Jeremiah 1 4-10
Epiphany 4
Jeremiah 1: 4-10
February 1, 2004
“God Purpose For Your Life”
Introduction: Twenty-five young teenagers are sitting at their desks in the classroom, minds focused on anything and everything except the complex algebra problem that their teacher is writing on the board. Suddenly, their reverie is broken by the word of the teacher: "I need a volunteer to come to the board and solve this simple binomial equation." Immediately, students become deeply involved with books under their desks. Pencils suddenly drop to the floor. Eyes become engrossed on a page, any page, in textbooks. No one dares look at the teacher. "Jerry, what about you?" asks the teacher. "I know you can do it."
Jerry's heart sinks to the bottom of his new high-top shoes. "Why me?" he thinks. "I can't do this. I'll be humiliated in front of everybody. I can't do this. That teacher has it in for me for no reason." Jerry rapidly sorts through his mental file of excuses: bad back, flu, torn hamstring muscle, chalk allergy, dentist appointment. None seem appropriate. Jerry slowly drags himself to the board. "Come on, Jerry. I'll be up here with you," encourages his teacher. "We'll go through this together." Jerry picks up the chalk. His mind goes blank. Poor Jerry.
We know that sinking feeling all too well. Each of us has been challenged to accomplish a task that seemed to require more of us than we thought we were able to give. Each of us has a prepared list of reasonable excuses for just such occasions. Each of us, like Jerry, remembers times in which refusal was not an option.
This is precisely what happened to another young boy, Jeremiah, about 627 B.C. in a small town just three miles northeast of Jerusalem. It was not the words of an algebra teacher that startled Jeremiah. It was the word of the Lord. It was not a call to solve a complex math problem that Jeremiah resisted. It was a call to be a prophet to nations in great political, military, and religious turmoil. It was not a call to stay in the classroom. It was a call to "go wherever I send you and speak whatever I command you.” The Lord did not ask Jeremiah to perform a relatively easy task based on a previous homework assignment. The Lord asked Jeremiah to shatter the complacency of an entire people, "to break down, to destroy, and to overthrow.” And while incurring the wrath of both his peers and government leaders, “to build and to plant” seeds of renewal and hope. This surely was an impossible mission, a mission that would definitely lead to rejection, beatings, and banishment. In other words, Jeremiah saw himself to be in serious trouble.
Poor Jeremiah, he lived in tumultuous and troubled times of upheaval. Once-powerful Assyria to the northwest had become overextended in its vast empire. Egypt to the south was regaining its military strength. Babylonia to the northeast was beginning to flex its military muscles. And here was tiny Judah and its capital Jerusalem, right in the middle of these behemoths, struggling to survive the certain cataclysm that was on the horizon.
Judah's leaders attempted all sorts of political treaties. The religious leaders even incorporated the worship of Assyrian and Babylonian gods into temple worship of the Lord. And now God was calling young Jeremiah to speak the word of the Lord in the midst of this chaos. Poor Jeremiah, he tried the best excuse in his repertoire to get out of this awesome request: "Ah, Lord God, I don't know how to speak, for I am only a boy.”
But the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah. When you read this phrase, The Word of the Lord,” especially in Jeremiah, God exhibits His powerful, active, dynamic force. The Word of the Lord, the vital power of the Lord, came to Jeremiah, moving him to accept a new task and a new relationship which he was reluctant to assume. It was this word of the Lord that continued to be a driving force for Jeremiah throughout his forty-year ministry. For Jeremiah, for us, the word of the Lord moves, challenges, supports, and compels. It permeates our existence. It envelopes us and nourishes us in everlasting relationship.
Notice how the Lord reminds Jeremiah of a loving relationship that began even before birth. "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.” Here, “knew” in the biblical sense describes a deep and profoundly intimate relationship of love. Before Jeremiah was born, God took the initiative in beginning a loving relationship with him. God set apart Jeremiah for a holy mission. It is important to note that while it is true that God loved Jeremiah, God chooses Jeremiah to accomplish His purposes which is bigger than Jeremiah and yet still embraces him. God’s purpose is ultimately accomplished through His Word.
In the end it is not Jeremiah that is important but what God accomplishes through Him and for him. Rick Warren wrote the book, “The Purpose Driven Life, What on Earth Am I Here For, ” which has been on the “New York Times” best seller list for 53 weeks. In contrast to all the self help books that direct people to look within themselves to find their reason for existence, Rick Warren rightly notes that our purpose and identity are not found within ourselves. Rather, he points out, our purpose is not about us or about who we are or who we will become. Our purpose is bigger than ourselves and ultimately our purpose is to glorify God as He accomplishes what He wills through us and His Word working in our lives. We find our ultimate purpose in Christ.
For this purpose we have been chosen. We also have been chosen for a deep, intimate relationship with God, from birth. The Psalmist writes, (Psalm 139) “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! We also have been chosen and set apart at baptism; launched by the Word of the Lord on a holy mission into this world to glorify God. Jesus told his disciples, and he tells us, "You did not choose me, I chose you, that you should go and bear fruit" (John 15:16). The word of the Lord takes initiative in our lives, too.
How do we glorify God? We glorify Him by believing in the one Son that He sent into the world. As I said God’s purpose is ultimately accomplished through His Word as it is the very power of God. That power was expressly and ultimately revealed in the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ who dwelt amongst us. That power of God was given as He has spoken His gospel to us. The power of the living Word of God is ultimately expressed in His death on the cross for our sins, and in His resurrection from the dead. We glorify God by bearing witness to the Word of God that we have been given, as we bear witness to Jesus Christ as we work and as we play, in our homes and in our schools and wherever we go. And so doing we proclaim God Word to people held captive by Satan and sin. God frees them through His life giving Gospel.
Again, how do we glorify God? We glorify Him as we express His love towards each other and to the people that God brings into our lives. As the Apostle Paul wrote in the Epistle for today, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” This is how we glorify God. This is our holy mission.
Fear and excuses don't work very well when the word of the Lord has come upon us. They surely didn't work with Jeremiah. You see, Jeremiah was not to be alone in his holy mission. Neither are we. Are you afraid of rejection and suffering? “Be not afraid ... for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord” (v. 8). Are you anxious and uncertain about what you might say or do? The Lord touched Jeremiah's mouth and said, "See, I have put my words into your mouth" (v. 9). The dynamic, vital power of the Lord was with Jeremiah. That power of the Word of God is with us as well.
It was not easy, even then. Throughout his entire ministry Jeremiah wrestled mightily with his fear and perceived weakness. Jeremiah's anxiety often came into conflict with his prophetic mission. His heartrending struggles with the Lord are described over and over again. Yet, in pouring out his inner turmoil to the Lord, he found renewal and strength. The word of the Lord did not desert him. Jeremiah was never on his own. Neither are we. The word of the Lord is also with us.
A young woman was packing for her first year at a distant university. Until her very last day at home, she appeared to be eager to venture out on her own. Then, as the last suitcase was loaded into the car, tears came to her eyes and she threw herself into the arms of her parents. "All right, I admit it. I'm scared, too. I might not make it. I'll miss you." Her parents, who were also in tears by this time, presented their daughter with a plaque on which these words were engraved: "The word of God will never lead you where the love of God cannot keep you." That plaque remains prominently displayed in her law office today. "Do not be afraid ... I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord" (v. 8).
God has delivered us from confusion and hopelessness. In Jesus Christ, the word of the Lord has entered our lives. In and through the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ the word of the Lord has indeed come to us with dynamic, vital, forgiving power. Do not be afraid to embark on a holy mission. The Lord is with you. Today, by God’s grace we are the people of God. His Word has called us. His Word instructs us. His Word is in our hearts, our minds and our lips as He uses us to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our authority is His Word. Our assurance is His Word. Our power is His Word. For to us also the Lord who formed us in the womb says, “I have put my words in your mouth.” May God grant it for Jesus’ sake. Amen