Jesus Teaches About Calling
The last sermon we had in this series looked at the
teachings of Jesus as presented in the book of Matthew. We ended with Jesus
teaching on GREATNESS in the Kingdom of God.
Matthew 19:1 gives us a
signal that Jesus teaching on that matter had ended and we are about to begin a
new section with the phrase “when Jesus had finished saying these things”.
Jesus now enters into the region of Judea headed toward His
final destination, Jerusalem. On His way he encounters a group of Pharisees
with some hard bible questions, a group of mothers with their babies, a young
man who is both wealthy and politically connected… with each Jesus’ has a unique take on
reality (He is God in the Flesh after all)… what He has to say is rarely what
people expect.
Different perspectives on
personal calling
You have a unique walk with God… we are all called to make
different sacrifices, face different trials, and overcome different problems.
We’re all called to grow in grace and knowledge, to build the mind of God in us
and complete the spiritual creation God is working in us. We are unique… yet
unified… a combination of diversity and commonality… like our own human
families… yet brought to perfection in God’s family.
Matt 19: 3-12 Marriage &
Divorce
Jesus is asked to weigh in on a controversial subject of the
day… divorce & marriage. I won’t get into all the background cultural material
here but I will draw your attention to a couple of key issues:
The Jewish laws of divorce (and therefore of marriage) were
hotly disputed. Some were very strict… insisting that sexual immorality was the
only justifiable cause for divorce. Others, were much looser… insisting that a
man could divorce his wife for any reason he wanted to (too many bad hair days,
not enough salt in her stew, etc). The Roman and Greek attitudes and practices
of marriage and divorce were just as messed up… for many marriage was an act of
financial convenience… easily entered into and easily exited as expedient.
Divorce was rampant… and a lot of people were callously
abandoned and emotionally wounded.
Jesus definitely comes down more on the side of those who
are strict. But, Jesus critique of marriag and divorce issues of the day were
not built on a foundation of legality. Jesus goes back to the original intent
of marriage… oneness, unity, faithfulness, purity. Obedience toward God is good
but if you’re missing out on these other features you are missing out on huge
sections of the mind of God.
The disciples perceive that if marriage is as binding and
permanent as Jesus indicates… then it’s also kind of a scary committement…
perhaps “its better not to marry”. To which Jesus replies “agreed, if you
cannot handle the commitment then you shouldn’t get into such a relationship”…
but if your do…
The Oneness and Permanence
of Marriage Teach About Your Calling
Permanence – you
are called to eternal life… that is
permanent and that cannot be taken away. Christ will not suddenly offer you a
certificate of divorce one day… I’ve changed my mind, I don’t love you anymore,
“its not you its me”… I don’t want you around anymore.
You are called to a commitment to Christ, He wants to be
committed to you… faithful and true, to enter into a relationship with you, that
is permanent… binding… built on love. But, if you cannot handle that level of
commitment then don’t get into the relationship. Analogy: If you don’t want to get married then don’t get engaged.
Matthew 19: 13-15 Your
Attitude Toward Your Calling
Your attitude toward your calling should be like that of a
child who knows that he/she is completely dependant… the child has no power of
strength to save himself… or take care of herself.
What are you dependent upon God for? LIFE. Without His power
to raise you up and give you life in that spiritual body that last forever… well,
your body will just stay in that hole in the ground called a grave… you have
not power or ability to give yourself life again after you have died... no
immortal soul…You’re just fertilizer.
To give the disciples a bit of credit… they were probably
shooing the mothers and children away to shield Jesus from the fatigue of
dealing with people’s constant demands. They saw how much it took out of him…
and these people weren’t that important anyway… parallel accounts show Jesus
was not happy with the disciples for turning away those who would come to Him.
The calling of commitment to Christ is not a calling sent
out only to those who are important, or worthy. The calling is for everyone…
However, it’s only going to be
successful with those of us who willing to see, understand, appreciate… the
value of what we are being offered… eternal life. Which we can only receive as
a gift from our father… because (like
little children) we are completely helpless, unable to get it on our own.
Matthew 19: 16-21 Your
Calling Might Involve Sacrifices
Parallel accounts in Luke and Mark we know this guy was:
rich, young, high social status (archon
or ruler)… he had what most people want! But, he wants more… He’s seeking
eternal life and he has a question: What must I do to get what I’m looking for?
·
Does
anyone see the problem here? …He’s asking the wrong question!
·
So what
is the right question? …We’ll get to that in a minute.
First Jesus answers the man’s actual question… what must I do?
Jesus answers: if you want to seek eternal life by good things you DO… you
already have the answer you are looking for: the commandments. As the NT
scriptures comment elsewhere, the commandments are holy, just and good… if ever
there was a way to write down a written code that if perfectly obeyed would
lead to eternal life… that’s the 10 commandments. If you’re looking for
something good to do it doesn’t get any better!
You Not Called to Do But to
Become
Doing stuff isn’t what God is looking for. He’s interested
in what you are… I can do the Sabbath… I can keep every holy day… but if I’m a
complete jerk to everyone along the way and treat them badly… am I a righteous
person… or if I’m timid, fearful and won’t try anything for fear of making a
mistake… am I a man of faith? All that doing is merely a way to develop
and demonstrate what I must become… ALSO, if I refuse to do what I know
to do that tells you a lot about what I am inside as well.
The man replied he was already doing all that commandment
stuff. Jesus could have shown the man
various ways he might have broken the commandments and exhorted him try
harder and do better… or He could ask “if you’re actually doing all that then
why do you still feel that something is missing”.
True to the original request…Jesus gives the man something
to do… but something that would touch what he was inside. Jesus gave him a
calling… sell all your stuff, give it to the needy and follow me.
When Jesus had started listing commandments He cited the
ones related to how a person treats his fellow man… don’t kill, don’t cheat, don’t lie, don’t
steal, honor your parents… and His special request that the man renounce all
his possessions implies the man was perhaps not using his wealth in a way that
was developing and demonstrating the mind of God.
Expecting those with wealth to use their blessings to bless
and care for others… not the lazy but the helpless, the powerless (the widow,
the orphan) was clearly spelled out in the OT scriptures. This way of
expressing love for your fellow man was not some new idea God was
springing on people.
Perhaps the man was too focused on his possessions in a
worldly manner… his guarantee of personal comfort or security in this life….
What he had on this earth… in this life etc.
What is the Right Question?
What manner of person
must I become to attain/get eternal life? And to this man Jesus offers a calling
“if you want to become perfect (telios/complete)… if you want to build the mind
of God… you must desire this calling to follow Me… follow my way… more than you
love your stuff.
Matthew 19:22-26 Riches Can
Sidetrack Your Calling
Neither here nor anywhere else does the bible say that
wealth is a sin… but God’s word is quite clear that wealth can be a trap. Wealth
can create a mindset of:
·
False independence… I can deal with whatever
comes my way… I have no need for God
·
Greed and selfishness... somehow once a person
achieves comfort and luxury its either never enough… or they become obsessed
with how to hold on to what they have
Note: Jesus didn’t say it was impossible… consider Zaccheus
the richest man in Jericho, or Joseph of Arimathea, or Nicodemus… wealthy men
who were able to use their blessing to serve God.
The rich are not shut out… but it is a danger. Your
acceptance of God’s calling is based on a sense of need (He has what you need)…
riches blur that sense of need. You may not be rich… is there something in your
life (beauty, youth, intellect, talent, etc.) that blurs your ability to see
your need? What are you called to overcome?
Matthew 19:27-30 Why Should
I Accept a Calling That Involves Sacrifice?
The notion of sacrifice naturally suggests the question of
reward… what do I get? Jesus answers: “what you will receive is more
than what you give up”… although Jesus is speaking of spiritual things (palig-genesia,
new birth, behold I make all things new… which the prophet sees and says: I saw
new heavens and new earth) Jesus uses material examples: houses, property,
family. (things we can relate to)
Jesus didn’t try to explain the unexplainable… neither will
I. What we do know is that this time of regeneration is a time of change:
changing reponsibilies, changing relationships (part of the family of God, from
temporary physical life to eternal life that can never be taken away…
Verse 30 – Jesus
says: with all this change… we will all be in for surprises. God’s standards,
judgements are not like ours ()they don’t change)… He sees and evaluates with a
completely different take on reality… things can… and will change. Your
time of change is calling you now!
Matthew 20:1-16 A Parable
About Calling
The parable is of a scenario familiar to the time… day
laborers looking for work at the time of the grape harvest. You can read a lot
into the parable but the meaning for our purpose today is simple enough: each
person is called to a different walk with God…
Some might be called to a long slog in the hot sun, others
might be called in the cool of the evening when there is not as much back
breaking labor to do. A person who has been in the church of God for decades
might feel entitled… like they deserve more than someone who is new to the
faith. Some who are called are rich / some poor… some suffer with sickness /
some enjoy health… we cannot compare ourselves one to another, or our lives to
the lives of others…
Was it hard working in the hot sun all day… yes. Was it hard
waiting all day in the market worried that you’d never get hired and make
enough money to feed your family…yes.
Verse 18 – shows
that the parable is meant to explain the previous scenario of calling,
sacrifice, committement
Matthew 20:17-28 Accepting
the Cost of Your Calling
We have talked a great deal about the disciples wrong headed
approach to authority and position in the kingdom of God… Let’s talk about
something else!
In spite of all the doom and gloom… the upcoming suffereing
and death of Jesus… His comments about drinking from the same cup. What’s
amazing is that they still wanted to be a part of it. They said “yes, we are
willing to go through whatever it takes. Note: their callings were very
different…
James had a short life ended violently by execution by
beheading… while John live a long protracted life… decades of struggle,
service, elation and disappointment
Matthew 20:29-34 Don’t let
Your Calling Pass You By
The two blind men… they would not let the opportunity pass
them by. The crowd tried to discourage them… shhh be quiet. But they cried out
to Jesus and were not afraid… they were beggars but they did not want money…
they wanted to see… to longer be blind… They got their request… and they FOLLOWED Jesus.
Conclusion: What is Your
Calling?
Each of us has been (or is in) the process of spiritual
creation by God our Father. Your calling is like a unique program designed
especially for you… same faith… same spirit… same goal… but unique and
different from everyone else in this room.
You are called to something that is permanent… eternal… that
will never be taken away from you. You are called to accomplish, achieve and
receive something you could not and would not ever accomplish on your own.
You are called to make sacrifices… to look forward to and
enjoy great rewards… there are dangers an pitfalls along the way… but with God it
is doable. Its yours… its unique… and its wonderful.
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