Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? You know, this question asked by Jeremiah in the long ago sorely needs considered today. So let’s do so.
It’s from the International Gospel Hour. Stay with us.
Hi, this is J. Webb for International Gospel Hour. For 90 years, churches of Christ have proclaimed God’s word through International Gospel Hour.
You are about to listen to another Bible-based lesson with Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour, starting now.
I am bound for the promised land. Greetings, everyone. Great having you with us once again for our broadcast here from International Gospel Hour.
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Post Office Box 118, Fayetteville, Tennessee 37334. We are under the oversight of the elders of the West Fayetteville, Tennessee Church of Christ. Friends, in the Old Testament, the Book of Lamentations is just that.
It is a book that laments over Jerusalem and the shape it had become. Called the Book of Loud Cries, the first several verses mention the Babylonian captivity of Judah, the overall affliction of Jerusalem, its sin, and its filthiness. And then Jeremiah asked the people, from Lamentations 1 and verse 12, Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?
Seeing how things had deteriorated, does it not mean anything to you? In other words, it’s as if Jeremiah was asking, Are you lamenting as I am lamenting? Think about what God once did, and now look what has happened.
Well, friends, let’s ask that question today. You know, this is a special study, I hope will challenge us and cause us to lament over our situations with an envisioned hope that things can change. We will begin in a moment, but first, here is our special gift just for you from International Gospel Hour.
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Is it nothing to you? Friends, is it nothing to us that our nations are struggling morally? We are blessed that the International Gospel Hour airs, well, folks, internationally, worldwide, through radio stations, podcasts, streaming, online, YouTube, you name it, to God be the glory in all that we do.
And I dare say that you probably lament your country, your nation, in many ways. Decisions are made by leaders, and directions are taken, and are chosen that break our hearts, and like Jeremiah of long ago, we lament, and we are saddened. As I read the short five-chapter book of Lamentations, there were times that I thought I was seeing today.
For example, consider how Jerusalem was turned on by her friends. Lamentations 1 verse 2. Could it be the allies of our respective nations relied on us, and on whom we relied cannot be relied on any longer?
Jerusalem no longer had God, because nations left God out of their lives, chapter 2, verses 2 through 5. Has our country, have our respective countries left God out? How about starving children that cried out in Jerusalem, chapter 2, verses 11, 12, and 19?
Friends, there’s a spiritual starvation today among families in so many nations. Children grow up with very little or no knowledge of the Almighty God. In chapter 4, verse 18, how violence arose in Jerusalem.
And friends, how we are horrified with lives that are taken and abuse, that is heaped upon, so many innocent victims. You know, again, when you look at the Book of Lamentations, it sounds a lot like the world today, doesn’t it? Friends, the scriptures are so clear.
Nations that follow God and His plans will be blessed nations. Proverbs 14, 34, Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. In Proverbs 33, verse 12, Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.
In Psalm 9, 17, The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all nations that forget God. It is biblical, friends, for a nation to be exalted, and righteous people must rise up for it to be exalted. When we think about the governmental rule of today, regardless of the nation, governmental rule is ordained of God.
Romans 13, verses 1 through 7. That’s a study in and of itself. And therefore concern for our nations and our countries is something to us, because it is something to God.
He still rules in the kingdoms of men. Daniel 4, 17. You know, Christ recognized the governmental rule, as we note from Mark 12, verses 13 through 17.
But we note within that context that he regard is not the person of men, but taught the way of God in truth. Paul recognized the governmental rule in Acts 25, verses 1 through 12. He even worked within the realms of appeals in order to preach and teach the gospel.
When you think about it, the Roman Empire, the Roman government funded Paul’s missionary journeys when he would say, I appeal to Caesar. And yet he made that trip to Rome. Peter recognized the governmental rule, 1 Peter 2, 13-17.
But he acknowledges in verses 15 and 16 that the will of God is with well-doing, that we may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men as free, and not using our liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as servants of God. So friends, depending on our nations and countries and the decisions we are afforded, God’s people should declare what is right and righteous in how we live, how we stand, and yes, should we choose even how we vote, when we have a say in the matter. In the Old Testament, we see the prophets of God and three groups of individuals that they stood against.
The once righteous for God, who had turned wicked, the prophets of God stood against them. How about the priests of God that had fallen? Religious people that were leading others astray that the prophets of God said that needs to stop.
And third, have you ever considered the leaders, those that were in reign, or we would refer to them as political leaders that had gone dishonest and rebelled against God? Friends, I can take us simply back to the Book of Exodus and see that with Pharaoh. Well, friends, should we not take the same stand?
Should we not look at individuals desiring to lead our nations, our states, our regions, our provinces, cities, etc., and test them according to the Word of God? And indeed, we should, and if they failed to match up to God’s criteria, that settles it, friends.
They should fail to match up to ours. Is it nothing to us? 1st Timothy 2, verses 1 through 3 exhorts how God’s people should pray for those in authority.
Whether or not we agree with our respective leaders, they are in need of our prayers, and we need to pray on their behalf. Friends, let’s think on these things for our nations. They should mean something to us.
Is it nothing to you? Friend, may I ask you this question? Is it nothing to us that souls, maybe even your soul, are lost?
Or your soul is lost? So many times, folks, people don’t stop and think that one day the Lord will return, and in flaming fire He’ll take vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Thessalonians 1 and verse 8. Many individuals have the attitude of Felix in Acts 24, verses 24 and 25.
Go for now. I don’t want to listen to this. You may turn the volume down, but another time may not come to listen.
Many have the attitude of Agrippa. Almost, you persuade me to be a Christian, Acts 26, verse 28. Both attitudes are wrong, and lost is still lost.
Friends, it should be something to us to think that we could leave this earth through death or the Lord’s return and enter eternity, lost with no hope. Let’s think on these things. When we can believe in God and repent of our sins, confessing our faith in Christ and being baptized into Christ, added to His Church, and to walk a faithful life in newness of life, friends, that’s the direction we need to go.
Let’s see if we can help you that way. Here is our J-Web with our Bible Study Course by Mail. Here’s some details, and we’d love for you to have a copy of it.
Our well-received Bible Study Course by Mail is available to everyone absolutely free. Would you like to try it? All you do is call us toll-free at 855-444-6988, and leave your name, address, and just say Home Study.
That’s it. That’s all you have to do. You may also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the Contact tab, and leave us the same information, name, address, and type Home Study in the message box.
At your own pace, you can study the Bible in your own home. Again, it’s free. Give it a try.
And it’s from your friends here at International Gospel Hour.
Friends, maybe we should think of the words of old in Lamentations 521. Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned. Renew our days of old.
The Lord has turned to us. Let us turn to him. And let us consider this study at another time.
Thank you for joining me today on the International Gospel Hour. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, as always, keep listening.
Thank you for listening to our broadcast today. To God goes all the glory, and we hope that our study today will draw you closer to His Word to walk in His way. To listen to it again, or our other broadcasts, please visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com.
