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SERMON OUTLINES ON
JEREMIAH |
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By
Dr.
Oliver
R.
Phillips |
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The Book of Jeremiah, second of the Major Prophets or longer books of the prophetic collection of the Old Testament of the Bible, derives its name from the prophet Jeremiah who lived in Anathoth, on the outskirts of Jerusalem. His prophetic career ranged from about 626 BC, during the reign of Josiah, at least to the fall of Jerusalem (586 BC) and the deportation of the population; at this time Jeremiah was taken by the remaining Jewish community to Egypt, where he died. The career of Jeremiah embraced the period of Josiah's reformation (626 - 622 BC); the years of resurgent Judaic nationalism (608 - 597 BC); the period leading to the final demise of Judah (597 - 586 BC); and the time in Egypt.
The message of Jeremiah was a call to moral reform to establish a personal relationship between God and humankind. He advocated resignation in the face of political and religious crisis and denounced sin as a perversion of creation. He called urgently for repentance so that turning to God might lead to a new creation; he thus prefigured the New Testament notion of the "new covenant."
The Book of Jeremiah is composed of a collection of sayings, as well as autobiographical passages, the "confessions of Jeremiah." Considerable debate has developed over the designation of an original scroll containing Jeremiah's words in contrast to later rewriting of the scroll - both a rewriting engineered by Jeremiah and several successive editions of the book running through the Deuteronomistic period. To reconstruct the original scroll in detail does not seem possible. The "confessions," probably an original collection in its own right, includes the passages in 11:18 - 23; 12:1 - 6; 15:10; 17:14 - 18; 18:18 - 23; 20:7 - 13, 14 - 18, and perhaps also 15:15 - 20. The parallel for these "confessions" lies in the lamentation or complaint Psalms.
They reveal Jeremiah's dramatic inner conflict in his struggle to surrender himself to God. In addition, the book contains some royal sayings (21:13 - 14; 22:1 - 7, 10, 13 - 19, 24 - 27, 28, 29 - 30); a minor collection "concerning the prophets"; one of optimistic sayings; and a group of oracles against foreign nations (46 - 51).
The book is one of the richest accounts of all biblical books in regards to biographical information about its author. Jeremiah's life is portrayed in detail, from his humiliations to his greatest oratory and achievements. His life was a paradox in the sense that the Jews whom he loved abused him endlessly, while he found protection at significant moments in his life among the enemy.
We are privy not only to the extensive, external biography, but also to his inner most emotions, which are revealed to us in pathetic, painful and powerful detail. His agony and sorrow cannot help but move us to pity this towering yet shattered prophetic giant. Jeremiah does more than preach - he opens himself up and shares his deep confusion and anguish as a coerced spokesman for God. He is a reluctant prophet, unmarried and lonely, friendless and vindictive. He profoundly resents the day of his birth. Jeremiah was a tragic personality, a lone voice who performed his duty but in the process, lost his self and untimely his life as well.
Purpose of the Book
The basic thrust of Jeremiah's ministry is two-fold. Initially, he seeks to bring his people to a state of repentance (cf. 7:2-7). If Judah will turn back to God, she can avoid the horrible destruction that looms like a dark cloud on the horizon (the Babylonian invasion). Eventually, though, it became apparent that the people had no intention of abandoning their apostasy. Accordingly, it was Jeremiah's sad task to warn them of the approaching destruction (see 21:1-10). He informed them that this catastrophe was a judgment from God. They must submit to it and take their punishment. It was this message that provoked livid anger in the Jews. Jeremiah was viewed as a traitor and persecuted more intensely than any other Hebrew prophet ever had been.
The Sermon Outlines
The outlines are intended to provide the busy preacher with germs of stimulation for further development. As would be quickly detected, the outlines are all shaped after the model of sermon preparation advocated by Dr. Samuel D. Proctor. This is the dialectical model as was first introduced by George Frederick Hegel.
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