Why Do They Not Repent?

Text: Jeremiah 8:4-22

 

I.         Israel was in deep trouble because of her sins. Despite repeated warnings, she did not change.

            A.        Punishment would come so severely that people would prefer to die - Jeremiah 8:3

            B.        But what God asks is: Why don’t the fallen get back up? - Jeremiah 8:4

                        1.         After all, this is a trait of the righteous - Proverbs 24:16

            C.        God then points out the reasons why

II.        Why

            A.        They don’t know the laws of God - Jeremiah 8:7

                        1.         Like the charge Hosea brought - Hosea 4:6

                        2.         They don’t talk about what is right - Jeremiah 8:6

                                    a.         They didn’t do as Moses directed - Deuteronomy 6:6-9

                        3.         The teachers of the law are teaching lies - Jeremiah 8:8

                                    a.         Isaiah’s charge - Isaiah 10:1-2

                        4.         Those who should be teaching and leading are more interested in money - Jeremiah 8:10

            B.        They are stubborn - Jeremiah 8:5

                        1.         They hold onto lies - Jeremiah 8:5

                        2.         They make a practice of deceiving - Jeremiah 8:10

                        3.         They reject God’s wisdom - Jeremiah 8:9

            C.        They don’t question their own actions - Jeremiah 8:6

                        1.         Wicked turn from their ways when they consider their ways - Ezekiel 18:27-28

                        2.         Instead, they charge ahead - Isaiah 59:7

                        3.         They are not ashamed of sinning - Jeremiah 8:12

            D.        They sit on their hands, so to speak

                        1.         They don’t get down to the root of problems. They accept superficial “healing” and assertions of peace - Jeremiah 8:11

                        2.         They have given up - Jeremiah 8:14

                        3.         They are complacent, waiting for things to improve on their own - Jeremiah 8:15

            E.        There was a cure, but no one sought it - Jeremiah 8:22

III.       When we teach others and ourselves, it is no different

            A.        People need to know the truth in order to change

                        1.         Faith comes from hearing the word of truth - Romans 10:17

                        2.         We need the truth whether we like it or not - II Timothy 4:1-4

            B.        Honesty is essential - Ephesians 4:14-15

            C.        Humility is needed - James 4:4-10

            D.        We need to examine ourselves

                        1.         If we think we are something, then we are lying to ourselves - Galatians 6:3-5

                        2.         Put ourselves to the test - II Corinthians 13:5

            E.        And we cannot be satisfied by partial, incomplete “solutions” - II Corinthians 7:10-11

                        1.         We can’t follow after false teachers - II Peter 2:1-3

                        2.         We can’t give up - Revelation 2:10

                        3.         We have to work - Philippians 2:12-16

            F.        We have to seek out the cure

                        1.         God wants men to seek Him - Acts 17:26-27

                        2.         God grants to those who put the effort in - Luke 11:5-13

                                    a.         We often use this passage to talk about God answering prayers

                                    b.         But notice that Jesus is primarily talking about salvation (the giving of the Holy Spirit)

IV.      God offers forgiveness for those who repent

            A.        He wants all to be saved - II Peter 3:9

            B.        Why ignore the cure so freely and readily available?