th<\/sup> year of reigning.\n 3. Jeremiah was also a young man – Jeremiah 1:4-7<\/p>\nII. Even though Josiah had given himself wholly to the Lord, the nation itself was wholly\ngiven over to evil.\n
A. Israel once was holy – Jeremiah 2:1-3<\/p>\n
B. But they had long left God’s ways – Jeremiah 2:4-5<\/p>\n
C. The religious leaders no longer sought the Lord – Jeremiah 2:8<\/p>\n
1. It is no wonder that they “lost” the law in the Temple.<\/p>\n 2. Nor can we be surprised that idolatry and homosexuality was being\npracticed in the temple of the Lord – II Kings 23:7\n
D. Call to stand in the old paths rejected – Jeremiah 6:16<\/p>\n E. I want you to consider that we are faced with a situation that echoes the days of\nJeremiah\n 1. A major complaint about denominations and churches that have strayed\nfrom the truth is the lack of scriptures in the preaching.\n a. It is rare to find people citing passages, reading what God has\nactually said.\n b. It is even rarer to find people looking in their own Bibles to see the\ncitations for themselves.\n c. In a way, it is our laziness. In a way, it is our conditioning to have\ninformation given to us.\n
2. The light of the world is growing dim – Matthew 5:13-16<\/p>\n
3. The truth is not being upheld for all to see – I Timothy 3:15<\/p>\n 4. Instead of purging out the leaven of sin, it is common to find the\ndenominations welcoming it in – I Corinthians 5:9-13; 6:9-10\n
III. Jeremiah found preaching God’s word to be difficult<\/p>\n
A. Jeremiah’s job was to shake things up, to make a change – Jeremiah 1:9-10<\/p>\n B. Jeremiah was not allowed to back down. He could not let any personal fears he\nmight have show – Jeremiah 1:17-19\n C. The people would not listen, but the message need to be given if purification was\nto result – Jeremiah 6:27-30\n
D. He could not compromise – Jeremiah 15:19-21<\/p>\n
E. He had enemies – Jeremiah 11:18-23<\/p>\n
1. Imagine how it would feel to be undermined by leaders in the church.<\/p>\n
2. Those you would expect to support you are those against you.<\/p>\n F. Rulers sought to discredit him and told people not to listen to him – Jeremiah\n18:18\n 1. With so many against him, then there must be something wrong with his\nteach!\n
G. He was beaten and place in stocks – Jeremiah 19:14-20:4<\/p>\n
1. In case you think that Jeremiah was tough – Jeremiah 20:7-10<\/p>\n
2. If it wasn’t for God, Jeremiah might have failed – Jeremiah 20:11-13<\/p>\n
H. He was put on trial, threatened with death – Jeremiah 26:1-24<\/p>\n
1. Notice that the prophet who fled lost protection from God<\/p>\n
I. He was imprisoned – Jeremiah 38:1-13<\/p>\n
J. Such is what has always been needed – Galatians 1:10<\/p>\n 1. Jeremiah’s preaching brought out those who only wanted a convenient\nreligion. He pull down cherished, but false, traditions.\n
2. Too often getting along becomes more important than truth.<\/p>\n
3. Luke 6:26<\/p>\nIV. Regularly I’m receiving news articles that any contradictory preaching is being called “hate\nspeech”\n A. We are so used to religious freedom, I wonder how we’ll handle a period of\nreligious persecution.\n
B. But periods are bound to come – Matthew 5:10-12<\/p>\n
C. We haven’t seen the worse as in the past – Hebrews 11:32-12:4<\/p>\n
D. Seeing what Jeremiah endured, we must resolve to give our all. <\/p>\n
1. Sin is too small of a matter to spend time being distracted by it.<\/p>\n
2. Our daily problems are so trivial.<\/p>\n
3. Let us follow our Lord – Matthew 10:38<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Hebrews 11:32-40 I. As the southern nation of Judah rapidly slid into degradation, there was one bright moment before the end that came in the reign of Josiah. A. It was during his reign that God’s covenant was rediscovered – II Kings 22:8-11 B. Josiah understood what had happened and where Israel…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[119,32],"tags":[1242,1015,572,536],"class_list":["post-63285","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio","category-sermon","tag-character","tag-jeremiah","tag-persecution","tag-preaching"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":36820,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/when-the-good-die-young\/","url_meta":{"origin":63285,"position":0},"title":"When the Good Die Young","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 23, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Text: I Kings 14:1-18 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is a sad occasion when a young person meets with death \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We think about the potential that was suddenly cut short. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The older people think about the experiences they enjoyed that this person didn\u2019t have an opportunity to experience first hand \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We realize we\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":22793,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/dont-go-into-egypt\/","url_meta":{"origin":63285,"position":1},"title":"Don’t Go Into Egypt","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 24, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Text: Jeremiah 42:1-6 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Imagine living during the last days of Judah \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Josiah was a wonderful king - II Kings 23:25 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0But he was killed by the king of Egypt - II Kings 23:28-29 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0But Jehoahaz, the king who succeeded him, only lasted three months - II Kings 23:31-33 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0D.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0His\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":12234,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-fall-of-zedekiah\/","url_meta":{"origin":63285,"position":2},"title":"The Fall of Zedekiah","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 2, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Jeremiah 52:1-11 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The fall of Jerusalem and the end of the kingdom of Judah was a sad time period. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Josiah was the last good king of Israel, but the kings that ruled after him did evil in the sight of God. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0King Jehoiachin began\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":60809,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/a-death-a-burial-a-resurrection\/","url_meta":{"origin":63285,"position":3},"title":"A Death, a Burial, a Resurrection","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 20, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer Josiah was one of the greater kings of Judah who initiated reform and called the people back to God. Sadly, his reforms did not last and the people soon reverted to evil after his death. While Josiah himself would not live to see Judah taken into captivity,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":87710,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/making-a-positive-difference\/","url_meta":{"origin":63285,"position":4},"title":"Making a Positive Difference","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 11, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by David Gibson Sorely Missed \"Then Jeremiah chanted a lament for Josiah . . .\" (II Chronicles 35:25 NASB). Josiah \"pled the cause of the afflicted and needy\" (Jeremiah 22:15). He urged his wayward nation to turn back to God (II Chronicles 34-35). Josiah made a difference. When Stephen was\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":69300,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/who-was-the-greatest-king\/","url_meta":{"origin":63285,"position":5},"title":"Who was the greatest king?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 14, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Good day, brother Jeffrey! About Hezekiah, we read in II\u00a0Kings 18:5-6: Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast to the LORD and did not cease to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63285","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63285"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63285\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63285"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63285"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63285"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}