Jeremiah 6:16-18
“Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye 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. But they said, We will not walk therein. Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken”.
“Stand you in the ways, and see”, the root meaning says ‘stand at the cross roads and look’
Every person sometimes comes to a crossroads in life (a fork in the road).
A crossroads or junction is a place where you need to make a decision. One road leads one way, another road leads somewhere entirely different. And once you choose the road to move on, the direction of your journey changes, for better or for worse!
We face the crossroads in life very often in the following areas. God says, we need to stop there and look. That means, ask for guidance from God. We do not know what is waiting for us on the way forward in future. Only God knows. Make sure He is guiding us.
A decision about relationships- Our life is centred in relationships. Only humans have relations. But we must not allow our relations to ride our life. Every relationship has its own place. None of them should be guiding our life’s purpose. When important decisions are taken, we must be conscious about the effect of our decisions in our relations- but when it comes to our spiritual life- God and His Word has prime importance.
Matthew 10:37-39
“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me;”
A decision about integrity - All of us value our personal integrity. When we have to give up our personal rights and gains in order to move on with God' calling over our life- that’s a crossroads to choose the right way.
A decision about faith - This is a major area. This is where many are compromising. Our calling is personal. Abraham was called, Sarah had to follow. It’s the case with everyone. The light everyone receives is different. Moving forward is totally one’s own decision.
A decision about the direction of your life - We must make it a practice that whenever we are required to make a decision-small or big- speak to God first.
Proverbs 3:6
“in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight”.
The nation of Judah was stuck at such a crossroads when God spoke through His prophet Jeremiah.
The people had wandered far from God. Idolatry, injustice, and spiritual corruption had spread throughout the land. Yet in the middle of this spiritual decline, God was so compassionate that He did something remarkable.
He called His people to stop, repent, and return.
Many of us are standing at the crossroads now and the words God spoke then still speak powerfully today.
1. God Calls Us to Pause and Examine Our Direction
“Stand at the crossroads and look…” (Jeremiah 6:16)
God is asking His people to be patient. Not to act in a hurry. Wait on Him!
God is telling His people to stop moving forward blindly.
Many people are rushing through life without stopping to evaluate where their choices are leading them to. They see only the present time, they are very short sighted and are impressed about the momentary success and benefits. It’s like trapping a bird by showing food. The bird sees only the food, not the trap. Most of the believers are trapped by the devil through offering worldly success and momentary pleasures!
Even our Lord Jesus was tempted when He was on this earth. Devil approached Him and offered Him everything of this world.
Matthew 4:1-11 / Luke 4:1-13
We are so busy trying to win something in this world which has no eternal value. We leave all those hard earned things behind when we leave this earth. What a waste?
Busy with day to day work
Busy with commitments
Busy with distractions
But rarely do we pause to ask:
“Where is my life actually going?”
Ephesians 5:15-16
“Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”…
Imagine someone driving late at night on a long road and coming to a crossroads. They continue driving mile after mile without pausing at the junction checking their map or asking guidance from someone there. Eventually they may realize they are hundreds of miles away from where they intended to go.
Spiritually, many people are doing the same thing.
Proverbs 14:12
“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death”.
God’s first instruction is simple:
Stop. Look. Evaluate.
Where is the road you are currently walking leading?
2. God Invites Us to Seek the Ancient Paths or Old paths
“Ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is…”
The phrase ancient paths does not mean outdated ideas or the old life styles.
It refers to the timeless ways of God.
These are the paths God established long ago through His covenant, His commandments, and His truth. Many men and women have walked that way. They had no regret when they finished their course of life here on earth.
They all said ‘bye’ to this world happily when they left for their permanent home!
The world constantly tells us that newer is better.
New philosophies.
New moral standards.
New definitions of truth.
The new technology and life styles push behind the ancient truths and moral standards, which were once protecting the society. God’s commandments are neglected today!.
Man reaps today what he sowed.
God loves His people. He raised up leaders and prophets in every generation.
He sent His own Son to die on our behalf. He has shown us a way to move on.
A perfect way, leading to a life of abundance!
God points His people back to something older — something proven and trustworthy.
The ancient path is the path of:
-Obedience to God
-Reverence for His Word
-Humility before Him
-Faithfulness in everyday life
God is saying:
“If you want to know the right way, don’t invent a new one. Return to the one I have already given.”
Throughout Scripture we see this call again and again.
God’s ways are not temporary trends. They are eternal truths rooted in His character.
And those paths would never change, they remain brighter through generations!
3. Walking in God’s Way Brings Rest for the Soul
“And walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Jeremiah 6:16)
This is one of the most beautiful promises in the Bible.
God does not simply command obedience — He promises rest.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need.” (Psalms 23:1)
Hearing His voice and following Him will bring rest and comfort in our life. He is the protector and the provider. He knows what is best for us. Rather than seeking our own ways, it's always best to rely on Him.
“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” (John 14:1)
This is a fantastic promise for the Lord’s people. He wants to give us rest not only in a season but all the time. Like a child clinging on the chest of its mother, we can trust in Him in any situation of our life. His promises never change!
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Find rest in Jesus! No matter what your problems are, no matter how long you have been carrying it, no matter you think you have come to the end of the tunnel- trust in Jesus, He will give you rest.
The world today is full of exhausted people.
People are tired emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
They search for rest in many places:
Success
Entertainment
Wealth
Relationships
Achievement
Yet none of these things can give lasting peace.
True rest comes when our lives are aligned with God’s will.
The rest God offers is deeper than physical rest.
It is:
Peace with God
Freedom from guilt
Assurance of purpose
Hope for the future, not only in this world but in the world to come
When we walk in God’s way, our souls find the peace they were created for.
4. The Danger of Human Rebellion
“But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” (Jeremiah 6:17)
This may be the most heart-breaking part of the passage.
God offered direction.
God offered the truth.
God offered rest.
But the people refused.
The Bible is full of examples of rebellion in different forms. The first sin committed in the universe as recorded in the Bible is an arch angel rebelled with God.
We read that in
Isaiah 14:12-15
“How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit”
Ezekiel 28:13-16
“You were in eEden, the garden of God; fevery precious stone was your covering, gsardius, topaz, and diamond,
beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire,2 femerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were createdthey were prepared. You were an anointed jguardian cherub. I placed you;4 you were on kthe holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you. In the abundance of myour trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from kthe mountain of God,and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire”.
We see disobedience through rebellion in Genesis 3, where Adam and Eve had disobeyed God. All through the books of the Bible we see, though God loved His people, they rebelled and disobeyed Him.
You know the reason for the whole chaos we see in the world? None listens to God or seek His ways. Everyone turns up self-centred. Everyone thinks he is right. Everyone wants to be number one.
God knows what we are capable of. He knows where we could fit in. This rebellion steals our rest. It breaks family and relationships. It brings chaos to the authorities, governments. Rebellion contaminates politics, social life, and every system in the world.
Do you want your life in order? Come to the Lord!
Don’t rebel with Him and His Word. Don’t rebel with the authorities He puts over you.
Often people know what God calls them to do.
But the issue is not information.
The issue is ‘willingness’ to submit.
Sometimes the hardest words in the Christian life are simply:
“Yes, Lord.”
5. God Provides Warnings Through Watchmen
“I appointed watchmen over you…” (Jeremiah 6:17)
In ancient cities, watchmen stood on the walls. Their job was to watch for approaching danger.
If an enemy army appeared, the watchman would sound the trumpet to warn the people.
God placed watchmen among His people
These included prophets like Jeremiah, who warned Judah about the consequences of their sin.
But again the people responded:
“We will not listen.”
Ignoring a warning does not remove the danger.
If a watchman warns of a fire and people ignore him, the fire still spreads.
God raised watchmen to speak to His people every centuries . A few people listen to them and the majority take no heed. We see through the Bible, there were judges, prophets and kings ordained by God to lead His people in His ways, He spoke through them, led them in supernatural ways. They had seen God’s glory with their own eyes, yet they refused to obey Him.
God still provides watchmen today.
Through:
-Scripture
-Faithful preaching
-The conviction of the Holy Spirit
These warnings are not meant to condemn us. They are meant to save us.
Each of us is standing at a crossroads.
The question is which path we will choose.
Our choices matter.
The direction we choose shapes the destination we reach.
Our Lord said about two ways in Matthew 7.
Matthew 7:13-14
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few”.
Never choose the way of the majority. Never even choose the way of our dear ones if it contradicts the narrow way explained in the scripture. Every person has to walk alone his or her way to reach the final destination.
Two destinations- one is life and the other is destruction. Wide is the way that leads to destruction but narrow is the way that leads to life.
Your choice determines where you end in eternity! Your choice determines how you live this earthly life! You can live a life of rest or stress- depending which way you choose at the crossroads!
Instead of saying “We will not,” we can say:
‘Lord, show me the good way — and help me walk in it.’
And when we do, we discover that God’s ancient path still leads to life, peace, and rest.
By Pastor Renji George
Scriptures: Ephesians 5:15-16, Ezekiel 28:13-16, Genesis 3, Isaiah 14:12-15, Jeremiah 6:16, Jeremiah 6:17, Jeremiah 6:16-17, Jeremiah 6:16-18, John 14:1, Luke 4:1-13, Matthew 10:37-39, Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 4:1-11, Matthew 7:13-14, Matthew 7, Proverbs 14:12, Proverbs 3:6, Psalm 23:1, Psalms 23:1, Psalms 91:14-16
Sermon Topics: Eternity, Soul, Destiny, Moving Forward, Rebellion, Danger, Ancient Paths, Narrow Way, Stuck, Rest, Watchmen, Crossroads, Broad Way, Old Path, Ancient Ways
