Jeremiah 9:23-24 (4/10/24)

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Jeremiah 9:23-24 (4/10/24)

Boasting

April 10, 2024 • Benham Brothers • Jeremiah 9:23–24

* The people in Jeremiah’s day were prospering well.

* But they started looking to themselves, which led to their boasting.

* They had forgotten Isaiah 48:17 - “I am the Lord, who teaches you to profit…”

* As God’s kids, they experienced God’s blessing on the earth.

* Why? So they could prepare the way for the Messiah!

* However, as they grew bigger and stronger they forgot their “why” and started started falling away from the Lord.

* How? By focusing on themselves and no longer on God.

* Same thing happened in Romans 1:21 - “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him…”

* Look how God responds:

* vs 23 - “This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches…”

* They boasted in three things.

* We have to make sure we don’t boast in these:

* 1) Intellect - “the understanding or mental powers of a person.”

* You see all over Twitter intellectuals arguing with each other.

* 1 Corinthians 8:1 - “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”

* You’ve elevated your intellect when you demand others to believe just like you.

* 2) Influence - Israel had grown mighty in the world, so mighty that all the kingdoms of the world knew about them.

* Social media has created “platform lust.”

* People elevate Likes over Lives.

* Ultimately, the platform is what keeps them silent about things that matter.

* If God increases your influence, don’t forget why He’s done it.

* 3) Income - Money represents your source of sustainability.

* It’s not the source - God is.

* Income can become your idol when impact isn’t your goal.

* It cuts both ways:

* Pride because of your surplus - this is dangerous because you don’t feel like you need God.

* Fear because of your lack - this is dangerous because you don’t feel like God will come through.

* But we are not to boast about any of these things.

* vs 24 - “…but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.”

* EX: What’s better to brag about, the amount of money I make or the number of houses I have or the types of vacations I take …or that I was an intimate friend of Billy Graham and traveled everywhere with him since he was a teenager?

* The same is true in our relationship w/God.

* Let’s not boast about our life - Let’s boast that we know the Giver of Life!

* That keeps the focus on Him and not on the "things" of Him.

Jeremiah 1:5 (10/6/16)

October 6, 2016 • Benham Brothers

• Sweet Spot. • Read Jeremiah 1:5 then Psalms 139:16. • Every one of us were created with a pre-packed purpose by God and for God. • If you were created to be an apple it’s futile to desire to be a grapefruit. • The only way an apple seed can become an apple is to DIE to itself. • It can then become the specific nourishment for others God intended for it. • An apple has different vitamins and minerals than oranges - we need both. • We come into our purpose through FOCUS: 1. We don’t focus on a PLACE (a destination). 2. We don’t focus on PEOPLE (comparison). 3. We focus on a PERSON (God). • God asks us to die, to surrender all to Him. • When we focus on Him He reveals us to ourselves. • How do you know if you're following God's purpose for you? 1. When doors open automatically - you don't have to push them open. 2. When you are at total rest - you're not letting ambition lead. 3. When you feel energized the more you do it - it's not burning you out. 4. When you have the grace to handle the blessings that come from it - you don't get prideful or selfish. 5. When you feel God's power working through you - others will experience change (like Paul in prison when the other prisoner's chains fell off).

Jeremiah 1:7-8 (10/4/18)

October 4, 2018 • Benham Brothers

* Notice the five commands God gives young Jeremiah: * 1) Don’t think about yourself - don’t say, “I’m too young.” * 2) Go where I send you - even if he didn’t understand why or where. * 3) Say whatever I command you - he wasn’t to consider his audience and tailor his message. * He was to start with God’s truth and then deliver to the people, not the other way around. * 4) Don’t be afraid - the message would tick people off. * 5) Get yourself ready (vs 17) - this is the same command Jesus gave His disciples.

Jeremiah 1:10 (10/10/14)

October 10, 2014 • Benham Brothers

God placed Jeremiah "over" all things - he could: Build and Plant. Pluck up and Break down. Destroy and Overthrow. The first four are negative - tearing things down. The last two are positive - building up. You have to tear down before you build up. He wasn't the prince (phsycial ruler) - he was the prophet (spiritual ruler). To remain in this position of authority Jeremiah needed to remain under God's authority. Matt 28:18 - Jesus was given this same authority. Matt 16:19 - Jesus granted access to this authority to the body of believers. As the church we have been placed "over" all things just as Jeremiah was. We can now: Build and Plant. Pluck up and Break down. Destroy and Overthrow. We don't have to be the prince (physical ruler), just the prophet (spiritual ruler). The goal of the church is to extend God's kingdom on the earth by ruling well, not to build BIG church. So long as our focus is kingdom and not church we will continue in His authority.