Brokenness to Fullness – Part 4 | Sunday Service | July 19, 2020

Good morning Church! We welcome you all to the house of the God and we are glad to see you all connected here.

As you all know, we have been learning from our ongoing series, ‘Brokenness‘, today we will continue with the fourth part of this series, “From Brokenness to Fullness” (Part 4).

Today we will begin with an illustration…

Illustration: Two people, Arthur and Grorge went to a Church on one of the Sundays. Arthur noticed that teenagers were talking during the service and nobody seemed to care, the organ playing was filled with errors which brought dismay to him. Not only this, he saw carelessness by elders and even pastor, who tend to keep on making mistakes as the speech wasn’t fluent and loud enough. 

You see here we have two different views, how we look at things. It is all about the perspective.

Jesus’ death at that time seemed to be pointless, but from God’s perspective, it was an offering with an ultimate sacrifice.

By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung up our lyres. For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” How shall we sing the Lord ‘s song in a foreign land?

Their enemies had carried the Jews captive from their own land. To complete their woes, they insulted over them; they required of them mirth and a song. This was very barbarous; also profane, for no songs would serve but the songs of Zion. Scoffers are not to be compiled with. They do not say, How shall we sing, when we are so much in sorrow? but, It is the Lord’s song, therefore we dare not sing it among idolaters.

The Bible records that God led Israelites out of Egypt under a plan. However, after some time, Israelites started taking things for granted. Nevertheless, God spoke again via his prophet, Jeremiah.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord . “For thus says the Lord : When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord , plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord , and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord , and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

The written word of God is as truly given by inspiration of God as his spoken word. The zealous servant of the Lord will use every means to profit those who are far off, as well as those who are near him. The art of writing is very profitable for this end; and by the art of printing it is rendered most beneficial for circulating the knowledge of the word of God. God’s sending to the captives by this letter would show that he had not forsaken them, though he was displeased, and corrected them. If they live in the fear of God, they may live comfortably in Babylon. In all conditions of life, it is our wisdom and duty not to throw away the comfort of what we may have, because we have not all we would have. They are directed to seek the good of the country where they were captives. While the king of Babylon protected them, they must live quiet and peaceable lives under him, in all godliness and honesty; patiently leaving it to God to work deliverance for them in due time.

Let men beware how they call those prophets whom they choose after their own fancies, and how they consider their fancies and dreams to be revelations from God. False prophets flatter people in their sins, because they love to be flattered; and they speak smoothly to their prophets, that their prophets may speak smoothly to them. God promises that they should return after seventy years were accomplished. By this it appears, that the seventy years of the captivity are not to be reckoned from the last captivity, but the first. It will be the bringing to pass of God’s good word to them. This shall form God’s purposes. We often do not know our own minds, but the Lord is never at an uncertainty. We are sometimes ready to fear that God’s designs are all against us; but as to his own people, even that which seems evil, is for good. He will give them, not the expectations of their fears, or the expectations of their fancies, but the expectations of their faith; the end he has promised, which will be the best for them. When the Lord pours out an especial spirit of prayer, it is a good sign that he is coming toward us in mercy. Promises are given to quicken and encourage prayer. He never said, Seek ye me in vain. Those who remained at Jerusalem would be utterly destroyed, notwithstanding what the false prophets said to the contrary. The reason has often been given, and it justifies the eternal ruin of impenitent sinners; Because they have not hearkened to my words; I called, but they refused.

Now people wanted to hear something that God can do, i.e. change the situation. The same thing happens in our lives as well. As a true prophet, Jeremiah was willing to tell them that they need to be there for 70 years and that they must hear the voice of God and not to the false prophet.

So what Jeremiah’s message was basically that God has a plan and He controls His plan. So dont worry during difficult times. God sometimes brings difficult times because He has a purpose for us to lead us.

There are four important things we need to understand from the aforementioned verses.

Build houses and live in them.

No matter what situation you are in, give all of it unto Him. God is there!

Plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.

This is what God is saying that do not seek an immediate response. It may take long time, nonetheless, prepare for that future during this wait.

But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

There is no restriction for God, as He can be any and everywhere when you put trust in God.

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord , and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord , and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

In your brokenness, you must have a proper perspective that God has a plan for you. Not just this, He has a plan for everything, no matter what the situation may be.

People, if you are hearing this message for the first time and want to give your heart to God, this is the day to do it.

Pray and seek forgiveness and ask for the brokenness so you can attain the fullness just like how God told through Jeremiah.

A beautiful lyrics of the song, “Cornerstone”, to sum this all up, goes like this…

Dear Church, we hope you are encouraged with today’s service. We look forward to see you again next Sunday, God bless!