Wednesday Prior to Epiphany 4

 

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Jeremiah 1:4-10—God promises to deliver the prophet Jeremiah from the fear of those opposing the Word. Before Jeremiah was born, he was called to be a prophet. The point of contact of this lesson with the Gospel is Jeremiah’s fear of preaching the Word as implied in verse 8. In the Gospel Jesus faced His opposition with courage. Here we are given the human side of the preacher. What would Jeremiah say concerning himself? He is destined to preach (verse 5).  This is his life’s calling, although at times he feels unworthy to preach (verse 6), and is at times afraid to preach (verse 8).But preach he must for he know that he speaks for God (verse 9).

At the beginning of his writing, Jeremiah explains how he was called by God to be a prophet. He makes it clear that he has a strong sense of being born particularly to be a prophet-almost a sense of predestination to the prophetic role. At first Jeremiah protested the call; he was too young he said. Finally, he accepted and he senses that he is a prophet to all the nations, not to Israel alone, with the assignment to both destroy evil and sin and to build up the kingdom of God.

Ina time when many did not want to hear God’s Word, as a prophet of God, Jeremiah had a difficult time. In some of the “confessions” that he wrote, Jeremiah curse the day he was born and expressed grave doubts about any good coming out of his declaration of the message that God had give him. But God protected and prolonged Jeremiah’s work as His spokesman and reaffirmed frequently his commissioning.

The point of contrast to this lesson with this week’s Gospel is Jeremiah’s fear of preaching the Word as implied in verse 8. In the Gospel lesson Jesus faced his opposition with courage – Luke 4:30. True, the preacher is a person yet the ministry belongs to Christ.

Collect for Epiphany 4—Lord, You know we live in the midst of so many dangers that in our frailty we cannot stand upright. Grant strength and protection to support us in all dangers and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.[2] -26 January 2022

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[1] The Crucifixion, Schnorr Von Carolsfeld woodcuts © WELS permission granted for personal and congregational use
[2] Collect for Epiphany 4, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St., Louis