Cornerstone Community Church - Sermons: Recent Episodes
Cornerstone Community Church
The sermons of Cornerstone Community Church in Jackson, Tennessee are made available via this podcast with weekly updates to keep you in the loop on the most current sermon as we preach through the bible.
Visit our website at cccjackson.org
Sermon 2 of 15 in Series through 1 Timothy
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Small group questions - 1 Timothy 1.12-171. Can you share of how you’ve seen the gospel transform your own life or someone that you know?2. How does Paul’s testimony help us if we’re tempted to think someone is beyond saving or that we can’t be used after we’re saved in light of the magnitude of our previous sins?3. What are some things we can do to help make sure that the powerful, saving, and transforming gospel remains central in our lives and in our church?4. Just as Paul ends with a doxology (v. 17), perhaps take some time giving thanks and praise to God for the work that you’ve seen his gospel accomplish in your lives, others’ lives, and in our church.
Sermon 1 of 15 in Series through 1 Timothy
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Small group questions - 1 Timothy 1:1-111. What are some ways that we can ensure our individual families faithfully hold to sound doctrine in accordance with the gospel?2. Many churches have gone astray (and some died) because of their departure from sound doctrine in accordance with the gospel. How do we make sure this doesn’t happen at CCC?3. What are some examples of false teachers who have arisen (or false teaching that has arisen) in churches or situations in your life (or of which you are aware)?4. How do we faithfully confront those teaching things against sound doctrine? Why can we find this challenging, and how do we overcome obstacles to this?
Sermon 21 of 25 in Series through 1-2 Samuel
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SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS: 2 SAMUEL 18-201. How can parental affection sometimes lead to compromise? How can we who are parents (or may become parents in the future) guard ourselves from allowing affection for our children to lead us astray?2. David's emotional response to the death of Absalom is presented negatively in this story. How can we guard ourselves from being led by our emotions in way that is contrary to truth?3. Joab, a wicked man, surprisingly plays the role of deliverer multiple times in these chapters. How does God's surprising way of working to advance his purposes bring comfort and encouragement to you? How might it guide you in prayer?4. What is the difference between wanting our lives to count on our terms vs. God's terms, and how should that difference affect our lives?5. Was there anything else from the sermon that you found insightful or encouraging that you want to discuss?
A Selected Psalm
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Small group questions - Psalm 1151. What are some things that you’re struggling to trust the Lord with that you want the group to pray for you about?2. What are some promises that you might cling to right now that might strengthen you as you seek to trust the Lord?3. Share some other times when you might have struggled to trust the Lord, and the Lord directed his steadfast love and faithfulness toward you, pulling you through them?4. If someone came you to and said, “I’m really gripped with anxiety right now and feel paralyzed by it as I think about my future,” what would you say to them?5. Were there any other things from the text and/or sermon that you want to share?
A Selected Psalm
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Small group questions 1. What has been your experience in lamenting before the Lord? How has it been beneficial for you?2. The psalmist reminded himself of God’s eternal, unchanging nature. What is it about who God is that ministers to you greatly in times of suffering or affliction?3. What particular promises of God do you hold onto during times of suffering?4. What can you do to make sure your focus is on seeking the praise and glory of God, even in your suffering?5. Was there anything else from the text or sermon that you found convicting/comforting?
A Selected Psalm
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Small group questions - Psalm 941. Have there been situations where you’ve prayed like the psalmist in verses 1-2? How might we do this well and how might we do this poorly?2. How is it particularly comforting to know that God sees and knows every detail of every aspect of what you’ve suffered?3. The Lord promises not to forsake or abandon us. How can you testify to his faithfulness in your life?4. How can we comfort ourselves with the assurance that God will ultimately make all things right?
Sermon 1 of 4 in Series through Numbers
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Small Group Questions
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Numbers confronts us with the necessity of persevering to the end. Have you struggled with consistent Christian commitment? Is there some pesky area of disobedience that keeps popping up in your life? What do you need to do to settle into a “a long obedience in the same direction?”
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God’s presence is the gravitational pull around which our lives should orbit. Do you have a sense of God’s presence in your life? When do you feel most centered on the presence of God? What are some reasons we may feel distant from God? How must we draw near to God?
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The numbers of Numbers show us the faithfulness of God. How have you seen God’s faithfulness in your church and in your life?
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The most obvious characteristic of the community of God’s people in Numbers 1-10 is obedience: the Lord spoke; the people obeyed. What is the ground of your obedience? Are you ignoring the clear teachings of Scripture, but obeying the thoughts and desires of your mind? How might you discern if a prompting that is not explicitly stated in Scripture is from the Lord?
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Do you know who you are, where you belong, and what your place of service is? Is God leading you to an area of service that will require deeper commitment and trust?
Sermon 9 of 9 in Series through Ezra/Nehemiah
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Small Group Questions
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How have you seen sin grow and spread in your own life? Are there some steps you want to take to cut off sin in your life?
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Have you ever been confronted about your sin or had to confront another about his/her sin? If so, how did it go? Were there insights you can give from that on how to confront a brother or sister well?
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What can we do to make sure that we're seeking to please God and not man?
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Were there any other points of comfort or conviction that came from the text or sermon or Ezra-Nehemiah series as a whole?
Sermon 8/9 in Series through Ezra/Nehemiah
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Small Group Questions
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In light of the sacrifices the Israelites made in Nehemiah's day to repopulate the city and ensure worship was funded, are there any personal sacrifices you think the Lord is moving you to make for the sake of God's purposes in this world?
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The people blessed those who made this sacrifice to relocate in 11:2 and then Nehemiah memorialized the names of those who sacrificed for this good, showing us that it's good to honor those who sacrifice for God's purposes. How can we ensure that we're faithfully honoring such brothers and sisters?
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Perhaps you could take some time to honor some bothers and sisters in the church right now that you see sacrificing for God's purposes.
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Nehemiah 12 records praise and thanksgiving to God for the wall. What does this suggest about the place that corporate worship should hold in our lives in light of God providing (not just a wall, but...) his Son for our salvation? Are there any adjustments you want to make in your lives to prioritize praising and thanking God?
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Were there any other areas of conviction or comfort that came to you from this text/sermon?
Sermon 7 of 9 in Series through Ezra/Nehemiah
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Can you share a time that the Lord used his Word to convict you of sin that you needed to turn from? Or, perhaps you want to share of how you're currently being convicted by the Word.
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Is there any specific area where the Word (whether in you personal reading or from a sermon) has given you specific instructions that you're seeking to obey (and perhaps were ignorant of or neglecting before)?
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How has the Lord used the Word to teach you more about who he is? Are there areas where the Word has corrected an incorrect view of God that you had?
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Are there any areas where the Word is commanding you to obey that you're struggling with and could use the group praying for you and encouraging you?
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Is there anything else from the text or sermon where you felt convicted or encouraged?
20 of 25 in Series through 1-2 Samuel
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Small Group Questions
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How does this story help us interpret God's heart toward us in times of suffering and/or when we have feelings of guilt?
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Can you remember signs of God's grace upon you when you have endured "wilderness" seasons of life? What are some encouraging testimonies you can share with the group?
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These chapters clearly teach that Absalom's wicked acts were ultimately from the Lord as discipline upon David. How does the Bible's teaching about God's sovereignty over sin comfort us when we see wickedness prevail?
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How does this story point us to God's plan of redemption through his Son Jesus Christ? Can you think of other passages it is connected to that help us see that it is ultimately about Jesus?
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Is there anything else from the sermon you want to discuss?
Sermon 6 of 9 in Series through Ezra/Nehemiah
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Small Group Questions
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As mockery, threats, and even more forms of persecution intensify in our country against Christians and our beliefs, how can we make sure to respond in prayer, trust, and persevering obedience?
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If discipline basically disappeared in churches for years, then it can certainly happen again. What can we do to make sure that we as a church do not depart from faithfully obeying the Bible when discipline is required?
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What are some "good" things that could distract the church from focusing on its mission given in Matthew 28:18-20?
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What are some areas where we may be tempted to compromise our Christian beliefs/practices in this culture, and how can we fight against that?
Sermon 5 of 9 in series through Ezra/Nehemiah
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Small Group Questions
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What is your current practice of consistent, faithful times of prayer? Is there something you want to change in order to ensure that you have consistent, faithful times of prayer?
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What is your practice of ensuring that the Bible guides your prayers, or what might you start doing to ensure that the Bible guides your prayers?
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One thing we want to do is be willing to pray for grand things (as Nehemiah prayed for mercy before Artaxerxes). What are some big things that you want to begin praying about faithfully?
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We also must pray with a readiness to obey. Is there something you've been praying about where you need to take some action?
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Was there anything else from the text and/or sermon that you found convicting or comforting?
Sermon 4 of 9 in Series through Ezra/Nehemiah
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Small Group Questions
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If feeling the gravity of our sin is a sign of spiritual health, what can we do to make sure that we're faithfully feeling the gravity of sin?
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If we have the promise that when we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive them, why can we be hesitant to confess sin and how can we fight against that?
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Do you struggle with believing that your confession of sin really is met with forgiveness and cleansing from the Lord? If so, why and how do we equip ourselves to believe the promise of 1 John 1:9?
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Are there some things that you need to change in your life in order to pursue repentance and holiness in a certain area?
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Was there anything else from the text and/or sermon that you found convicting or encouraging?
Sermon 4 of 4 in Series through Psalms
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Small Group Questions
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Psalm 54 moves from lament (1-3) to confident faith (4-5) to unbounded praise (6-7). This pattern in many of the psalms is the pattern of our lives. Can you share ways you have seen this movement in your own life from lament to faith to praise?
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Employing a variety of the names and attributes of God (LORD, Lord, god, Name, might, faithfulness, helper, upholder), the psalmist prayed consistent with what he knew to be true of God. Do you reflect on the nature and character of God as revealed in Scripture to help you pray? What might be some reasons for endeavoring to pray in a way that is reflective of God's nature and character? Can you give examples of praying in ways that are and are not reflective of God's character?
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Reflecting on God's nature and character and praying accordingly caused David's faith to soar. Can you name specific times that the Lord has been your helper and the upholder of your life? Have you witnessed God return evil on the head of evildoers?
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The psalmist prayed that God in his faithfulness would put an end to his enemies. What is the place of imprecation in the prayers of God's people?
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The psalm begins with lament and ends with praise. Even though the psalmist had likely not experienced deliverance, the anticipation of deliverance filled him with praise. Would you characterize yourself as a thankful person? Are you quick to lament but slow to praise? What are good practices in demonstrating gratitude to the Lord publicly? Are you confident the Lord will finally deliver you safely into his eternal kingdom?
Small Group Questions
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One of the reasons the Bible stresses God's control over all things is so that we might be humbled and encouraged. Why is this reality humbling and encouraging to you specifically?
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Are there some specific steps you're putting in place to make sure that you're growing in knowledge of God's Word and obedience to it, while also helping others obey it as well?
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How has God's providence (his sustaining and controlling of all things) encouraged you to work hard to obey the Lord in some specific way?
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How can we make sure that we're consistently evaluating our decisions, words, and actions to make sure that we're seeking God's utmost honor and glory in all we do and say?
Conflict and the Accomplishment of God's Purposes
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Small Group Questions
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The returning Jews feared the people and therefore built an altar and worshiped God. Is there an area in life right now where you need to demonstrate your trust in the Lord instead of relying on your own schemes or abilities?
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What are some challenges that you're encountering as an individual (or we're encountering as a church) as you seek to walk in obedience to God's commands?
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How has the Word shaped and reformed you recently in your life?
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How is it practically helpful to us to know that God's purpose and mission will not be thwarted?
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Was there anything else in the sermon or text that was helpful to you?
A Promise Fulfilled
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Small Group Questions
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Why is it comforting to know that the Lord is sovereign and always fulfills his promises?
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Are there some specific promises from God's Word that you're reminding yourself of regularly in order to comfort and encourage yourself?
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How can we strengthen ourselves in faith by remembering that God accounts for all the details when carrying out his good purposes? Are there some ways you're doing this right now?
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Why do we find ourselves anxious when we have so many great promises from our Father who loves us and is in control? How can we combat this?
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Was there anything else from the sermon or text that you found particularly challenging or comforting?
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Are there any changes that you want to make in how you do your job in light of the command that we are to work "as you would [for] Christ"?
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What are some ways that we can make sure that we're not simply working "by way of eye-service, as people pleasers"?
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How can we use the truth that the Lord will reward "whatever good anyone does" to motivate ourselves in our labors? How practically will this look for you?
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If we're not to threaten our employees (and yet you want to hold them accountable and encourage them to do good work), what should this look like for those of you who manage workers?
The Glorious Mystery of Marriage Part 2
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Small Group Questions
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Husbands, in light of the call to lead your wife with tenderness, by nourishing and cherishing her as you do your own flesh, are there any areas where you'd like to grow in walking with your wife in holiness?
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Wives, in light of the call to submit to your husband and respect him, are there areas where you want to grow in waking with your husbands in holiness?
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As you consider one another in the small group, are there areas where you want to encourage one another, noting how someone else is walking well in his/her marriage relationship?
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For those who are single, widowed, married to an unbelieving spouse, etc., how did this sermon and text affect you? How was it helpful, comforting, challenging, painful, etc.?
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Are there any other ways the text affected you and what are some areas where we can be praying for each other in light of this text?
The Glorious Mystery of Marriage Part 1
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Small Group Questions
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Can you think of some implications of the fact that marriage was intentionally designed to be a picture of the relationship of Christ and his church? In other words, what all realities flow out of that truth as we consider marriage, etc.
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Married men, are there any ways that you'd like to adjust how you relate to your wife in light of this text? Married women, are there any ways that you'd like to adjust how you relate to your husband in light of this text (realizing that wives haven't been the focus of the sermon yet)?
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For those who are not married, how does sitting under a sermon on Ephesians 5:22-33 affect you?
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How might we aid one another in terms of living out marriage relationships that are honoring to the Lord?
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Are there any other things that came out of listening to the sermon or looking at the text that challenged or comforted you?
Falling Forward
Small Group Questions
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How can we guard ourselves from temptation, both externally and internally?
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What do you think produced the arrogance we see in David in chapter 11 of this story? How can we cultivate humility before the Lord instead of arrogance?
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Why are we sometimes reluctant to be open and honest with God about our sins? What should motivate us to confess and repent of sin?
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Does God use even the sins and failures of believers for our ultimate good? How should that truth affect our lives?
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Was there anything else from the sermon that you want to discuss?
A Call to Walk in Sexual Purity
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Were there any areas where you were convicted by this text and want to change?
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How can we make sure that we're not listening to those "empty" voices (v. 6) telling us that judgment isn't coming for those characterized by sexual immorality?
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What can we do to make sure that our children and grandchildren are properly guarded against sexual immorality in a culture where it's everywhere?
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Can you speak of a situation where someone else walking in light brought conviction to you (by exposing sin) and made you want to pursue greater holiness?
Trusting in the Steadfast Love of God
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God's power at work in us helps us receive his love in our weakness. How have you seen or experienced God's strength interlock with human weakness?
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Saul's slaughter of the priests and people of Nob was a tragic and evil event that he and Doeg the Edomite felt justified in executing. Have you ever justified evil in your life? How does the justification of evil open you to every kind of evil?
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The boasts of the mighty in this age are momentary. God's steadfast love for his people is constant. Do you know and feel God loves you?
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Have you seen or experienced the power of the age to come at work in yourself or in others? What might that look like? Or do you counter with, "I live in the real world?"
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Is the coming judgment of God a topic that is avoided by you, a part of biblical truth you find unhelpful, or comforting to you? How should the truth of the coming judgment be received by Christians?
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Are you firmly planted in the truth of God's steadfast love for you, and how does that impact your daily life?
"Some Specifics for Life Together as a Church"
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Small Group Questions
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What do we need to do in order to make sure that even our righteous anger doesn't linger too long and go past its "expiration date?" How might we make sure to be faithful in doing this?
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Part of the reason we work hard is so that we might share with our brothers and sisters in need. What might this look like in our lives?
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We want to make sure as a church that we're not using speech that tears down one another but only that which builds up one another. What are some practical ways we can make sure that we're doing this?
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How does knowing that we are beloved children of God help us to love others well, being kind and tenderhearted toward them, forgiving them as we've been forgiven?
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Is there anything else from the text or sermon that you found comforting or convicting?
Living a Holy and Distinct Life
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Living a Holy and Distinct Life
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Small Group Questions
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Is there an area of life where you're tempted to want to fit in with the unbelieving world instead of honoring Christ? Then, how can this text help you fight that?
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Is there a specific struggle you're facing where you need to "put off the old self?" How can the group pray for you in this?
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Discuss some particular struggles we might face and what renewing the spirit of our minds in accordance with the Scripture might look like in these areas?
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What are some areas in life where you've successfully been "putting on the new self" (i.e. walking in holiness) where you may have once struggled to obey? How can the group pray for you to persevere in this?
"Unity, Diversity, and Walking Worthy of Our Calling"
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Small Group Questions
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How might we cultivate a posture of grace toward one another (i.e. making sure we're living before one another with humility, gentleness, patience, and bearing with one another in love)?
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How have you seen a clear eagerness to maintain unity played out in what people have said/done as good examples for us?
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Have you seen yourself as a gift from Christ given to this church? Why or why not? How has this affected you?
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What are some ways that you've poured into others lives in the church (as one gifted by Christ and given to them), and what are some ways that this has been done toward you?
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Is there anything more from the text or the sermon that was particularly helpful or challenging or comforting to you?
The Song You Are Meant to Sing
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Small Group Questions
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If we cannot simply conjure up true worship within ourselves, what should we do to orient our hearts to God in worship?
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Are you prone to let your circumstances interpret God's disposition toward you instead of allowing God to interpret your circumstances? How can we guard against the former and practice the latter?
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Timothy mentioned playing around with sin and prayerlessness as two indications of trusting in ourselves rather than God (v. 6). How can you fight against either one or both of these patterns of behavior?
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Do you see worship as an occasion for rejoicing in God, or is it just something you're supposed to do? How can you cultivate greater joy in worship?
A Prayer and the Power of God's Transformative Love
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Small Group Questions
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As you evaluate your own prayer life, what are the things that you tend to prioritize, and are there ways you'd like to see that changed?
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I mentioned that Paul's prayer that Christ would dwell in our hearts means that Christ would "settle in" and begin to fashion us more into his image. Just as you might see your house change over ten years as you live in it, as you look at the least decade (or less if you're younger) of your life, how can you see that Christ has changed you?
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What might prevent us from praying these requests (i.e. that Christ would transform us, that we'd be strengthened to comprehend the limitless dimensions of Christ's love for us, and that we'd mature and become all that God wants us to be) faithfully for one another as we pray? How might we fight against that? How might we nurture praying that looks like Paul's?
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What are some things from the text or sermon that were particularly helpful for you, comforting to you, or challenging to you?
Pursuing God's Word
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Small Group Questions:
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Our first duty is to listen to the Word of God. Is it possible to encounter the Word without really listening? How can we guard against that?
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Are there any voices in our culture that we should stop listening to or learn how to listen to with better discernment? What are some wise practices in this area?
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What are some examples other than this story in Scripture, history, or your own life where the Word of God has clearly prevailed?
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Why do you think King Ahaziah was so hardened to the Word of God, and how can we guard against hardness in our own hearts?
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Do you know the Bible well? If not, what concrete steps can you take to remedy that? What is stopping you from taking those steps?
Gracious Suffering for a Glorious Ministry_________________________________________
Small Group Questions:
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How can we cultivate an attitude of gratefulness before God for the grace that he has shown us in opening our eyes to the truths of who Christ is and what he has done for us?
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Like Paul, we have a mission to take the gospel to our neighbors and the nations. Maybe share an update with the group on how you're trying to play a role in this mission.
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How can reflecting on the grace we've been shown by our God strengthen us to walk through suffering for Christ with greater joy?
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Was there anything else from the sermon or the text (Eph. 3:1-13) that you found encouraging, challenging, or particularly helpful?
A New Society, Temple, and Family in Christ
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Small Group Questions
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Paul began by reminding the Ephesians of where they were before Christ so that he might highlight the greatness of Christ's work in their lives to save them, reconcile them to God, and reconcile them to one another. Maybe it'd be good for some of us in the group to share about our lives before Christ and just how hopeless we were apart from him in order to highlight his work in our lives as well.
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Are there any ways that you've seen individuals who had (or should have) great hostility with each other in the world become reconciled to God and one another through the work of Christ?
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How have you seen the reality of God's children being members of the same kingdom, family, and temple lived out in your life? In other words, how might you testify to God's power in binding us to other believers?
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Our society is so divided on a number of issues. How might we use these issues as a springboard to share the gospel with others in light of this text?
By Grace You Have Been Saved
Small Group Questions
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Paul really drives home man's desperate situation outside of Christ as he reminds the Ephesian believers who they were before Christ in vv. 1-3. What are some reasons why it is so important for us to remember who we once were (and who unbelievers are now)?
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Why is it important for us to recognize that Satan is the prince of the power of the air (ruler over demons) and ruler over this age? How does this change how we live day-to-day?
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How is it personally helpful to reflect on the realities that you've been raised with Christ and Satan, sin, and death can no longer exercise dominion over you?
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We are trophies of God's grace. How does you life reflect on God's gracious work toward you?
A Prayer to Know God and His Blessings
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Small group questions - Ephesians 1:15-231. A key to living faithfully in the present is having a firm belief and grasp of the eternal hope that awaits us. What might we do to make the eternal blessings of heaven real to us?2. God has made us his treasured possession, but sometimes we can struggle to believe that we are cherished and treasured by him. Do you struggle to believe this? What can we do to help ourselves (and others) as we struggle with this?3. Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth and is focused on the good of his people, the church. How should/does this reality affect us as we seek to obey Christ?4. Let’s take some time to pray for one another in line with what Paul prayed for the Ephesian believers in this text (i.e. the three statements that begin with “what” in verses 18-19).
Who is Like YHWH in Judgement and Salvation, Acting in Justice and Delighting in Steadfast Love?
God Relents, Jonah Resents
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The Book of Jonah allows us to see many shades of mercy. How has Jonah challenged your conception of God's mercy? How does reading the experiences of your life through the lens of God's mercy change the way you understand them?
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What might God be routing out of your life that is keeping you from knowing Him more fully and experiencing a sense of His love for you? In difficult times, do you sense God is moving toward you or abandoning you?
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Do you struggle with anger and justifying your anger? Do you get angry when you don't get what you want? If so, what might the problem be, and what is a way forward?
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Have you ever been angry at God? What does being angry at God say about a person's thinking about God? What should I do if I find myself harboring ill toward God?
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Jonah closes with a question that calls the reader to ponder the mercy of God. What have you learned about God's mercy from the Book of Jonah?
A Picture of a Holy Life
Discussion Questions:
If we need to meditate on God's steadfast love and faithfulness in order to nurture greater trust in Him in our lives, then how can we go about developing a habit of that?
In the Psalm, David says that he hates the assembly of evildoers but loves entering the house of the Lord. Are there friendships that have had (or are having) a sinful influence in you that you have turned from (or need to turn from)? Also, how has your love for gathering with the Lord's people grown?
What are some avenues that we can use to make sure that we're proclaiming God's wondrous deeds to others?
What are some things for which you want to give praise and thanksgiving to God with the group in light of His steadfast love, faithfulness, and provision?
What are some ways that we can help one another as a covenant community of believers to be persevering in holiness?
Lessons in Lament
In 2011 Crossway published a little booklet by John Piper titled, Don’t Waste Your Cancer. He originally wrote the book after being diagnosed of prostate cancer and prior to having successful surgery to remove it. Obviously the title of the booklet is meant to be shocking. We typically think of not wasting good opportunities that come along in life, and we don’t often think of cancer as some glorious opportunity that doesn’t need to be wasted. But at the same time, we definitely know what Piper is getting at, don’t we? After all, it’s not lost on any of us that times of disappointment, pain, and suffering are almost always times when we learn and grow more than those times when we find ourselves in ease and blessing.
But before we look more deeply at these last two poems of lament and the lessons we learn in them, let me remind you again of the context of the book so that we are re-oriented to its setting. These five poems of lament are written most likely by the prophet Jeremiah after the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC. The Babylonians laid siege to the city, preventing anyone from going in out, and so the people started to starve. It was a terrible situation, and then after about eighteen months of that siege, the Babylonians broke through the wall, killed many, took many away into exile, destroyed and burned every major building, and left the city of Jerusalem as a smoldering pile of ruins. And Jeremiah was witness to all of this, even prophesying for years prior to Zedekiah, king of Judah, not to rebel against the Babylonians lest this happen. But he rebelled against Jeremiah’s words, just as the people as a whole had been rebelling against God’s Word for years. And so the Bible makes clear that these terrible events were nothing less than the Lord’s judgment against his rebellious people. Jeremiah, then, writes these five poems of lament in response to seeing the judgment of God against Jerusalem, and today we look at his last two poems—Lamentations 4-5.
What lessons do we then learn as we eavesdrop in on Jeremiah’s suffering and lament before the Lord during this time of great travesty? First, we see that suffering can reveal our misplaced hopes and idols.
You can read the rest of the manuscript here: https://cccjackson.org/sermons/lamentations-4-5-lessons-in-lament
Approaching God In Our Pain
A few years into her marriage, she really decided she was going to seek to honor the Lord. She knew she shouldn’t have married an unbeliever, but she was turning her life around. She read all the right books, began praying for him, and she was certain he was going to change. Her marriage was going to be another glorious story to be told. But he didn’t change. Instead he was unfaithful and abusive. They divorced shortly thereafter. Full of bitterness and anger against the Lord, she hasn’t stepped foot inside a church since.
They did everything right. Found someone who seemed godly. Kept themselves pure. Remained virgins until their wedding night. And shortly, thereafter, got the glorious news that she was pregnant. They were going to be parents. But late in the pregnancy something went wrong. Something was wrong with their baby. Delivery was shortly followed by standing at a graveside, laying their child in the ground. Through their tears and confusion, they left the church—and the Lord.
These aren’t made-up stories. I wish they were. They’re people I know (or have known) well. And you and I both know that these stories—even if we limited ourselves to individuals we personally know—could be multiplied. We could fill the rest of the day telling them. And it’s stories like these that draw me so deeply to a book like Lamentations. Because when we’re in the midst of suffering, disappointment, and hardship (even if it is caused by our own sin), we are at a vulnerable place. And because so much of life is marked by suffering, disappointment, and hardship, we find ourselves at such vulnerable places often. But I also believe that these vulnerable moments are also points in our lives when we can know fellowship with our Lord at a level of great depth. There’s a certain intimacy to be found before the Lord in suffering that is simply hard to duplicate in times of ease and blessing. There’s a reason why Paul can speak in Philippians 3:10 of knowing Christ and sharing in his sufferings in the same verse. Hardship often becomes the means by which we find ourselves knowing God more deeply than we otherwise would.
So what marks the difference then between walking away from the Lord and growing in knowledge of him in those moments? I think one key is learning to come to the Lord in lament, as I noted last week. If you don’t have a means of approaching the Lord in the midst of your pain, then you’ll (at best) ignore the Lord in your pain or (at worst) run from him and grow bitter against him. And this is one reason why the Lord gave us the book of Lamentations. Written by the prophet Jeremiah (most likely) after the fall of Jerusalem in 587 BC, the prophet writes these poems as he’s immersed in his pain, in the midst of hardship, and full of lament. But—and this is key—he runs toward (not away from) the Lord. We see, for example, in our text this morning how Jeremiah says to the Lord, “You have seen the wrong done to me, O LORD; judge my cause” (v. 59).
You can read the rest of the transcript here: https://cccjackson.org/sermons/lamentations-3-approaching-god-in-our-pain
Remembering the Seriousness of Sin and Lamenting
Washington, D. C. is home to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. It covers four floors and walks you through the very beginnings of a tragic period where Jews, people with disabilities, and others suffered such atrocities that it would be difficult to speak of them. To walk through the museum itself is not an exciting trip. It will leave you speechless, astounded at the depth of evil, and perhaps even physically sick. One might wonder, then, if that’s the case, why have such a museum? The answer, of course, is found in its name. It’s not simply a museum but a memorial museum. It’s there so that we might remember, learn, and never repeat these tragic events again. The museum’s website notes that part of its mission is to “advance and disseminate knowledge about this unprecedented tragedy . . . and to encourage visitors to reflect upon . . . their own responsibilities as citizens of a democracy.”1 That, I would imagine, is the purpose for a number of memorials. They cause us to remember, to reflect, and to examine ourselves.
The book of Lamentations is one such memorial that I think has a similar purpose in the Scriptures. Much like the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, I think one of the purposes of this book is to provide the readers knowledge about this tragedy and encourage us to reflect on our own lives and responsibilities before our God. It should be seen as a memorial because it was written, most likely by Jeremiah, after the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC as a lament over this tragic event and lasting memorial of what happened in that year. Jews to this day will gather and read the book of Lamentations aloud on the anniversary of Jerusalem’s destruction.
We’ve noted it before when studying through other texts in the Old Testament (e.g., Jer 52, 2 Kings 25, and 2 Chron 36), but the destruction of Jerusalem was a horrifying scene. In 605 BC, the Babylonians defeated the Egyptians in battle, and from that point forward became the world power. At that same time, Judah was showing itself to be in deep rebellion against the Lord. In fact, in that same year that Babylon rose to power, Judah’s king, Jehoiakim, burned the scroll of Jeremiah, demonstrating his rebellion against God’s Word. Only a few years later, Jehoiakim showed himself to be as foolish as he was defiant against God’s Word by leading Judah to rebel against Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar (king of Babylon) led an attack in response and not only were the Israelites defeated, but Jehoiakim was killed. His son, Jehoiachin, surrendered to Babylon, and they were spared. But it was only a matter of time until another king, Zedekiah, would lead Judah in rebellion again...
You can read the rest of the manuscript here: https://cccjackson.org/sermons/lamentations-1-2-remembering-the-seriousness-of-sin-and-lamenting