Title: Things to Recall
Text: Lamentations 3: 21-26
Date: June 19, 2014
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Our
text is Lamentations 3: 21-26. Jeremiah
begins, “This I recall to my mind.”
Title: Things
to Recall
Believer,
there are things we think upon which can cause us to become downcast: our
temporal state, our trials and afflictions, our health. We think of our spiritual state: our sin
against God, on how so many are preaching a man-exalting gospel with no truth
and how most flock to hear that message.
Jeremiah
had many of the same thoughts. Take time
to read the book of Jeremiah and the book of Lamentations. When God sent
Jeremiah God told him from the beginning that the people would not hear him. It caused him sorrow for the sake of those
who perished. Plus, Jeremiah’s message was of judgment, very heavy. He was persecuted
by those who heard him. At the time he preached, Israel was in a state much
like our nation: civil leaders, preachers and the people were all very corrupt.
God was pouring out judgment.
All of
this filled Jeremiah’s mind with great sorrow. Listen to the state this brought
Jeremiah unto:
Lamentations 3: 18: And I said, My strength
and my hope is perished from the LORD: 19: Remembering mine affliction and my
misery, the wormwood and the gall. 20: My soul hath them still in remembrance,
and is humbled in me. Then Jeremiah said, 21: This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
When a
man speaks of hope, who has suffered what Jeremiah suffered, we can be sure
what he says is true. Plus, he wrote by divine inspiration as the Holy Spirit
dictated what he should write. This is a man who said, “I have hope of eternal
life.” He is going to tell us what his
hope was.
Is
anybody here interested in knowing what a good hope is? The Scriptures tell us that all who are born
of God have “a good hope through grace”
(2 Thess. 2:16). Do you have a good hope?
Do you have a basis to expect that God will keep you unto eternal
life? Scriptures says, “We are saved by hope” (Rom. 8:24).
We are
not talking about the proud presumption of simply feeling like you’ll go to
heaven when you die. We are not talking about the flippant ways men speak of
God today, which has no basis in the word of God. We are not speaking of
hopeless despair, either. Believers are given a sure hope, “hope of eternal life,
which God, that cannot lie, promised
before the world began” (Tit. 1:2).
Proposition: Hope is not just an empty, baseless, wish but an
expectation of life to come. If we would have peace,
contentment, and confidence of salvation now and for all eternity, in the midst
of a world of trouble and sorrow, it will only be by having a good hope.
So everyone here should be interested in
hearing Jeremiah declare what a good hope is.
I. FIRST, A GOOD HOPE IS IN THE MERCIES OF
GOD—Lamentations 3: 22: It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed,...
The
first word Jeremiah mentions when he speaks of his hope is: “It is of the
LORD’s mercies.” Jeremiah had no hope in personal merit—but in God’s mercies; not
in morality—in God’s mercies; not in works—in God’s mercies.
Some
have hope in family relations, in their church, in their religious works, in a
feeling and many other vain reasons for hope. Jeremiah had hope in none of
those things. His hope was “in the Lord’s mercies.”
Only Sinners Need the LORD’s Mercies
In order
to have hope in the LORD’s mercies you must know yourself to be a sinner. Only
sinners need to be saved by God’s mercies.
Luke 18:13…the publican,…smote upon his breast, saying,
God be merciful to me a sinner.
Are you
a sinner? A sinner is someone who: knows he can in no way save himself; a
sinner is someone who knows he cannot earn a righteousness himself; a sinner is
someone who knows he cannot make himself holy; a sinner cannot pay the debt he
owes to redeem himself from the curse of the law; a sinner is someone who knows
his only hope of eternal life is the mercy of God. Are you a sinner?
God is
plenteous in mercy and God delights to show mercy. But only to sinners who cannot save
themselves.
1 Timothy 1:15
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
God’s
mercy is that Christ died for sinners, but only for sinners. Christ put away
the sin of real sinners by his death, obtained eternal redemption for sinners
Romans 5: 8: But God commendeth his love toward us, in
that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
God’s
mercy is that Christ effectually calls sinners to repentance. Are you a sinner?
Or are you righteous?
Luke 5:32: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners
to repentance.
By God’s Mercies We Are Not Consumed
Get
this next part, “It is of the LORD’s
mercies that we are not consumed.”
The
only reason we were not consumed when Adam sinned in the garden is because in
eternity God merciful chose a people in Christ whom he would save. (Eph 1: 3-6)
The only reason we have not been consumed since we have been born or since we
have been born-again is God’s providential mercies.
Romans 8:28: And
we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them
who are the called according to his purpose.
God
called his people in eternity before he called us in time. And all who he
called in eternity he shall call in time because he works all things together
to do so! Believer, do you realize that everything that comes to pass in this
world is brought to pass by God on purpose just for you, just for his elect,
both lost and saved? God says,
Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the thoughts that I think
toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an
expected end.
It is
of the Lord’s mercies that we were not consumed in our dead sinful flesh. It is
because by God’s mercy he regenerated us, called us and keeps us.
1 Peter 1: 3: Blessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again
unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4: To an
inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in
heaven for you, 5: Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto
salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Not one
of God’s elect shall ever be consumed because the mercies of God toward his
people is sovereign, immutable (unchanging) mercy in Christ.
Psalm 89:28: My mercy will
I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.
Psalm 103:17: But the mercy
of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him,…
Believers
are not expecting eternal life because we have a right to it by anything we are
or have done. The believer’s only hope is “it is of the Lord’s mercies.” A good
hope
II. SECONDLY, A GOOD HOPE IS GOD’S LOVE—Lamentations
4: 22:…because his compassions fail not. 23: They are new every morning…
Jeremiah’s
hope was not his love for God but God’s love for him—“HIS compassions.”
Everlasting, Free, Unfailing Love
Our
compassions fail. But God’s love for his people is from everlasting to
everlasting. Those God loves, he has always loved and shall always love. His love
for his people never changes. It is as infinite as God.
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.
God
loves us freely—meaning there is no cause in us.
Hoshea 14:4: I will heal their backsliding, I will love
them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
His
love is unfailing—Lamentations 3: 22: his
compassions fail not. That means God’s love for his people cannot be
destroyed by anything in his people. That is what our text says, “the reason we
are not consumed is because his love fails not.”
Romans
11:29: For the gifts and
calling of God are without repentance.
God
loves his people in Christ and “Christ shall not fail.” So our hope is Christ’s
love for us. He says to all those for whom he died:
Isaiah 49:16: Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms
of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
You want to talk about our love for him? Well, his love for us is the cause of our
love for him.
1
John 4:19: We love him, because he first loved us.
New Every Morning
But
though his mercies and his compassions are as old as eternity—Lamentations 3: 23: They are new every
morning:
Illustration:
My great grandmother, Mama Lenice, had a
metal water-picture in her refrigerator.
It made the water so cold and good.
But if the water sat in that picture too long, it became stale. So it is with all our treasures in this
life. They appear new for a while but
then they become stagnant.
But
God’s compassions for his people are new every morning. They are not new some
mornings but new every morning. Christ
is the Fountain of living waters. His mercies
and compassions for his people are always new, always refreshing, always
quenching our thirst in this dry and thirsty land.
Brethren,
his mercies and his compassions are new every morning. So Christ tells us to seek him first. But what do we do? We wake up each morning
with just enough time to get dressed then rush out the door into the world.
Illustration: Imagine a soldier
in Afghanistan. He awakes. There is his armor all provided for him: a Kevlar
vest, his helmet, his weapon. But he wakes with just enough time to put on his
shirt and pants then rushes out to the battlefield without his armor or weapon.
We would think he was absurd. The enemy is trying to kill him. He’s sure to die
without his armor and his weapon.
Yet, we
do the same thing when we fail to seek him first. God has provided us with full
protection, new mercies and his compassions fail not. Therefore, we ought to start each new day putting
on the whole armor of God. How? By seeking him in prayer and in his word. By
reading a daily article if we need help seeing Christ.
The
world would have us give all our time and attention to its pursuits. So we stay
up late then sleep late as we can. Then rush, rush, rush to do it all over
again. Then we wonder why we are always full of doubts and fears. Why not break
the daily cycle? It’s foolish for us to keep doing the same thing each day and
expect a new result.
God
promises, “As thy days, so shall thy strength be.” So let us seek first things
first. With each new day seek ye first Christ and his new mercies and face the
evil day dressed in the whole armour of God that you might be able to stand.
Paul tells us that,
Ephesians 6: 10: Finally, my brethren, be strong in the
Lord, and in the power of his might. 11: Put on the whole armour of God, that
ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of
this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13: Wherefore take
unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil
day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand
therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the
breastplate of righteousness; 15 And
your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith,
wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17: And
take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of
God: 18 Praying always with all prayer
and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance
and supplication for all saints;
We
ought to do this and teach our children to do this.
III. THIRDLY, A GOOD HOPE IS IN GOD’S
FAITHFULNESS—Lamentations 3: 23: great is thy faithfulness.
When
asked about their hope, so many people begin speaking of their faith. Not
Jeremiah. He said, My hope is “great is THY faithfulness.”
·
God
is faithful to himself—he cannot
deny himself.
·
God
is faithful to his purpose—“Declaring
the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are
not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my
pleasure."
·
God
is faithful to his everlasting covenant--(2
Sam. 23:5; Ps. 89:34)—Numbers 23: 19: God is not a man, that he
should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and
shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
·
God
is faithful to his Son—Psa 89:27-36:
Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
My mercy will I keep for him [for
Christ] for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. His
seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of
heaven.
·
God
is faithful to his people-- Hebrews 13: 5: Let your conversation be without
covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Illustration: My father and my mother are faithful to me. A father
and mother are usually the most faithful ones to us. But, “When my father and
my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.” (Ps 27: 10)
Most of our doubts and fear is from trying to
find hope in our faithfulness to God. If you would have a good hope, look away
from self and believe God—GREAT is God’s faithfulness!
IV. FOURTHLY, A GOOD HOPE IS WHEN GOD IS YOUR
ALL—Lamentation 3: 24: The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I
hope in him.
It
means the Lord is All to his people. He
is our Reward. Christ is our Inheritance.
Christ is All
Have
you ever considered what all the scriptures says Christ is to us who believe? Christ is our Way, our Truth, our Life,
our Wisdom, our Righteousness, our Sanctification and our Redemption. Christ is our Everlasting Father, our
Husband, and our Surety. Christ is our
High Priest, our Advocate with the Father, and our Intercessor. Christ is our Provider. Christ is our
All!
Professing
believers speak of all kinds of things that they hope in. I copied this from Bro. Henry’s notes. He did
not know who wrote it but it expresses the believer’s heart.
“Once it was the
blessing, now it is the Lord
Once it was the
feeling, now it is His Word
Once the gifts I
wanted, now the giver I own.
Once I sought for
healing, now I seek Him alone
Once it was my
working, His it now shall be
Once I tried to use
Him, now He uses me.
Once the power I
wanted, now the Mighty one
Once for self I
labored, now for Him alone.”
The
LORD is my portion. He is not part he is ALL my portion! Not when times are
good, he is my portion at all times, even the worst of times. The LORD is MY portion.
Can you
say that? Is this life all you have? What will you have when you die? You’re not taking anything of this life with
you.
Job 1:21: And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb,
and naked shall I return thither.
But if
God is my portion, when I lose all of this world—and I shall when I close my
eyes in death—still I will have All! Heaven for the believer is our triune God
in Christ! The reward of our inheritance is Christ! “The LORD is my portion:
therefore will I hope in him.” Here is what makes this such a good hope,
Deuteronomy 32:9: the LORD'S portion is his people; Jacob is
the lot of his inheritance.
V. FIFTHLY, A GOOD HOPE IS THE LORD’S
GOODNESS—Lamentations 3: 25: The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to
the soul that seeketh him.
The
LORD is good. He is good in his person
and in all his works. But be sure to get
what it says: The LORD is good unto them
that wait for him.
To wait
for the LORD is to calmly, quietly, expectantly, trust the LORD to deliver
you. We seek the Lord and wait on the
Lord quietly, expectantly trusting him to deliver us in every trial, from every
enemy, through every sorrow, at all times and in spiritual things and temporal
things.
Psalm
27:14: Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart:
wait, I say, on the LORD.
Psalm
37:9: For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they
shall inherit the earth.
Isaiah
64:4: For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor
perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he
hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
Not Ashamed
The
reason God is good to them that wait on him is simply because our faithful God
will not betray our trust, he will not make us ashamed for trusting him.
Isaiah 49:23: And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and
their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face
toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I
am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
Illustration:
Spurgeon and his complaining friend.
And if
we are his but we try to make things happen ourselves to save ourselves—he will
bring us to wait on him. He promised his remnant in Israel to chasten them…
Isaiah 30: 7: For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and
to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit
still… 15: For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel;
In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall
be your strength: and ye would not. 16: But ye said, No; for we will flee upon
horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore
shall they that pursue you be swift. 17: One thousand shall flee at the rebuke
of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon
the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill. 18: And therefore will the
LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted,
that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment:
blessed are all they that wait for him.
You may
not like to chasten your children. But
our children do not like to wait on us.
And when the child refuses to hope and wait on our word, that child is
begging you to love them enough to correct them. It is less than love to do otherwise. (Read
Heb 12) What would happen if God did not chasten us? God chastens those he
loves and brings his child to say, “It
is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the
LORD.”
The
LORD is good to them that seek him—how?
We seek him with these four things:
·
Confessing our absolute need of him
·
With a sincere heart
·
Believing on Christ
·
Continually
Then
you shall find him. It is because if you can do so, the LORD has first sought
you.
Illustration: Every person in scripture who sought the Lord in this
way, found him and the Lord was good to them: Blind Bartimeas, the woman with
the issue of blood, the leper. He is good, making us the righteousness of God
in Christ, only he can!
V. LASTLY, A GOOD HOPE IS THE SALVATION OF
THE LORD—Lamentation 3: 26: It is good that a man should both hope and quietly
wait for the salvation of the LORD.
Salvation
is of the LORD. That includes all salvation: salvation of our souls, salvation from
all enemies, salvation from dangers and hardships is of the LORD.
Lost Sinner and Believers Alike
It is
good for lost sinners to come bowed down to Christ’s feet—to hope and quietly
wait for salvation—because salvation is all of the Lord. And it is good for
believers to do the same in all our temporal troubles.
If we
are in the habit of murmuring and complaining about our troubles in life—we
ought to stop it. It is a very great sin against God. They are of God’s hand
and they are for our good.
Illustration: I could not get anything to grow in the flower bed to
the right of our porch. So I began to
dig around in the dirt only to find large rocks which were preventing the
plants from taking root. So I took my
tiller and plowed the whole flower bed so I could get out all the rocks. As
badly as I wanted to see flowers that season I had to wait. But because all the rocks were removed, next
season we had a bed full of flowers.
Likewise,
sometimes, we must suffer as God plows our ground to remove the rocks that
hinder us from growing in grace. But afterward he brings forth sweet
fruit. For by it, the LORD teaches us “It
is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the
LORD.”
Waiting While Serving
Some
use this doctrine of “waiting” to excuse themselves from serving the Lord.
“Waiting” does not mean that we fail to do what God has put in our hands to do
now.
Illustration: I am hoping and waiting on the Lord to give us the
ability to get into a new, quiet meeting place.
But I am doing the work God has given me to do while I hope and quietly
wait on the Lord.
A young
man may hope the Lord will one day use him as a pastor to his people. He must hope and wait on the Lord. But whatever the Lord has put in his hand to
do at the moment, he ought to do it with all his might while he hopes and waits
on the Lord to do what he will. I can
assure you we must learn to wait on the Lord first, because as a pastor, all
you can do is hope and quietly wait on the LORD.
We find
contentment in the Lord when we realize this is the work God would have us to
do at this present moment, so that we do it hoping and waiting on the Lord to
do as he will, when he will.
Waiting to go Home
It is
good for believers to hope and wait until our Lord brings us home with
him. We are not of them who draw back. God
purposed the salvation of his people. Christ purchased it with his own blood. The
Holy Spirit seals it to our hearts. He shall keep us and finish the work. “He
that hath begun a good work in you shall finish it (perfect it, shall finish
it, shall complete it) in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” And the last work, our Lord shall accomplish
that too. He shall raise our bodies incorruptible, immortal and we shall reign
with him forever! And not one shall be lost!
This
is a good hope: God’s mercy, God’s love, God’s faithfulness, Christ our
Portion, the Lord’s goodness, and God’s salvation. Now, what is your hope? May
the Lord give you this good hope by his grace!
Brethren, at all times, good, bad or otherwise, think on these
things—call these things to mind and have hope in our God!
Amen!