TITLE: The Funeral of a City
TEXT: Lamentations 1:1-4
PROPOSITION: Lamentations contains messages for Tullahoma.
QUESTION: Which?
KEY WORD: Messages
READING: Same
INTRODUCTION:
1. Background of book. Written by Jeremiah.
A. 22 verses in ch. 1, 2, 4, and 5
B. Each verse begins with a letter in the Heb. alphabet.
C. Chapter 3 - written in triplets (first 3 verses begin with 1st letter, next 3 with 2nd letter, etc.)
2. A series of eulogies - (funeral songs) - for a city.
3. Here are four messages from these eulogies.
1. Mourn because of sin. 1:18-21
1. "Behold my sorrow" (18) Also 1:12
2. "I have grievously rebelled" (20)
3. "There is none to comfort me" (21)
4. Luke 13:34-35 "And ye would not."
5. Luke 19:41-44 "Jesus wept" over Jerusalem.
6. II Cor. 7:10 "Godly sorrow worketh repentance"
2. Confession of sin. 3:59; 5:16
1. "You have seen my wrong" (3:59)
2. "We have sinned." (5:16)
3. James 5:16 "Confess faults to one another"
4. I John 1:9 "If we confess our sins"
3. A Ray of Hope. 3:21-32; 5:21
1. "I remember, I have hope" (3:21)
2. Read also vs. 24, 29
3. "Renew our days as of old" (5:21)
4. Col. 1:4-5 Our hope is in heaven
5. Col. 1:27 "Christ in you, the hope of glory"
4. The Mercy and Goodness of God 3:21-32
1. "Great is thy faithfulness" (3:23)
2. "New every morning" (3:23)
3. I Thess. 5:24 "Faithful is he that calleth you"
4. II Thess. 3:3 "But the Lord is faithful"
Conclusion:
1. Jeremiah was in grief over Jerusalem's destruction.
2. Outline of book - 1= Plight of Jer. 2= God's Anger 3= Jeremiah's Grief 4= God's Anger 5= Prayer of Jerusalem
3. What about here?
A. Is God angry?
B. Are we sad?
C. Is there hope?