The Call
Video Illustration: Evan Almighty – His call to build and Ark and His response to Gods call from wingclips.com
Thesis: Have you received a call from God to do something for Him? Has God been calling you? Have you answered the call picked up the hotline from heaven or ignored it-ran from it-didn’t believe it? We need to respond to God’s call by answering the phone and saying “Yes, Lord! Not my will but your will be done!”
Ephesians 4:1-6:
1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Ephesians 1: 17, 18a:
17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you
Introduction:
The calling of Paul and of us is a divine act rooted in grace and in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. We have all been called to reveal the mystery of Jesus to this lost world.
There are two parts to the call:
1. We are all called by God to become part of God’s family.
* Ephesians 2:19-22: 19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
* John 3:16-18: 16“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
-The invitation is for everyone in this world – everyone!
2. We are also called to serve the Kingdom of Heaven this is the call to duty:
*Ephesians 2:10: 10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Many years ago I received “The Call” from God to be a part of His family: It went something like this:
Hello Michael this is God – First I want to say I love you! I have provided you with a gift that I want you to embrace with your whole heart. His name is Jesus and if you accept Him as your Savior I will adopt you as part of my family. All you have to do is to believe on him, and repent of your sin. Then you will become my son, my heir and I will be your Heavenly Father. This gift if you choose to accept it will bring you the blessings of Heaven and a divine purpose for your life. So Mike, if you want this spiritual blessing and gift from heaven say yes!
I answered with “Yes!”
The calling of God first and foremost has to do with understanding the ministry of Jesus Christ and His message of grace and forgiveness. God’s Spirit reveals this message to the current people of God through the church – Ephesians 3 tells us this. All those who embrace Jesus share in the promises and in the spiritual blessings which came as a result of his great sacrifice. These are: Grace, redemption, forgiveness, adoption, holiness, being sealed by the Spirit of God, wisdom, revelation, and the divine ability to understand the mystery of His will.
Paul tells us in Ephesians that he personally knows about this mystery of grace because he personally encountered it on the Damascus Road and it changed his life.
Paul in Ephesians 3 tells us that the church is the source by which this message is to be delivered, revealed and clarified to the world. The mystery once hidden is now revealed through the power and the ministry of the local church. When people observe the church they should see wisdom, revelation and the power of the Holy Spirit of God at work. This is the manifold wisdom of God to use the church as a dispenser of grace, forgiveness and spiritual power for both Jew and Gentile. This vehicle is what God is using to bring people into His family!
The truth is God will use imperfect people to do His perfect will and to set people free from the bondage of this fallen world. His desire is for people to accept His divine call of salvation so as to release the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives to impact people in this world for the Kingdom of Heaven.
How powerful is “The Call?” The call of God challenges us to be faithful and to be holy and our response to the call should be first of all repentance – with humility!
T.S. - Let’s look at the call of God to be a part of His family through Jesus:
I. God’s Call to be a part of His family!
a. God’s call to all of us is very simple – Jesus said in Matthew 11: 28-30 these words: 28“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
i. God says “Come” will you come?
b. The idea of the call is one of the most profound of all Biblical concepts because it communicates the truth that God does call people to become part of His family.
i. If you spend any time reading through the Bible you quickly discover that many have been called by God to join His family.
ii. Gordan MacDonald states that all calls have similar commonalities and the following information is gleamed from his article “God’s Calling Plan” (Leadership, Vol. 24 page 25):
1. The call originates from the Godhead – the invitation to be a part of God’s family comes from and invitation from God:
a. God called Abraham
i. To leave His home to become the father of a nation of people that would serve Him only.
ii. He accepted the invitation to leave his home in Ur to go to Israel and birth a nation under God.
iii. Genesis 12 – God showed what he would do and what He wanted Abraham to do – he accepted His invitation to be the part of God’s family.
b. God called Moses
i. First to His family then to service.
ii. When Moses tried to fulfill the call on his own strength and made a mess of things -when he killed the Egyptian – God sent him into the wilderness to learn to be led by His Spirit and not by his own strength or insight.
iii. He had to learn what it meant to be a part of God’s family!
c. God called Samson to deliver his people
i. He gave him the strength to do so even though he was not perfect.
ii. But he was set apart as a Nazirite to God – to be a part of God’s family – when he rebelled against God he failed and it cost him in the end.
d. God called Deborah to lead the nation to victory and deliverance.
i. But first she had to be a part of the family of God!
e. God called David to be there King to lead them into righteousness and victory.
i. Why David?
ii. Because he was said to be a man after God’s own heart – he was part of the family of God.
iii. He was called to establish one nation under God. To be a light to the other nations to show who the true God was!
1. Jehovah – Israel’s God!
f. God called Isaiah to his family
i. Yes, also to be His prophet to His own people because they were not following God’s way.
ii. Isaiah was sent to bring them back on course with God.
g. God called Jeremiah to preach hard messages to the people who rejected His message. He called Jeremiah to get His people back into His family. Listen to how hard this was for Jeremiah:
i. Jeremiah 20:7-9: O LORD, you deceived me, and I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me. Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the LORD has brought me insult and reproach all day long. But if I say, “I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.”
h. Jesus himself called the 12 – first to the family then to service!
i. He disciple them developed them and connected with them.
ii. Then He sent them out to the nations.
iii. Each one was called to become part of the family of God to follow Jesus and His Word first!
i. Jesus called Saul a persecutor of the church of Jesus Christ and then changed his name to Paul.
i. But first Paul had to become part of the family – he did this on the road to Damascus!
2. The Holy Spirit is calling today – he is calling you to become part of the family of God!
a. Are you willing? Are you apart of the family of God? Have you answered the call?
c. There are people who are deceived and don’t believe that “God does still call people!”
i. But He does.
1. In Acts 2: we see Peter preaching on the day of Pentecost with the invitation of the call of God to be saved through Jesus.
a. Same message rings forth from many pulpits every Sunday throughout the world.
2. Acts 2: 36-39: 36“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” 37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
a. We are all called to acknowledge that Jesus is the Lord and the Savior of the world.
b. God has called to us to accept Him and to obey Him.
c. God called this generation out of love by sending Jesus to die for our sins and to embrace the gift of grace and forgiveness.
d. God is still calling people today to Him – He is calling each of us even today to stay faithful to Him and to serve Him.
i. God wants us to be saved.
ii. God wants us to be delivered.
iii. God want us to be holy.
iv. God wants us to be faithful.
1. Paul reminds us of the call of God to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 1:2: 2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours.
d. The question or the response to God’s call to become part of His family is still relevant today: The answer is up to you – you can say “yes” or “no!”
i. Romans 10:12-13: 12For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
e. So what are you waiting for return the call – respond to God’s invitation today! Say “Yes!”
T.S. – We are all called by God to become part of His family by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior then after accepting God’s call then comes-- the call of duty to the Kingdom of Heaven.
II. The call of duty is the second part of the call!
a. This is an important point to recall and not neglect – upon acceptance of Jesus and entrance into the family God opens up the call to duty.
i. Ephesians 2:10: For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
1. We are called to bring in the harvest – in other words to bring more people into the family of God!
2. This is our call to duty for the Lord!
ii. Matthew 9:36-38: 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
1. The call of duty is centered on bringing God’s harvest of lives into his holy family!
b. I want to remind you again that nowhere in the Bible did anyone call themselves to bring in God’s harvest – God called them and they were anointed by the Holy Spirit to fulfill their call to duty.
i. So if you think you cannot do it – join the club – no one ever has – they just understand God does it through them – he equips them – he empowers them!
ii. Many of the calls from God to His people for service in the Bible and in real life were quite unpredictable and the hearers were not always very receptive to the call of duty or they felt inadequate for the task.
1. A real life example – Christa is home for Christmas from Africa – look at what God has been doing through her in Africa and she will be the first to tell you it’s all God working through her – equipping her to do what she is doing.
a. Video clip of Christa’s call to Africa!
iii. Calls from God are highly unpredictable or seemingly impossible tasks for those called.
1. Gideon – responded to his call with “How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest, and I am the least in the family.”
a. He said, “Lord I don’t have the resources to do this!” – he was right –but God did!
2. David – was the youngest in the family and anointed King at a young age. He did great feats for the Lord only to be chased through the wilderness by a jealous king Saul.
a. He cried out in Psalms to the Lord – and God assured Him he would strengthen Him and empower him in the right time!
b. He felt inadequate even afraid but God empowered him through!
3. Jeremiah – complained he was too young for this job and did not like the messages he had to preach. His message was to negative he thought – people hated what he said.
a. But the words of God rose up from inside his belly – words from the Holy Spirit!
b. They were God’s words not his and he had to speak them faithfully!
4. Moses said “I cannot speak!”
a. That was okay – God spoke through Aaron and Moses and gave Him a staff with His power!
b. God liked it that Moses came to realize he could not do it on his own strength!
5. Simon Peter – he was a fisherman not a public speaker. He made all kinds of mistakes, he denied the Lord, and he put his foot in his mouth way to many times.
a. But listen to him preach on the day of Pentecost – the Holy Spirit empowered him! God used his mouth and speech!
6. Saul – He was a persecutor of the church and was involved in killing Christians and Jesus called him to serve His church!
a. He opened his eyes after blinding him so he could see the truth.
b. The man did amazing things for the kingdom always letting everyone know it was the Holy Spirit in him not he himself.
c. The truth is Biblical calls usually focus on mind boggling, seemingly mission impossible requests. This is usually the first sign they are from God.
i. Abraham – was asked to become a father of one nation under God at a late age!
1. Seemed impossible for them to have children but they did!
ii. Noah – was asked by God to build a huge boat.
1. We are talking a huge boat and gather all the animals on the earth two by two and put them in the ark –remember the Spirit of God enabled him to do it.
iii. Moses – was called to lead over a million people out of the bondage of Egypt the most powerful nation of the day. He had no army – no weapons only a staff!
1. God empowered Moses – used him to bring down a great nation.
iv. Elijah - was called to face down a wicked King and Queen and stand against the false priests of Baal. He was told to call fire down from heaven to consume a sacrifice to God! Why, to prove who was the true God!
v. Paul – was called to bring salvation to the Gentiles! Not Jews but Gentiles a huge task which caused some to question what he was doing! But God saw that it happened by empowering Paul to write most of the New Testament and establish churches for the harvest.
1. But even though the call seemed impossible the call was so compelling that it gave courage to the one called to perform the God given task at hand.
a. This faith and God’s anointing is the key to fulfilling the call of duty.
b. If God calls you – He empowers you!
d. Biblical calls were and are unique then and still are today.
i. The calls differ for each individual and for each instance.
ii. Some of these people were strange like John the Baptist.
iii. Other’s prominent like Paul and Constantine.
iv. Some were doctors others were farmers or blue collar workers.
v. Some were criminals others judges.
vi. Some were Kings and Queens and others their servants.
vii. Some young and others old.
viii. Some tall some short.
ix. Some thin and some chubby.
e. Truth: The truth is if we have lost our faith in the idea that God calls people supernaturally then we have lost touch with the supernatural element of God.
i. Share about your calls from God – each had a supernatural element to them.
1. The calls in my life:
a. When God called me to be saved.
i. The evening prayer I prayed and the deliverer of God’s call by Thomas the next day.
1. Coincidence – I don’t think so!
ii. I had to agree to respond back to God’s call!
b. When Pastor Nate recommended me for the scholarship offer for Harvest Bible College through Mike McAhan in Camborne, England.
i. Mike you are called to preach God’s Word!
1. My response, “Who me!” “I am just a carpenter!”
2. But then one ladies response when I was working on her house!
c. When God spoke to me at work through Adolph and it rang out in my spirit.
i. You are called to become a preacher – Why aren’t you?
1. He was not even saved but God used him to affirm my call!
d. When I felt the Spirit calling me into the ministry.
i. When Kathy and I discussed it on the docks at her work.
1. She did not want to be a pastors wife – God had to speak to her!
ii. The tugging in my heart and the many affirmations from others of my call to preach and pastor
e. The call to Bible College.
i. The first day in Chapel knowing I was in God’s will.
f. The call to Grygla and Liberty Chapel --the radio message from the Lord.
g. The call of God and the Scripture text at Christian Hills when it was time to come and go.
i. This is the scripture verse that the Lord gave me to share to the congregation that it was time to go: Matthew 21:1-3: 1As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
h. The miracle summer and God’s leading!
i. Many offers for pastoring a church but I had to hear the voice of the Lord for the right one!
i. The call and affirmation to accept New Life as my next place of ministry.
i. The call to start the counseling center in Amery.
ii. The call to start the Halfway House
iii. The call to open the café in Amery.
iv. The call to do radio ministry in Amery.
j. The call to return to Christian Hills Church as Senior Pastor.
i. Scripture text I was given to come back to Christian Hills:
1. Proverbs 14:4: “Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest.
2. Share about the voice of the Lord when I spoke the summer before I came here.
a. “You will be their next pastor!”
b. I thought – not me – voice said yes you!
f. Transition to Ordination part of the Message;
i. There are also those who are called to full time ministry today-along with this is the associated step of Ordination:
ii. Blackaby shares from his book “The Power of the Call” pages 10-14 a clear picture of what one looks like who is called by God into pastoral ministry:
1. The pastor is chosen
2. He is chosen by God
3. He is chosen by God to be His servant
4. He is chosen by God to shepherd His people
5. He recognizes that God’s people are His inheritance, that they are God’s “special treasure” (Exodus 19:5-6).
6. He has integrity of heart.
7. He recognizes that his assignment will require “skillfulness of his hands” (hard work, consistent with his heart).
8. God calls his servants to be stewards (Acts 20:28-31)
9. God calls his servants to be spiritual leaders
a. You cannot do Kingdom work with the world’s methods.
10. The people are your ministry not the means you use to fulfill your ministry.
g. Blackaby also in his book reveals what the requirements of a Spiritual Leader are from the Bible.
i. A leader has an absolute sense of urgency (Matt. 9:35-37)
ii. A leader has an absolute priority and commitment to prayer (Matt. 9:38).
iii. A leader is unconditionally related to Jesus Christ as Lord (Matt. 10:1).
iv. A leader dwells with and under Christ’s absolute spiritual authority and demonstrates this in life (Matt. 10:1, 8).
v. A leader is Kingdom orientated (Matt. 6:33).
vi. A leader lives with a clear sense of God-given direction (Matt. 10:5-7, 11-16).
vii. A leader is clearly committed and aware of the cost involved in serving God (Matt. 10:17-23).
viii. A leader has a clear commitment to pattern his life after Jesus as the master servant (Matt. 10:24-25).
ix. A spiritual leader is God-orientated (Matt. 10:26-31).
x. A leader bears an open witness to everyone of the absolute Lordship of Jesus Christ, especially in the atmosphere of the world (Matt. 10:32-33).
xi. A leader must be willing to risk with eyes wide open, unafraid of the opinions of others, ready for spiritual warfare (Matt. 10:34-36)
xii. A leader’s love for God and His Son exceeds all other loves (Matt. 10:37-39).
xiii. A leader lives out a life of unmistakable identity with Jesus Christ and does so with an eye to the day of accountability (Matt. 10:40-42).
T.S. - Today it is my pleasure and honor to ordain one of our ministers/family pastors today - Pastor Moises and Eva Mendez.
Ordination Service --- Christian Hills Church
Pastor Mike calls Kathy, Pastoral staff including Dan and Terry, Elders and Pastor Thomas.
Scripture Texts with the charge of Ordination and to the call of pastoral ministry:
1In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:
2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:1-5).
“Jesus said… I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep… I know my sheep and my sheep know me… and I lay down my life for the sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand”
(John 10: 7,11,14,15, 27, 28).
“Jesus said, Feed my lambs... Take care of my sheep…Feed my sheep”
(John 21: 15, 16, 17).
“May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever” (Hebrews 13: 20, 21).
“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving… not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be… and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away”
(1 Peter 5:2-4).
Vows of Ordination for Pastor Moy:
Pastor Mike: Before God and this congregation you are called upon to answer in all truthfulness the questions I now ask you. Do you believe that you are truly called to be an ordained minister of the church of Jesus Christ? Will you call upon God and serve Him faithfully in the fulfillment of the responsibilities of this ordained call to ministry?
Pastor Moy: I do, The Holy Spirit being my helper.
Pastor Mike: Do you promise to be faithful in prayer? Do you promise to faithfully read and study the scriptures to deepen your knowledge of divine truth and your relationship with God?
Pastor Moy: I do, The Holy Spirit being my helper.
Pastor Mike: Will you seek to bring others into an understanding and acceptance of the cost and joy of discipleship to the Gospel? Will you through faithful teaching lead them into a full understanding of what it means to commit totally to Jesus Christ?
Pastor Moy: I will, The Holy Spirit being my helper.
Pastor Mike: Will you have a loving concern for all people and give yourself to minister impartially to them without regard to race, creed, gender, or lifestyle?
Pastor Moy: I will, The Holy Spirit being my helper.
Pastor Mike: Will you endeavor to uphold the integrity of the church of Jesus Christ and to seek that unity in which all churches will manifest the one Lord, one faith, and one baptism?
Pastor Moy: I will, The Holy Spirit being my helper.
Pastor Mike: Will you give yourself to Christian Hills Church in which you are being ordained and in so far as possible to serve its causes and seek to enlarge its Christian witness at home and abroad?
Pastor Moy: I will, The Holy Spirit being my helper.
Ordination Prayer by the Elders:
Pastor Mike: People of God, you have heard the commitment made by Pastor Moy. From the earliest times the church has through the symbolic act of the laying on of hands and prayer done so in recognition to God’s call to ministry. This holy act from God has set apart men and women for the special ministries of the church. So therefore, in the name of Jesus Christ and understand that we all are relying on God’s grace, I ordain you an official “Ordained Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” Let us acknowledge and confirm this ordination by the laying on of hands by the elders and with prayer.
Family of Christian Hills Church: Please, extend your hands toward Pastor Moy as we pray for him and Eva.
Elders will lay hands on Pastor Moy and Eva and each elder will pray for them and the calling.
Pastor Mike: Let us pray: Lord Jesus, you have called Moy into the special ministry of your church. Confirm that call by your fruit of the Holy Spirit in his life and ministry. We ordain him to the office and work of your ministry. Grant him wisdom to understand and power to proclaim the Good News and to lead your people in worship worthy of the King of Kings. Give him the grace to be the pastor whose love is like your own, teacher whose store of truth brings light and understanding, and priest who reveals your presence to every brother or sister in need. Keep him faithful to your high calling that in your good time he may hear your words, "Well done, good and faithful servant." To this ministry of yours Lord we consecrate Pastor Moy, that to you may be given the praise and glory through his ministries, now and forever. Amen.
The Declaration by Pastor Mike
Pastor Mike: By the authority of Christian Hills Church and in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we declare you to be ordained to the office and work of Pastoral Christian Ministry. Through this act you have been commissioned to preach and teach the Word of God, to lead the worship of the church and to administer the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, to perform weddings and funerals and those other services associated with church ministry. We charge you to be a faithful pastor of your people, to inform the conscience of the congregation concerning the Gospel and the spiritual issues of the day, and to be a living witness to those who have not come to know for themselves the love of God in Christ Jesus.
Presentation of Ordination Certificate
Pastor Mike: May this certificate be a continual reminder to you that on this day and in this place you were set apart for the high and holy office of an Ordained Clergy for the purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission and the work of Christian ministry.
Pastor Mike: Congratulations and may God richly bless your ministries for His glory!
Closing thoughts: Ephesians 4:1 “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”
