The call of God

Today we are beginning a new sermon series that I have entitled Advance. I want to take some time this month to talk with you about the call of God. In this series we are going to take a dive into the word to gain a better understanding of what the call of God is.

Now, to gain understanding of the call of God we must first clarify the proper starting point. The Call of God is most often associated with a call to full time pastoral ministry or the mission field, but I would submit to you this morning that it is certainly more than that.

The Call of God is not merely to the vocational minister, but to every believer. What I have learned over the past decade of ministry is that we often start in the wrong place when it comes to understanding the call of God.

Definition of the call of God is typically filtered through the lens of our specific context, lives, and situation, but in reality it must begin with God. The call of God first and foremost is a call to Him. It is a call to restored relationship with God where we both know Him, and the purposes of His heart. When you truly know Him, the result is almost always a willingness to serve Him and His purposes.

My prayer for this series is that God would give us a heart to understand, and a hunger to know Him.

Pause to Pray over the message.

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Submit:

At some point in life every person will ask the questions why am I here? Why do I exist? What am I supposed to do with my life?

Rick Warren former pastor of Saddleback Church wrote the book the purpose driven life in an attempt to help answer that question. What I have seen as a result is that many began to look for some specific niche that no one else was doing. If it was from God it had to be special and unique. Specific to me alone.

There is a potential fallacy to this type of thinking. To answer the question of personal call again we must start in the right place. Many people sit idle for years trying to figure out the niche. Can I submit to you today that we will always struggle to find our purpose in life if we are the starting point.

If we are to find our purpose it will be a result of answering the call to Him. Turn to Romans 8:28.

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

The purpose of our lives is to know God and hear His voice so that we can live a life of servanthood and obedience. The scripture we read together has two parts to it.

1. Love God

God wants us to love Him exclusively above all other things and beings. Lukewarm, half-hearted, or apathetic fondness for God won’t do. He wants our total devotion. Matthew 22:37.

Jesus says in Matthew 22:37 “Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’” Luke adds with all your strength.

God is a jealous God! He want’s all of you!

Don’t let the word Jealous make you think that he is an egotistical maniac. He certainly is not. As a loving father He burns with passion for you. He knows the depths of sin and its destruction, and yearns to keep you from it. So much that He sent Jesus to die so that He could get restored relationship with you.

The way we show God we love him is by keeping His word. John 14:21.

John 14:21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.””

King David was an example of this type of Love. Acts 13:22.

Acts 13:22 “And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’”

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Apply:

2. Know His purpose.

Throughout the Bible, the word “call” is used most often to refer to God's initiative to bring people to Christ and to participate in his redemptive work in the world. 1 Timothy 2:4.

1 Timothy 2:4 says, God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

As we discover and receive His love for us it always leads to discovery of the vastness of His love for others. Luke 19:10.

Luke 19:10 “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.””

God’s purpose is the redemption of mankind. To set in order what was lost at the fall of man in the Garden. The Christian life is more than a ticket to heaven its a call to Advance His purposes in the earth. 2 Corinthians 5:17-20.

2 Corinthians 5:17-20 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”

God has committed to us the ministry and word of reconciliation. When we say yes to Him we are saying yes to His call to become an ambassador for His kingdom.

For some this Call looks like full time vocational ministry, but more than that it also looks like behaving like a good christian so that our life gives witness to the reality of the kingdom of God. It looks like living a Godly life that reveals the power of His word to transform. It is the sharing of the testimony of what He has done in your life, and encouraging others to follow Him.

In the call He has given spiritual gifts and empowerment to every believer. God determines the grace each one receives. He is the one who gives the assignments, but we have a responsibility to do the work. We have to co-labour with God.

In particular, our work must be an integral part of our participation in Christ himself. His work of creation underlies the act of creativity and production in the universe (John 1:1-3). His work of redemption can occur in every workplace through justice, healing, reconciliation, compassion, kindness, humility and patience (Colossians 3:12).

Understand, Christ’s redemptive work is not limited to evangelism, but encompasses everything necessary to make the world what God always intended it to be. We must remember that God delegated work to Adam in the Garden. Genesis 1:26-28.

Genesis 1:26-28 “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.””

The redemptive work of the cross delegates again to humanity the responsibility to have dominion. As Salt, Light, and Leaven we are to advance the dominion of His rule and reign until his enemies are made His footstool.

Remember, this is not something we have to do on our own. He gives us the spiritual gifts needed to do our part as ambassadors. He fills us with His Spirit so that wherever we go, He goes. Romans 12:3-21.

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Closing:

I am going to close with a final passage of scripture.

Romans 12:3-8 “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”

Romans 12:9-18 “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”

Romans 12:19-21 “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Christianity is not church attendance, it is relationship with God followed by servanthood to advance His kingdom. This may sound like a heavy responsibility, but can I tell you if you will live this way you will find the most joy and fulfillment for your life. This is what we were created for. To bear His image and His glory. When you choose to Love Him and walk in His purposes everything falls into place.

The ministry you serve in won’t matter because He is your Joy. He is your calling. Serve Him and Find the purpose of life.

Let’s Pray!

Surrender to Jesus

A willingness to answer the call.