I have often thought that a preacher should be able to tell you what his sermon is about in one sentence; that way, he knows what he is talking about. Although I cannot do it in one sentence, I can do it in two. Here they are. First, God is able to take our nothing’s and make some things, out of them. Second, God’s responses to Jeremiah often parallel His responses to us when we are trying get out of things that He calls us to do. That’s it.
Here is the outline. He asked Jeremiah to deliver a message to Judah. Jeremiah said that he could not do it because he was nothing but a youth. The Central idea was: “God’s responses to Jeremiah’s sense of nothingness may parallel some of His responses to us when we are trying to get out of the things that He calls us to do. Here are some of His responses:
1. Don’t make excuses to get out of what I called you to do. (Jer.1:7). Jeremiah SAID,” I am a youth”. God’s response was, “Don’t say that I am a youth.” Like Jeremiah, we make excuses. We have said that we are too old, too, young or too tired. God told Jeremiah that he had no excuses and that he was going to do what he was told.
The reason Jeremiah had no excuse is because he had God’s support. In Verse 8 God said that He was with Jeremiah to deliver him. Here is another response.
2. God gave Jeremiah His Words (Verse 9). God will take us and all of our nothingness and equip us. With God, a carpentar gets a hammer, a lawyer gets the legal code, and a messenger gets the message. Yes. A preacher gets The Word of God. WOW!
3. God gave Jeremiah a vision. Two in fact (Verses 11&12) God’s call is often accompanied by a vision. God’s call to Jeremiah was the vision. Sometimes it is the vision. The almond tree bloomed much earlier than other trees. The almond tree vision was God’s way of telling Jeremiah that He was aware, alert, keenly alert to what was going on in Judah and He would keep his Word in response to Babylon’s idolatry. Jeremiah overcame his sense of inadequacy and delivered God’s message.
It is true that God takes us in our nothingness and make some pretty good things out of us. He makes us to become the best friends, the best husbands, wives, coworkers, and, yes, the best bloggers, in keeping with His Word if we follow His lead.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Life Step Ministries 