A Word in Season: Healing Hurts (Jeremiah 6:14)

Media Gratiae

Subscribe

Download

Share

00

00:00

You have to go and see a doctor because there's pain in your stomach and he examines you a little bit

00:06

He palpitates the area and suggests an ointment that you can rub on in order to relieve the pain

00:12

That doesn't accomplish anything. So you're back a few days later The pain is getting worse and he says well

00:18

I'll give you some stronger painkillers that you can take orally and hopefully that'll take the edge off a little while later

00:24

You're still in in some pain you go back and he says I want you to try some different thinking techniques now

00:31

See if we can just take your mind off this problem And when that still doesn't work and now there's evidence of internal bleeding and the pain is really gripping your body

00:41

You go you go back and this time he says look Why don't you just go out and enjoy yourself and see if you can forget about some of these things?

00:49

Well, that's the point at which you might be saying what kind of doctor are you and what kind of treatments are these?

00:56

Because you're just scratching the surface You're trying to handle the symptoms rather than cure the disease.

01:04

You've made no Penetrating survey of my symptoms properly You haven't traced the root of the problem and you're not actually

01:13

Healing me to that degree that I need and now my Symptoms are getting worse.

01:19

My pain is increasing and the problem is perhaps beyond control Tragically many spiritual doctors many physicians of the soul so -called do the same thing

01:31

That is all that some religion offers and tragically even some religion that goes under the name of Christianity It is like what was happening in the days of Jeremiah when there were

01:43

Prophets and priests who dealt falsely in chapter 6 and verse 14

01:48

Jeremiah says they have also healed the hurt of my people slightly saying peace peace where there is no peace the

01:59

Preachers the prophets the priests those who were supposed to be giving instruction and guidance from God Were not dealing faithfully with the people they were afflicted they were troubled

02:12

God's warnings were hanging over them They had committed sin and these prophets and priests who spoke falsely

02:20

Weren't dealing with anything more than the symptoms. They were healing the hurts of the people

02:26

Slightly they were assuring them of peace when there was no peace In Jeremiah's day that may refer to the threat of judgment and exile from the

02:37

Babylonians the Chaldeans And these people were saying I don't worry about it. God's not going to do that.

02:43

Everything's going to be fine Just get on with things try and think about other problems or well

02:50

It's not really sin that we're dealing with here. Let's tidy up around the edges. Let's rub on a little bit of ointment

02:56

Let's take a painkiller. Let's try and think about other things And today we have exactly the same problem

03:05

Sin is dismissed explained away Excused we don't want to face it.

03:10

We don't want to deal with it. We don't want to hear about it We're told to think about something different perhaps there's no real recognition of the holiness of a majestic God of the sinfulness of sin against him of the depths of human iniquity of the

03:28

Transgressions that reveal the rebellion in our hearts against God There's no putting the finger on the worldliness of the

03:37

Church of Jesus Christ calling men and women to repent of their sins and come back to God and While that happens, there is only a slight healing of our hurts and there's a declaration of peace

03:51

When there is no peace Let me read to you a few words from Samuel Pierce who was an 18th century minister of the gospel who was known for his earnest and sincere concern for souls

04:10

Give me the preacher said Pierce who opens the folds of my heart who accuses me

04:16

Convicts me and condemns me before God who loves my soul too. Well to suffer me to go on in sin

04:23

Unreproved through fear of giving me offense who draws the line with accuracy between the delusions of fancy and the

04:30

Impressions of grace who pursues me from one hiding place to another until I am driven from every refuge of lies

04:38

Who gives me no rest until he sees me with unfeigned penitence Trembling at the feet of Jesus and then and not till then soothes my anguish

04:49

Wipes away my tears and comforts me with the cordials of grace My friends we need preachers and teachers who do not heal our hurts lightly