Session 1 | Jeremiah 1:4-19

PREPARES

ENGAGE

ASK:

How do you

• Plann a family reunion picnic?
• Tackle a new assignment at work?
• Move to a new home?

ASK:

• When you tackle a big task,
  how do you prepare yourself for the job?

(Examples:

• make to-do lists,
• study,
• create a deadline schedule,
• talk to experienced people)

READ:

Preparation, or the lack thereof, has an impact
on whether we will be successful
when undertaking an endeavor.
The more important the task, the more we will prepare for it.
A pre-med student trying to get into medical school
will spend more time in preparation for that exam
than for a daily quiz in a freshman English class.
Since God desires to make Himself known
to all the nations through His people,
He takes special care in preparing them for this vital mission.

EXPLAIN:

No matter what the task may be,
we have steps we can take
to prepare ourselves to accomplish the job.

As believers, we are called to represent God in our world.
So, let’s think about ways we can prepare for that job.

DISCUSS:

• In what ways does God prepare His people for His service? (p. 13)

TRANSITION:

Today we begin a study of the books of Jeremiah and Lamentations.
We will see how God prepared Jeremiah for the big job of being a prophet
and then sent him out to accomplish the task.
As we move through this study, let’s watch for how God was working in his life and among His people.

EXPLORE THE TEXT

OVERVIEW:

The prophet Jeremiah was living in Judah
at a time when Babylon dominated the ancient Near East.

Note that all the upheaval left the citizens of Judah wondering
where they should place their trust—
with Babylon, with Egypt, or with God.

Yet into this time of turmoil, God called Jeremiah
to be His “prophet to the nations” (Jer. 1:5).

MEMORIZE:

Jeremiah 1:4 is the memory verse for today’s session
encourage the group to commit it to memory.