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Adam Dragoon 8/26/25 Adam Dragoon 8/26/25

The Whistleblowers: Why Speaking Truth Will Cost You

God does not promise an easy path, but He promises His presence, His vindication, and the privilege of being part of His redemptive work in the world.

Sermon Summary

In the midst of grief over the loss of our beloved sister Nisha, we are confronted with the age-old question: why do bad things happen to good people? As we wrestle with sorrow, anger, and confusion, we find comfort and perspective in the Word of God. Hebrews 11 reminds us that many heroes of faith endured suffering, destitution, and torment, and yet the world was not worthy of them. Their early departure is not a sign of injustice, but rather a testimony to their value in God’s eyes—He brings them home because this world is not worthy of such faith.

Turning to Jeremiah, we see a man called from youth to be a prophet—a spiritual whistleblower—tasked with exposing sin and proclaiming truth, even when it brought him ridicule, isolation, and pain. Like modern whistleblowers who risk everything to expose wrongdoing, Jeremiah faced relentless opposition, mockery, and even violence. Despite his moments of despair and the temptation to remain silent, the Word of God burned within him like a fire he could not contain. His calling was not glamorous, but it was inescapable; to be silent was more unbearable than to suffer for the truth.

We are reminded that standing for truth in a fallen world is costly. Worldly protections are unreliable, and retaliation is real. Yet, God’s promise to Jeremiah—and to us—is that He will be with us, even when others reject or persecute us. Our responsibility is not just to point out what is wrong, but to bring the hope and solution of the gospel. Silence in the face of evil can make us complicit; we are called to speak, to act, and to trust God with the results.

Ultimately, the story of Jeremiah, and the examples of modern-day whistleblowers, challenge us to examine our own lives. What injustices or evils do we see around us that God is prompting us to address? Are we willing to endure discomfort, misunderstanding, or even hostility for the sake of truth? God does not promise an easy path, but He promises His presence, His vindication, and the privilege of being part of His redemptive work in the world.

“God’s promise to Jeremiah—and to us—is that He will be with us, even when others reject or persecute us.”

— Pastor Dave

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Message Study Guide

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[00:00] - Welcome
[00:51] - Wrestling with Grief and Injustice
[02:22] - The Hall of Faith and Unnamed Sufferers
[05:14] - “Of Whom the World Was Not Worthy”
[06:06] - Introducing Jeremiah and the Whistleblower Analogy
[08:08] - Modern Whistleblowers and Their Cost
[11:04] - Jeremiah’s Honest Struggle
[12:33] - Jeremiah’s Upbringing and Calling
[14:00] - God’s Commission and Our Fears
[15:10] - The Mission: Tearing Down and Building Up
[18:15] - The Cost of Exposing Darkness
[20:30] - Retaliation and the Limits of Worldly Protection
[22:19] - Jeremiah’s Despair and Temptation to Quit
[25:32] - The Rarity of Being Noticed for Quiet Faith
[27:13] - Modern Examples: Faith and Retaliation
[30:25] - Silence as Complicity
[31:00] - The Inescapable Fire of God’s Word
[34:04] - Responding to Mockery and Trusting God
[36:43] - Vindication and Legacy
[38:37] - Living Faithfully in a Fallen World
[41:03] - Invitation to Salvation and Prayer
[42:37] - Altar Call and Closing Prayer

Key Takeaways

The world is not worthy of the faithful: When we see good people suffer or leave this world too soon, it is not always a sign of injustice. Sometimes, it is God’s way of honoring them, declaring that this world is not worthy of their faith and character. Their lives and suffering become a testimony that challenges and inspires us to deeper faith. [05:14]
The call to speak truth is both a privilege and a burden: Like Jeremiah, we are called to be spiritual whistleblowers, exposing darkness and proclaiming God’s truth. This calling is not always welcomed; it often brings rejection, ridicule, and even personal cost. Yet, the fire of God’s Word within us compels us to speak, even when silence seems easier. [18:15]
Worldly protections are unreliable, but God’s presence is sure: Legal or institutional safeguards may fail, and standing for truth can bring real danger. However, God’s promise is that He will be with us, delivering and sustaining us through every trial. Our security is not in human systems, but in the faithfulness of God who sees and rewards our obedience. [20:30]
Silence in the face of evil is complicity: When we witness wrongdoing—whether in our families, workplaces, communities, or culture—remaining silent can make us accomplices to sin. God calls us to courageously speak and act, trusting Him with the consequences, and believing that our faithfulness can bring change and hope. [30:25]
Faithfulness may bring suffering, but God vindicates His servants: Jeremiah’s life was marked by pain, misunderstanding, and opposition, yet he could not abandon his calling. In the end, God honored his faithfulness, using him to impact nations and generations. Our suffering for righteousness is never wasted; God sees, remembers, and ultimately vindicates those who stand for Him. [35:38]

Bible Reading

Jeremiah 20:8-11 NKJV For when I spoke, I cried out; I shouted, "Violence and plunder!" Because the word of the LORD was made to me A reproach and a derision daily. 9 Then I said, "I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name." But [His word] was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding [it] back, And I could not. 10 For I heard many mocking: "Fear on every side!" "Report," [they say], "and we will report it!" All my acquaintances watched for my stumbling, [saying], "Perhaps he can be induced; Then we will prevail against him, And we will take our revenge on him." 11 But the LORD [is] with me as a mighty, awesome One. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail. They will be greatly ashamed, for they will not prosper. [Their] everlasting confusion will never be forgotten.
Hebrews 11:36-38 NKJV Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented-- 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, [in] dens and caves of the earth.

Observation Questions

In Jeremiah 20:9, what does Jeremiah say happens when he tries to stay silent about God’s message?
According to Hebrews 11:36-38, what kinds of suffering did the heroes of faith endure, and how does the writer describe their relationship to the world?
In the sermon, what modern example was given to illustrate the cost of being a “whistleblower” for truth? [08:08]
What promise does God give to Jeremiah about facing opposition and fear? [15:10]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jeremiah describe God’s word as a “burning fire shut up in my bones”? What does this reveal about his calling and inner struggle? [31:00]
The sermon says, “the world was not worthy” of people like Nisha and the unnamed faithful in Hebrews 11. What does this mean about how God values His people, especially those who suffer? [05:14]
The message draws a parallel between Jeremiah and modern whistleblowers. What are the risks and rewards of standing up for truth, both in Jeremiah’s time and today? [19:32]
How does God’s promise of His presence and deliverance change the way Jeremiah (and we) can face rejection or persecution? [20:30]

Application Questions

The sermon challenges us to consider what injustices or evils we see around us that God might be prompting us to address. Is there a situation in your family, workplace, school, or community where you feel God is nudging you to speak up? What holds you back? [38:37]
Jeremiah was tempted to stay silent because of fear, ridicule, and pain, but he found that silence was even more unbearable. Have you ever experienced a time when you felt compelled to speak up for what’s right, even though it was uncomfortable? What happened? [31:00]
The message says, “Silence in the face of evil is complicity.” Are there areas in your life where you have chosen silence instead of action? What would it look like to take a first step toward speaking or acting for truth? [30:25]
God told Jeremiah, “Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you.” How can you remind yourself of God’s presence and protection when you feel afraid to stand for truth? [15:10]
The sermon mentions that worldly protections are unreliable, but God’s faithfulness is sure. When have you relied on human systems for security, and how did that compare to trusting God? [20:30]
The story of Nisha and the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 reminds us that suffering is not always a sign of injustice, but sometimes a testimony to faith. How does this perspective change the way you view suffering in your own life or in the lives of others? [05:14]
The call to be a “spiritual whistleblower” is both a privilege and a burden. What practical steps can you take this week to be faithful to God’s calling, even if it costs you something? [18:15]

Bibles, the book of Jeremiah, we're going to look at Jeremiah chapter 20. I don't want to belabor the points that Pastor Adam made this morning in relation to the passing of our sister Nisha. I felt that he ministered very effectively and really gave us a lot of hope that we will indeed see her again in eternity.

But I will say this as sort of an intro into what I want to minister tonight. So we got the news that Nisha had passed away. It was Friday morning. We were here for the prayer meeting, for morning prayer. So, of course, that hit us like, you know, a freight train. I went to work and later that day, my wife came and joined me for lunch during my lunch break, and we just sat and we just talked and, you know, what was going on in our heads, you know, what was going on in our hearts, what we were thinking, feeling, weeping, on and on.

But one of the things that she shared with me was that she wasn't just sad about Nisha's passing. She was also mad about it. And that kind of surprised me. And I actually, I said to her, I don't understand that. What do you mean? And she explained that it's not right that wonderful people like Nisha, who are just a blessing to everybody that she comes into contact with, that wonderful people like that pass on, many cases, far too soon, according to our measurement of time, far too early.

I believe Nisha was just past 50 years old. While others who are wicked, who are abusive, who are hypocritical, who are adulterers, on and on the list can go, they get to live. They get to live, many times, long lives. And yet they live on while people like Nisha suffer and eventually pass away way too early.

And as she said that to me, the scripture popped into my mind. And it was when Pastor Adam began to preach this morning, it was almost the exact same. It was Hebrews chapter 11. And when he began this morning, I knew right when he started that it had been the Holy Ghost that was ministering to us in that moment.

You know, the beginning of Hebrews chapter 11, as Pastor mentioned this morning, it's what we call the Hall of Fame of Faith. And you start to, they start to list, the author of Hebrews starts to list all these great heroes of the faith, you know, by faith, Noah, and by faith, Abraham did this and that, and by faith, most, it's like you're reading it and it's like, you know, wow, this is amazing. And it's like, you can hear a song playing in the background. It's so glorious.

But then in verse 36, it's like it takes a turn and it says, still others, after it's listed, you know, all these heroes of the Hall of Fame, and it's like, still others, who they don't name, had trials of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned. They were sawn in two. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented.

Those last three things, destitute, afflicted, tormented, I think that captures almost exactly what Nisha was going through in their last days, especially toward the very end. And she was, how many know she was destitute? She was depending on the government to provide the treatment that never came. She was afflicted, obviously, from the cancer. And she was tormented.

Now, I know many will say, no, no, no, she was so positive. Yes, she was, but she hated that hospital room. Though she was full of hope, she hated being confined to that bed. She wanted to get up and move and walk. And she shared with us that the nursing staff, they just, you know, we asked while we were there, hey, can you help her get up and walk around? Oh, well, we'll have to check, and I'll have to get it cleared with somebody.

So all of this, afflicted, tormented, but then, verse 38, this is the scripture that the Holy Spirit spoke to me, of whom the world was not worthy. You see, it's not that precious people like Nisha are taken from us too soon. It's that this world is not worthy of such wonderful, godly people of faith.

It's almost like a punishment against the earth that God is taking people like Nisha out of it and saying, you know what, you don't deserve her. So I'm bringing her home with me.

At the heart of my wife's question was really, why do bad things happen to good people? Have you ever found yourself asking that question? Tonight, I want to look with you at someone in the scripture who qualifies as one of those good people that had numerous bad things happen to them. And I think, especially in light of all those going back to school tomorrow, we can really learn a lot from this person's experience and his example.

If you want to, as I said, Jeremiah 20, we're going to look at verses 8 through 10. Before we look there, recently, over the past few years, there's been a term that's come back around in our everyday news cycle. The term is whistleblower. How many have heard this term kicked around? What is a whistleblower? I'm glad you asked.

There's a place called the National Whistleblower Center. They say it's someone who reports waste, fraud, abuse, corruption, or dangers to public health and safety. They report it to someone who is in the position to rectify the wrongdoing. A whistleblower typically works inside the organization where the wrongdoing is taking place. However, being an agency or company insider is not essential to serving as a whistleblower. What matters is that the individual discloses information about wrongdoing that otherwise would not be known.

Here in the U.S., we've had whistleblower protection laws dating all the way back to the beginning of the Constitution. 1777 was the first one. Allowing people to come forward with information without fear of retaliation. Some government agencies even have whistleblower reward programs.

But that doesn't mean that if you see something immoral or illegal happening and say something, that everything's just going to be all right. I picked up an article in the New York Post. This is from May of 2024. It said, "The sky is falling, at least on Boeing. A second whistleblower has died under mysterious circumstances. Just two months after another whistleblower allegedly shot himself in the head. And the attorneys, for both men, hope their deaths don't scare away at least ten more whistleblowers who want the company to clean up its act."

Joshua Dean, age 45, a former quality auditor at Spirit Aerosystems, which assembles fuselage sections for Boeing, died Tuesday morning from a quote—unquote—fast-growing mystery infection. They just don't know. His death comes less than two months after another whistleblower, John Barnett, age 62, died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Barnett had worked for Boeing for 32 years. He was found dead in his Dodge Ram truck holding a silver pistol in his hand in the parking lot of his hotel after he failed to show up for the second part of his testimony for a bombshell lawsuit against the company.

So at the same time, Boeing said last month that it had a $355 million loss, falling revenue, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy workmanship from a growing number of surviving whistleblowers. It was announced abruptly in March of 2024 that the Boeing CEO would step down by the end of the year in a move widely seen as a reaction to the ongoing safety crisis.

An attorney who represented both of the dead whistleblowers said these men were heroes. So are all whistleblowers. They loved the company. They wanted to help the company do better. They didn't speak out to be aggravating or for fame. They're raising concerns because people's lives are at stake.

In the text we're about to read, the prophet Jeremiah has been dealing with fallout from the experience of being someone who has been a long-term whistleblower. He's been calling out his own people for years, and it's taken a toll on him. And here we find him having a moment with himself. It's a moment of brutal honesty.

In Jeremiah 20, verses 8 through 10, he says:

"For when I spoke, I cried out, I shouted violence and plunder because the word of the Lord was made to me a reproach and a derision daily. Then I said, I will not make mention of him nor speak any more in his name, but his word was in my heart like a burning fire, shut up in my bones, and I was weary of holding it back. And I could not. For I heard many mocking, fear on every side, report, they say, and we will report it. All my acquaintances watched for my stumbling, saying, perhaps he can be induced. Then we will prevail against him, and we will take our revenge on him."

Let's pray together tonight.

Father, in the name of Jesus, God, I need You. I cannot do this on my own. I need Your grace. I need the Holy Ghost tonight. Father, I ask that You would speak to every life, every heart. I pray that You would open every ear to hear what You would say to each one in this place. We thank You for Your mercy, for Your grace, for the blood of Jesus Christ tonight. We give You glory. In Jesus' name, amen.

The whistleblowers. I want to first look at the calling.

Jeremiah grew up. He was a church kid. He grew up hearing the word of God. His father was a priest. And just like many youth from previous generations, especially here in America, who were taken or maybe dragged to church by their parents or grandparents, relatives, there was some kind of religious influence in the home, maybe even a strong one.

We see it still a little, especially in the black and Latino communities. But unfortunately, we're seeing less and less of it as time goes on. It's unknown if Jeremiah went to school to become a priest himself. But just by reading his later writings, it's obvious this man knows the word of God.

One historian said that Jeremiah's future life and thought were molded to a large extent by an early acquaintance with the writings of the prophets, such as Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, and Micah, and probably also the lives and sayings of the prophets Elijah and Elisha.

We may not know his exact upbringing, but what we do know is that as a youth, Jeremiah hears from God regarding the destiny for his life. In Jeremiah 1, verses 4 and 5, it says:

"Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.'"

In other words, regardless of whatever religious upbringing he might have had, he still needed to develop his own personal relationship with God, just like all of us do.

His calling from God might sound like something glorious or glamorous. You know, God says, I sanctified you. It means I set you apart. I ordained you. It means I'm giving you a special mission. I ordained you to be a prophet, someone who's going to speak on my behalf, someone who's going to have to give rebukes when necessary, someone who's going to have to give encouragement at other times. Sometimes you're even going to have to tell the future. A prophet to the nations.

Your mission is not just to your close relatives and your friends or even your own countrymen, but I'm calling you to speak to people who have no idea who I am. And Jeremiah argues back. He says, wait, I'm too young. But God says, no, you're not.

Some of you kids need to hear that tonight. You're not too young. Then, as if to answer Jeremiah's real fear, how many know God always answers the heart of the issue? He doesn't just treat the symptoms. He goes to the root cause.

Verse 8 of chapter 1, he says, "Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you," says the Lord. That's what the real deal is. Deep down, we're afraid of the faces they're going to make at us. What they're going to, you know, how they're going to look at us and they're going to mock us. They're going to make faces at us. They're going to say mean things about us. They're not going to accept me. They're not going to hear what I have to say. They're going to laugh and mock at me. Later on, you know, I'm going to close my eyes and all I'm going to be able to envision is them pointing and laughing at me. Mocking, mocking, calling me names. I'm going to be tormented by their faces.

But God says, do not be afraid of their faces. I am with you to deliver you. In short, we're afraid of rejection. But God says, do not be afraid. I am with you. They might reject you, but I don't. In fact, I'll protect you.

Verse 9, chapter 1, verse 9. Then the Lord put forth His hand, touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth." See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms to root out, to pull down, to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

That is our calling as well. No matter how young or old we are, we are called to go and speak to the nations, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and throw down. That is, to expose and confront false doctrines. Some of them are rooted deep in the culture, and we're called to pull up those weeds by the root, expose them to the daylight, to tear down spiritual strongholds that the enemy has established. Poverty, perversion, pride, error, lies, jealousy, on and on, through prayer and fasting, studying the Word of God. You're breaking down walls, throwing down brick by brick until it's just a heap of ruin.

But we're not just called to tear down. We're also called to build and to plant, to plant the seeds of gospel truth, to build God's kingdom here on the earth. Mark 16:15, "Go into all the world, preach the gospel to every creature." Matthew 28:19, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you." And, lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.

In other words, expose the evil works of darkness, but it's not just enough to expose it. We must bring the truth in its place. It's not enough to just point out problems. You've got to bring solutions. My wife is always telling me this. You know, I used to be famous for pointing out problems. Well, we want to do this. Well, there's this issue, that issue, this issue. And one day she was like, don't just bring me problems. Bring me solutions.

God's calling us, just as He called Jeremiah, to be whistleblowers, like a basketball referee blowing the whistle when a foul takes place. We are to blow the whistle on the enemy's plots and plans. Jeremiah did this all throughout his life. He calls his own people out for their sins, especially for idolatry, disobeying the commandments. But God forewarns him. In Jeremiah 1:19, "They will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you. For I am with you," says the Lord, "to deliver you." So, Jeremiah knows from the beginning, this is not going to be a cakewalk. And it won't be for you or me either.

I want to look secondly with you at worldly protection. You know, just because there are whistleblower protections in the law and even whistleblower rewards, doesn't mean that there's not going to be retaliation. The two dead Boeing whistleblowers found that out the hard way.

Oh, wait, but I'm sure their deaths were just coincidences. I'm sure that, you know, once they started to testify, both of them just, you know, that's what happens. You just die. They just happened to coincide with their bombshell testimonies. Right.

Can I tell you, retaliation is a powerful motivator. How many of us have ever seen something wrong and wanted to say something, but we feared for our jobs or our safety or even our lives? The potential for revenge keeps most people quiet. And for those courageous folks who stepped up and said something and then had their lives destroyed, it only reinforces to everybody else, shut up or else.

The problem is worldly protections by the government are only as good as the government itself. But what happens if you're calling out the government? Sure, they're legally obligated to protect you, but as many whistleblowers have found out, the retaliation still happens.

God told Jeremiah that if he spoke God's word, God would be with him to deliver him. But in order for Jeremiah to be delivered, guess what? He's first going to have to get into some trouble. And that's exactly what happened. In chapter 7, those he preached to refused to listen to him. And that also happened in chapters 13, 17, 18, and 19. And chapter 20, where we pick up our text, he's beaten and put in stocks.

And that's where we find him. Never mind what's going to happen to him in later chapters—the mocking, the ridicule, the threats, the maltreatment, the violence. It's no wonder that in our text we find him utterly frustrated, talking to himself in a moment of weakness. And saying, forget it. How many of us have ever done this? In a moment of frustration, just start to talk to yourself. Anybody ever talk to yourself? Come on. You're normal if you talk to yourself. It's all right.

Especially in these moments of frustration, you start trying to work things out in your mind. He's saying, "Forget it. Done. I'm not going to speak about God anymore. I'm not going to speak for God anymore. I'm not even going to talk about Him. It's not worth it. Why do I keep doing this to myself?" You know, these are thoughts running through his mind. "Why do I keep doing this to myself? Do I just have a fetish for pain? What?" They don't listen to me anyway. They smear my reputation. They even hurt me.

Verse 8 of our text, you can hear the utter desperation in His voice. Jesus, the Word of God, that which is supposed to be this powerful thing that I bring to the people. He says it's a reproach. The Word of God is a reproach. In other words, He's being criticized for bringing the Word of God. He says it's a derision to me. That means He's being laughed at for it. And not just once, not just sometimes, but every single day.

And this is where whistleblowers' struggle often happens. It's after we've gone through it and we're alone with our thoughts. Bible scholar Arthur Cundall said, "How many times have I been mocked, ridiculed, laughed at, accused of being brainwashed, in a cult, a liar, on and on because of the Word of God?" I'd be lying if I said, "You know, when it happens, I just thank God." I just thank God when people start mocking, ridiculing me. It's great. Oh, nothing like it. Yeah, right. Instead, it's, I have the exact same thoughts Jeremiah does. I just won't talk about God anymore. It'll be so much easier if I just don't mention Him.

I’ll just go live a nice, quiet life somewhere. I'll just hope that people notice that there's something different about me. Hopefully, they'll notice that I don't cuss. Hopefully, they'll notice that I don't drink or do drugs. Hopefully, they'll notice that I'm not listening to the same kind of music they listen to. And when the situation is just right and all the stars align and they come to me and say, "What's different about you?" Then I'll seize the opportunity and tell them about Jesus.

Now, does that ever happen? Maybe once in a blue moon, sure. But it does not happen very often. Most people, can I be honest with you? Most people out in the world are too self-absorbed to notice how different you are. There are some. It's happened to me before. "Hey, man, there's something different." But it's like one in a thousand. Most people are too self-absorbed to notice.

And so that leaves us with these thoughts. "Why should I keep doing this? Did God really tell me to do this? Maybe it's all been in my imagination. Maybe it wasn't the Holy Spirit." Thank God that for our sakes, this was not the end of Jeremiah's story.

I want to finally look with you at the blessing. So you might be asking, "So if I see something moral or unjust happening at my child's school, at my job, at my city council meeting, at my church, in my family— but I know that if I say something, I'm going to pay a high price. Why should I?" It's true that in this world, you will face backlash any time you stand up for the truth and call out a wicked person or a wicked system. But there's a reason that people still do it.

I found an article in the Catholic National Register. It says, "An FBI whistleblower who spent two years fighting to regain his security clearance after questioning the agency's leadership, said that his Catholic faith and his desire to serve the public motivated his actions." I felt convicted in my actions by the Holy Spirit, said Marcus Allen, the FBI whistleblower.

Allen served in the Marine Corps from 2000 to 2005, and he held a top-secret security clearance since 2001, with the exception of the two years that they suspended it. He joined the FBI in 2015. In 2019, he was the Employee of the Year in the Charlotte Field Office. March of 2022, the FBI suspended his security clearance.

According to Allen, his disciplinary actions were the result of concerns he had raised with his supervisors about the FBI director, Christopher Wray, concerning the events of January 6th, 2021. He said he believed the action was also a result of his refusal to get the vaccine. According to the FBI, Allen was suspended due to security concerns related to his allegiance to the U.S. and also personal conduct.

In an interview, he said that he expressed concerns to his supervisor that the FBI director had refused to answer questions from lawmakers about federal agents and informants at the Capitol on January 6th. He further asked whether there were confidential informants present during that day, during the protest and the attack on the Capitol.

He said, "This guy's amazing," he said that he was suspended as a form of retaliation, a concern that they're now investigating. He further noted that during the discovery process, his lawyers found that one official had referred to him as delusional for praying to the Holy Spirit for his decision-making process. How do you like that? "Oh, you talk to God? You're crazy."

Another official referred to him as over-the-top regarding his opinions on politics and religion. His lawyers argued that the FBI's decision to revoke his security clearance was based on his religious beliefs, which are protected under the First Amendment. But how many know? They retaliated anyway.

Anyway, there are pretty disturbing comments about my faith in the discovery documents, he told the newspaper. "My faith apparently was a problem for these people." Anytime there's an event like January 6th, he said, "Of course we have agents there." It's such an easy question for anybody in the FBI to answer. "Why couldn't the director just do it?"

Allen added that normally there's a legitimate reason for us to have people there. Not just there to cause an issue or commit an act of violence. We have people there, and there's a legal reason justifiable for them to be there. That's what I think I was trying to call attention to with my chain of command, he said, but I think they were more concerned that I questioned the integrity of the director.

He said that he felt the need to speak up about his concerns. And he made this statement: "Silence can make someone an accomplice to sin." What a powerful statement that is. "Silence can make someone an accomplice to sin."

He says, "I consider myself a faithful Catholic Christian, animated by the gospel of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." This man's life was basically ruined for two full years for standing up to the agency that he loved and served. But was the truth more important than his career? He had to make that choice.

In our text, Jeremiah, as he's talking to himself, saying how it's just not worth it to even speak about God anymore. Thank God. Listen to his conclusion. In verse 9, he says, "I will not make mention of Him or speak in His name anymore. But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary of holding it back, and I could not."

His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones. Many times, Jeremiah wanted to give up, but he couldn't. He couldn't because he dealt with God's word. He lived. God's word lived in his heart. He couldn't because that word burned in his heart like fire. He couldn't because that word pressed against his very being as if it were shut up in his bones, requiring great energy to hold it in. And he says, "I was weary of holding it back."

One scholar named Feinberg said he found out the impossibility of denying his call. He learned that it was irreversible and that God's word was irrepressible. Another scholar by the name of Morgan said, under the stress and strain of his sufferings, he was tempted to abandon the work, to refuse to speak anymore in the name of Jehovah. But when he attempted thus to find release from suffering in silence, it was impossible, for such silence became more intolerable than the suffering.

It says, "I could not." It cost him so much pain and humiliation, but Jeremiah could not, not preach God's word and preach it faithfully. In other words, he wasn't just airing his feelings and opinions. It wasn't just like, "I've got to give these people a piece of my mind." There were a lot of unfaithful and untruthful preachers and prophets in his time. Jeremiah was compelled to preach a message faithful to God. He wasn't speaking his own message.

F. B. Meyer said, "To speak is an awful responsibility," and wait, but not to speak would be impossible. 1 Corinthians 9:16, Paul says, "Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel." This is not just a way of ignoring criticism, and Jeremiah doesn't just dismiss it.

Verse 10, he says, "I heard many mocking." They mocked his message of fear and coming catastrophe. They waited for his stumbling, hoping that an unfaithful life would invalidate his message, and then they could take their revenge on him. They nicknamed him "Terror on Every Side." That was their nickname for Jeremiah. "Terror on Every Side." Oh, look who's coming. "Terror on Every Side."

In other words, they took his warnings, and they used it against him. So the answer isn't just to ignore and dismiss the mockers. Jeremiah acknowledges them, takes into consideration the things they've said, and then he formulates a response.

In verse 11 of chapter 20, he says, "But the Lord is with me as a mighty, awesome one. Therefore, my persecutors will stumble and will not prevail. They will be greatly ashamed, for they will not prosper. Their everlasting confusion will never be forgotten. But, O Lord of hosts, you who test the righteous and see the mind and heart, let me see your vengeance on them, for I have pleaded my cause before you."

David Guzik said, "Despite the pain and difficulty of his work and his many enemies, Jeremiah found confidence in God as a mighty, awesome one. God's might and awe were a greater fact than his own pain, humiliation, rejection, and beatings. God became bigger, and his misery became smaller. The mighty God would work for and protect his faithful messenger."

He says, "O Lord of hosts, you who test the righteous and see the mind and heart," Jeremiah was content to leave the matter to God and to His wisdom and strength. The judge of all the earth would do right.

For the FBI whistleblower Marcus Allen, he trusted in God for his vindication. He later sued the FBI and reached a settlement in May of last year, which reinstated his security clearance, and they gave him all his back pay.

For the Boeing whistleblowers—yes, there were two who paid with their lives—but without them, there wouldn't be at least ten more who have threatened to come forward. Just the threat of exposure has done a great deal.

It's been revealed that Boeing, once a great company run by genius engineers, has since become a joke of a company run by accountants. They cut costs for things like quality control. You know, when you fly in a Boeing jet, aren't you counting on there to be QA, like people who go behind the mechanic and make sure they did the job right? Well, these guys had cut the costs—eh, quality control. It resulted in a number of recent embarrassing mishaps and two fatal crashes.

Also, Boeing is the company who sent rockets up to the International Space Station and then, oh, whoops, they broke. We can't get our astronauts home. Remember that? They were stuck there for like nine months, and Elon Musk had to go get them. He didn't go personally—I’m joking—they sent SpaceX rockets to go get them.

Boeing CEO, as I mentioned, has stepped down, and they just announced that they, in sort of a mea culpa, are coming clean now. They said that one of the biggest mistakes they had made was to hire on the basis of DE&I, and they've since completely gotten rid of their whole DE&I department.

Eventually, Jeremiah, he's taken prisoner by the Babylonians. But in a strange twist, unlike the Jews—his own people—the Babylonians treated him well while the other Jews were enslaved. And Jeremiah was able to become the prophet to the nations that God originally said he was going to be.

He wrote letters of prophecy to many nations, including Babylon, Damascus, Moab, Ammon, and Egypt, where he was finally taken to live out his final days with some of the other exiles.

You know, it's Jeremiah's writings where we get the image of God as the potter and we are His clay. Jeremiah 18:6, "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?" says the Lord. "Look, as the clay is in the hands of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel." It's his writings where we get that imagery.

And as I close, do bad things happen to good people? Yes, absolutely. Of course they do. And good things happen to bad people. And good things happen to good people. And bad things happen to bad people. And the rain falls on the just and the unjust. And as long as we live in a fallen, sinful world, that is going to continue.

But that being the case, that means that we must live in this fallen world to, in effect, change around us. We must be in the world, but not of the world.

What kind of things do you see happening around you that you know deep down you are supposed to be speaking up about? In your family. In your workplace. In your community. In our culture. In our nation. Kids. In your school.

Does what you see stir something within you to say something? When you see the evil that's permeated our culture, does righteous anger burn within you so that you're weary from holding it in? You say, "I've got to say something."

See, blowing the whistle is costly. It's dangerous. Yes, perhaps even deadly. But if you're doing what's right, speaking for God, sure, some are going to mock. That's true. Some may even try to do you harm. But if you hold fast, like Jeremiah, you can trust that God will be the one that will vindicate you.

Can you say amen tonight? Why don't we bow our heads and close our eyes as we bring this service to a close? We're going to pray for the youth immediately following the time of prayer here.

Maybe you're here tonight and Jesus is not your Lord and Savior. You are not right with God as we sit here tonight, and you begin to examine your heart, and you just be honest with yourself and you would say, "You know what? If I were to stand before God right now and He were to judge my life, I don't think I would make heaven my home."

And if you can honestly say that and it terrifies you, let me give you some hope. We serve a God who loves you, cares about you, who does not want to see you go to hell. We serve a God who wants you in heaven with Him. And He didn't just say that He loves you. He didn't just say that He wants to be with you. He proved it.

God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son. Whoever believes on Him would not perish, but have everlasting life. God didn't send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that through Him, the world might be saved.

Can I ask you something? Are you saved? Are you right with God tonight? If not, I implore you, do not leave this place until you get your heart right with God.

How do you do that? Jesus said, "Unless you are born again, you will not see the kingdom of God." Okay, so how do I be born again? Romans 10:9, "If you would confess with your mouth, Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved."

For all who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Are you saved tonight? If you're not saved in this place and you would like to be, we want to just pray with you. Would you just lift up your hand very quickly, just up and back down? Perhaps you've fallen away. Perhaps you used to walk with God, but you've fallen away, and you want to come back tonight. Is that you? Would you lift up your hand? We can pray with you, pray a simple prayer of repentance leading to salvation. Is that you? Unsaved? Amen.

Church, I want to open up the altar tonight. I want to open up the altar for a time of prayer. We want to just come and lay hold of God tonight. Some of us are going back to work, some of us going back to school, and how many know there's going to be times that we need to speak up, say something, and we need the strength of God. We need the Holy Ghost. Help us do that.

Let's come tonight. These altars are open. Let's come down and pray. Let's call upon God. Maybe you have something that's unrelated on your heart that you need to speak to God about. I encourage you to come down tonight. These altars are open. Let's pray.

Keep an eye on our Facebook Page for Daily Devotionals based on this message over the next five days.

Written with Love by Pastor Adam Dragoon

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Adam Dragoon 8/22/25 Adam Dragoon 8/22/25

🔥 Living Lit: How to Burn for God Without Burning Out 🔥

The story of Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3 is a powerful reminder that God’s work in our lives is never just about a single moment or a fleeting experience. God is not interested in mere visitations; He desires to inhabit us, to set us aflame with His presence in a way that endures and transforms.

Sermon Summary

Many times, we find ourselves stepping into moments or places where something significant is already happening, but without the backstory, it’s easy to miss the weight of what’s unfolding. This is often how people approach the things of God—seeing others moved, worshiping passionately, but not understanding the depth behind it.

Moses’ life is a study in contrasts: from the heights of Egyptian privilege to the obscurity of shepherding in the desert. At 80, Moses likely saw himself as washed up, his best days behind him. Yet, God saw destiny and purpose where Moses saw only failure and routine. The burning bush was not a random miracle, but a test—would Moses notice the extraordinary in the midst of the ordinary? It was only when Moses turned aside, curious and hungry for more, that God spoke to him. This is a pattern: God often waits for us to draw near, to become attentive and hungry, before He reveals Himself.

When God called Moses by name, it was deeply personal. God didn’t address him by his failures or his occupation, but by his unique identity. This is how God calls each of us—not as faceless numbers, but as beloved individuals with a place in His unfolding story. Yet, before Moses could draw near, God required him to remove his sandals—a symbol of leaving behind fleshly desires and pursuing holiness. God’s presence is holy ground, and intimacy with Him always calls for transformation.

God’s commission to Moses was not based on Moses’ qualifications, but on God’s own sufficiency: “I AM who I AM.” Our calling is anchored not in our abilities, but in God’s presence and power. Like Moses, we may feel unqualified or inadequate, but God’s Spirit animates us, making us vessels for His purposes. The fire of God is available to all who will turn aside, become hungry, and pursue Him with a surrendered heart. This is not just for a select few, but for every believer—God wants to set each of us ablaze, to live “lit” with His Spirit, impacting the world around us.

“The fire of God is available to all who will turn aside, become hungry, and pursue Him with a surrendered heart. This is not just for a select few, but for every believer—God wants to set each of us ablaze, to live “lit” with His Spirit, impacting the world around us.”

— Pastor Adam

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