Most high and holy God, you are the Shepherd of Israel and the One who seeks the lost. We come before you now as a people who have long been scattered by our own wrongdoings. You promised in your Holy Word to gather us from the north and from the farthest corners of the earth.
Please look down on us, Lord. Give sight to the blind so they may see your wonderful light, and give strength to the weary so they may walk in the way of your commands. Let your Spirit move through this gathering, so that we don’t just hear about your redemption, but actually feel its power deep within us.
Draw us close with your loving-kindness, and turn our sadness into a sacred hope for your grace. May we come together today to experience your goodness. Please open our hearts, align our wills with yours, and prepare our souls to receive the living water you have so freely promised.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, our only mediator and advocate. Amen.
Scripture: Jeremiah 31:1-14 NRSVUE
[7] For thus says the Lord: Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, “Save, O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel.”
[8] See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, those with child and those in labor together; a great company, they shall return here.
[9] With weeping they shall come, and with consolations I will lead them back; I will let them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path where they shall not stumble, for I have become a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
[10] Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, “He who scattered Israel will gather him and will keep him as a shepherd does a flock.”
[11] For the Lord has ransomed Jacob and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.
[12] They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall become like a watered garden, and they shall never languish again.
[13] Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them and give them gladness for sorrow.
[14] I will give the priests their fill of fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my bounty, says the Lord.
A Call to the Outcasts: The Ransom of the Lord
A Sermon outline on Jeremiah 31:7–14
I. The Joyful Proclamation
In these verses you will hear, “North country, Israel, and Ephraim”, all refer to the 10 tribes who broke away from the land of Judah. His message is delivered to Judah.
“For thus saith the Lord; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations.”
Do you see, my friends, the divine order of grace? God does not wait for the sinner to find his own way home; He first sounds the trumpet of deliverance. In our natural state, we are like scattered sheep, lost in the wilderness of sin, wandering in the "north country*" of our own pride and rebellion.
*Yes, the Almighty utters a cry of invitation! This is not a sullen call to duty, but a shout of gladness.
Is it not the very essence of the Gospel that while we were yet sinners, Christ sought us?
God commands His people to "proclaim" and "praise." We are not to hide the light of His redeeming love under a bushel, but to proclaim it until the ends of the earth hear that "The Lord has saved his people."
II. The Inclusiveness of the Remnant
“Behold, I will bring them from the north country... and with them the blind and the lame.”
Look at just who God gathers. He does not seek the strong, the self-sufficient, or those who boast of their own righteousness. No, He gathers the blind—those who cannot see the path; and the lame—those who have no strength to walk it.
This is the very hallmark of Methodism and, indeed, of early Christianity. The grace of God is "free for all, and free in all."
Do you feel your own weakness? Do you stumble? Do you grope in the dark? Fear not! The Great Shepherd has a special care for the "woman with child" and the "woman in labor*." His grace is sufficient for the most vulnerable. They will come "with weeping"—not the weeping of despair, but the holy mourning of repentance—and with "supplications" will He lead them.
*”Woman in labor” and With weeping they shall come” is a powerful metaphor used to describe the intense anguish, distress, and impending judgment facing Israel and Jerusalem, particularly as the "Daughter of Zion," They will face destruction and exile; it's also a call to summon professional female mourners to lead public lamentation for the nation's sins.
III. The Watering of the Soul
“And their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.”
Here is the promise of Christian Perfection—that state of heart where the love of God is shed abroad so abundantly that the soul becomes like a garden, well-tended and blooming.
The Drought of Sin is a desolate and barren landscape, where the heart is left parched and cracked by the scorching heat of lust and the destructive winds of pride.
It is a place where the absence of grace has left nothing but dryness and emptiness. However, through the power and influence of the Holy Spirit, the "rivers of waters" flow, bringing life and nourishment to this once barren land. The Living Water of grace quenches the thirst of the soul and fills it with peace, joy, and long-suffering.
These are the fruits of the Spirit, which take root and flourish in a heart that was once overrun by thorns of malice. Through grace, the drought of sin is replaced with an abundance of spiritual growth and transformation. The heart becomes a fertile ground for love, kindness, patience, and all other virtues to bloom.
The Living Water is a gift from God, and it is through this miraculous source that we can find true fulfillment and satisfaction in life. With grace, even the most desolate landscapes of our hearts can become beautiful gardens filled with the fruits of the Spirit.
Does your soul feel like a desert today? The promise is to you! God does not merely offer a drop of comfort; He promises to " (sāSHēˌāt) satiate the soul of the priests with fatness" and satisfy His people with His goodness.
IV. The Exchange of Sorrow for Joy
“Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance... for I will turn their mourning into joy.”
Can any power on earth transform a broken heart? No. But the power of God can. He takes the heavy garment of heaviness and replaces it with the "oil of joy."
Notice, it is a communal joy. Young and old rejoice together. This is the "fellowship of the saints." We are not saved to be solitary, but to be built up into a spiritual house, where the "wheat, and the wine, and the oil" of spiritual blessing are shared by all.
The Application
My dear friends, are you still in the "north country"? Are you wandering in the cold indifference of a world that does not know God?
The message of "Repent: Turn your face toward Zion. Believe: Trust in the 'Ransom' mentioned in verse 11.
Look for the watering of your soul this very hour" is a call to turn away from our sinful ways and towards God. It reminds us that only through repentance and belief in Jesus, the ultimate sacrifice and ransom for our sins, can we be redeemed from the power of Sin and Death. The imagery of facing towards Zion, the holy city of God, symbolizes a turning towards God and His ways.
By trusting in Jesus and expecting the watering of our souls, we can find true peace and salvation. This message serves as a reminder that no matter how strong the grip of Sin and Death may seem, the Lord has already redeemed us from it through His love and grace. It encourages us to put our faith in Him and eagerly await the refreshing and renewing of our souls through His power.
This message speaks to the heart of every believer, reminding us to continuously turn towards God, trust in His plan, and expect His blessings in our lives.
Let us not rest until our mourning is turned into dancing and our souls are satisfied with the goodness of the Lord. Amen.
The Closing Prayer: A Benediction of Satisfaction
Lord God Almighty, you have rescued us from powers much stronger than ourselves. We give you our humble and sincere thanks for the Word we have heard today. We acknowledge that without you, our souls are like a parched and exhausted desert.
We ask you to fulfill your promise: make our souls like a well-watered garden. Let the grain of your Word, the wine of your joy, and the oil of your Spirit overflow within us, so that we may never grieve like those who have no hope. Send us out into the world now—not as people still in over our heads, but as those who have been set free by the Lord.
Help us be witnesses to the leading nations that you are a Father to your people. Keep us from wandering away; hold us close in your perfect love. Satisfy us so deeply with your goodness that we desire nothing but you, and nothing else in comparison to you. Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling, be honor and glory, forever and ever. Amen.
