What God Has Called Us to Be – Luke 4:18-19; Mark 10:45; Luke 19:10
What God Has Called Us to Be – Luke 4:18-19; Mark 10:45; Luke 19:10
By Pastor Lee Hemen
February 10, 2008 AM
The words “humility” and “servanthood” for much of modern Christianity have become emotional outpourings rather than personal goals. We are encouraged to discover them by feeling them anew or by doing activities that sensitize us to our inner spirituality. This is a sickening concept built on a lie that gives us a false sense of self-worth. Why would I say that? Because we find in the life of Jesus the very essence of what the Christian is supposed to be. Our goal and mission in life is not found in feelings of faith, but rather in the discovery of who we are and whom Jesus is and what He has called us to be. Every human being should ask the question: What has God called me to be?
For many modern churches they have adopted sloganeering as a means to teach people about their life’s mission statement or “purpose.” Kind of like the US Army does with their motto of “Be all you can be,” or their latest which states, “Army strong.” Many of these purpose statements have left me wondering, “What in the heck does that mean?” It is one thing to adopt a pithy statement to enlist people into a cause, but quite another in trying to find just the right phraseology in order to get folks through the front foyer or give them fuzzy feelings about their faith! God has called us to more than self-centered spirituality. We discover what this means when we take a closer look at what Jesus said about his own life. Let’s find out what God has called us to be, shall we?
READ: Luke 4:18-19; Mark 10:45; Luke 19:10
“Do not make a mess,” my mother would sternly warn each of us after she had spent time cleaning the house. Too often Christians think of God as a benevolent parent that has victoriously placed them in a clean house He does not want “messed” up. Yet we exist in a messy sin-fallen world. People are destined to eternal damnation unless they are made aware of the fact that God has chosen them for eternal life. Jesus calls us to that task. As we look at the life of Christ we discover that…
I. Christians are called to tell the good news of God! (Luke 4:18-19)
1. The gospel is a messy message not everyone wants to hear! When Jesus stood up in that small town synagogue and declared the startling truth that “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.” It was more than just a statement of purpose. It was in effect the throwing down of a spiritual gauntlet. He was openly declaring war on the sinful status quo that had existed from the time of Adam. His message was more than just helping people out. His concern was not for the materially impoverished but the spiritually destitute. His “purpose” was fourfold in nature: 1) “to proclaim freedom for the prisoners,” caught in sin’s grasp 2) “recovery of sight for the blind,” for those blinded by sin 3) “to release the oppressed,” to break the bondage of sin, and 4) “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,” namely, that the Savior has come! This is the good news! Jesus was not saying He came to heal those who were physically sick, but rather to eternally heal those who were spiritually sin-sick and destined for an eternity in hell. And this is where it gets messy. A sin-fallen world does not like to hear it is sick and in need of a cure that only God can provide. Yet, every believer in Christ is called to declare the exact same message. Jesus was “anointed to preach the good news,” as we are. Christians are called to tell the good news of God!
EXAMPLE: She came to me and laughingly remarked, “Pastor, I made a real mess of things with my friend. I could not find the right words to say. I forgot all the Scripture passages I was supposed to use. And, worst of all, I kind of went out on my own.” This young woman had been trained in one of our witnessing clinics and then as a “team member” she was supposed to go out and share her faith. She felt she had done it all wrong. So I asked her, “What happened?” Smiling, she replied, “As messy as it was, she came to know the Lord! At first, she did not want to hear what I was saying, but I just kept on speaking, and telling her what God had done in my life! And, you know what pastor? It finally sank in!” I have often discovered it is not the correct Scripture you know, or what “program” you use, it is what you do with what you have been called to do. Christians are called to tell the good news!
We live in a day and age whereby we are taught to look after number one first. This has so infected our Christianity that many began to think that God revolves around them. “What’s in it for me?” has become the modern day seeker’s citation. After all, isn’t God supposed to be my “best friend?” Contrary to a lot of convoluted pop theology, God is not our personal buddy. He is God. However, we are called to reflect His Son Jesus Christ, and in that we discover…
II. Christians are called to be God’s servants! (Mark 10:45)
1. The Christ life is a messy way to live because it places others first! Like I said earlier, we all want to be “first.” Jesus’ disciples were no different. They overheard Jesus discussing this with two of their number and became “indignant” at the idea that one of them might have been left out! Sadly, this is too true for our day and age. Again, it goes back to our convoluted view of God and what He has asked us to do. Notice here in Jesus’ reply there is no hint of meeting any of His objector’s “needs” or personal desires. In fact, Jesus bluntly states, “whoever wants to be first must be slave of all!” (v. 44) What!? How in the world could Jesus say such a hurtful thing to His “buddies?” He goes on to relate to them why: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (v. 45) In other words, “You think you want to be first? Well let me tell you what is required of anyone who desires to be on my team.” Servanthood has gone out of style in our world. It actually implies that we are to put others first and to place our needs last! Christianity is faith in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, but it is also a life of personal sacrifice. Paul would say, “What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.” (1 Corinthians 15:36) Faith is dying to self and believing what God has promised to do! It changes the one who, through the power of the Holy Spirit, has died to self. Like Jesus we must learn personal sacrifice in all areas of life: time, talent, treasure, family, friends, relationships, jobs, material things to name just a few! Paul said, “If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10) Christians are called to be God’s servants.
EXAMPLE: When I was younger we were taught to say, “Please, thank-you, and you are welcome.” But there was more to it than just knowing the right phrase to say. My father actually expected us to display what we were saying with our attitude and actions! Can you imagine? I can vividly remember saying “thank you” to my Mom, and having my Dad call me back and make me say it “correctly.” I knew what he meant. It was not the words I used, it was how I had said them. The same is true when person comes to Christ as Savior and Lord. It is not the words you use, it is what you mean by them. It will change your life if it is true. Jesus told one man that if he wanted to follow Him, he had to be willing to live wherever God directed. To another He related that life’s concerns did not take priority, even if it meant not burying his parent, if he wanted to follow Jesus. And to yet another Jesus related, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:57-62) Was Jesus being harsh? No. he was being truthful. Believers are called to “seek first” God’s “kingdom and righteousness,” and everything else in life will fall into place and be second place to following Jesus! (Matthew 6:33) It is a life of sacrifice. Christians are called to be God’s servants!
Many have become so enamored with finding just the “right” place to express their worship, that they forget they are called to a Godly task. It is a task that has not changed for thousands of years. Jesus Himself stated succinctly exactly what it was to be. In fact, it was so important that we discover it in all four gospels and the Book of Acts. Want to know what it is? Simply we are to do what Jesus came to do. We discover that…
III. Christians are called to seek and save the lost! (Luke 19:10)
1. Going where lost folks are gets us into the messy world around us! This is more than just witnessing, inviting folks to Sunday School, or worship. It is “seeking” to “save the lost!” It is an active desire and focus to go where sinful people are and seek them out to tell them the good news of Jesus Christ. We discover this occurring in the life of Jesus everywhere He went. He even demanded it of those who traipsed around with Him! Zacchaeus was a tax collecting leech but where did Jesus want to eat supper that night? At Zacchaeus’ house! When others complained to Jesus, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:30-31) What a beautiful noble truth we need to be reminded of this morning! Jesus did not join in their sin, but He went where they were! Christians so insulate themselves to the reality of the sin-fallen world that they only look for places whereby their needs can be met, not giving one thought to how God wants to use them in His kingdom work. Every Christian is called to do the work of God’s body in this world until His Son returns! We forget that He has called us to “Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my [God’s] house will be full.” (Luke 14:23) Every day we live we are to establish His kingdom. Christians are to get messy, hurt, and dirty in going out and inviting in those who do not fit our preconceived notions of who is invited! It is not a request of the one who is preparing the banquet, it is a command of the Master of the house! Christians are called to seek and save the lost!
EXAMPLE: I cannot tell you how many times I have been surprised at who God has chosen for His own! There have been those I thought would never want to hear the gospel and respond and then there were those who I thought would be raring to go, but went away rejecting what I shared. I have since learned that I am not called to pick and choose whom I share my faith with, but I am called every day to be ready to share what I do know about Jesus. He has not called me to share with every single person I meet, but God has called me to share with those He purposefully places in my path. Notice the difference? Just as Jesus did not heal everyone that He came across, He did heal those whom God brought to Him. However, Jesus made Himself available to be used by His Heavenly Father and so should we. We are to purposefully seek out those whom God has placed in our path and share our faith with them. This is why Paul would rhetorically ask and answer: “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” (Romans 10:14-15) Christians are called to seek and save the lost!
Conclusion:
Christians are called to tell the good news of God, Christians are called to be God’s servants, and Christians are called to seek and saved the lost! Who have you told the good news to lately? Who have you been a servant to? When was the last time you actually purposefully sought out someone to share your faith with?
---
This article is copyrighted by Pastor Lee Hemen © 2008 and the property of Pastor Lee Hemen. You are welcome to copy it, email it, or use it but if you copy it, email it, or use it you must do so in its entirety.
By Pastor Lee Hemen
February 10, 2008 AM
The words “humility” and “servanthood” for much of modern Christianity have become emotional outpourings rather than personal goals. We are encouraged to discover them by feeling them anew or by doing activities that sensitize us to our inner spirituality. This is a sickening concept built on a lie that gives us a false sense of self-worth. Why would I say that? Because we find in the life of Jesus the very essence of what the Christian is supposed to be. Our goal and mission in life is not found in feelings of faith, but rather in the discovery of who we are and whom Jesus is and what He has called us to be. Every human being should ask the question: What has God called me to be?
For many modern churches they have adopted sloganeering as a means to teach people about their life’s mission statement or “purpose.” Kind of like the US Army does with their motto of “Be all you can be,” or their latest which states, “Army strong.” Many of these purpose statements have left me wondering, “What in the heck does that mean?” It is one thing to adopt a pithy statement to enlist people into a cause, but quite another in trying to find just the right phraseology in order to get folks through the front foyer or give them fuzzy feelings about their faith! God has called us to more than self-centered spirituality. We discover what this means when we take a closer look at what Jesus said about his own life. Let’s find out what God has called us to be, shall we?
READ: Luke 4:18-19; Mark 10:45; Luke 19:10
“Do not make a mess,” my mother would sternly warn each of us after she had spent time cleaning the house. Too often Christians think of God as a benevolent parent that has victoriously placed them in a clean house He does not want “messed” up. Yet we exist in a messy sin-fallen world. People are destined to eternal damnation unless they are made aware of the fact that God has chosen them for eternal life. Jesus calls us to that task. As we look at the life of Christ we discover that…
I. Christians are called to tell the good news of God! (Luke 4:18-19)
1. The gospel is a messy message not everyone wants to hear! When Jesus stood up in that small town synagogue and declared the startling truth that “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.” It was more than just a statement of purpose. It was in effect the throwing down of a spiritual gauntlet. He was openly declaring war on the sinful status quo that had existed from the time of Adam. His message was more than just helping people out. His concern was not for the materially impoverished but the spiritually destitute. His “purpose” was fourfold in nature: 1) “to proclaim freedom for the prisoners,” caught in sin’s grasp 2) “recovery of sight for the blind,” for those blinded by sin 3) “to release the oppressed,” to break the bondage of sin, and 4) “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,” namely, that the Savior has come! This is the good news! Jesus was not saying He came to heal those who were physically sick, but rather to eternally heal those who were spiritually sin-sick and destined for an eternity in hell. And this is where it gets messy. A sin-fallen world does not like to hear it is sick and in need of a cure that only God can provide. Yet, every believer in Christ is called to declare the exact same message. Jesus was “anointed to preach the good news,” as we are. Christians are called to tell the good news of God!
EXAMPLE: She came to me and laughingly remarked, “Pastor, I made a real mess of things with my friend. I could not find the right words to say. I forgot all the Scripture passages I was supposed to use. And, worst of all, I kind of went out on my own.” This young woman had been trained in one of our witnessing clinics and then as a “team member” she was supposed to go out and share her faith. She felt she had done it all wrong. So I asked her, “What happened?” Smiling, she replied, “As messy as it was, she came to know the Lord! At first, she did not want to hear what I was saying, but I just kept on speaking, and telling her what God had done in my life! And, you know what pastor? It finally sank in!” I have often discovered it is not the correct Scripture you know, or what “program” you use, it is what you do with what you have been called to do. Christians are called to tell the good news!
We live in a day and age whereby we are taught to look after number one first. This has so infected our Christianity that many began to think that God revolves around them. “What’s in it for me?” has become the modern day seeker’s citation. After all, isn’t God supposed to be my “best friend?” Contrary to a lot of convoluted pop theology, God is not our personal buddy. He is God. However, we are called to reflect His Son Jesus Christ, and in that we discover…
II. Christians are called to be God’s servants! (Mark 10:45)
1. The Christ life is a messy way to live because it places others first! Like I said earlier, we all want to be “first.” Jesus’ disciples were no different. They overheard Jesus discussing this with two of their number and became “indignant” at the idea that one of them might have been left out! Sadly, this is too true for our day and age. Again, it goes back to our convoluted view of God and what He has asked us to do. Notice here in Jesus’ reply there is no hint of meeting any of His objector’s “needs” or personal desires. In fact, Jesus bluntly states, “whoever wants to be first must be slave of all!” (v. 44) What!? How in the world could Jesus say such a hurtful thing to His “buddies?” He goes on to relate to them why: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (v. 45) In other words, “You think you want to be first? Well let me tell you what is required of anyone who desires to be on my team.” Servanthood has gone out of style in our world. It actually implies that we are to put others first and to place our needs last! Christianity is faith in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, but it is also a life of personal sacrifice. Paul would say, “What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.” (1 Corinthians 15:36) Faith is dying to self and believing what God has promised to do! It changes the one who, through the power of the Holy Spirit, has died to self. Like Jesus we must learn personal sacrifice in all areas of life: time, talent, treasure, family, friends, relationships, jobs, material things to name just a few! Paul said, “If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10) Christians are called to be God’s servants.
EXAMPLE: When I was younger we were taught to say, “Please, thank-you, and you are welcome.” But there was more to it than just knowing the right phrase to say. My father actually expected us to display what we were saying with our attitude and actions! Can you imagine? I can vividly remember saying “thank you” to my Mom, and having my Dad call me back and make me say it “correctly.” I knew what he meant. It was not the words I used, it was how I had said them. The same is true when person comes to Christ as Savior and Lord. It is not the words you use, it is what you mean by them. It will change your life if it is true. Jesus told one man that if he wanted to follow Him, he had to be willing to live wherever God directed. To another He related that life’s concerns did not take priority, even if it meant not burying his parent, if he wanted to follow Jesus. And to yet another Jesus related, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:57-62) Was Jesus being harsh? No. he was being truthful. Believers are called to “seek first” God’s “kingdom and righteousness,” and everything else in life will fall into place and be second place to following Jesus! (Matthew 6:33) It is a life of sacrifice. Christians are called to be God’s servants!
Many have become so enamored with finding just the “right” place to express their worship, that they forget they are called to a Godly task. It is a task that has not changed for thousands of years. Jesus Himself stated succinctly exactly what it was to be. In fact, it was so important that we discover it in all four gospels and the Book of Acts. Want to know what it is? Simply we are to do what Jesus came to do. We discover that…
III. Christians are called to seek and save the lost! (Luke 19:10)
1. Going where lost folks are gets us into the messy world around us! This is more than just witnessing, inviting folks to Sunday School, or worship. It is “seeking” to “save the lost!” It is an active desire and focus to go where sinful people are and seek them out to tell them the good news of Jesus Christ. We discover this occurring in the life of Jesus everywhere He went. He even demanded it of those who traipsed around with Him! Zacchaeus was a tax collecting leech but where did Jesus want to eat supper that night? At Zacchaeus’ house! When others complained to Jesus, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:30-31) What a beautiful noble truth we need to be reminded of this morning! Jesus did not join in their sin, but He went where they were! Christians so insulate themselves to the reality of the sin-fallen world that they only look for places whereby their needs can be met, not giving one thought to how God wants to use them in His kingdom work. Every Christian is called to do the work of God’s body in this world until His Son returns! We forget that He has called us to “Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my [God’s] house will be full.” (Luke 14:23) Every day we live we are to establish His kingdom. Christians are to get messy, hurt, and dirty in going out and inviting in those who do not fit our preconceived notions of who is invited! It is not a request of the one who is preparing the banquet, it is a command of the Master of the house! Christians are called to seek and save the lost!
EXAMPLE: I cannot tell you how many times I have been surprised at who God has chosen for His own! There have been those I thought would never want to hear the gospel and respond and then there were those who I thought would be raring to go, but went away rejecting what I shared. I have since learned that I am not called to pick and choose whom I share my faith with, but I am called every day to be ready to share what I do know about Jesus. He has not called me to share with every single person I meet, but God has called me to share with those He purposefully places in my path. Notice the difference? Just as Jesus did not heal everyone that He came across, He did heal those whom God brought to Him. However, Jesus made Himself available to be used by His Heavenly Father and so should we. We are to purposefully seek out those whom God has placed in our path and share our faith with them. This is why Paul would rhetorically ask and answer: “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” (Romans 10:14-15) Christians are called to seek and save the lost!
Conclusion:
Christians are called to tell the good news of God, Christians are called to be God’s servants, and Christians are called to seek and saved the lost! Who have you told the good news to lately? Who have you been a servant to? When was the last time you actually purposefully sought out someone to share your faith with?
---
This article is copyrighted by Pastor Lee Hemen © 2008 and the property of Pastor Lee Hemen. You are welcome to copy it, email it, or use it but if you copy it, email it, or use it you must do so in its entirety.
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