Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 9:7-11
The Sorrow of God
Intro.
1. How often do we think of the sorrow of God? We think often of God’s love, mercy, grace, blessings, longsuffering, even justice.
2. But, we rarely think of God’s sorrow. The Bible often speaks of it.
3. Jesus Christ is the “Man of sorrows” who is “acquainted with grief” and who “carried our sorrows”, Isa. 53:3-4; Matt. 26:38.
4. Study the sorrow of God, particularly learning what brings God sorrow and how God reacts to His sorrow, and how we should react.
I. WHAT BRINGS GOD SORROW?
A. The Rebellion of Sin, Gen. 6:5-7.
1. When the heart is given over to evil motives and thoughts.
2. When God’s people turn back from obeying Him, 1 Sam. 15:11.
3. When there is an unwillingness to yield to God’s purposes, Matt. 23:37-38.
4. When we harden our hearts, Mk. 3:1-5.
a. Christ was grieved when He saw men who were not grieved by the conditions of others (withered hand), 2 Cor. 11:29.
b. When men’s hearts were hardened against Him and His truth.
B. God has Sorrow when Faithful Ones have Sorrow, Jno. 11:32-36.
1. God is saddened by the personal losses we experience.
2. Prompts God’s compassion toward the fearful, Psa. 103:13.
II. THE INTENSITY OF GOD’S SORROW TEACHES US NOT TO CAUSE GOD SORROW.
A. God is “Very Sorrowful” when we Choose other things instead of Following Him, Lk. 18:24.
1. So, God disciplines us because He wants us to correct ourselves, Heb. 12:11.
a. Just as parents are made sorrowful when their children are disobedient, God is made sorrowful when we disobey Him.
b. Yet, parents must correct their disobedient children because they want their correction, Prov. 13:24; 19:18.
c. Even so, God disciplines us through trials (Heb. 12:3-4) so that we will be acceptable to Him, Heb. 12:5-6.
B. God’s Heart Hurts when We Choose to Walk in Sin, Gen. 6:6-7.
1. Grieved (6): To hurt, to have pain, cf. Jer. 9:1-2.
2. Sorry (7): Regret, change of mind.
III. BEHOLD THE GOODNESS AND SEVERITY OF GOD, Rom. 11:22.
A. The Goodness of God: God’s Sorrow over Our Sins Caused Him to Offer Us Mercy, Mk. 3:5.
1. Redemption in Christ: God’s rich mercy is offered to sinners because God takes no pleasure in the death of sinners, Ezek. 18:32; Eph. 2:4-5.
2. God has great love for us, so He has great sorrow when we sin.
3. In love borne of sorrow, God provides us a remedy for our sins!
4. God’s sorrow because of our sins becomes the grand expression of His love toward us, Rom. 5:8 (we were “still sinners”, causing God sorrow).
5. The only way to remove the sorrow of sin and replace it with great joy!
B. The Severity of God: God’s Love and Sorrow Do not Prevent His Punishment of Unrepented Sins, Gen. 6:11-13; Jer. 9:7-11, 12-16.
-The justice of God will be applied against sinners, Gen. 6:11-13.
1. The rebellious that disobey Him, 1 Sam. 15:23, 28-29, 35.
2. Those who harden their hearts against Him and His word, Prov. 29:1; Zech. 7:12.
Conclusion
1. God is grieved when we ignore Him, when we rebel against Him, when we choose other things ahead of Him and when we harden our hearts in sin against Him.
2. In compassion, God has extended us mercy in His Son.
3. God disciplines us through His word and through life’s trials to help us remember Him and turn to Him.
4. Are you bringing God sorrow or joy? Lam. 3:31-33, 37-42
5. God shows the path of life to fullness of joy, Psa. 16:11; Rev. 21:4.
-“Enter into the joy of your Lord” (Matt. 25:21).
By: Joe R. Price
Posted: December 19, 2013