“God Is a Just Warrior” Lamentations 1:1-5:22 (Overview)

“God Is a Just Warrior” Lamentations 1:1-5:22 (Overview)

An Expositional Sermon
Lamentations 1:1-5:22
“God Is a Just Warrior”

Theme/Big Idea: God warns disciplines His people and warns of His coming just judgment for sin.
Aim/Appropriation/Application: Don’t fail to listen to the warning of what is coming for those who reject God.

Outline: Six things we learn about God in Lamentations…
1. God Is a Just Judge
2. God Is Angry
3. God Is Wrathful
4. God Wars Against Sin
5. God’s Word is Pivotal
6. God is the Only Source of Comfort

Questions for Further Study:
(1) What do you do with the warnings in this life? What would happen if you didn’t listen to them?
(2) The things they were putting their comfort and security in failed them: riches (4:1-2), youth (4:4-8), food (4:4-10), religious institutions and buildings (4:11-12), their reputation (4:12), their leaders (4:13-16) – the king (4:20), priests (1:2, 19), elders (1:2, 19), friends (1:2, 19) – their errant conclusion that they have the ability to save themselves (4:17). This is humbling because these are the functional idols that our hearts will often use to reject God. Look at your life. How are you putting your comfort in these things? What in your life could you add to this list? Entertainment, pleasure, reputation, jobs, family, children. It’s only when these idols were stripped from them that God became their only hope. Can you see how God’s discipline in Israel’s sorrow was God’s kindness to bring them back to Himself?
(3) Israel is a proverb and warning for us. God rightly disciplined and judged Israel through Babylon (1:13-20), and what was their proper response? Humility, confession of sin, and repentance (1:8-14, 18, 20; 3:19-54). Is this how you react to discipline in your life? (Hebrews 12:3-11)
(4) Is there anything in your life that would keep you from repentance? What is your chief struggle in this?
(5) In the difficulties of life what is your main hope? Pray that God would fix your hope upon Christ and Christ alone.