Pentecost 18 (Proper 20), September 22, 2024
Faithfulness in Time of Betrayal
Text: Jeremiah 11:18–20
Other Lessons: Psalm 54; James 3:13–4:10; Mark 9:30–37
Sermon Theme: Let us commit our cause to the Lord God. Sermon Goal: That you would be encouraged to trust humbly in God’s resolution in the face of a world so filled with false teachings by false teachers and filled with hatred. Based on a sermon outline from Concordia Pulpit Resources by Rev. Dr. Douglas L. Rutt, Sermon: To what are you committed? What kinds of commitments have you made in life? What are some of the things that are most important to you? We as human beings often have causes to which we’re committed. It may be something small, or it may be something grandiose, even world-changing. It’s inspiring to hear about people who have made great sacrifices and overcome enormous obstacles for their cause.
To be “committed to a cause” is to be all in for the sake of that cause. In today’s Old Testament Reading, we get a touching look into the life of the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah faced many obstacles in his ministry and often went to the Lord God to plead his case in the face of all the adversity he had to confront. That’s why he’s known as the weeping prophet. He was betrayed by his friends; he is surrounded by deceit and treachery. He cries out to the Lord in ways that remind us of Christ’s own betrayal, persecution, and suffering. And yet, he is committed to the cause to which God called him, to make known his Word to the people of Judah, to call Judah to repent of its apostasy and idolatry. In the face of many reasons to despair, Jeremiah clings to the rock of his salvation. Jeremiah was committed to the cause of showing the way to eternal life. Jeremiah is a powerful example to us as we navigate the trials and challenges of our own lives as the people of God. As Jeremiah committed his cause to the Lord, Let Us Commit Our Cause to the Lord God. The Lord God knows our plight (vv 18–19). Sometimes in life, as we face hardships, injustice, or persecution, we can conclude that God is absent, silent, or doesn’t care. We wonder why we might need to face a certain challenge. Sometimes we might even feel betrayed by our own family or friends. In the case of Jeremiah, it’s the Lord God who reveals to him the scheming and treachery of his friends. God knew of their scheming before Jeremiah did. In Jeremiah’s case, the Lord revealed the murderous plots to him directly. God knows the challenges and troubles we face, even before we do. Sometimes we can experience the emotions that Jeremiah felt, like a lamb being led to slaughter. God cares about what happens in this world, and he invites us to bring our cares and concerns humbly to him, and he will deliver us (Ps 54:7). The Lord God judges in righteousness (v 20a). The Lord God does care about what happens in the world and what is happening in our lives. Despite his troubles, Jeremiah proclaims that the Lord God is righteous and judges in righteousness. This means he judges in holiness and love. Sometimes it can look to us as if that’s not the case, when evildoers seem to prosper and good people do suffer. But the Lord God sees way beyond what we can see. This is even more true when we suffer for his name’s sake. The suffering we face because of our commitment to the Lord is something we can count on (Jn 16:1–4a). It seems we live in a world that is becoming angrier all the time. People often are blinded to the truth that is right before their very eyes. This is especially true when it comes to respecting the Lord God. The vengeance of the Lord is fair retribution for those who have fallen away from all that God had given them and who chased after other gods. Those other gods can be anything we put our trust in above all other things, and so we can fall into idolatry also. The Lord God judges “the heart and the mind” (v 20). We may not be worshiping Baal or other spiritual beings, and by outward appearances we may not be plotting the murder of God’s prophet, but the Lord God judges the heart, our innermost thoughts and desires (1 Sam 16:7). Everyone falls short of what God demands. Nevertheless, the Lord also provided the way for our minds and hearts to be washed clean and seen as perfect in his sight. It is through a simple trust in the perfect life, atoning death, and victorious rising again of Jesus Christ.
Just as Jeremiah faced hostility because he committed his cause to the Lord God, we also may—probably will—come up against opposition and hostility because of our commitment to the cause of the Gospel as we live out our faith in a world that seems increasingly to be in conflict with the Word of God. Just as Jeremiah committed his cause to the Lord God, knowing that God was his strength and shield, so we also can confidently and humbly commit ourselves to the cause of the Lord God, who would do so much, even give us his Son. In that way, we will see what Jeremiah called God’s vengeance. It is a fair justice that his Son took upon himself by his life, death, and resurrection for us and our salvation. And that is a cause worth committing ourselves to, knowing that God is faithful, just, loving, and caring, despite the obstacles we face in this life. Amen.