In our scripture readings for today, we are introduced to the prophet Jeremiah, someone whose story we will focus on for the next five weeks. And we hear today of the calling of Jeremiah, how God chose him as the bearer of his message to the people of Judah. As we will see, this message is not a light and fluffy affirmation, a pat on the back for the faithful in Jerusalem. It is a message of condemnation, and so God prepares Jeremiah for pushback, just as he prepared his Son Jesus for the ULTIMATE pushback....
In the thirteenth year of King Josiah of Judah – this is the starting point of Jeremiah's ministry, and it is approximately the year 626 BC. For context, the northern kingdom of Israel was taken into exile in Assyria about 100 years ago, the golden age of King David was almost 400 years ago, and the conquest of the promised land was almost 800 years ago. The people of Judah have heard the warnings of the prophets Joel, Isaiah, and Micah, for three generations, and they have ignored them. And God's patience is running thin. Before the end of Jeremiah's career, within three kings and 40 years, God WILL inflict his promised punishment – the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of the people of Judah to the far-away land of Babylon. This is the last chance for God's message to be taken seriously. So God chooses a serious messenger.
And what is the gist of God's message? “Take Me seriously again! You listened to Me as I was leading you through the wilderness, and I crushed anyone who tried to mess with you. But when I took the promised land away from the evil people who held it, and gave it to you, you did not purge the land, but you kept the evil influence among you. And this influence has lead you away from Me, to go after worthless things, and you are becoming worthless as a result. You are becoming the worthless people I removed from the promised land, and so, unless there is a change of heart, I will remove YOU from that land.”
What goes through your mind when you hear the phrase, “worthless things?” Thankfully, we don't have to worry too much these days about Baal worship, but what about the worthlessness of worshipping influencers on social media? What about the worthlessness of many of our other forms of entertainment today? What about the worthlessness of stressing over global problems, when we have plenty of local problems we could actually solve if we focussed? In going after these worthless things, are we making ourselves worthless, to ourselves, to our families, to our church, to the kingdom of God? We are headed into an A.I.-driven world where meaningful things like meaningful work will be at a premium, and worthless things like worthless entertainment will be at a level of quality and quantity never before dreamt of. It will be hard to resist the worthless things...it's already hard to resist the worthless things, and any message that critiques the worthless things, will not be received gladly.
If there's one thing you never want to hear from God's lips, it's this: “You, gird up your loins!” This is a warning that battle is coming, that you will need all of your agility and strength and protection in place, because it's going to get ugly. Jeremiah's ministry will be one long fight – a fight to be heard, a fight to convince the brainwashed, a fight to survive the pushback of violent people.
And God knew from before the moment of conception, that Jeremiah was the man who could handle it. In response to Jeremiah's protest that he didn't know how to speak, God says, “that's what YOU think! EYE know what you are capable of, and with my help, you are capable of plucking up and pulling down nations and kingdoms. In my hands, you are a fortified city, an iron pillar, a bronze wall. Do not be afraid - they will fight against you; but they shall NOT prevail against you. YOU are my appointed messenger to the stubborn people of Judah.”
And to us, God's stubborn people of today, God has sent another serious messenger, his Son Jesus. From before the moment of CREATION, God knew that his son would handle NOT prevailing against the people, but this time, SUBMITTING to them. Jesus was serious enough to die on the cross to deliver his message, and then, on the third day, rose to new life, accomplishing God's plan of salvation.
And now, WE are witnesses to what Jesus has done. We have the words of God in our mouths. We are now appointed to gird up our loins, and confront the stubbornness and violence of OUR culture. And like Jeremiah, we can count on God to deliver us.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for your patience with us in this plentiful land. Keep us unafraid to deliver your message to the people around us, the message of your amazing love as shown through your Son Jesus Christ, in his name we pray. Amen.