Sermon for 5/4/2003
2 Peter 1:3-11
The Calling
Introduction:
The St. Bernard Dogs in the Alps who seek out travelers lost in a storm take their mission very seriously. One of these dogs returned late one afternoon, wearied from fighting his way through the drifts. He went to his kennel, lay down in a corner, and acted thoroughly despondent, despite the efforts of his master to encourage him. Was he sick? Well, no, not in body, but in heart. He had failed to find anyone to help and had come back ashamed. May this be the attitude of every Christian?
WBTU:
A. The dreams of a servant from Ray Fulenwider in The Servant Driven Church.
B. God has called us into the Kingdom for “such a time as this.” With a childlike faith, the servant believes God can use him to make a significant difference in today’s world.
C. The servant believes very strongly in the care, guidance and control of God. He believes in Providence.
D. He believes that God has providentially called the church family together.
E. Providence is the hand of God in the glove of history.
F. He believes that each person in the local church has been called together for such a time as this.
G. A servant plans, but he does not leave God out of the planning.
H. A servant enjoys seeing God at work.
I. Let’s take a look at how God works.
1. How many of you were members of this congregation when this building was built? Raise your hand. A servant is thankful for their faith, sacrifice and perseverance. Many stories of the difficulty of building this building and building the church. They needed a lot of faith and needed a lot of help. God provided the increase! Many people here and we see God working.
2. How many of you have moved here from another state or country? God knew that we need you.
3. How many came here from another congregation within the state?
4. How many have been taught the gospel and been led to Christ by someone in this congregation?
5. How many of you when you first came to church here planned to be here today? You said the first time you walked in the door, yes, this is the place for me.
J. Many of us move from one place to another “kicking and screaming.” We don’t want to move. However, the servant realizes that God has called many different people from all over the world with incredible gifts, talents and abilities. Since God has called this great volunteer army together in the local church, He expects great things to happen!
K. Last week we talked about Acts 6 and we see that the Twelve, the apostles, knew that their calling from God did not involve waiting on tables. How did they know this? What is the call of God for our lives? What is our calling?
L. Some people believe that for them to have a calling from God it must come to them like it came to the Apostle Paul.
M. Read Acts 9:1-19.
1. How Paul was saved.
2. How Paul was called. He began to fulfill his calling immediately.
3. Yes, Paul was called kicking and screaming but if we wait for an experience like this one, most of us will be waiting a long time.
4. We will never be saved.
5. We will never do what God wants of us if we wait for him to come in a vision or with an audible voice.
6. I dare say that no one in this room was saved or called this way. I wish it would happen this way!
7. In the English language, there is an exception to every rule. Paul’s experience is not the rule it is more like an exception. I suppose it might happen to you in some dynamic fashion like Paul’s, but don’t count on it.
N. We shy away talking about God’s call or calling on our lives because of things like this. Wild experiences that people claim from the Lord!
Thesis: This morning I want to talk about the calling of God on our lives.
For instances:
1. We are first going to talk about calling and election.
A. First we will begin with election.
1. The question here is who is electing whom.
** In an election, the people elect individuals for offices in the government.
a. One side says that God elects some to salvation. He predetermines who will be saved and who will not be saved. If we are a member of the elect, then we are one of his children. If we are not, then we are going to hell. God elects us and we do not elect God! There is nothing we can do to get elected!
b. The other side says that we choose to elect God, to make Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. God knows who will elect him and who will not, but that does not matter, He does not choose for us, we choose to elect him into our lives or we do not. Those who elect to accept the gift of salvation, are going to heaven. Those who do not elect him as their Lord are going to hell.
c. My friends, everyone is elected, whosoever will may come, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. However, the question is whether we will accept the office.
d. It is like those positions you are elected to while you are not there. When you come back you can choose whether to accept or reject your election. Through Jesus Christ, God has elected us for salvation; however, the question is whether we will elect Him for the throne of our hearts. Will we accept it!
2. Calling.
a. The calling of God is the preaching of the gospel. This is God’s call.
b. More specifically, for each individual, his call is to forsake our sins to become righteous through Jesus Christ, from our death in trespasses and sins to become living spiritual men, and from our worldly pursuits to become the lovers of Jesus Christ.
c. We hear about the election of our souls through Jesus Christ through the calling of God. This is why the calling is mentioned first. Without the calling, we would know nothing about the election.
d. Much debate on these issues throughout the years. In our salvation, what part does God play and what part does man play? In the case of Saul, God played a bigger part. Oh, I suppose he could have rejected the call but that is unlikely given the circumstances. If we say that we heard the call of God, the gospel and that we responded and that we saved ourselves by our obedience, then what part did God play? We do not save ourselves we know, but how much did God draw us to his grace. Talk of irrestible grace. How much did God cause circumstances and His Holy Spirit conviction to cause us to respond?
e. Most of the time people fall into two extremes under this topic.
1. Those who believe that God does everything.
2. Those who believe that man does everything (the only thing that God has done is to provide a way for salvation, take it or leave it)
3. What does the Bible say? It talks about both. God has a part and man has a part. God has the bigger part through salvation, but man has a part as well. Vs. 3- His divine power has given us everything (God does it all); Vs. 4- You may participate in the divine nature (Man must participate, man does it all)
4. Need to find balance. Man cannot save himself nor does God do everything.
f. Once saved; always saved. Once man has come to salvation, nothing can cause him to fall; God will keep him. God does it all.
g. These verses imply effort (vs. 5), forgotten (vs. 9), be all the more eager to make (vs. 10). Why do these things if God does all of the work? If we do our part, God will do His part. Who does the greater work in keeping us? God, but we must participate.
h. Non-Christians don’t care about these topics. Make your calling and election sure.
i. I believe that God’s calling upon us is even more specific than salvation. WE come to God through His Spirit and through our obedience, and then we are called into ministry. (Eph 2:10 NIV) For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
2. How can we make our calling and election sure?
A. How can I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am going to heaven?
B. How can I be confident and have full assurance?
C. I had this vision like Saul on the road to Damascus; I was baptized and so I am on my way to heaven. Do you think that everyone who has had some grand vision is going to heaven? I have grand visions when I am on medication. Do you think that everyone who has been baptized is on their way to heaven?
D. Vs. 5 to 7 tells us.
1. Be determined, make every effort, giving all diligence, support your faith (implies human effort)
2. Goodness or virtue- Another word to describe this is excellence. Our lives must reflect his goodness. God is good all of the time. He is excellent. He does all things well. We should have something of the attractive character of Christ.
3. Knowledge- Truth and Knowledge can never harm the Christian. Know more about yourself. Know more about the Word. Know more about Jesus Christ. Investigate yourself and the truth.
4. Self- control- To be a master over oneself, body and mind. Controlling your passions instead of being controlled by them. To be controlled by the Spirit.
5. Perseverance- A resolve which is unmoved by difficulty and distress. The Christian does not give up. True faith endures.
6. Godliness- One who takes his responsibilities to God and man seriously. One who is proper in behavior toward God and men.
7. Brotherly Kindness- If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar- 1 John. Love for other Christians.
8. Love- Agape love. A sacrificial action for other people’s good. Men will never believe that God is love unless they see it in the lives of his followers. Love gets up and sacrifices for others.
E. These things are developed in service to Christians, those outside of Christ, and in the world.
E. If you strive after these things, Vs. 8
F. If you have them then you are fully confident of your calling and election.
G. However, if you are not, Vs. 9
H. This is our calling and if we do these things then we will know what God wants from us.
3. Why make our calling and election sure?
A. To be happy- The song
B. Will never fall- This is about today. Today you will never fall. Never stumble. Not fall away. The saints are just the sinners who fall down and get up.
C. Rich welcome- Two men:
1. One who did the least he could do for his faith. On his death bed, yes, he is unsure. He wishes he could have done things differently and raised his children better and done wonderful things for God but he didn’t.
2. One who did all that he could for his faith. He leaves this earth with the thoughts of victory. He dies in peace and contentment. He dies like a warrior in his glory.
3. Both men are saved; one is ashamed and trembling while the other departs in peace and praise. One receives eternal riches in this life and the next while the other receives grief on earth and a little of glory in heaven. Which are you?
Conclusion:
Jesse “The Body” Ventura, Minnesota’s former governor said on December 2002- God has a plan and a destiny for each one of us. I wasn’t always a believer, but through my wife and a couple of close friends, in the last couple of years, I have come to believe in God and that He has a plan and a destiny for my life. I challenge you to find your destiny. It’s the most important thing for each of you to find.
Find your destiny in Jesus Christ.
We don’t want you to be ineffective and unproductive, nearsighted and blind. Without Jesus Christ you will be. Come to him.
