Call Of Duty

Willing To Change

God’s Way Day by Day November 7: Willing to Change

WILLING TO CHANGE

Those who dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall … grow like a vine.

HOSEA 14:7

God moves us from place to place, from situation to situation, from experience to experience, to “grow us up” so He can use us more.

As long as we are willing to yield to His methods and are willing to grow and change, He will find greater and greater ways to use the talents and abilities that He gave us at our birth, as well as the spiritual gifts and potential in Christ that He gave us at our spiritual birth.

God is working and waiting and watching, always in the process of wooing His children to Himself and of preparing us to receive what He has already prepared for us.

Call of Duty

Biblical Text:

Being drafted or joining the Armed Forces, you are assigned a duty.

That duty is yours and yours alone to perform.

I know some of you young people thought this sermon was about a video game that simulates the actions of our World War II infantry. In some ways, it is. It IS a call to battle, but against a different foe. It is a call of duty from your spiritual Commander in Chief to fight against the ravages of sin. It is your official duty assignment, your orders, your directive, and your full instructions for service. But your loyalty is not to country; it is to Christ. And your service is not to your squadron, but to sinners.

The Apostle Paul sends these written orders, by divine inspiration from the Commander Himself, to a young Timothy, who is barely, if at all, out of his teen years. It has become clear that “necessity” has been laid upon young Timothy to preach the same gospel as his mentor, Paul. There is no option to refuse the call of duty in this army of the Lord’s, for Timothy has already received his assignment to lead a fledgling church at Ephesus. The troops have already been assembled, and they require leadership. So Timothy listens with earnest as Paul throws down the gauntlet to challenge a novice Christian to a life of commitment to Christ.

It is your calling, your occupation, your profession, and your sole responsibility.

You are held accountable for the outcome of that service.

Timothy’s call to duty is no different than yours. Christian ministry is nothing more than an activity carried out by Christians for the purpose of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This call to duty is conferred on each of us when we are baptized. It’s not an option. It’s a mandate. It’s not a choice. It’s an expectation.

Let’s look at God’s expectations of us as followers of Christ.

You rise up early, report for duty, and perform that duty to the best of your ability, because you have heard the call of duty.

First, you’ve got to hear the Word. The prophets of the Old Testament would begin their preaching with “Hear the Word of the Lord”. Thirty-eight times those words are used in the Old Testament as a call to duty.

Some of our younger generation might have the idea that I’m talking about a video game, such as Call To Duty Black OPs 4 or The Halo Series. These games simulate the actions of our military in combat. In some ways this sermon is.

This sermon IS a call to battle, but against a different foe and an unseen enemy.

· God called the Prophet Amos from his herd and his sycamore fields and told him to tell Amaziah, “Hear the Word of the Lord” ()

It is a call of duty from your spiritual Commander in Chief to fight against the ravages of sin.

· God commanded the Prophet Jeremiah to tell Israel, “Hear the Word of the Lord”.

· God commanded the Prophet Isaiah to tell Israel, “Hear the Word of the Lord” ().

It is your official duty assignment, your orders, your directive, and your full instructions for service.

And it wasn’t just the Old Testament prophets who were saying “Listen up!” Jesus said it over and over again…”He that hath ears, let him hear!”

But your loyalty is not to country; it is to Christ. And your service is not to your platoon, but to sinners.

We spend a lot of time listening to the world around us. We listen to music. We listen to teachers and mentors. We listen to family. We listen to friends. And all of this listening influences us: sometimes for the good, and sometimes…not so good. And what we choose to feed our mind through these gateways called ‘ears’ is ultimately what shapes who we are. What we hear can deceive and oppress us, or it can enlighten and deliver us. What we hear can shackle and stain us, or it can liberate and purify us. What we hear can weaken and depress us, or it can strengthen and encourage us. We’ve got to learn how to filter out the junk, and let Jesus in.

The Apostle Paul sends these written orders, by divine inspiration from the Commander Himself, to a young Timothy, who is barely, out of his teen years.

It has become clear that “necessity” has been laid upon young Timothy to preach the same gospel as his mentor, Paul.

God’s Word is unlike anything else you will ever choose to hear. His Word speaks life and liberty, “…for where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (). Paul commands Timothy to be strong in Christ’s grace. Timothy could not be “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” unless he had first heard of Christ from his mother and his grandmother (). It was the ‘hearing the Word of the Lord’ that molded Timothy into a young, strong leader.

There is no option to refuse the call of duty in this army of the Lord’s, for Timothy has already received his assignment to lead a fledgling church at Ephesus. The troops have already been assembled, and they require leadership.

Once we HEAR the Word, the next thing God expects of us is to…

Believe the Word. Simply hearing truth, and even memorizing it is not enough. Even Satan can quote scripture. We have to believe that what we hear is the truth we should live by. While knowledge IS power, it can only benefit us when we put it into practice.

So Timothy listens with earnest as Paul throws down the gauntlet to challenge a novice Christian to a life of commitment to Christ.

Job understood what it means to believe in the Word of the Lord. After much suffering, he finally admitted, “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee” (). Job realized that hearing was not enough. He had to believe! He was finally ready to be totally surrendered to God. His faith went from his head to his heart.

Timothy’s call to duty is no different than yours or mine.

It’s what happens when we surrender our lives to God that matters. We become living examples of the Christ we serve, when we embrace Christ’s peace, presence, power and promises! His peace calms us. His presence comforts us. His power strengthens us. His promises encourage us. His voice assures us. And His touch sustains us!

Christian ministry is nothing more than an activity carried out by Christians for the purpose of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This call to duty is conferred on each of us when we are baptized. It’s not an option. It’s a mandate. It’s not a choice. It’s an expectation.

If you don’t BELIEVE that, you have only HEARD the Word. You have yet to “see” what Job saw, with your OWN eyes.

God’s expectations of us as followers of Christ are this:

Finally, if we HEAR the Word, and BELIEVE the Word, God has one more expectation of us…

We must SPREAD the Word. Paul tells young Timothy, ‘What you have heard and believe, “commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”’

First, you’ve got to hear the Word.

The prophets of the Old Testament would begin their preaching with “Hear the Word of the Lord”. Thirty-eight times those words are used in the Old Testament as a call to duty.

A bottled-up faith is a dead faith. “Faith without works is dead”. Once you have read, studied and learned to apply the Word of God to your own life, it is your call of duty to witness to others about the grace and mercy of God.

· God called the Prophet Amos from his herd and his sycamore fields and told him to tell Amaziah, “Hear the Word of the Lord” ()

This is the hardest part of our Christian call of duty…to spread the Word…the Word that without Christ, life has no purpose. For some insane reason, we would rather keep it to ourselves than risk having our message rejected. But you’ve heard the challenge many times…”I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: for the night cometh when no man can work.” (). We can’t hide the Good News. We are called to spread it!

We are on this earth for but a moment in the span of eternity. Jesus kept it real in His prayer to His Father, when he said, “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.” () You are the THEM! Share your faith with others! Christ sends us into the world to carry His cross… To obey His command… To maintain our watch…

· God commanded the Prophet Jeremiah to tell Israel, “Hear the Word of the Lord”.

To perform our duty… And to fulfill His ministry.

· God commanded the Prophet Isaiah to tell Israel, “Hear the Word of the Lord” ().

And it wasn’t just the Old Testament prophets who were saying “Listen up!” Jesus said it over and over again…”He that hath ears, let him hear!”

Your orders have come down from headquarters. The envelope is sealed and addressed to you. Only YOU can open it and fulfill its mandate. Do you hear the Call of Duty? If you are going to fulfill God’s expectations in Christ-like manner, then you must be… Motivated by the Love of God. Anointed by the Spirit of God. Guided by the hand of God. Loyal to the principles of God. And devoted in your service to God. There’s an old musical from 1957 called The Music Man. The story takes place in Middle America around 1912; it’s the story of a salesman named Harold Hill who toured the country selling musical instruments and teaching children how to play. The miracle was that everyone who bought an instrument discovered they had some musical talent. They discovered that there is something marvelous and bonding about the universal language of music.

There is another universal language. It is the language of God. And a miracle happens every time someone is introduced to its sweet sound. It is marvelous because it is the foundation for all humanity. It is bonding because it conjoins us to our Heavenly Father.

We spend a lot of time listening to the world around us. We listen to music. We listen to teachers and mentors. We listen to family. We listen to friends. And all of this listening influences us: sometimes for the good, and sometimes…not so good. And what we choose to feed our mind through these gateways called ‘ears’ is ultimately what shapes who we are. What we hear can deceive and oppress us, or it can enlighten and deliver us. What we hear can shackle and stain us, or it can liberate and purify us. What we hear can weaken and depress us, or it can strengthen and encourage us. We’ve got to learn how to filter out the junk, and let Jesus in.

Your Call of Duty is clear. Hear the Word.

God’s Word is unlike anything else you will ever choose to hear. His Word speaks life and liberty, “…for where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (). Paul commands Timothy to be strong in Christ’s grace. Timothy could not be “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” unless he had first heard of Christ from his mother and his grandmother (). It was the ‘hearing the Word of the Lord’ that molded Timothy into a young, strong leader.

Believe the Word.

Once we HEAR the Word, the next thing God expects of us is to…

Believe the Word.

Spread the Word;

The Word that is a “lamp unto [thy] feet and a light unto [thy] path”.

Simply hearing truth, and even memorizing it is not enough.

For even Satan can quote scripture.

We have to believe that what we hear is the truth we should live by. While knowledge IS power, it can only benefit us when we put it into practice.

Job understood what it means to believe in the Word of the Lord. After much suffering, he finally admitted, “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee” (). Job realized that hearing was not enough. He had to believe! He was finally ready to be totally surrendered to God. His faith went from his head to his heart.

It’s what happens when we surrender our lives to God that matters. We become living examples of the Christ we serve, when we embrace Christ’s peace, presence, power and promises! His peace calms us. His presence comforts us. His power strengthens us. His promises encourage us. His voice assures us. And His touch sustains us!

If you don’t BELIEVE that, you have only HEARD the Word. You have yet to “see” what Job saw, with your OWN eyes.

Finally, if we HEAR the Word, and BELIEVE the Word, God has one more expectation of us…

We must SPREAD the Word. Paul tells young Timothy, ‘What you have heard and believe, “commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”’

A bottled-up faith is a dead faith. “Faith without works is dead”.

Once you have read, studied and learned to apply the Word of God to your own life, it is your call of duty to witness to others about the grace and mercy of God.

But this is the hardest part of our Christian call of duty…to spread the Word…the Word that without Christ, life has no purpose.

For some insane reason, we would rather keep it to ourselves than risk having our message rejected. But you’ve heard the challenge many times…”I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: for the night cometh when no man can work.” (). We can’t hide the Good News. We are called to spread it!

We are on this earth for but a moment in the span of eternity. Jesus kept it real in His prayer to His Father, when he said, “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.” ()

You are the THEM! Share your faith with others! Christ sends us into the world to carry His cross… To obey His command… To maintain our watch…

To perform our duty… And to fulfill His ministry.

As I prepare to close.

Your orders have come down from headquarters.

The envelope is sealed and addressed to you. Only YOU can open it and fulfill its mandate. Do you hear the Call of Duty? If you are going to fulfill God’s expectations in Christ-like manner, then you must be… Motivated by the Love of God. Anointed by the Spirit of God. Guided by the hand of God. Loyal to the principles of God. And devoted in your service to God.

There’s an old musical from 1957 called The Music Man. The story takes place in Middle America around 1912; it’s the story of a salesman named Harold Hill who toured the country selling musical instruments and teaching children how to play. The miracle was that everyone who bought an instrument discovered they had some musical talent. They discovered that there is something marvelous and bonding about the universal language of music.

There is another universal language.

It is the language of God. And a miracle happens every time someone is introduced to its sweet sound. It is marvelous because it is the foundation for all humanity. It is bonding because it conjoins us to our Heavenly Father.

Your Call of Duty is clear. Hear the Word.

Believe the Word.

Spread the Word;

The Word that is a “lamp unto [thy] feet and a light unto [thy] path”.