COURAGE TO STAND IN A FALLEN WORLD
“Book Burning”
Pastor Duane Cross | 04.07.2013

“It was the ninth month and the king was sitting in the winter apartment, with a fire burning in the firepot in front of him. Whenever Jehudi had read three or four columns of the scroll, the king cut them off with a scribe’s knife and threw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll was burned in the fire. The king and all his attendants who heard these words showed no fear, nor did they tear their clothes.”
Jeremiah 36:22-24

I. First, the writing

“In the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ‘Take a scroll and write on it all the words I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah and all the other nations from the time I began speaking to you in the reign of Josiah till now.’” Jeremiach 36:1-2

“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:20-21

“Perhaps they will bring their petition before the Lord, and each will turn from his wicked ways, for the anger and wrath pronounced against this people by the Lord are great.” Jeremiah 36:7

II. Next, the receiving

“...he did everything Jeremiah the prophet told him to do; at the Lord’s temple he read the words of the Lord from the scroll.” Jeremiah 36:8

Receiving the Word of God includes several things:
• hearing

• reading

• understanding

• memorizing

• embracing

III. Next, the rejoicing

“The king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and Jehudi brought it from the room of Elishama the secretary and read it to the king and all the officials standing beside him. It was the ninth month and the king was sitting in the winter apartment, with a fire burning in the firepot in front of him. Whenever Juhudi had read three or four columns of the scroll, the king cut them off with a scribe’s knife and threw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll was burned in the fire.’” Jeremiah 36:21-23

J. I. Packer:
“Jehoiakim burns God’s Word, ignoring its warnings. That’s like getting out of a car to destroy the ‘Bridge Out’ sign: done at one’s own peril.”

IV. Finally, the preserving
“After the king burned the scroll containing the words that Baruch had written at Jeremiah’s dictation, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ‘take another scroll and write on it all the words that were on the first scroll, which Jehoiakim king of Judah burned up.’...So Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to the scribe Baruch son of Neriah, and as Jeremiah dictated, Baruch wrote on it all the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire. And many similar words were added to them.” Jeremiah 36:27-28,32

GOING DEEPER QUESTIONS

These questions are designed to help you go deeper with the sermon during your week-to take a closer look at the Scripture and find fresh ways to live out the main points of the sermon. Going Deeper questions also are used for discussion in all of our Grow Groups at Hope.

Scripture Reading
Jeremiah 32-36; 2 Peter 1:20-21

Getting Started
What insight or principle from this weekend’s message or from Jeremiah 36 did you find helpful, interesting or challenging? Explain.

When did you first believe the Bible was important to you?

Write out two ways to finish this sentence: “The Bible is _________________________.”

Do you have a quiet time regularly where you read the Bible and pray? Why or why not?

A Closer Look
Read Jeremiah 36. Why did they burn the scroll? Why was it a threat to them? Why did Jeremiah have to rewrite the scroll?

Compare Jeremiah 36:1-7; 27-32 with Jeremiah 26. Why is Jeremiah an “outsider” in Israel? Why is he perceived as a threat? Why is he so confrontational? Where are the “Jeremiahs” of today?

Baruch, Jeremiah’s secretary and mailman, is presented as obedient with his task of delivering the word of God (and of Jeremiah) to the appropriate people in the face of danger. How is he an example for us to follow?

Pastor Duane said that Jeremiah 36 was about the writing, receiving, rejecting and preserving the Bible. Discuss (answer) these questions:
•Who wrote the Bible? How was it preserved?
•Have you ever rejected the Bible or certain parts of the Bible? If so, what was your criteria for rejecting?
•Why and how is the Bible holy, inspired and transformational?

Digging Deeper
How do you and I act like King Jehoiakim and, in a sense, cut up the word of God and dispose of it when it opposes our freedom, wants and desires?

Pastor Duane said that receiving the Word of God includes several things. What is your experience or understanding of each?

•Hearing __________________________________________________________
•Reading __________________________________________________________
•Understanding ____________________________________________________
•Memorizing _______________________________________________________
•Embracing ________________________________________________________

You heard in Pastor Duane’s message that the word of God is “life-changing.” What does this mean? How does Scripture change lives?

Respond to this statement: “The Bible’s ability to change one’s life depends on what you do with it?