SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON, NOVEMBER 19,2017. TOPIC: GOD CALLS A MESSANGER.

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON, NOVEMBER 19,2017

TOPIC: God Calls a Messenger.
Memory Verse: Jeremiah 1:5. Before I formed thee in the belly I know thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations (KJV).

Lesson text: Jeremiah 1:1-19.

CENTRAL TRUTH: Christians are to follow God’s plan for their lives.
FOCUS: To examine God’s call on Jeremiah’s life and submit to God’s plan for our lives.

    OUTLINE:
1. God Knows Those He Calls
A. The Time of Jeremiah’s Calls
B. God calls Jeremiah
2. God Provides the Message
A. God’s word in Jeremiah’s Mouth
B. Two Visions
3. God Prepares His Messenger
A. Prepared for Action
B. Assurance for Jeremiah.

                Learning Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, students will be able to :
1. What God will do if they answer His call.
2. Explain how God looks past human limitation in calling his messengers.
3. Pursue their part and accept God’s part in preparing them for God’s plan


       Introducing the Lesson
  Have you ever been assigned a task that you felt totally ill-equipped to perform, or have you ever had to deliver a message you were reluctant to give?
   Jeremiah was given a thankless task and a message of judgment. His prophetic ministry came during a chaotic time in Judah’s history. Assyria, Babylon, and Egypt were struggling for power. Spiritually, Judah was on the decline. Jeremiah did not feel adequate for the task, but God was not so much concerned with Jeremiah’s adequacy as his availability.
    Today’s lesson reveals that when God calls an individual He will also enable him to fulfill the call. Jeremiah made himself available and God used him in a mighty prophetic ministry
       
                         COMMENTARY AND APPLICATION
1. God Knows Those He Calls
A. The Time of Jeremiah’s Call.  Jeremiah 1:1-3
        QUESTION: What was the relationship between the nations of Israel and Judah?
  After King Solomon died, Israel was divided into two distinct nations ( 2Chronicles 10:1 through 11:4). The northern ten tribes retained the name Israel and made Sameria their capital city.
  The southern tribes of
Judah Benjamin adopted the name Judah and kept Jerusalem as their capital city. The Northern Kingdom ( Israel) was comparatively more wicked than Judah, so God sent the people into exile, using the Assyrians in 722BC. Sadly, Judah did not learn from Israel’s experience and followed the same path of idolatary and sin which culminated in Judah’s own exile to Babylon about 136 years later. The prophet Jeremiah lived in the final years of the Southern Kingdom (Judah), and was called to prepare the people for the exile.
        Jeremiah was called by God to be a priest. But his call to his prophetic ministry came about five years prior to the reign of Josiah (Jeremiah 1:1-2). During Josiah’s reign the book of the Law was found while the temple was being repaired (see 2Chronicles 34:1-21). This event led to a resurgence of spiritual commitment during Josiah’s reign as the people began to observe the Law, particularly the celebration of Passover for the first time in many years (2Chronicles 35:1). Overall, optimism for national revival surged in the early years of Jeremiah’s ministry.
       A political resurgence also occurred as Judah renewed her independence as a nation, as Assyria’s strength dwindled and a transition of power began to take place. Judah took advantage of the opportunity during this power vacuum and regained independence under King Josiah. Their independence was short-lived, however, because Josiah died in battle (609 BC).A succession of ineffective Kings followed Josiah during the time when Babylon developed into a regional power. Judah was no match for Babylon during the final years of her existence as a nation and served as a vassal state until her exile in 586 BC (Jeremiah 1-3).

B. God Calls Jeremiah.  Jeremiah 1:4-5
     After a chronological summary of Jeremiah’s prophetic ministry, Jeremiah recounted his call to ministry ( Jeremiah 1:4).
QUESTION: What was unique about God’s relationship with Jeremiah?
     Verse 5 makes it clear that God knew Jeremiah before Jeremiah’s conception. Jeremiah’s birth was by design, and not by chance. While Jeremiah was being formed in his mother’s womb, God set him apart for a purpose-a prophetic ministry to Judah. God called Jeremiah to be a prophet when Jeremiah was probably a teenager or a young man.

2. God Provides the Message.
A. God’s Words in Jeremiah’s Mouth - Jeremiah 1:6-10.
      Jeremiah’s initial response to God’s call was not like Moses’ or Isaiah’s call. Although the Hebrew word translated “child” ( verse 6) can refer to a male anywhere from wearing age to youth, Jeremiah was likely old enough to effectively present God’s message to Judah. Yet he claimed he could not speak because of his youthfulness.
     God rebuke Jeremiah for his excuse ( verse 7). God promised to be with him wherever God sent him and to give him a message to speak. Jeremiah only had to rely on God’s strength and message.
      Jeremiah was aware of Israel’s past history of rebellion and idolatry, as well as how God’s own people treated the prophets. Even though God called him, Jeremiah was still apprehensive. To give him confidence, God promised to be with him and to deliver him ( verse 8). Jeremiah didn’t need to be afraid of those to whom he was sent.
    Verse 9 is reminiscent of Isaiah, an angel was sent with a line coal to touch Isaiah’s lips. For Jeremiah, God Himself touched his lips, declaring that He has put His words in Jeremiah’s mouth.
    Verse 10 is one of the most important verses in the Book of Jeremiah as it establishes the purpose for Jeremiah’s call. Though the words that God would give, Jeremiah was to root out, Pull down, destroy, and throw down. These four terms convey the idea that the emphasis of Jeremiah’s message would be on judgment. Yet the message was not without hope. The last two words – to build and plant-show that although judgment was assured, God is merciful. Restoration would follow. This message of judgment and hope was God’s commission for Jeremiah.
     Many believers have been frightened concerning their call to do something for God. Like Jeremiah, we can be assured that if God has called us to do a task for him, He will empower us and provide us with the world we need. We can fully trust in God to perform through us what He has called us to do.

B. Two Visions - Jeremiah 1:11-16
     Almond trees were common in Anathoth, Jeremiah’s hometown. In fact, Anathoth was a regional centre for almond growers. God used this vision to instruct Jeremiah concerning the timing and certainty of His message.
    The almond tree was the first tree to bud in the spring. This early-blooming tree is compared to the message Jeremiah was given. God’s word will always blossom or fulfilled soon. This vision implies that the fulfillment of God’s message would come soon.
   In fact, there was a word play in the original language. The words “almond” and “watching” sound very similar. This play on words gave Jeremiah an easy way to remember what God had said. This would be helpful during times when he was tempted to doubt the word of the Lord. God’s word would be fulfilled soon, just as the almond tree bloods early .God’s message was certain to be fulfilled because He was watching over it in the same way He watched over the almond tree.
    Just as Jeremiah could trust God’s word, we can trust God’s word to us. Though the written word, we know God’s plan for us as we serve Him. We can also witness with confidence, knowing that God’s Spirit who indwells us will empower us.
    The second vision God gave Jeremiah was of a tilted cooking pot. The pot was “tilting away from the north” (Jeremiah 1:13). The pot was north of Judah. The boiling liquid in the pot was described as an ‘evil”(verse 14,KJV),a disaster (NIV),that was about to be poured out on the land. The contents of the pot- God’s judgment-would be accomplished by nations north of Israel ( verse 15). These invaders would conquer Jerusalem, setting up their thrones at the entrance to the city.
QUESTION: What do Jeremiah’s two visions reveal about God’s message?
     There are four basic characteristic of God’s message these two visions shows. First, the blossoms and tilted pot showed that Jeremiah’s prophecies would be fulfilled soon. Second, the almond/watching word play confirmed that God ensured His word would be fulfilled. Third, the boiling liquid showed that God would judge His people. Finally, the pot tilting away from the north revealed that a people north of Judah would be God’s agents of wrath.
   The nation of Israel had forsaken God and had worshipped idols (verse 16). Although Jeremiah would be sent with a message of repentance, God would still not withhold His judgment against His people who had committed such wickedness.
    No one likes to hear a message of judgment. Yet a time is coming when God will judge those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour. Just as Jeremiah proclaimed a message of repentance, God also wants us to proclaim God’s love and forgiveness for sinners, warning them of coming judgment.

3. God Prepares His Messenger
A. Prepared For Action- Jeremiah 1:17.
QUESTION: Considering the nature of Jeremiah’s message of judgment (Jeremiah 1:11-16) how might the prophet have felt after seeing the visions?
     God anticipated that Jeremiah would be apprehensive, so He gave him a change intended to instill confidence in him. It was time for Jeremiah to be a man of God. Any excuses about his age or inexperience were irrelevant because God would provide the inner strength he needed.
     God first commanded Jeremiah to make preparation for his ministry: “Gird up thy loins!” (Jeremiah 1:17). This figurative language pointed to an ancient Mideasterm soldier’s preparation for battle. The situations that Jeremiah would face demanded an outlook similar to that of a person preparing to face the dangers of warfare. Along flowing robe is too restrictive for a person fighting a battle. The robe needed to be tired up around the waist. With loins girded, a challenge. God was showing Jeremiah that preparation is the key to facing adversity (see 1 Peter 1:13).
      Jeremiah was also commanded to take action: ”Arise, and speak unto them” (verse 17). He was a spokesman for God, and the prophetic ministry requires Jeremiah to declare God’s message. This distinguished Jeremiah from the false prophets who made up their own messages-false messages that stated what the masses wanted to hear.
   Jeremiah also needed to have the proper disposition. The difficult message and anticipated response could make him fearful. Yet God sternly warned that He would become Jeremiah’s adversary if he recoiled in fear.
   People often make decisions based on how others will perceive them instead of on the basis of what is right or wrong. Jeremiah was to reliever this message regardless of the response of the people because it was right in the sight of God. If Christians make decisions based on how the Lord will assess them rather than what other people think, they will also please the Lord as Jeremiah did.

B. Assurance  for Jeremiah- Jeremiah 1:18-19
      

       Jeremiah 1:18 described Jeremiah as anything but fearful. Using military symbols, God saw Jeremiah’s potential to be like a city prepared for battle. Although Jeremiah was only one man called to speak prophetically to an entire nation, these overwhelming odds were not to him. Because God was his source of protection, Jeremiah could stand as strong as the strongest military fortress!

     Verse 19 reveals the reason Jeremiah needed to be as strong as a military fortress: the severe opposition by God’s people. The military language of verse 18 is appropriate because the people of Judah would “fight” against Jeremiah and God’s message ( verse 19). God did not hide the struggle that Jeremiah would face from his own people, but let him know that God himself would come to his rescue. This promise undoubtedly reminded Jeremiah of the many instances when God delivered Israel. God’s past record of reliability would inspire Jeremiah to trust the Lord during any struggle with the people of Judah.

         DISCIPLESHIP IN ACTION.

God called Jeremiah to speak an unpopular message. He gave Jeremiah the responsibility of conveying that message to Judah. God could have sent His message some other way, but He chose to use an ordinary person to convey His message.

    Christians has been giving same responsibility similar to that of Jeremiah’s. We have been commissioned to share the good news and make disciples. In some places, people are receptive to the gospel. In some other places, people are resistance to the gospel that they attempt to persecute or even kill the messenger of the Christ. This is closer to Jeremiah’s experience when he shared God’s word.

    Regardless of how people respond, God has promised to go with us as we share the message of His love. We are not to shrink back at the thought of rejection or persecution. Rather, we are to boldly proclaim God’s message to a sinful world.

           MINISTRY IN ACTION

      Perhaps you know of someone who has resisted God’s message of salvation. Begin this week to pray for that individual . Ask God to soften this person’s heart. Ask the Holy Spirit to do His convicting work ( John 16:8). Then prepare your heart to be the witness that God wants you to be.