Sermons on Jeremiah
Living in Exile
Most people in the church know something of this storyline: Judah rebelled against God and persisted in idolatrous practices in spite of myriad warnings, so God eventually sent Babylon to conquer Jerusalem and take many captives to Babylon. What many people don’t know is how this theme actually reflects something much more than just that relatively short period of history. The entire biblical story–and many of the stories within Scripture–can be framed in terms of Exile and Return, and I…
Why do Good Things Happen to Bad People?
Notice the pivotal question of the text: “Why does the way of the wicked prosper?” Jeremiah was struggling because when he looked around him he saw bad people thriving, and he couldn’t understand why God was letting it happen. Why doesn’t he simply punish evildoers quickly and harshly? Why do we look around us and see evil people who seem to get away with their wickedness? Examples are numerous on the world stage: terrorists, cruel dictators who bask in luxury…