Life and Ministry of Jeremiah
Training of God’s servant in the end days
Life and Ministry of Jeremiah
1. The Setting of Jeremiah
2. The Person of Jeremiah
3. The Ministry of Jeremiah
Clarify
We might not all be called to be a prophet
But we are all called to serve
Jeremiah Called
• To wake up southern kingdom: Judah
• Last cry of God’s love before judgment
Tragically most did not respond
• Today in His Love God is calling us
Many similar circumstances as Judah
Many lessons for us to learn
Reign of Josiah
2 Chronicles 34-35
Appeared to be a great revival
But what was their true spiritual condition?
Jeremiah 7:1-11
True Spiritual Condition
• Much outward form, ritual, correct words
But very little inward reality
• Characteristic of God’s people in end days
Don’t know their true condition
• God in His great love calls Jeremiah
Jeremiah the Person
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Jeremiah 1
Lord forms Jeremiah
Lord prepares Jeremiah
Lord comforts Jeremiah
Lord equips Jeremiah
Lord empowers Jeremiah
Lord calls Jeremiah to respond
Lord Forms & Prepares Jeremiah
Jeremiah 1:5
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
And before you were born I consecrated you; I
have appointed you a prophet to the nations.
Key word: “I”
Do we realize God has done the same for us?
Lord Comforts Jeremiah
Jeremiah 1:6-8
• Acknowledges Lord Sovereign & Mighty
Not rebellion but humility
Mary's response “How can this be?”
• Lord to Jeremiah: Don’t say I am a youth
Natural perspective
• “I am with you”
“I Am With You”
• Powerful word to comfort & encourage
• All He is & all He has done is with us
• Isaiah 43: 1-5
– Thou art Mine
– Pass through the water, I will be with you
– Walk through the fire, not be scorched
– Do not fear for I am with you
Lord Equips Jeremiah
Jeremiah 1:9
• He puts His word in Jeremiah’s mouth
• Not expecting him to speak his own words
• Jeremiah was available to the Lord for service
Lord Empowers Jeremiah
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Jeremiah 1:11-15
The visions of the almond tree/boiling pot
Aaron’s rod bloomed & others did not (dead)
– Speaks of “resurrection life”
He would go forth not in his natural power
But in the power of resurrection life
Difficult message of judgment, but with hope
Lord Calls Jeremiah to Respond
Jeremiah 1:17-19
NOW!! Gird up your loins, arise & speak
I have made you:
A fortified city: Defended
A pillar of iron: Stand under pressure
As walls of bronze: Unbreakable
Lord’s Process of Equipping
God’s Side
Reveals & releases His provision
Man’s Side
Receive & respond to His provision
Jeremiah’s Environment
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Many will fight against you, but not overcome
His message would be one of judgment
He would be despised, rejected, beaten
Ones in his hometown try to kill him
High priest arrests him & puts him in chains
Such is the nature of end time ministry
Jeremiah’s Testimony
Jeremiah 20:7-11
Vs. 7: Why have you deceived me?
Vs. 9: Tries to stop but cannot
Constrained by the love of Christ
Vs.7 & 10: Laughingstock, mocked, whisperings
Vs. 11 BUT the Lord is with me
Through trials & testing it became reality
The Ministry of Jeremiah
The character of his ministry
The cause of his ministry
The comfort of his ministry
The Character of His Ministry
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Jeremiah 1:10
To root up/ pluck up
To break down/pull down
To destroy
To overthrow/throw down
To build
To plant
Consider Our Lord’s Ministry
First to Calvary
To root up, breakdown, destroy & overthrow
Then Pentecost
To build and to plant
The Cause of His Ministry
Jeremiah 1:16
Two main issues with Judah
• Forsaken Me for other gods
• Worshipped the works of their own hands
Forsaken Me
Jeremiah 2:10-13
• Israel has changed their god
• My people have committed two evils:
– Forsaken the fountain of living water
– Hewn their own cisterns
Cry of Love to Return
2:20-21 Reminds them of His provision
2:29 Why do you contend with me?
2:30 In vain I have disciplined you (Heb 12:6)
2:31 Heed My word
Why say “we are free to roam”
What is True Freedom?
• Many believers declare: we are free
• What are we set free from?
– Sin, world, corruption, self
• Why are we free? To do His will
• What have we been set free to be?
– Bondslaves of God, slaves of righteousness
• Today many misunderstand this freedom
• Abuse it for own self-interest and pleasure
Cry of Love
In judgment God remembers mercy
3:12-14 Return, repent, be restored
3:22 Return & I will heal
Jeremiah’s heart for the people
4:19 My soul, my heart is in anguish
God’s burden is his burden
Condition of the People
5:1
5:4-5
5:7
5:31
6:16-17
Key words: justice & truth
Neither poor nor great know the Way
Again, forsaken Me (also vs. 19)
My people love this poor condition
We will not walk nor listen
Picture of God’s people in the last days
Jeremiah’s Sorrow
Jeremiah 8:18-9:1
• Lord’s burden had become his burden
• Embodiment of sorrow of God’s love
• True power of a man of God
– Not a mere channel/pipeline
– But has heart/desire of His Master
• Difficulties/trails train servants of Lord
– Paul/Joseph: prison John: Isle of Patmos
Jeremiah’ Persecution
Jeremiah now trained through persecution
11:1 Faithful messenger of Lord
11:18 Persecution from home town
12:1 He cries out to the Lord & Lord responds
12:5 If you have run with footmen and they
have tired you out, Then how can you compete
with horses? If you fall down in a land of peace,
How will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?
God’s Training Process
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How do we react when:
Rejected by those close to us
The trial seems much stronger than you
The circumstances are overwhelming
Challenged as a false servant
17:15 Where is the word of Lord
Jeremiah: Faithful Servant
• Jeremiah was faithful in spite of:
– An unpopular message
– A rejected message
– An unfulfilled message
• Saw captivity but not return
Can we stay faithful when rejected and
do not see much fruit?
Longsuffering Love of God
• Through Jeremiah we see longsuffering love
• Phrase used 9 times in Jeremiah
7:13 "And now, because you have done all these
things," declares the LORD, "and I spoke to you,
rising up early and speaking, but you did not
hear, and I called you but you did not answer
(Also see 7:25; 11:7; 25:3-4; 26:5; 29:19;
32:33; 35;14-15; 44:4)
The Comfort of His Ministry
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Jeremiah 30-31
God is a God of Hope
Yes, He will tear down but He will recover
Key phrase: “I Will”
What a glorious hope Israel was given
Sadly only few responded
How will we respond in this hour?