Theme
The old paths of godly Christian living have been forsaken, and God’s people love it that way.
Introduction
The average church of today is a long way off from the early New Testament church. The church of today is not persecuted and is not hiding from the government.
The average church of today is not hated by the world, because the world has converted the church, rather than the church converting the world.
The average church of today has been converted to look like a rock concert or a night club, rather than the church converting sinners into the likeness of Christ.
The church of today has a modern look and feel to it, and in many cases, they have a new message too. It has the same basic sound as the old message, but it’s been dumbed down and made appealing to the unsaved masses.
The church of today has a new Jesus as well, not a holy, sin hating, repentance preaching, crucified life teaching Jesus, but a hippie Jesus who just loves everyone and who would never judge anyone, even if they are living in sin and rebellion against God.
In the message today, I am going to challenge you about the need for our church, and every church really, to ask for the old paths and walk therein.
Today we will consider the exhortation God gave to Israel by Jeremiah the prophet, and the response of Israel that resulted in judgement by God.
Lord willing, I will help you to make personal application from these verses that will increase your understanding of God’s plan for this church, and all his churches around the world.
The Call to the Old Paths
(Jeremiah 6:16–17)
The Exhortation to Return to the Old Paths (Jeremiah 6:16)
The prophet, Jeremiah, was ministering to the southern kingdom of Judah some 100 years after Hosea’s ministry to the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
God’s message to the northern kingdom was to soften your hearts and return to God before judgement comes upon you.
The northern kingdom did not listen and was invaded by the Assyrian empire. Now God gives the same message to the southern kingdom of Judah saying:
“Ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein.”
The old paths are still the right paths. They are still the good paths. They are still God’s path for the Christian. God has not changed, and His Word has not changed. God still calls the Christian today to walk in the paths that our forefathers walked in.
The exhortation to walk in the old paths came with a promised blessing if people would listen and obey.
They would find rest to their souls. The old paths of the Word of God are tried and true. God’s way works.
The old paths that our forefathers walked in are still the good paths for today.
The hymns that our fathers sang are still the good songs for today.
The King James Bible which our fathers read is still the good Word of God today.
The reverence our forefathers had for the local church is still good for today. Why wouldn’t we dress reverently for church? Why wouldn’t we see attending church as being the most important event of our week? Are these not also the good paths?
The old paths are the paths of clean conversation, not dirty jokes and bad language. The old paths are paths of clean living, not drug habits, smoking, and drunkenness.
“Stand in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.”
To stand in the way means to stand at the crossroads and look down the available paths. It means that there are other paths you could choose, but God wants you to choose the old paths. They aren’t the most attractive paths, after all, they’re the old paths, but they are good paths of rest to the soul.
The Rejection of the Old Paths (Jeremiah 6:16b–17)
The tragedy for the kingdom of Judah is that they would not heed the voice of God calling them back to the old paths.
“But they said, we will not walk therein… we will not hearken.”
The people did not repent of their evil doings. They enjoyed the new paths, and the new methods all too much.
The problem of Judah ran much deeper than a simple diversion from the old paths.
Jeremiah 5:30–31
“A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?”
The people of Judah actually loved to be told lies by the prophets and to be judged based on the whims of the priests rather than the Word of God.
To put it in modern terms, the pastors speak lies and the church leaders pass judgement based on their own ideals rather than the Word of God, and God’s people actually prefer it that way because it doesn’t confront them with their sin.
The church goers of today don’t want to hear the Word of God preached. They want a feel good message that pumps them up with pop psychology, barely more than a pep talk for the walk ahead.
They don’t want the old hymns of the faith anymore. They want the modern music, with the band that mimics ungodly “rock n rollers” rather than the sacred songs of Fanny Crosby and Charles Wesley.
The church goers of today don’t want to dress up for church and show reverence for church. Instead they want to come to church dressed like they do when they lounge around at home and give the Word of God less time and reverence than they give the local news.
Christians today are very quick to cry “Legalism” against anything they feel restricts their personal lifestyle choices.
Christians today don’t even understand what legalism is or isn’t.
What Legalism Is
- A strict, rigid adherence to rules over grace
- Forcing unscriptural standards on others
What Legalism Is Not
- Faithful application of Scripture
- Exhorting one another to godliness
- Preaching holiness and separation
The Rejection of the Old Paths
(Jeremiah 6:16b–20)
The people of God refused to walk in the paths of God.
“But they said, we will not walk therein… we will not hearken.”
The people heard the Word of God but refused to change.
They hardened their hearts and rejected the preaching of Jeremiah, even persecuting him.
The staggering thing is that the people actually preferred the messages of false prophets rather than the true Word of God.
We see the same thing today. Churches that teach the prosperity gospel are full, and churches that preach faith healing are growing.
The “people love to have it so.”
A Warning to the Church Today
Many pastors feel like they preach the same truths repeatedly without seeing change.
Statistics show:
- Up to 80% of pastors experience severe discouragement
- Around 40% are at high risk of burnout
- About 75% identify apathy as a major concern
In many places, churches are drifting from biblical standards to maintain attendance.
Revelation 3:15–16
“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot…”
The church of today is lukewarm.
The People Were Rejected by God (Verses 19–20)
God would bring judgement upon Judah because they rejected His Word.
Many Christians today reject parts of Scripture that do not fit their lifestyle.
Galatians 6:8
“For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption…”
Worship Without the Heart
God rejected their sacrifices because their hearts were not right.
“To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba…”
Why offer worship if the heart is not in it?
Why attend church if your affections are set on the world?
God desires the heart, not empty ritual.
Conclusion
God calls you to stand at the crossroads and ask for the old paths.
They are not the easiest paths, but they are the good paths.
They are the paths of rest for the soul.
Perhaps you need to allow God to bring change into your life.
Commit today to be shaped by the Word of God rather than the world.
Ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein.