The Sleeping Generation (Jose Villaverde, 07/01/23)

Oh

Hello hello hello, can you hear me now everything is well alright awesome, how's everyone doing today?

I'm glad to hear that happy Sabbath. I'm happy to be here again

last time I came here was a also a treat and I was preaching on something that was

Pretty vital, you know on Isaiah 54 and the bride and that that was something that really hit very close to home for me

And so I'm glad to be here again. I wanted just

One more time go into prayer to invite the Lord spirit to be with us. So let's bow our heads

Dear Heavenly Father, I want to thank you so much for the opportunity to be able to be here and preach your word Lord

I I thank you that I am able to be a co-laborer with you Lord

It is such a privilege Lord how you would take us to be humble vessels Lord and

To be consecrated onto thee and so I pray and ask Lord that you will continue to lead and guide

Not only me but this congregation as well and that they may be edified by this message

In Jesus name we pray. Amen

so today the title of the sermon is a sleeping generation and

I want you to picture a sleeping baby in the middle of the night. He's there in his crib

totally helpless

He is totally unaware

Then suddenly there's a random electrical fuse burst and the house starts to catch on fire

the baby has no means to be able to escape and

He's just an infant who can't even reason right? He can't even get up and walk away

So he must rely on his parents to either wake up from a fire alarm going off or

To be woken up from the heat of the flames

You know unfortunately

Every man is like a sleeping child without the guise of the Holy Spirit. You see you might be able to to discern

physical things you might be able to do mathematics you might be able to to

tell somebody about physics

But spiritual things they are spiritually discerned and the only way that we can ever understand them is if we surrender ourselves over

to spiritual things

You know many people right now are sleeping in a false sense of security

Not knowing that there will come a great tribulation in which the likes this world has never seen

That will determine their entire fate

You know on the other hand there are people that are in the church also as well that are too afraid to get out there

They're too stuck inside of their bubble their church bubble

To go out and actually preach the word to people to go and knock on doors

And if they were to just trust in God and have that understanding that he puts

His words inside of their mouth with faith then they would be able to reach so many people

every single person has a

Ministry every single person has a certain amount of people that only they can reach at a certain time

You know a perfect example of

Someone who was afraid to go and do something

Of someone who was afraid to go and do the work of God was Jeremiah

And you look at his personality

He didn't want to go and do the work that he was called to do

Let's go to Jeremiah chapter 1 6 through 9 if you have your Bibles you can go there when you get there

Jeremiah 1 · chapter mention

I want you to say amen, please

Go into our Bibles here

Jeremiah chapter 1 and

Jeremiah 1 · chapter mention

Verses 6 through 9 is everybody there amen

Amen, that didn't sound very enthusiastic. Can I get an amen?

Amen. All right. All right. God be excited about the word. We gotta be excited

Now verses 6 through 9 it says then said I our Lord God behold I cannot speak for I am a child

But the Lord said unto me say not I am a child for thou shall go to all that I shall send thee and what is

However, I command thee thou shall speak be not afraid of their faces for I am with thee to deliver thee

Sayeth the Lord then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth and the Lord said unto me behold

I have put my words into thy mouth

Now

That's a pretty clear example that God

He will strengthen

Those who step out in faith

To do what it is that he has called them to do

Jeremiah literally received an oratory gift

straight from the hands of God

And divine intervention with his words

It is pretty incredible when you start to look at the context of the time

When you start to look at what?

The people of Israel were going through during the times of Jeremiah

You know he set forth the proponent to bring back restoration to the people

He was sent on a mission to awaken a sleeping people sleeping babes

He was put forth in a two-fold manifold both destructive and reconstructive

Jeremiah 1 and 1 and 11 it says you can go there in your bibles

We're already there and 1 and 11 and you get there say amen

Amen moreover the word of the Lord came onto me saying Jeremiah. What seeest thou?

And I said I see a rod of an almond tree

You know the almond tree

It is very important to understand what the almond tree represents here

It was the first to bring forth fruit

in the spring

And during that time Jeremiah was sent to bring forth fruit

In the spring and during that time Jeremiah was sent to bring forth the first fruits

He was sent forth to bring back his people God's people

You know the Lord has put forth his hand in intercession and there is

Nothing that can stop the word of the Lord from coming into fruition and into fulfillment

Isaiah 55 10 and 11 it says and we can go there

Just one chapter behind

Isaiah 55

Isaiah 55

55 10 and 11 and it says

Have you gotten there amen

amen

For the mountain shall depart and the hills oh, sorry wrong 10 and 11. So for as the rain cometh down pretty

Sure, you have 55 10 11 for as the rain cometh down and snow from heaven and returneth not thither but

Withereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud

That it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater

So shall my word that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not return onto me void

But it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing where to I sent it

So often

So often does man go forth

Afraid

Whatever the Lord sets us out to do he shall cause us to accomplish

But if you go forth in faith and you shall be able to do what it is the Lord calls you to do

But people they step away because of fear of failure

Because of failure now no woman or man wants to go to somewhere where their demise is inevitable

Everybody wants to be accepted. Do you want to be accepted?

Now of course in this world and in a world where we are steeped with the things of satan

Where there are so much propaganda all over the place

Of course if you have spiritual foresight, you're not going to want to be a part of that, but everyone wants to be loved

That is an innate desire of man

Everybody wants to be accepted however

now imagine

Penmen without their hands or orators without their voices

Even then God uses men and women who are not the most adept in society if they have faith

However, what good is unfaithfulness in a faithless generation even faithfulness will struggle

Going to a location where the people are asleep and lacking faith even Jesus himself could do no miracle

In his hometown because they had no faith

Matthew 13

53 through 58 it says and you can go in your bibles there have it here and when you get there say amen

Matthew 53 and 58 and it came to pass that when Jesus had finished these parables

He departed thence and when he had come into his own country

He taught them in their synagogue and so much more

Country he taught them in their synagogue and so much that they were astonished and said from whence half this man

This wisdom and these mighty works

Is this not the carpenter's son?

Is not his mother called Mary and his brethren James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

And his sisters are they not with us all?

From whence then half this man all these things and they were offended at him

But Jesus said unto them a prophet is not without honor save in his own country

And in his own house and he did not mighty works there because of their unbelief

You see the times of Jeremiah had an israelite nation amid Babylonian assyrian and egyptian conflict

So most definitely jeremiah had

Good reason to not want to go into israel

He had very very good reason

Very very good reason now without a doubt jeremiah thought to himself as

insignificant

Amid the military powers and the elders of the priestly ordinance

But you know the lord he chose him as a youth

God chooses the things that are weak to confound the wise

He chooses the things that are weak to confound the wise

He chooses them to confound the nations

1st corinthians 26 and 27 it says for ye see and if you can go in your bibles we can go there right now 1st corinthians

1st corinthians 26 and 27

26 and 27 1st corinthians 26 and 27

Uh

1st corinthians 1 26 and 27

It's for it foresee your calling brethren. Have you gotten there everybody there?

Amen amen for ye see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh

Not many mighty not many noble are called but god have chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise

And god have chosen the weak things of this world to confound the things which are mighty

And base things of the world and things which are despised have god chosen ye and things which are not to bring

to not things that are

God chooses the weak things of this world

In order to confine the mighty things you know in a world where

Where there is so much confusion where confusion can so easily permeate the minds of men and where all types of distractions will try to invade

The spirit it is so vital to understand that no matter the position or power there is none truer than the lord

amen

None truer than the lord there are so many things that can can take you by the wayside

So many things that can appear to be correct

So many religions that claim to be the truth

That there is none truer than the lord

That there is none truer than the lord jeremiah 1 17 through 19 it says thou therefore gird up thy loins

And arise and you can go there in your bibles

Gird up thy loins and arise and speak unto them all that I command thee

Be not dismayed at their faces

Lest I confound thee before them for behold I have made thee this day a defense city and an iron pillar

And bracing walls against the whole land against the kings of juda against the princes thereof

Against the priests thereof and against the people of the land and they shall fight against thee

But they shall not prevail against thee for I am with thee save the lord to deliver thee

If you read through the passage

There are some some key words here and you know, we won't go too deep into

Some crazy study on the words, but we'll go into two key words that really should stand out to you

the hebrew words tesor and

for the words for for gird up is uh is tesor and ahiteh ka is

Is the word for readying oneself and both of them

are accurately

described so tesor is

Too ready one oneself and ahiteh ka is to more accurately be translated as I will terrify you or tear you down

Break you down

Now this is not meaning that god will literally go and break down jeremiah

It is often the case that god takes away his hand

when we do not

obey

But that jeremiah

If his faith was to falter that he would no doubt be consumed by the people's influences and could easily be taken

By their ways distracted or even killed

You see jeremiah was amid a totally backslidden israel that had gone as far as to sacrifice children to mulloch

I picture myself in the shoes of jeremiah

And wonder to myself

If these thoughts crossed his mind the fact of the matter is that

If they would sacrifice children, how much more would they do to me?

How much more would they kill me?

They were so easily to go and sacrifice children, of course they wouldn't think twice about me

But you see the truth

And this is in unison it is like a convicting spear that penetrates the heart

The mind and the spirit

There's no telling how man will react. They can either be totally repentant or or totally

shut off

Or might be in the land of decision teetering whether or not they want to come into the fold or come out of the fold

One foot in one foot out

So spiritual blindness is one of the biggest issues in this generation

There are so many distractions things that take us away from our creator and for the possibility of salvation

Whether you be inside of the church or outside of the church

I remember when I was a child the countless hours I spent distracted

I remember that my mind when I was immersed in various other things like video games or or movies

Or whatever other thing I was worried about during that time

I did not think about god in those moments

I was just focused on whatever game I was playing or focused on whatever activity I was involved in

You know, it was like an escape

Now that i've been converted now that i've been brought into god's fold. I see

That real freedom

Lies in the word of god

The the bible refers to god's law as the law of liberty

And that is that is true freedom

Is greater freedom than any other escape. It is the truest escape from this world

James 2 and 12 it says so

Speak ye and so do as those who shall be judged by the law of liberty for he shall have judgment with mercy without mercy

Who hath shown no mercy and mercy rejoices rejoiceth against judgment?

What doth it profit my brethren?

Though a man say he hath faith and hath not works

Can faith save him?

If a brother or sister

Being naked and destitute of daily food and if one of you say unto them depart in peace

Be ye warmed and filled without giving them those things which are needful to the body

What doth it profit?

Even so faith if it hath not works is dead

being alone

What would have happened if jeremiah would have gone over to the esrealites and say hey

I need you guys to repent

But then go behind somewhere else and be doing the very same exact things that they were doing

Or going over to to try and spiritually feed them

But wasn't really spiritually fed himself

Most certainly he would have failed

A man's faith will not be fueled

If they are not going in the correct direction

If they are putting their faith in the wrong things and all of their time in the wrong places

Jeremiah 2 13 and we can go there in our bibles because this is a vital verse here and i'm i'm sure that

Um pretty much everyone should should know this verse here

jeremiah 2 13

Jeremiah 2 13

For my people have committed two evils

They have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and hewed them out cisterns broken cisterns that hold no water

It's so often in this life that people go to things to fill a void in their heart that only god can fill

Every single human being has a god-shaped vacuum inside of their heart

And without the lord we're going to go to various other places trying to find that fulfillment

It's so often that people go to some sort of outlet to find purpose

When it is only god that can supply that worth

It is often that people lose sight of the ever-living god because they have brought veneration to idols and to gods that have no real power

They have brought their veneration their reverence their respect to other places

other than god

There's a constant array of things that can then take place

Over our commitment to jesus but amid all of that the lord is a light shining the back the gospel call

He's beckoning the gospel call

The people found no true moral worth in any of the things that they were doing

Or that they gave themselves into

The purpose of it all is jesus who is the source of moral worth

He is the purpose of our lives of this life

You know it is the case when man steps away from god

From the lord that the devil takes advantage of that ignorance and the weakness of man

The men of valor and strength truthfully none of them are strong

There is no man who is truly mighty when compared to the lord

Because the strength of man it is weakness onto the lord

Because the strength of man it is weakness onto the lord

It is also no match for satan as well

If there is any man who fancies himself to be strong

Then he has concerned himself with the matters of the flesh

The lord calls us to be humble and of contrite spirit if any man has any true strength

If it can be called good

Is because it has come from the lord

Such men like david or or samson who were servants of the lord despite their many shortcomings and of course we know that when

Samson stepped away from god

As when he truly became weak

He was a judge who was supposed to be

A shining light

And you see the dichotomies between samson and and and the prophet samuel who was also in nazarite

You see the product of faithfulness the product of truth

You're moving just a bit forward and in chapters two of jeremiah the prophet gives a warning to the people

From the lord he wanted them to step away from their backsliding and from their vanity

The leaders they were false prophets leading people astray

And disregarding the ways of the lord they sought to have their own benefits have the benefits of the lord

But none of the commitment

There were people sacrificing in vain just like in the times of isaiah

It's also

the same in this generation

a generation of men and women who want to have the benefits of the lord yet

They do not want to do what the lord has called them to do

You know the work is pressing yet many are not impressed enough

The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers there are few

This is a generation in which god is being taken out of the common citizen's life

And even the bible is being banned in schools because they claim that it's pornographic

The world has taken that which is good and has made it into evil

The kingdom of satan wants to be a mirror opposite of god and claiming that the the glory for himself you see the lord

He shall confound them cause them to be ashamed because the only one who is worthy of praise

Is jesus?

isaiah 2 and 26 and says

As the thief is ashamed and you can go to the church and you can go to the church and you can go to the church

As as the thief is ashamed and you can go there in your bibles 2 and 26 isaiah 2 and 26 and when you get there say amen

Isaiah 2 and 26 amen praise the lord isaiah 2

And 26

See

Sorry, it's uh isaiah 1 and 26

Amen

Isaiah 2 and 26

As the thief is ashamed when he is found so is the house of israel ashamed

They their kings their princes and their priests and their prophets

Isaiah 2 and 26

Sorry, not as a jeremiah

jeremiah 2 and 26

Yeah, it seems we got a little

Mix up here 2 and 26 as the thief is ashamed when he is found

So is the house of israel ashamed they their kings their princes and their priests and their prophets

You know the analogy here it expresses the blatant

Disregard in which the people were living they were serving the ways of shame

And casting aside the ways of god

Has anyone ever been in a store with a child?

And and caught them stealing before who has who has caught their their child or grandson or something like that

uh stealing before

You know at first the trip

That first trip, you know the child he he might not get caught right? He might think he got away with it

but at some point

Parental instinct will kick in and you'll realize you know every time I come to the store this child

You know my kid is is really suspicious

And eventually they get caught right at some point or another

and they'll

You know, they'll be sorry for their actions and likely bow their head in shame and and be sorrowful

Only the truly rebellious child will be unremorseful

You know in like manner this generation is closer and closer to the stage of total rebellion against jesus

The shame is quite apparent, but the people of this world take pleasure in wickedness ecclesiastics

19 and 15 it says whoso take his pleasure in wickedness shall be condemned

but he that resisteth pleasure crowneth his life

Going a little bit further ahead in the stream of history

We've been going through the book of ephesians and and our quarterly right?

And you know we see a church being addressed by paul and his fatherly love

Ephesians 1 4 5 and 6 go to Ephesians 1 4 5 and 6 and you can go in your bibles

Ephesians 4 5 and 6 and when you get there you say amen

You get there you can say amen

All right, and it says according according as he

It's 4 5 and 6 according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world

before the foundation of the world

Before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love

Having predestined us onto the adoption of children by jesus christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will

to the praise

Of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted

In the beloved

You know so vital to understand the nature by which paul is speaking to the church

In a thesis he's addressing a people, you know that were mixed in with roman influence and and they had

Licentiousness and a variety of other issues

You know a parallel can be seen here in in the address that paul goes to the church with

As it pertains to the times of jeremiah

God is a father who rebukes with love and compassion

He wishes that none shall perish but that

All may turn and have everlasting life

The major theme is putting on the new man

God wanted his people to turn away from that and put on the new man

Ephesians 4 24 it says

And that ye put on the new man, which after god is created in righteousness and true holiness

every committed christian

When entered into the baptismal waters has died to their old life and has been born again

The whole entire purpose of israel was to bring salvation onto the nations

They were a sustained olive tree

And every man that was born as a newborn child

They were to be like a wild olive tree branch grafted into a sustained olive tree

And that's who we are now. We are spiritual israel

That has been called to bring people into a beautiful olive tree

To exhibit the first fruits

People they they have allowed jesus

We should allow jesus to remove the old man

And and to allow him to have that transformation in our lives too romans 5 6 through 8

It says for when we were yet without strength yet due time

Christ died for the ungodly

For scarcely

For a righteous man will one die yet per adventure for a good man

Some would even dare to die

but god

Commendeth his love toward us

In that while we were yet sinners

Christ died for us

His washing of regeneration regeneration and the renewal of the holy spirit has brought forth

the truth

In us and is what gives us new hearts

And minds made after christ

Romans 12 2 and 3 says that's roman 12

Romans 12 2 and 3 transformed by the renewing of thy mind and that's what we should have every single day

We should come to the foot of the cross kneeling before the lord when we wake up

Asking him lord, please flush me of self

So that I may be who you want me to be

The exercising of faith is what brings us to the cross

The exercising of faith is what brings forth the evidence of discipleship and is what shines the light of the lord upon the

content of man of man

The ways of israel and and farce they far stepped away from the ways of the lord

They had forgotten to seek the lord with all their hearts

They they stepped so far away from him that they were sacrificing babies and serving him at the same time

What type of hypocrisy is that?

How can you go and and sacrifice a baby on friday and then go and serve the lord on saturday?

Can you imagine being in the midst of that type of people?

I know I wouldn't want to be there

But in many ways we do the same thing

In many ways man people in the church people outside of the church. They're doing the same thing

Lukewarm christianity is one of the things that can destroy us the most

The ways of israel they far stepped away

Without a shadow of doubt the people they were blinded

They had no guise they had

No understanding of their own guilt

They thought that they were fine

Jeremiah 2 35 to 37 it says yet thou sayest because I am innocent

Surely his anger shall turn from me behold. I will plead with thee because thou sayest I have no sin

I have not sinned why god is thou about so much to change thy way?

Thou also shall be ashamed of egypt as thou was ashamed of assyria

Yea, thou shall go forth from him and thine hands upon thine head for the lord of the world

Thou shalt not prosper in them the people they truly was believe that they were were innocent

But the evidence and testimony of jeremiah said otherwise

In today's age there are many who are claiming innocence but are not aware of their own guilt

You know for this reason it's so important to study the word of god

It's so important to be immersed in the word of god

That way that you can be able to differentiate what are the devices of the devil and what are the ways that god wants you to walk in

The ending of of of jeremiah chapter 2 it shows us the position

Jeremiah 2 · chapter mention

That we do not want to be in ourselves

And we do not want to be in ourselves

We do not want to be a people that are blind spiritually

And here's a wonderful quote from ellen white that really does shed

Light on what the lord seeks from his people

And it reads two classes of witnesses are presented in the prophet malachi's words

Of the first class it is written your words have been stout against me saith the lord

Ye who are not in the presence of the lord

Have been stout against me saith the lord ye have said it is vain to serve god

And what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance?

And that we have walked mournfully before the lord of host

These words they they describe

Those who ought to have better

Represented the precious truth who ought to have an example

Of the faithful to those newly come to the faith

For all who follow him

The lord has prepared a rich feast of heavenly things

He has ordained that those who follow him shall not walk in darkness

But shall have the light of life

call upon his believing obedient followers to cover the altar with tears

but to walk cheerfully and happily along. It goes without question that the life

of the Christian will endure sorrow or some sort of struggle. Jesus never said

that man would not be persecuted for his sake he said the opposite. However he

told us that he would send a comforter and he did send a comforter. He exclaimed

be of good cheer for he has overcome the world. Therefore when you consider your

situation know that the Lord is not at fault for the suffering of man but he

has endured that suffering and is enduring alongside you. As the ends of

the earth earth's history is coming to a close it is vital to understand the

character of God. His character being one of real love and patience that is willing

to take a people as far gone as Israel during the times of Jeremiah and offer

his comfort again. Many of them they lost faith and hope in the Lord and began to

go over idols. But God will take you where you are and shed away the evil

that has held you down. He will work with you. No sin is a curse that holds its

consequence but the gift of life comes from Christ. That's Romans 6 and 23 for

the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.

Aspire heads for prayer. Dear Heavenly Father I want to thank you so much for all that

you do Lord. I want to thank you for the opportunity to be able to be here

worshiping you in a place of safety. That we may abide under the shadow of the

Almighty. That you may continue to fill us with your truth and with your

understanding. That you may help us to have acknowledgement in the ways that we

should walk Lord and that we may have newness of life every single day putting

on the new man for we have died to our old lives and you have transformed us

and made us new. And that no manner of thing in this world be able to confound

us because you said in your word Lord that not one shall be plucked out of

your hand. And how many like sheep have gone astray Lord but do you not leave

the 99 and go search after that one sheep? Of course you do and when you

bring them back that they may have happiness and joy Lord and so we pray and

ask Lord that we will have that happiness and joy that we may walk in

this life that you have given us cheerfully. We thank you so much and we

love you Lord in Jesus name we pray. Amen.