Dealing with Scoffers!
Today's readings remind us that as we step out in response to God's calling in our lives, there will often be resistance. In all three cases today with David, Jeremiah and Peter they faced severe opposition in their obedience to God. David's psalm reminds us that God is His Rock and his salvation, therefore he will not be deterred. Because God is his fortress he will not be shaken.
As Jeremiah is faithful to prophesy the Lord's words to the people of Judah regarding their eventual destruction, it is not received well. In fact, he is mocked, ridiculed and insulted all day long. But he is so committed to His call in spite of this that he says if I were not to mention His name, it would be like a burning fire in his heart that he could not put out. It is a fire in his bones he cannot keep in. He is compelled like the apostle Paul to preach the Word in season and our of season.
Finally, we have the apostle Peter writing to the early believers urging them to not get caught up in the prevailing philosophy of those around them. He calls those who espouse this philosophy "scoffers", who scoff at the words of the Gospel by saying where is this Jesus who was supposed to return soon? They reason that since Jesus hasn't come back yet, they might as well just follow their evil desires. He reminds them in the day of Noah, they also scoffed at him saying, "when are those floods going to come"? While that judgment came by water, Peter prophesies that the final judgment will come by fire. In fact, in our Creed which we recite in church we say, "And He will come back to judge the living and the dead."
These 3 men of God remind us that is often difficult to live out God's will in an increasingly anti-Christian society. For those who follow Jesus, he tells us to not be surprised when fiery trial come upon us. These trials test our faith, but also strengthen our faith. Fortunately God has given us His Holy Spirit to strengthen and fortify us for such trials and temptations. As we rely on the Holy Spirit's power in our lives we can represent God and Jesus and be a light in the darkness. When we suffer for being a believer, we participate in Jesus' sufferings and become more like him. Let us be encouraged by these three men of God and all the saints that have gone on before us who boldly lived for the cause of Christ and are enjoying their reward in heaven.
Psalm 62:5-12
5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
6 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God,
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
9 Surely the lowborn are but a breath,
the highborn are but a lie.
If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion
or put vain hope in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.
11 One thing God has spoken,
two things I have heard:
“Power belongs to you, God,
12 and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”;
and, “You reward everyone
according to what they have done.”
Jeremiah 20:7-13
Jeremiah’s Complaint
7 You deceived me, Lord, and I was deceived;
you overpowered me and prevailed.
I am ridiculed all day long;
everyone mocks me.
8 Whenever I speak, I cry out
proclaiming violence and destruction.
So the word of the Lord has brought me
insult and reproach all day long.
9 But if I say, “I will not mention his word
or speak anymore in his name,”
his word is in my heart like a fire,
a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;
indeed, I cannot.
10 I hear many whispering,
“Terror on every side!
Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!”
All my friends
are waiting for me to slip, saying,
“Perhaps he will be deceived;
then we will prevail over him
and take our revenge on him.”
11 But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior;
so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail.
They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;
their dishonor will never be forgotten.
12 Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous
and probe the heart and mind,
let me see your vengeance on them,
for to you I have committed my cause.u
13 Sing to the Lord!
Give praise to the Lord!
He rescues the life of the needy
from the hands of the wicked.
2 Peter 3:1-7
The Day of the Lord
3 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. 3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011
As Jeremiah is faithful to prophesy the Lord's words to the people of Judah regarding their eventual destruction, it is not received well. In fact, he is mocked, ridiculed and insulted all day long. But he is so committed to His call in spite of this that he says if I were not to mention His name, it would be like a burning fire in his heart that he could not put out. It is a fire in his bones he cannot keep in. He is compelled like the apostle Paul to preach the Word in season and our of season.
Finally, we have the apostle Peter writing to the early believers urging them to not get caught up in the prevailing philosophy of those around them. He calls those who espouse this philosophy "scoffers", who scoff at the words of the Gospel by saying where is this Jesus who was supposed to return soon? They reason that since Jesus hasn't come back yet, they might as well just follow their evil desires. He reminds them in the day of Noah, they also scoffed at him saying, "when are those floods going to come"? While that judgment came by water, Peter prophesies that the final judgment will come by fire. In fact, in our Creed which we recite in church we say, "And He will come back to judge the living and the dead."
These 3 men of God remind us that is often difficult to live out God's will in an increasingly anti-Christian society. For those who follow Jesus, he tells us to not be surprised when fiery trial come upon us. These trials test our faith, but also strengthen our faith. Fortunately God has given us His Holy Spirit to strengthen and fortify us for such trials and temptations. As we rely on the Holy Spirit's power in our lives we can represent God and Jesus and be a light in the darkness. When we suffer for being a believer, we participate in Jesus' sufferings and become more like him. Let us be encouraged by these three men of God and all the saints that have gone on before us who boldly lived for the cause of Christ and are enjoying their reward in heaven.
Psalm 62:5-12
5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
6 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God,
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
9 Surely the lowborn are but a breath,
the highborn are but a lie.
If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion
or put vain hope in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.
11 One thing God has spoken,
two things I have heard:
“Power belongs to you, God,
12 and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”;
and, “You reward everyone
according to what they have done.”
Jeremiah 20:7-13
Jeremiah’s Complaint
7 You deceived me, Lord, and I was deceived;
you overpowered me and prevailed.
I am ridiculed all day long;
everyone mocks me.
8 Whenever I speak, I cry out
proclaiming violence and destruction.
So the word of the Lord has brought me
insult and reproach all day long.
9 But if I say, “I will not mention his word
or speak anymore in his name,”
his word is in my heart like a fire,
a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;
indeed, I cannot.
10 I hear many whispering,
“Terror on every side!
Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!”
All my friends
are waiting for me to slip, saying,
“Perhaps he will be deceived;
then we will prevail over him
and take our revenge on him.”
11 But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior;
so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail.
They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;
their dishonor will never be forgotten.
12 Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous
and probe the heart and mind,
let me see your vengeance on them,
for to you I have committed my cause.u
13 Sing to the Lord!
Give praise to the Lord!
He rescues the life of the needy
from the hands of the wicked.
2 Peter 3:1-7
The Day of the Lord
3 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. 3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011
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