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Bristol Road Baptist Church19
th
June 2005 PM
The Plans of the Potter
A design for living in a strange land
29
10 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfil my gracious promise to bring youback to this place. 11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declaresthe Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to giveyou hope and a future.
12 Then you will call upon me and come and  pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares theLord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all thenations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”  Jeremiah 29 10-14
11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD,thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.KJV 
We are familiar with the letters of the New Testament – but this is one of the Old Testament letters – from Jeremiah to the exiles in Babylon. As suchit is unique in Scripture – not because it is a letter – there are a few of those in the Old Testament – but because it is addressed to Jews who havebeen displaced, exiled into Babylonia; and because it encourages them topray – not in the temple at Jerusalem – but in the strange land of theirenemies. That is the theme of the letter. Don’t expect a quick return to the land of your birth. In stead settle down and make the best of the new location andpray that God will give you blessings in a strange land. Yes, He is goingto bring you back – but that is seventy years in the future – a period thatmeans that hardly anyone is likely to be amongst those who return!No! It doesn’t sound very promising does it? Tonight it is possible there is someone here for whom the future lookssimilarly uncertain – if not bleak. On the face of it you are confronted by adark uncertain prospect. For such a person the message of Jeremiah’sletter has much to say, for it offers the PLAN OF THE POTTER – A design forliving in a strange land.
 
PAGE 2Bristol Road Baptist Church19
th
June 2005 PM
 
Such a theme will also suit you if you are at an early stage in life – withmuch before you in a world that, from a spiritual perspective, is indeed astrange land – a land of little sympathy and much ridicule, a land that doesnot value spiritual things – a land and a prospect full of new andthreatening things.God says to you: I have a plan for your life. It may not look promising justnow, but I DO have a plan and it is a good plan with prospects – the verybest prospects.But first a little background, without which we may miss the significance of what Jeremiah writes.a. There will always be false prophetsb.Difficult changes are often part of God’s planc.God has a plan for our goodSee what God says in the early verses of the letter:
4
This is what the L
ORD
Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those Icarried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:
5
“Build houses and settledown; plant gardens and eat what they produce.
6
Marry and have sons anddaughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, sothat they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do notdecrease.
7
Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I havecarried you into exile. Pray to the L
ORD
for it, because if it prospers, you toowill prosper.”
8
Yes, this is what the L
ORD
Almighty, the God of Israel, says:“Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listento the dreams you encourage them to have.
9
They are prophesying lies toyou in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the L
ORD
.
False prophets
8
Yes, this is what the L
ORD
Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not letthe prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to thedreams you encourage them to have.
9
They are prophesying lies to you inmy name. I have not sent them,” declares the L
ORD
.
 
 
PAGE 3Bristol Road Baptist Church19
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June 2005 PM
 
At that time false prophets were telling the people what they wanted tohear. That the exile would not be long – that they should hold themselvesready for return.False prophets offer a false hope.Our circumstances are different – of course – but nevertheless there arestill false prophets. Voices in an alien land that offer short term answersbut no real remedies.In our day such voices are likely to be heard in the media, from leadersand politicians, from journalists who think they should shape publicopinion, from influential people who demean the spiritual values of Christianity and suggest an easier way. (In some respects I find myself echoing our preacher of last Sunday.) Even the church has its own falseprophets.We *must* be prepared for such influences. What God offers is different.We look for such remedies when the way ahead seems materiallysatisfying but morally challenging.
Difficult changes are often part of God’s plan
 The readers of Jeremiah’s letters have lost their identity, their homes, theirsense of belonging – they are a people uprooted and in shock. All that theyvalued and regarded as important has been wrenched from them. They are in a strange land. The clock has been turned back and now likeAbrahams in the land from which Abraham came – they find themselves atthe mercy of new circumstances, new ideas, new values and newchallenges.Surely this cannot be God’s way for His people? Jeremiah reminds them that this indeed a national disaster – but it is anational disaster that is within the sovereignty of God. It was very hard forthem to understand – but if they listened they would realise that God hadforetold it. It is the result of their stubborn refusal to go His way. There ishope even in that – for He intends to work it out for good. This is
the Joseph principle
in action on a national scale.
19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish
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