September 28, 2026 - Call on Him

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 1:4–10; 33:3 (KJV)

4   Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

5   Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

6   Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

7   But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

8   Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.

9   Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

10   See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

33:3   Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Sermon Summary

Call Unto Me

Rev. Audrey Kinny opened by asking the Holy Spirit to hide her behind the cross, so the people would see only God and be doers of the Word, not hearers only. Then she went to where she wanted to hang her hat, Jeremiah 33:3: “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” In a world like the one we live in, she said, we really have no other choice but to call on Him.

The Weeping Prophet

Jeremiah was called to ministry as a young man at a hard time in Judah’s history. For years he preached, and nobody listened. He was thrown into prison under King Zedekiah and rejected by his neighbors, his friends, his own family, the priests, and the false prophets. He stood alone. Rev. Kinny reminded us of 2 Timothy 3:12: “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” If you are wondering why you are going through what you are going through, it may be because you are living for Him.

Two Evils and a Strange Land

Jeremiah’s tears were for a people who had broken covenant with God, mixing their worship with the idols of Canaan. In Jeremiah 2:13 the Lord says His people committed two evils: they forsook the fountain of living waters and dug broken cisterns that can hold no water. They did things their own way, as so many of us do today. Any time we try to meet our own needs without God, we set ourselves up for failure. Jesus said, “without me ye can do nothing.”

Judah ignored every warning, and Jerusalem fell. The captives sat by the rivers of Babylon, hung their harps on the willows, and asked how they could sing the Lord’s song in a strange land. Rev. Kinny said we can share Jeremiah’s hurt when we look at our own land: the drugs, the injustice, the crime, and the cold condition of too many churches. God’s judgment is certain, even if the timing is not.

Fire Shut Up in My Bones

Even Jeremiah got weary. In Jeremiah 20:9 he said he would not speak in the Lord’s name anymore, but the word was in his heart like a burning fire shut up in his bones. He had a case of “I can’t help it.” That is why we keep coming to church and calling on the Lord: we can’t help it. Galatians 6:9 tells us not to be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. It may be hard now, but it will be glory later, and we want to hear Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

Hope in the Prison

Even while Jeremiah was locked up, God gave His prophet hope. He found it when he took his eyes off himself and looked to the Lord. Rev. Kinny encouraged anyone going through a hard season — a hard job, a hard road — to keep their eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Jeremiah remembered the goodness of God and could say, “Great is thy faithfulness.” It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed; His compassions are new every morning. And because Jesus is a high priest who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities (Hebrews 4:15–16), we can come boldly to the throne of grace to find mercy and help in time of need.

Jesus Is on the Main Line

Then she named her theme: Jesus is on the main line, and the call is waiting. She shared that the Lord sometimes wakes her at 1:30 or 2:30 in the morning, and she simply begins talking with Him: “What do You want me to do?” In Jeremiah 32:27 God asks, “Is there any thing too hard for me?” When things are too hard for us, they are just right for God. Just a little talk with Jesus makes it right.

She took time to brag on Him: omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent — with us at Baker’s while He is with every other church at the same time. The Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star, the Lion of Judah. Christ died for us while we were yet sinners, but He did not stay dead. He rose with all power, sent us out with the Great Commission, and promised to be with us always.

Call Him Up

So call Him up and tell Him what you want. If you need forgiveness, tell Him. If you are carrying an unforgiving spirit, tell Him, and let Jesus fix it. Rev. Kinny shared that there are things in her own life she cannot fix, but she keeps calling on Him, trusting that He knows what is best. Keep your hand in God’s hand and keep on praying, because He still says, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee.”

Key Takeaways

•   God’s promise in Jeremiah 33:3 is threefold: call on Him, and He will hear, answer, and show you great and mighty things you do not know.

•   Trying to meet our needs our own way is digging broken cisterns. Without Him we can do nothing.

•   Faithfulness can be lonely and may bring persecution, but don’t grow weary. In due season you will reap if you faint not.

•   Hope returns when we take our eyes off ourselves and remember God’s faithfulness. His mercies are new every morning.

•   Jesus is on the main line and never too busy. Nothing is too hard for God, so call Him up and tell Him what you need.