Call & Response: Jeremiah
Notes
Transcript
“Words”
“Words”
Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.” But the Lord said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am only a boy’;
for you shall go to all to whom I send you,
and you shall speak whatever I command you.
Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
says the Lord.”
Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me,
“Now I have put my words in your mouth.
See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,
to pluck up and to pull down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.”
Words Matter
linguaphile - a language or word lover
Throughout this series we have heard God speak into the lives of people in these Biblical texts.
Some old, some young, some men, some women, some directly, and some through others, but God has been at the center of it all.
God’s words have gone out to these people and they have yet to come back void. This week is no different.
Jeremiah is the son of a priest in a small town a short distance from Jerusalem. He is young, late teens/early 20’s and he here’s God speak to him.
Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
The Wesleyan Bible Commentary, Volume 3: Isaiah–Malachi 1. God’s Appointment (1:4–6)
Jeremiah became conscious of God’s call on his life in the thirteenth year of Josiah’s reign (25:3). God spoke directly to him rather than through some vision or ecstasy. This word informed him of God’s election, I knew thee; God’s creation, I formed thee; God’s consecration, I sanctified thee; and God’s installation, I have appointed thee. The call was to the prophetic office, i.e., to be God’s spokesman (one who tells forth) unto the nations, indicating that Jeremiah had more than a local ministry to fulfill.
God’s election —> “I knew you...” —> Wisdom and understanding
God’s creation —> “I formed you...” —> created like a potter makes something
God’s consecration —> “I sanctified you...” —> set apart for a purpose
God’s installation —> “I have appointed you...” —>To be set for use
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
—> God spoke these words to Jeremiah and when Jeremiah gave excuses God gave affirmation to what his call was.
Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.” But the Lord said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am only a boy’;
for you shall go to all to whom I send you,
and you shall speak whatever I command you.
Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
says the Lord.”
Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me,
“Now I have put my words in your mouth.
See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,
to pluck up and to pull down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.”