The Call
Romans 1:1
Intro: Have someone demonstrate deer call. Turkey call. Then have telephone ring as a type of call to someone. (Have someone act this part through a micrphone, “This is the Lord speaking.” Lord I did not know you used cell phones. “I use a variety of ways to call people.”
This word “call” shows us three times in the first seven verses. Verse 1, 6, and 7 read. Paul experienced each of these distinct callings upon his life.
Verse 6 the call to salvation by faith in Christ.
Verse 7 the call to sanctification – holy living, set apart from worldliness.
Verse 1 the call to the service of the Lord.
Ill. What is it like to be called into the service of the Lord? Talk to different ministers and you get different responses about being called to the ministry. Lot of people feel guilt over not following through with what they thought might have been a call from the Lord to go to ministry when they were younger. Relax. If God wants you into full time ministry or whatever He knows how to arrange your life/circumstances to make things happen.
Does God call people to do things for Him?
Noah – be God’s hands – 500 year old man
Moses – Be God’s mouth – “I can’t talk!”
Paul – Be God’s feet- missionary to Gentiles
God seems to delight in using our weaknesses to perform His strong works. Seems to call people to serve whom we would never choose.
I Sam. 16:7 “For the Lord seeth not as man seeth; man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” God sees things in people we do not see!
The boy David – a giant killer? The disciples were a rag tag group of bumbling bumpkins – as Apostles?
You might be surprised who in this room God has great plans for next. Look around and spy out the most unlikely candidate to be mightily used by God.
All you need is God’s call and grace upon your life.
God’s call may be a;
Dramatic calling – Moses burning bush/Paul’s blinding light. Unmistakable, clear, and precise.
Developmental calling – I Tim. 3:13 office of a deacon. Read what this calling will do for you if you use it well.
Tonight we witness men who say God is calling them to serve alongside the pastor and help with pastoral ministry to people.
First deacons in Acts 6 were assigned to minister to people to free the Apostle to do their calling of prayer and the Word. It was a way to organize care ministry to people so they would not get lost in the crowd of faces. It was a personal touch of caring and helping hands. Apostles thought is so important they ordained these men.
People were to recognize them as extensions of the Apostles through this ordination.
We should all be asking ourselves, “What is God calling me to do next?”
Start moving towards what we think that is. God will lead you after you start moving.
