The Ascension Calling

Read Psalm 15:1-5 (ESV)

* Mount Zion. As opposed to Mt. Sinai, where God gave the Mosaic law.

* It was fearful and terrifying.

* The concept of “holy mountain” is associated with God’s presence in the sanctuary. In Psalm 15, those who are permitted to ascend the mountain must display characteristics compatible with holiness:

CLIMBING MOUNTAINS

Psalm 24:3-4 (ESV)

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.

* “The mention of “clean hands” and “pure heart” highlights the importance of moral holiness. This is the hallmark of those who will inhabit God’s holy city.” - T. Desmond Alexander

Ascension - : rising or increasing to higher levels, values, or degrees.

Ministers are trying to ascend in the influence, gifting, finances and authority.

Believers are trying to ascend in the careers, make more money, gain popularity (FB, Instagram, etc.)

Talk about the youtube ministries movement. Revivalist Youtube.

But there’s a weight to a high calling!

It’s heavy!

It feels like a cross!

There is such a thing as a divine calling!

Look at Jonah

Jonah 3:1–5 (ESV)

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying,

“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.”

So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth.

Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”

And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.

5-Fold

Now what are we all called to???

CALLING

1 Thessalonians 4:7 (ESV)

For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.

He called us to be Holy and Set Apart!

Titus 1:15 (ESV) To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.

James 4:8 (ESV)

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Colossians 3:5 (ESV)

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Titus 2:12 (ESV) Training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

How do we know that we are ascending the hill of the Lord?

How do we become effective and fruitful in our walk with Christ?

Because the Apostle Peter says in 2 Peter 1:8 (ESV) - For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:5-7 (ESV)

5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,

6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,

7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

PURITY PRODUCES POWER

The Apostles were more about purity less about power in the early church.

Look at Acts 15:8–9 (ESV)

[8] And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us,

[9] and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.

The Apostles tuned the world upside down with their faith.

Notes:

Talk About A Christless Pentecost - David Wilkerson

Is Christ becoming a stranger in our midst?

Christ is made a stranger when we Praise him, but not pray to Him.

Talk about the pastor that said he prays and reads and exercises 15 minutes a day...

Whatever happened to the travailers!?

Talk About Willam J. Seymour

Tell the story with the man and the prayer tower.

The church isn’t powerful because the church no longer prays.

The church is no longer pure because the church is no longer praying.

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord!?

Christ is coming for a bride without spot or wrinkle!

Eschatology / Rapture / The church isn’t wrinkle free yet!!!

A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken

Hebrews 12:18-24 (ESV)

18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest

19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them.

20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.”

21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.”

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,

23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

CONCLUSION: Therefore wash your robes and repent of your sins. We are called to the city of God. We must cleanse our hands and purify our hearts with the blood of Jesus so that we can partake with him at the marriage supper of the lamb.