Be steadfast until the end...

Preached at Glen Aros Christian Fellowship on
Sunday 9th November 2008

Let’s look at Jeremiah 45:1-5

Jer 45:1 The word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the instruction of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying,
2 "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch:
3 'You said, "Woe is me now! For the LORD has added grief to my sorrow. I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest."'
4 "Thus you shall say to him, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, what I have built I will break down, and what I have planted I will pluck up, that is, this whole land.
5 "And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I will bring adversity on all flesh," says the LORD. "But I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go."'"

The prophecy we have in this chapter concerns Baruch,

Look at verse 3

3 'You said, "Woe is me now! For the LORD has added grief to my sorrow. I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest."'

Baruch has been saying

• Woe is me now
• The LORD has added grief to my sorrow
• I fainted in my sighing
• I find no rest

But even though it is about Baruch this passage can be for the support and encouragement of all the Lord's people that serve him faithfully and keep closely to him in difficult trying times.

Unlike Baruch!

Look at verse 5
5 "And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I will bring adversity on all flesh," says the LORD. "But I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go."'"

• And do you seek great things for yourself?
• Do not seek for them
• Behold I will bring adversity on all flesh
• Says the LORD
• But I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go.

God will give to all who remain faithful to him in adversity, their lives as a prize.

Even though you have been given your life as a prize still you have a responsibility to keep it.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

1Co 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.
27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

• One receives the prize
• Run in such a way that you may obtain it
• Everyone who competed for the prize is temperate in all things
• I discipline my body and bring it into subjection
• Least I myself should become disqualified.

Let’s go back to Jeremiah 39:17-18

Jer 39:17 "But I will deliver you in that day," says the LORD, "and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid.
18 "For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me," says the LORD.'"

• I will deliver you in that day says the LORD
• You shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid
• For I will surely deliver you
• You shall not fall by the sward
• Your life shall be as a prize to you

Why is this going to happen?

Because you have put your trust in me says the LORD

Jeremiah 43:2-7

Jer 43:1 Now it happened, when Jeremiah had stopped speaking to all the people all the words of the LORD their God, for which the LORD their God had sent him to them, all these words,
2 that Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men spoke, saying to Jeremiah, "You speak falsely! The LORD our God has not sent you to say, 'Do not go to Egypt to dwell there.'
3 "But Baruch the son of Neriah has set you against us, to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they may put us to death or carry us away captive to Babylon."
4 So Johanan the son of Kareah, all the captains of the forces, and all the people would not obey the voice of the LORD, to remain in the land of Judah.
5 But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces took all the remnant of Judah who had returned to dwell in the land of Judah, from all nations where they had been driven-
6 men, women, children, the king's daughters, and every person whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch the son of Neriah.
7 So they went to the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of the LORD. And they went as far as Tahpanhes.

Look at verse one

Now it happened, when Jeremiah had stopped speaking to all the people all the words of the LORD their God, for which the LORD their God had sent him to them, all these words,

• The LORD their God had sent Jeremiah with all the words he had been speaking

Look at verse two

2 that Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men spoke, saying to Jeremiah, "You speak falsely! The LORD our God has not sent you to say, 'Do not go to Egypt to dwell there.'

• Notice what the proud men speak of Jeremiah
• You speak falsely!
• The LORD our God has not sent you to say…

God sends Jeremiah to speak words and the proud men among the listeners say that he is speaking falsely, and that the LORD has not sent him to say these things.

Look at Jeremiah 44:15-19

Jer 44:15 Then all the men who knew that their wives had burned incense to other gods, with all the women who stood by, a great multitude, and all the people who dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying:
16 "As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you!
17 "But we will certainly do whatever has gone out of our own mouth, to burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we have done, we and our fathers, our kings and our princes, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of food, were well-off, and saw no trouble.
18 "But since we stopped burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have been consumed by the sword and by famine."
19 The women also said, "And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven and poured out drink offerings to her, did we make cakes for her, to worship her, and pour out drink offerings to her without our husbands' permission?"

Look at verse 15

Then all the men who knew that their wives had burned incense to other gods, with all the women who stood by, a great multitude, and all the people who dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying:

• A group of men who Knew what was going on with their wives
• And they answered Jeremiah saying…

Look at verse 16

16 "As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you!

• The word that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD
• We will not listen to you.

Proud men who say Jeremiah is not speaking the words of the LORD

Now the men who know what is going on do not believe Jeremiah and take up a position of refusing to listen to Him.

The danger of going from pride in your heart, not believing the words you hear from Jesus, and then going on to not listen to the words.

Jeremiah 42:20-22

Jer 42:20 "For you were hypocrites in your hearts when you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, 'Pray for us to the LORD our God, and according to all that the LORD your God says, so declare to us and we will do it.'
21 "And I have this day declared it to you, but you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God, or anything which He has sent you by me.
22 "Now therefore, know certainly that you shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence in the place where you desire to go to dwell."

Look at verse 20

"For you were hypocrites in your hearts when you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, 'Pray for us to the LORD our God, and according to all that the LORD your God says, so declare to us and we will do it.'

• You were hypocrites in your hearts when you sent me to the LORD your God
• Saying, ‘Pray for us to the LORD our God
• According to all that the LORD your God Says
• So declare to us and we will do it.

Verse 21

21 "And I have this day declared it to you, but you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God, or anything which He has sent you by me.

• This day I have declared it to you
• But you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God
• Or anything which He has sent you by me.

There is a great danger of becoming familiar with the word being spoken here on a Sunday morning and hearing the clear voice of God week by week and then becoming a hypocrite in your heart.

These proud men, who knew what was going on had even come to Jeremiah to ask him to seek the LORD on their behalf, saying they would do all that came through him, and yet when it was given, they said it was not from God, and refused to hear him any longer. Pride in the heart, left the word unheard even though it was spoken!

Turn to Jeremiah 23:18-24

Jer 23:18 For who has stood in the counsel of the LORD, And has perceived and heard His word? Who has marked His word and heard it?
19 Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD has gone forth in fury-A violent whirlwind! It will fall violently on the head of the wicked.
20 The anger of the LORD will not turn back Until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart. In the latter days you will understand it perfectly.
21 "I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in My counsel, And had caused My people to hear My words, Then they would have turned them from their evil way And from the evil of their doings.
23 "Am I a God near at hand," says the LORD, "And not a God afar off?
24 Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?" says the LORD; "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" says the LORD.

Look at verse 18

For who has stood in the counsel of the LORD, and has perceived and heard His word? Who has marked His word and heard it?

• Who has stood in the counsel of the LORD?
• Who has perceived and heard His word?
• Who has marked His word and heard it?

Jeremiah of course

But the proud of heart would not listen to him

Verse 20b

In the latter days you will understand it perfectly.

There is always a day when the true prophet is understood!

You may my brother have to live and stand in the counsel of the LORD in your generation, perceive and hear his word and speak it among your brethren, and still it will not he understood.

Praise God, Glory to God in the highest, there will come a day that it will be perfectly understood what you have been saying.

Just you be faithful!

Look at verse 21

"I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.

• There are prophets who were not sent by our LORD Jesus
• Yet they ran
• Jesus has not spoken to them
• Yet they continue to prophesy.

Brothers and sisters do not be among them.

Look at verse 22

But if they had stood in My counsel, And had caused My people to hear My words, Then they would have turned them from their evil way And from the evil of their doings.

• I you will stand in the counsel of Jesus, right in His presence.
• This will cause you to hear His words.
• I you will stand in his counsel men will turn from their evil ways
• And from the evil things they do.

This is the Old Testament, and it is a clear call to stand in God’s presence.

In the New Testament

2Peter 1:19

2Pe 1:19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Men of God moved by whom?

The Holy Spirit

We have in these last days the prophetic word confirmed, hallelujah!

Men of proud heart, even though they know what is going on will always have there private interpretations.

Remember, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation.

You need the Holy Spirit to hear it receive it and believe it.

The word of God has been spoken, and the Holy Spirit keeps you listening to it.

Let’s look at Hebrews 3:1-6

Heb 3:1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,
2 who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house.
3 For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honour than the house.
4 For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.
5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward,
6 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.

Look at verse 1

Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,

• Partakers of the heavenly calling
• The calling you are under is what?

Heavenly,

Hallelujah it is so!

What do those who are called to this heavenly calling do.

The consider the apostle and high priest of our confession

Jesus Christ.

We are partakers of this great heavenly calling of looking and considering Jesus Christ!

Take note that you are Holy brethren.

Look at verse 2

who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house.

• Jesus was faithful to God

Verse five

And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward,

• Moses was faithful

Will you be faithful in this calling which is heavenly in nature?

I wonder?

Look at verse 6

But Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.

• Here we have it
• If we hold fast
• The confidence
• And the rejoicing
• Of the hope
• Firm until the end

Confidently with rejoicing holding faithful in our hope until the end

Hebrews 3:7-15

Heb 3:7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you will hear His voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness,
9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years.
10 Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, 'They always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.'
11 So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest.'"
12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,
15 while it is said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."

Vese 13

But exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

• Exhort one another daily
• While it is called today
• Otherwise you may become hardened by the deceitfulness of sin

Verse 14

For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,

• For we have become partakers of Christ
• If we hold the beginning of our confidence
• Steadfast to the end

Verse 6

But Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.

We just read in verse 6 that he is Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast

You see we are a house of sons, and Christ as THE SON over the house.

But look we are to hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end!

Verse 15

15 while it is said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."

• The LORD is still speaking today, as in Jeremiahs day
• If you will hear His voice
• Do not harden your hearts

Those in Jeremiah’s day had the word preached to them, but because of pride in their hearts they refused to listen.

Here in the rebellion, referring to Moses time, they heard the voice of God but rebelled.

Look at verse 16

Heb 3:16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses?

• Interesting question mark here
• Who was it that rebelled?
• Well it turns out that it was ALL who came out of Egypt!

Verse 17

Heb 3:17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness?

• Yes it was?

Verse 18

Heb 3:18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey?

It was those who did not obey that that did not enter His rest!

19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Can you see that they could not enter in because of unbelief?

Hebrews 4:1

Heb 4:1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.

• There is a promise remaining today of entering His rest
• It is possible that some of you may come short of it.

Verse 2

Heb 4:2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

• The gospel was preached to us
• The gospel was preached to them
• The difference?
• The word which they heard did not profit them
• Why?
• They did not mix it with faith when they heard it.

How important it is that you mix faith with the words which Jesus speaks though the minister here in Glen Aros.

The preaching can go on and on year in year out.

You must mix it with faith, or it will be come to you of no profit.

Look at verse 7

Heb 4:7 again He designates a certain day, saying in David, "Today," after such a long time, as it has been said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts."

• Today if you will hear His voice
• Do not harden your hearts

Verse 9—13

Heb 4:9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.
10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.
11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Verse 14-15

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God

Let us hold fast our confession

Let us come boldly to the throne of grace