Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
Our Old Testament reading from Jeremiah 26 describes Jeremiah’s boldness in the face of opposition. His prophecies had not been favorable for the future stability of Jerusalem. The city would be laid waste unless something very significant changed. Needless to say, the city and relgional leaders were not pleased. They called for Jeremiah’s death because he was apparently opposed to Jerusalem. Jeremiah stood his ground, telling them they could kill him or not, as they wished, but that the condemnation was from the Lord. They really needed to change their ways and obey the Lord.
God’s people often appear to be almost on the lunatic fringe, or at least out of touch with cultural values. In times when much of Western society is trying to recover and emulate pre-Chrsitian mores about the dignity of human life, the individualized interpretations of marriage, and the alternatively trivial or indomitable significance of sexuality, Christians who say human life is inherently priceless, marriage of a man and a woman for life is the basic way of organizing and perpetuating society, and that the marital relationship is centered on commitment appear increasingly disconnected. The larger society may respond with disbelief, hostility, and even abuse or marginalization. Yet all we are doing is exemplifying God’s revealed principles from Scripture, encouraging peace, stability, and safety. Like Jeremiah, we may appear threatening to some.
How do we respond? We may not always be beyond criticism, we may sometimes miss the perfect application of God’s Word, yet we still need to stand for the truth. As in Jeremiah’s time, so in ours. The people who reject God’s word can expect to suffer. We warn them, firmly but lovingly, to trust in God who can save them from every trouble.
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