I Am Just A Youth

Title: I am just a Youth!

Text: Jeremiah 1:4-10

4 Now the word of the LORD came to me saying,

5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations."

6 Then I said, "Alas, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, Because I am a youth."

7 But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, ’I am a youth,’ Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, And all that I command you, you shall speak.

8 "Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you," declares the LORD.

9 Then the LORD stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me, "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.

10 "See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To pluck up and to break down, To destroy and to overthrow, To build and to plant."

Introduction

The book of Jeremiah contain the prophesies of a man called by God in his youth. A heartbroken prophet with a heartbreaking message for his generation. His was called into ministry during the time of King Josiah the last godly king of Judah.

In one of Judah’s darkest hour, God raised up a youth name Jeremiah. Against all persecution and hardships, Jeremiah stood his ground and boldly proclaimed a message from God to a stiff neck generation.

During his long ministry he warned God’s people that catastrophe would fall on the nation because of their idolatry and sin. He lived to see this prophecy come true with the fall of Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, the destruction of the city and the Temple, and the exile to Babylon of Judah's king and many of the people. He also foretold the eventual return of the people from exile and the restoration of the nation.

I believed that in this dark hour, God is raising up His Jeremiahs, young man and young woman called by God who will attempt mighty works for Him.

In Jeremiah Chapter one, Jeremiah received a call from God. God told Jeremiah that even before his was formed in his mother womb God already knew him and had called him to be a prophet to the nations.

Jeremiah being very young was overwhelmed by the task that God has given to him. Jeremiah exclaimed No way God! I don’t know how to speak! I am just a youth! Common man God that is not cool!

God replied and Do not say I am just a youth!

Are you running away from what God is calling you to do because you are just a youth? I have good news for you! God is speaking to you right now, this moment , this second "Do not say that I am just a youth!"

1Tim 4:12 “Let no one look down upon your youthfulness"

Three reasons why you should not be looking down upon your youthfulness

Don’t say I am just a youth because:

1. God has given you a Divine purpose.

As God has given Jeremiah a divine purpose for his time and generation, I believed that God has given this generation of youths His divine purpose.

I see each and every youth that came into the fold as one with a divine purpose in life. This is the passion that drives me as a youth pastor. There will be some of them who will become prophets like Jeremiah and Isaiah, some of you will become like Daniel with the ability to influence the secular affairs of the nations.

As God has given Jeremiah a divine purpose God has called each and everyone of you youths seated here this morning!

A. Parents must see this divine purpose in your child and groom them up in the fear of the Lord.

- The sons of Eli had a great destiny before them. Unfortunately Eli did not discipline his sons and allowed them to erred in their ways. He allowed them to continue sinning.

- Church listen to me here. Eli was a good man. He loves God. He served as a faithful High priest unto the Lord. But he lacked the courage to discipline them. And he was judged for the sins of his sons. Groomed your child into their destinies by spending time with them, correcting them. Parents today groom their children in piano, in achery, in tennis, in arts, except to be one destined for God’s purpose. How tragic it is!

1Samuel 3:

12 "In that day I will carry out against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.

13 "For I have told him that I am about to judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them.