"what does god want me to do?"

7/29/2019 "What does God Want Me To Do?"

1/7

1

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


2/7

2

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.


3/7

3

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


4/7

4

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


5/7

5

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.


6/7

6

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?


7/7

7

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

"what does god want me to do?"

Documents