Walk Worthy Of The Call

Walk Worthy of the Call

Intro: Thank you for the opportunity share with you today. It is humbling to speak to pastors. During my childhood and teenage years I learned love pastors, missionaries, and evangelist. Growing up in a pastors home had its pros and cons. One of my favorite things as a pastors kid was sitting around the table after service with great men of God. Men like Don Brankle, B.H. Clendenon, Tom Trask, my favorite was missionary Charles Greenaway. My great love for pastors continues to this day. My best friends are pastors, my hero’s are pastors. I am who I am today because of men of God like you. I love speaking to my flock, but I consider it a great honor to share with you today. I want to talk with you for a few minutes about this calling God has placed on our lives.

A survey was recently done as one group set out in search of the perfect pastor. Many people responded, and today I want to share the results with you. According to this study, the perfect pastor…

• Preaches his sermons in exactly 12 minutes

• Frequently condemns sin but never upsets anyone

• Works from 8:00 a.m. until midnight

• Serves as the church janitor and lawn keeper

• Makes $100 per week, wears good clothes, buys good books, drives a nice car, and gives $50 per week to the church.

• Is 28 years of age, and he’s been preaching for 30 years

• Is wonderfully gentle and handsome

• Gives of himself completely but never gets too close to anyone lest he be criticized

• Speaks boldly on social issues, but must never become politically involved

• Has a burning desire to work with teenagers, and spends all his time with senior citizens

• Makes 15 calls daily to visit church members, visits the shut-ins and those in the hospital, spends all his time evangelizing the uncharted, and is always in his office when needed

• Prepares three or four inspiring lessons weekly from his lengthy hours in the study.

We all know that many times people have unrealistic expectation upon us. Sometimes the unrealistic expectations drive us crazy. However it is important to know we have a high calling, and much is required of us.

Eph 4:1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

In order walk worthy of the call, there some thing we must know about the call.

I. We are called by God

Colossians 1:25I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness.

A. Of the 13 Epistles we know Paul wrote 11 of them begin with terms such as, “Paul a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the Gospel of God”

B. We did not just choose an occupation, but God chose us and called us to a high calling.

1. I am amazed God would call someone like me. How humbling it is to know God would choose someone like me for such an important mission.

2. To know that the creator of the universe chose me shows me that God believes in me. God has never called anyone to something they aren’t capable of doing.

- sometimes I feel incapable, I don’t think I’m smart enough, sometimes I think God someone else would be better for this job.

- I was called into the ministry at the age of 17, My very first lesson was my call wasn’t about my talent it was simply allowing God to use me.

*Illustration:my first message

3. Knowing God has called you will keep you going when you want to quit.

II. It’s not enough to know how great our calling is, now comes the hard part… To walk worthy of the calling.

A. We must realize that living a life worthy of the call has more to do with who we are than what we do.

1. James Hamill, the late great pastor of First Assembly in Memphis in his book Pastor to Pastor says it like this.

“ There are two great essentials in genuine Christianity: “I have” and “I give,” “I possess” and “I share” “I possess” that is my experience. “I share” that is, communicating my experience.

I cannot share something I do not possess. I can not teach until I have been taught. I can not impart power until I have received power. I cannot assist others in a right relationship with God until I have a right relationship with God.”

2. It is not our mission to get more members, promote more programs, to get bigger offerings. Our mission is to lead people into a consciousness of the presence, power, and purpose of God. We cannot do this if we are spiritually dry.