“What 2020 Has In Store For You” 

Pastor David Moore 

New Testament reading: Luke 5:1-11

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. 

Today’s theme is about Jeremiah who was a prophet for the people of Judah for 40 years and under 5 kings. Jeremiah wrote two books—Jeremiah and Lamentations—and was one of the most successful men of the Bible because he followed God’s direction in delivering God’s Word to the people. 

Jeremiah: Daring to Hope in an Unstable World. 

Old Testament reading Jeremiah 1:4-19 

The word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’ “Ah, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. Then the Lord reached out His hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “Now, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?” “I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied.

Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.” The word of the Lord came to me again: “What do you see?” “I see a boiling pot, tilting away from the north,” I answered. The Lord said to me, “From the north disaster will be poured out on all who live in the land. I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdom,” declares the Lord. “Their kings will come and set up their thrones in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem; they will come against all her surrounding walls and against all the towns of Judah. I will pronounce my judgments on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshipping what their hands have made. 

Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified of them, or I will terrify you before them. Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. 

God does not call those who are equipped, He equips those whom He has called. ~Smith Wigglesworth 

And for us, I’d say to us that God knows you too. As He formed you, He knew what you would be good at and what you would struggle with. Knew if you would be brave or more scared. Set aside spiritual gifts and talents for you that would work with your personality. Knows what excuses we have for doing things our way instead of God’s way. And knew—I want you to hear this—knew that you would be here during the 2020 pandemic. There are no accidents. God knew that you would be where you are during the pandemic. God knows what talents you have, what level of passion and grace you have. And He placed you here during 2020. You have been called to this place and this time in the history of the world. Just as Jeremiah was called to be obedient during the hardest moment in history of Israel, we are called to be servants of God here and now. How we act in this pandemic will reveal our trust in God, just as the actions of the Jews during Jeremiah’s life revealed whether or not they really believed in and were willing to obey God. ~D. Moore 

God does not give us everything we want, but He does fulfill His Promises leading us along the best and straightest paths to Himself. ~Dietrich Bonhaeffer 

Jeremiah 17:7: Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose hope is the Lord. 

Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world. ~C.S. Lewis

God has a reason for allowing things to happen. We may never understand His wisdom, but we simply have to trust His will. 

In summary, God knows our struggles and weaknesses just like Jeremiah. We are called like Jeremiah and God gave His Word to Jeremiah to tell people of Judah. We are called to this time and place in history to depend on God, listen to God, follow God’s direction and be faithful to God. We are called to be a blessing and a light in these uncertain times for others. God is with us, just like in Jeremiah’s time in history. God will sustain us even during our struggles. 

This week, read about Jeremiah, look to Jeremiah’s example for your life. 

God bless.