QT 29/05/2025 Thu. Jeremiah 15. The Cost of Faithfulness 忠心的代价
QT 29/05/2025 Thu. Jeremiah 15. The Cost of Faithfulness
READ http://www.esv.org/jer15
Are you struggling with despair when your ministry and service outcomes fall way below your expectations by a lot?
Jeremiah 15 is a powerful and emotional chapter where the prophet Jeremiah is in the depths of his suffering and despair. This chapter represents a profound moment in his ministry, as he experiences both the personal agony of his calling and the intense rejection from his people.
The chapter reflects on God's sovereignty, the faithfulness of His promises, and the call to persevere in the face of adversity.
Jeremiah 15:18 Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will you be to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail? (ESV)
Jeremiah was a man called by God to speak difficult words to a nation that was resistant to repentance. Throughout his prophetic ministry, he faced ridicule, rejection, and deep emotional anguish.
In this chapter, we find him in a place of raw honesty, questioning God’s justice and asking why his life had been marked by such perpetual pain and struggle. He wonders whether God, whom he had faithfully followed, has become like a "deceptive stream"—untrustworthy and unreliable.
（1）The Reality of Suffering in God’s Calling
Jeremiah’s lament is a testimony to the real and often painful cost of following God’s call. Discipleship today is also costly. Jeremiah’s prophetic mission was one of constant hardship. Yet, God does not dismiss Jeremiah’s suffering. Instead, He engages him in an honest conversation. This chapter invites us to bring our honest emotions before God, knowing that He can handle our doubts, our grief, and our questions.
As believers, we too may encounter seasons of suffering that seem endless. We might experience the weight of living faithfully in a world that often rejects God’s truth. Jeremiah’s pain reminds us that the Christian life is not without struggle. Jesus Himself warned us, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
（2）God’s Answer: A Call to Persevere
God’s response to Jeremiah is both tender and instructive. He reminds Jeremiah of the promises He has made, calling him to stand firm despite the overwhelming circumstances. In verses 19-21, God tells Jeremiah, “Therefore, thus says the Lord: If you return, then I will restore you; before Me you will stand; And if you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become My spokesman.”
Here, God promises restoration and protection, but also calls Jeremiah to maintain his integrity. The “precious from the worthless” refers to separating what is valuable—God’s Word—from the falsehoods of the people around him. God’s call to perseverance is grounded in His faithfulness. While the world may reject the message, God’s Word remains unshakable.
We are reminded here that God’s promises stand firm even when everything around us seems unstable. Like Jeremiah, we may feel weary, but we must remember that God strengthens us to continue. The Lord has already equipped us for the work of spreading His message, even when the results are not immediately apparent.
(3) The Sovereignty of God Over Suffering
In verse 20, God tells Jeremiah that He will make him like a fortified wall of bronze that the people of Judah will not be able to overcome. Even though it feels as though Jeremiah’s efforts have failed, God promises to protect him and not let his ministry will be in vain. While the world might seem like it’s falling apart, God is still sovereign and at work.
As Christians, we are called to trust God’s sovereignty over our lives, even when our circumstances suggest otherwise. God is in control of our pain, our victories, and our losses. We do not need to understand every moment of suffering we face; instead, we trust in the One who sees the beginning from the end.
(4) The Promise of Restoration and Hope
Despite the deep sorrow expressed in this chapter, there is a thread of hope woven through it. Jeremiah’s lament is not the end of the story. God’s ultimate plan for His people involves restoration. He is not indifferent to our suffering but is deeply involved in the redemptive process. This is evident in the life of Christ, who suffered on our behalf so that we could experience ultimate restoration.
For Christians today, we have the ultimate hope in Jesus Christ, who bore our suffering on the cross and rose again to give us eternal life. In the midst of our trials, we can look forward to the day when Christ will make all things new, and we will experience full restoration in His presence.
Application and Reflection
(1) Suffering is a part of the Christian life, but it is not without purpose. God meets us in our pain and provides the strength to endure.
(2) God is faithful to His promises. He calls us to stand firm in our faith, even when we don’t see immediate results or understand the reasons for our suffering.
(3) Hope is found in God alone. Just as God promised Jeremiah that his labour would not be in vain, He promises that our work for His kingdom will bear fruit, whether we see it now or not.
As you face the challenges of your own life, take heart in the fact that God sees you, He hears your cries, and He will not abandon you. When you feel weary, remember the words of the apostle Paul: “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).
May we, like Jeremiah, remain faithful to the calling God has given us, knowing that He is with us every step of the way, working in and through us for His glory.
QT 29/05/2025 星期四. 耶利米书 15 忠心的代价
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/Jer/15/
当你的事工和服务成果远远低于你的期望时，你是否在绝望中挣扎？
耶利米书第 15 章是先知耶利米在痛苦和绝望的深渊中充满力量和情感的一章。这一章代表了耶利米事奉中的一个深刻时刻，因为他既经历了个人蒙召的痛苦，也经历了他的百姓对他的强烈拒绝。这一章反映了神的主权、祂应许的信实，以及在逆境中坚持不懈的呼召。
耶利米书 15：18 我的痛苦为什么长久不止呢？我的创伤为什么无法医治，不得痊愈呢？你对我真的像叫人失望、靠不住的溪流吗？
耶利米是一个被上帝呼召的人，他要对一个抗拒悔改的民族说出艰难的话语。在他的先知生涯中，他曾面临嘲笑、拒绝和深深的情感痛苦。在本章中，我们发现他处于一种原始的诚实状态，他质疑上帝的公义，并追问为什么他的一生总是充满了痛苦和挣扎。他想知道，他一直忠心追随的上帝是否变得像 "欺骗的溪流"--不可信、不可靠。
- 神呼召的苦难现实
耶利米的悲叹见证了跟随神的呼召所要付出的真实且往往是痛苦的代价。今天的门徒训练也是代价高昂的。耶利米的先知使命是一个持续不断的苦难。然而，上帝并没有放弃耶利米的苦难。相反，神与他进行了坦诚的对话。本章邀请我们将自己诚实的情感带到神面前，因为我们知道神能够处理我们的疑惑、悲伤和问题。
作为信徒，我们也会遇到似乎无穷无尽的苦难。我们可能会经历在一个经常拒绝神的真理的世界中忠实生活的重压。耶利米的痛苦提醒我们，基督徒的生活并非没有挣扎。耶稣曾告诫我们："在这世上，你们必遭遇患难。但你们要放心！我已经胜了世界"（约翰福音 16：33）。 - 上帝的回答： 坚持不懈的呼召
上帝对耶利米的回应既温柔又具有启发性。祂提醒耶利米祂所做的应许，呼召他在压倒性的环境中仍要站立得稳。在第 19-21 节中，上帝告诉耶利米："耶和华如此说： 你若归回，我必使你复兴；你必站立在我面前；你若从无用之物中取出贵重之物，你必成为我的代言人"。
在这里，上帝应许恢复和保护耶利米，但也要求他保持正直。贵重的与无用的 "指的是将有价值的东西--神的话语--与周围人的谬论区分开来。上帝对坚持不懈的呼召是以祂的信实为基础的。尽管世人可能拒绝接受这个信息，但神的话语仍然不可动摇。
这里提醒我们，即使我们周围的一切看起来都不稳定，神的应许也是稳固的。像耶利米一样，我们可能会感到疲惫，但我们必须记住，上帝会加力给我们，让我们继续前进。主已经装备了我们，使我们能够完成传播祂的信息的工作，即使结果并不立竿见影。 - 神对苦难的主权
在第 20 节中，神告诉耶利米，祂会使他像铜墙铁壁，犹大人将无法攻克。尽管耶利米的努力似乎失败了，但神应许会保护他，他的事工不会白费。虽然这个世界看起来似乎已经分崩离析，但神仍然掌权并在做工。
作为基督徒，我们被呼召相信神对我们生命的主权，即使我们所处的环境并不如此。上帝掌控着我们的痛苦、胜利和失落。我们不需要理解我们所面临的每一个苦难时刻；相反，我们要相信那一位从头看到尾的神。 - 恢复与希望的承诺
尽管本章表达了深深的忧伤，但仍有一线希望交织其中。耶利米的悲叹并不是故事的结局。神对祂子民的终极计划包括恢复。祂并非对我们的苦难无动于衷，而是深深地参与了救赎的过程。这一点在基督的生命中显而易见，他代表我们受苦，使我们能够经历最终的恢复。
对于今天的基督徒来说，我们在耶稣基督里有了终极的盼望，他在十字架上承受了我们的苦难，又复活给了我们永生。在试炼中，我们可以期待基督使万物焕然一新的那一天，我们将在祂的面前经历完全的恢复。
应用与反思
(1) 苦难是基督徒生活的一部分，但并非没有目的。上帝在我们的痛苦中与我们相遇，并赐给我们忍耐的力量。
(2) 上帝信实于祂的应许。祂呼召我们坚守信仰，即使我们看不到立竿见影的效果，也不明白受苦的原因。
(3) 希望只在上帝那里。正如神应许耶利米他的劳苦不会白费一样，祂应许我们为祂的国度所做的工作会结出果实，无论我们现在是否能看到。
当你面对自己生命中的挑战时，请相信上帝会看到你，听到你的呼喊，也不会抛弃你。当你感到疲倦时，请记住使徒保罗的话：“我们行善不可厌烦，因为我们若不放弃，到了时候必要收割”（加拉太书 6：9）。
愿我们像耶利米一样，忠于神给我们的呼召，因为我们知道神与我们同在，在我们里面做工，并通过我们做工来荣耀祂。
