The book of Jeremiah offers some marvelous insights into preachers and preaching. Over the next several weeks we will explore some of them under the heading of “Learning About Preaching From Jeremiah.” Brother Winkler presented this lesson in both his “Preacher and His Work” class and in his “Expository Preaching From Jeremiah” class while at Faulkner University. He observed in his introduction to this lesson, “Though there is so much to learn about preaching from this book and the life of this prophet, we will limit our study to what we find in chapter 1.”

God’s Preacher Is Measured Not By His Ability But By His Faithfulness

Having been informed by God he had been ordained a prophet to the nations (1:5), Jeremiah replied, “Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child” (1:6). Like Moses and others before him, Jeremiah questioned his ability to do what God was asking of him. However, God would not relieve him of his responsibility just because he thought he could not do it for the text continues, “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” (1:7). God was not concerned with how polished Jeremiah was as His spokesman. He was concerned with whether his prophet went where He sent him and spoke what He revealed to him.

Paul wrote, “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2). Jesus said both the five talent servant and two talent servant heard their master say, “Well done good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21, 23). The one talent servant who was “afraid” (25:24-25) must surely have been saying to himself “Why didn’t I try,” as he was called “wicked and slothful” and cast into outer darkness (25:26, 30). He knew his master was expecting a return on his money (25:26), but he was not faithful to fulfill his demands and hence he paid the price.

The feelings of being inadequate to accomplish the task of proclaiming the message of God to mankind did not cease with Jeremiah’s generation. As God’s preachers we must remember He concern is not for us to be a “hard” preacher, a “soft” preacher, a “well-dressed” preacher, or even a “well-accepted” preacher. God is concerned with whether we are a “faithful” preacher. To be faithful to God we must go where He sends us—“into all the world”—and preach what He tells us—“the Gospel”—to the ones He has directed us—“every creature” (Mark 16:15).