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Text: Jeremiah 33
As Jeremiah sits in prison, he’s reminded by the LORD of some promises. These promises will be carried by the Messiah, by the LORD Jesus Christ. And whosoever will call upon the LORD will participate in the promises. So there is a wonderful invitation given by God to Jeremiah while he sits in prison. Call on me.
Great and mighty things that the LORD Jesus Christ will do
- A full pardon of sins for whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD (vss 4-9)
- Rejoicing for whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD (vss 10-11)
- A new name given to the city/bride The LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS for whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD (vss 12-16)
- A king and priest who is the Good Shepherd, and Shepherd of souls for whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD (vss 17-19)
- Eternal life for whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD (vss 20-24)
- Mercy for whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD (vss 25-26)
- The promise of an answer is obvious because the LORD is making preparations for those who will respond. The parable in Matthew 22:1-10 is about this preparation and invitation.
The history of seeking the LORD
- Men began to call on the LORD in Genesis 4:26.
- David said, I will call upon the name of the LORD and he will save me. All through the Psalms, you’ll read about calling on the LORD.
- The prophet Isaiah would say call upon the LORD while He is near.
- The prophet Joel said whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be delivered.
- Another prophet named Zephaniah says the same thing.
- Then Peter preaches this in Acts 2, after the work of the LORD Jesus Christ and the pouring out of God’s spirit. The full invitation is made to come and partake of the LORD’s table.
- Acts 15:13-17 James explains what going on and why the Spirit of God has been poured out to more than just the Jewish prophets. (1 Corinthians 1:2 as well)
- Paul quotes the prophets in Romans, whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved.
What it means to call on the LORD
- It means submitting to the will of God
- Acts 22:12-16 demonstrates this well. It’s Paul’s personal testimony about receiving eternal life. When Ananias told him to call on the LORD, Paul has already encountered the LORD Jesus Christ on the way to Damascus. He’s already asked the LORD who he was and what he wanted him to do. But after he did all that, he said following the LORD
- It’s clear that everyone who knows the name Jesus doesn’t call on him.
- Jesus himself qualified it when he said not everyone that calls me LORD will enter my kingdom.
- Calling on the LORD is more than an acknowledgment of God’s salvation, it is a submission to His help.
- It means to flee sin and follow the Lord
- Paul characterized the call in 2 Timothy 2:22 that calling on the LORD in a way that is effective means fleeing youthful lusts and following after righteousness, faith, charity, and peace.
