Sermon Tone Analysis

“Shall I not punish them for these things?

declares the LORD,

and shall I not avenge myself

on a nation such as this?

“An appalling and horrible thing

has happened in the land:

the prophets prophesy falsely,

and the priests rule at their direction;

my people love to have it so,

but what will you do when the end comes?”

[1]

February 21, 1781, was declared a day of fasting across England.

[2] In response to the proclamation issued on that day, the Baptist divine, John Newton, preached a sermon entitled, “The Guilt and Danger of Such a Nation as This,” [3] from the text of JEREMIAH 5:29.

Fearing the judgement of God, Newton warned his hearers to repent before it was too late.

The sermon Newton preached was pointed and pertinent, quite unlike many of the sermons that are delivered in this day.

Here are some excerpts from that message.

“The form of the question will not permit us to confine the application to Israel or Judah.

The words are not, ‘On this nation particularly,’ but ‘On such a nation as this.’

The Lord, the Governor of the earth, has provided, in the history of one nation, a lesson of instruction and warning to every nation under the sun; and the nearer the state and spirit of any people resemble the state and character of Judah when Jeremiah prophesied among them, the more reason they have to tremble under the apprehension of the same or similar judgments.

We likewise are a highly favoured people, and have long enjoyed privileges which excite the admiration and envy of surrounding nations: and we are a sinful, ungrateful people; so that when we compare the blessing and mercies we have received from the Lord, with our conduct towards him, it is to be feared we are no less concerned with the question in my text than Israel was of old.” [4]

“Though the occasion will require me to take some notice of our public affairs, I mean not to amuse you with what is usually called a political discourse.

The Bible is my system of politics.

There I read, that the Lord reigns; that he doth what he pleaseth in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; that no wisdom, understanding, counsel, or power, can prevail without his blessing; that as righteousness exalteth a nation, so sin is the reproach, and will even totally be the ruin of any people… I hope we are now met, not to accuse others, but to confess our sins; not to justify ourselves, but to plead for mercy.”

[5]

“The sin of a nation is properly the aggregate or sum-total of all the sins committed by every individual residing in that nation.

But those may be emphatically called ‘national sins’ which, by their notoriety, frequency or circumstances, contribute to mark the character or spirit of one nation as distinct from another.

It is to be hoped that some species of sins amongst us are not yet become national.”

[6]

“Communities, as such, in their collective capacity, are visited and judged in the present life.

And, in this respect, the Scripture considers nations as individuals; each having an infancy, growth, maturity and declension.

Every succeeding generation accumulates the stock of national sin, and there is a measure of iniquity which determines the period of kingdoms.

Till this measure is filled up, the patience of God waits for them, but then patience gives way to vengeance… When God is exceedingly displeased with a people, it is not necessary, in order to their punishment, that he should bury them alive by an earthquake, or destroy them by lightning.

If he only leave them to themselves, withdraw his blessing from their counsels, and his restraint from their passions, their ruin follows of course, according to the necessary order and connection of causes and effects…” [7]

“But, O that we may rather, with one consent, search and try our ways, and turn to the Lord from whom we have so greatly revolted.

To us, indeed, belong shame and confusion of face; but to the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against him.”

[8]

Though such a message may be unanticipated in this day, it is nevertheless needed.

Newton’s words are aimed as surely as us as ever they were at the English population in the Eighteenth Century.

We have sinned against God, and the sins of which he warned have become the national sins of our own day.

Perhaps it is that God has already withdrawn His blessing from the counsels of our leaders, withdrawn His restrain from our passions; if so, then ruin must of necessity follow, just as we are warned throughout the Word of God.

I suggest it is time that we set aside a day of fasting and prayer, a time to confess our sin and seek again the blessing of heaven.

I question whether such a course will be embraced by the nation since the leaders appear set against even acknowledgement of the Faith in this day.

Nevertheless, the voice of the prophet needs to be raised again against the evil of the day, warning the nation of the consequences of wickedness.

Surely, the Lord God is gracious; and just as certainly, He must hold to account a nation such as this because He is righteous and holy.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FAITH TO A NATION — Modern culture stresses living for the now.

Even concern for the immediate future is often shoved aside in our mad dash to seize the moment.

It is a strange observation that even such reasonable preparation for life as insurance to provide for family in the event of catastrophic illness or even death, is frequently neglected until it is too late.

Saving for a rainy day has become an anachronism in this day.

Growing out of this prevalent worldview is a sense that faith, and especially the Faith, is optional at best, and perhaps even unnecessary.

If you are heavy-hearted or if you have an immediate emotional need, then the Faith is always there to comfort; otherwise, it must not intrude into our hurried and hectic lives.

In the intensity of the demands of daily life, the Faith is not deemed necessary by the majority of our contemporaries; in fact, the demands of the Faith may be a cumbrance that threatens to intrude into our busy lives.

Whilst nations exhibit moral or ethical standards that are acceptable to the populace, it is important for us to remember that the standards of a nation are the sum of what the people practise.

A nation that is noted for godliness reveals a populace that esteems righteousness.

A nation that is violent and volatile is a nation composed of unpredictable or mercurial people.

Hence, they are untrustworthy.

The character of a nation is determined by what the people embrace as core values.

There is a great deal of talk from corporations and from national institutions of their “core values.”

I am somewhat amused by this modern phenomenon of investing energies to define “core values.”

Even churches and denominations have gotten into the act, and on most church web sites you can read the core values of the congregation, just as you can read the core values for denominations.

These are supposed to be guiding principles.

I am amused by this effort precisely because Christians should live out their righteousness; there should be no effort to define who we are.

If Christ is among us, and if He rules over our assemblies, then are we not sensitive to the leadership and teaching of His Spirit?

If we who occupy the sacred desk were actually to declare the Word of the Lord, our people would know the will of the Lord.

As it is, too many of us who are called pastor are more concerned with doing whatever is necessary to make people feel good about themselves, confirming them in their wickedness, than we are with honouring the Lord.

Thus, the perfect and immutable standard of God’s holiness is exchanged for the ephemeral standard of transient feelings.

And the churches wither as they cease providing moral certainty.

And the people live as they wish rather than as they should.

And the nation declines in moral and ethical certitude.

We don’t need to define our core values!

We need to live our core values!

And when we live out our core values, we will turn again to the True and Living God.

Throughout the Word are numerous statements of God’s felicitous blessing upon those who honour Him.

Consider just a few of those statements of God’s blessing on a nation.

And though most speak specifically of Israel, the context indicates that the divine principle applies to any nation that is righteous and that seeks His glory.

Note first a prayer and statement that follows from the petition.

“May our sons in their youth

be like plants full grown,

our daughters like corner pillars

cut for the structure of a palace;

may our granaries be full,

providing all kinds of produce;

may our sheep bring forth thousands

and ten thousands in our fields;

may our cattle be heavy with young,

suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;

may there be no cry of distress in our streets!

Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall!

Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!”

[PSALM 144:12-15]

Next is a statement that establishes the principle that God blesses the one who looks to Him; and as He blesses the individual, so He blesses the nation if the peoples serve Him and honour Him.

“Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the LORD his God.”

[PSALM 146:5]

Of course, whenever one speaks of God’s blessing on a country, it is necessary to remember the words of the Psalmist.

In fact, this benediction should grace the mind of every Canadian and hang in the office of every parliamentarian, legislator, councillor and reeve who occupies office on behalf of the citizens of our nation.

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,

the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!”

[PSALM 33:12]

If you will remember but a portion of the divine promise, let it be that initial promise pronounced by the Holy One: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.”

The nation whose God is the LORD is blessed, happy, richly endowed with the good things that heaven affords.

Allow me to focus your attention on what follows in that particular Psalm.

I have already cited the twelfth verse from the Psalm.

Let me encourage you to take note of the powerful words that follow in this Psalm in order that I may emphasise the value of the Faith to a given nation.

The Psalmist has made a statement in the twelfth verse that undoubtedly refers to Israel; but with the following verses, he throws open the door of blessing to all peoples.