There is an article titled, "How To Be Miserable." It says, "Think about yourself. Talk about yourself. Use "I" as often as possible. Mirror yourself continually in the opinion of others. Listen greedily to what people say about you. Expect to be appreciated. Be suspicious. Be jealous and envious. Be sensitive to slights. Never forgive a criticism. Trust nobody but yourself. Insist on consideration and respect. Demand agreement with your own views on everything. Sulk if people are not grateful to you for favors shown them. Never forget a service you have rendered. Shirk your duties if you can. Do as little as possible for others."
Can anyone relate to that? Some could say absolutely! I have to say that when reading this article, I could not help but cringe, thinking how selfish that person would have to be in living each statement explicatively.
We indeed live in a world that teaches self comes first, and there are times when that becomes necessary. However, in living our lives as Christians, we should learn early on that what life we are living is not our own! 1 Corinthians 7 tells us, “God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world.”
It is really easy in the world we live in today, to forget about others, and think more of ourselves isn’t it? But in Titling todays sermon “The Life You’re Living is Not Your Own,” I found it very fitting to hearing the beginning story of the Prophet Jeremiah. So to give you a little background here, the city Jerusalem, the region of Judah is collapsing at the hands of the Babylonians. Jeremiah in Chapter 1 is but a very young man. Just like other mentioned prophets of the Bible, Jeremiah resisted Gods calling for him to become his servant, yet from the very beginning in his youth, God had a plan for him. A purpose that was not just of himself, but others. So let us read Jeremiah 1.
The Lord gave me this message: “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my Prophet to the nations. “O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said, “Look, I have put my words in your mouth! Today I appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms. Some you must uproot and tear down, destroy and overthrow. Others you must build up and plant.”
From this very premise of exhortation in Jeremiah's life, we are reminded that the Bible, therefore the Christian faith, construes our lives that from our baptism, we are called, assigned, enlisted, and commissioned by God, who chooses not to work alone. The life we are living is not of our own.
Notice here, just as God works in our lives today, and encounter takes place between God and mankind. There is something that transpires from the event that calls Jeremiah, just like us today, to be given instruction to follow, listen and obey. Another thing to notice here, just in the first chapter of Jeremiah, God did not require Jeremiah to attend a local school of theology and Jeremiah didn’t even display his profession of faith to God. Jeremiah makes himself accessible to God, and only then does an exchange take place.
Just as the Gospel of Matthew describes Jesus' commands to get out of here and make disciples, baptize, and teach them what I have commanded and that I will be with you always. Do we not find a similar consistency here with Jeremiah? God deliberately is putting Him to work. God does not work alone! This is NOT a new idea!
So lets briefly look at Jeremiahs response to God. I can’t speak for you. I am too young! So, could we not also say, I’m too young, I’m too old, I’m not learned and uninformed, I’m not handsome or I’m crippled. I don’t have time, I am unequipped. None of these are acceptable in avoiding service to God. Jeremiah claims the excuse of being young and uneducated, yet Moses also gave an excuse that he couldn’t speak well and lived over 100 years and still did God's work in the end. So, where do we fit into the category of not being qualified?
I think the Prophet Isaiah is another great example where Isaiah was also young when he was called. Isaiah witnessed a tremendous vision of heavenly hosts in Chapter 6, and he heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then Isaiah said, “Here am I! Send me.” Jeremiah, Isaiah and even us today remember all the good reasons why we would make lousy disciples. Jeremiah, Isaiah, Moses, the disciples, all made themselves available because it is more about God and his people than ourselves. God does NOT work alone! The life we are living is not our own.
What skills we contain, what materials we possess, we are given the means to do something meaningful with our stuff--no matter how insignificant it seems to us. Do you realize, that when we look into the mirror every day, what we see is NOT exactly what other see? We tend to think what we see is exactly who we are, and that is not true! What we see is not what we live by. We must live by faith. Faith in God and all that imparts with it. Countless times God told his people in scripture, I will be with you always. God promised Jeremiah that he would give him what he needed to be a faithful prophet. God promised Moses, Abraham, Daniel, and every person who lived for and served God with that indwelling promise—and it was fulfilled.
A women made a statement to a local Pastor, “I have had a terrible week.” My son has started drinking again. My boss is in town, and I think he is going to fire me. So, I came to church this morning seeking consolation and comfort.” The Pastor replied, “I hope my sermon helped you.” “Not particularly,” she replied. “I came here looking for comfort only to receive another assignment!” God will give you strength, the Pastor replied.
Now, let us think on something a little more modern. COVID-19 is and continues to inflict our lives with distress and suffering. But even God uses this virus to call ordinary people to speak up and speak out for God, showing the world that it was not abandoned, but loved. People who once found themselves shelving groceries in the supermarket one day, and then suddenly taking care of the sick and dying on another day. One day, a person was a janitor or housekeeper; the next, they were emptying bedpans for those in need. A host of people shinned brightly in our country as they delivered food and supplies to those in need and spoke the Gospel of Jesus simultaneously. You have people who said, “I have to go to work to put food on my table,” then theres those say ,”I go to work to witness what God is doing. I am His agent.” The Life we Live is Not our own, as God does not work alone.
Another aspect of this is remembering when God chose you and me for a blessing, that does not mean others are rejected. It simply means you and I have been selected for a role or task whereby God blesses others through us. And those that God blesses by our service, He continues the blessing from them to others, and the story continues on. Think about what Jesus said, “You didn’t choose me, I chose you. Why? “So that you go and bear fruit.”
I remember from years ago in my military service, I tended to be a far left or far right type of person. The company I kept was not elaborate but well spoken of. I believe, in looking back today, that I instinctively held high regard to favor and service for others, especially those in need, even when I didn’t realize it. As the years past, I received messages from just a few people I served with and they thanked me for my kindness and thoughtfulness during the time we knew each other. It really felt good. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized, it wasn’t me doing the service, it was God through the Holy Spirit that made it all possible. And here is the kicker! I didn’t even realize what I was doing then that would have a tremendous impact on those I encountered. We may never know. I just happened to find out by just a few people who came back to me.
But going back to how God uses us and to prepare us, let me say this. If the time is not right for you to be called to serve God and all it entails, or if you have grave reservations about your ability to do God’s work, or if you don’t want God to mess with your lips and way of life, or if personal doubts or insecurities beset you, or if you are not in the best of health, or if you are burdened by cares and worries, listen to this! God doesn’t care about the excuses. God calls you anyway! Just as Jeremiah said he wasn’t equipped with words or wisdom, God put the words in his mouth. Jesus claimed much the same for himself.
Listen to what Jesus told the disciples in Gospel of Luke Chapter 12, “And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious how or what you are to answer or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
Let me tell you friends, this actually works. There are many times when I didn’t have a clue what to say in a congregation or meeting, I place my faith in God from this verse, and sure enough, I listen and God delivered without question.
Well some of you may say I’m no prophet, I’m no preacher, I’m no story teller, I get embarrassed easily, I’m always nervous, I’m never good at this or that, and so on… We do not have the time today to discuss all of the what if’s or why I can’t scenarios. What God is clearly telling us friends that in His majestic and loving way, He will prepare you, make you and sustain you to do his work. God will not set you up for failure! Hebrews Chapter 4 tells us, “For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
What do we do when we are tempted to avoid God, to shy away from what He is asking from us? We come to the throne of grace with full confidence, and God will deliver.
In closing friends, I want you to reflect on how and why the life we live is not our own. When God entered the picture of our lives, he re-written it to have a future, hope, love, grace, mercy, strength and all that comes with serving God. God has called each of us to His service by working in unison with one another by allowing His strength and purpose to be fulfilled. God does NOT work alone! So just as we each are commissioned to serve God, Paul makes the clear statement in Romans chapter 1 as being a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for Gods good news. That applies to each of us. Let us rest in full assurance that our lives will be well lived by taking part of God's plan that He has best for us, and using it to help and serve others.
Trust in God, not in your own abilities. Believe in God, and He will direct your path. Have faith in God, so He may bless you in more ways than one. The life we live, is not our own as God does not work alone. Amen.