Watchnight Sermon: Lamentations 3: 19-33 New Year Mercies

It seems to be the done thing at this time of year to look back on the events of the past twelve months and review what has gone before. It seems that most TV channels have been doing their own celebrity quiz of the year, and the newspapers have been reminding us of the big stories of 2017.

It was the first year of President Trump; the year of elections - to Stormont (which doesn’t seem to have achieved much since March) and to Westminster in Theresa May’s snap election, after Brexit had been officially triggered. It’s been the year of revolution in Turkey, the independence referendum in Catalonia, and the end of Robert Mugabe’s rule in Zimbabwe. And that’s just a small sampling of what’s been going on.

But what about you? How was 2017 for you? As you look back on the year, what will you focus on? Will it be thought of as a good year, or a bad year? I’m aware of so many people who found Christmas a difficult time this year because of the loss of a loved one, or some bad news concerning their health, or for a multitude of reasons. And as we face into 2018, we face the unknown. We simply don’t know and can’t know what the future holds. That might leave you apprehensive or fearful, but I trust that our reading from Scripture tonight will give us hope and comfort on this new year’s eve.

Yet even as I say that, you might think to yourself, hope and comfort from a book called Lamentations? It doesn’t sound like a cheerful read! For the most part, it isn’t. Just as we remember a particular year because of some wonderful or terrible event, so it was for the people of Jerusalem. A few years ago, the Queen spoke of her annus horribilus, a year of horrors; Lamentations is the response to those horrors by the prophet Jeremiah.

Jersualem has been conquered, captured and destroyed by the Babylonian armies led by King Nebuchadnezzar. The temple is no more, its treasures stolen and removed. Most of the people have been taken away into exile. And for the first three chapters of Lamentations, Jeremiah spells out the horror of what has happened. Just before our reading, he says this: ‘He has made my teeth grind on gravel, and made me cower in ashes; my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, “My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the Lord.”.’ (3:16-18).
As he walks through the remains of the city - just imagine it as one of the TV news reports showing the aftermath of the California forest fires. Darkness, despair, sadness and suffering. He’s at the lowest he could possibly go. All hope seems to have vanished.

It’s at that moment that he remembers something that brings him hope - something that even the darkest night can’t remove - something that strengthens him to continue: ‘Yet this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.’ (3:21-23)

Did you notice the timespan of the Lord’s love in that verse? The steadfast love of the Lord ceases when? Never! His mercies come to an end when? Never! His steadfast love never ceases - it is always with us, no matter what the date on the calendar is; no matter what we may be going through right now, or what the new year has in store for us. The Lord’s steadfast love will not cease tonight, or this year. His mercies will be new every morning, whether you wake early or lie on until lunchtime.

This is something to hold on to as we get used to writing 2018. This is something to cling to when things don’t work out as we planned. This is something to hold us up when we are brought low - God is in control; and his love is still for us. That love was demonstrated on the ultimate day of horrors, as the sinless Saviour died for his enemies in order to welcome us as his friends and give us the sure and certain hope of life with him.

God’s love has been displayed for all time on the cross. His love will never come to an end. It helps us to stand and endure and look forward with hope and confidence, through our pains and disappointments, our struggles and shocks; looking forward knowing that through all that happens God is working out his purposes, and making us more like the Lord Jesus. Do you know his love tonight? Will you trust in this faithful God this new year?

The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will trust in him.

This sermon was preached at the Watchnight Service in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday 31st December 2017.

Watchnight Sermon: Lamentations 3:19-26

It seems to be the done thing at this time of year to look back on the events of the past twelve months and review what has gone before. It seems that most TV channels have been doing their own celebrity quiz of the year, and the newspapers have been reminding us of the big stories of 2011. There were some good news stories - the royal wedding, the Arab spring revolutions and the fall of Gadaffi, and the mildest Christmas Day since records began. But there have also been some difficult days for many - the Fukushima nuclear disaster following an earthquake and a tsunami; the riots in England; the fall of the News of the World.

But what about you? How was 2011 for you? As you look back on the year, what will you focus on? Will it be thought of as a good year, or a bad year? I’m aware of so many people who found Christmas a difficult time this year because of the loss of a loved one, or some bad news concerning their health, or for a multitude of reasons. And as we face into 2012, we face the unknown. We simply don’t know and can’t know what the future holds. That might leave you apprehensive or fearful, but I trust that our reading from Scripture tonight will give us hope and comfort on this new year’s eve.

Yet even as I say that, you might think to yourself, hope and comfort from a book called Lamentations? It doesn’t sound like a cheerful read! For the most part, it isn’t. Just as we remember a particular year because of some wonderful or terrible event, so it was for the people of Jerusalem. A few years ago, the Queen spoke of her annus horribilus, a year of horrors; Lamentations is the response to those horrors by the prophet Jeremiah.

Jersualem has been conquered, captured and destroyed by the Babylonian armies led by King Nebuchadnezzar. The temple is no more, its treasures stolen and removed. Most of the people have been taken away into exile. And for the first three chapters of Lamentations, Jeremiah spells out the horror of what has happened. Just before our reading, he says this: ‘He has made my teeth grind on gravel, and made me cower in ashes; my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the LORD.’ (3:16-18).

As he walks through the remains of the city - just imagine it as one of the TV news reports showing Christchurch New Zealand after another earthquake or a disaster zone following a tsunami. Darkness, despair, sadness and suffering. He’s at the lowest he could possibly go. All hope seems to have vanished.

It’s at that moment that he remembers something that brings him hope - something that even the darkest night can remove - something that strengthens him to continue: ‘but this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.’ (3:21-23)

Did you notice the timespan of the Lord’s love in that verse? The steadfast love of the Lord ceases when? Never! His mercies come to an end when? Never! His steadfast love never ceases - it is always with us, no matter what the date on the calendar is; no matter what we may be going through right now, or what the new year has in store for us. The Lord’s steadfast love will not cease this year. His mercies will be new every morning, whether you wake early or lie on until lunchtime.

This is something to hold on to as we get used to writing 2012. This is something to cling to when things don’t work out as we planned. This is something to hold us up when we are brought low - God is in control; and his love is still for us. That love was demonstrated on the ultimate day of horrors, as the sinless Saviour died for his enemies in order to welcome us as his friends and give us the sure and certain hope of life with him.

God’s love has been displayed for all time on the cross. His love will never come to an end. It helps us to stand and endure and look forward with hope and confidence, through our pains and disappointments, our struggles and shocks; looking forward knowing that through all that happens God is working out his purposes, and making us more like the Lord Jesus. Do you know his love tonight? Will you trust in this faithful God this new year?

This sermon was preached at the Watchnight service on 31st December 2011 in Aghavea Parish Church.

The Way of the Cross (37)

Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?
Look and see
if there is any sorrow like my sorrow,
which was brought upon me,
which the LORD inflicted
on the day of his fierce anger (Lamentations 1:12)

Those words are uttered by one on the receiving end of the judgment of God, the punishment of the Almighty. The judgement has fallen, yet many continue on their day-to-day life, unconcerned, unaffected, unmoved.

The words were first uttered by the devastated inhabitants of Jerusalem, when that city finally fell to the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. The Lamentations (which we probably don't think enough about - it probably doesn't fit into our happy-clappy always high Christianity) are an extended meditation and cry of lament; pouring out pain to God. Jerusalem fell, and the surrounding nations were glad - Edom threw a party. The people of God, however, turn to lament.

These very words could be on the lips of the Lord Jesus as he dies on the cross (indeed, they are used with powerful effect in Stainer's Crucifixion). We're told that the place where Jesus was crucified was on the highway, many people were passing by and could see what happened to rebels and criminals. Yet they regard it as a spectacle, something to enjoy and revel at, rather than something precious, amazing, powerful.

No wonder that the lights were dimmed, the sky turned black and there was darkness for those three hours of intense suffering on the cross, as the LORD inflicted his fierce anger, his wrath towards sin, on the sinless substitute.

The same question rings out today - is it nothing to you? Think of the many people who care nothing about the cross, or the one who suffered on it for our sake. Perhaps a cross is used as a piece of jewellery, but with no thought to what it meant.

Can we make nothing of it as Christians? Do we imagine that once we've been a Christian for a while we don't need to think about the cross any more? That we're somehow making ourselves worthy and can earn our place in heaven once we've been given a jump start? Forbid it that we should ever think nothing of the cross. Rather, as Paul writes:

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:14)

Blue Monday

How are you doing today?

Psychologists reckon that today is the most depressing day of the year. And so soon into the year as well! Seemingly it is a combination of the weather, the amount of post-Christmas debt (and the time delay until pay day at the end of the month), the time since Christmas celebrations, the time that New Year Resolutions generally fail, having low motivational levels, and the feeling of a need to take action. The day has been dubbed 'Blue Monday' by some.

Thankfully, the only thing blue in my life is my car! Yet for many, this may be an especially difficult time, as December credit card bills arrive taking into account the Christmas spending, especially on Santa's presents. The temptation may be to only pay the minimum amount, but in the end, Christmas will be much more expensive, and the debt will be around for longer. Experts recommend paying off credit card bills in full each month, to avoid high charges and the development of interest.

Yet for the Christian, no day is more depressing than another - in fact, no day need be depressing at all. Rather, each day is a new day to rediscover the love of God in fresh ways. Amazingly (and perhaps slightly ironically), we discover this in the book called Lamentations:

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-24)

The basis of hope: great is thy faithfulness

I wonder have you ever read the book Lamentations? If not, then the title might sound a bit off-putting. Lamentations - like, as in people lamenting? It doesn't sound too attractive to read. And, to be honest, it can be a bit depressing - as I mentioned in a previous posting, it details the sufferings of the city of Jerusalem and its people after the Babylonian conquest. Chapter four is particularly fierce, with mothers unable to feed their children, or worse, boiling their children to eat and survive.

And yet, scattered throughout the book are some great gems. Wonderful beacons of light in the midst of the tremendous suffering. The prime one is probably well known, but I wanted to blog about it, or at least, to copy it here. Remember the conditions, and the situation it arises from, because it shows up the glory of the hope so much more:

'Remember my afflictions and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! My soul remembers it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." ' (Lamentations 3:19-24).

In the midst of these horrific situations, with the terrible suffering and afflictions, there is yet hope - not in Judah becoming a mighty army again, or the remnant seeking to re-group and rebuild Jerusalem by themselves - there is hope only because God is faithful, God's love never comes to an end, God's mercies continue.

Where do you place your hope, when troubles come? In fate, in friends, in yourself? Or in the steadfast love of the Lord?

Clear visions?

Another quick update from Lamentations. I have found Lamentations 2:14 quite a challenging verse. Here it is, then we'll think about it for a moment:

'Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not exposed your iniquity to restore your fortunes, but have seen for you oracles that are false and misleading.'

The verse comes in the context of a chapter of mourning for Jerusalem, describing in detail horrific aspects of the city's ruin - the gates sunk (8), bodies slain in the city (21), and infants and babies fainting in the streets (11). And how has this all come about? Why are there Lamentations at all?

Because God's spokesmen weren't actually speaking God's words. Instead, they were seeing false visions, deceptive visions, false oracles and misleading oracles. Not very helpful, I think you'll agree. But what were they like? Well, we find one such example in Jeremiah 6: 'They have healed the would of my people lightly, saying "Peace, peace," when there is no peace' (Jer 6:14).

Imagine the situation. The people are listening to the prophets, thinking they are hearing from God, hearing this message of peace, even as the Babylonians are coming towards the city. All will turn out well - for sure, the prophets are speaking this in God's name.

Except, they weren't. The prophets were making up their own messages, and speaking from their own hearts and minds. Not only that, they were also failing to do their duty, from the middle part of the verse: 'they have not exposed your iniquity to restore your fortunes.'

Rather than promising peace for the city and people that disobeyed the commands of God, the prophets should have been exposing the sin of the people; speaking against it, and calling them to repentance. It was only this recognising and confessing sin that would lead to the restoration of the people and their fortunes.

Look, after all, at what brought about the restoration of the exiles to the city - it was the confessing of corporate sin by Daniel (Daniel 9:3-23).

So why has this verse been challenging for me? As I approach the full-time task of gospel ministry, or rather, as I engage in full-time gospel ministry and prepare for ordination, how do I speak? How accurate are my messages? Do I preach the full counsel of God? Do I expose sin, and demonstrate the need of people to accept Jesus as their saviour?

I'm reading 'Robert Murray M'Cheyne: A Good Minister of Jesus Christ' by JC Smith at present. Have you heard of him? He was a minister in Dundee around 1839, and saw revival hit the city (ironically while he was on a mission to the Holy Land) - but the revival came through the grace of God and the faithfulness of M'Cheyne in praying for the people and preaching the sinfulness of sin. Revival was marked by the recognition of the people's sin.

O Lord, grant that I would not speak false and misleading messages, but would always speak your truth. Amen

Is it nothing to you?

I'm reading through Lamentations at present. Maybe not one of the usual books people read or study, but I felt it was the natural follow-on to my study in Jeremiah. After all, it may well have been written by Jeremiah. But even if not, it is part of the Scriptures, and describes the thoughts of those left behind in Jerusalem after the prophecy of Jeremiah, after the fall of the city under Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians.

A particularly poignant verse is found in 1:12:

'"Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which was brought upon me, which the LORD inflicted on the day of his fierce anger."'

Jerusalem is in ruins, having been destroyed by the invading armies. The pride of Israel, even the joy of the whole earth (Ps 48:2) lies in ruins.

Israel was on one of the ancient trading routes, between Egypt and the rest of the world. Think of the traders who took Joseph and sold him in Egypt. That's why it was so important in the wider empire games of the bigger nations. If you controlled Israel, you had the trade routes. So Egypt always thought it important. The Philistines wanted it. The Edomites wanted it. And when Babylon came on the scene, it wanted Israel and Judah too - as a frontier land against the great enemy of Egypt.

And the plaintive cry arises from Jerusalem - is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? You traders and soldiers and whoever else you are - do you not care that Jerusalem has been destroyed? This is a great tragedy for the Jews, yet the rest of the world is not concerned. It couldn't give a stuff.

Now, should anyone else actually care about Jerusalem, then the rest of the verse gives us food for thought - an admission from the Jews about what had happened. A realistic appraisal of their situation. Yes, their sorrow is great - worse than any other sorrow. But where did it come from?

The LORD inflicted it 0n the day of his fierce anger. Outsiders looking at the situation could only see the invading army - the rather successful invading army. Obviously the Babylonians were more powerful. Or maybe their gods were stronger or better or wiser than the gods of Jerusalem?

Not at all! The fall of Jerusalem, the city of God, was permitted by that YAHWEH, the God of Israel. But why? Surely God fights for his people?

We fnid the answer, simply stated in verse 18. 'The LORD is in the right, for I have rebelled against his word.' Such a simple statement, yet it covers the period of Israelite history from Moses to Jeremiah. So, for example, even before they entered the land, Moses told the Israelites that their residency depended on their continued obedience. Just check out Leviticus 26- 'If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, then I will...' (Lev 26:3-13), 'but if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments... then I will do this to you...' (Lev 26:14-45).

The verse has also been applied by Christians throughout the church to Jesus on the cross - abandoned and rejected of men, bearing our sins and sorrows. However, the author of the Welwyn Commentary from Evangelical Press argues that we shouldn't use the verse in connection with our Lord. I don't entirely agree, and so will leave you with the question:

'Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?'