March 13, 2022 Text: Jeremiah 26:8-15
Dear Friends in Christ,
A few years ago in Cape Jarvis, Australia there was a film clip of a tourist boat ferrying people to the site of a dead whale. There they could stand on the whale and watch the sharks eat the carcass. A local official was outraged and immediately sought legislation to, “protect people that were too stupid to protect themselves.”
We might agree with that official but we are foolish when God warns us of sin and we still go forward in spiritual danger. In our text, God sends Jeremiah to warn the Lord’s people of their wickedness so they can repent and receive forgiveness. They didn’t want to hear it and they want to kill Jeremiah.
God always has a purpose and He does this morning as well. What is it? Let’s see together how God can find salvation in . . .
“HOLY DESTRUCTION”
God’s holy things are subject to destruction when his people ignore his Word. Jeremiah speaks of this holy destruction to the Lord’s house. It was going to be desolate and deserted like Shiloh one of the original places for Israel’s worship. Shiloh was destroyed because they worshipped false gods. So how does everyone react? They want to kill the messenger. They want Jeremiah to be destructed.
Paul warns of holy destruction of people in our Epistle. If you walk as an enemy of the cross your God is your stomach, your glory is in your shame and your thoughts are all on earthly things. This is a path to destruction.
In the Gospel Jesus speaks of the destruction of those who resist the Lord. Jerusalem will be desolate by AD 70 after they kill Jesus who is just one in a long line of prophets who have been killed for teaching and preaching God’s Word.
Today’s lessons are a warning for us, that even we are subject to destruction if we ignore His Word. Whole church bodies are left desolate if they abandon the Lord’s Word. Congregations can self-destruct if they fight among themselves. As individual Christians we struggle constantly against sin. We don’t always take God’s Word to heart if it challenges our beliefs. If we don’t heed God’s warning, we can forfeit our holy status and be destroyed eternally.
In 2017, Adidas, sent a promotional e-mail to the Boston Marathon participants. It read, “Congrats, you survived the Boston Marathon!” Adidas, could have a great crisis on their hands, thinking back to the Boston Marathon bombing of 2013. Adidas got a spokeswoman out front – Maria Culp – yes, her real name – and this company was smart enough to accept responsibility and issue a mea culpa: “We are incredibly sorry. There was no thought given to the insensitive e-mail we sent Tuesday. We deeply apologize for the mistake.” The apology was well received. Besides, chuckling at the ironic humor of her name, her audience took the apology as heartfelt, straightforward, and, most important, immediate. Adidas avoided a crisis.
For us, we avoid a crisis, a holy destruction, when the Lord sends us His Word that brings us to repentance. Out of the wreckage of our sin, the Lord can rebuild us in His image. This is what Jeremiah was doing for the people. He was warning them only to bring about repentance and prevent suffering.
The Lord has done the same thing for the New Testament Church. He brought the Jews and Gentiles together as a holy nation, the New Israel, the Church of Jesus Christ after His Ascension. He raised up a new visible church during the time of the Reformation after the church’s teachings deviated from the Word of God. Even our individual destruction takes place when the Lord admonishes us into turning from our wicked ways and listening to His Word. Our soul is saved.
All of these “holy destructions” are able to bring blessings and restoration because of the destruction of God’s Holy One. Jesus’ destruction on the cross was a holy destruction. He was destroyed, but God raised Him up again, bringing something good out of the destruction.
His destruction was a painful experience. He had done nothing wrong and helped people His whole life. By the scheming of wicked men he was destroyed, and, amazingly, this was according to God’s holy plan. Out of the destruction, God brought the highest good. After three days in the tomb – resurrection! His resurrection is our resurrection. Out of Christ’s Holy Destruction comes our salvation.
Jeremiah showed his faith when he said, “But as for me, behold, I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you.” (v. 14) Because of Jesus’ holy destruction and resurrection, we can cling to the same faith. Our sins are forgiven. The Words of absolution are certain. Our Baptism remains. We will not be destroyed eternally. We are saved. Holy Destruction!
Amen.