The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Jeremiah 36:1-7, “In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 ‘Take a scroll and write on it all the words which I have spoken to you concerning Israel and concerning Judah, and concerning all the nations, from the day I first spoke to you, from the days of Josiah, even to this day.
3 ‘Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the calamity which I plan to bring on them, in order that every man will turn from his evil way; then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.’
4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote on a scroll at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD which He had spoken to him.
5 Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, ‘I am restricted; I cannot go into the house of the LORD.
6 ‘So you go and read from the scroll which you have written at my dictation the words of the LORD to the people in the LORD’S house on a fast day. And also you shall read them to all the people of Judah who come from their cities.
7 ‘Perhaps their supplication will come before the LORD, and everyone will turn from his evil way, for great is the anger and the wrath that the LORD has pronounced against this people.’”

Are there times when preachers simply don’t want to go to church? Yes, there are. Probably, the worst time is when they have to deliver bad news to people they’ve grown to love.

Such was the situation with Jeremiah. He lacked the boldness of Elijah, the eloquence of Isaiah, and the wisdom of Ezekiel. Yet, despite all he lacked, it was his responsibility to pronounce judgment upon a people because of their sin. It is often more hurtful to a pastor to denounce a people’s sin than it is for the people to hear the LORD’s judgment on it.

Still, when we sin, we want to avoid having to face the LORD and His Word –which is why some people often avoid going to church at all. This is precisely how we become so mired in sin. We don’t want to be told that what we’re doing is wrong, or how evil those things are in which we are engaged.

Going to church is not wrong; but those things we’re doing are wrong if they are what’s keeping us out of church. We eagerly seek a doctor when we are hurting physically. Yet, we run from the pastor when we know his message will hurt and condemn us for what we’re doing.

Think of the sermon as God’s medicine to make us spiritually well. Sound a bit better now? So, are you going to church today? The LORD has given the pastor the very message we need to hear. How about it? See you in church?

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom