Jeremiah 14:7 - Homiletics

A plea for mercy in spite of grout.

I. WE CAN ONLY PLEAD FOR GOD 'S MERCY AFTER A FRANK ADMISSION OF OUR OWN GUILT . The common habit of people is to take the opposite course—to excuse themselves, extenuate their faults, or ignore, or even deny them. But this is vain before God, and while persisted in it shuts the door against forgiveness. God can only forgive sin that is confessed, can only have mercy on the humble and penitent. This confession must be frank and full. Such a confession is contained in the prayer of Jeremiah.

1. Personal guilt is admitted—"our iniquities."

2. The shame of increasing guilt is admitted—"our backslidings." If we feel we are better than we once were, we excuse our present imperfection on the ground that it is at least an improvement on the past. It requires a genuine penitence to admit that we have been growing worse.

3. Sin is seen to be an offence against God—"We have sinned against thee." It is not a mere fault in ourselves; it is a direct act of warfare with Heaven. David said this ( Psalms 51:4 ); so did the prodigal son ( Luke 15:18 ).

4. Sin is recognized as abundant— " Our backslidings are many." It is vain to confess some sins whilst denying others, or to attempt to represent them as leas numerous than they really are. This keeping back of part of the confession mars the whole of it.

5. Guilt is acknowledged to be open before God—" Our sins testify ."

6. It is seen to be a bar to our claim of simple right—they testify "against us." Condemnation, therefore, may justly follow the plain evidence of guilt. Our own sins are witnesses to oppose any plea we may found on our personal deserts.

II. OUR OWN GUILT , WHEN FRANKLY ADMITTED , IS NO HINDRANCE TO THE MERCY OF GOD . The only hindrance is impenitence. The ground of God's mercy is not our desert, but Iris goodness. If there is anything in us which predisposes him to be gracious, this is not our worth, but our want. The more wretched the condition to which our sin has brought us, the more urgent the call to his pity. The one plea is" for his Name's sake."

1. For the sake of God's character. His Name expresses what he is. His highest name is "Love." By this name we plead for mercy. Because of what he is, because of his inherent goodness, love, and pity, we implore his help.

2. For the sake of God's honor . He has promised to have mercy on the penitent (e.g. Deuteronomy 30:1-10 ). Thus he has pledged his Name, bound himself by his own certain faithfulness.

3. For the sake of God's glory . His highest glory is his goodness. When he delivers his children his own Name is glorified. Redemption honors God more than creation. The song of the redeemed at the end of the world will be more sweet and more noble than the song of the sons of the morning at the dawn of creation. As Christians we see these truths more clearly revealed in Christ. He is the "Word" incarnate, the "Name," the highest manifestation of the character of God, the fulfillment of his greatest promises, the expression of his brightest glory. For us to pray "for Christ's sake" is the same as praying "for God's Name's sake."