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How is Jeremiah an example of enduring opposition and resistance to share God’s Word? What obstacles to witnessing for Christ do you face and how can you overcome them?
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Jeremiah was faithful to God inspite of how he was treated. He admitted several times wanting to quit but he persisted. Because the word of God was like fire shut up in his bones.
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Jeremiah’s early messages to the people were condemnations of them for their false worship and social injustice, with summons to repentance. He said because the word of God got in me and it was fire shut up in my bones. I almost quit I wanted to quit. That was my will to give up. But God’s will was stronger than mine so I had to continue. Jeremiah was approximately 20 years old when he began his ministry he was not popular because the people . He was a political prisoner Jeremiah had a very difficult calling from God—to preach to a rebellious people and urge them to turn back to God and repent of their stubborn, corrupt ways. “I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me,” Jeremiah complained (20:7). But he could not stop preaching God’s words, no matter how difficult it was for him.
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Jeremiah is a wonderful example of enduring opposition. For forty years, Jeremiah continued to preach God’s message to people who despised him, ridiculed him, and sought to end his life. For forty years, Jeremiah was alone. He never married and he did not have a team of colleagues. Jeremiah never saw any response to his message, yet he obeyed – year after year after year. We too must recognize that the results are God’s responsibility – He asks us to obey and leave the rest up to Him.
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Just as Moses said to God, I cannot talk. I am not your man, even Jeremiah tried to declare his feelings of being inadequate for the task. So do I feel that same inadequacy. I have not done well in overcoming them.
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Jeremiah was a prophet who was called to warn Israel that there are consequences for behavior that go against God and His word. Jeremiah could be thought of as a “messenger of God’s Justice and Grace”. Jeremiah was essentially called to tear down the people in Jerusalem and convict them of their sins. Once Jeremiah shed light on the Israelites and exposed their sins, he could then rebuild them into a Nation that fears God.
An obstacle that I face when witnessing for Christ is that my life is not perfect. Sometimes I put this burden on myself that if I am going to share God’s Word, then I myself have to have my life all in order and free of sin. I fear that people will just me as a Christian if my life is cluttered with sin. I can overcome this obstacle by reminding myself that is it because of God’s Grace I am free. My life will never be free of sin, but because of God’s Grace and Mercy I can draw closer to God and share His message.