HELP IS ON THE WAY

JEREMIAH 31:27-34

INTRODUCTION

God’s desire for us is to bless and not curse. Jeremiah proclaims to us concerning our God of mercy, justice and grace. Jeremiah speaks of a new covenant which includes both Jews and Gentiles. The Old Testament points to the Christ of the New Testament. The Mosaic covenant of the Ten Commandments was given to the Jews. The New Covenant of Jeremiah 31:31 is to all of us and is effective to those who are in Christ Jesus. God is a God of covenants. Adamic, Noah, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Palestinian, Davidic. The New covenant- Christ. It has always been God’s desire to bless and not to curse.

Let us learn

I.  OUR HELP IS IN THE GOD WHO REVERSES THE PAST (31:27-30)

1. Reversing the past is forgiving the past.

• The God who watched over His people to uproot, tear down, overthrow, destroy and bring disaster is now the God who will watch them to build and to plant.
• Once sin is punished, God no longer holds the past over His people.
• 34-“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more”
• Our God is a God of forgiveness and mercy (Psalm 103, Psalm 130)
• God eternal purpose is to bless His people and not to curse them.
• 27- “The days are coming” declares the Lord, “When I will plant the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the offspring of men and animals”
• God wants to build His people up and plant them in the fertile soil of His keeping.

1. Reversing the past is removing complaints (v.29)

• The God of past complaints is now the God who removes all cause of complaints.
• God will no longer blame children for the sins of their fathers and mothers.
• No generational curses, God will no longer hold the sin of past generation over this present generation.
• God establishes real accountability – I will only punish individuals for the sins they have committed- “No more sour grapes” (Ezekiel 18:29-32)
• God does not take pleasure in the death of anyone (Ezekiel 18:32)

1. Reversing the past is a present choice.

• Only our refusal to seek forgiveness makes the past the present.
• If you have confessed, He has forgiven. (I John 1:8)

II.  OUR HELP IS IN GOD WHO OFFERS A FUTURE (31:27,29,31)

1. Our help is in an ever-present God.
2. God never leaves His people in bondage or exile because His very character cannot allow it.
3. He is a God of deliverance.
4. Our help is God’s promise

• “The days are coming, “Says the Lord, In those days and The time is coming”
• The night only lasts so long, and the morning must come. Rain may last for a few days, but the sun will surely shine again.
• The Lord says “For I know the plans I have for you…” (29:11)
• God knows all, the past, present and the future, He is in control of each!
• Our God has plans for our future- Trust in God

III.  OUR HELP IS IN THE GOD OF THE NEW COVENANT (31:31-34)

1. The new covenant is a new beginning.

• There is a new covenant because there was an old covenant.

1. A covenant is a legal agreement between two parties e.g. (Husband and wife)

• God had a previous legal agreement with His people but they broke it (Exodus 20)
• This is why punishment or payment had to come.

2. The new covenant will be different.
3. The new covenant is for our benefit
4. Instead of having to read the law (Deut.31) the law will be placed in our hearts through the Holy Spirit.
5. God will no longer be a figurehead of the religion of the people. God will be known personally (Personal Lord and Savior)
6. No longer will others have to intercede, like Noah, Abraham, Job, Moses.
7. No one, Godmother, Godfather or priest to teach you who God is, each will know God personally.
8. The limitations of the written law are gone. There is a move from the external to the internal.
9. All people, not just the Hebrews, all people all ages, all economic level, educational level, will know God personally, through Jesus Christ. (Heb.8:7-8, 13)
10. The new covenant offers us forgiveness and eternal forgetfulness of sin.

• Our God wants us to know Him personally.
• Do you really have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ?

CONCLUSION

• We can know God intimately and have all our sins forgiven and forgotten.
• Or we can live in the past, No God no forgiveness; the choice is yours.