Called to Serve, Part 1 October 24, 2011
In last week’s sermon, we examined what it means to becalled to serve God. Biblically speaking, to be called means you are 1) saved(Rom 8:30) and 2) summoned (e.g., Rom 1:1). But here’s where we get hung up alittle bit when it comes to serving God. We know some people volunteer. Someeven feel a special burden, which we equate with “calling.” But since we don’tfeel a special burden, and since we don’t see ourselves as capable enough tovolunteer, we conclude, “I must not be called.”
But we’ve overlooked what it really means to becalled—namely, saved and summoned by a word from God. Instead of looking at“calling” that way, we’ve added a few extra requirements: a special burden, adeep impression, certain qualifications. But Exodus (and the rest of the Bible)proves that notion wrong! All it means to be called is saved and summoned. Yousay, “Yeah, but I don’t have any special summons from God. I’ve never hadanything like Moses at the burning bush. God has never told me I have to doanything special.”
No? God has never summoned you? How about Hisuniversal command to “make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19)? How about theobligation to “use your gift to serve one another, as good stewards of God’svaried grace” (1 Pt 4:10)? We could go on listing specific commands from God’sword which clearly constitute a calling. True, verses from the Bible do notcome to us with the same psychological force as a voice speaking from a flamingshrub, but we have to remember, Moses did not have a single written word fromGod. Not a single book of the Bible had been revealed at this time. The onlyway he was going to know God called him was if God spoke to him directly. Oursituation in this respect is completely different. We have a summons – aspecial word from God, inspired by His Spirit, infused with His authority. Whyare you waiting for a feeling or an impression?
Some people wait because they lack faith, othersbecause they just don’t want to serve, simple as that. Unbelief andrebellion—the two problems in Moses’ own story. But there is often a thirdreason people delay in serving God, and that’s the issue I’d like to pick upnext week. Stay tuned!