Introduction
God gives all of us an assignment? Do you know yours and desire to do the assignment He has for you? God's word came to Jeremiah in an audible manner. Today we may hear God through the Old and New Testaments, and possibly in an audible manner. Someone suggested God does not speak in an audible manner but much louder. Will we Accept God's Assignment?

1.    Accept God's Assignment from the . . Word of the Lord. 1:1-4
A.    An Assignment with A . . Parental. 1:1
    1 The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests living in Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.

B.    An Assignment with A . . Pinpointed. 1:2-3
    2 The word of the Lord came to him in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah. 3 It also came throughout the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile.

C. An Assignment with A . . Personal. 1:4
    4 The word of the Lord came to me:

        Did Jeremiah hear God's word from his father? I think so! It can be an advantage to be the son of a priest. I am partial to preacher's kids! When God spoke to Jeremiah He pinpointed His message to Jeremiah, and he understood God spoke specifically to him.
 

2.    Accept God's Assignment from the . . Will of the Lord. 1:5-6
A. The . . Appointment of the Will of the Lord. 1:5
    5 I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. appointed you a prophet to the nations.

B.    The . . Argument with the Will of the Lord. 1:6
6 But I protested, "Oh no, Lord God! Look, I don't know how to speak since I am [only] a youth."

        God's will appointed Jeremiah even before his birth. What does this say about abortion?  Does God have a plan for you and I even before we are born? I like to answer those kind of questions by saying "God was not surprised when we discovered His assignment for us." Jeremiah offered an excuse basically saying I am too young, and cannot speak well enough to be a prophet. God did not accept the argument Jeremiah gave, but this teaches us we can, and should for our benefit, tell God exactly how we feel.
 

3.    Accept God's Assignment from the . . Ways of the Lord. 1:7-8
A. The . . Promise in the Ways of the Lord. 1:7
    7 Then the Lord said to me: Do not say: I am [only] a youth, for you will go to everyone I send you to and speak whatever I tell you.

B. The . . Provisions in the Ways of the Lord. 1:7
    8 Do not be afraid of anyone, for I will be with you to deliver you. [This is] the Lord's declaration.

    Jeremiah expressed his thoughts and God gave him the promise of His presence. God's presence is not promised like men might promise; but His promise is a provision. Note, "for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD." Jer. 1:8 KJV. His promise and presence will see Jeremiah going where He sends him, and saying what He desires him to say.
 

4.    Accept God's Assignment from the . . Work of the Lord. 1:9-16
A.    The . . Touching Work of the Lord. 1:9-10
9 Then the Lord reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and told me: Look, I have filled your mouth with My words. 10 See, today I have set you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and demolish, to build and plant.

B. The . . Testing of the Work of the Lord. 1:11-13
    11 Then the word of the Lord came to me, asking, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" I replied, "I see a branch of an almond tree." 12 The Lord said to me, "You have seen correctly, for I watch over My word to accomplish it." 13 Again the word of the Lord came to me inquiring, "What do you see?" And I replied, "I see a boiling pot, its mouth tilted from the north [to the south]."

C.    The . . Testimony of the Work of the Lord. 1:14-16
    14 Then the Lord said to me, "Disaster will be poured out from the north on all who live in the land. 15 Indeed, I am about to summon all the clans and kingdoms of the north." [This is] the Lord's declaration. They will come, and each [king] will set up his throne at the entrance to Jerusalem's gates. They will attack all her surrounding walls and all the other cities of Judah. 16 "I will pronounce My judgments against them for all the evil they did when they abandoned Me to burn incense to other gods and to worship the works of their own hands.

    When people accept God's assignment for their lives they can be assured of His touch. Jeremiah did not know how to speak, but God's touch enabled him. The Lord then gave Jeremiah some tests as he evaluated the visions shown to him. He evaluated correctly, and the Lord then gave testimony to what these visions represented and how He would work. A good lesson can be learned here as the nation from the North actually came from the East; moved up to the North and then came down conquering as they finally invaded Jerusalem.
 

5.    Accept God's Assignment from the . . Warrant of the Lord. 1:17-19
A.    The . . Commanding Warrant of the Lord. 1:17
17 "Now, get ready. Stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not be intimidated by them or I will cause you to cower before them.

B.    The . . Confirming Warrant of the Lord. 1:18
    18 Today, I am the One who has made you a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land--against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the population. 19 They will fight against you but never prevail over you, since I am with you to
rescue you. [This is] the Lord's declaration.

    Having clarified the assignment for Jeremiah; God now gives a commanding warrant to get on with it. Many times people in the church need to stop evaluating what God's assignment is and simply do it. The Great Commission is not confusing. The Nike Company advertises with the slogan "Just do it!" That sums up God's command to Jeremiah. In verses 18-19 the warrant is confirmed, and God promises to strengthen His prophet. It will be well for all of us to discover and Accept God's Assignment, and get busy doing it. Amen? Amen!