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WhatintheWorldDoesGodWantmetoDo?
GodsCallingfortheChristian
ATalkbyNickHill
TodayinthistalkIwillbetalkingaboutcalling.IfweexamineScripture,
wenoticedifferentcallsthatGodinvitesusinto.
1.TheCalltoSalvation
InMatthew13Jesustaughtintheparableofthesowerthatthehearing
ofthecalltorepentandbelieveinthegospelisnecessaryinorderfora
persontobecomeaChristian.
PaulsaysinRomans10:17thatfaiththefaiththatsavesthatunites
someonetoJesusandwhichbringsforgivenessandrightstandingwith
Godcomesbyhearing,thehearingofthewordofGod.
ButnotallthosewhoheartheWordofGodaresaved.Thisis
obviousaswelookoutonthehistoryoftheworld,butalsoaswesee
thedifferentresponsestoJesusandtheapostles.Whenthesamegospel
callismade,somearehostile,othersareindifferent,andstillothers
receivewhattheyhearandtrustinJesusasSaviourandLord.For
example,whenPaulpreachedtotheEpicureansandStoicsinAthensinActschapter17,someofthemmockedhimwhenhetalked
abouttheresurrectionofthedead,somesaidthattheywouldliketo
hearhimonanotheroccasion,whileotherbecamebelievers(Acts
17:34).
WhatmakesthedifferencebetweenthosewhoreceiveChristand
thosewhodonot?Isitwealth,personality,race,gender?No.Whenwe
lookatthelivesofthosewhobecameChristiansweseethattheycome
fromvariousbackgroundsandnotonecommonfactor .SomeChristianswererich(Luke19:1-10),andsomewerepoor.Some
werefree(Gal3:28)andotherswereslaves(1Pet2:18).There
wereyoungandold,menandwomen,JewsandGentiles.
Sowhatmakesthedifference?TheBibleteachesthatbesidesthis
generalcalltorepentandbelieveinthegospel,thatthereisafurther
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callfromGodwhichitselfbringsaresponseofrepentanceandfaithand
thestartofarelationshipoffollowingJesusasKing.Thiscalliscalled
theeffectualcall.JesushimselfspeaksaboutthiscallinMatthew20:16:
Manyarecalled,butfewarechosen.
IfyouareaChristiantoday,itisnotbecauseyouweresmarterthan
otherstochoseChristorbecauseyouaregiftedorforanyotherreason.
Itissolelybecauseofgrace.Paulsaidin1Corinthians3:6thatIplanted,
Apolloswatered,butGodgavethegrowth.
IfyouarenotaChristiantoday,Jesusinvitesyoutotrustinhimalone
forforgivenessofyoursinandrebellionagainstGodandtostart
walkingwithhimasyourking.Whenyoudoso,youarefreedfromthe
bondageofsin,areclothedwiththerighteousnessofJesusHimself,and
areadoptedintoGodsfamily.
Thiseffectualcalltosalvationisrealandisbeautifultosee.Ihaveseen
itoverandoveragainindifferentpeopleslives.especiallyUniversity
students.Ithappenedtooneproud,sexuallyimmoral,rich,brilliant
youngmaninthe300sbythenameofAugustine.Thisishowhe
describedhisexperienceinaprayertoGod:Howsweetallatonceit
wasformetoberidofthosefruitlessjoyswhichIhadoncefearedto
lose!Youdrovethemfromme,youwhoarethetrue,thesovereignjoy.
Youdrovethemfrommeandtooktheirplace,youwhoaresweeterthanallpleasure.(ConfessionsIX,1.)
2.TheCalltoHolinessandFruitfulness
1Thessalonians.4:7saysForGoddidnotcallustobeimpure,butto
liveaholylife.
1Th.4:3ForthisisthewillofGod,yoursanctification
2Tim.1:9saysHehassavedusandcalledustoaholylifenot
becauseofanythingwehavedonebutbecauseofhisownpurposeand
grace.
Eph.2:10saysForweareGodshandiwork,createdinChristJesusto
dogoodworks,whichGodpreparedinadvanceforustodo.
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GodsavedustotransformusintotheimageandlikenessofJesus
Himself.GodhasgivenusHisHolySpirittomakeusholy.Galatians5
says:
ButthefruitoftheSpiritislove,joy,peace,forbearance,kindness,
goodness,faithfulness,gentlenessandself-control.Againstsuchthings
thereisnolaw.
ThosewhobelongtoChristJesushavecrucifiedthefleshwithits
passionsanddesires.SincewelivebytheSpirit,letuskeepinstepwith
theSpirit.
Wearenotsavedbyourgoodworks,buteveryChristianissavedto
goodworks.ThisbringsjoytoourlivesandglorytoGod.Jesussaid:In
thesameway,letyourlightshinebeforeothers,thattheymayseeyour
gooddeedsandglorifyyourFatherinheaven.
3.TheCalltoWork
RightfromthebeginningoftheBibleweseethevalueofwork.In
Genesis1humanityisgivenwhatisoftencalledtheculturalmandate,to
multiply,towork,tocultivate.Evenafterthefalloftheworldintosin,
GodrenewsthisculturalmandateinGenesischapter9:ThenGod
blessedNoahandhissons,sayingtothem,Befruitfulandincreaseinnumberandfilltheearth.
WhensomeoneiseffectivelycalledtoChrist,theyusuallyarenotcalled
toleavetheireverydaysituation,buttoremainintheirsituationandto
liveoutthegospelinthatsituation.Forexample,ifyoucometoChristas
athirdyearengineeringstudentatWaterloo,doesthatmeanyouquit
schoolrightawayandgotoNorthernMongoliatobeamissionary.
Probablynot.TheBibleaffirmsthatwhilethecreationisfallen,itisstill
goodandworkisgood.TheNewTestamentstatesthatLydiawasasellerofpurplecloth,Zacchaeuswasarichman,andCorneliuswasa
centurion.Didtheyquittheirjobrightaway?No.Theyremainedintheir
jobsandChristtransformedtheirworkandtheirlivesintheircurrent
situation.ItisnotBiblicaltothinkofthosewhoworkinbusinessasless
thanthosewhoworkasfulltimemissionaries.BotharecallingsbyGod.
Bothareholywork.Colossians3saysWhateveryoudo,workatitwith
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allyourheart,asworkingfortheLord,notforhumanmasters,sinceyou
knowthatyouwillreceiveaninheritancefromtheLordasareward.It
istheLordChristyouareserving.
In1520LutherwroteAnOpenLettertotheChristianNobilityoftheGermanNationInthisletterheattackedtheprevalentideathatthe
RomanCatholicclergywereaspecialclassofpeople,aspiritualestate
whileallotherpeoplefathers,artists,princes,etc.wereatemporal
estate.HeaffirmsthateachpersonhasacallingandvocationfromGod.
Thisiswhathesays:Acobbler,asmith,afarmer,eachhasthework
andofficeofhistrade,andyettheyareallalikeconsecratedpriestsand
bishops,andeveryonebymeansofhisownworkandofficemust
benefitandserveeveryother,thatinthiswaymanykindsofworkmay
bedoneforthebodilyandspiritualwelfareofthecommunity,evenas
allthemembersofthebodyserveoneanother.
Thisattitudethatmissionariesorclergyaremorespecialthanother
peopleisstillwithus,evenintheevangelicalworld(heirsofthe
Reformation).Thisisillustratedinthefollowingstory:
AreyouSteveSaint?themanaskedme.Areyouthesonofthefamous
missionarywhowasmartyredwithfourothersdowninSouth
America?
IacknowledgedthatIwasNateSaintsson.Oh,andwhereareyoua
missionary?Ididnotknowwhattosay.Iwasntamissionary.Iwasa
businessman.MywifeandIwereraisingourfourchildrentobeGod
followers.WewereactiveinourlocalChristianchurchwhereweserved
asleadersofagrowingyouthgroupthatmetinourhome.Wewere
livingbelowourmeanssowecouldhelpsupportotherstogotothe
endsoftheearth.AndIfeltsurethatIwasrightwhereGodwanted
me,confidentthatGinnyandIweredoingwhatGodhadcalledustodo.
WhenItoldmyinquisitorthatIwasnot,infact,amissionarybuta
businessman,helookedpuzzled.Then,asmyanswersunkin,he
answeredwithobviousdisappointment,Oh,Imsosorry.
Now,yearslater,peoplejustlikethatmancomeuptomeonaregular
basisandaskmeifIamNateSaintsson.Thentheytellmethatthey
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haveheardthatIamamissionaryworkingwiththeverypeoplethat
killedmydad.
Alookofwondercomesoverthem,andtheysaythingslike,Oh,were
soproudofyou.
Whysoproudnowandsodisappointedthen.
(StorytakenfromM.DavidSills,TheMissionaryCall).
4.TheCalltoEvangelism
WhatisthestateoftheworldoutsidearelationshipwithGod?TheBible
describesunbelieversasspirituallylost,blind,dead,enslavedand
headedforaneternitywithouttheGodwholovestheminaplaceof
eternalsufferingandtorment.AsignofagenuineChristianistheir
brokenheartforunbelievers.WehavetheheartofJesusasdescribedin
Mark6:34:Whenhewentashorehesawagreatcrowd,andhehad
compassiononthem,becausetheywerelikesheepwithoutashepherd.
Andhebegantoteachthemmanythings.BobPierce,thefounderof
WorldVisionandSamaritansPurse,usedtopray:Letmyheartbe
brokenwiththethingsthatbreaktheheartofGod.
Romans10saysthefollowing:
Rom.10:13for,EveryonewhocallsonthenameoftheLordwillbe
saved.
Rom.10:14How,then,cantheycallontheonetheyhavenotbelieved
in?Andhowcantheybelieveintheoneofwhomtheyhavenotheard?
Andhowcantheyhearwithoutsomeonepreachingtothem?
Rom.10:15Andhowcananyonepreachunlesstheyaresent?Asitis
written:Howbeautifularethefeetofthosewhobringgoodnews!Rom.10:17Consequently,faithcomesfromhearingthemessage,and
themessageisheardthroughthewordaboutChrist.
Unlesspeoplehearthegospeltheycannotbesaved.Itisthecallof
everyChristiannomatterwheretheylivetosharethegospel.
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CharlesSpurgeonsaidthefollowing:
Ifsinnerswillbedamned,atleastletthemleaptohelloverourbodies.
Andiftheywillperish,letthemperishwithourarmsabouttheirknees,
imploringthemtostay.Ifhellmustbefilled,atleastletitbefilledintheteethofourexertions,andletnotonegothereunwarnedandunprayed
for.
5.TheCalltoMissions
One-thirdoftheplanetspopulationofovertwobillionpeoplehasnever
headthegospel.Andofthatnumber,over50,000diedaily,separated
fromGodforever.Thisisdeeplysobering.Thisrealityshouldkeepusup
atnightandbreakourhearts.
EveryChristianiscalledtohelpfulfilltheGreatCommission.Jesussaid
thefollowinginMatthew28:18ThenJesuscametothemandsaid,All
authorityinheavenandonearthhasbeengiventome. 19Thereforego
andmakedisciplesofallnations,baptizingtheminthenameofthe
FatherandoftheSonandoftheHolySpirit,20andteachingthemto
obeyeverythingIhavecommandedyou.AndsurelyIamwithyou
always,totheveryendoftheage.
TheGreatCommisionisnotasuggestion,butacommand.TheChristianwhodoesnotobeythegreatcommissionisdisobeyingGod.
ButhowarewetoobeytheGreatCommission?Shouldeverysingle
Christianquittheirjobandgototheunreachedpeoplegroupsofthe
world?No.Whowouldsendthem,supportthemfinancially,prayfor
them?AsRom.10:15says:Andhowcananyonepreachunlessthey
aresent?
DISCUSSIONQUESTIONS
HowthendoIknowwhetherIamcalledtogotothemissionfieldorto
where?OrwhenshouldIgo?HowdoIknowifIamcalled?
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AsweseektoobeyGodsword,aswegettoknowGodbetter,hewill
changeourdesirestoalignwithhis.Hewillmakeuswiser.Ourheart
willbreakforwhathisheartbreaksfor.Wewillhaveaburdenforthe
worldthatheloves.Godthenusesourbackgrounds,interests,
experiences,friendships,etc.toshapeourdaytodaystepsandthefutureofourlives,includingourcalltothemissionfield.Thereismuch
freedominthis.Augustinesaid:LoveGodanddoasyouplease.
NEXTSTEPS
1. ReadabouttheNeed(thenewspaper,books,etc.)2. MeditateonthecommandsofChrist3. GettoknowGodinadeeperway4. GettoknowandloveGodsWordmore5. Prayforthenations;useabooklikeOperationWorld.6. Goonaproject;consideraoneyearstintafteruniversity;seewhichpeopleGodputsonyourheart
7. ContinuetoseektogrowinthecharacterofJesusasyouwalkintheSpirit
8. ObservehowGodhasmadeyouandhowhecoulduseyourspiritualgiftsandtalentstohelpfulfilltheGreatCommission
9. Seekthewisdomofgodlypeoplewhoknowyouwell
Bothsendersandgoersareneeded.JohnPiperhassaid:Thereareonly3kindsofChristianswhenitcomestomissions:zealousgoers,
zealoussendersandthedisobedient.
Ourmotoshouldbe:Readytogo,butwillingtostay.
Godislove,Godissoverign,GodisgraciousandGodlovesyou.You
dontneedtoworryorhaveanxietyaboutwhatGodwantsyoutodo.
Youcanhaverest,confidence,fearlessnesss,joy,andexcitementasyou
anticipatethefuture.
As1Cor2:9says:Whatnoeyehasseen,norearheard,
northeheartofmanimagined,
whatGodhaspreparedforthosewholovehim