Kalamazoo
Published on Feb 04, 2020
No Description
MORE DECKS TO EXPLORE
7 Strategies to Write a Speech with Ease
84501 views
10 ways
45083 views
TXLA Wrap-up 2015
9442 views
Techno Teaching
26894 views
How to make a portfolio
16983 views
What is Creativity
67766 views
PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Jeremiah 29:4-11
Photo by Ryan Riggins
This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.
Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord.
This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
A City Profile
Bookstores
lots of them
Untitled Slide
- 27 is the median age
- Men/Women 50/50
- Few more democrats
- 24.7 square miles
City Profile
- About 75,000 people
- College town
- 39% are religious (all faiths)
- 45,000 people unchurched
- City Gov't inviting you to help
About 75,000 in city limits and growing
College town
Western Michigan
Kalamazoo County Community College
Kalamazoo College
39% religious
mostly Catholic
1% muslim
45,000 unchurched....
is that enough people to work with to fill this sanctuary?
City gov't asking for help - show Toolkit
College town
Western Michigan
Kalamazoo County Community College
Kalamazoo College
39% religious
mostly Catholic
1% muslim
45,000 unchurched....
is that enough people to work with to fill this sanctuary?
City gov't asking for help - show Toolkit
The Times
The Times
- National Humiliation
- Social Upheaval
- Political Collapse
- Spiritual Confusion
National Humiliation
Israel is being attacked…..again
(Illus. read the dates from the article about the deportations……………)
Their rebellion that led to the problem
God’s wisdom that sent them to Babylon
Beginning of a 70 year stay
Will be there until Cyrus lets them return in 536 BC
Daniel is already in Babylon
Jeremiah writes soon after the latest deportation
Social upheaval
Families separated
Whole neighborhoods transplanted
Political collapse
Delicate treaties with Assyria and Babylon
Jewish rulers constantly being replaced
Spiritual confusion
Hananiah 28:15-17; Shemaiah 29:31-32
Jeremiah’s letter is circulated
God sent us here? Jeremiah 29:4
Israel is being attacked…..again
(Illus. read the dates from the article about the deportations……………)
Their rebellion that led to the problem
God’s wisdom that sent them to Babylon
Beginning of a 70 year stay
Will be there until Cyrus lets them return in 536 BC
Daniel is already in Babylon
Jeremiah writes soon after the latest deportation
Social upheaval
Families separated
Whole neighborhoods transplanted
Political collapse
Delicate treaties with Assyria and Babylon
Jewish rulers constantly being replaced
Spiritual confusion
Hananiah 28:15-17; Shemaiah 29:31-32
Jeremiah’s letter is circulated
God sent us here? Jeremiah 29:4
Know the God
of the city
A Great God – His character
LORD – Yahweh, Jehovah personal, relational, self-existent
Almighty – God of everyone, leader of the biggest army in the universe
Elohim – supreme deity, He is God and we are not
Invites His people to prayer
Moves His people around
Tracks false and deceptive leaders
Desires families grow together
Cares about cities
LORD – Yahweh, Jehovah personal, relational, self-existent
Almighty – God of everyone, leader of the biggest army in the universe
Elohim – supreme deity, He is God and we are not
Invites His people to prayer
Moves His people around
Tracks false and deceptive leaders
Desires families grow together
Cares about cities
Photo by c_nilsen
Live
in the city
Build houses and settle down
Plant gardens and eat the harvest
You get married
You help your children get married
You help your grand children get married
Increase and don’t decrease
Plant gardens and eat the harvest
You get married
You help your children get married
You help your grand children get married
Increase and don’t decrease
Invest
in the city
Seek the welfare of the city – to ask around, do some homework…….
(Illus. Like a shepherd seeks for a lost sheep or someone looks for a lost coin – Luke 15………..)
Peace –it is the absence of hostility – racially, economically
Well being and health
Pray for the city 1 Timothy 2:1-4 - I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
Its health and well being or prosperity
Your health and well being or prosperity
Avoid confusing messages
Religious optimism that is deceptive
(Illus. From the false prophets….Relax – don’t worry about the city - in 2 years we will be gone…………..)
“Spiritualists” driven my consumer demand – stop asking the diviners – the dream interpreters for answers and they will be out of a job and have to go somewhere else…………
God has not sent these people……………..
God sends people who will encourage us not to take from the city, but to give to the city
Promote growth
Increase not decrease
In thinking and activity
(Illus. Like a shepherd seeks for a lost sheep or someone looks for a lost coin – Luke 15………..)
Peace –it is the absence of hostility – racially, economically
Well being and health
Pray for the city 1 Timothy 2:1-4 - I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
Its health and well being or prosperity
Your health and well being or prosperity
Avoid confusing messages
Religious optimism that is deceptive
(Illus. From the false prophets….Relax – don’t worry about the city - in 2 years we will be gone…………..)
“Spiritualists” driven my consumer demand – stop asking the diviners – the dream interpreters for answers and they will be out of a job and have to go somewhere else…………
God has not sent these people……………..
God sends people who will encourage us not to take from the city, but to give to the city
Promote growth
Increase not decrease
In thinking and activity
3 Choices
- Isolation
- Accommodation
- Participation
Isolation – we stay away, create our own cultures, schools, neighborhoods, banks, live in moral superiority……etc.
Accommodation – we end up looking like the city around us
Participation – Daniel serves as a good example of what it is like to learn the culture without absorbing its values
Which one do you hear Jeremiah calling us to?
Accommodation – we end up looking like the city around us
Participation – Daniel serves as a good example of what it is like to learn the culture without absorbing its values
Which one do you hear Jeremiah calling us to?
