Answering the CALL of GOD I

Matt 22:2 "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited (called) to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. 4 "Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.' 5 "But they paid no attention and went off-- one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited (called) did not deserve to come. 9 Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless. 13 "Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 14 "For many are invited (called), but few are chosen." (NIV)

1.    Called to Life in Christ

·         There will be those that know of the invitation of God to come to the wedding feast BUT will not come.

o   v:3 to tell them to come

§  They had already been invited and still had to send his servants to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

o   Then he sent MORE servants to tell them all the good things that he has prepared for them that come, come to the wedding. They ignored them and went to his field and to his business.

o   Others became violent and abused and killed his servants.

·         Those that I invited did not deserve to come.

o   What was the one requirement that made them worthy to come?

§  Come! Come to celebrate the wedding!

·         The door was opened to all to come. Good and the Bad

·         There will be those that come to God for their own purposes and to do what they want (just to eat the food)

o   With no wedding robe, they will be removed by God!

Many are called, but few are chosen, v. 14.

• Of the many that are called to the wedding feast, if you set aside all those that;
• See the invitation a unimportant
• Are preferring other things to coming to God
• All that make a confession of religion, but the fruit of their live contradict that faith

You will find that there are very few, that are chosen; many called to the wedding feast, but few chosen to come to the wedding and wear the wedding robe, to put on salvation. Sad but true.

• Is Salvation a failure on God’s part? NO!
• GOD CHOSE ALL, We have the choice! To come or not to come!

Zb.. Manuela got born again when she answered the CALL of God.

2.    Called to Serve him.

Rom 1:1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—

• You can be called and not be set apart. In other words you can be called but not answer the call and not take the call serious.

• Death is not the worst thing that can happen to you. Worse is to live your life and NEVER find your PURPOSE.

Eph 4:1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.” 9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up (NIV)

·         V:1-6 life worthy of the calling you have received

o   What you do with the calling that you have received will affect the rest of the body of Christ!

·         to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it

o   Ro.12:1-21

·         some to be…

o   Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers to prepare God’s people!

Rev 17:14 They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings-- and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."

1.      Called = ALL called to Salvation, and some called to Service

2.      Chosen = FEW come from both groups

3.      Appoiinted/Faithful followers = of those that come there will those that are called to service and some of them will prove faithful to that call and will be entrusted with the secret things of God.

1 Cor 4:1 So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. (NIV)