Reasons Greater Than Our Objections

1 A KING 2 • GREW TIRED OF COURT LIFE • AND THE PRESSURES OF BEING A MONARCH. • HE MADE AN APPLICATION TO THE HEAD MONK AT A LOCAL MONASTERY, 3 • ASKING TO BE ACCEPTED AS A MONK • SO HE COULD SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE IN THE MONASTERY. • "YOUR MAJESTY," SAID THE HEAD MONK, • "DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THE PLEDGE HERE IS ONE OF OBEDIENCE? 4 • THAT WILL BE HARD FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN A KING. • "I UNDERSTAND," SAID THE KING. • "THE REST OF MY LIFE I WILL BE OBEDIENT TO YOU, AS CHRIST LEADS YOU." • "THEN I WILL TELL YOU WHAT TO DO," SAID THE HEAD MONK. 5 • "GO BACK TO YOUR THRONE AND SERVE FAITHFULLY • IN THE PLACE WHERE GOD HAS PUT YOU." • WHEN THE KING DIED, A STATEMENT WAS WRITTEN: • "THE KING LEARNED TO RULE BY BEING OBEDIENT." 6 • WHEN WE TIRE OF OUR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, • IT HELPS TO REMEMBER GOD HAS CALLED US TO A CERTAIN TASK • AND TOLD US TO BE A GOOD ACCOUNTANT OR TEACHER OR MOTHER 7 • OR FATHER. CHRIST EXPECTS US TO BE FAITHFUL WHERE HE CALLS US, • AND WHEN HE RETURNS, WE'LL RULE TOGETHER WITH HIM. • GOD WILL CALL ALL OF US TO SOMETHING 8 • IF WE HAVE TRUSTED JESUS CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR • THEN GOD WILL CALL US TO SERVE HIM IN SOME WAY • SOMETIMES WE DON’T LIKE WHAT GOD HAS CALLED US TO 9 • SOMETIMES WE EVEN OBJECT TO WHAT HE IS CALLING US TO DO • WE NEED TO BE READY TO DO WHATEVER GOD CALLS US TO DO • WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT HE HAS A REASON FOR CALLING US • WE NEED TO TRUST THAT THIS REASON IS GREATER THAN OUR OBJECTIONS 10 • TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT A MAN CALLED BY GOD TO A TASK • A TASK HE OBJECTED TO OUT OF FEAR • WE WILL SEE THAT GOD HAD A REASON GREATER THAN HIS OBJECTION 11 • TURN TO ACTS 9:10 • SAUL HAD BEEN PERSECUTING CHRISTIANS IN JERUSALEM • HE GOT LETTERS FROM THE HIGH PRIEST TO GO TO DAMASCUS 12 • AND BRING BACK ANYONE FOLLOWING CHRIST • ON HIS WAY TO DAMASCUS JESUS HAD APPEARED TO HIM • AND TOLD HIM TO GO TO DAMASCUS AND WAIT TO BE TOLD WHAT TO DO • SAUL HAD BEEN WAITING 3 DAYS, BLIND HUNGRY AND THIRSTY ACTS 9:10–12 13 NOW THERE WAS A DISCIPLE AT DAMASCUS NAMED ANANIAS; AND THE LORD SAID TO HIM IN A VISION, “ANANIAS.” AND HE SAID, “HERE I AM, LORD.” AND THE LORD SAID TO HIM, “GET UP AND GO TO THE STREET CALLED STRAIGHT, 14 AND INQUIRE AT THE HOUSE OF JUDAS FOR A MAN FROM TARSUS NAMED SAUL, FOR HE IS PRAYING, AND HE HAS SEEN IN A VISION A MAN NAMED ANANIAS COME IN AND LAY HIS HANDS ON HIM, SO THAT HE MIGHT REGAIN HIS SIGHT.” GOD CALLS US TO SERVE 15 • CHRIST CAME TO ANANIAS IN A VISION • THIS VISION BEGINS BY CALLING ANANIAS’ NAME • AND ANANIAS RESPONDS IN SUCH AN AMAZING WAY • HE SAYS; “HERE I AM, LORD.” • THIS RESPONSE REMINDS ME OF ISAIAH’S RESPONSE 16 ISAIAH 6:8 THEN I HEARD THE VOICE OF THE LORD, SAYING, “WHOM SHALL I SEND, AND WHO WILL GO FOR US?” THEN I SAID, “HERE AM I. SEND ME!” 17 • ANANIAS STARTS OUT REALLY WELL IN RESPONDING TO GOD’S CALLING • SO CHRIST GIVE ANANIAS A COMMAND TO GO • TO A SPECIFIC HOUSE ON A SPECIFIC STREET • AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST WE WILL ALL BE CALLED TO SERVE GOD 18 • MOST OF US WILL NOT GET A CALLING AS PRECISE AND CLEAR AS ANANIAS • MANY TIMES OUR CALLING WILL COME IN OUR REACTION TO A SITUATION • WE SEE OR HEAR ABOUT SOME DIFFICULTY OTHERS ARE FACING 19 • AND GOD PLACES A CONVICTION IN OUR HEARTS TO DO SOMETHING • I WAS SITTING IN A CLASS ROOM AT THE COLLEGE OF BIBLICAL STUDIES • A FELLA WAS GIVING A TALK ABOUT HOW HARD IT WAS FOR RURAL • BAPTIST CHURCHES TO FIND PASTORS 20 • HE SAID THERE WERE 13 BAPTIST CHURCHES IN FORT BEND COUNTY • THAT DID NOT HAVE A PASTOR • I CAN RECALL SAYING TO MY SELF; • “SOMEBODY NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT” 21 • I FELT THIS CONVICTION THAT I NEEDED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT • WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THESE FEELINGS • THIS MAY BE GOD CALLING US TO SERVE HIM • PEOPLE NEED HELP AND PEOPLE NEED TO SERVE • GOD IS AT WORK ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS EQUATION GOD PREPARES PEOPLE • WHILE GOD IS GETTING ANANIAS READY TO SERVE • HE IS PREPARING SAUL TO RECEIVE HELP FROM ANANIAS • “HE HAS SEEN IN A VISION A MAN NAMED ANANIAS COME IN AND LAY HIS HANDS ON HIM, 22 23 • SAUL IS PRAYING • HE HAD NOT EATEN IN THREE DAYS • HE IS STILL BLIND • NO WONDER HE IS PRAYING • AND IN THIS PRAYER HE HAS A VISION • OF A MAN NAMED ANANIAS COMING IN AND LAYING HANDS ON HIM 24 • THIS IS HOW GOD PREPARED SAUL • IF ANANIAS HAD COME IN AND SAUL HAD NOT BEEN PREPARED • HE WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN ANANIAS WAS SENT BY GOD • GOD PREPARES PEOPLE IN MANY WAYS 25 • GOD PREPARED ME FOR CHRIST THROUGH • BANKRUPTCY, DEPRESSION, HE KNOCKED ME AROUND PRETTY GOOD • BUT THE TRUTH IS.. IF HE HAD NOT PREPARED ME IN THOSE WAYS • I WOULD NEVER HAVE UNDERSTOOD WHAT HE WAS OFFERING 26 • I WOULD NEVER HAVE THOUGHT I NEEDED HIS HELP • ONLY WHEN I WAS PREPARED DID HE GET ME • IN THAT CHURCH ON THAT DAY TO HEAR THAT MESSAGE • WHEN GOD CALLS US TO SERVE • WE NEED TO KNOW HE HAS ALREADY BEEN PREPARING • THOSE WE ARE GOING TO SERVE 27 GOD HAS A PURPOSE 28 • CHRIST TELLS ANANIAS PART OF HIS PURPOSE RIGHT HERE • “SO THAT HE MIGHT REGAIN HIS SIGHT.” • THIS IS NOT THE COMPLETE PURPOSE • BUT IT IS THE IMMEDIATE PURPOSE 29 • IF ANANIAS WILL GO TO SAUL • SAUL WILL BE HEALED AND REGAIN HIS SIGHT • GOD TOLD ANANIAS TO GO AND TOLD HIM WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF HE WENT • MOST OF THE TIME WE DO NOT KNOW THE PURPOSE • FOR MOST OF US WE WALK INTO SERVING GOD • NOT KNOWING HOW IT WILL TURN OUT • BUT, HERE’S THE THING • WE HAVE A BIBLE THAT SAYS TIME AFTER TIME 30 31 • WHEN PEOPLE SERVE GOD, GOD TAKES CARE OF THE PURPOSE • THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE NEED TO KNOW OUR BIBLES • SO THAT WE WILL KNOW GOD HAS A PURPOSE IN OUR SERVING • IN THIS VERSE WE SEE GOD CALLING ANANIAS TO SERVE 32 • AND GOD TELLING HIM WHAT WILL HAPPEN • AND THEN WE READ THAT IT HAPPENED JUST LIKE GOD SAID IT WOULD • FROM THIS WE NEED TO LEARN TO TRUST • THAT GOD HAS A PURPOSE WHEN HE CALLS US TO SERVE 33 • WHEN WE TRUST WE KNOW GOD WILL HANDLE THE PURPOSE (PAUSE) • KNOWING THAT THE WORK WE ARE DOING HAS A PURPOSE • CAN CERTAINLY AFFECT THE EFFORT WE PUT INTO IT A U.S. ARMY OFFICER • TOLD OF THE CONTRAST IN HIS STUDENTS • DURING TWO DIFFERENT ERAS OF TEACHING • AT THE ARTILLERY TRAINING SCHOOL AT FORT SILL, OKLA., • (HOME OF THE FIELD ARTILLERY). 34 35 • IN 1958-60 THE ATTITUDE WAS SO LAX • THE INSTRUCTORS HAD A PROBLEM GETTING THE MEN • TO STAY AWAKE TO HEAR THE LECTURES. • DURING THE 1965-67 CLASSES. • HOWEVER, THE MEN, HEARING THE SAME BASIC LECTURES, • WERE ALERT, ASKED QUESTIONS AND TOOK COPIOUS NOTES. • WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE CLASS OF 65-67? • THEY KNEW THAT IN LESS THAN SIX WEEKS • THEY WOULD BE FACING THE ENEMY IN VIETNAM. 36 37 • KNOWING THERE IS A PURPOSE TO OUR SERVICE MIGHT HELP • BUT THE TRUTH IS, EVEN WHEN WE KNOW THE PURPOSE • WE STILL MIGHT OBJECT TO DOING WHAT GOD CALLS US TO DO ACTS 9:13–16 38 BUT ANANIAS ANSWERED, “LORD, I HAVE HEARD FROM MANY ABOUT THIS MAN, HOW MUCH HARM HE DID TO YOUR SAINTS AT JERUSALEM; AND HERE HE HAS AUTHORITY FROM THE CHIEF PRIESTS TO BIND ALL WHO CALL ON YOUR NAME.” 39 BUT THE LORD SAID TO HIM, “GO, FOR HE IS A CHOSEN INSTRUMENT OF MINE, TO BEAR MY NAME BEFORE THE GENTILES AND KINGS AND THE SONS OF ISRAEL; FOR I WILL SHOW HIM HOW MUCH HE MUST SUFFER FOR MY NAME’S SAKE.” WE OBJECT TO GOD 40 • ANANIAS KNEW IF HE WENT SAUL WOULD REGAIN HIS SIGHT • AND HE STILL OBJECTED • I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY HE OBJECTED • ANANIAS HAD HEARD WHAT SAUL HAD BEEN DOING IN JERUSALEM • SAUL HIMSELF ADMITS WHAT HE DID 41 ACTS 26:10 42 “AND THIS IS JUST WHAT I DID IN JERUSALEM; NOT ONLY DID I LOCK UP MANY OF THE SAINTS IN PRISONS, HAVING RECEIVED AUTHORITY FROM THE CHIEF PRIESTS, BUT ALSO WHEN THEY WERE BEING PUT TO DEATH I CAST MY VOTE AGAINST THEM. 43 • ANANIAS KNEW SAUL HAD COME TO ARREST CHRISTIANS • “HE HAS AUTHORITY FROM THE CHIEF PRIESTS TO BIND ALL WHO CALL ON YOUR NAME.” • IT MAKES SENSE THAT ANANIAS WOULD NOT WANT TO HELP HIM • COMMON SENSE OF THE WORLD SAYS YOU DON’T GO HELP • SOMEONE WHO HAD BEEN PERSECUTING PEOPLE LIKE YOU • BUT THE WAYS OF CHRIST ARE NOT “COMMON SENSE” • THEY ARE UNCOMMON, EVEN EXTRAORDINARY SENSE 44 MATTHEW 5:43–44 45 “YOU HAVE HEARD THAT IT WAS SAID, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AND HATE YOUR ENEMY.’ “BUT I SAY TO YOU, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES AND PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PERSECUTE YOU, 46 • WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT WE OBJECT TO • IS IT THAT WE DON’T LIKE IT OR DO NOT UNDERSTAND IT? • ARE WE OBJECTING TO SOMETHING GOD HAS TOLD US TO DO? GOD HAS A REASON 47 • I REALLY LOVE HOW PATIENT CHRIST IS WITH ANANIAS • I AM SURE I WOULD HAVE BEEN ANNOYED • AT HAVING TO EXPLAIN MY REASONS TO HIM 48 • I WOULD HAVE JUST SAID “BECAUSE I SAID SO” • BUT CHRIST IS VERY KIND, HE TELLS ANANIAS THE REASON • WHY HE NEEDS TO GO TO SAUL • “FOR HE IS A CHOSEN INSTRUMENT OF MINE” 49 • THAT IS A REALLY GOOD REASON • SAUL WAS CHOSEN BY GOD TO BE COME PAUL • WHO CHRIST SAID WOULD GO AND; • “BEAR MY NAME BEFORE THE GENTILES AND KINGS AND THE SONS OF ISRAEL;” 50 • AND THIS IS CERTAINLY A GOOD ENOUGH REASON FOR ANANIAS TO GO TO HIM • SOMETIMES WE CAN KNOW GOD’S REASON (PAUSE) • WHEN HE CALLS US TO TELL THE GOOD NEWS • WE CAN KNOW THE REASON 51 JOHN 3:16 “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. • WHEN HS CALLS US TO FORGIVE OTHERS • WE CAN KNOW THE REASON MATTHEW 6:15 52 “BUT IF YOU DO NOT FORGIVE OTHERS, THEN YOUR FATHER WILL NOT FORGIVE YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS. • BUT SOMETIMES WE DON’T KNOW THE REASON • IN THOSE TIMES WE CAN LOOK AT SCRIPTURES LIKE THIS ONE • AND SEE THAT GOD DOES HAVE REASONS • AND WE CAN TRUST IN HIS REASON • WE CAN KNOW 53 54 GOD’S REASON >OUR OBJECTION • IN ANSWERING ANANIAS’S OBJECTION TO GOING TO SAUL • CHRIST SAYS: • “FOR I WILL SHOW HIM HOW MUCH HE MUST SUFFER FOR MY NAME’S SAKE.” • ANANIAS OBJECTED TO CHRIST CALLING HIM TO GO TO SAUL • BECAUSE HE WAS AFRAID OF THE SUFFERING SAUL WOULD CAUSE • BUT CHRIST SAYS “I CHOSE THIS MAN TO SERVE ME • AND IN SERVING ME HE WILL SUFFER GREATLY” 55 56 • WHATEVER OBJECTION WE HAVE TO DOING GOD’S WILL • GOD’S REASON, GOD’S PURPOSE IS GREATER • THERE IS NO WAY WE THOUGHT OF SOME OBJECTION • HE HAS NOT ALREADY THOUGHT OF • NO WAY WE ARE GONNA FIND SOMETHING HE HAS NOT ACCOUNTED FOR • IF WE WANT TO QUESTION GOD • THAT IS FINE, NOTICE CHRIST DOES NOT GET MAD AT ANANIAS • HE IS FINE WITH US ASKING THE QUESTION 57 58 • BUT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING • GOD HAS ALREADY ANSWERED OUR OBJECTIONS • SOMEWHERE IN SCRIPTURE IS AN ANSWER • TO WHATEVER OBJECTION WE MIGHT HAVE 59 • WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW • ANANIAS THOUGHT HE KNEW WHAT WAS BEST REGARDING SAUL • BUT GOD HAD A PLAN AND A PURPOSE • GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING • WE KNOW SO LITTLE IN 1799, CONRAD REED • DISCOVERED A SEVENTEENPOUND ROCK • WHILE FISHING IN LITTLE MEADOW CREEK. • NOT KNOWING WHAT IT WAS MADE OF, 60 61 • HIS FAMILY USED IT AS A DOORSTOP FOR THREE YEARS. • IN 1802, HIS FATHER, JOHN REED, • TOOK IT TO A JEWELER WHO IDENTIFIED IT AS A LUMP OF GOLD • WORTH ABOUT $3,600. • THAT LUMP OF GOLD, WHICH WAS USED AS A DOORSTOP • FOR THREE YEARS IN NORTH CAROLINA, • IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST GOLD NUGGETS EVER FOUND EAST OF THE ROCKIES 62 63 • UNTIL ITS COMPOSITION WAS DETERMINED, ITS VALUE WAS UNKNOWN. • WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF WHAT GOD CALLS US TO DO • WE WILL BE WILLING TO GO AND DO IT ACTS 9:17–19 SO ANANIAS DEPARTED AND ENTERED THE HOUSE, AND AFTER LAYING HIS HANDS ON HIM SAID, “BROTHER SAUL, THE LORD JESUS, WHO APPEARED TO YOU ON THE ROAD BY WHICH YOU WERE COMING, 64 65 HAS SENT ME SO THAT YOU MAY REGAIN YOUR SIGHT AND BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.” AND IMMEDIATELY THERE FELL FROM HIS EYES SOMETHING LIKE SCALES, 66 AND HE REGAINED HIS SIGHT, AND HE GOT UP AND WAS BAPTIZED; AND HE TOOK FOOD AND WAS STRENGTHENED. 67 GO, DO WHAT GOD CALLS • ANANIAS HAD OBJECTED AND CHRIST HAD ANSWERED HIS OBJECTION • IN RESPONSE ANANIAS WENT AND DID WHAT CHRIST HAD COMMANDED • “SO ANANIAS DEPARTED AND ENTERED THE HOUSE, AND AFTER LAYING HIS HANDS ON HIM” • THIS IS THE RIGHT RESPONSE • HE DID NOT DELAY • HE DID NOT ARGUE • HE WENT AND DID WHAT GOD CALLED HIM TO DO • I LOVE THAT HE CALLS SAUL BROTHER 68 69 • WHAT A DISPLAY OF FORGIVENESS • ANANIAS WAS FULLY AWARE OF WHAT SAUL HAD DONE • AND YET HE CALLS HIM BROTHER • WE KNOW ANANIAS SAID MORE THAN THIS ACTS 22:14–16 70 “AND HE SAID, ‘THE GOD OF OUR FATHERS HAS APPOINTED YOU TO KNOW HIS WILL AND TO SEE THE RIGHTEOUS ONE AND TO HEAR AN UTTERANCE FROM HIS MOUTH. 71 ‘FOR YOU WILL BE A WITNESS FOR HIM TO ALL MEN OF WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN AND HEARD. ‘NOW WHY DO YOU DELAY? GET UP AND BE BAPTIZED, AND WASH AWAY YOUR SINS, CALLING ON HIS NAME.’ 72 • THIS IS REALLY A DISPLAY OF FAITH BY ANANIAS • NOT FAITH IN SAUL, BUT FAITH IN CHRIST • CHRIST HAD TOLD ANANIAS SAUL WOULD BE A WITNESS • AND ANANIAS HAD BELIEVED WHAT CHRIST HAD SAID 73 • EVERY TIME WE DO WHAT GOD HAS CALLED US TO DO • WE ARE DISPLAYING OUR FAITH IN HIM (PAUSE) • WHEN THE WORLD SEES US SERVING, • HELPING, FORGIVING, LOVING PEOPLE • THEY ARE LOOKING AT OUR FAITH • FOR US TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL • THEY NEED TO SEE US LIVING OUT WHAT WE ARE SAYING • THIS CAN ONLY HAPPEN IF WE DO WHAT GOD CALLS US TO DO • WHEN WE DO WHAT GOD CALLS US TO DO • WE NEED TO BE READY TO 74 75 • BE AMAZED BY THE RESULTS • LUKE DESCRIBES THE RESULT, SAYING; • “AND HE REGAINED HIS SIGHT, AND HE GOT UP AND WAS BAPTIZED; AND HE TOOK FOOD AND WAS STRENGTHENED.” • LUKE SAYS THESE THINGS HAPPENED; “IMMEDIATELY” 76 • THIS IS WHY WE HAVE TO BE READY • BECAUSE GOD CAN GET RESULTS FASTER THAN WE EXPECT • AFTER THREE DAYS WITHOUT FOOD OR WATER • AFTER THREE DAYS WITHOUT SIGHT 77 • SAUL DID NOT WAIT AROUND • HE GOT UP AND GOT BAPTIZED • SOME FOLKS WANT TO SAY ANANIAS JUST SPRINKLED SAUL • BUT THERE WERE TWO RIVERS THAT RAN ON EITHER SIDE OF DAMASCUS 78 • IT IS LIKELY THEY STEPPED OVER TO THE RIVER • THEN SAUL GOT SOMETHING TO EAT AND WAS STRENGTHENED • YOUR RESULTS MAY VARY • NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO RESPOND SO QUICKLY 79 • SOME FOLKS TAKE A WHILE TO GET GOING ONCE GOD GETS AHOLD OF THEM • BUT WE NEED TO BE READY FOR GOD TO WORK ON PEOPLE • NOTICE ANANIAS DID NOT SAY; “WHOA, SLOW DOWN A MIN SAUL” • “YOU HAVE TO TAKE A CLASS BEFORE WE CAN BAPTIZE YOU” • HE DID NOT SAY • “WE ARE GONNA NEED TO CHECK YOUR REFERENCES” 80 81 • NO HE WAS READY AND BAPTIZED HIM ON THE SPOT • WE NEED TO BE READY TO ACT WHEN GOD GETS RESULTS AFTER A PREACHER DIED • AND WENT TO HEAVEN, • HE NOTICED THAT A NEW YORK CABDRIVER • HAD BEEN GIVEN A HIGHER PLACE THAN HE HAD. • "I DON'T UNDERSTAND," HE COMPLAINED TO ST. PETER. • "I DEVOTED MY ENTIRE LIFE TO MY CONGREGATION." 82 83 • "OUR POLICY IS TO REWARD RESULTS," EXPLAINED ST. PETER. • "NOW WHAT HAPPENED , PASTOR, WHENEVER YOU GAVE A SERMON?" • THE PASTOR ADMITTED THAT SOME IN THE CONGREGATION FELL ASLEEP. 84 • "EXACTLY, " SAID ST. PETER. • "AND WHEN PEOPLE RODE IN THIS MAN'S TAXI, • THEY NOT ONLY STAYED AWAKE, THEY PRAYED." • THANKFULLY THIS IS NOT HOW HEAVEN WORKS 85 • OUR REWARD IS NOT BASED ON RESULTS • GOD IS IN CHARGE OF RESULTS NOT US • WE ARE IN CHARGE OF OBEYING WHEN GOD COMMANDS • OUR REWARDS IN HEAVEN WILL BE BASED ON OUR OBEDIENCE • OBEDIENCE MEANS GOING WHERE GOD CALLS US TO GO • AND STAYING WHERE GOD TELLS US TO STAY 86 87 THE KING • LEARNED TO OBEY GOD AND STAYED KING • EVEN WHEN HE DID NOT WANT THE JOB • THERE ARE GOING TO BE TIMES • WHEN WE OBJECT TO WHAT GOD CALLS US TO DO • WE NEED TO KNOW GOD HAS A PURPOSE IN CALLING US • WE MIGHT HAVE AN OBJECTION BUT WE CAN KNOW 88 89 • HE HAS READY THOUGHT OF ANY OBJECTION WE MIGHT HAVE • WE CAN TRUST THAT HE HAS A REASON FOR CALLING US • A REASON THAT IS GREATER • THAN ANY OBJECTION WE MIGHT HAVE (PAUSE) • WHEN WE OBEY EVEN IF WE HAVE OBJECTIONS • WE ARE DISPLAYING OUR TRUST, OUR FAITH IN GOD 90 91 • THE FIRST CALL OF GOD THAT WE MUST OBEY • IS HIS CALL TO TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR • IF ANYONE HERE HAS NOT TRUSTED IN CHRIST… 92