The Call of Jeremiah
Jeremiah 1:4-10
Intro:
All throughout the scriptures we see God calling men and women to the work of the Kingdom, but some had very special and unique callings. Some included God Himself being very personal with people.
It is God who calls, and it is for His purpose, to fulfill His plan!!!
· Such was the calling of Abraham when God called him from UR of the Chaldees
· Such was the calling of Moses when God appeared to him in the Burning Bush
· The calling of Joshua “Moses My servant is dead”
· The calling of Isaiah: “Who will go for us, and whom shall we send”?
· The calling of Gideon, Samuel, David, Jonah, Disciples
· Such was the calling of Isaiah with his vision of the Glory of God in the temple
· In N.T., Paul’s encounter with God on the Damascus Rd.
Transitional sentence: Today I want to consider the Call of Jeremiah, that great man of God who became known as “Weeping Prophet”. The call of God on Jeremiah’s life can be seen in the following three actions of God
I. The Call of God v. 4-5
1. The call of God: The summon of, the request, the invitation, beckoning, appeal to, plea
2. God Speaks to Jeremiah
· Concerning foreknowledge
a. Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee.
b. Before you came forth from the womb I sanctified thee.
· Concerning Plans
c. Before your parents knew you, or you knew yourself, I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Is. 46:10 “God declares the end from the beginning”
d. You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you Jn. 15:16
e. Consider the prophecies concerning John the Baptist being the forerunner of Jesus
i. Isaiah 40:3 (KJV)
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
II. The Commission of God v. 7
· The commission of God: The assignment, direction, charge, order, or command.
· The Great Commission- contrast
1. Jeremiah Speaks to God
i. Ah Lord God, I cannot speak: for I am a child. These words actually mean "No, Lord God!" Jeremiah pleaded that he was a youth and that he lacked the ability to speak. But God replied that he was being called not because of age or ability but because God had chosen him.
2. God says:
· Do not say: “I am a child”
· For you shall go to all that I shall send thee.
· Whatsoever I command you, you shall speak.
· I have directed you, I’ve charged you, I have ordered you, etc.
3. God touches him v. 9-10
· Here God hand-delivered His words to the mouth of Jeremiah
· He also gave him his orders, tare down, take apart, destroy and build over again.
4. There were times when Jeremiah felt like giving up
f. At times Jeremiah tried to hold back from his prophetic proclamation. But he found that the word of the Lord was "like a burning fire shut up in my bones
III. The Commitment of God v. 8
· God’s Commitment: His Promise, vow, pledge, oath, assurance, binder, obligation
· God’s commitment is to be with him, to give him the words to say and look after him
o Hasn’t He said that “I will go with until the end”; “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee”?
o God Says:
§ I will, and have given you the words to say.
§ Don’t be afraid of their faces, I am with thee to deliver thee.
§ God will never tell you to go where His grace can’t keep you.
· But you must also stay committed to God like Elisha was to Elijah
1. He was called one day when Elijah passed by enroot to Damascus and threw his mantle upon him.
2. He was immediately called to the ministry
3. Slaughtered his oxen prepared a meal
4. Kissed his family goodbye and followed the call of God on his life.
2. II Kings 2:1-15
Application for today: God is still calling! He is still commissioning! And He is still committed to His people that obey his call and commission!
Conclusion: Has God been calling you?
The Call of God will have a profound impact on your life. I was headed to one destination in my life, but that was not my destiny. The Call of God literally changed my entire life and all my plans.
