Text: Jeremiah 17:5-8
Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
As I was searching the internet the other day, I came across this statement,
“One thing that God revealed to me very recently, at the beginning of February, is that everything boils down to one choice. Everything else happens as a result of that choice. That choice is this: I can choose to live in a place of surrender and submission to God and His Holy Spirit. Or I can choose not to. Everything else falls in after this choice is made.”
This is not an uncommon concept. There are whole religions based upon this idea; these are religions of the law. This misunderstanding of God sees Him primarily as the “Great Task Master” who gives out orders. Then people either have a choice to submit or to rebel. In fact, this is the basic teaching of the religion of Islam, one of submission. Thus, Muslims go around the world teaching people to submit to their god.
It is sad to say, but there are also those Christians who view God primarily as the “Great Task Master.” They see His Word as primarily law. They view it as merely an instruction manual that is to be followed. Either you do it or you don’t do it. It all boils down to your choice, your decision. The focus of law religions is placed on the work of the individual human being.
Yet, God reveals Himself in His Word as primarily merciful, loving, and compassionate. He reveals Himself as the One who became man, suffered, died, and rose again, all because we human beings are unable to submit and surrender to Him. The focus of the gospel is on the work of Jesus Christ.
When one holds to a religion of law, he sees life boiling down to either submission or rebellion against God’s commands.
When one holds to the gospel, he sees life boiling down to either belief in the promises of God or belief in other things, other people, and other gods.
In Jeremiah chapter 17, God reveals His truth to us in this way, first He declares, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord” (Jer. 17:5 ESV). Then He declares, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is in the Lord” (Jer. 17:7 ESV).
We usually don’t think in such categories as “cursed” or “blessed.” Usually when we refer to a “curse” it has to do with the storyline of some movie like the curse of the mummy. In the movies, curses are what happen when some treasure is taken from its resting place. But that’s not what we are talking about here. On the other hand, in every day conversation the one who sneeze is blessed. It is common place to say “God bless you” after someone sneezes. But that’s not what we are talking about here.
In our text, the “cursed” are not those who disturb a mummy’s treasure; instead, the cursed are those who trust in man. The “blessed” are not those who sneeze; instead, the blessed are those who trust in the Lord.
It is the Lord who speaks this curse or this blessing upon a person. He declares a person cursed because of his trust in something other than the One True God… …which is idolatry. He declares a person blessed because of his trust in Him alone… …which is the Christian Faith. At issue here, is faith, not works.
When Jeremiah the prophet delivered the words of chapter 17, he was living in the midst of political and religious turmoil. The nation of Israel found itself caught between the big military powers of the region which were Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon. This was an Israelite sandwich. Jeremiah was declaring the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians. This was not a popular message. He was telling the people that they should not put their trust in men. They should not put their trust in earthly kings or military power. They were told that there would be destruction and hard times, but the Lord their God would get them through it. They were encouraged to put their trust in God alone.
With our human logic, we want to trust in men. We think that if only the right man was elected into office or the right person was placed over us, then every thing would be alright. All our hopes and dreams would then come true.
The problem is that a human being is only a human being. Human beings are not perfect. They can and will fail. It is only a matter of time. Cursed is the man who trusts in man and does not trust in God. Such a person is like a shrub in the desert that will shrivel up and die. He is cursed.
Jesus Himself took upon the curse for us. This is why He came. He became a curse in order to redeem us from the curse of the law. Blessed is the man who trusts in Him. The Lord is the only One who is perfect. He is the only One who cannot and will not fail. The one who trusts in the Lord is like a tree planted by the waters. Its roots soak up the life giving waters and it bears much fruit. Jesus is the vine and as believers we are the branches. When we abide in Him, clinging to His Word, He abides in us and we bear much fruit.
It all boils down to this, either, you trust in the Lord, abide in Him, live and bear fruit or you trust in man, separate from the Lord, shrivel up and die.
To those who believe in the promise of the Lord, you have great comfort. It is the Lord Himself who bespeaks you righteous. He declares you to be blessed because of Jesus. Even when things don’t go your way, you can be assured that you are blessed because the Lord says so. Hear the Word of Lord, keep it, hold on to it, cling to it, and trust in the Lord with all your heart.
That is why you are here this day, to hear the Word of the Lord and to be assured that you are blessed in His sight. For this reason, we sing in our liturgy this day, “Blessed is he who hears the Word of the Lord and keeps it. Amen.
