April 5, 2011
HE SAYS YOU CAN!
Jeremiah 1
Bridget Horan
Central Truth
God chose Jeremiah to go out into the world and speak His truth. This meant Jeremiah had to trust God, not what he thought he was able or not able to do.
Key Verse | Jeremiah 1:5–6
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
And before you were born I consecrated you;
I have appointed you a prophet to the nations."
Then I said, "Alas, Lord GOD!
Behold, I do not know how to speak,
Because I am a youth."
(Jeremiah 1:5-6)
Jeremiah 1
1 The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, 2 to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. 3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.
The Call of Jeremiah
4 Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
5
“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.”
6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” 7 But the LORD said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’;
for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,
and whatever I command you, you shall speak.
8
Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
declares the LORD.”
9 Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the LORD said to me,
“Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.
10
See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms,
to pluck up and to break down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.”
11 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond 1 1:11 Almond sounds like the Hebrew for watching (compare verse 12) branch.” 12 Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.”
13 The word of the LORD came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north.” 14 Then the LORD said to me, “Out of the north disaster 2 1:14 The Hebrew word can mean evil, harm, or disaster, depending on the context; so throughout Jeremiah shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land. 15 For behold, I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, declares the LORD, and they shall come, and every one shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls all around and against all the cities of Judah. 16 And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me. They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands. 17 But you, dress yourself for work; 3 1:17 Hebrew gird up your loins arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. 18 And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the LORD, to deliver you.”
Dive Deeper | Jeremiah 1
"I can't do that!" We hear that often. It may be out of fear of rejection or embarrassment, insecurity, or lack of knowledge. But sometimes, when we step out, we may surprise ourselves, just as Jeremiah was surprised. Is making a mistake so bad? I tell students, "Everyone makes mistakes. The important thing is to try to learn from them." Sometimes, I should listen to myself.
While in Ethiopia on a mission trip, our group ventured out into different villages each day. My comfort zone is working with children, playing games, telling stories from the Bible (with a translator interpreting), and sharing how I became a Christian. I do not feel very intimidated or frightened in those situations. But one day, I was asked to share my story in front of a group of adults. An elderly man became very interested and asked many questions. My translator was encouraging me to tell him more and show him God's truth in the Bible. During this time, other men came up around us and started to pull the elderly man away from me, yelling things. They didn't like what I had to say. Despite fear of the situation and anxiousness about sharing with the man, I knew God had me there for a reason. I will never know if that elderly man or any other bystander decided to believe in the Lord, but the Lord knows, and that is what matters.
God has given each of us special talents and interests, and sometimes we may not know what we are capable of until we are put into a situation. Just as the Lord promises in Jeremiah 1:7-8, He is with us always, and we should not be afraid. This is easier said than done in the world around us. Jeremiah did not feel like he had the words to speak, but God proved him wrong. When I find myself in doubt, I smile when God proves me wrong, strengthens me, and uses me.
Discussion Questions
1. Do you trust the Lord in all areas of your life? Your job? Your finances? Your family? Your possessions? Your future?
2. Do you think that there are certain things you are not capable of accomplishing? Because of your age? Your knowledge? Your current position in life?
3. What can you do to build your self-confidence and maybe your knowledge?
4. We all need encouragement from others, just like I received from the translator. Do you have people around you who encourage you and challenge you? Possibly a community group, Bible study, or accountability group? If you do not, I encourage you to take steps to find this for yourself. The Lord will help you learn from others and share your personal experiences in those relationships.
WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY
ISAIAH 66–JEREMIAH 4 (APR 4-8)
Read Jeremiah 1:4-10.
1. How long ago did God set Jeremiah apart as His prophet?
2. What was Jeremiah worried about? (verse 6)
3. How did God reassure Jeremiah? (verses 8-9)
4. What did God call Jeremiah to do? (verse 10)
5. Why would the words that Jeremiah was sent to tell the nations cause these different things to happen (i.e. pluck up, break down, destroy, overthrow, build, and plant)?
6. Is it hard or easy for you to tell others about the truth of who Jesus is?
Activity: Plant a Basil Garden
Before the kingdoms and nations were ready for building and planting, they had to be prepared. Follow the progression outlined in Jeremiah 1: pluck up, break down, destroy, overthrow, build, and plant.
Get a small piece of land (think 2x2) ready for planting. First, pluck up the weeds and grass that might be infesting the space. Break down and turn the soil with a rake, hoe, or small shovel, getting it ready for planting. Make sure there are no weeds. Next, build up the area with new, fertile top soil (from your local home and garden store). Finally, scatter your seeds. Be sure to gently cover the seeds with soil. Be sure to water. Last, wait patiently and faithfully.
Think about the garden and what it shows us about sharing truth with others and how it might take time and patience and work!
(Note: if you don't have space for the garden, get a pot or plastic dish and go through the process with outside dirt and stuff from the store.)