                                   vi.      By our habitual neglect of God and the things of God!

d.      Our answer lies not in our deliverance from the problem, but in developing a relationship with God in the midst of the problem. Psalm 50:15, And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.  Remember God’s deliverance could take many forms, including a “prison.”

II. CALL ME DURING THE TIMES YOU FEEL PAIN.  Vs. 33:3

No doubt the rejection, mistreatment, isolation, and cruelty Jeremiah experience was quite painful for him. Certainly he felt cast aside and misunderstood. Yet, God made no mention of Jeremiah’s release from prison in this passage. He simply said, “Call unto Me.”

Centuries before King Solomon dedicated the temple he had constructed in Jerusalem. At that time he looked ahead and foresaw the many ways in which Israel would sin against God. Solomon knew that sin would have disastrous consequences, making God’s people vulnerable to foreign enemies, drought, and other disciplines. Solomon also knew that when God’s people began to feel the pain, they would finally turn back to God.  Likewise when we feel the pain, we desperately cry to God and try to live as good Christians (1 Kings 8:35, 36). So when we are feeling the pain, it’s time to call on God! But we need to realize something first:

1.      God is More Interested in Relationship Then Relief.

He is far more interested in building a relationship with us and communicating with us within our situation than He is in changing our circumstances or releasing us from our problems.

2.      God is More Interested in Maturity Then Miracles.

The lessons that we learn within life’s problems are valuable for all eternity. Lessons learned through pain can be some of our best teachers and stimulate significant growth in Christ. They are greater than any lessons we might learn from a miraculous deliverance from our pain, suffering, or trouble.

3.      God is More Interested in Prayer Then Pacifiers.

Psalm 50:15, And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

1. God calls us to pray within the struggles of life.  Prayer is the shortest distance between:

·        Problems and solutions. 

·        Difficulties and remedies. 

·        Questions and answers.

2. Use the pain you feel to prompt you to cry out to God! The distance between your knees and the floor is the shortest distance to seeing God at work in your life.
3. The Positive Side of Pain (A diary entry from a young lady)

June 6, 1992:

I talked with a young woman today who has been suffering with severe back pain. Her name is Dotty, and her doctor hasn't been able to find any cause for the pain (not that that's any surprise to me!). She was very scared. When I told her about what I have been going through for the past four years, she started to cry.

She said she didn't know how she would make it, and so I told her about God and prayed with her. I took her number so I could call her and talk with her some more. It's really been amazing how many people God has brought into my life to minister to through my problem. I'm beginning to see what God is doing in my life.

I've changed, too. I don't know how many people have told me I'm an inspiration. Sometimes I don't feel like an inspiration! I remember how I used to be, though. I think God has used my suffering to strip away some of my own childishness. When I hear some of the dumb statements or empty phrases from people, I think, “Before I would have probably said the same thing!” Now I understand so much better what other people with pain are going through since I've been there myself.

I know I'm closer to God after going through this whole experience. With all the time I've spent on my knees, I ought to be! But if I hadn't spent so much time praying and looking for insight, would I have the deep communion with my Lord that I now have? I don't think so. Not to mention, I've learned to turn to God when something goes wrong. I'm still not pleased about the pain I've had to go through, but I thank God that it hasn't been for nothing. Sometimes I'm almost grateful. (Timothy J. Richards, 1995: Real Life, Real People: Drawing comfort and inspiration from the experiences of Bible personalities)

III. CALL ME BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO.

Jeremiah 33:2, Thus saith the Lord the maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it; the Lord is his name;

Though God is free of any needs, He still desires to spend time with us. Actually prayer does far more for us and God makes Himself available to us. But we should pray not only in our crisis situations and when the pressures of life place the squeeze on us, but to maintain a healthy growing relationship with God during the normal seasons.

1. God Desires to Emphasize His Power and Character in a Relationship with You.
1. His Power is Unparalleled! God stresses both His power and His character. He is the awesome mighty Creator-God (Jer. 32:17). What an encouragement to pray to Him!
2. His Faithfulness is Absolute! By revealing His name Lord (Yahweh), God emphasized His covenant-keeping faithfulness to His people (Jer. 32:18; Ex. 3:13-15). Thus, Jehovah’s very Name is a pledge of his faithfulness to his promises (Jer. 32:18).  He will be faithful to you also! He will never leave you nor forsake you—ever!
3. His Attraction is Undeniable. Everything about God makes it worth getting closer to Him and Conversing more with Him in Prayer!

                                                               i.      Don’t take Him for granted because He is Powerful and Faithful!

                                                             ii.      Establish a time and place to meet with Him regularly for brief chats and extended and deep communication. Start with brief periods, but also learn to pray on the fly through your day.

                                                            iii.      Make time with Him a priority—a daily date to share your soul with God—you don’t need to wait until you have a crisis before you come.

2. God Desires for us to Call on Him for His Salvation—to Accept a Relationship with Him.
1. Take Him at His Word. Jeremiah 33:8, And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.
2. Ask Him to Save You Today! Why not call on the Lord today in confession, in repentance, for forgiveness, to place your Faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and to begin a relationship with God. (See also Rom. 10:8-13, 17). Really you cannot pray to God until a relationship with Him begins through Faith in Jesus Christ.
3. Pray, “Thy Kingdom Come” (Matt. 6:10; Luke 11:2)! The Lord gave further glowing promises of restoration to Israel and Judah—the land will be repopulated with joyful people; the mountains will be enriched with flocks; and, best of all, the Messiah, “A Branch of righteousness” descended from David, will come. Jerusalem ... will be called THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Jehovah gives His name to restored Israel, just as a man does to his bride and just as Christ does to the church (1 Cor. 12:12).—Believer’s Bible Commentary

  

3. God, Our Heavenly Father, Desires for us to Pray Because He Wants Us To. 
1. Jesus expects us to pray and the Bible commands us to pray. The Spirit helps us to pray. God wants us to pray.  He communicates awesome grace into the praying soul.
2. The God of the Universe and the God of Covenant wants you to spend time with Him often.
3. This is His invitation to prayer! Certainly “men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1).

Conclusion:

Accept the Lord God’s Invitation to Satisfying Fellowship With Himself.  Yes, Many People Have Problems Communicating with God. They are uncomfortable talking with God. They wonder if he has heard what they have said. They are confused or frustrated by their lack of ability to say what they mean. Some don’t even try to communicate (Stanley, C.).

This is the foremost problem in communication. The greatest obstacle in both our human relationships and our relationship with God is a failure to try to communicate. If a person never opens his mouth and his heart to others, communication is halted. Without an effort to start communicating, there can be no progress in one’s ability to communicate (Stanley, C.).

The Problem Is Not New. Repeatedly in the Bible, God invited His people to communicate with Him—Today He is seeking to open a dialogue with you. He wants to engage you in a deep heart-felt conversation. He wants to begin a faith-based relationship through Christ with you to afford you the privilege of prayer.  God is extending this invitation to you and me today.  “Call Unto Me!”

Remember God is NOT too Busy to Spend Time with You!  We think that God is off in a corner of the universe somewhere doing big things, or trying to keep nuclear wars from breaking out, or containing some evil angel rebellion, and that He doesn’t have time or interest for our petty matters. Nothing could be farther from the truth (Anders, M). An omniscient and omnipotent God has no trouble running the universe and still having time for us. We are the reason everything about prayer exists in the first place. We are not an afterthought or secondary interest for God. We are “it” as His children.  The Bible teaches we are the ‘apple of God’s eye.’ (Duet. 32:10; Zech. 2:8).  Outside of Himself, nothing is more important than we are. He wants us to pray. So, take a moment and call God up!