Questions about Sermon 10-25-09

Register and Interact with this post at www.ColoradoSpringsChurch.org/SpeakUp. Be sure to save this new link to your favorites too!

How do you know when you are called?

There is a difference between the universal calling and the individual calling. Jesus gives the same universal calling to everyone. He told His disciples, “Follow Me”. Every person is invited to receive this calling. Out of this relationship, we grow to understand our individual calling. I am assuming this question is referring to the individual calling to some type of ministry. Here are some things to look for in this quest for clarity. While each person is unique, some of these often come into play.
1. Holy Spirit speaking through a variety of settings- many times God will repeat the message through sermons, conversations, Bible passages, events that are not coincidences, etc. People can also sense God speaking to them directly.
2. A burden or compelling desire that doesn’t go away- God begins to give you His heart for preaching, the church, needs of others, specific group, etc. Charles Spurgeon said that if you think you called to be a minister, avoid it. If you know you are called, don’t settle for second best and be a king. Paul said he was compelled by the gospel of Christ. As a pastor, I know that I couldn’t be content or at peace doing anything other than ministry. God has put it into my DNA. Sometimes, it has been the only thing that kept me going in the tough seasons of being a pastor.
3. Gifts- God gives abilities to those He has called. While it is true that He also calls people first, and then equips them, a person’s life should demonstrate a growing ability to serve where called. This comes through training, the Holy Spirit, mentoring, practice, and being teachable. Some think they know more than they do and have to be humbled. Others are more capable than they think and need to be empowered. Others want to serve in a area, but don’t have the ability. I can love to sing, but that doesn’t mean I am called to be the worship pastor. A person has to be willing to have mentors/teachers be ruthlessly honest with them in order to grow and accurately assess a person’s calling.
4. Affirmation through others- sometimes God points out His call on your life to others. We can be insecure or resistant, and others can be used to help clarify this. Although these four aren’t the entire list, it does give you an idea of what to look for.
How do you become a living sacrifice?
Recognize that following God is more than the commitment of a moment. It is also the journey of a lifetime. Sometimes people get discouraged when they make a commitment to God and then expect life’s struggles or the reality of temptations or growing to stop. A living sacrifice allows God continual work to take place. It is marked by both moments of key decisions/surrender, and learning to live that out over the course of life. In the Old Testament, an animal was sacrificed and then its benefit ended. Through Christ, our sin was paid for, so we can live for Christ, even as the “old man” of sin is crucified with Christ.


What does the church have in place to help me in this process of staying on the altar?
Connecting in discipleship relationships is key to this. I encourage you to connect with a Sunday School class and a small group. Sunday School is learning that builds relationships. Small groups is relationships that lead to learning. We have a men’s group, women’s group, two prayer groups, and various other groups. In addition, finding a place to be a servant also helps you keep perspective. If a person is just a consumer, then it is hard to stay on the altar. Being a servant is key. There is no substitute to getting connected relationally and as a servant.
So, how will I know when God is talking to me? How do I know it is His voice
There a couple of important litmus tests for knowing if it is the Lord speaking. First, God will never contradict His Word, the Bible. 2 Peter 1:20-21 makes is clear the Bible is the result of the Holy Spirit inspiring and directing the human beings called to write down the words of Scripture. Sometimes, the answers to our questions are already in the Bible, but we need to be consistent students of the Word of God to understand the will of God.

Second, it is helpful to have other people praying along with you. Proverbs says there is wisdom in the multitude of counselors. When a decision is unclear and we are trying to determine what God has said/led, including mature, Bible-centered Christians is key.

Third, look at where your relationship with God is. If you are walking closely with the Lord, then trust that He will correct your course if you start down the wrong path. In other words, don’t fall into the trap of “paralysis by analysis”. Trust that God loves you and will reveal His will. On the other hand, if you are not living a surrendered life in Christ, God may use the haziness or fogginess of your decision to draw you closer to Him. We often want the answers, but He prioritizes the relationship. Remember to seek Him more than any specific answer. The direction will come.




Is presenting our bodies abstaining from something?
It is both abstaining from what is evil and embracing what is good. That is a paraphrase of Romans 12:9. Romans 6 reminds us to present ourselves as instruments of righteousness. I have had people want a comprehensive list of everything right and wrong to do in life. In some cases, God has declared a clear list of right and wrong. When the Bible speaks to a matter, it is the final authority. In other situations, the Bible teaches us principles that guide us in living a Christ-like life. “Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial”, or “I am free, but I don’t use my freedom to make another person stumble”. “Love your neighbor as yourself”. “In honor, prefer one another above yourself”.

We are also to be known by what we embrace, not just what we abstain from. That is why the Bible talks about the “Beattitudes” (Matthew 5), Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5), Gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12), etc.




How does surrendering ourselves help us know God’s will?
Trying to know God’s will while battling for who is in charge is like driving in a heavy fog. You do your best to navigate the road safely, but it sure isn’t optimal conditions. Also, the risk of crashing is higher. The same is true in life. Living in a fog from a resistant spirit makes it hard to know the will of God