Encountering the Old Testament, 3rd Edition

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Chapter

27. Jeremiah 1–20: Struggling with God's Call

Some people think that Jeremiah might have been as young as sixteen when God called him. What problem might there be in a church today if a sixteen-year-old was called as pastor-prophet?
Does God confirm his call today in such concrete ways as he did with Jeremiah? Why?
What are some of the idols Christians worship today that get in the way of their Christian growth?
What examples can we find today of how those who serve God suffer great opposition as well as persecution?
What examples from preachers today can you tell about that might be comparable to the methodology used by Jeremiah?

Divide the class into groups of four students. Ask the students to share with each other how God has called them to service for him. Conclude with having all the groups share from their small groups in a feedback session with the entire class. Class time allowed: 20 minutes.
Divide the class into small groups. Assign each group one of Jeremiah’s descriptions of Judah’s sad condition. Have the group: (a) try to explain what the particular meaning was for the content Jeremiah used to describe the condition; (b) try to identify parallels today. Conclude with a feedback session with the entire class. Class time allowed: 30 minutes.