A Sermon on Jeremiah 2:20-22
“For long ago I broke your yoke
and burst your bonds;
but you said, ‘I will not serve.’
Yes, on every high hill
and under every green tree
you bowed down like a whore.
Yet I planted you a choice vine,
wholly of pure seed.
How then have you turned degenerate
and become a wild vine?
Though you wash yourself with lye
and use much soap,
the stain of your guilt is still before me,
declares the Lord GOD. (ESV)
What do the people of Israel have to teach? Because all things in holy Scripture are for humanity’s benefit, Christians can learn much about the nature of humanity and themselves by looking at the ancient people of God. In this sermon on Jeremiah 2:20–22 titled “A Degenerate Vine,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones tells that according to the Bible, humanity is polluted by sin. Every desire and inclination are brought under the twisted subjugation of their sinful nature. In a fallen state, humans are not able to pursue the good and upright. They are not able to live lives of love and justice. Many try to escape their own sin by looking to works of righteousness. They think that if they try hard enough, they can erase their sin and earn God’s favor, but this is a hopeless task. What then is the hope? The answer is found not in what people can do, but in what God has done. God has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die upon the cross and to shed His blood so that sinners can be saved. All who believe in Jesus are forgiven of their sins, adopted as children of God, and made truly righteous. There is nothing left for anyone to do but repent of their sin and believe.
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