The Call – Not a Ten Digit Number
Scripture: 1 Samuel 3:10
• As you consider your life-call to ministry today’s invitation is to ask if your life-call can be best lived out as an officer with The Salvation Army
1. Understanding the Call
Two things at play:
a. “Priesthood of all believers” (1 Peter 2:9)
• Controversy re. Interpretation and intent
• Peter borrowing OT (Pentateuch) language and theology – Ex 19:5-6 – kingdom of priests and holy nation
• OT theology of a priest to mediate between man and God – no personal, direct access - Lev 16:32 – only high priest could offer atonement for people
• Acts 7:38, “Moses was with the assembly of God's people in the wilderness. He was the mediator between the people of Israel and the angel
• Gal 3:19, “God gave his laws to angels to give to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people.
• Climate changes after Christ’s atonement – Heb 4:14, “we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him.
• Peter’s verse recognizes that the atonement of Christ brings us all before God as Priests; he declares our personal right to access! Christ is the fulfillment of the will of the Father in Exodus 19:5-6 that we have all become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation!
C Neal Johnson – Business as a Mission, A Comprehensive Guide to Theory and Practice capture this teaching – “Every person, or soul, is competent to stand before God without any need for a human or human-made ‘go-between.” Johnson credits Charles Cyril Eastwood as suggesting that God has conferred on all of us “the right of entrance into God’s very presence – the right of every believing man and woman, whether lay or cleric, to go to God directly…”
“Priesthood of all believers” – Peter explains as an office that is about praise living (9), holy living (avoiding sinful desires) (11), and good living (12) that others will praise God as a result. To this we are all called, to this we are a “priesthood of all believers”.
Fork in the road –
b. The Priesthood of the Pastorate (Salvation Army Officer)
– Eerdmans and Brill, in The Encyclopedia of Christianity suggests that while we all have the same spiritual status we do not have the same ministry.
Derek Tidball – Ministry by the Book: New Testament Patterns for Pastoral Leadership: “Peter presents a view of the church where all are priests but some are called to exercise an overseeing role as elders and shepherds, which they do both with great joy and with great care, mindful of the chief Shepherd who will shortly appear.”
1 Timothy 3 – the elder language is attributed to the person who is the leader of the church specifically verse 5. The elder (officer) has deacons (leaders) to help with the work of the ministry and we are all pastors.
• Our focus – the call to the overseeing role as shepherds of God’s people, the deliberate and intentional focus of work that purposefully aims at the spiritual well-being of people where everything else is secondary
• Does this mean my career is my calling; or, is my calling the same regardless of my career? Does God call people to be doctors, lawyers, janitors, salespeople or elders (aka Salvation Army officers)? The word VOCATION comes from the Latin VOCARE which means “to call”. So, it is possible that your career is the context from which you live your call.
• The answers to how we view vocation, career and calling are as varied as the questions. If you asked 10 couples how they fell in love with their mate you would hear 10 different stories. Is one right and the other nine wrong?
• Point: to recognize some understand their life-call to be to a specific role (an officer); others understand their life-call to be a lifestyle regardless of the role; we should not engage in disputes about who is right or wrong but recognize interpretations are just different. “Maybe it’s not so much how we view it but how we respond to God’s call on my life.” (Major Dr. Bruce Power)
• Regardless of your interpretative view the question being put before you today is this: does God want you to consider Salvation Army officer-ship as the vehicle through which you should express your life-call at this juncture in your journey?
• Step further – Is God calling you to be an officer?
2. The Call is Personal
Explore different experiences…
• Amused with people – “the Lord told me I should have a few words next Sunday” … “the Lord told me we need to…” My response has been, “As soon as the Lord tells me I’ll give you a call!”
• Caution because it can be a prophetic word. Sometimes the prophetic word is the way to go but other times we need the personal touch, that “God told me” stuff - directly, personally. Wouldn’t encourage anyone to consider the priesthood of the pastorate because someone thinks you’d made a good officer! You need to hear from God personally on that!
Genesis 12:1 (direct interaction) - The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” THIS IS PERSONAL!
My call to Bermuda… (Searchers of the Scripture Seminar, Lewisporte “Corps”, NL, March 1990, “Major Max Feener)…
Moses (direct interaction) – Exodus 3:1-4…
Focus: verse 2 – “appeared to him” and called him by name: (4) “Moses, Moses” THIS IS PERSONAL!
Most of us would freak out if we were hearing voices. Talking to God in the car – no one else around; people think I’m loony having a conversation with myself! Now with hands free mobile they just think I’m talking on my phone!
God used Elijah (prophet who needed someone to succeed him in ministry) to get Elisha’s attention
Elisha, the farmer – 1 Kings 19, Elijah “threw his mantle on him” (v19), “he left the oxen” (20) and “followed Elijah” (21)
It’s not like the groom at his wedding throwing the garter belt over his head to see which bachelor catches it and will be married next! Actually guys run to the corners when it’s time for the garter to come off! Elijah’s mantle – put upon Elisha, not tossed generally in his direction with ten other guys standing round. THIS IS PERSONAL!
Brothers, fisherman, Peter and Andrew – Matthew 4:18-19 – they are identified by name; “he said to them” (19a) THIS IS PERSONAL!
Brothers, fisherman, James and John – Matthew 4:21, “he called them” THIS IS PERSONAL!
Paul – Damascus road (Acts 9:1-6…) … note “Why do you” (4) and “you will be told what you must do” (6) THIS IS PERSONAL!
• God asked Paul was he was out to “get him”!
• Have you “got it in” for God? Are you rejecting the call to Elder / Shepherd leadership because you have personal agendas or dreams that you don’t want to give up?
3. The Call is Clear
Explore the ways God may be calling you. There is no one way but the purpose behind it is never unclear or at least I’ve yet to hear anyone say they don’t know what their purpose is when God calls them to something.
More examples…
God to Moses in Exodus 3:10, “I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”
Jesus to Peter and Andrew – “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” (Matt 4:19)
The purpose is implied in the calling of the others – all same purpose and mission
I.e. Officer’s Covenant
MY COVENANT
CALLED BY GOD
To proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
As an officer of The Salvation Army
I BIND MYSELF TO HIM IN THIS SOLEMN COVENANT
To love and serve him supremely all my days,
To live to win souls and
make their salvation the first purpose of my life,
To care for the poor, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, love the unlovable, and befriend those who have no friends,
To maintain the doctrines and principles of The Salvation Army, and, by God’s grace to prove myself a worthy officer.
Done in the strength of my Lord and Saviour, and in the presence of the Territorial Commander, training college officers and
fellow cadets.
Pretty clear
4. The Call Requires a Response
a. There’s the person who simply doesn’t want to do it
• Isn’t it annoying when you ask someone to do something and you get an answer that’s not what you had in mind?
o Dale, can you… Yes honey, I’ll get to it in a moment (at least it’s not “no”)
• Pick on Moses again? Exodus 3:7, “I’ve seen the misery of my people.”
• (11) “Who am I that I should go?” Really say, “I don’t care, it’s not my problem is it?”
• (12) “I’ll be with you and here’s a sign I’m sending you – you’ll worship God on this mountain” As if having God promise he’ll be with you isn’t enough he offers Moses a sign!
• Moses – trick question. Israel wouldn’t say God’s name so he asks (13), “If they ask what your name is, what should I tell them.” A: (14), “I AM has sent me to you.” That’s not a lot of help is it? What kind of answer is that?
• 4:1, “What if they don’t believe me?” – Staff a serpent, leprous hand (that’d shake you up some!)
• 4:10, “I’m no good at this; I have a speech problem; I stutter!” (Story of Major xxx Pilgrim…) A: I’ll fix that!”
• 4:13, “Please send someone else”. God got angry, kept the assignment on Moses but agreed to send his brother Aaron with him
b. There’s the person who is not aware of God
• 1 Sam 3:1-10…
o – Samuel (about 13 years of age) struggled to know God was calling (verse 7)
o God called him four times (4, 6, 8, 10); second time his name is mentioned (6) and fourth time his name twice (10)
Finally recognizes God’s voice he responds, “Speak, your servant is listening” (10) Simple as that…
Matthew 4:20 – Peter and Andrew “Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.”
Matthew 4:22 – James and John – “Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him”
Q: leave their nets to never go back? They didn’t make a living through their leadership; common occurrence to sell all property and give it to the church to distribute to people.
Paul continued his tent-making trade as a minister of the gospel
Thought: Maybe the lesson isn’t about leaving things behind as much as it teaches the principle of not allowing them to be the central focus – i.e. can we release them; are they in their proper perspective?
WRAP
• All called to the priesthood of believers – share Christ in the context of our community, culture and world
• Beyond that, there’s the call to something else … are you called to Eldership / Shepherd work?
