SERMON BRIEF
Date Written: April 4, 2013
Date Preached: April 7, 2013
Church: OPBC (PM) - Ordination Service for Ben Browning
FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS
Title: The Calling of God!
Text: Joshua 1:1-18
ETS: God called Joshua to a special role in His kingdom, Joshua obeyed.
ESS: God has called Ben Browning to a special role in His Kingdom, and Ben is in the process of obeying…
Objective: God calls all of us to work for Him, but there are some that He sets aside for special things…we must be willing to answer the call by being strong and courageous in our actions.
Introduction:
He was a young man working a good job, but his life was not full. At 32 he had worked his way into a supervisory position at his company. He was the manager of one of the largest fruit packinghouses in Southern California.
For some time he had been uneasy and restless about his service to God. He was convinced that God wanted him to resign this position and go study at the local seminary.
God laid upon his heart that there was a world of lost people out there and that God could use him to reach those people. He was afraid because he did not believe he could speak in front of people and did not believe that people would listen to him.
He was also scared to resign his position and give up the good salary that came with it. He had recently purchased 20 acres of orange grove for himself and was trying to raise a family. How could they survive if he gave up this good paying job?
The more he began to pray about his situation, the more he began to see his work at the fruit packing plant as something that was ‘fruitless’. This job he had held in high esteem NOT too long ago was becoming more & more meaningless to him.
One morning he felt the urge to pray, so he found a storeroom & began to pray. His prayers seemed to bounce of the walls, but when he got up to leave, God led him to continue in his prayer.
In that prayer Charles Fuller, the founder of the Fuller Theological Seminary in California, submitted to God and God’s call on his life.
Peace came to his soul and joy flowed from his heart on that day. There were many who told him that he was too good at his job…that he would starve in the ministry. He was told that God couldn’t use a fruit packer like him…he did not have the knowledge to preach.
But God reassured him of the call on his life and Charles Fuller surrendered to the ministry on that day in 1919. Charles Fuller served in the ‘ministry’ from that day until his death in 1968. In his “Old Fashioned Revival Hour” that was broadcast on the radio Fuller used to reach close to 20 million people each week.
In God’s call there are some that God makes the wrong choice, but when the one called is obedient to God’s calling…then it is a perfect situation.
In the Bible we find many examples of God calling people to serve Him in special ways. Noah was called for a specific purpose; Gideon was called for a specific purpose, and John the Baptist was called for a specific purpose.
All of these answered God’s call willingly and obediently. However, there is a particular person in the Bible that followed God’s call that I want to look at this evening.
Turn with me if you would to Joshua chapter 1 and we are going to look at the entire chapter. I believe that Joshua was one of the greatest leaders in the history of the world, but I also believe that it was God’s call on his life and his obedience to that call that made him such a great leader.
The circumstance for Ben’s calling (v. 1-2) [read verses]
1After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, 2“Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel.
You see before Joshua there had been many great leaders to lead the nation of Israel. Beginning with Abraham, God had chosen men to lead and guide this nation to the Promised Land that God would deliver.
From Abraham and Isaac to Jacob and Joseph the Israelite nation had flourished. God had called Moses to lead the nation of Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land.
Moses had died and now God was choosing another leader for the nation. But God did not wait to the last minute to haphazardly choose a replacement for Moses…God began grooming Joshua from an early age.
Joshua had been Moses’ right hand man for many years. Joshua had led an expedition into the Promised Land to spy it out. He was one of the 12 spies sent by Moses to spy out the land when the Children of Israel 1st arrived at the Promised Land.
Ten of the spies came back with an ominous report that there was NO way they could take the land, but Joshua and one other spy (Caleb) remained firm in their belief that God would deliver the land into the Israelites hands…in spite of the opposition they faced.
God knew Joshua and he knew Joshua’s heart. God’s choice of Joshua was a perfect choice and we can see from reading the story of the Children of Israel that Joshua was the right choice at the right time.
I want to share with you tonight that God is never taken by surprise. God is never blind-sided by the events of the day. God is always in control and always knows what is going on. Because of that God can and DOES choose the perfect person for the job…every time.
The key to any success by the choices God makes is whether or not that person will make the choice to be obedient to God’s calling on their lives! Tonight we are going to see how Joshua was one who was obedient to God’s calling on his life.
Tonight we have come together to share in a special day of a very exceptional young man! Tonight his family has traveled a long distance to witness what they have already seen evident in his life!
Tonight WE as a fellowship come together to confirm in our minds the call of God on this young man’s life… and we are here to be an encouragement to him as well as he answers God’s call.
You see just like Joshua was set aside and called by God… God has also set aside Ben and is calling him to a special duty for His Kingdom. Just like Joshua, there are circumstances to the call of God on Ben’s life.
God has issued an essential command to all who are part of the church… As Christians and those who believe in and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, God has told us to:
1st Matt 28:19-20 tells us that we [believers] are to go forth making disciples and training them and teaching them about Jesus and His teachings.
2nd in Acts 1:8 Jesus told his disciples that they were to be His witnesses. The focus of this verse is not where we start or where we come from!
The focus of this verse is NOT about who we are in this world OR who our family is… what matters in this verse is that when we are called by Christ that we become a witness FOR Him in all we do and say! It is the duty for ALL believers that the Word of God is spread and taught…
In Acts 1 Jesus chose Jerusalem and the surrounding areas because that is where the disciples lived and they were familiar with the area.
The disciples had submitted to Jesus and His authority in their lives and they were willing to be used by God! Ben I want to let you know tonight that God will always use those who are willing to submit to His will.
AND even though Jesus uses these particular words in Matt and Acts for His disciples, the principle is still the same for believers today. That principle is that the Word of God must be shared and it is OUR duty as believers… as His disciples to share that news.
The circumstances behind Ben Browning being called into the ministry is that God desires to use Ben to reach a lost and dying world. Ben is being called by God to reach a world that needs Jesus! Ben you can NEVER lose sight of that calling!
Joshua called by God to lead his people into the Promised Land…so Ben you are called to lead those God brings into the life of this church OR in whatever fellowship God places… you are to lead them and introduce them to the ‘promise of Jesus’ …to the promise and the reality that Jesus saves…anyone, anywhere, anytime!
But, preacher isn’t that the calling of ALL Christians? Yes it is, but Ben… YOU have been called to a special part of God’s ministry… to a leadership position within the ministry of the Gospel!
Ben has worn many hats since coming to Oak Park and right now Ben is wearing the hat of Assoc. Pastor and leading our youth and young adults! Ben whether YOU see it or not… Members of Oak Park whether YOU see it or not… BEN is one of the leading members of our church.
Ben is allowing God to use him for kingdom work JUST as Joshua allowed God to use him for the benefit of the nation of Israel.
Ben this evening I am issuing a charge to you… it is a charge and a challenge that God does not place on all people! This charge… this challenge is the distinct responsibility to be a physical & spiritual leader within this fellowship & in whatever fellowship God places you with in the future!
Ben, do not take this lightly but GOD himself has chosen you and you MUST be willing to accept that call and WILLING to throw yourself into His calling! Ben, YOU must be willing to be obedient to God’s leadership and guidance.
Ben, by your very presence here tonight, what you are saying to the world is, “I know God’s call on my life and I want to do EVERYTHING in my power to accept His call and place Him at the very center of your existence.”
Ben you are called by God and He is charging you with leading people spiritually! Along with that calling and that charge upon your life a higher responsibility in the church has been placed on your shoulders! AND based on that higher responsibility, God WILL hold you to a higher standard!
Ben, just like Joshua you must be brave and face the challenges straight on! Ben you cannot waiver in your beliefs or standards, but just as Joshua did, you must be certain of accepting this call because God has already paved the way for you.
Let’s look at v. 3-6 and see how Joshua had a certainty about him that enabled him to accept the call of God on his life.
The certainty to accept his call (v. 3-6)
3Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 4From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. 5No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.
In this passage, Joshua is being assured by God that his calling was real and that God was behind that call. God promised Joshua that everywhere he set foot that he would be successful! God even laid out the very boundaries of the land and told Joshua that success was his for the taking if he was willing to submit to God’s calling and be obedient.
Moses had been such a great leader to the people, but more important… Moses had been a great mentor for Joshua. Led by God Moses had brought Joshua along for a time such as this… and God used that to help Joshua and the nation in this transitional time between Moses and Joshua.
Now, I am certain that Joshua was worried about the people… would they follow him? After such a great leader as Moses, could he ever be seen as their leader? But here in this passage we find that God promises Joshua that everything that God had given to Moses to make HIM a great leader… all that would be with him as well.
In fact, ALL the promises God made to Moses were now being promised to Joshua! All the enemies that Moses would have conquered were now Joshua’s to conquer. God says here that there will be no one to stand in his way because God will clear the way for Joshua as he leads the nation!
But we also find Joshua being reassured that God would never leave him. God promises His everlasting presence to Joshua… it is the same promise God had made to Abraham many years before… as well as all the other leaders of the nation! All these promises were going to come true during the leadership of Joshua as well.
NOW JUST LIKE Joshua…Ben you must accept God’s calling on your life. There have been many spiritual leaders come and go in the church. God has placed many mentors in your path to influence your life.
And like Joshua you are being called by God to step out in faith to His calling. Tonight we come together to confirm that we believe God is calling you and that you ARE ready to make that next step in your journey with God!
The question is ARE you ready to accept the role God has laid out for you? Are you ready to be the leader God has called you to be regardless of the opposition, regardless of who believes you can or cannot do the job…
Are you ready to do what God has called you to do and go where God has called you to go… NOT because of what any MAN or CHURCH may say, but because you believe that God is behind you and he has promised that he will never leave or forsake you?
Ben tonight my charge AND the charge of this church is that you:
Realize there is no obstacle that is too big for God, & that God will lead you in battle and thru God we can overcome all things
Just as God has been with the great Christian leaders of the past…He IS also with you! Just as He empowered Peter on the day of Pentecost, His power flows thru you as well! Just as He was with Paul and Silas during an earthquake in prison, so He will be with you!
The promises of God are true and your obedience to Him will prove that to be true & it will open doors for others to know and realize the promises of God as well…
Realize that God has already won the victory and you are HIS instrument to accomplish HIS plan
Ben I want you to know that GOD IS WITH YOU and as long as you remain obedient to Him…you will prosper.
But Joshua had a foundation upon which God wanted him to remain. Joshua’s foundation was in the teachings of the Law of Moses and the commandments given by God at Sinai.
The caution to keep God the focus of his call (v. 7-9)
7Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Now in THESE verses we find God cautioning Joshua to keep His Word close to his heart and it NOT to leave his mouth.
One thing that God was NOT saying here was for Joshua to keep the Law to himself. He was telling Joshua that the Law should never leave his speech, his actions, or his mind.
Like Joshua, Ben you must dwell on God’s Word like the Psalmist said in Ps 1:2-3
2but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
Here in these verses we find the Psalmist telling us that when we dwell on God’s word… the results are going to be success and prosperity.
Now that success and prosperity will hardly EVER be what the world or even our own family deems as success or prosperity! However, for us to be prosperous and successful in service to God we MUST dwell upon and KNOW God’s Word!
Ben, as your pastor, as your friend and most importantly as your brother in Christ I charge you TO stay true to God’s word in all you say and all you do.
As a spiritual leader you are responsible for leading and guiding people thru the Word of God! This is a sacred and holy charge given to YOU directly from God! So tonight I want to say to you the same thing Paul said to Timothy in 2 Tim 2:15
15Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
A true workman in God’s kingdom is always going to deliver God’s message in the right manner! A true servant of God will never use God’s Word to mislead or cause others to stray.
Ben you must remember that THIS IS the journey you are about to embark upon… a journey of expounding God’s Word to those IN the fellowship and those who do NOT know Christ! It is a journey of great importance and it is a journey of eternal significance and magnitude.
We read that Joshua was faithful to the Law and that he successfully led the nation of Israel for many, many years after God charged him to be the leader of the nation!
We can also read about the Apostle Paul who was faithful in leading the church after God called Him into the ministry on the road to Damascus… We see that Paul administered God’s Word in the right way and many came to know Jesus as Savior!
In modern times we find many others who have been faithful and God has poured out the Holy Spirit and His blessings onto their ministries.
Ben as long as you stay true to the Word of God; your ministry will flourish. If you will HONOR GOD… God is going to honor you! If you are wondering HOW you can HONOR God… it is simply being obedient to His calling and to His word!
Obedience is the language of LOVE that God honors! Being obedient to His Word is the foundation to having a successful and fruitful ministry.
BUT, I want to say ONE more thing tonight! You see, Joshua was not only charged by God to remain faithful to the Law… but Joshua expressed a FAITH in what God had promised and he put his faith INTO action by living out God’s calling!
The confidence to act on God’s call (v. 10-18)
10And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, 11“Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’” 12And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh Joshua said, 13“Remember the word that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is providing you a place of rest and will give you this land.’ 14Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land that Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but all the men of valor among you shall pass over armed before your brothers and shall help them, 15until the Lord gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they also take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and shall possess it, the land that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.” 16And they answered Joshua, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you, as he was with Moses! 18Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”
What we see in these last 9 verses of this chapter is Joshua beginning to ‘act’ like a leader! But what we ALSO see here is that when Joshua submitted to God’s calling and began to lead… the people saw him for what God had made him – they saw him as their leader! The people then made the pledge to support him as they had supported Moses.
I believe that it is very important for us to see that Joshua was fully confident in the promise of God. He had faith in what God had called him to do and he revealed his faith by immediately beginning to act on what God wanted done!
So often in life we may acknowledge God’s calling in our lives, but then we fail to act on that call. KNOWNING God has called you… and ACTING on that calling are very separate actions!
We can KNOW we have been called…
We can know the circumstances behind His call on our lives…
We can know His reason for calling us to this special position…
We can know that God’s call is a certainty in our life…
We can know that this calling we feel is FROM God and no one else…
We can know and acknowledge how important that calling is for us…
WE can know all these things… if we fail to act upon God’s call…it is all in vain!
Here Joshua exhibits a great faith in God and begins to act on God’s call in his life. Ben… TONIGHT my charge to you is to always ‘ACT’ on God’s calling upon your life! I have seen you begin your journey down that path, but I charge you to NEVER turn around… NEVER turn away… NEVER stop acting on God’s calling in your life…
Ben, I have seen great evidence in your life that God has most definitely called you to something really special in His kingdom, but unless you act upon that calling…it will not come to pass. God has called, you must continue to respond!
Again, as your pastor, friend and spiritual mentor I charge you as Paul charged Timothy in 1 Tim 4:9-16 (ESV).
9It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. 10For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. 11Prescribe and teach these things. 12Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. 13Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. 14Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. 15Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. 16Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.
When a minister approaches his ministry with this type of attitude… He is acting on God’s calling and NOT his own desires or pleasure!
Ben, I truly believe that you have realized the authentic call of God in your life… I have seen with my own eyes your submissiveness to the Holy Spirit’s leading and the TOTAL surrendering your life to the full time ministry!
God brought you to New Orleans for a purpose… first and foremost to get you a top notch theological education and the knowledge in God’s Word one can glean from such an education… But he has also brought you there to become a better minister to all people.
Ben you confessed to me that you are CERTAIN beyond doubt that God has called into the life of ministry… so much so that you have already begun to minister in a local fellowship of believers.
Ben, as your pastor and spiritual mentor and guide, I charge you to fully accept and embrace God’s calling on your life AND then begin to act on that call to the fullest extent possible.
Ben I want you to know that this challenge and charge not only comes from ME, your pastor, but it also from everyone within this fellowship of believers! You have 100% support from your pastor AND the staff that serve with you! PLUS you have that same support from all the members here at Oak Park… AND you have a loving family who will support you and be behind you 100%.
Now with that being said, I want to NOW turn toward the fellowship here at Oak Park. WE must look at vv. 16-18 where we find that all good leaders have those who follow them!
Joshua was a great leader because God had called him and he had been obedient… but also because the people had noticed Joshua’s sincere and genuine trust and faith in God.
The people saw how Moses had mentored Joshua and they knew Joshua was a man of God, so they supported him:
16And they answered Joshua, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you, as he was with Moses! 18Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”
Joshua needed the support of the people and he got it in a big way. They told him that they would follow him just like they followed Moses.
These people had followed Moses for over 40 years and NOW they were proclaiming that they were just as dedicated Joshua as they had been to Moses!
To the members of our fellowship… I give THIS charge! Follow and support this man of God! Not because of HIS wisdom, knowledge or special talents, but because this is God’s man! Follow him because he is whom God has been called to a special purpose in His kingdom...
If we turn away from Ben…we are turning away from God! God has called Ben and God wants us to support & encourage Ben to carry out the God’s will...
As we come to the final part of this charge… I want ALL the members of this church and all Christians present here to make a pledge tonight…
I want you to pledge to always pray FOR Ben and what God desires… I don’t want you to pray ABOUT Ben, but FOR Ben! As Ben ventures out to serve God in whatever capacity God desires!
I want to ask Ben to come forward and stand at the front of the sanctuary. In just a moment I am going to ask Ben to kneel and I am going to call of the ordained deacons and ministers who are present to make your way up to the front so that you will be ready as we will have the laying on of hands and prayer in just a moment…
Ben before you kneel and we come to lay hands on you and pray with you… I want to share something really special with you… BEN, tonight my challenge to you is this: that you make a VOW of commitment tonight before God and all these witnesses to confirm your commitment to God in the ministry of the Gospel! These vows are sacred unto the Lord and He will hold us all accountable to our vow of service to Him.
• BEN, do you vow to live your life according to the qualifications of a minister as set forth in 1 Tim 3:1-7 that was read earlier tonight in this service? [allow response]
That you would live sober-minded,
That you would live with godly self-control…
That you would live respectably to bring glory to God!
That you would always be hospitable to those in need!
That you would always teach those who needed to hear!
That you would live a gentle/gracious life like Savior!
That you would live a life as a peacemaker & reconciler -- NOT quarrelsome and argumentative!
That you would live a humble, selfless life and NOT be a lover of money or self!
That your life would so much reflect Christ that those OUTSIDE of Christ would see your life & see Jesus!
• BEN, do you vow to faithfully serve God & any church/ fellowship that God places you as minister of the Gospel? [allow response]
• BEN, do you vow to assist, support & encourage your pastor as God’s leader regardless of who it may be? [allow response]
• BEN, do you vow to be a godly mentor, trainer and leader to all those whom God places in your ministry? [allow response]
• BEN, do you vow to faithfully & consistently study God’s Word to show yourself approved as a servant unto God? [allow response]
• BEN do you vow to remain faithful to God’s Word in both your words, attitudes and actions? [allow response]
• BEN, do you vow to consistently live out your faith in Christ by being a faithful witness for Him by sharing the Gospel of Jesus with unbelievers God places in your path? [allow response]
• BEN, do you vow to teach, encourage & support your church in the participation in & sacrificial giving to missions as expressed thru your support for local assoc missions, the missions of the LBC and Coop Program? [allow response]
Ben would you please now come and kneel right here! And at this time I am going to ask ALL the ordained men of the church (deacons and ministers) to come forward & form a line and from the example of Scripture we come laying our hands on Ben and we offer a word of prayer and encouragement to him as he begins his journey in the ministry of the Gospel…
