Text: Jeremiah 1:4-10 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (Series C. 4th Sunday in Epiphany) Ps.71:1-6 Luke 4:21-30
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." "Ah, Sovereign Lord," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." But the Lord said to me, "Do not say, `I am only a child.' 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.
Have you ever had a phone call that left you numb as you slowly hang up the receiver? Our immediate reaction is a desire to reach out to that person. We want to be there with him or her. We want to say something, do something, anything that will help.
But then it hits us, and we say to ourselves: "What can I do? I have no special skills, no special training for dealing with this kind of situation. I am only a housewife, a labourer, an accountant, a teenager, a nurse, a teacher, a retiree, too old, only parish pastor etc."
There are three words that have the possibility of stifling anything we consider too challenging or too demanding. They were the words spoken by a young man long ago and his name is Jeremiah.
God came to Jeremiah and said to him, "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."
"But, Lord," Jeremiah said, "I don’t know how to speak." Then Jeremiah spoke those three words, "I am only......" "I am only a youth." Jeremiah would become one of God’s greatest prophet and spokesperson for God.
The Hebrew text today gives us a description of God’s call to Jeremiah to be a messenger to the people of Israel, and we hear Jeremiah’s reluctant reply. Before God could use Jeremiah God had to deal with those three deadly words, "I am only..."
God must have known Jeremiah would use those three words even before he spoke them out loud. God knew Jeremiah better than Jeremiah knew himself.
God says to Jeremiah, "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." Before he was born God had chosen him to be a special messenger to his people.
The words God uses here indicate his deep commitment to Jeremiah in much the same way as the Bible describes the commitment between a husband and wife (Genesis 4:1).
Not only that, God says Jeremiah was "set apart". In the dark days that lay ahead of Jeremiah, it was important for him to recall that it was God who had especially set him apart and appointed him to be his prophet.
Jeremiah joined the ranks of others, who considered themselves just ordinary people but were called from their everyday tasks by God to speak his Word.
Now, just as God came in with grace to Jeremiah, and called him to be his prophet, God has come to us. Through grace God has come to us and given us:
In our baptism, just as Jeremiah was given a new responsibility also we have been given new responsibilities as his chosen people.
It all sounds pretty nice to talk about Jeremiah and his call to be God’s messenger and seeing a similarity with God’s call to us to be his people through holy Baptism.
But when it comes down to it, our response is very much like that of Jeremiah’s. When that phone rings, and we hear of someone in distress, or grief, or pain, we're faced with the question of whether we can or cannot bring a word of grace and healing and comfort to that person.
No sooner had Jeremiah been told that he was chosen for a special job by God than the prophet-to-be cries out, "I can’t. I don’t have the training. I am only a teenager." Jeremiah wasn't alone in his objection to God’s plans.
Remember, when God spoke to Moses at the burning bush, Moses tried to excuse himself from going back to Egypt by saying he was slow of speech. He adds: "I am nobody. How can I go to the king and bring the Israelites out of Egypt" (Exodus 3:11).
Gideon was told by God to lead an army to rid the land of an enemy. He complained: "How can I save Israel? My tribe is the weakest .... I am the least in my family" (Judges 6:15).
Likewise Jeremiah felt totally inadequate to be a messenger for God. "I’m only a child. I am nobody. The godless society he lived in, truly he was nobody. The person who speaks against so much wickedness needs to be someone with special skills. No-one will listen to me." He complained.
This brings us to another character in this meditation, a missionary by the name of Ansgar. St. Ansgar was born near Amiens, Picardy, France in 801, died in Bremen, Germany on February 3, 865. As a young monk he felt tap on his shoulder and called by God to bring the good news of our Saviour to the Vikings.
In this case Ansgar was discouraged by his peers …they said to him it was unsafe, dangerous and he could even lose his life. But in the midst of it all old Ansgar maintained his equilibrium and vision and the assurance of God’s promises. "Do not be afraid... "Do not be afraid... I will be with you"
With these words old Ansgar proceeded to Denmark and beyond with the introduction of Christ’s kingdom, Christianity. Today the Nordic countries enjoy Christian heritage because old Ansgar was willing to step out in faith into the unknown against all odds. What if old Ansgar had said, "I am only… a monk"
The words "I am only……." are words that we use to put ourselves down and offer excuses as reasons why we can’t do something. "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." I don’t have what is takes to be a council member etc. Our fear of failure is nothing unusual. When overwhelmed by the responsibility that we are facing, we suddenly face fears of inadequacy. We don't know what to do, what we will say. We feel we would much rather leave it to someone else and so we say "I am only…….."
Few years ago this congregation (St. Ansgar Lutheran) voted to go solo and called a pastor after six years of sharing one pastor with Good Shepherd. Two things were apparent at the annual meeting as I recalled:
a. the congregation did not have enough fund to support a pastor……but we believe that God will provide our needs for an on going ministry in this community,
b. we also believed in ourselves that we can forged ahead in this new adventure and trusted God.
So far we have been doing great. Pessimism is either of God, or part of God’s character. Glass half full or half empty! I believe wholeheartedly that God believes in us, do we believe in ourselves?
We are in a rut as a church, because we have limited God to virtually non-existence in our daily activities. We are in a rut as a church, because we have made God much smaller than our problems.
This is not about what we cannot do, it is all about what we can do, by doing what is possible, and enjoy doing it, and letting God do the impossible.
In baptism God made you a minister, like Jeremiah we need to be reminded that we are more than what we say we are. We have been chosen, set apart and appointed by God to proclaim his wonderful deeds.
Jeremiah records these words of God, "The Lord said to me, "Do not say, `I am only a child.' 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."
If God can do that for Jeremiah, and Gideon, and Moses and missionary St. Ansgar, if God can overrule the objections of these men, God can do it for us as well in this community. God challenges us to be people of faith. God won’t challenge us with anything that he hasn’t equipped us for.
I am sure God will help us in times of our doubtfulness. Like Jeremiah we can be full of excuses and objections why me or why us. But at the same token the words of God ring in our ears this morning with assurance: "Do not be afraid.... I will be with you..." So with those words we can take the risk and step out in reaching to the person in pain, to a friend who would appreciate some guidance and help. Missionary, St. Ansgar got it right, when he felt the call to the Vikings and step out in faith against all odds. He became Bishop at the of his death at 68.
Who are we to judge the effect that God’s Word has in the lives of other people even when it comes from our own lips?
Who are we to judge ourselves incompetent when God has not only made us but also called us to be his servants, and ministers? No matter how inadequate we may feel, God has a marvellous way of using what we say and do to bring blessings to others.
Whatever pressure you may be feeling this day: either at work, relational, loneliness, health issues, financial etc. When we hesitate and wonder what possibly can we say and do, let us remember Jeremiah! Remember Jeremiah who said: "Ah, Sovereign Lord, I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." Remember the words of God who reassured Jeremiah with the words:
"Do not be afraid... "Do not be afraid... I will be with you"
I wouldn’t want you to leave this Sanctuary this morning in despair, I want you to leaves with the words of assurance ………
"Do not be afraid... "Do not be afraid... I will be with you"
Amen.
Rev. Samuel King-Kabu
February 3, 2013