YOUR CALLS FROM GOD
Romans 12:1-2
* When Deboria and I were first married, I was a member of volunteer fire department. This was the mid-70’s and before the personal pagers were so inexpensive and available so alerting us fireman in a timely manner was a challenge. The system began with a siren, then to phones, and then to a “plectron” (which is a forerunner to the paging system). A plectron was about the size of an old CB radio and sat there silently until the “tone” was activated to alert is to a call. Like a pager, there would be a tone, then a sound like out of a bad sci-fi movie, and then the dispatcher voice would tell us about the call. At that point, all the volunteers made their decision whether to respond or not. Here’s the truth; when a call went out something or someone was in trouble and needed help. Someone had to take action or the results could be, would be disastrous. I say this because I remember the nights we were called to house fires where someone had not gotten out and we had to retrieve them or a train derailment where some chemical has been spilled, or even a traffic accident where we were required to use the Jaws of Life to extricate someone.
* As I recall those days and the calls we received, I am captivated by the similarities that I find between the earthly call and the heavenly call to provide & protect. Both calls require competency, consistency, and commitment. IN the fire department, we must be competent to know what hose to use, what approach to take, what dangers we face. In our heavenly we must know God through Christ, know what it means to be forgiven, restored, and reclaimed. It is required that we understand the dangers we face; the protection we have if we put on the armor, and that He is the answer. If we do not KNOW these things, we cannot ever be successful. IN the matter of consistency, one volunteer unit dismissed any fireman who could not answer 60% of the calls. You see, that understand in the fire unit what we miss in spiritual matters. They understand that you are not doing your part “IF” you cannot be counted on to be present. They ask that you show your commitment by your consistency.
* I submit to you this morning that we show our commitment to God by our consistency. Further I submit that in the same way the Fire Department sends out calls and expects responses, so do our Lord through His word.
* There are many callings in the Bible. Furthermore, we are told that the gifts and callings of God are irrevocable. This morning let’s look at 4 calls God gives EVERY believer. Turn with me to our scripture, Romans 12. This is a very familiar passage which most of us can quote (in part).
* Before we read, let me say that this passage is written to believers, that is, those who have trusted Christ by faith. Maybe you have never made this decision and don’t understand why you should trust Christ. Here is what the Bible teaches us; God demonstrated His Love for us… Just exactly HOW does God demonstrate love? The word “love” can be used as an acrostic to show us. L stands for the Law. God has given His law to us called the Ten Commandments. This law serves the purpose of showing us that we are sinful. Psalms 19 says the “law is perfect in reviving the soul.” The O stands for offense because the Bible says it is impossible to keep the Ten Commandments. We could do a quick test and ask, “have you ever told a lie?”, “have you ever stolen anything?”, or “have you ever coveted what someone else has?” The answers to these questions lead us to the next letter. The V stands for the Verdict. The Bible says we are all guilty before God. As with any guilty verdict is a sentence. The sentence for sin is death. At this point, this doesn’t sound much like “love.” The E stands for escape. The Bible asks the question, “how shall we escape “if” we neglect this great salvation?” and the answer is we won’t escape with out a plan. God demonstrated His own love in this, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” If we will come to Christ for forgiveness and restoration, He will forgive and restore our relationship to the Father. Perhaps you need to do this right now before you hear about the calls God places on the believers. Why not pray right now?
* Let read our scripture. (READ) The first words of this chapter are important for us. “Therefore” & “brothers” tell us a couple of things. Brothers remind us that Paul is writing to believers. Therefore is an interesting word. It literally means because of all that I have said. The first 11 chapters deal largely with doctrine & theology. He teaches about sin, guilt, salvation, justification, etc.
* Additionally, He ends chapter 11 singing a “doxology” of sorts. (Read verses 33-36). He then says, “because of all of these things, I urge you, beseech you, implore you, to.. and what follows are divinely inspired calls for all of us.
1. CALL TO CONTRIBUTE – I “urge” you to PRESENT YOUR BODIES. Paul is urging each of us to contribute all that we are, have, and hope to be to the Father. Last Monday, Dr. Gene Mimms spoke to this very issue. He referenced the story of Abraham being willing to sacrifice his son. Now remember, Isaac was the son of promise. He was the one through whom the Abrahamic Covenant was to be fulfilled. Isaac was special for all sort of reasons but not the least of which was his being a miracle baby! Now, he was Abraham’s greatest treasure. As Dr. Mimms walked us through the story he gave us 3 principles. I’ll remind you of the first two because they apply so directly. First, God sometimes leads us where we don’t care to go. Next, God asks us to give up what is most precious to us. When you marry these principles with Paul saying present your body the understanding is clear, God expects us to give all the we are. But Paul does not stop with “your body”, he moves it to the level of “sacrifice”. This thing of a living sacrifice was a foreign concept to Paul’s readers. Normally, when you made a sacrifice, it was dead, laid on the altar, and given in your place. He also references the expectations placed on your life, “holy & pleasing.” Paul says you need to contribute your life in such a way that you are dead to self and alive to Christ; this is your spiritual worship or KJV “reasonable service.” What do I have to contribute? Money? Resources? Talent? Time? It begins with self.
> At the end of this message there will be a time of decision for you. Because here is the truth, In this culture, the majority of those who clam to be believers will indeed give their money and that is commendable. We may give other things, but we have not given ourselves to His work, His ministry, to His calling.
2. CALL TO CHALLENGE – Did you realize that become like Christ means “challenging the culture?” Verse 2 begins with “do not be conformed to this world” and yet, this is exactly what this culture is attempting to do to believers.
> It is the desire to get us to compromise the Bible, doctrine, and our lives to make them more comfortable. Please never lose sight of the fact that Jesus challenged His culture. He did it lovingly, yet firmly. He applies as much pressure as He deemed necessary. In the Temple, He displayed righteous indignation because of the thievery and carnage He witnessed. With the Pharisees, He spoke words of rebuke and correction. With the soldiers, he spoke words of forgiveness. Yet, all were challenged by His words because they were challenged by His life.
> The word conform means to bend to please. The world attempts to bend your values to please them. The conflict is that we are called to please God and not man. In fact, the Bible says that “to be friends with the world is to be an enemy of God.” Before you get too bent out of shape think of this; can light and darkness co-exist? Can good water and sewerage water co-exist?
> As most of you know, we have a pool at the house. The only people who think this is great are the people who have never owned and had to maintain a pool. Earlier this year we changed purification chemicals from chlorine to one called “baquacil” which, from a chemical structure is incompatible with chlorine. Through some difficulties we have, of necessity, had to return to a chlorine based system. When I poured the first bag of shock into the pool to begin the change process back to chlorine the reaction of these two incompatible chemical is stunning. One had to give way or conform to the other. Today, my pool is clear, balanced & ready.
3. CALL TO CHANGE – The Bible reads, “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Two words in that phrase stand out and deserve our attention. First we see the word “transformed.” This is translated from the Greek word which gives us our word “metamorphosis”, which means a complete change from the inside out. The Bible calls us not to reform our ways but have our lives remade. We see this picture on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17 and Mark 9). Literally, Jesus displayed His eternal glory, no longer displaying the image of a man, but now of God.
> But we are not just to be transformed, but “RENEWED”, and renewed in our minds. That means we change “how we think.” Here we are addressing our “mindset” once again. Renewed means to renovate or restore. You understand that Adam and Eve had one way of thinking before they sinned and an entirely different way after wards. We are called to be transformed and then have our minds restored to its original condition.
> It is one thing for the person who has not been redeemed to hate, it is a contradiction for a redeemed person to hate. It is one thing for natural person to display hostility, selfishness, stinginess, and be uncaring, but for the spiritual person it is not possible.
* Let’s review – we are called to Contribute ourselves to the Father for His purpose, Called to Challenge this society with truth, and Called to Change and be changed in our personal life, personality, and spirit. God has given us one final call. It is;
4. CALL TO CHOOSE – Put this call in perspective. The only way you’ll ever be able to know (discern) what the good, perfect, pleasing, and acceptable will of God actually is, is by being transformed by your mind being renewed so you’ll be able to think differently. Or by not allowing yourself to be conformed into the image of this world so you’ll be able to act differently and let them see Him in your life. The only possible way this happens is by presenting your entire being to Him in a sacrificial way, laying it all before Him and trusting Him with your being. God Himself has laid out this plan. He didn’t give us multiple choices, nor did He give us an essay to write and give our opinion. What He did was give us one way with one decision. In the Garden of Eden, He gave them one rule and one decision and today it is the same for us. He tells us how and Calls us to make a choice.
> Today God is calling you. He is calling you to contribute your part, which is your heart. He is calling you to challenge this society with your life. He is calling you to change your preconceived notion and get on board with him.
> (CELL PHONE – Illus) Some times we choose to answer, listen, and talk. Other times we choose to ignore. YOU?
