Every Word Counts | Jeremiah 26:1-15 | 10-7-26 | Wednesday

Andrew Montoro (0:00)

All right, let's grab our Bibles. The Book of Jeremiah tonight, the Book of Jeremiah, chapter number 26 And if you're in your daily Bible reading, we've been reading through the Book of Jeremiah. And the Book of Jeremiah has some wonderful and yet troubling warnings, very serious warnings from God speaking to his people.

And one thing we'll get deal with this just a little bit as we get into the sermon, the Book of Jeremiah, just to help us out, is not chronological, okay? Parts of it are chronologically in order, especially when we get to the end of the book, the city of Jerusalem has been destroyed. But if you pay attention, it's in this year of Jehoiakim, and then Zedekiah, who comes after Jehoiakim, and it kind of bounces around a little bit. Not that the author got mixed up, but it's put in order for the themes. It's put in order more topically than it is necessary, chronologically, as God is speaking to his people. But I want to pick it up, and we'll get some of the context and some of the just what's going on in the life of Jeremiah. Jeremiah chapter 26, verse number one.

The Bible says, in the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, came this word from the Lord saying, thus saith the Lord, stand in the court of the Lord's house and speak unto all the cities of Judah which come to worship in the Lord's house. All the words that I command thee to speak unto them, okay, diminish not a word. If so be, they will hearken and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings. And thou shalt say unto them, thus saith the Lord, If ye will not hearken unto me to walk in my law which I have set before you, to hearken to the words of my servants the prophets whom I sent unto you, both rising up early and sending unto them, but ye have not hearkened, then will I make this house like Shiloh and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth. So the priest and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. Now it came to pass when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak unto all the people that the priest and the prophets and all the people took him saying, thou shalt surely die. Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the Lord saying this house shall be like Shiloh and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord when the princes of Judah heard these things. They came up from the king's house unto the house of the Lord and sat down in the entry of the new gate in the Lord's house. Court was called in session basically.

Then spake the priest and the prophets. Notice there were other prophets, but they weren't like they weren't in agreement with Jeremiah right unto the princes and to all the people saying this man is worthy to die for he have prophesied against the city as you have heard with your ears. Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people saying, the Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against the city all the words that you have heard. Therefore now amend your ways and your doings and obey the voice of the Lord your God and the Lord will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you. As for me, behold I am in your hand, do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you, but know ye for certain that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and upon the inhabitants thereof. For of a truth, the Lord hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears. And so our title tonight really, what just kind of jumped out, and I want to emphasize tonight is this, every word counts.

If there's going to be help from God's word, we have to pay attention to every word. Every word counts. People facing God's wrath need to hear all of God's words. Let's pray and ask the Lord's help. Dear Heavenly Father, Lord, I pray, Lord, that you would encourage us tonight. I pray, Lord, that you would bring conviction and challenge where necessary. I pray, Lord, that we would take your word seriously. And Lord, there's a lost and dying world. There's people that need the answers from your word, whether they want them or not. And I pray, Lord, that you'd help us to be faithful. Help us, Lord, to heed your call to speak every word. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.