THE PRE-CALL FOR THE CALL

Luke 24:49 “49 “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.””

Introduction

On three distinct occasions before His ascension Jesus said, "Go ye." He had a great passion for the world, for the un­saved. Although He was greatly concerned for the world, He had perhaps an even greater burden for the church and its leadership. Unless the church and its leaders were ready to go, their work would hardly be more than "sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal."

In Luke 24:49 we read again: "And, be­hold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem." We find in these two texts four very im­portant words: "go ye" and "tarry ye."

The fact that there was urgency to go is not in question. earlier he had said,

Matthew 9:37 “ “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”

Jesus said: "I want you to go; it is im­portant. The harvest is great, but the laborers are few. The sheep are scattered. Please go, but before you go to preach, . Before you go behind the pulpit, tarry behind the closet door. Before you go to win others,

What were they to wait for?

while, one may quickly think that Jesus want them to wait to recieve the power, the text seem to communicate differently. i argue here that it isnot for a mere recieveing of the power that Jesus asked them towait first. there was more to the waiting than waiting.

Jesus had earlier given them the same power altough for a short time. Luke 10:17 “17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.””

Luke 10:20 “20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

for the manifestation of God’s power in their lives they felt high and perhaps equal to Jesus. They got seezed with that feeling of, “Hey, look we are special!” even us now are making demonds flee.

They were not excited because people had been set free from dominon of satan, but excited because their personal involvement resulted to casting demonds away. Now this is wrong perspective of mission.

Matthew 14:22-33, Peter is given the same power towalk in the water, before long he started sinking because he lost sight of the infinite grace of God in allowing a filthy being like himself to defy the course of nature. He felt highly of himself and sunk.

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“Jesus granted his request; but Peter had taken only a step upon the surface of the boiling deep, when he looked back proudly toward his companions to see if they were watching his movements, and admiring the ease with which he trod upon the yielding water.”

God is not just out to give power. He is keen on whom to give the power. You see power can be dangerous if left in thehands of the people. The power of God can be dangerous if in the hands of the un converted.

Both Samson and Solomon used the power of God at the peril of thier souls.

The Pre-Call for the Call is the call to get back to yourself first. Jesus says, call yourself first before you can call others.

Mark 8:36 “36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”

So Jesus says, yes the promise of the Father is coming, but tarry in Jerusalem first. the urgency to go is real but tarry first. the anxiety of recieveing the power is real, but tarry first.

What is this TARRY? Why should they wait?

The Greek term kathizo translated tarry in the text, it means “sit, sit down, set down, or sit oneself down.”

note too that this word is an imperative and the only imperative of this text, implying it is the command.

We have established in our earlier studies that the disciples of Jesus were not converted. In the words of Jesus they did not “have in thier minds the things of God, but the things of man” (Mathew 16:23).

Matthew 19:27 “27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?””

The thoughts who is greatest among them, and who would sit on his right hand and the left hand had preoccupied their minds. Yes their minds were preoccupied by aconfilict of an earthly gain.

Now this had to be removed before they would recieve the promise of the Father.

so Jesus looked at their anxiety of their uncoverted souls not with urgency to remove their sin but urgency to recieve the power to become better than other men.

for this they had to kathizo in Jerusalem. For this they had to “sit themselves down” in Jereusalem. They need to introspect in their lifes. they need to call themselves first to the glories of heaven before they could and call others for the same glories.

they needed to call their own attention to the things above before they could call other people’s attentions to the same things.

Are we not where disciples were? so much obsessed with our own successes in God’s house. So much dying for fame and recognation. a deep craving for church positions. an ouright undermining of other brethren. a perfection of PHD-pull him down to occupy.

Are we not there where desciples were, even when we support the church with our finances we do so for a eartly gain. I have forlks in church who will always remind you their the once who donated this and that for the church. i have seen forks who will always walk withthe sense of entitlement .

Insteady of feeling they are privildged to be co-laborous together with Jesus, they feel the church is previliged to have them!

I here Him say, kathizo yourself first. For i am not interested in your service as iam interested in your salvation. Call yourself to ORDER in the Lord.

Romans 12:2 “2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Col. 3:1-2 “1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

The Pre-Call Call is thecall to Re-examine yourself

2 COR.13:5 “5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.”

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“There are conditions to meet if we would be blessed and honored by God. We are to separate from the world, and refuse to touch those things that will separate our affections from God. God has the first and highest claims upon His people. Set your affections upon Him and upon heavenly things. Your tendrils must be severed from everything earthly.”

The Pre-Call call is the to turn your eyes on Jesus

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O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s light for a look at the Savior, And life more abundant and free.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,   In the light of His glory and grace.