THE CALL? GOING BEYOND THE DUTY CALL AND WHAT IS EXPECTED!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (Two part)
I. INTRODUCTION:
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must
believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
A. There was a man that died all of a sudden. The next thing he knew he was standing before
the pearl gates of heaven and St. Peter was before him.
Peter said: Please explain to me, WHY DO YOU THING YOU ARE QUALIFIED TO ENTER
HEAVEN'S GATES?
The man replied, I can remember one good thing I accomplished in life!
B. There was this big, mean man that was stealing some old woman's purse, so I knocked him
to the ground and took the lady's purse away from him. I helped the old lady? Does this
qualify me to enter?
C. St. Peter said: WHAT DID YOU DO THEN?
The man answered: I DO NOT REMEMBER ANYTHING AFTER THAT?
II. LIFE MUST GO BEYOND DOING "WHAT I HAVE TO!"
JOY COMES IN "LOVING TO DO WHAT YOU GET TO DO!"
A. I was playing music about one hour from home. So we traveled to Elizabethtown and unloaded
the PA and music and was carrying the equipment into the dining room. The table where we
were going to use had several wet spots. A lady working there was standing with several rags
in her hand. I told her about the wet spots and she in anger answered me:
THAT IS NOT IN MY JOB DESCRIPTION TO CLEAN UP WATER FROM THE TABLE.
So, I quietly took my handkerchief and cleaned the table off and set the equipment up.
I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR JOB DESCRIPTIONS, BUT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE
ATTITUDE THAT DEFINES MY JOB THAT I CAN NOT HELP OTHERS?
B. I once read a study that searched what made a good leader?
The study noted: When a good leader saw a piece of paper or trash on the floor in
the office? A good leader quietly picked it up and put it in the garbage can.
The study went on to say most workers would never lend a hand to help.
III. THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE DUTY OF RELIGION, THIS IS ABOUT A PERSONAL, DAILY
RELATIONSHIP ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE.
CAN WE BE AS EXCITED ABOUT THE 2 MILLION STEPS AS WE ARE ABOUT THE FIRST
STEP? DO WE UNDERSTAND THERE IS MORE EXCITEMENT THAN JUST TAKING THE
FIRST STEP?
1 Thessalonians 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord
Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would
abound more and more.
1 Thessalonians 4:1 (MSG) One final word, friends. We ask you—urge is more like it—that
you keep on doing what we told you to do to please God, not in a dogged religious plod,
but in a living, spirited dance.
A. In the country we ask: What happens when you fall off the horse?
THE PROPER ANSWER IS, GET UP, DUST OFF, AND GET BACK ON THE HORSE!
B. God rarely is satisfied when his children TAKE ONE STEP.
If our little baby took one step and then never tried to take another step we would understand
there is a developmental problem.
C. ONE STEP is just the beginning, they are just GETTING STARTED...
ONE STEP AND FALL? Get up and try again.
My mom would place a clothes pin in the baby's hand, and hold on to the clothes pin and
build the confidence as the baby holds tightly to the clothes pin. After building trust with the
baby, mom would let go of the clothes pin and the baby would continue to walk?
D. The child steps on the school bus to go to first grade, but we understand that is just
a starting point on the educational journey. The journey will not end at the middle school
graduation. The 6th grade might work for JETHRO BODINE on the HILLBILLY'S but to be
a BRAIN SURGEON requires more than that.
E. The 4 years of high school are part of the journey, but that IS NOT THE END OF THE JOURNEY...
I read 60% of high school graduates never read another book.
COLLEGE IS MORE THAN SMARTS, COLLEGE IS ABOUT ENDURANCE.
F. The day a couple starts dating is nice. The day they marry is so very important?
The day the child is born really makes some drastic changes...
FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE? RICHER, POOR? SICKNESS, HEALTH?
IV. GENESIS 24 IS A GREAT STUDY ON GOING BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY...
GIVINNG MORE THAN IS EXPECTED THEN FINDING THE BLESSINGS BELONG TO ME...
COME WE ME IN AGREEMENT LET US NOT SETTLE FOR LESS THAN OUR BEST...
LET US PREPARE OUR VISION FOR THE CHALLENGE OF THE DIVINE PROVISION...
A. ABRAHAM HAS THIS ABSOLUTE TRUST: I WILL DO MY BEST AND GOD CAN
HANDLE THE REST. GOD WILL GO BEFORE YOU --- ANGELS ARE WORKING...
Genesis 24:7 The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the
land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed
will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son
from thence.
B. REBEKAH HAS LEARNED A GREAT LESSON, LOVE BRINGS JOY. JOY COMES
WHEN I OPERATE IN THE REALM BEYOND MY DUTY... I WILL GOD BEYOND THE CALL.
C. WILL YOU GIVE ME WATER? REBEKAH GIVES HER BEST EFFORT...
Genesis 24:15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah
came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother,
with her pitcher upon her shoulder. 16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither
had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.
18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and
gave him drink. 19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy
camels also, until they have done drinking. 20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into
the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.
D. REBEKAH GIVES HIM WATER AND WATERS ALL HIS PEOPLE AND CAMELS...
E. I WILL GO --- I WILL RUN --- TO THE WELL AS MANY TIMES AS NEEDED TO WATER...
UNTIL THEY ARE DONE!
F. LITTLE DID REBEKAH KNOW --- THE BLESSINGS START OUT LITTLE --- A RING THAT
WEIGHED OUNCE OF GOLD? A BRACELET THAT WEIGHED 4 OUNCES OF GOLD.
G. REBEKAH'S EXTRA EFFORT, BEYOND HER DUTY, BROUGHT BLESSING TO HER MOM
AND DAD AND TO HER BROTHERS. (Gen. 24:53)
I am ready to be blessed...
Genesis 24:58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And
she said, I will go.
CONCLUSION: Living a good life we must learn to operate beyond our job description.
To find great joy in daily living go and do beyond your duty. OVER DO IT! Don't just
stand up for your rights --- STAND TALL AND FAITHFUL IN DOING BEYOND YOUR
DUTY. Do what you can, where you can, when you can and
V. GOD'S PLAN IS FOR US TO WORK IN LOVE AND JOY AND DEVELOP BY EXTRA
EFFORT. WHAT WILL HELP ME GROW?
A. DO I HAVE TO ATTEND CHURCH? Do I have to pay tithes?
IS JESUS AND THE CHURCH ABOUT WHAT GOD WILL MAKE ME DO?
OR WILL I LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND WHAT IS EXPECTED OF ME?
B. Our homes are sad places when we refuse to exert any effort beyond the call of duty!
How sad is a home where everyone loves to dodge their duty? Then reluctant to do?
Do I have to do dishes? Mow the grass?
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
C. WILL DEATH BE ABOUT REGRETS?
VI. GOD HONORS EFFORT... WE MUST APPLY OUR WORK AND DO THE BEST WE CAN.
WE MUST MAKE SURE TO FINIISH GOD'S CALLING...
A. PETER'S TAX BILL --- Peter go fishing...
B. The wine at the wedding --- fill the water pots...
C. Go to the Pool Salom and wash the mud out...
Colossians 4:17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received
in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
Colossians 4:17 (NIV) Tell Archippus: "See to it that you complete the work you have received
in the Lord."
Colossians 4:17 (NLT) And say to Archippus, “Be sure to carry out the ministry the Lord
gave you.”
Colossians 4:17 (MSG) And, oh, yes, tell Archippus, "Do your best in the job you received
from the Master. Do your very best."
C. While it is true: A THOUSAND MILE JOURNEY STARTS WITH ONE STEP.
We must know 1,000 miles? 2,000 steps a mile? There are 2,000,000 steps to follow.
VII. JOY AND LOVE MAKES US DO THINGS WELL
Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and
send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord:
neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
VIII. IS MY LIFE ABOUT ABOUT EXCUSE OF A JOB POORLY DONE?
JOY CAN RARELY STAY WHERE LIFE IS REDUCED TO THIS IS MY DUTY?
I HAVE TO DO THIS... STAY THE COURSE...
There is a sweet old man in the rest home.
I say: BO, HOW ARE YOU DOING?
he always answers: "AWL, I AM JUST HOLDING ON..."
HOLDING ON IS IMPORTANT BUT THERE IS MORE.
James 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of
Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
2 Timothy 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he
whom the father chasteneth not?
We must come to realize there is more to LIVING a good life than JUST HOLDING ON.
Let me tell you about a man that was a terrible example of sin. He came to church and had a
glorious meaning of a Savior, Jesus Christ. He wanted to do something for Jesus. He was not
qualified to teach any class? He could not sing? There was very little he could do?
BUT HE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP SO BAD.
He saw a report that the church paid $100 a week to a stranger to mow the property. The
church owned a beautiful Ford tractor and a finish mowing machine. So the man went
into the Pastor's office and asked: CAN I MOW THE GRASS FOR FREE? I WILL GLADLY
MOW THE CHURCH YARD WEEKLY AND DO IT FOR JESUS.
The man came early on Saturday morning and checked everything. He picked up the trash
and started the Ford tractor up and he mowed with great joy. He would sing and praise the
Lord as he mowed. He waved at every one driving by. He told all of his friends: I GET TO MOW
JESUS' YARD FOR HIM. He was so faithful and happy helping the church. He mowed each
week all summer. The next spring he began mowing the church's grass.
Something was different this year? He hated coming each Saturday, it was his only
free day each week! He was angry when he mowed? Why doesn't someone else take turns
with me? Nobody tells me how good the yard looks? I hate this job?
ONE STAURDAY MORNING HE WENT INTO THE PASTOR'S OFFICE AND THREW THE KEYS
ACROSS HIS DESK AND SAID I QUIT! In great anger he told the pastor off. You all are using me!
The pastor tried to calm his faithful worker? He refused to calm down. He raised his voice and
told the pastor you all are hypocrites.
The pastor tried to say: YOU ASK US TO DO THIS? WE NEVER EXPECTED THIS? YOU HAVE
BEEN SO GOOD. YOU REFUSED THE MONEY SO WE PUT IT IN MISSIONS. I AM SO SORRY!
He slammed the door and walked out of the church and never returned for many years.
HIS MINISTRY BECAME A HAVE TO... HE LOST HIS LOVE AND JOY IN GIVING.
IX. FINISH WELL! BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY...
I READ A STORY ABOUT SYLVESTER STALLONE!
It is said Sylvester was making one of the ROCKY MOVIES.
In one of the fight scenes, he was boosting about HOW FUN BOXING WAS:
AS LONGAS YOU CAN YELL: "CUT!"
In our problems, trials and storms... Life seldom gives us the opportunity to YELL: "CUT!"
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
CONCLUSION: Living a good life we must learn to operate beyond our job description.
To find great joy in daily living go and do beyond your duty. OVER DO IT! Don't just
stand up for your rights --- STAND TALL AND FAITHFUL IN DOING BEYOND YOUR
DUTY. Do what you can, where you can, when you can and trust God for the rest.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
