Called, Gifted, and Led by Love
Sermon February 2, 2025 Jeremiah 1:4-10; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Called, Gifted, and Led by Love
Pastor Fred Okello
Over the past few Sundays, we’ve talked about the gifts bestowed upon us by the Spirit—gifts given not for personal gain but for the common good. Today, I want to shift our focus from the gifts we’ve received to the call that God places on our lives and how we are to respond to that call, guided by love.
Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13, emphasizes that without love, the greatest deeds and gifts mean nothing. And Jeremiah shows us that God does not wait for the most qualified or confident to step forward—He calls, He equips, and He assures.
We all wrestle with our call, don’t we? Whether in leadership, service, or ministry, the call of God often feels too big, too overwhelming, too much for us to handle. But here is the truth: God doesn’t call the equipped; He equips the called. And He doesn’t leave us alone in the journey.
God’s Call is Not About Our Abilities but Our Availability. Jeremiah’s story is a perfect example of how God calls the unwilling and uncertain. When God spoke to Jeremiah, his first response was, “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child” (Jeremiah 1:6). Doesn’t that sound familiar? How often have we told God, “I can’t,” or “I’m not ready,” or “I’m not good enough”? But God’s reply is profound: “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you” (Jeremiah 1:7).
God is not looking for people who have all the answers. He’s not asking for perfection. God is asking for a willingness to go, to trust, and to let Him work through us. Think about it: From Genesis to Revelation, the best leaders—Moses, Gideon, Esther, Peter, Paul—were not people who stood up and said, “I’m ready!” They were people who wrestled with God’s call. But they were also people who eventually said, “Here I am, Lord. Send me.”
God is inviting us into a Leadership Rooted in Love. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13 that it’s not about what we do but how we do it. Leadership in the church is not about titles, positions, or accomplishments. It’s about love. Paul writes, “If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1). Without love, our leadership is hollow. Without love, our gifts become self-serving.
Love is the foundation of everything we do as leaders in the church. It’s patient and kind. It doesn’t envy or boast. It keeps no record of wrongs. This kind of love is not easy. It’s sacrificial. It’s a love that mirrors the love of Christ—selfless and enduring.
As church leaders, we are not called to create a manifestos filled with promises of what we’ll achieve. Instead, we’re called to humble ourselves before God and say, “Lord, use me.” It’s not about what we will do but what God will do through us.
When God calls us, He never sends us out alone. He told Jeremiah, “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you” (Jeremiah 1:8). This is the same promise Jesus gave His disciples when He commissioned them: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
As leaders in the church, we often feel the weight of responsibility. We think about the challenges ahead, the criticisms we might face, and the doubts that creep in. But let me assure you: It’s not about your strength. It’s about God’s presence. God will give you the words to speak. He will send you where you need to go. He will equip you for the task at hand. Your job is to trust Him and step forward in faith.
As we reflect on our call into leadership, let us look to Jeremiah as an example. He wasn’t perfect. He was hesitant, fearful, and unsure. But he ultimately gave himself to the Lord’s work. This morning, I challenge you to do the same. Are you willing to let God use you in ways you never imagined? Are you willing to let Him shape and mold you? Are you willing to let Him lead you, even when you don’t know where He’s sending you? The call to leadership is not a call to be in control. It’s a call to surrender. It’s not about our plans but God’s purpose. It’s not about proving ourselves but allowing God to work through us.
Today, as we respond to God’s call, let us listen to His instruction. Let us remember that leadership in the church is not about what we can achieve but about what God can do through us. Like Jeremiah, let us give ourselves to the Lord with humility and trust. Let us root our leadership in the kind of love Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13—a love that reflects the heart of Christ. And above all, let us remember the promise that sustains us: “I am with you.”