God s calling! 1 Samuel 3:1-10 1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. 2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, Here I am! 5 and ran to Eli and said, Here I am, for you called me. But he said, I did not call; lie down again. So he went and lay down. 6 And the Lord called again, Samuel! and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, Here I am, for you called me. But he said, I did not call, my son; lie down again. 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, Here I am, for you called me. Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, Speak, Lord, for your servant hears. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, Samuel! Samuel! And Samuel said, Speak, for your servant hears. 11 Then the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle When you think you ve heard God s calling, you need to make sure you do not receive His call by your feeling, or want to be like someone or want to serve like someone, or want to have a job like someone. Serving God cannot be based on our feeling. God calls you for a mission as His servant. Others may not hear that call as you do, but others will see His call to you through your actions. Through your action, others may see God is calling you for a position and they will approach you and recommend you or suggest you what they saw. Eli knew that God was calling Samuel so he told Samuel to answer the call. When someone approaches you for church leadership, you may need to think twice whether or not it is real. Pray and seeking God s will and response according to what you hear and not because of someone request. It is good to want to be leader such as pastor, or others ministries leaders, but if God is not calling you, you will be disappointed later on and you will not do His ministry according to His will but your will instead. I- God is calling YOU! And you are to personally response to Him! John 21:20-23 20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, Lord, who is it that is going to betray you? 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, Lord, what about this man? 22 Jesus said to him, If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me! 23 So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you Friends, sometimes we are quick to judge other without looking to ourselves. We should do what as He calls us to. And no need to pay much attention to others but do our job! And no need to look at others while we serve His calling. Luke 22:33-34 33 Peter said to him, Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death. 34 Jesus said, I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me
Peter may or may not really mean what he said. But Jesus knew him well and even told Peter that he would deny Him, deny his own oath 3 times before the rooster crow. Friends, as Christians, we also love to say nice things just for good hearing and look real but we don t really mean it. Here I am Lord! When thing s going wrong, we blame others. John 21:15-17 15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? He said to him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. He said to him, Feed my lambs. 16 He said to him a second time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? He said to him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. He said to him, Tend my sheep. 17 He said to him the third time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, Do you love me? and he said to him, Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you. Jesus said to him, Feed my sheep This was what Jesus wanted Peter to do. Today, this is what Jesus wants you and me to do as well. How do we do? Friends, not just think twice, but Jesus wants us to think 3 times before we accept His call. (What different between sheep and lamp?) Philippians 3:15-16 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained Friends, do and act as mature Christians that God can use. So, think as a mature person! Do as a mature person! Serve as a mature person! No need to look at others but just do as you are called to do! God will not use babies to do His ministry because babies always cry, and complain, and fight each other, and want others attentions to them instead of they pay attention to others. II- God s Call is Personal and Specific! Isaiah 43:1-2 1 But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you God know you and He calls you by name. His call is Personal and Specific! Take courage for He knows you! If you are gladly accepted, nothing can come against you. You can even pass through waters and even fire cannot consume you! Romans 8:31 What then an we say to these things? If God is for us, who can against us? Now take courage to accept His call and do whatever assignment given to us! Always looking for the Lord and accept His call with your whole heart and just do it! 1 Chronicles 28:9 9 And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. 10 Be careful now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it 2 Timothy 1:8-9 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us
and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began Not to be ashamed of preaching the gospel. Do not ashamed to be His walking Bible! Knowing that the gospel is the power of God and make you righteous person. Romans 1:16-17 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, The righteous shall live by faith. God s call is the Holy Calling. You should take it seriously and you are responsible to what you do in response to His call. To accept and do His Calling are not for your own sake but for His sake and for the sake of the gospel. His call to you is personal so don t look at others! III- 5 steps of God s calling. - First call-call to repent Matthew 4:17 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand - Second call-call you to receive salvation and get rest Matt. 11:28-30 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light - Third call-call to live as His salt and light to the world Matt. 5:13-16 13 You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. 14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven - Fourth call-call to stand on your faith without shaking- Be mature! 1 Tim. 6:12 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses Eph. 4:14-16 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love - Fifth call-call to His service Eph. 1:8-9 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ IV- His call is serious and you are accountable to your answer! Jeremiah 1:4-10 4 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations. 6 Then I said, Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth. 7 But the Lord said to me, Do not say, I am only a
youth ; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord. 9 Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant Friends, God know what He is doing. He knows you better and you better listen and follow. Not try to look for an excuse to accept His call. He knows you! You can do it! He will be with you and provide what you need. Matthew 22:14 14 For many are called, but few are chosen Many are called but few are chosen. Are you the chosen one? He chose you and what you do and act should not be by a mistake! John 6:37,44,65 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day 65 And he said, This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father His call does not come to you by mistake. You belong to Him and His Father initiated His call to you and sends you for His mission. You are set to go according to His will. Galatians 1:15 15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace God knows you! God calls you to witness Him and to preach about Him! Instead of waiting for your right time and your right moment, WHY DON T YOU JUST DO IT! V-What should you do in response to His call? Be His follower and do all things for His sake and for the sake of the gospel! MARK 8: 34-38 He called the crown with his disciples, and said to them, If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the Gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of man will also be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels Without a doubt, you do what He has commanded you! Walk around Jericho! JOSHUA 6:2-5 2 The LORD said to Joshua, See, I have handed Jericho over to you, along with its king and soldiers. 3 You shall march around the city, all the warriors circling the city once. Thus you shall do for six days, 4 with seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, the priests blowing the trumpets. 5 When they make a long blast with the ram s horn, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and all the people shall charge straight ahead. Walk with Him by faith and not by sight! 2 Cor. 5:7 For we walk by faith. Not by sight. Christians are to live by God s words. Walk by faith and trust in the Lord and just do it!
VI -Conclusion: If you response to His call, you are accountable to what you do and be responsible whatever the outcome may be. You follow Him and not ask Him to follow you! Deny yourself, your thoughts, you brilliant ideas, your dream, and your everything and follow Jesus and serve Jesus. Matt. 16:24 If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me Always do what He tells you! Matthew 28: 20 Teaching them to observe all that I have commended you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Friends, don t worry, be happy to answer His call and remember you can do it if you just do it as you are called to do. Matthew 19: 26 With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible