Find your calling

God has a plan for all of us.

There are two great days in a person’s life: the day we are born and the day we discover why.

Today I want to talk about ways we discover why we were born, why we are in a particular place doing a certain thing.

Possibly why you are in Cherry Willingham, why you are in the the job you are, the school you go to and with the groups of people that you are with.

To do this I want to look at the way four individuals were called. Three from the OT and one form the new.

The children are going to stay in for the first one and then they will go off to Shiners while we look at the others.

We are going to start with Samuel.

Video

Samuel’s call.

Five things from Samuel.

Born for a purpose - others recognise calling often before us.

hearing the call - but not understanding the call.

Advised by others.

Recognising the call and Responding to the call.

Waiting / learning and training

This made him Effective in his calling

Kids go off.

Saul’s call

The next person’s calling I want to look at is Saul

Saul was the son of Kish, a wealthy Benjaminite, and known for being tall and handsome

1 Samuel 9:1–2 (CSB)

1 Samuel 9:1–2 CSB

1 There was a prominent man of Benjamin named Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, son of a Benjaminite. 2 He had a son named Saul, an impressive young man. There was no one more impressive among the Israelites than he. He stood a head taller than anyone else.

Saul was just the sort of man that you would think of as being king Good looking, powerful

unlike Samuel - whose purpose / calling was recognised by others from a young age. Sauls was not.

His family could see his outward attributes but had no view of his calling.

Unlike Samuels calling with the voice of God - Saul’s calling was much more mundane ...

1 Samuel 9:3-7 “3 One day the donkeys of Saul’s father Kish wandered off. Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go look for the donkeys.” 4 Saul and his servant went through the hill country of Ephraim and then through the region of Shalishah, but they didn’t find them. They went through the region of Shaalim—nothing. Then they went through the Benjaminite region but still didn’t find them. 5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come on, let’s go back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us.” 6 “Look,” the servant said, “there’s a man of God in this city who is highly respected; everything he says is sure to come true. Let’s go there now. Maybe he’ll tell us which way we should go.”

Samuel did indeed tell them which way to go. not only to find the donkeys’ but to step into his calling

A calling that Saul could not see

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 9

21 Saul responded, “Am I not a Benjaminite from the smallest of Israel’s tribes and isn’t my clan the least important of all the clans of the Benjaminite tribe? So why have you said something like this to me?”

but Samuel anointed him and sent him on his way.

Did this make the people accept Saul as king? did his rugged good looks and stature win over the people?

No - Saul had to live out his calling, he had to do kingly things - in that day that meant killing Phillistines.

For those around him to accept that he was called - Saul had to walk the walk of his calling.

Four things form Saul

God works through everyday events - His father tells him to look for the donkeys (9:3).

God specifically identified the call on Saul to others

The Lord involves a prophet (seer) in letting Saul know what He wanted (9:9).

The Lord speaks to Samuel the prophet about what He wants (9:15). people before others,

Some calls are communicated by others.

Saul did not think himself able, when he walked out his calling he proved it to himself as much as to others.

DAVID’S CALL & ANOINTING

1 Samuel 16:1–13 CSB

1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem because I have selected for myself a king from his sons.” 2 Samuel asked, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me!” The Lord answered, “Take a young cow with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will let you know what you are to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate to you.” 4 Samuel did what the Lord directed and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?” 5 “In peace,” he replied. “I’ve come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Certainly the Lord’s anointed one is here before him.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature because I have rejected him. Humans do not see what the Lord sees, for humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.” 8 Jesse called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel. “The Lord hasn’t chosen this one either,” Samuel said. 9 Then Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, “The Lord hasn’t chosen this one either.” 10 After Jesse presented seven of his sons to him, Samuel told Jesse, “The Lord hasn’t chosen any of these.” 11 Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” he answered, “but right now he’s tending the sheep.” Samuel told Jesse, “Send for him. We won’t sit down to eat until he gets here.” 12 So Jesse sent for him. He had beautiful eyes and a healthy, handsome appearance. Then the Lord said, “Anoint him, for he is the one.” 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully on David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.

Four things form David

God is in the calling 1 Sam. 16:13

“13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully on David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.”

It takes time - David spent 2-4 years continuing to sit in a sheep field

A further 15 or so years serving in Sauls courts or running away from Saul.

That takes us to the third thing

Stepping into your calling may not be easy you will face opposition from others, from the enemy, even from those you are to follow.

We Can’t See Ahead

Eight-year-old Frank had looked forward for weeks to a particular Saturday when his father promised to take him fishing if the weather was suitable. But when Saturday dawned, it was raining and looked like it would rain all day.

Frank wandered around the house, grumbling; "Seems like the Lord should’ve known that it would’ve been better to have it rain yesterday than today!"

Then, about three o’clock, the rain stopped. They quickly loaded the gear and were off to the lake. Whatever the reason, the fish were biting hungrily and father and son returned with a full string of fine, big fish.

At supper, Frank’s mom asked him to say grace. Frank did--and concluded, "And, Lord, sorry I was grumpy earlier today, I COULDN’T SEE FAR ENOUGH AHEAD." How true!

We don’t always see far enough ahead. it is easy to give up on our dreams, on our calling because we have to wait - we have to be patient - we have to work on it

The fourth thing is that when you follow your calling you are to honour those who have gone before you. I am not going to expand on that, that is your homework - go and read 1 Samuel 24 see what happend with Saul and David in the cave.

Sauls Calling

The final calling I want to look at is from the new testament

Confusingly this person is also called Saul.

Acts 9:1–9 CSB

1 Now Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest 2 and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. 4 Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul said. “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. 9 He was unable to see for three days and did not eat or drink.

Of course we know this Saul as Paul - the calling on his life changed the life of millions. He became possibly the most influential architect of the church outside of Jesus

One thing from Saul’s or should I say Paul’s calling

all the things we have highlighted - may not apply -God can accelerate each of our callings as He sees fit.

No one saw Paul as the biggest supporter of Christ.

Paul did not see it

There was no waiting.

The was no persecution or opposition as he waited - though we know that was to come.

Application

we can talk about calling all morning - we can look at examples in the bible, within history, here and now of people. The reality is though that each of our callings is unique. Placed on us by God.

God chooses all sort of people to fulfil His tasks, In one case Saul was handsome, tall and from a good family(9:1). . David was from the smallest of families. Saul says that he also was from a very small family in the smallest of tribes (9:21).

In fact God often works with those who have weaknesses and have has them trust in Him and keep from pride . God seems to favour choosing the unlikely ones to do His honoured tasks. Would you choose a competitor or a critical customer to run your marketing department? - He did with Paul.

We should not let our background, history, education, opinons of others or our opinion of ourself stand in the way of Gods calling on our life. - I’ll let you into a secret God doesn’t mix us up with one another, God does not make mistakes

When we look ate where we are today and where God’s calling may take us it is easy to see this as impossible but you know God uses our general life circumstances to connect us to the right people to hear what He wants us to hear. to get where we need to go and to achieve what God has in store for us.

He used David’s shepherding skill to kill a giant and lead a nation

my job has helped me in the church and my experience of god has helped me in industry

We should not be concerned with God’s ability to connect us to the right people. He can and does work these matters out as necessary. We cannot easily miss God’s plan. Our problem is dismissing His plan because it seems impossible.

God often speaks through His prophets to communicate His ‘call’ to a person. God will have those in leadership recognise and affirm the call. Part of the reason the Lord communicates through them is to affirm the position that the person is to hold. (Imagine if Saul just said, “God told me I am king.”)? He needed those in leadership to recognise this (chapter 10).

We do not volunteer ourselves but God appoints us. we respond by making ourselves available.

The call refers to the time when the Lord lets us know what He wants to do through our lives. God’s call is largely directed toward the individual because it is meant to instill the faith and direction that is needed for upcoming service.

There is no single way God does this. The Levites have a calling by heritage, Samuel was called by name, David was an unlikely candidate. Paul was miraculously transformed form hater to lover of the church. Saul’s calling is so interesting because it is unique to him and customised. God entwined the very events of daily life to get Saul’s attention, call him and set him as king.

As William Barclay said, “There are two great days in a person’s life: the day we are born and the day we discover why.”

What is your calling?

Do you recognise it.

Is god calling and your missing it

Are life events making your calling obvious to those around you but you are missing it.

Pray

know your calling and lost sight.

Pray

Patience

Perseverance

protection