Called before Conception (Jeremiah 1)

"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'" (Jer 1:4-5).

• Review Isaiah 6.
• What was the God that Isaiah saw like (Isaiah 6:1, 5)? What/Who is God like to you? How do you feel about Him?
• How would you explain your own conversion/salvation (Isa 6:5-7)?
• What is God calling you to do with your life (Isa 6:8)? How do you understand God's call?

1. What role did "the word of the Lord" play in Jeremiah's call (Jer 1:2, 4, 9, 11, 13; 15:16; 20:9)?
2. What role does God's word play in your life and your calling (Ps 1:2; Isa 66:2b; Jn 6:63; Ac 17:11; 2 Tim 3:16-17; Heb 3:7, 15; 4:7, 12)? How does God's word define
• who you are?
• what you are to do?
• how you are to do it?
3. To respond to God's word/God's call why do you need
• ears (Jer 1:2, 4, 11, 13)?
• eyes (Jer 1:11, 13)?
• mouth (Jer 1:9)?
• courage (Jer 1:8, 17-19)?
• heart (Jer 4:19; 9:1)? What was Jeremiah known as?
4. What does it mean to you that God
• "formed you" (Jer 1:5a; Ps 113:13-16)?
• "knew you" (Jer 1:5b; Gal 4:9; 1 Cor 8:3)?
• "set you apart" (Jer 1:5d; Jn 15:16)...
• ...even "before you were born" (Jer 1:5c; Eph 1:4; 2 Tim 1:9)?
• "appointed you as a prophet to the nations" (Jer 1:5, 10; Mt 28:19; Mk 16:15)?
• What would you do differently knowing the above [the primacy of God]?
5. What was Jeremiah's excuse (Jer 1:6)? God's rebuke (Jer 1:7)? God's promise (Jer 1:8, 18-19)? Do you have objections to God calling you?
6. How was Jeremiah enabled and empowered (Jer 1:8-9, 17-19)? Do you experience the power of God (Rom 1:16; 1 Cor 1:18)?
7. What are the two visions about (Jer 1:11-16; Isa 6:11-13)?

Big idea:

1. God appoints his servants to difficult tasks but empowers them with his presence. So they don't cop out or bail no matter the difficulty or opposition.
2. God does not choose us because we are good. But because God chooses us He makes us good.

Key Themes:

• The word of God plays a critical role in Jeremiah's call.
• God choose Jeremiah to be his prophet even before he was born.
• God reassures Jeremiah by promising the power of his presence.
• The word of God Jeremiah proclaims will bring both destruction and restoration.
• God's presence will deliver Jeremiah from those who will oppose him and his message.

A Fire in My Bones. "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" (Jer 20:9).