Return to the Lord
We read about Israel backsliding in Jeremiah chapter 3 and around. We read a challenge that God says to them, and that's the title for the message today: Return to the Lord. We're going to go to Jeremiah chapter 3, beginning in verse 6. If you'd like to join me, and if you're able, I invite you to stand with me in honor of the reading of the Word of God.
Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 3:6-14
The Word of God says:
The Lord also said to me in the days of Josiah the king, "Have you seen what backsliding Israel has done? She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and there played the harlot. And I said, after she had done all these things, 'Return to me.' But she did not return. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce. Yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also. So it came to pass, through her casual harlotry, that she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees. And yet for all this, her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to me with her whole heart, but in pretense," says the Lord.
Then the Lord said to me, "Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. Go and proclaim these words toward the north and say, 'Return, backsliding Israel,' says the Lord. 'I will not cause my anger to fall on you, for I am merciful,' says the Lord. 'I will not remain angry forever. Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the Lord your God, and have scattered your charms to alien deities under every green tree, and you have not obeyed my voice,' says the Lord. 'Return, O backsliding children,' says the Lord, 'for I am married to you.'"
God, thank you for your Word. Thank you for this message where you speak to Israel and speak to your children that have strayed about returning to you. God, I pray as we dig into your Word, if there's one that's drifted and strayed, you draw them back. They'd return to you. And God, all of us have some level of way that we know we can walk better with you. So help us with that. And God, of course, I pray as we're here today, if there's someone listening in need of salvation, you work in their heart, soften their heart to make today the day that they give their life to you, Lord Jesus Christ. We love you. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
What Does It Mean to Backslide?
This chapter talks about Israel backsliding. What does it mean to backslide? Well, it's not like Michael Jackson when he used to do the moonwalk and kind of backslide. When we're talking about backsliding, we're talking about when someone who has trusted in the Lord starts to drift from God. They start to slide away from God. What causes that? Well, I think overwhelmingly, it's a three-letter word: sin.
The believer has the Spirit of God living inside of them, but they also have flesh. Paul says in Galatians, the flesh and the Spirit war against each other. Today in youth, we were talking about how the youth are going to school, and we went to Philippians where it talks about Paul being a godly example. It goes on to say there are many ungodly examples. As a Christian, we can choose to go all in and live for the Lord. But if we're not careful, and we don't choose that, we'll start to sin. If we're not careful, we'll keep sinning, and we'll drift and slide away from God.
Israel's Backsliding
Israel, we read about them backsliding. It says that Israel has played the harlot. "Have you seen what backsliding Israel had done?" It uses this language: Israel had committed adultery against God because they were worshiping false gods. One of the main ones we read about is Baal, and how they had temples set up and were worshiping Baal.
In verse 2 and 3, it says, "You have polluted the land with your harlotries, your wickedness." Chapter 2:19 says, "You have forsaken the Lord your God." Verse 29 says, "You have transgressed against me." Chapter 4:17 says, "She has been rebellious against me." Chapter 5:23 says, "But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart." In much of the Old Testament, you'll read about how Israel was straying from God, how they had backslidden, how they had fallen out of fellowship.
Have You Backslidden?
Question today: Have you ever backslidden from God? Have you ever drifted from God? Maybe you know you're a child of God, but you've drifted. Have you ever seen somebody you care about, that you love, who has made the decision to trust in the Lord, but has started to slide away? There are all kinds of ways it can happen. A common thing you'll see is someone will get out of church. They'll say, "I don't need church." Before you know it, they start to drift from God.
A lot of times, people will start to let sin come into their lives and justify it, saying, "It's okay. It's no big deal. I can do this, right?" But the Holy Spirit will convict you if it's sin. Have you ever seen somebody you love who knows the truth but drifts from God? It's sad to see. It's also scary. Ultimately, that's between them and God if they're truly saved. But when someone's a true believer, every single one of us will make mistakes. Is there anybody who walks this walk as a Christian perfectly? I know I don't. As a true believer, your desire, I hope, is to live for Jesus. You were changed when you truly trusted in Jesus. But we must be on guard. We've got flesh, and the enemy will try to get us into sin.
Consequences of Backsliding
Maybe you know somebody that's backsliding right now. Maybe today, as you hear this message about Israel backsliding and God saying, "Return to me," you know you're drifting from God. That's a miserable place to be. If someone is truly a believer and they've got regular sin in their life, and they're drifting from God, that's a miserable place to be.
One consequence of backsliding is that sin separates us from God. If we've not gotten right with God, it'll separate us for eternity. But if you are a believer and you have sin in your life, there will be a separation, and you will not have the same fellowship with God. If you've trusted in the Lord and you're living in sin, you won't feel as close to God. When we're not living for God and we've got sin in our life, it affects our fellowship because we know we're not supposed to be living like that.
Jeremiah's Hard Ministry
Jeremiah had a hard ministry. He's often referred to as the weeping prophet. He prophesied for about 40 years until at least the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon. He was rejected, beaten, and imprisoned. He had a hard message because a lot of it was, "Y'all are living ungodly, and y'all are going to be punished." He didn't just say it because he felt it; he said it because he heard from the Lord. How cool must that have been to hear from the Lord so many times? But when he heard from the Lord, he was given a tough assignment. Ministry ain't always easy. Serving the Lord ain't always easy. But when you know what God's telling you to do, it's always best.
Judah's Failure to Learn
In this passage, we read that Judah wasn't listening. The northern kingdom of Israel had been conquered by Assyria around 722 BC. Jeremiah's ministry was after that. Judah, the southern kingdom, and Jerusalem had already seen that Israel had been judged for their sin. Yet Judah and Jerusalem were still playing the harlot, just like Israel had, worshiping Baal. They saw what happened to northern Israel, but they didn't quit living in sin. Jeremiah is saying, "God says, 'Return to me, or else return to the Lord.'" God gave them so many chances, but they didn't repent.
The subtitle in my Bible for this section says, "A Call to Repentance." If someone's sinning and backsliding, to return to the Lord, they must repent of their sin. They must recognize, "I'm in sin against God, I've got to turn from it, and I've got to turn to God."
Consequences of Disobedience
There are consequences when we backslide and stray from God. Jeremiah warned them God would pour out His wrath if they didn't return. God allowed Babylon to conquer Jerusalem in 586 BC, and Jerusalem was laid in ruins. Many people died by the sword, as Jeremiah said would happen, by pestilence, by disease. Many others were taken captive to Babylon for 70 years. Some people, the only life they ever knew as Jews was in Babylon. Why? Because God kept saying, "Return to me. Return to me. Return to me," and they did not obey.
There are consequences when we drift from God. I don't know what they will be. One can be a lack of fellowship. Another can be you just don't have peace. You're not going to have peace living in sin if you're a child of God. That's not who you're meant to be. You're not going to have joy. God can choose to punish us on this earth if we live in sin. He is not happy with sin. As ones who were saved by what Jesus did for us on the cross, we should want to live for Him.
The Call to Return
If you have backslidden, maybe right now, and you know you've got sin in your life that doesn't need to be there, return to the Lord. God told Israel, "Return to me." If you're a believer, but you know you have drifted from God, return to God. That begins with recognizing you're in sin, turning from it, and saying, "God, I want to repent and I don't want to live for the world, for the flesh anymore."
In the youth group, we're in Philippians 3, where Paul talks about following his example because he follows the example of Christ. Then it talks about how many live as enemies of the cross, whose God is their belly, focusing on things of this earth. As a believer, we shouldn't want to focus on worldly, sinful things. We're not going to get joy and peace that way. If you've backslidden and you know it, the Holy Spirit is convicting you. The message is simple, as Jeremiah said to Israel: Return to the Lord. Sadly, Israel didn't obey. I hope if any of us need to return, we will.
Go All In
If you're saved, born again, and know you're going to heaven, shouldn't that cause us to say, "I don't want to drift from Him. I don't want to sin against Him. I want to live for Him"? When you live for Him, your example can point others to Jesus. But if you've backslidden, don't put it off. Sometimes people drift away from church or allow sin in their life and justify it. If we're not careful, we'll get further and further away. Even things that aren't inherently bad can keep us from fellowship with God if we don't give Him time.
When you return, go all in for the Lord. Don't straddle the fence. In chapter 4:4, it says, "Circumcise yourselves to the Lord." If we've strayed and want to walk with God, go all in. Think about diets or gym memberships—half-hearted efforts don't work. You start justifying small slips, and soon you're off track. If you want to do anything great in life, go all in. There's nothing greater than living for the Lord. Your priority can be Jesus through it all.
God Will Help You
If you commit to return to the Lord, God will help you. Jeremiah 3:22 says, "Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings." Sometimes we think we can't overcome sin—addictions, alcoholism, drugs, sexual immorality. The enemy loves to isolate you, so you don't ask God for help or seek accountability. But when you return, God will help you. We can't live for the Lord on our own, but God will help us.
God will be merciful. Sometimes we think, "I don't deserve forgiveness. I've done awful things." We're kind of right—we don't deserve it. But God is so full of grace and mercy that He will forgive us. He says, "Return, backsliding Israel," says the Lord, "I will not cause my anger to fall on you, for I am merciful." God kept giving Israel chances to return, but they didn't. If you need to return to the Lord today, God will be merciful. Like the prodigal son who lived awfully but was welcomed home by his father, God the Father is telling you, "Come back to me."
A Personal Reflection
My dad used to pray with me every night, kneeling by my bed, praying the Lord's Prayer and singing songs like Be Not Afraid and Come Back to Me. Thinking about that song this morning made me tear up. It’s about coming back to God if you've drifted. If you need to return to the Lord today, it will bless you. God will have mercy, and it’ll bless you to live for Him. No amount of sinful living will give you joy or peace—it brings problems and sadness.
Closing Challenge
If you've backslidden and strayed from God, come back to Him. Return to the Lord. There's probably some area in your life, even if you've stayed in good fellowship with God, where you can return to Him more fully. Let's commit to going all in for the Lord, trusting in His mercy and grace to guide us back.
