Are You Sure That’s What It Says?:  You’re a Pretty Big Deal 

God had a unique, specific, individually tailored plan for her. He had her life meticulously planned out. He had ordained a purpose for her existence from the beginning of time. He knew every detail of her past, present, and future.   

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to give you peace, not disaster, plans to give you hope and a future. (Je 29:11)  
 

  1. You are a big deal to God, but he hasn’t _______________ out every _____________ of your life. 

I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will crush his heel. (Ge 3:15)  
3 For there will come a time when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, because they have itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in line with their own desires. 4 They will also turn their ears away from the truth and will turn aside to myths. (2 Ti 4:3–4)  
Whatever has been is what will be again, and whatever has already been done is what will be done again. There is nothing new under the sun. (Ec 1:9)  
1 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom: 2 Preach the word. Be ready whether it is convenient or not. Correct, rebuke, and encourage, with all patience and teaching. (2 Ti 4:1–2)  

_____ BC Israel (Northern Kingdom) splits from Judah (Southern Kingdom) 

_____________ (19 kings, + one imposter, all evil)  

_____________ (19 kings, + one imposter, eight were good)  

_____ BC (722) the Assyrians bring an end to Israel (deported) 

_____________ BC Jeremiah serves as God’s prophet 

_____ BC Babylonians invade Judah (they will do this three times) 

_____ BC (606) Nebuchadnezzar deports young Jewish men to serve in his kingdom (Daniel was about 15 years old) 

_____ BC next deportation of Jews (Ezekiel, King Jehoiachin) 

_____ BC (587) Babylonians destroy Jerusalem 

_____ BC Babylonian Empire falls to Medo-Persian Empire under King Cyrus  

_____ BC Rebuild of the temple is completed  

_____ years in exile 

So do not listen to your prophets, to your omen readers, to your dream interpreters, to your mediums, or to those who cast spells for you. Do not listen to those who tell you, “You will not serve the king of Babylon,” (Je 27:9)  
2 The Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says this. I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3 When two full years have passed, I will bring back all the vessels of the Lord’s house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried off to Babylon. (Je 28:2–3)  
He said, “Amen! May the Lord do that! May the Lord fulfill the words you have prophesied and bring back the vessels of the Lord’s house, and may he bring all the exiles back from Babylon to this place.” (Je 28:6)  
Therefore this is what the Lord says. Watch, I will remove you from the face of the earth. This very year you will die, because you have preached rebellion against the Lord. (Je 28:16)  
He does not treat us as our sins deserve. He does not repay us according to our guilty deeds. (Ps 103:10)  
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to give you peace, not disaster, plans to give you hope and a future. (Je 29:11)  
This is the text of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remnant of the elders in exile, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. (Je 29:1)  

  1. You are a big deal to God, so he has _______________ out your _________________.  

 4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son to be born of a woman, so that he would be born under the law, 5 in order to redeem those under the law, so that we would be adopted as sons. (Ga 4:4–5)  
8 The Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says this. Do not let the prophets and fortune tellers who are among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams they dream for you. 9 For they prophesy falsely in my name, but I did not send them, declares the Lord. (Je 29:8–9)   

So much spiritual "wisdom" would tell us that to discern God's will we should listen to our insides and equate them with God speaking to us: the feelings or intuitions we have, the passions that consume our thoughts, or the "word" we receive from God in deep prayer and meditation or from a fellow Christian who claims to have "a word from God" for us. All of these lead to one of two places: idolatry or uncertain despair.  

3b God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Ti 2:3b–4)  

Points to Ponder  

  1. What is one thing that stood out to you from this week's message? 

  2. Explain this statement: The whole history of doctrine teaches us that false doctrines once accepted only multiply.  

  3. So much spiritual "wisdom" would tell us that to discern God's will we should listen to our insides and equate them with God speaking to us: the feelings or intuitions we have, the passions that consume our thoughts, or the "word" we receive from God in deep prayer and meditation or from a fellow Christian who claims to have "a word from God" for us. All of these lead to one of two places: idolatry or uncertain despair. … Do you agree or disagree with that last statement? Explain your answer.  

Homework: Matthew 13