As you can see my theme for 2024 is Run with the Horses. It is a take off of Jeremiah 12:5 where God is asking Jeremiah how he can run with the horses when he gets bogged down in the muck and mire of the Jordan.
The first sermon of the new year is based around three Scriptures: Jeremiah 12:5, I Cor. 9:24-27, and Heb. 12:1-2. They all have to do with running. The truth we all know is that people had feet of clay then; people have feel of clay today. People were evil then; people are evil today. They had a cult of celebrity worship then; we have a cult of celebrity worship today. While we often look at men and women in the Bible as heroic, ready and willing to take on armies, many of them were disappointingly non-heroic. Abraham lied; Jacob cheated; Moses murdered; David committed adultery; Peter blasphemed. And then there is Jeremiah. Jeremiah was different. There is no hint of pride, worldly success or personal achievement. What we do get is a man who is brutally honest about his feelings.
I’m also using the two NT Scriptures to talk about the need to prepare for what is ahead. I suspect that 2024 is going to be a test for those of us who call ourselves followers of Christ. Hebrews 12 tells us to keep our eyes on Jesus while I Cor. 9 reminds us to run the race and not look around while running. Vitezslav Gardavsky, a Czech philosopher and martyr who used Jeremiah as his “image of man” once wrote,
“The terrible threat is that we might die earlier than we really do die, before death has become a natural necessity. The real horror lies in just such a premature death, a death after which we go on living for many years.” (Run with the Horses-p.19)
I’d like to invite you to join me in person or via live stream at 9:00 and 10:45.
Bom dia, Bill
Postagem muito edificante, que possamos manter os olhos em Jesus e correr sempre em frente, sem olhar para trás, um forte abraço.
Translated: Good morning, Bill
Very uplifting post, may we keep our eyes on Jesus and always run forward, without looking back, a big hug.
Thank you. I had to use a translator from Portuguese to English. I agree on keeping our eyes on Jesus and look forward.
I don’t know how I missed this post, Bill, but I’m here today. That is a wonderful sermon theme for the year, my friend. With God’s help, we can all run with the horses.
Blessings!
I just figured you ghosted me Martha. 🙂 🙂 Actually, thanks for coming by. It is never too late.
It’s interesting that you mentioned this verse. I just told Kevin and Zach last night how Mom used to snap me out of sadness by reminding me of two verses. One of them was Jeremiah 12:5 and the other one was, “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.” I can’t even tell you how many times she used to quote those two verses, simultaneously, to me. She always knew what to say to encourage me to pick myself up by the bootstraps and keep pressing on.
That’s pretty cool that you have a personal connection to that verse Cheryl. Makes it come alive even more to you.