2-1-98............. God’s Man was a Boy............ Jer. 1

by Ronald E. George Jr.

Leadership dedication Sunday. ...Becoming a Leader of God..

Every leader stands with two buckets in their hands: one with water and one with gasoline. Which will you pour onto the fire of God’s Holy Spirit?

[Recognize each of the lay leaders of the congregation. Have each one to stand and be recognized by the congregation.]

Prayer of dedication of ourselves to God, to the work of the Lord in the church, and to one another.

Scripture Text: Jer. 1:4-10 Key verses: 9-10.

Jere 1:4 (KJS) Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, [and] I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. 6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak: for I [am] a child. 7 But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I [am] a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. 8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I [am] with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. 9 Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth. 10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

Purpose: To challenge us to become the leaders that God has called us to be.

Could God use me? Would God use me?

Illustrations of God’s Leaders from the scriptures:

A. In I Sam. God chose a boy, a sling, and one smooth stone from the creek to stop Goliath.

B. In Jer. 1 God chooses a boy.

C. In Numb 22:28 God chooses a Donkey to speak his message to the apostate Balaam.

D. In Judges 4 God uses a Woman named Deborah to lead the Israelites.

E. In Jonah 1:17 God prepared a whale to get his point across the missionary Jonah.

F. God is speaking to us today concerning becoming the leaders that he would desire us to be?

Samuel Logan Brengle was one of the truly great leaders of the Salvation Army. A man of scholarship as well as of singular spiritual power, he outlined the road to spiritual authority and leadership in challenging words:

It is not won by promotion, but by many prayers and tears. It is attained by confessions of sin, and much heart-searching and humbling before God; by self-surrender, a courageous sacrifice of every idol, a bold, deathless, uncompromising and uncomplaining embracing of the cross, and by an eternal, unfaltering looking unto Jesus crucified. It is not gained by seeking great things for ourselves, but rather, like Paul, by counting those things that are gain to us as loss for Christ. That is a great price, but it must be unflinchingly paid by him who would be not merely a nominal but a real spiritual leader of men, a leader whose power is recognized and felt in heaven, on earth and in hell.

I. God’s Word came to the Leader.

a. God spoke to him personally.

b. God reminded him of his origin.

c. God chose him because He can and He did.

d. God answered his excuses.

e. God promised him his deliverance.

f. God gave him his presence.

II. God touches His Leaders.

He put his words in Jeremiah’s mouth. Now is the time to decide to have extreme faith in the Lord and his call on your life. Allow Him to touch your life.

III. God Gives Vision to the Leader.

He has a plan for your ministry in his church. Will you be willing to follow the Lord’s Leading in your life? See the vision of ministry in His church. Accept it!

Will You take the Challenge of Leadership? [Distribute copies of the following challenge to the whole congregation before the service.]

I am part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed." I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I've stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of His. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals! I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by presence, learn by faith, love by patience, live by prayer, and labor by power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, let go, or slow up until I've preached up, prayed up, paid up, stored up, and stayed up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops. And when He comes to get His own, He'll have no problems recognizing me. My colors will be clear.

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Will you sign on the dotted line and become the leader that God has called us to be.

Will you take the challenge of leadership and come to present yourself to God?