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God’s Great Plan for Our Lives
Jeremiah 1:4-10
Sermon by Rick Crandall
Grayson Baptist Church - Sept. 9, 2012
*The second Sunday in September has been important to me for a long time.
It took over 5 years for me to answer God’s call into the ministry.
But when I said “yes,” He almost immediately started opening the door for us to come back to Louisiana.
And I began serving as the Associate Pastor at McClendon Baptist Church 29 years ago on the second Sunday in September, 1983.
*Then last summer, I got a call from a very nice, young, lady named Kellie.
She asked me if I would be interested in filling in a Sunday at Grayson.
So my first time to preach here was the second Sunday of September, last year.
And there has been something uniquely special about this past year.
Mary and I have never felt closer to anyone than we feel to you.
And I don’t know why both of these big things started on the second Sunday of September, but God has a reason.
You see, God has a plan for our lives!
This is the message to us from the Scripture today.
God has a great plan and purpose for our lives!
1.
First, God designed our lives.
*Jeremiah’s testimony in vs. 4&5 make this clear to us:
4. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying:
5. "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."
*Just like Jeremiah, you and I were designed by the Hand of God.
-He planned us and knew us before we were born.
-He formed us, molded us, and shaped us in the womb.
*This reminds us of the wonder and worth of our lives.
As King David told the LORD in Psalm 139:13&14.
13. . .
You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.
14.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made . . .
*God Himself designed our lives.
And this of course is why abortion is certainly wrong.
*I would like you to hear a letter to the editor from "The Anderson (Indiana) Herald Bulletin" in January of 2000: “I'm writing this Jan.
21, the eve of the anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade abortion decision, and remembering an experience I had at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.
*I was visiting an exhibit called ‘The Ascent of Man.’
In one room of the exhibit were displayed 10 to 12 fetuses preserved in jars showing different stages of development from a few weeks to full term.
*Nearby in the same room was a young mother with her son who appeared to be about 4 years of age.
The little boy was intently studying the jars and after a few moments, pointed to one and said in his 4-year-old voice, ‘Mommy, what is that?" -- She softly replied, "A fetus, honey.’
*The little boy studied it a few moments more, then replied, ‘Well mommy, it looks like a baby to me.’
*The hush that fell over the room was deafening.
Everyone became silent and stood very still.
After several moments, everyone very quietly left the room one by one.
No one said a word.
This small boy had spoken the truth, and no one could argue with that truth.
*I had been on the fence concerning the abortion issue prior to the Smithsonian.
However, this experience forever solidified my stand and my heart on this issue.
It is a baby, and that is the truth.
– Signed: Jean Burcham, Anderson, Indiana.”
(1)
*In vs. 5, the LORD told Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.”
And just like Jeremiah, you and I were formed by the Hand of God.
So you are precious in His sight.
Your life has great value, because you were shaped by the Hand of God.
*Zig Ziglar put it in great perspective when he asked us to think about the priceless masterpieces painted by DaVinci or Michelangelo.
And Zig said, “I am roughly familiar with the price of the canvass and the paints.
In and of themselves, they are not worth much at all.
No -- The value of the painting comes from the touch of the Master’s Hand.” (2)
*And you are priceless, because you were created by the greatest Master of all.
Your life has great value, because you were formed by the Hand of God.
-He designed our lives.
2. And now He wants to develop our lives.
*Part of the good news for us as believers is this: God’s not through with us yet!
Aren’t you glad?
The Lord continues to mold and shape our lives every day.
But how does He do it?
-- We can see two ways in vs. 6-9.
[1] First, God gives us His correction.
*We can see this in vs. 6&7, when Jeremiah began to complain to the Lord.
He’s whining a little bit in vs. 6.
6.
Then said I: "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth."
7.
But the LORD said to me: "Do not say, 'I am a youth,' For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak.
*Jeremiah needed correction.
And God gave it to him.
*All of God’s children need correction from our Heavenly Father.
That’s why Hebrews 12:5-11 challenges Christians with these words:
5. . .
You have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
6. for whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives."
7. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?
8.
But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.
9. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect.
Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
10.
For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.
11.
Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
*All of us need correction.
And God has many ways to get the job done.
Bruce Steuer gave the example of two little girls: Joanne and her younger sister Linda.
*One day they were playing, and Joanne got mad at little Linda.
Well, we love children, and they are precious, but you know how mean children can be.
And Joanne said this to her little sister: “You’re getting uglier and uglier every day.”
*But Joanne’s meanness took a surprising turn that same day when their grandmother stopped by.
Mamaw saw the girls, and out of the blue told the younger one: “Linda: You’re getting to look more like your big sister every day!” (3)
*Big sister, Joanne, found out: God has lots of ways to correct His children.
*How does the Lord develop our lives?
-- He gives us His correction.
[2] And He gives us His companionship.
*Listen to what the Lord told Jeremiah in vs. 8: “Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you," says the LORD.
These are some of the most encouraging words we can ever hear from the Lord: “I am with you to deliver you.”
*Last week I mentioned something that happened when pioneer missionary, David Livingstone first sailed for Africa.
He was met at the dock by some of his friends, because they were afraid for his safety.
They tried to persuade him not to go.
But Livingstone opened his Bible and read Jesus’ final words in Matthew 28:20: “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”
Livingstone then turned to his friends and said, “That, my friend, is the word of a Gentleman.
Let us be going.”
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