Our text is Jer 30:18-22. In verse 21, you see the word “engaged.” I hear the word “engage” used a lot these days. Churches are getting their people connected, like the gears of a transmission mesh when they are engaged. They are also engaged by providing them with something to do. Churches also want to keep them engrossed by holding their attention. And the methods typically used to get them engaged are social and technological. Fellowships, small groups, projection screens and apps are some of the means provided. Recently, we heard of the PushPay app. With this app, you can give by texting, receive messages on your phone, follow along with the sermon notes on your phone and interact during the message with something like a poll to let the preacher know how he’s doing.
Jer 30:21 is the only place in your Bible where the word “engaged” appears. It is in the context of a Second Advent passage. Notice these references to the end of the Tribulation and the second coming of Jesus: the captivity of Jacob [v.18]; the city rebuilt on a heap [v.18]; thanksgiving and merriment [v.19]; the people multiplied and glorified [v.19]; the congregation before me [the Lord is there] and the oppressor punished [v.20]; the nobles and governors are all Jews [v.21]; “ye shall be my people and I will be your God,” [v.22]. This is all about the restoration of Israel and their restored relationship with the Lord.
From this text we can learn about staying engaged. To stay engaged:
Get engaged with the Lord. Engage your heart to God – Jer 30:21 – to do this, get saved, get close to God and stay close to God. Stay engaged with him. Some of us are in gear and out of gear with the Lord. Some of us grind with God like the gears of a transmission grind together with a bad or poorly operated clutch. You want to get in gear and stay in gear. And it doesn’t take technological means or social methods to make this happens. It takes you and God, and the less technology and society involved in this the better. Get engaged and stay engaged.
Get engaged with his body. “Their congregation shall be established before me” – Jer 30:20 – 1 Cor 12:18 God hath set the members in the body as it hath pleased him. The old slogan was, “attend the church of your choice.” It is best to attend the church of God’s choice. And then get engaged with your church. This means faithful attendance. People who attend faithfully never have a hard time being engaged. Faithful men are the ones whom Paul said we should train [2 Tim 2:2]. Get engaged and stay engaged with your local church…
Notice that the congregation grows in Jer 30:19. The city is built. This looks like Eph 2:19-22 and Eph 4:11-16. The church grows as the members stay engaged with the head, Jesus Christ, and with each other in the body. See 1 Chr 29:1, “the palace is for the Lord not for man. In other words, we are not building this body for us; God is building it for himself. And the work is done by those who are willing to consecrate their service unto the Lord 1 Chr 29:5. That’s getting engaged and staying engaged.