Show Notes
READ: JEREMIAH 1:1-9; 11:1-5; 1 TIMOTHY 4:12; 2 TIMOTHY 2:23-26
Jeremiah was a young man when God called him to be a prophet—a messenger to speak to the people on God’s behalf. At that time in Judah, the religious leaders had abandoned God’s Word. As a result, widows, orphans, and immigrants were being taken advantage of—in clear violation of God’s Word—and the leaders weren’t doing anything about it. Although people were worshipping God in the temple, many were also going out and worshipping false Gods, and some were even engaging in the horrible pagan practice of child sacrifice. Jeremiah was to tell the people of Judah to repent of their evil and follow God instead.
Even though Jeremiah felt too young and unqualified for this task, God still worked through him to warn the people that judgment was coming, to call them to repentance, and even to point forward to the hope of God’s promised Messiah (Jeremiah 30-33).
Sadly, nobody listened.
People don’t always want to hear what a younger person is telling them. Older people sometimes believe they are wiser than young people. And sometimes younger people don’t want to hear what an older person is telling them either. At times, we all resist being told the truth.
Yet, Jesus tells us, “The truth will set you free” (John 8:32). God doesn’t want us to be held captive to sin; He wants to free us! That’s why God asks each and every Christian, no matter their age, to tell His wondrous story—which centers around Jesus the Messiah dying and rising again to save us from sin. God calls us to teach others to follow Jesus. Yet it is truly difficult to tell others about Jesus when they willingly turn away and reject the good news.
Though people didn’t listen to Jeremiah and even threatened his life, he persevered and spoke the truth boldly and in love—just as all believers are called to do (Ephesians 4:15; 6:19-20). He listened for God’s voice and spoke when God commanded.
In the same way, even when no one listens, God asks us to speak and tell about Him, and He promises that He will be with us as we do (Matthew 28:20). Like He did for Jeremiah, God will guide and empower us to tell the true story of the gospel, and He will work through our words. • Anna Gregory
• What is the hardest thing for you about telling others about Jesus? What can 2 Timothy 2:23-26 show us about what it means to witness well—even when no one listens? (For more about the gospel, and how to share it with others, see our "Know Jesus" page.)
Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. Ephesians 4:15 (NLT)
More from Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens
READ: MATTHEW 6:19-21; JOHN 3:16-17; 14:1-4; REVELATION 19:6-9; 21:1-5
READ: PSALM 139:1-4; ROMANS 5:6-8; 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 We curate the caption and crop the distraction, Chasing the applause of a virtual reaction. We polish the exterior to hide the interior, Afraid that our true selves are somehow inferior. But in the quiet, when the screen goes black, We feel the heavy weight of the perfection we lack. See, Jesus didn’t come for your highlight reel, He came for the brokenness you try to conceal. No filter could cover the crimson cost of sin, So He opened His arms to let the rebels in. On the cross, He was exposed, stripped, and bruised, So the real you would never have to be refused. He was buried in the dark so you could walk in the light, Tearing the veil to make your future bright. The grave couldn’t hold Him, the stone rolled away, Giving you mercy that is new every day. You are not a brand, a post, or a trend, You are chosen, beloved, and called His friend. So drop the performance, let the pretense cease, And rest in the rhythm of His perfect peace. • Ty Scott King • Why do you think it’s sometimes easier to show people a curated version of ourselves rather than who we really are? What parts of yourself do you try to curate, edit, and hide away? • Jesus sees the unedited version of you, and He loves you so much that He died and rose again for you. How could this truth affect the way yo view your mistakes, flaws, or things you just don’t like about yourself? • Are there any areas of your life where you feel like you’re putting on a performance instead of trusting God’s grace? Consider spending some time in prayer, laying these things down at Jesus’s feet and asking Him to help you see yourself the way He sees you. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)