Sermon Title: “Embrace the Shift: Embracing Change and Personal Growth”
Key Scripture: Isaiah 43:18-19
- Sermon Focus: Highlight the importance of embracing change and personal growth to make the most of opportunities. Discuss the benefits of flexibility, adaptability, and a growth mindset. Provide practical insights on how to navigate transitions and embrace new seasons of life.
- Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
- Philippians 3:13-14 NIV Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Jeremiah was called by God to be a prophet to the nations during a time of great national crisis for the people of Judah. His ministry spanned several decades, and he faced immense challenges and opposition throughout his prophetic journey.
- At the beginning of his call as a prophet, Jeremiah was just a young man (Jeremiah 1:6). He felt inadequate and inexperienced, doubting his ability to fulfill the daunting task of proclaiming God’s messages to a rebellious and stubborn people. However, God reassured Jeremiah and promised to be with him (Jeremiah 1:7-8).
- Throughout his ministry, Jeremiah faced rejection, persecution, and personal hardships. He was called the “weeping prophet” due to the emotional toll of delivering messages of judgment and destruction upon his own people, knowing that they would not listen or repent (Jeremiah 9:1; Jeremiah 13:17).
- Despite the challenges and personal struggles, Jeremiah remained faithful to his prophetic calling. He continually sought to be obedient to God’s commands and faithfully delivered His messages, even when it brought him scorn and ridicule from the people and leaders of Judah.
The Calling
Jeremiah 1:4-8 NIV The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
Challenges Jeremiah Faced:
1. Opposition and Rejection (Jeremiah 11:18-23): Jeremiah faced opposition and rejection from those who were unwilling to accept his prophetic messages of God’s judgment and calling for repentance, leading to hostility from his own people.
2. Persecution from Leaders and False Prophets (Jeremiah 20:1-6): Jeremiah endured persecution and mistreatment from powerful leaders and false prophets who opposed his message and sought to silence him.
3. Emotional Strain and Weeping (Jeremiah 9:1; Jeremiah 13:17): The weight of delivering messages of impending judgment upon his beloved homeland caused Jeremiah emotional strain and deep weeping, reflecting the personal toll of his prophetic ministry.
4. Reluctance due to Youth and Inexperience (Jeremiah 1:6): Jeremiah felt inadequate and reluctant to take on the prophetic role due to his young age and lack of experience, but God assured him of His presence and empowerment.
5. Delivering Messages of Judgment to His Own People (Jeremiah 20:7-9): Jeremiah struggled with the heavy responsibility of delivering God’s messages of judgment and destruction upon his own people, leading to feelings of frustration and a desire to give up.
These challenges showcase the difficult and emotionally taxing nature of Jeremiah’s prophetic ministry, as he faithfully delivered God’s messages despite opposition and personal struggles.
Example
- Jeremiah 19:15 NIV “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Listen! I am going to bring on this city and all the villages around it every disaster I pronounced against them, because they were stiff-necked and would not listen to my words.’ ”
The Retaliation
Pashhur was a priest in the time of the prophet Jeremiah. He was the son of Immer, who was the chief officer in the house of the Lord (Jeremiah 20:1). Pashhur held a significant position of authority and influence within the religious establishment.
His Motive:
Pashhur was motivated by opposition to Jeremiah’s prophetic messages.
- He was disturbed and angered by Jeremiah’s warnings of God’s judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem due to their disobedience and idolatry.
- Pashhur, being a representative of the religious establishment, likely felt threatened by Jeremiah’s prophecies, which challenged the religious status quo and exposed the corruption within the priesthood.
Pashhur’s Actions:
As a result of his opposition and anger towards Jeremiah, Pashhur took drastic actions against the prophet.
- He had Jeremiah arrested and put in stocks at the Upper Gate of Benjamin, a public display of humiliation and punishment (Jeremiah 20:2).
The Message
Jeremiah’s Response:
Jeremiah 20:7-11 NIV You deceived me, Lord, and I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me. 8 Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long.
9 But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.
10 I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side! Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!” All my friends are waiting for me to slip, saying, “Perhaps he will be deceived; then we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him.”
11 But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten.
- However, Jeremiah’s prophecies proved to be true, and the Babylonian invasion, as warned by the prophet, eventually came upon Judah.
- After the Babylonians captured Jerusalem, Pashhur was among those taken into captivity (Jeremiah 20:6).
Pashhur’s fate was a consequence of his resistance to God’s message through Jeremiah. His actions led to personal and national consequences, demonstrating the seriousness of opposing God’s Word and the outcome of disregarding the call to repentance.
Jeremiah 29 message to the people in exile
Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Closing
Jeremiah’s commitment to pressing forward despite past hardships and ongoing challenges serves as an example of courage and determination in fulfilling God’s purposes. He did not allow his past doubts or the difficulties of his prophetic ministry to deter him from speaking God’s truth.
Through Jeremiah’s life, we are reminded that following God’s calling may not always be easy, and it may require us to leave behind past doubts, disappointments, and struggles. However, like Jeremiah, we can find strength and guidance from God as we press forward in faith, trusting that He is with us and will equip us for the tasks He sets before us. Jeremiah’s story encourages us to be steadfast in following God’s leading and faithfully fulfilling His purposes for our lives.