God Chooses His Messengers (Jeremiah, Paul and Timothy)

Scripture quotations are from the EasyEnglish Bible Copyright © MissionAssist 2018, 2024 – UK Charitable Incorporated Organisation 1162807. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.easyenglish.bible 

Jeremiah 1:4-9

Jeremiah was a prophet * who lived about 600 years before Jesus came to Earth. He wrote this…

4 The Lord gave me this message: 

5 ‘I already knew you before I made you inside your mother's body. I chose you to be special before you were born. I chose you to be my prophet, to speak my message to other nations.’

6 I answered, ‘Lord God, I do not know how to speak. I am only a child.’

7 The Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, “I am only a child.” You must go to everyone that I send you to. You must say whatever I tell you to say. 

8 Do not be afraid of them. Remember that I will be with you. I will keep you safe.’

9 Then the Lord touched my mouth with his hand. He said to me, ‘I am giving you the words that you must speak. 

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Many years later, God chose other people to take the good news of Jesus to the world. Two of those people were the apostle * Paul and a church leader called Timothy. It seems Timothy was troubled about being a leader because he was young. Paul wrote these words to encourage Timothy to be strong, and to do what God chose him to do.

1 Timothy 4:12-14

(Paul writes to Timothy)

12 You are still a young man, but everyone should respect you as the leader in the church. Show the believers how they should live. Be a good example to them in these ways: what you say, what you do, how you love people, how you trust God, and how you do only what is right.

13 Until I come, be careful to read the Bible aloud to people. Teach them to understand and to obey the message about Christ. 

14 Remember the spiritual gift that God has given to you. You received that gift when the group of church leaders put their hands on you. They spoke messages from God about how you would serve Him. So do not stop using that gift from God.

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2 Timothy 1: 8-9 

In another letter, Paul wrote again to Timothy. Paul was in prison at the time.  He wrote…

8 So do not be ashamed of the message about our Lord that we tell people. And do not be ashamed of me because I am in a prison. I am a prisoner because I serve Christ. You must understand that you will have trouble because you tell people the good news about Jesus Christ. So be ready to have the same kind of trouble as I have. Let God make you strong when you have trouble.

9 God is the one who has saved us. He has chosen us to serve Him with good, clean lives. He did not save us because of any good things that we have done. He chose to do it because He is very kind. He decided to do that before time began, because of what Christ Jesus would do for us. 

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Important Vocabulary to Learn

(Some words are from the readings and some words come from the questions below.)

1. Words from the first 1000 high frequency General Service Word List

(And all the other words in the reading that are not listed in numbers 2 and 3 below.)

again, already, answer(ed), before, began, body, (to be) born, chose, decide(d), everyone, example, expect, gift/give/giving, group, hand, keep, kind, letter, mouth, nations, only, other, ready, receive(d), remember, respect, safe, serve, speak, special, spiritual, strong/strength, time, touch(ed), trouble(d), trust, understand, until, whatever

2. Words from the second 1000 high frequency General Service Word List

afraid, aloud, (to be) ashamed (of), clean, (a) child, encourage, inside, message(s)/messenger, obey, prison/prisoner

3. Glossary of Special Terms (these words are marked with a *) 

apostle, believers, prophet

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Learning Questions and Activities 

1. Remembering - What did the Lord give to Jeremiah? (Check your answer in Jeremiah 1: 9.) What else did God give Timothy, to help him speak? (Check your answer in 2 Timothy 1:14.)

2. Understanding - What do you think the spiritual gift was that Timothy received from God when the church leaders put their hands on him? (Remember, Timothy was a church leader. Think about all the things he needed to do as a leader. 1 Timothy 4:13 may help you to answer this question.) 

3. Applying - Jeremiah says that God chose him. Paul says that God chose him and Timothy too. Paul says that God chose them 'before time began'. The verses in the readings teach us that God has a plan for His people, and for the world. Do you ever think about what God's plan is for you? How does it make you think about God, to know that His plans were made before you were born, and even before time began? Does God choose people to serve Him because they are good? (Check 2 Timothy 1:verse 9.) In what ways has God been kind to you?

4. Analysing - Paul tells Timothy not to be 'ashamed' of the good news of Jesus Christ. In another letter (to the believers in Rome), Paul wrote that he was not ashamed of this good news because it is 'the power of God to save those who believe.' (Romans 1:16).

Look at the table below. Join the words that are opposite in meaning by drawing a line between them. You may need to check the meanings of some of the words before you start. When you finish, you can check your answers at the end of this lesson.