Hewing out Broken Cisterns

"HEWING OUT BROKEN CISTERNS"

JEREMIAH 2:1-13

INTRO: In our text, we see Jeremiah's first message to a wayward people. He

reminds them of their former love and devotion for God and contrasts

it with their present backslidden condition toward God. When Moses

had led Israel out of Egypt the Nation had loved God and followed Him

through the desert. They may have grumbled and murmured some

against God in the Wilderness, but God in His grace and mercy forgave

them seeing they were but flesh.

Israel had for the most part remained faithful to God as a Nation. God

had set her apart as holy unto God. Just as the first fruits are to be

dedicated to God, so Israel had been chosen as the first Nation to

worship God! But Israel's devotion to God was short-lived. In v5 God

asks, "What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone

far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?"

It is a fitting question for all of us to ask ourselves in those times when

we get out of the walk of the Lord! The Nation had forgotten how the

Lord had led them through the wilderness into the Promised Land!

And upon reaching that beautiful land they had defiled it by idolatry.

Even the leaders-priests, pastors, and prophets-were guilty of walking

after things that did not profit! Do we not find ourselves guilty of much

the same today? Walking after our own desires, lusts, and ideas, even

though the SCRIPTURE constrains us to "walk worthy of the vocation

wherein with ye are called." (Ephesians 4:1).

Because of Israel's waywardness, Jeremiah, using the Imagery of a

court case in v9, pictures God as pleading against His people and their

children to follow. Israel is challenged to go from the west to the east,

go where you will, but you cannot find a people who have rivaled Israel

in their forsaking of the Lord! Even the pagan nations remain true to

their idols. But Israel has forsaken the true God for idols!

God contends, in v13, that Israel has committed two wrongs. First,

they have forsaken God, the fountain of living waters, and secondly, by

replacing Him, with broken cisterns, idols, which can hold no water!

People still today turn from the life-giving, life-sustaining source, and

with incredible labor, make substitutes which inevitably cause

disappointment and loss.

In the land of Palestine many were dependent on cisterns, laboriously

carved from rock. Cistern water is flat and tasteless; it is easily

contaminated by various growths. When a cistern is cracked, even the

stale water is gone, and the person who turns to a cracked cistern is

totally disappointed. (1).

We, as God's people, are responsible for living by the precepts of God's

Book. When we forsake it or turn to another way, besides God's way,

we "Hew Out Broken Cisterns!" I want us to see that WE HEW OUT

BROKEN CISTERNS WHEN WE:

(1) FAIL TO PRAY

EPHESIANS 6:18—“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in

the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication

for all saints.”

A. PRAYER IS TO BE CONSISTENT. The Bible says here in Ephesians

6:18—“praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit…”.

Our tendency is so often to pray only in the great crises of life; but it is from

daily prayer that the Christian will find daily strength. (William Barclay. Daily Study

ILLUS: James Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, was an

ardent proponent of prayer. He said, "God's work, done God's way,

will never lack God's supply." He lived by this principle and by his

death, the China Inland Mission, which was started by the Vision of

one man, had grown to a missionary force of over 800 which won

thousands to the LORD!

God's way is for us to pray before we begin anything for Him!

B. PRAYER IS TO BE IN CONFIDENCE. God invites us to "Call unto me, and

I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou

knowest not." (Jeremiah 33:3). God has great and mighty things to show

us, but He desires us to call unto Him first! The question is, “why don’t we

pray more?” Simply because many times we don’t believe God will help us.

Friends, for our prayers to be effective we have to pray with confidence.

James 1:5-7 warns us—“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that

giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But

let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of

the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he

shall receive any thing of the Lord.” Our Lord Jesus said in Matthew

21:22—“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall

receive.”

We have in the book of Acts a trying time for the early Church. Peter and

John had been detained and brought before the council, the authorities of

the time, for the preaching and teaching of Jesus. When they were let go

and rejoined the other disciples what did they do? Listen to what it says in

Acts 4:23-31—“And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.”

Friends, there is POWER in prayer! And yet the majority of Christians

neglect their prayer life, even though the SCRIPTURE exhorts us to "Pray

without ceasing," (1 Thessalonians 5:17)and "Be careful for nothing; but in

everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be

made known unto God." Prayer is where our power comes from! In Luke

24:49we read the instructions the resurrected Lord gave the disciples—

“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the

city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” What did the

early Church do those ten days waiting for the Spirit that was to come upon

them? Acts 1:14gives us the answer—“These all continued with one accord

in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus,

and with his brethren.” And after 10 days of prayer, the Spirit came and they

were endued with power! (Acts 1:8).

When we fail to pray, we "hew out" broken cisterns, neglecting God's power

in our lives! J. Sidlow Baxter said, "We are all "too busy" to use the

mightiest weapon God has given us-prayer.” (2).

ILLUS: Bloody Queen Mary, who put so many Bible-believing Christians to

death said one time the thing she feared most was John Knox on his

knees!"

Ephesians 6:10-18 tells us to put on the whole armor of God! We MUST

have every piece in place to protect us from Satan! But unless we pray

before we go into battle, our armor is useless!

We HEW OUT BROKEN CISTERNS when we FAIL TO PRAY but also when we…

(2) FORSAKE THE LORD'S HOUSE

HEBREWS 10:23-25—“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without

wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

A. THE QUESTION ASKED. In Nehemiah 13:11, Nehemiah asks, "Why is the

house of God forsaken?...". Why has the service of God been neglected?

Friends, it is getting harder and harder to get people involved in the service

of the Lord. We see a lack of concern and a lack of commitment.

B. THE QUESTION ANSWERED. “Why is the house of God forsaken?” GOD'S

HOUSE IS FORSAKEN BECAUSE:

THE PLEASURES OF THIS WORLD. Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 3—“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come… lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.”(vv. 1, 4). Proverbs 21:17 says, "He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man...". The Bible here is not talking about a person being poor materially but spiritually. Is it any wonder we have so many spiritual midgets in our Churches today?
THEPRIORITIES OF MANY ARE WRONG. Jesus said in Matthew 6:33—“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Instead of seeking after the spiritual many are seeking after the material. The promise is made that if we seek it first, and its righteousness, all earthly wants will be supplied. The condition demands, 1. That we seek the kingdom first in point of time. Some propose to secure a competence, and after they have gained it, they will serve God. 2. We must make it first in importance. Everything else must give way before its demands. 3. It must be first in our affections, have our whole hearts. We must "love the Lord our God with the whole heart" (Mat_22:37).(The People’s New Testament. e-Sword. Version 9.6.0. Copyright 1990-2010. Rick Meyers. All Rights Reserved Worldwide).
THE PERVERSION OF MAN. In 2 Timothy 3:l-5a the Bible warns us—“ This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

The Barna Research Group reported that in 2005, "47% of American adults [said that they] attend church in a given weekend, not including a special event such as a wedding or a funeral."( That means 53% of Americans don't go to Church at all!

When we neglect the Lord's house, we "hew out" broken Cisterns because we miss hearing God's Word, fellowshipping with God's people, and worshipping His Holy name! Let us be as the psalmist—“Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright…Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” (Psalm 33:1; 100:1-5).

We are told to "Not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: And so much the more as ye see the Day approaching" Let us say as the psalmist, "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the LORD" (Psalm 122:1).

We HEW OUT BROKEN CISTERN when we FAIL TO PRAY, FORSAKE THE LORD’S HOUSE, and when we…

(3) FOLLOW THE WORLD'S WISDOM INSTEAD OF THE WORD OF GOD

PSALM 1:1-3; 119:9-11—“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the

counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor

sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

A. THE FOLLOWING. We must know what God says by searching it out for

ourselves! 2 Timothy 2:15says—“Study to shew thyself approved unto

God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of

truth.” Paul’s instruction to Timothy was that Timothy must do his best to

be “a workman who does not need to be ashamed.” A workman might

rightly be ashamed if his work were shoddy or lacked real effort. For

Timothy to be an unashamed worker, he must handle “correctly the word of

Friends, We MUST FOLLOW "Thus Saith The LORD," not what man says!

Because 1 Corinthians 3:18-20 tells us—“Let no man deceive himself. If

any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool,

that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.

For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The

Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.”

B. THE FAITH. Romans 10:17 tells us—“So then faith cometh by hearing,

and hearing by the word of God.” As we hear and apply the Word of God, we

grow in grace and in His knowledge and our faith increases! James 1:22-

25tells us what we are to do with the Word of God—“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

When we follow the world's wisdom, we "hew out" broken cisterns, because the wisdom of the world fails, but God's Word endures forever! (Isaiah 40:8).

(4) FORGET THE PURPOSE OF OUR REDEMPTION

EPHESIANS 2:8-10—“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that

not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

A. WE ARE TO PROCLAIM CHRIST. The purpose of our new life in Christ is

to share Christ with others! We read in 2 Corinthians 5:17-20a—“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ…”. The Bible says here—“Now then we are the ambassadors for Christ…”. An ambassador does not speak on his own authority; his own opinions or demands mean little. He simply says what he has been commissioned to say. But an ambassador is more than a messenger; he is also a representative, and the honor and reputation of his country are in his hands.(David Guzik. Guzik Commentary. e-Sword. Version 9.6.0. Copyright 1990-2010. Rick Meyers. All Rights Reserved Worldwide).

ILLUS: In 1858 a man named Kimball, a Sunday School teacher, led a Boston

shoe clerk to give his life to Jesus Christ. The clerk, Dwight L. Moody,

became an evangelist and in New England in 1879 awakened an

evangelistic zeal in the heart of F. B. Meyer, the Pastor of a small

Church.

Meyer, preaching on an American college campus, brought Christ to a

student, J. Wilbur Chapman. Mr. Chapman, engaged in YMCA work,