A prophet is a spokesman for God. Our text this morning is an example of a calling of a prophet. Throughout the scriptures, there are many examples in which God had called and chosen people to proclaim and speak His Word. For example, from a burning bush, God called Moses to proclaim and speak His Word. Moses wasn't so sure he was the person to do that which God had asked him to do. He said, "I am not very eloquent. I don't speak very well."

God provided and said, "Aaron, your brother will speak for you."

God called and chose Jonah to proclaim and speak His word of judgment against the city of Nineveh. We all know what happened. Jonah went in the opposite direction. He hopped a boat in the Mediterranean Sea.

But, God had chosen and called Jonah. So, Jonah was thrown off of the ship. A big fish ate him and then spit him out on the shore.

God called Jonah again, to go and preach against the city of Nineveh. Jonah listened to God and followed through on what God wanted him to do - preach against the city of Nineveh.

The city of Nineveh listened and repented of their sin.

God called Samuel, when he was a little, young boy in the temple, to speak and proclaim His Word.

And, with some of the disciples – God called Andrew and Peter, while they were working on their fishing nets. God called and chose Matthew, when he was collecting taxes, to come and proclaim and speak His Word.

In our text for today, that is exactly what God did with Jeremiah, when he was just a small child.

Today, I want you to know that not only has God called and chosen other people to proclaim and speak His Word, but He has also called and chosen you to proclaim and speak His Word.

First of all, God has called us to faith. We can't come to faith by ourselves. That is a work of God. The Bible says,

"No one can say Jesus is Lord,

except by the Holy Spirit."

Now that God has called us to faith to believe in Jesus as our Savior, He calls and chooses us to proclaim and speak His Word, as well.

This last week, in the classroom with my seventh grade confirmation students, we talked about this very thing - what a prophet really is. We were looking at the threefold office of Christ. He is our Prophet, Priest, and King.

And, just as I did to start the sermon this morning, we talked about what a prophet is. A prophet is a spokesman for God. Just as I did in the introduction, we looked at many different prophets that God had called and raised up over the many years. Then, I asked, "Did you know that during a worship service, you can see Christ’s Office of Prophet in action?"

Remember, a prophet is a spokesman for God. I asked my confirmation students if there are times, during a worship service, in which a pastor is proclaiming not his own word, but proclaiming the very Word of God. Let me share with you four examples that they shared with me.

After we confess our sin, the pastor turns to the congregation and he proclaims the Word of God when he says,

"I declare unto you the gracious forgiveness

of all of your sins.

In the name of the Father,

and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit."

He is acting like a prophet, not speaking his own words, but he is proclaiming to us the very Word of God.

During the reading of all three of the lessons, the Old Testament Lesson, the Epistle Lesson, and the Gospel Lesson, the pastor is not proclaiming his own word, but he is proclaiming the very Word of God after which he says,

"This is God's Word."

At the end of the service, as we are ready to go on our way, again the pastor does not speak his own words, but he proclaims God's Word in the benediction.

"The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make His face shine upon you,

and be gracious unto you.

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you

and give you peace."

And obviously, as I am standing in the pulpit, it is another time in which a pastor is acting like a prophet, again not proclaiming his own word, but proclaiming the very Word of God to us.

Jeremiah was called and chosen to proclaim and speak God's Word. Pastors are called and chosen to proclaim and speak God's Word. And, all of us are called to proclaim and speak God's Word.

Children in our Lutheran Elementary School and children in Sunday School here at Holy Cross proclaim and speak God’s Word. I know during my ministry in your midst, I have heard many occasions in which those children go home and they proclaim and they speak to their parents what they have learned in the classroom. Those parents then want to come and hear for themselves what it is that their children are learning.

Parents and Members of Holy Cross, when you proclaim and speak to your friends and neighbors what God's Word tells you, you are acting like a prophet, being a spokesman for God. Every time you invite someone to a worship service, you are acting like a prophet and proclaiming the Word of God to others.

God has chosen us to proclaim and speak His Word. And when we proclaim and speak His Word, it really does two things. It tears down and it builds up, just as our text for today says. Jeremiah was given a very difficult task, when God called him to be a prophet. After all, it was the very end of the Kingdom of Judah. The last four kings, during his time as prophet, did evil in the eyes of the Lord - Jehoahaz, Jehoikim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah. Can you imagine being a spokesman for God, when the leadership of your country does not agree with the words that you have to proclaim? And they were very difficult words that Jeremiah needed to share with the people of his day. And yet, God told Jeremiah, "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you."

Sometimes, as we proclaim God's Word, it is not always the most easy task to do. And yet, God wants us to proclaim His Word, sometimes even needing to tear people down. Very early in my ministry, a young couple came to me and I needed to speak difficult words to them. At first, I was very nervous about having to do it. And yet, I was comforted in knowing that they were not my words, they were God's Words.

They wanted to get married. We sat down and looked at a blueprint for marriage, according to what God's Word said. During that conversation, I found out that they were living together, and sexually active. We looked at what God's Word says and I sent them home, with options to think about.

They came back and we met again. They said they weren't going to stop living together, and weren't going to stop being active.

I told them, "I can't marry you."

Sometimes we need to proclaim and speak God's Word of sin and judgment.

Parents, sometimes you need to proclaim and speak God's Word and point out sin in your children's lives. With young children, as they fight and hit, we need to proclaim the Law, point out sin, and tear down.

Parents, with middle-aged children, when they lie and cheat, we need to proclaim the Law, point out sin, and tear down.

That is what the job of the Law is. The job of the Law is to point out sin. The job of the Law is to make smug sinners drive to despair.

And, once we are driven to despair, then we are ready, and the way is paved, to hear the words of the Gospel, in which we are reminded that we have a savior. We are reminded of what our Savior did for us. That is the very definition of the word savior - to save from sin. Jesus, our Savior, went to the cross, and there

➢ He proclaimed victory over sin.

➢ He proclaimed victory over death.

➢ He proclaimed victory over the devil.

➢ And He gives to us the forgiveness of sin and eternal life in Heaven!

As we proclaim and speak God's Word, it not only tears down, but it also builds us up and comforts us, knowing that we have eternal life in Heaven.

We are just weak, frail, human vessels, with weak, frail, human lips. And yet, God has chosen us to proclaim and speak His Word.

Just as I told the children, this morning, we are like those jars of clay, weak, and yet we hold a very precious message that God has given for us to proclaim and share with others.

As a pastor, and as an member, we know that we would bring the church to destruction, if left to ourselves.

And yet, it is not our words that we are speaking, but it is the very Word of God. And so, just as God did with many people, throughout all of the scriptures, calling and choosing people to proclaim and speak His Word, a message that not only tears down, but also builds up. As God has called and chosen us to come to faith, to believe in Jesus as our Savior, may we also take that holy and precious Word that He has given to us, and continue to go forth and to proclaim and speak His Word to others.

Amen.