Preaching the Word to a World That Doesn’t Listen
Author Unknown
It seems to me that the theme of June in society is centered around the symbol of the promise that God made to mankind in a word, never to flood the earth again. Obviously, the rainbow is being misused and mistreated among those of various parties, but the account of Noah is one that I believe to be very relevant in today’s world. Noah was a man who spent his life preaching and living out the message for the coming destruction of the world (Genesis 6:22; 7:1). Despite his actions, no one around him bothered to listen and the sin of man remained rampant (Genesis 6:6). Why do we as followers of God preach messages if no one will bother to listen?
Perhaps no greater example outside the life of Jesus demonstrates faithfulness to the message of God, despite harsh conditions, than that of Jeremiah. As we examine the book of Jeremiah, we discover our value in preaching the Word to a world that doesn’t listen.
The World of Jeremiah
Jeremiah’s life was one of constant struggle. We may think we have it bad with various outlets blasting megaphones with LGBTQ propaganda. However, I would argue Jeremiah had it worse. He was beaten and betrayed by religious leaders (Jeremiah 20:1). He was threatened by counts of death (Jeremiah 26:11). He was mistreated by political leaders (Jeremiah 36:23). He was abandoned in an empty cistern by his contemporaries (Jeremiah 38:6). Yet regardless of all these struggles, Jeremiah kept on preaching. He was faithful to the Word of God that had been entrusted to him (Jeremiah 1:1-10).
The Word of Jeremiah
As seen earlier, Jeremiah was not preaching a message of hate. He sought to save those around him, no matter how deeply they were defiled by idolatry and injustice. Rather than keeping the message of salvation to himself, he agonized with those who needed it the most. The prophet was courageous and bold in presenting the Word of God to those who were constant in their sin (Jeremiah 7). He preached the transformative power of God’s new covenant (Jeremiah 30-33). He preached a message of salvation and hope, even in consideration of opposing powers (Jeremiah 50-51). Rather than mocking those who were engulfed in sin, he continued to preach.
The Worth of Jeremiah
Some might recognize Jeremiah as the weeping prophet—the one who preached, and no one listened. Though in the grand scheme of history, he is one of great reputation, especially regarding his efforts in ministry. Some might look at his life as a futile effort to convert the lost, with a 0% effective rate. That is, until someone continued to look at the prophet’s words. Jeremiah is quoted over 30 times in the New Testament scriptures, a testimony to the value of his message. The Son of God directly quotes Jeremiah. His message is qualified as canonical scripture, being included in nearly all Bibles that contain the Old Testament writings. There’s no telling how many individuals have gained inspiration from the writings of Jeremiah. His words have even been transformed into songs by Christians (Lamentations 3). I don’t know if Jeremiah truly recognized the worth of his ministry, but we can certainly pay respects to the impact his life had.
Despite the harsh conditions the prophet faced, he managed to remain true to God's message, preach it to sinners, and remain steadfast in his own faith. My life is effortless in comparison to Jeremiah's, yet I find myself struggling with my approach to sinful communities around me. I suppose one lesson from Jeremiah is to keep preaching, despite the circumstances, and let the Word of God rule in the land of creation. We may be surprised one day to see how our various ministries have impacted the lives of many, even if we regard our efforts as vain. There is truly no vain effort when an effort is put forth for the Word of God. It is encouraging and inspiring to read of an individual who lived in a sinful land who still cared for the souls around him, to undergo punishment and mistreatment, only to remain faithful to the Word of God.
