Break-up Your Fallow Ground! (Jeremiah 4:3,4)

"Break up your fallow ground, and do not sow among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your hearts." (Jer. 4:3,4)

The following are notes from last Sabbath evening's sermon by Edward "Teddy" Donnelly at Trinity RPCI.

Reading: Jeremiah 3:1-4:4

This passage sees Judah in grave danger of judgment and needing to escape. We may not be under such judgment, but do you want to be as fully consecrated as you should?

1. The Context of a Gracious Invitation

• There is a call to repentance: "return to me"
• God calls us to turn from our sin to Him.
• How gracious for God to receive us back when we have turned from Him: Judah did not just turn to one man, but she had many lovers.
• He encourages us with the promise of many blessings.

2. A Caution against a Subtle Danger

• "Do not sow among thorns."
• Josiah's refomation was external and top-down. The people's hearts weren't changed.
• It is a waste to sow on hard, thorny ground.
• Religion was only a veneer.
• It is right to want to see society changed, but what is more important and lasting is that people's hearts are changed to turn to God.
• Unless they are changed good laws will do little lasting good.
• On an individual basis, it is useless to make a commitment to external things, if our hearts are untouched.
• We need our fundamental attitude changed.
  

3. The Challenge to Radical Change

• Fallow ground will not receive seed.
• We need to utterly remove the old man (we need our hearts circumcised).
• We need to be totally open to God's Word.
• We need to remove all impediments to communion with God.
• Besetting sins
• Bad reactions
• Bad attitudes
• Irresponsibility
• Are we too absorbed with other things?
• Are there gifts from God that we have been neglecting?
• Breaking-up fallow ground isn't easy
• Judah didn't break-up its fallow ground and judgment came.
• Are there thorns and hardness of heart stopping fruit growing in our lives?