We Are All Called

Introduction

Good evening and welcome back!

Tonight we are going to be looking at a passage from 1 Corinthians 1.

And this passage in particular is taken from Paul's letter to the Church at Corinth which he wrote somewhere around 55 AD.

And even though this letter is known as 1 Corinthians, the reality is that there were a total of (4) letters written to the Church at Corinth by Paul.

This is the first of two of those letters that made it into our Bible and thus is known as 1 Corinthians.

This letter is also one of the oldest books of the New Testament.

And in this writing, Paul is writing to a people that are very similar to those in the modern United States.

Corinth is a prosperous city/state under Roman rule that was very diverse.

There were all sorts of people and all sorts of religious ideas to go along with them.

It was also common practice to mix different religious ideas together for a "one size fits all religion."

Another thing that Corinth had going for it was its high level of sin and debauchery.

The Corinthians thought very highly of themselves and had the "its all about me" attitude.

They were educated and "wise" in man's eyes and "had it going on."

So, we see Paul faced some unique challenges sharing the Gospel with these people.

He not only had to combat the sin that was in the world trying to creep into the church and corrupt the church.

He also had to battle the confusion, attitudes, and behaviors that had already made their way into the congregation.

And, if you read very much in 1st and 2nd Corinthians, you will see how pervasive the invasion of the world had penetrated even this First Generation church.

That's why Paul wastes no time getting to the point.

And the point for tonight’s message is that We are all called by God.

Whether we think we are or not, we are called.

So, let’s get into the Scripture and see where the Lord leads us.

Again, we are in 1 Corinthians 1, and staring in verse 26, Paul writes . . .

Scripture Focus

1 Corinthians 1:26–31 NIV84

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

We Are All Called

So, like I was saying, we see right off the bat that Paul is not wasting any time getting to his main point.

And again, verse 26 . . .

1 Corinthians 1:26 NIV84

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.

Now, to put things into perspective of where Paul is going with this, this section of Scripture is taken out of a broader section here in chapter one.

However, Paul starts out here in verse 26, with the subject of the calling of God's Elect.

And notice, Paul did not tell them, "if you are called" but takes it for granted that they understand that THEY WERE ALL CALLED.

He also didn't say that you had to wise, mighty, or noble to be called.

Paul actually says the direct opposite.

In the world's eyes those that are considered "wise" or "noble" or "mighty" are those that have what it takes to do great things.

Paul says that not many of them are called.

This is because they are few and far in between.

Also because the majority of them are so full of themselves that they cannot hear the voice of the Lord.

So if we are waiting on that type of person to come and lead the church, we've got a long wait ahead of us.

God isn't calling someone else-HE IS CALLING YOU AND ME!

He is calling us to complete the work of the ministry.

And that is something that many Christians today fail to realize.

We don't realize that God did not call us to sit and be a spectator.

We are called to get in there and to do something.

And hearing this over and over is important for today’s Church, because many have abandoned the faith after COVID.

Churches all over the nation have basically been cut in half.

And the people are not flocking to other churches.

They are nowhere to be found.

And if we want to reach people for Christ in the 21st Century Post-COVID world then we have got to change our mindset.

We have got to figure out how God is shaping and changing the ministry of this Church.

And WE ALL have to step in and get involved.

It is going to take all of us.

1 Peter tells us that . . .

1 Peter 2:9 NIV84

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

And Ephesians 4 . . .

Ephesians 4:1–3 NIV84

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

And . . .

Ephesians 4:7–8 NIV84

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.”

So, it is very clear and evident that we are all called into some type of ministry or some "vocation" that we are to fulfill for God.

And the diversity of that calling is just as diverse as all of us are . . .

1 Corinthians 12:4–7 NIV84

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

And back to Ephesians 4 . . .

Ephesians 4:11–13 NIV84

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

And we also need to keep things into perspective because we have different gifts, talents, and abilities, but they are all controlled and administered by the same Holy Spirit.

Romans 12:4–5 NIV84

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

And . . .

1 Corinthians 12:18–20 NIV84

But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

And the purpose of this is so we can fit together as one unified body of believers carrying out the ministry of the church.

However, what typically happens is we get that old 90/10 syndrome going on.

That is when 90% of the work is done by 10% of the people and everybody else is a "spectator."

And that’s a little higher here because, there ain’t enough of us for us to sit around too much.

But, again all of us need to be involved.

And maybe your role is small and you don't consider it essential.

But God does.

The Foolish Things that Confound the Wise

And that is the really trap the devil tries to set.

He gets us thinking that what we have been called to do is "foolish" or "unimportant."

That is not the case though.

No matter how small you think your role may be, if God has given it to you then it is vital.

It is vital to the ministry of the church.

And it is vital to your Spiritual growth as a Christian.

So, don't get trapped into thinking that it is not important or "foolish."

Look at what Paul says next . . .

1 Corinthians 1:27–28 NIV84

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are,

And before we get offended at Paul, Paul is simply saying what the world considers foolish and non-sense, God will use.

God uses this to "confound" or to "shame" those that are considered wise.

Not only that, but also the weak things to bring to shame those that the world considers strong.

And the "base" or "lowly" (poor) of the world, those people and things that are "despised".

Not only that but the things that the world doesn't consider important (salvation, sanctification, Christianity), to show how unimportant the things of the world actually are.

Consider it for a minute.

What's important to the world?

Money, power, fame, riches, self, wisdom, knowledge.

Will these things save you?

Where is our salvation? In Christ Alone.

Who was Jesus?

To the world, He was a convicted criminal, condemned to die.

He was the son of a carpenter.

Nobody rich or important. Just another person.

How Can He Save anybody?

He couldn't even save himself, right.

After all that’s what the Jews said . . .

Matthew 27:41–43 NIV84

In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”

That is how the world sees things.

2 Corinthians 4:3–4 NIV84

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

So, its okay if what God has called you to do seems foolish or doesn't make sense.

It doesn't have to make sense in the world's eyes.

This is because God has a higher purpose for it.

He is trying to show the world Himself in such a way that it cannot be denied it is from Him.

1 Corinthians 1:18–21 NIV84

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

And . . .

1 Corinthians 1:25 NIV84

For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

Glory to God

And Paul continues on . . .

1 Corinthians 1:29–31 NIV84

so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

The plain truth of the matter is this, God does things this way so that flesh cannot take God's glory.

Isaiah 55:8–9 NIV84

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

And . . .

1 Samuel 16:7 NIV84

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

We have got to quit questioning God's ways and God's decisions.

We have to learn to Trust and Obey the Lord in all things.

After all, how can God be glorified if only those who already "have it going on" are used?

How can we grow and mature if we are just spectators?

He has saved us, sanctified us, called us, claimed us.

Let us boast in that.

Lets not worry about our worldly qualifications.

Lets not worry about how the world will look at us.

Lets step into the ministry God has called us into.

Altar/Challenge

So, tonight, have you been called?

If Jesus Christ is your Savior, then the answer is "yes."

Do you know what that calling is?

If not,you need to be seeking God and finding out.

God will tell you, you just have to ask.

Be warned though, once God tells you, He expects you to obey Him and trust Him and to step out of the boat with a little faith and follow Him.

The ministry of the church will benefit from it and you will grow from it.

The choice is yours to make.

Let’s Pray . . .