“God’s Call”
October 1, 2006
“One day as Jesus was walking along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew fishing with nets, for they were commercial fishermen. Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me! And I will make you fishermen for the souls of men!"
At once they left their nets and went along with him. A little farther up the beach, he saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat mending their nets. He called them too, and immediately they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and went with him.” Mark 1:16-20 (Living)
“As he was walking up the beach he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at his tax collection booth. "Come with me," Jesus told him. "Come be my disciple." And Levi jumped to his feet and went along.” Mark 2:14 (Living)
“Jesus walked by. John looked at him intently and then declared, "See! There is the Lamb of God!" Then John’s two disciples turned and followed Jesus.
Jesus looked around and saw them following. "What do you want?" he asked them. "Sir," they replied, "where do you live?"
"Come and see," he said. So they went with him to the place where he was staying and were with him from about four o’clock that afternoon until the evening. (One of these men was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.) Andrew then went to find his brother Peter and told him, "We have found the Messiah!" And he brought Peter to meet Jesus. Jesus looked intently at Peter for a moment and then said, "You are Simon, John’s son--but you shall be called Peter, the rock!"
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and told him, "Come with me." John 1:36-43 (Living)
I love hearing how Jesus called His disciples. It was a little different for each of them. The one thing in common was that each and every one of them heard and received a call from the Master. But God has always done that. From the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve were called to be managers of God’s creation, to Noah who was called to save the human race, to Abraham who was called to father a nation for God, God has called people. Then there was Gideon and Samson and David and Elijah and Isaiah – on and on it goes. God calls people. Some were called in spectacular ways – like Moses and the burning bush and Isaiah with the angels and the burn coal.
Some were called to save the world. Some were called to seemingly insignificant jobs and some were called to failure – to do impossible things. In God’s eyes, of course, it wasn’t failure, but that’s what we would call a man who gave his life to preach to a people who never responded – who never repented – Like Isaiah and Elijah and Elisha did. They were successful because they obeyed God and did His will – not because of results.
We have a record of many who responded to the call and some who didn’t – like the group I talked about last week who turned away from Jesus (John 6:66). In fact, I believe that every human being who has ever lived or lives today or who will live in the future has heard or will hear the call of God. The call is so different for each one. Each of us here today could probably share our story of how God called us – and each would be different. But the thing in common is the call. God calls us to different things and calls us in different ways – but He calls. Often, people think it is only the pastor that receives the call of God – and pastors certainly need a call from God to do what they do. If they don’t have a calling to preach – or pastor – they won’t last very long or their work will be off in some way. But it is not just pastors who have received a call. Every single one of us hears God’s call. Maybe you think God can’t use you. Think about this:
Noah was a drunk. Abraham was too old. Jacob was a liar. Leah was ugly. Joseph was abused. Moses stuttered. Gideon was afraid. Samson was a long haired womanizer. Rahab was a prostitute. Jeremiah and Timothy were too young. David had an affair and was a murderer. Elijah was suicidal. Jonah ran from God. Naomi was a widow. Peter denied Christ. The disciples fell asleep while Jesus prayed. Martha worried about everything. The Samaritan woman was divorced seven times. Paul was too religious, Timothy had an ulcer and Lazarus was dead! Don’t you think God may be able to use you?
This morning I want to talk about four things God has called us to. The first thing God calls us to is salvation. The Bible says,
"Look! I have been standing at the door, and I am constantly knocking. If anyone hears me calling him and opens the door, I will come in and fellowship with him and he with me.” Rev 3:20 (Living)
Can’t you picture Jesus standing outside of the door of your heart gently tapping? Trying to get your attention? Pleading to come in? If you are here this morning, you have probably heard that knock. You have probably heard that call – and you responded. I heard that call as I was searching the bible, trying to find meaning for my life. Some of you heard the call through a Christian friend or a Christian parent. Some heard it through an evangelist during a revival service or from a pastor during a church service. Some first heard and responded to the call at camp; family camp or teen camp or kid’s camp. God uses camps. I realize that nearly every Sunday God is calling someone to something. He is gently tapping on someone’s heart. So I try to give opportunity to respond to that call. I invite you to pray and to respond just about every Sunday. And you do.
Let me just say that if you have never responded to Jesus’ invitation to come into your heart – now is a good time for that. The Bible says “TODAY is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2) David wrote:
“Come, kneel before the Lord our Maker, for he is our God. We are his sheep, and he is our Shepherd. Oh, that you would hear him calling you today and come to him!” Psalms 95:6-7 (Living)
At the conclusion of this service I will invite you to come and kneel before God and respond to His call on your life. Today is the perfect day for you to respond.
God calls us to salvation. Each of us has heard that call at one time or another. But there’s another thing that God calls us to. Secondly, God calls us to follow Him. I suppose, in a way, the call to salvation is a call to follow Him. But many of those first followers who were invited to follow Jesus had already responded to the call to salvation. They were doing their best to live for God. Even Paul, who persecuted Christians and had them arrested and imprisoned, thought He was doing God’s will. Jesus had to do something spectacular to get his attention. He did that by knocking him off his donkey and blinding him for a few days. He reminds me of the story of the farmer who carried a 2x4 with him whenever he rode his mule. Someone asked him if that 2x4 was to punish the mule for his stubbornness. The farmer replied, “No. He’s very obedient. He is just easily distracted and I use the 2x4 to get his attention. Once I whack him upside the head and get his attention – he does about anything I want him to!”
Paul was like that. Once Jesus got his attention he was pretty obedient. I should probably warn you that God still uses a 2x4 today. If He can’t get your attention with a gentle whisper – he may use more severe means. If you don’t hear that gentle tapping or feel that gentle prodding, you may be like Jonah or Paul who had to suffer something a little more traumatic before they paid attention.
After the call to salvation – Jesus calls you to follow Him. A part of that call is to follow His example. The Scripture says,
“Follow God’s example in everything you do just as a much loved child imitates his father.” Eph 5:1 (Living)
“For from the very beginning God decided that those who came to him--and all along he knew who would--should become like his Son…”
Romans 8:29 (Living)
“…we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him.”
2 Cor 3:18 (Living)
Have you heard the call to follow Jesus? Are you responding to it? If you are – you are hungry for God’s word. You desire to know God’s will for your life so you can become more and more like Jesus. The disciples dropped everything to follow Jesus. Each one – just stopped what they were doing. Jesus greatly disrupted their lives. James and John dropped their fishing nets. Levi or Matthew, as he was also known, closed up shop and followed Jesus. Andrew left his Baptist church to join the Nazarene’s church – and he got Peter to join Him. Then they got Phillip to follow, too. Following is a change of direction. Has Jesus changed the direction of your life? Do people know you are following the Nazarene? Or is your life about the same as it was before. Do you hear the call to follow Jesus? If so then DO it!
The third call we hear from Jesus is the call to serve. We all have a job in the Kingdom. We all have something to do. The Scripture says,
“Since we have a Kingdom nothing can destroy, let us please God by serving him with thankful hearts and with holy fear and awe.”
Heb 12:28 (Living)
“So, my dear brothers, since future victory is sure, be strong and steady, always abounding in the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever wasted as it would be if there were no resurrection.”
1 Cor 15:58 (Living)
“Just as there are many parts to our bodies, so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of it, and it takes every one of us to make it complete, for we each have different work to do. So we belong to each other, and each needs all the others. God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, then prophesy whenever you can--as often as your faith is strong enough to receive a message from God. If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching.” Romans 12:4-7 (Living)
“Some of us have been given special ability as apostles; to others he has given the gift of being able to preach well; some have special ability in winning people to Christ, helping them to trust him as their Savior; still others have a gift for caring for God’s people as a shepherd does his sheep, leading and teaching them in the ways of God.” Eph 4:11 (Living)
Each of us has been called by God to serve Him in some way. We are to be His hands and His voice. We are to be an extension of His heart in the world today. He has given us special abilities to use for Him in His kingdom. We may not know what we are to do or how to serve or what abilities we have been given for our calling. We have to discover those things. We have to learn. We have to acquire abilities and hone our talents. Someone said, “God does not call the equipped – He equips the called.” I know that from personal experience. When God called me to preach – I refused at first. I didn’t believe I could do it. But then after I responded to the call – He equipped me. I went to bible college and learned and am still learning today.
Are you actively serving God? How? What talents do you have? What gifts do you have? Another word for serving is work. Are you working for the Lord? And if you are working for the Lord, are you tired? Work is work. Work is not easy. God calls us to serve – and it isn’t always fun and joyful and rewarding. It’s work. But that’s what we are called to. If you aren’t working for the Lord – get with it. Every Christian is a minister in some way. Every Christian has been called to serve. Cleaning the church is work. Teaching is work. Serving is work. Do it anyway!
Lastly, there is one more call that God places on us. Fourth, we are called to sacrifice our lives for the Lord. We are called to give our lives for Jesus. The Bible says,
“Dear brothers, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living sacrifice, holy--the kind he can accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? Romans 12:1 (Living)
“… for you have been chosen by God himself--you are priests of the King, you are holy and pure, you are God’s very own--all this so that you may show to others how God called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were less than nothing; now you are God’s own. Once you knew very little of God’s kindness; now your very lives have been changed by it. Dear brothers, you are only visitors here. Since your real home is in heaven, I beg you to keep away from the evil pleasures of this world; they are not for you, for they fight against your very souls.” 1 Peter 2:9-11 (Living)
“Haven’t you yet learned that your body is the home of the Holy Spirit God gave you, and that he lives within you? Your own body does not belong to you. For God has bought you with a great price. So use every part of your body to give glory back to God because he owns it.” 1 Cor 6:19-20 (Living)
Do you realize that you are not your own. Your body is not yours to do with as you wish. You are only the manager of it. Your life is not your own. God has called you to sacrifice your life for Him. For some that has been literal. We call those people martyrs. All but John, of the Apostles, were killed for Jesus’ sake. John got life in prison and died on the Alcatraz of his day. In the same way, you are called to sacrifice your life for Jesus. He may call you to give your body up in a blaze of glory. It’s been done before. More likely He will call you to give your life up in living humbly for Him. It may mean little glory here and now. It may mean disrespect and dishonor in the world’s eyes. That’s what it meant for some. It may be living a hard life with little pleasure in it. It may mean serving in a little church with little reward in this life. Are you still willing to sacrifice yourself for Jesus?
I believe you are here in this church – on purpose. You are here by divine appointment. God has led you here. He has called you here. You are called to give your life for Jesus – here! Are you willing to do that? Like Isaiah, can you say, “Here am I”. I will do your will! I’ll follow. I’ll serve. I’ll sacrifice!
Jesus is calling. He is calling you to:
1. Salvation
2. Follow
3. Service
4. Sacrifice your life.
Are you willing to say, “Yes, Lord.” If so – let’s tell Him right now.
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for your great love for me. Thank you for thinking so highly of me that you want me to be a part of your family. Forgive me for rebelling against you. Forgive me for doing my own thing and going my own way. I give myself to you right now. Use me. I surrender to your call. I am willing to sacrifice my life for you. Show me how to do that.
In Jesus’ Name,
