Dec 31, 2006

12.31.2006: Preached at Grace Baptist



My new choice for a Bible is my new ESV Bible. It was on sale at Books-A-Million for 30% off and an extra 10% for BAM Club Members. Original price was $29.99. It was a great deal and it has a great cover. I found it matched the NASB very well in my selected texts. The sermon outline is below.

GOD KNOWS WHOM HE CALLS” (JEREMIAH 1.4-10)

Teenage Christians are the church of tomorrow, right? NO! Neither are any of us the future of the Church- we are to do something now, not the future. The work of the Church is not for pastors or other ministers. It is for all of us.

John 1.12: “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
God has no grandchildren. Look at Jeremiah as an example:

THE CALL
4Now 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."

BEFORE BIRTH: Known, Consecrated, Appointed
• v.5a- God knows us before birth (a good argument against abortion)
• v.5b- He makes plans for His chosen from the foundation of the earth (“even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the worldEphesians 1.4)
*I was ordained at 35 by an SBC church, but if my ordination is true, God did it from “the foundation of the earth”


THE CORRECTION
6Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth." 7But 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. 8Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD."

EXCUSES OFFERED
• v.6- objection based on his age. We may say “too old,” “can’t speak well” (see Exodus 4.10: “But Moses said to the LORD, ‘Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.’”) Age here; Ours: fear, offense, busy, prohibited where we are

EXCUSES ANSWERED
• v.7, 8- God knows whom He has called and has sent us anyway. NO ROOM FOR EXCUSES, PUT THEM AWAY.

WE CANNOT SURPRISE GOD WITH OUR WEAKNESSES!
• “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strongI Corinthians 1.27

THE COMMISSION
9Then 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. 10See, 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."

THE LORD EQUIPS AND POSITIONS
• v.9- God places His Word inside of us
• v.10- He sets us up where He wants us: Like Esther: “And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4.14b)

THE LORD PROVIDES RESOURCES
• It’s His Word we are to “go into all the world and proclaim…” (Mark 16.15) and “it shall not return… empty” (Isaiah 55.11). His Word is “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4.12)
• We have no excuse for not doing His will. This church should be growing as a result of the daily witnessing and preaching of the Gospel. Do the work; God will bring His harvest.

Conclusion: God has called us. He knows why we are not worthy or able to follow His call. He is not surprised and calls us despite our age or ability. Commit yourself to Him today and learn about His Word so you can share it with others.

3 comments:

Dave Norris said...

It is interesting that Jeremiah's ministry was two-thirds negative and only one-third positive (Jeremiah 1:10) which is something Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, and Robert H. Schuller need to learn.

pregador27 said...

True. Does not fit with their watered-down theology, does it?

Rand said...

Before Rick Warren, Bill Hybels and Robert H. Shuller can learn anything, they first have to learn to fear God...

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)

These men need to be saved, for they most certainly are not today.

Later,