Heritage Baptist Church of Frankfort IL Unknown

The mourning over the destruction of the city uncovers all of the things that Israel had put their trust. They had failed to put their trust in God and He brought about their chastisement. Modern Christianity can learn about their own idols by seeing this chapter of Lamentations.

Satan has many tactics to get Christians down. However, his goal is to keep them down and destroy any usefulness. His best way of doing this is by accusing believers of their obvious failures. However, the grace of God through the Son can cleanse the sinner and give them restoration of fellowship.

This chapter sounds like it is given by two people, one who is in despair and one who has hope. The middle section is the key for this transition. It is a series of truths that Jeremiah rehearses. He recalls these truths to mind that he has spoken of for years. This chapter is the center and the climax of the book of Lamentations.

How does a person change-- How does one progress in their sanctification-- Paul gives a series of steps in the process of being changed more and more like the glory of Christ.

John records the first of several conversations that Jesus has with unsaved individuals. In this first instance Jesus speaks with the best person in society, one who everyone would judge as okay with God. However, this Pharisee Nicodemus needed something he could not do for himself. He needed to be born from above. All he could do is believe on the Son who would be lifted up. This belief would bring new birth and change from perishing to life ever-lasting.

Lament psalms display a pattern for believers to follow in dealing with agony. The book of Lamentations can teach believers how to lament, but it is given for people to learn from. The first two chapters lay out that the destruction of Jerusalem did not happen by accident. God was the one who did it. He did it for a reason. The people had sin and God in His righteousness had to judge. Sin leads to a broken world that suffers judgment.217