Chuck Smith emphasizes the message of Jeremiah, urging the people not to trust in false assurances and empty rituals that mask their sinful behaviors. Despite the outward appearance of national revival and religious observance, the people were guilty of serious sins against both God and their fellow men. Smith warns that mere participation in religious activities can lead to a false sense of security, and true faith must be reflected in one's conduct and relationship with God. He stresses that sacred observances are meaningless without genuine faith and obedience to God's truth.

"TRUST NOT IN LYING WORDS" Intro: Jeremiah just a young boy of 17 when God first spoke. I. THE ATTITUDE OF THE PEOPLE. A. Temple had been ordered rebuilt. 1. People gave freely. 2. Workmen worked faithfully and well. B. Law of the Lord discovered. 1. National reforms instituted. C. Passover feast observed in 18th year Josiah's reign. 1. Greatest ever. 2. Seemingly a national revival. D. As they gathered from far and near for this glorious occasion. 1. God spoke to His young prophet to get down to the gate of the temple and cry, "Trust not in lying words, saying..." E. The people were exulting in rebuilt temple. 1. They felt it meant national safety. II. THE PROPHET JEREMIAH'S STATEMENT REFLECTING GOD'S VIEW OF THE WHOLE SCENE. A. These worshipping people guilty of sinning against fellowmen. 1. Guilty of theft - murder - adultery - lying. 2. People have renamed many sins. a. They may call it an affair - flirtation. b. They may call it cleverness - lie. c. They may call it business shrewdness - cheating. d. They may call it a trip - sorceries. e. They may withhold tithes and call it conserving - God's prophet calls it robbery. 3. God's young prophet stood trembling before these people who had come to worship God. B. These people had also been sinning against God. 1. Burned incense to Baal, offering sacrifices to Molech - worshipping sun, moon, stars. a. They thought these were just other forms of worshipping God. C. Religious observance can become blasphemous. 1. It can be an opiate deadening your senses. a. Prayer can become a deceitful farce. b. Bible reading can become a fetish. c. Gathering for worship can become a false security. d. religious convictions can become a curse. 1. Convictions are to be obeyed. If not they can deaden and destroy. 2. Trust not in lying words. III. WHAT IS THE TRUTH? A. The true value and proof of your religion is the effect it has on your conduct ! 1. The acts of worship not just valueless. a. Blinding - deceiving - deadening - damning. 2. Failure to obey the truth is far worse than not knowing the truth. 3. Failure to follow convictions is far worse than having no convictions. "To whom much is given much shall be required..." B. Sacred days, sacred places, sacred observances - are not as important as a right relationship with God. 1. If you are guilty of robbery, murder, adultery, attending worship services, Bible classes, etc., blasphemy , you are trusting in lying vanities. 2. The church without Christ is nothing. The celebration of Christmas by those who do not know what the incarnation means, is blaspheme. The celebration of Easter by those who know not that resurrection life, is a curse. The observance of a rite, apart from the life of which the rite is a symbol, is death.