Sunday Afternoon 12th July 2026
Jeremiah 9:12-26
Circumcision was commanded of Abraham after his decision to try and fufill God’s plans his way by conceiving a son with his slave Hagar (Genesis 16). It was a mark to remind him of his folly but also of the mercy of God in not rejecting him, for God had credited righteousness to him (Genesis 15). However, in Israel circumcision became a mark of pride. Here, Jeremiah describes once again the depth of disaster faced in Judah for her sin, and then rebukes the people for the false pride seen in their attitude to circumcision. Physical skin cutting makes them no different from other nations. What they need is “circumcision of the heart” – a radical change inside to give them real love for God.
Photo by Ozkan Guner on Unsplash
Sermon recording
Circumcision of the heart