A blog from Sunday’s sermon on Jeremiah 1:4-10.
Fear comes in many forms. Some fears are well-known, while others are deeply personal and harder to name. We’re comfortable talking about common fears like arachnophobia, the fear of spiders, or claustrophobia, the fear of tight spaces, but perhaps one of the least talked about fears is this:
the fear of fully surrendering to Jesus.
Why do we hesitate? Why do we delay obedience? Why do we wrestle with the “what ifs” when God calls us to step forward?
Jeremiah 1:4–10 helps us see that surrender is not something to fear, but something to trust, because the call of God rests on His sovereignty, His support, and His plan.
I. Remember Jesus’ Sovereignty (Jeremiah 1:4–5)
Jeremiah was not confused about who was speaking to him. Scripture clearly tells us that the word of the LORD came to him. This calling was initiated by God, not by Jeremiah.
God uses three parallel verbs to describe His action toward Jeremiah:
- To know — not merely intellectual knowledge, but relational knowledge. This word is even used for romantic intimacy and for God’s choosing of someone (Genesis 18:19).
- To set apart — to select for a specific purpose; in temple language, to consecrate or make holy.
- To appoint — to assign someone to a particular task.
These verbs overlap in meaning. Together, they emphasize one truth: God chose Jeremiah for service.
This calling had nothing to do with Jeremiah’s salvation and everything to do with God’s plan for his life and for history.
Jeremiah did nothing to earn this call:
- It happened before he was formed in the womb
- It was not based on his ability or good works
- It was entirely rooted in God’s sovereign purpose
As Psalm 139:13–16 reminds us, God intentionally forms every life with purpose.
Think of a chess piece, each one is designed intentionally and placed exactly where the master wants it. The same is true for us.
Application
- God’s call always aligns with His purposes, for our lives and for history.
- The Lord expertly forms His servants to accomplish His will.
- When God calls, there is no reason to fear.
II. Remember Jesus’ Support (Jeremiah 1:6–8)
Jeremiah’s response was hesitant. He felt unqualified.
“I don’t know how to speak.”
“I am too young.”
At the heart of these excuses was a deeper fear. The fear of failure.
God’s response is striking:
- Don’t say you are young — your success has nothing to do with you.
- Go where I send you.
- Say what I tell you to say.
- I am with you to protect you.
Jeremiah’s success was not dependent on eloquence, experience, or strategy. It depended entirely on obedience.
Like a chess piece, Jeremiah’s responsibility was not to understand the whole game, but simply to move when the master directed him.
Application
- God does not call the equipped; He equips the called.
- God can use anyone who is willing to obey.
- We are not called to fear, but to trust.
- There is no pressure to be creative or impressive; obedience is enough.
- If we walk by faith, we cannot “mess it up.”
III. Remember Jesus’ Scheme (Jeremiah 1:9–10)
God didn’t just call Jeremiah, He commissioned him.
Like Isaiah, Jeremiah experienced an outward symbol of God’s commissioning when the Lord touched his mouth. God supplied everything Jeremiah would need:
- The message
- The method
- The might
Jeremiah was given authority to speak over nations and kingdoms, to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, but also to build and to plant.
The outcome of Jeremiah’s message depended on the response of the listener. Some would reject it; others would be transformed.
But the success of the message was never in doubt, because it was God’s message, not Jeremiah’s.
Again, the chessboard illustration applies: the effectiveness of the piece is directly tied to the skill of the chessmaster.
Application
- The LORD has a sovereign plan for history.
- We are not the master, we are the servants.
- We do not work for Christ; we surrender so Christ can work through us.
- Surrender removes pressure, anxiety, and fear.
Conclusion: The “What Ifs” of Surrender
So often, we hesitate because of the “what ifs.”
What if I fail?
What if I’m not enough?
What if God asks too much?
But what if we handed those questions to Jesus?
What if surrender is not something to fear, but the very thing that frees us from fear?
God is sovereign.
God is supportive.
God has a plan.
So why wait to say yes?
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