Let Us Hear The Truth
Jeremiah 28: 5-9
Pentecost 5 (Proper 8)
Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ amen. The sermon text for the fifth Sunday after Pentecost is the Old Testament reading Jeremiah 28. What would you prefer? Would you rather listen to the truth, or would you rather listen to what you desire to hear? I am guessing that we would rather hear the truth. But is that honest? If we are actually honest, we would have to admit that there are times when we don’t want to hear the truth. There are times when we would rather listen to what we want to hear even if it is false.
We see that happening in our Old Testament reading from Jeremiah. At the time of our reading the Babylonians had already sacked Jerusalem twice. They had taken captives and had striped the temple of its sacred objects. Jeremiah told the people that this was God’s judgment because of their sins and that they should accept that the King of Babylon would rule over them for a time. Jeremiah told the people that if they continue to rebel the Babylonians would come a third time and bring even worse disaster. Jeremiah was telling the people the truth. But the people would not listen.
There was a false prophet named Hananiah that told the people what they wanted to hear. Hananiah told them that the King of Babylon was getting weaker. He told them that within two years the vessels from the temple would be brought back. He told them that those who were already in exile would also be returned soon. What Hananiah said was pleasing to the Israelites. The problem of course was that his words were false. Hananiah gave the people a false hope.
Jeremiah was the true prophet of God and thus his words came to pass. There was no peace. The Babylonians came a third time to crush the rebellion. Many more people were brought into exile and Hananiah died later that year. Jeremiah did not have an easy job. He was called by God to tell the people of Judea the truth. They would go into exile for seventy years as judgment for their sins.
God is in the truth telling business but like the Israelites we sometimes find the truth hard to take in. We see that with the words of Jesus in our Gospel reading. Our Lord sent His disciples out into the world to proclaim the Gospel. He tells them that as they go out into the world, they will face opposition and persecution. He tells them that the Gospel proclamation will even divide families. We know that this is true. Confessing our faith in Christ and living a Christian life can put us into conflict with people around us including family members who have rejected Jesus. This is especially true in various places around the world. In certain countries becoming a Christian could lead to their family disowning them and even trying to kill them. Jesus tells us that as we follow Him, we should take up our cross.
Our Lord is telling us the truth, but we don’t always like to hear the truth. Sometimes we would rather listen to what we want to hear even if it is false. We will be tempted to cling to a false hope. We like the idea that the Christian life is one of ease and comfort and that we will have perfect peace here on earth and in this life. We will be tempted to deny reality and instead get caught up in all the distractions around us. We will be tempted to trust earthly idols rather than God. If we are not careful, we can get caught up in all the false messages that we hear all around us. We see many in the world who have rejected Jesus and instead hold to false religions, harmful ideologies, and worldly thinking. Paul warns us about this in 2 Timothy 4. “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions and will turn way from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
Hananiah promised the people peace. He was wrong. He gave a false hope. His words did not stand. The false religions, ideologies, worldly thinking, and myths are also wrong. They will not stand. That is why the Lord comes to us in His Word and speaks the truth. God is in the truth telling business and so let us receive the truth. The Lord wants us to know the reality about sin, judgement and death. When people fail to understand these things, they will cling to false hope rather than turn to the Lord. But the truth has been revealed to us. We know that humanity has fallen into sin and that we have been conceived and born into sin. The sin that is in us is evil and leads to death. It is not fun to hear this, but it is true. We need to know the truth because it shows us our need for a savior.
Jermiah said these words. “As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.” Jeremiah did tell the people that the Babylonians would come and that they would go into exile for seventy years. But along with the other Old Testament prophets he also said that Israel would be restored and that the Messiah would come to bring perfect peace. That promise came to pass. The Jews did return to the land and Jesus the Messiah did indeed come into the world. Jesus did say in our Gospel reading that He was not going to bring peace but the sword. He was referring to people’s opposition to the Gospel. But as we look at all of the words of Jesus, we realize that He did come to bring peace. He gives us everlasting peace. He gives us peace with God.
We can not free ourselves from sin and death, but the Lord can and He does. That is why we look to Jesus and trust in Him. We look to the Son of God who went to the cross to atone for all of our sins and bring us into right relation with our Father in heaven. We look to Jesus who defeated death for us through His glorious resurrection. God speaks to us the truth and here is the truth. Jesus is our savior who has won our salvation. Jesus is our Lord who blesses us and is gracious to us.
It is true that we will face trouble and pain in this world, but what is also true is that the Lord is with us now and forever. It is true that we will experience difficulties as followers of Jesus. There will be times when we will have to bear a cross, but it is also true that Jesus has already went to the cross to bring about our redemption. It is true that the church will encounter opposition as the people of God carry out our Lord’s mission, but what is also true is that Lord rewards His people. Most of all we rejoice in the blessing of God’s grace given to all who repent of their sin and believe in Jesus as their Savior. Let us turn to the Lord and trust Him. It is Jesus who gives us peace with God, patience in time of tribulation, confidence to pray, and finally eternal life.
We don’t need to cling to false hope when we have Jesus. It is the Lord who gives us a sure and certain hope. It is the Lord who gives us eternal joy. Let us look to Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life. Amen.