Responding to God's Call: Embracing First-Time Obedience

Summary

In our journey through the book of Jeremiah, we explore the profound theme of wrestling with the call of God. This morning, we delved into the concept of "first-time obedience," a principle often applied in parenting, and reflected on how it relates to our spiritual lives. Just as we strive to teach our children to obey the first time we speak, we must ask ourselves how well we respond to God's call the first time we hear it. Often, we find ourselves making excuses or hesitating, much like Jeremiah did when God called him to be a prophet.

Jeremiah's story is a powerful reminder that God calls each of us to His work. Before Jeremiah was even born, God knew him, set him apart, and ordained him as a prophet. This divine foreknowledge and purpose extend to us as well. God calls us to salvation, to be His witnesses, and to use our unique gifts for His glory. Some may even be called to full-time ministry. The key is to start by being obedient to what we already know God has called us to do.

Despite our objections and fears, God empowers those He calls. He reassures us, as He did with Jeremiah, that He will be with us, provide for us, and give us the words to speak. God doesn't call the equipped; He equips the called. We are reminded that what God says, He will do. His promises are sure, and His word will come to pass.

Ultimately, God calls us to obedience. Just as Jeremiah was called to speak God's words to the nations, we are called to be faithful in our own spheres of influence. Whether it's sharing the gospel with our children, being a light in our workplace, or stepping into a new ministry, God asks us to trust Him and obey. As we respond to His call, we can be confident that He will strengthen us and ensure that His purposes are fulfilled.

Key Takeaways:

1. God's Call and Our Obedience: God calls each of us to His work, just as He called Jeremiah. Our response should be one of first-time obedience, without hesitation or excuses. We must be willing to say "yes" to God, trusting that He knows us and has set us apart for His purposes. [05:23]

2. Facing Our Objections: Like Jeremiah, we often object to God's call due to fear or feelings of inadequacy. However, God reassures us that He will equip us for the task. Our objections should not hinder our obedience, as God empowers those He calls. [23:23]

3. God's Empowerment: God doesn't call the qualified; He qualifies the called. He promises to be with us, provide for us, and give us the words to speak. We can trust that He will empower us to fulfill His call, just as He did with Jeremiah. [30:39]

4. The Certainty of God's Word: What God says, He will do. His promises are sure, and His word will come to pass. We can have confidence in His faithfulness, knowing that He watches over His word to perform it. [39:33]

5. The Call to Obedience: Ultimately, God calls us to obedience. Whether it's sharing the gospel, using our gifts, or stepping into a new ministry, we must trust and obey. As we do, God will strengthen us and ensure that His purposes are fulfilled. [47:29]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:09] - Introduction to Jeremiah Series
- [01:24] - Parenting and First-Time Obedience
- [03:11] - Our Obedience to God
- [04:28] - God's Call to Jeremiah
- [06:11] - God's Knowledge and Sanctification
- [08:33] - Jeremiah's Prophetic Role
- [11:53] - God's Call to Us
- [13:46] - The Common Call to Evangelize
- [17:08] - Using Our Gifts for God's Work
- [18:34] - Special Callings in Ministry
- [23:23] - Jeremiah's Objections
- [30:39] - God's Empowerment
- [39:33] - The Certainty of God's Word
- [47:29] - The Call to Obedience
- [51:53] - Testimony of Obedience

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Jeremiah 1:4-10
2. Matthew 28:19-20
3. Acts 1:8

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Observation Questions:

1. What does God tell Jeremiah about his knowledge and purpose for him before he was born? (Jeremiah 1:5) [06:11]

2. How does God respond to Jeremiah's objections about his ability to speak and his youth? (Jeremiah 1:7-8) [31:23]

3. What symbolic action does God perform to assure Jeremiah of His support and empowerment? (Jeremiah 1:9) [33:58]

4. What are the two visions God gives Jeremiah to reinforce the certainty of His word? (Jeremiah 1:11-14) [39:33]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of "first-time obedience" in parenting relate to our spiritual response to God's call? [03:11]

2. In what ways does God equip those He calls, according to the sermon and the passage in Jeremiah? [30:39]

3. How does the assurance of God's presence and empowerment help alleviate fears when responding to His call? [32:45]

4. What does the sermon suggest about the importance of being obedient to what we already know God has called us to do? [21:31]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt God calling you to do something. How did you respond, and what might you do differently now to practice "first-time obedience"? [03:11]

2. Identify an area in your life where you feel inadequate or fearful about God's call. How can you remind yourself of God's promise to equip and empower you? [30:39]

3. Consider the spheres of influence in your life, such as family, work, or community. How can you be a "prophet" or witness in these areas, sharing God's truth and love? [14:39]

4. What unique gifts do you believe God has given you, and how can you use them more effectively for His glory? [17:08]

5. If you have ever hesitated or objected to God's call, what were your reasons? How can you overcome these objections and trust in God's plan for you? [23:23]

6. How can you cultivate a deeper trust in the certainty of God's word and promises in your daily life? [39:33]

7. Think of a specific person or group you feel called to share the gospel with. What steps can you take this week to initiate a conversation or act of service towards them? [14:39]

Devotional

Day 1: Responding to God's Call with Immediate Obedience
God's call to each of us is unique and purposeful, much like His call to Jeremiah. Before Jeremiah was born, God had already set him apart for a specific mission. This divine foreknowledge extends to us as well. We are called to respond to God's voice with "first-time obedience," a concept often used in parenting to teach children to listen and act promptly. In our spiritual lives, this means saying "yes" to God without hesitation or excuses. Trusting that He knows us intimately and has set us apart for His purposes, we are encouraged to embrace His call with confidence and readiness. [05:23]

Jeremiah 1:5 (ESV): "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."

Reflection: What is one area in your life where you feel God is calling you to act immediately? How can you practice first-time obedience in this area today?

Day 2: Overcoming Objections to God's Call
Like Jeremiah, we often find ourselves objecting to God's call due to fear or feelings of inadequacy. Jeremiah initially resisted God's call, citing his youth and lack of eloquence. However, God reassured him that He would equip him for the task. This assurance is extended to us as well. Our objections should not hinder our obedience, as God empowers those He calls. He promises to be with us, providing the strength and words we need to fulfill His purposes. Trusting in God's empowerment allows us to move beyond our fears and embrace His call with courage. [23:23]

Exodus 4:10-12 (ESV): "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.' Then the Lord said to him, 'Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.'"

Reflection: What fears or objections are holding you back from responding to God's call? How can you trust in His promise to equip you for the task?

Day 3: Trusting in God's Empowerment
God's call is not limited to those who are already equipped; rather, He equips those He calls. This principle is evident in Jeremiah's story, where God promises to be with him, provide for him, and give him the words to speak. We are reminded that God qualifies the called, not the other way around. His empowerment is a testament to His faithfulness and commitment to His purposes. As we trust in His empowerment, we can confidently step into the roles He has prepared for us, knowing that He will provide all that we need to succeed. [30:39]

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (ESV): "For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God."

Reflection: In what ways have you seen God equip you for tasks you initially felt unprepared for? How can you rely on His empowerment in your current situation?

Day 4: Confidence in the Certainty of God's Word
God's promises are sure, and His word will come to pass. This certainty is a cornerstone of our faith, providing us with confidence in His faithfulness. Just as God assured Jeremiah that His words would be fulfilled, we too can trust that what God says, He will do. His faithfulness is unwavering, and He watches over His word to perform it. This assurance allows us to stand firm in our faith, knowing that God's purposes will be accomplished in His perfect timing. [39:33]

Isaiah 55:10-11 (ESV): "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it."

Reflection: How can you remind yourself of God's faithfulness and the certainty of His promises in your daily life? What specific promise from God are you holding onto today?

Day 5: Embracing the Call to Obedience
Ultimately, God calls us to obedience in all aspects of our lives. Whether it's sharing the gospel, using our gifts, or stepping into a new ministry, we are called to trust and obey. As we respond to His call, we can be confident that He will strengthen us and ensure that His purposes are fulfilled. Obedience is not just about action; it's about aligning our hearts with God's will and trusting Him to lead us. As we embrace this call, we become vessels for His work, shining His light in our spheres of influence. [47:29]

James 1:22-25 (ESV): "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."

Reflection: What specific step of obedience is God calling you to take today? How can you align your actions with His will and trust Him to lead you?

Quotes

"How good are we as children of God at first time obedience to God? How good are we at that can can can we all admit maybe not very we are not very good at that Uh friends do we obey God the first time we read something the first time we hear it we should, Amen Or do we make excuses but but but but God do we do we first heir our objections to to God about what he's asked to do but God you know I really can't do that God I'm really shy God I this Right Unfortunately that response is probably more normal than we all would like to admit." [00:03:11]

"God calls us to his work You say 'Well pastor I thought this was the call of Jeremiah.' It is Let's talk about it Look at verse four with me if you will And the first three verses were kind of introductory That's what we looked at last week Verse four Then the word of the Lord came to me saying So Jeremiah is writing here As we talked about last week this phrase is going to be very common or or or some slight variation thereof is going to be very common as we read through the book of Jeremiah Here's the first time the word of the Lord came to me saying 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you Before you were born I sanctified you I ordained you a prophet to the nations.'" [00:04:28]

"Before Jeremiah was even born God set him apart for ministry as his prophet The last part he says I ordained you a prophet to the nations I set you I made you I put you as a prophet to the nations Now we know that Jeremiah spoke primarily to the um southern kingdom of Judah but we're going to find out he also prophesies as God gives him words to say to other nations a few of them as well But I want you to notice something here about verse 5 I want you to notice interestingly as we we c we use the terminology the call of Jeremiah but God is not asking Jeremiah anything here is he, he's telling him he's telling him this okay and so how often do we look at the commands of God and instead of thinking of them as commands we think of them as suggestions as God's preferences as well God would like for me to do that but I really want to do this." [00:09:33]

"Friends and like Jeremiah I believe God calls us each and every one of us to his work again also you say but pastor God what we see here is God called Jeremiah it doesn't say anything about God calling me okay it doesn't say here specifically about God calling you friends but I wouldn't say and please don't say that God hasn't called you certainly God doesn't call us in the same way that he called Jeremiah here right you know I don't know that I'm supposed to go to the Middle East and receive direct revelation from God We have God's full revelation here because of Jesus was the full revelation of God And as his word here that describes all that we have that friends And so my job as a prophet today is to take what God has already given um uh his prophets and written down and proclaim that to you So it's similar but it's different Amen But I believe God does call each and every one of us in many different ways." [00:11:53]

"Friends whatever our gifts are God calls us to use them for him So that's the third way in which we're called at least And there's one more Last but definitely not least friends Some like Jeremiah have a special calling to serve the Lord Jesus Christ as their full-time vocation Some like Jeremiah have a special calling to serve the Lord as their full-time vocation We see here in chapter 1 that Jeremiah was set aside for a special calling of God to be a prophet to Judah and the nations Now obviously we're not all called to full-time Christian ministry right that's that's obvious We don't don't say But but here's the deal Some are Not everybody is but some are And my question is could that be you now you may be saying 'Well you know what pastor um I've I've made my vocational choices a long time ago pastor and this is the path that I've chosen Um pastor I've I've lived my life and I'm in retirement now and that do you know let let me just tell you I didn't even plan on saying but Chris Chris and I have talked about this before Do you know that as Southern Baptists in our international mission board we have a a I hate to call it a program but a pathway in which retired people can go to the mission field that have never been in the mission field before Isn't that right Tom we that that if you say you know what I've always felt that God's pulling me towards that Why not use your retirement years when you may have maybe you do maybe you don't Maybe you have a retirement and you know you know what you can even maybe go and mostly support yourself if God listen some God some people God God calls to men to the pastor it some to be missionaries some youth workers all that kind of stuff friends God is calling and listen it's not so much about identifying how God has called you at at the beginning but what's more important is to be obedient and simply say here I Lord send me." [00:18:34]

"God calls us to his work Unfortunately we often object But friends because we object we often object because of fear right we're afraid of stuff But the third truth the third reality that God wants us to see here is friends we don't need to fear because God empowers those whom he calls Friends we don't God alleviates our fears by empowering us after he's called us, Amen You've probably heard the saying that God doesn't call the qualified but he qualifies the called Heard that before your God doesn't call the equipped those who are already qualified and equipped but he equips those he called Friends that is so true And that's exactly what we see here with Jeremiah Look at verse 7 Look what God says to Jeremiah in verse 7 But the Lord said to me 'Do not say I am a youth for you shall go to all to whom I send you and whatever I command you you shall speak.'" [00:30:39]

"God empowers Jeremiah friends is he reminds Jeremiah that he God is the one who called him and is sending him He reminds Jeremiah that he is the one sending him and as that that God will empower him Look at verse seven again He says 'Do not say I'm a youth for you shall go to all whom What pronoun there i It's God speaking right to all whom I God sends you And whatever I God commands you you shall speak Friends so God is reminding Jeremiah listen you don't need to worry about being young because I'm the one sending you And if God sends him he also there's another way in which he's going to empower him friends and that is God tells him that he'll be with him and take care of him Look at verse eight Verse eight says 'Do not be afraid of their faces for I am with you to deliver you says the Lord.'" [00:39:33]

"God tells Jeremiah that he will give him the words to say here God is telling Jeremiah Jeremiah Listen you're going to go say all of this to that And I'm sure Jeremiah is saying 'I'm going to say what God i don't have anything to say to this nation.' Look at what God says in verse 9 This is cool This is why I love the prophets because there's some there's some really cool stuff here All right Look at what he says in verse 9 Then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth We can we can just kind of gloss right over that the first time right um now here's the deal I don't know exactly how this happened okay um I don't know if Jeremiah was having a vision and so this was in a vision that he saw God and God reached out and touched his mouth Um he doesn't say it's a vision Um is it um a a a physical interaction with God is this a theophony or a chrisphony where God has literally appeared to him as a man as God did um other times in the Old Testament and therefore he's putting out his hand and touching his mouth or is this like you remember in Daniel remember in Daniel in the writing on the wall okay The reason um uh and I forget the king's name uh it's King Belshazar The re reason King Belshazar got weak at the knees was because all of a sudden he just saw this hand with fingers riding on the wall Okay kind of like some Disney movie There's just this big hand riding on the wall Okay and it freaked him out Maybe it's like that I don't know exactly how it happened Okay but God uses a symbolic gesture here of putting forth his hand and touching Jeremiah's mouth Look at what he says What what is What is that symbolic of he said 'And the Lord said to me behold I have put my words in your mouth.' Don't worry Jeremiah I will give you what to say In fact Jeremiah I will put the very words in your mouth Right that's just a a interesting listen it God symbolized that he gave Jeremiah the words And then verse 10 God tells Jeremiah about the ministry that he will have He says 'See I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms.' God gave him responsibility uh um gave him authority over Judah over the nations to speak to them and then to here he's going he tells him what he's going to do It's kind of symbolic He says to root out and pull down to destroy and throw down Um this is one of the ministries of Jeremiah It's not a popular ministry but one of his ministries was to pronounce judgment God says he'll give Jeremiah authority over nations and kingdoms to pronounce judgment upon them Those these four verbs root out pull down destroy and throw down are kind of agricultural botanical terms that will appear repeatedly throughout this book of Jeremiah So just put your eyes on those They they'll appear again But not only did God give Jeremiah the authority to announce judgment because we often think well Jeremiah is just a a a prophet of judgment and doom and uh but he's also a prophet of encouragement Look at what the last two things God says Jeremiah is going to do He says to build and to plant Um so Jeremiah is not just going to prophesy judgment on Judah but he's also and this is what people forget he's also going to prophesy that after they're taking off to exile and after they spend that time in exile God's going to use that to rem make Israel to remake Jerusalem and and rebuild the walls as we looked at in Ezra and Nehemiah So God is going to yes he's got to judge but he's also going to do that And Jeremiah's words were going to be a part of that Bottom line is this God tells Jeremiah that he will give Jeremiah everything he needs to do what God has called him to do God would empower him in every way he needed And here's the cool thing friends He will do the same thing for us as well If God calls you to do something guess what he'll equip you to do it If God calls you to teach he'll equip you to teach Amen." [00:47:29]

"God wanted Jeremiah to understand that it would happen It would come to pass Friends what God says is it going to happen absolutely friends God will do it That brings us friends to the fifth and final reality we see in this chapter And that is this friends In light of all that God has said to Jeremiah God calls us and Jeremiah simply to obedience God calls us just as he called Jeremiah to obey That's what he's asking of us Amen to obey Look at verse 17 God's told him what he wants him to do Jeremiah you're going to be my prophet You're going to speak uh you're going to have authority over the nations You're going to speak to Judah and other nations and you're going to proclaim judgment on them and some hope but judgment And here's what it's going to be about Verse 17 he says 'Therefore prepare yourself and arise.' Okay this is this is the phrase 'Gurt up your loins.' Um how many of that doesn't sound good in today's world right okay Well you say 'Pastor what does that mean?' Um in in the Hebrew and in in ancient times girding up your loins was Well let's understand it this way Um even the men before they went out to battle wore long robes Ladies how well can you run in a skirt or dress probably not very good right um especially if the wind blows And so um the guy men then had these long robes and long tunics and things And so how in the world were they supposed to prepare for battle well they had to they had to cinch it up Okay and there was this process procedure they went through that they went through and they tied it up around their waist and around their legs that would allow them to get ready to run especially for battle or if they needed to do something quickly And so that's what God the phrase God is using here Therefore g up your loins and arise Prepare yourself Get ready Jeremiah for battle cuz here we go And speak to them all that I command you Do what I said Jeremiah simply obey Do I'm going to give you the words Jeremiah You speak to them You do what I've told you to do Don't be dismayed or afraid before their faces Repeats what he's already said Lest I dismay you before them Friends this is almost like saying 'Don't be afraid of them Remember I'm with you Don't be afraid of them or I'll give you something to be afraid of.' Right you've heard that phrase before That's kind of what God's saying here friends God is calling Jeremiah to simply respond in obedience And to give Jeremiah that extra little push God promises Jeremiah two things Verse 18 he promises him that he will strengthen Jeremiah for the task He says,'For behold I have made you this day a fortified city and an iron pillar and bronze walls against the whole land against the kings of Judah against his princes against his priests and against the people of the land.' Friends God uses military imagery here as he promises Jeremiah to make him as impenetrable as a fortress as strong as a fortified city and as resistant to attack as a bronze wall God says Jeremiah don't worry I'm going to strengthen you for the task And then in his final word here to Jeremiah as God is brutally honest with him look at what God says in verse 19 The first um God says they will fight against you but they will what shall not prevail Friends God promises him that his enemies will not prevail God was real with Jeremiah Yeah Jeremiah listen all the people around you and we talked about this last week Um not even his family loved him at times Um they began to hate him because he they're like 'Come on Jeremiah Can't you encourage us you have to keep preaching doom and gloom and calling us out and all this stuff They will fight against you.' But God says 'They shall not prevail against you for I am with you says the Lord to deliver you.' Amen Friends when we're obedient to God we have that assurance as well The only thing left for Jeremiah and us to do is to obey Amen It's to obey." [00:51:53]

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