Professional Documents
Culture Documents
in
the
World
Does
God
Want
me
to
Do?
Gods
Calling
for
the
Christian
A
Talk
by
Nick
Hill
Today
in
this
talk
I
will
be
talking
about
calling.
If
we
examine
Scripture,
we
notice
different
calls
that
God
invites
us
into.
1.
The
Call
to
Salvation
In
Matthew
13
Jesus
taught
in
the
parable
of
the
sower
that
the
hearing
of
the
call
to
repent
and
believe
in
the
gospel
is
necessary
in
order
for
a
person
to
become
a
Christian.
Paul
says
in
Romans
10:17
that
faith
the
faith
that
saves
that
unites
someone
to
Jesus
and
which
brings
forgiveness
and
right
standing
with
God
comes
by
hearing,
the
hearing
of
the
word
of
God.
But
not
all
those
who
hear
the
Word
of
God
are
saved.
This
is
obvious
as
we
look
out
on
the
history
of
the
world,
but
also
as
we
see
the
different
responses
to
Jesus
and
the
apostles.
When
the
same
gospel
call
is
made,
some
are
hostile,
others
are
indifferent,
and
still
others
receive
what
they
hear
and
trust
in
Jesus
as
Saviour
and
Lord.
For
example,
when
Paul
preached
to
the
Epicureans
and
Stoics
in
Athens
in
Acts
chapter
17,
some
of
them
mocked
him
when
he
talked
about
the
resurrection
of
the
dead,
some
said
that
they
would
like
to
hear
him
on
another
occasion,
while
other
became
believers
(Acts
17:34).
What
makes
the
difference
between
those
who
receive
Christ
and
those
who
do
not?
Is
it
wealth,
personality,
race,
gender?
No.
When
we
look
at
the
lives
of
those
who
became
Christians
we
see
that
they
come
from
various
backgrounds
and
not
one
common
factor.
Some
Christians
were
rich
(Luke
19:1-10),
and
some
were
poor.
Some
were
free
(Gal
3:28)
and
others
were
slaves
(1
Pet
2:18).
There
were
young
and
old,
men
and
women,
Jews
and
Gentiles.
So
what
makes
the
difference?
The
Bible
teaches
that
besides
this
general
call
to
repent
and
believe
in
the
gospel,
that
there
is
a
further
1
call
from
God
which
itself
brings
a
response
of
repentance
and
faith
and
the
start
of
a
relationship
of
following
Jesus
as
King.
This
call
is
called
the
effectual
call.
Jesus
himself
speaks
about
this
call
in
Matthew
20:16:
Many
are
called,
but
few
are
chosen.
If
you
are
a
Christian
today,
it
is
not
because
you
were
smarter
than
others
to
chose
Christ
or
because
you
are
gifted
or
for
any
other
reason.
It
is
solely
because
of
grace.
Paul
said
in
1
Corinthians
3:6
that
I
planted,
Apollos
watered,
but
God
gave
the
growth.
If
you
are
not
a
Christian
today,
Jesus
invites
you
to
trust
in
him
alone
for
forgiveness
of
your
sin
and
rebellion
against
God
and
to
start
walking
with
him
as
your
king.
When
you
do
so,
you
are
freed
from
the
bondage
of
sin,
are
clothed
with
the
righteousness
of
Jesus
Himself,
and
are
adopted
into
Gods
family.
This
effectual
call
to
salvation
is
real
and
is
beautiful
to
see.
I
have
seen
it
over
and
over
again
in
different
peoples
lives.
especially
University
students.
It
happened
to
one
proud,
sexually
immoral,
rich,
brilliant
young
man
in
the
300s
by
the
name
of
Augustine.
This
is
how
he
described
his
experience
in
a
prayer
to
God:
How
sweet
all
at
once
it
was
for
me
to
be
rid
of
those
fruitless
joys
which
I
had
once
feared
to
lose!
You
drove
them
from
me,
you
who
are
the
true,
the
sovereign
joy.
You
drove
them
from
me
and
took
their
place,
you
who
are
sweeter
than
all
pleasure.
(Confessions
IX,
1.)
2.
The
Call
to
Holiness
and
Fruitfulness
1Thessalonians.
4:7
says
For
God
did
not
call
us
to
be
impure,
but
to
live
a
holy
life.
1Th.
4:3
For
this
is
the
will
of
God,
your
sanctification
2Tim.
1:9
says
He
has
saved
us
and
called
us
to
a
holy
lifenot
because
of
anything
we
have
done
but
because
of
his
own
purpose
and
grace.
Eph.
2:10
says
For
we
are
Gods
handiwork,
created
in
Christ
Jesus
to
do
good
works,
which
God
prepared
in
advance
for
us
to
do.
2
God
saved
us
to
transform
us
into
the
image
and
likeness
of
Jesus
Himself.
God
has
given
us
His
Holy
Spirit
to
make
us
holy.
Galatians
5
says:
But
the
fruit
of
the
Spirit
is
love,
joy,
peace,
forbearance,
kindness,
goodness,
faithfulness,
gentleness
and
self-control.
Against
such
things
there
is
no
law.
Those
who
belong
to
Christ
Jesus
have
crucified
the
flesh
with
its
passions
and
desires.
Since
we
live
by
the
Spirit,
let
us
keep
in
step
with
the
Spirit.
We
are
not
saved
by
our
good
works,
but
every
Christian
is
saved
to
good
works.
This
brings
joy
to
our
lives
and
glory
to
God.
Jesus
said:
In
the
same
way,
let
your
light
shine
before
others,
that
they
may
see
your
good
deeds
and
glorify
your
Father
in
heaven.
3.
The
Call
to
Work
Right
from
the
beginning
of
the
Bible
we
see
the
value
of
work.
In
Genesis
1
humanity
is
given
what
is
often
called
the
cultural
mandate,
to
multiply,
to
work,
to
cultivate.
Even
after
the
fall
of
the
world
into
sin,
God
renews
this
cultural
mandate
in
Genesis
chapter
9:
Then
God
blessed
Noah
and
his
sons,
saying
to
them,
Be
fruitful
and
increase
in
number
and
fill
the
earth.
When
someone
is
effectively
called
to
Christ,
they
usually
are
not
called
to
leave
their
everyday
situation,
but
to
remain
in
their
situation
and
to
live
out
the
gospel
in
that
situation.
For
example,
if
you
come
to
Christ
as
a
third
year
engineering
student
at
Waterloo,
does
that
mean
you
quit
school
right
away
and
go
to
Northern
Mongolia
to
be
a
missionary.
Probably
not.
The
Bible
affirms
that
while
the
creation
is
fallen,
it
is
still
good
and
work
is
good.
The
New
Testament
states
that
Lydia
was
a
seller
of
purple
cloth,
Zacchaeus
was
a
rich
man,
and
Cornelius
was
a
centurion.
Did
they
quit
their
job
right
away?
No.
They
remained
in
their
jobs
and
Christ
transformed
their
work
and
their
lives
in
their
current
situation.
It
is
not
Biblical
to
think
of
those
who
work
in
business
as
less
than
those
who
work
as
full
time
missionaries.
Both
are
callings
by
God.
Both
are
holy
work.
Colossians
3
says
Whatever
you
do,
work
at
it
with
3
all
your
heart,
as
working
for
the
Lord,
not
for
human
masters,
since
you
know
that
you
will
receive
an
inheritance
from
the
Lord
as
a
reward.
It
is
the
Lord
Christ
you
are
serving.
In
1520
Luther
wrote
An
Open
Letter
to
the
Christian
Nobility
of
the
German
Nation
In
this
letter
he
attacked
the
prevalent
idea
that
the
Roman
Catholic
clergy
were
a
special
class
of
people,
a
spiritual
estate
while
all
other
people
fathers,
artists,
princes,
etc.
were
a
temporal
estate.
He
affirms
that
each
person
has
a
calling
and
vocation
from
God.
This
is
what
he
says:
A
cobbler,
a
smith,
a
farmer,
each
has
the
work
and
office
of
his
trade,
and
yet
they
are
all
alike
consecrated
priests
and
bishops,
and
everyone
by
means
of
his
own
work
and
office
must
benefit
and
serve
every
other,
that
in
this
way
many
kinds
of
work
may
be
done
for
the
bodily
and
spiritual
welfare
of
the
community,
even
as
all
the
members
of
the
body
serve
one
another.
This
attitude
that
missionaries
or
clergy
are
more
special
than
other
people
is
still
with
us,
even
in
the
evangelical
world
(heirs
of
the
Reformation).
This
is
illustrated
in
the
following
story:
Are
you
Steve
Saint?
the
man
asked
me.
Are
you
the
son
of
the
famous
missionary
who
was
martyred
with
four
others
down
in
South
America?
I
acknowledged
that
I
was
Nate
Saints
son.
Oh,
and
where
are
you
a
missionary?
I
did
not
know
what
to
say.
I
wasnt
a
missionary.
I
was
a
businessman.
My
wife
and
I
were
raising
our
four
children
to
be
God
followers.
We
were
active
in
our
local
Christian
church
where
we
served
as
leaders
of
a
growing
youth
group
that
met
in
our
home.
We
were
living
below
our
means
so
we
could
help
support
others
to
go
to
the
ends
of
the
earth.
And
I
felt
sure
that
I
was
right
where
God
wanted
me,
confident
that
Ginny
and
I
were
doing
what
God
had
called
us
to
do.
When
I
told
my
inquisitor
that
I
was
not,
in
fact,
a
missionary
but
a
businessman,
he
looked
puzzled.
Then,
as
my
answer
sunk
in,
he
answered
with
obvious
disappointment,
Oh,
Im
so
sorry.
Now,
years
later,
people
just
like
that
man
come
up
to
me
on
a
regular
basis
and
ask
me
if
I
am
Nate
Saints
son.
Then
they
tell
me
that
they
4
have
heard
that
I
am
a
missionary
working
with
the
very
people
that
killed
my
dad.
A
look
of
wonder
comes
over
them,
and
they
say
things
like,
Oh,
were
so
proud
of
you.
Why
so
proud
now
and
so
disappointed
then.
(Story
taken
from
M.
David
Sills,
The
Missionary
Call).
4.
The
Call
to
Evangelism
What
is
the
state
of
the
world
outside
a
relationship
with
God?
The
Bible
describes
unbelievers
as
spiritually
lost,
blind,
dead,
enslaved
and
headed
for
an
eternity
without
the
God
who
loves
them
in
a
place
of
eternal
suffering
and
torment.
A
sign
of
a
genuine
Christian
is
their
broken
heart
for
unbelievers.
We
have
the
heart
of
Jesus
as
described
in
Mark
6:34:
When
he
went
ashore
he
saw
a
great
crowd,
and
he
had
compassion
on
them,
because
they
were
like
sheep
without
a
shepherd.
And
he
began
to
teach
them
many
things.
Bob
Pierce,
the
founder
of
World
Vision
and
Samaritans
Purse,
used
to
pray:
Let
my
heart
be
broken
with
the
things
that
break
the
heart
of
God.
Romans
10
says
the
following:
Rom.
10:13
for,
Everyone
who
calls
on
the
name
of
the
Lord
will
be
saved.
Rom.
10:14
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?
Rom.
10:15
And
how
can
anyone
preach
unless
they
are
sent?
As
it
is
written:
How
beautiful
are
the
feet
of
those
who
bring
good
news!
Rom.
10:17
Consequently,
faith
comes
from
hearing
the
message,
and
the
message
is
heard
through
the
word
about
Christ.
Unless
people
hear
the
gospel
they
can
not
be
saved.
It
is
the
call
of
every
Christian
no
matter
where
they
live
to
share
the
gospel.
5
Charles Spurgeon said the following: If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for. 5. The Call to Missions One-third of the planets population of over two billion people has never head the gospel. And of that number, over 50,000 die daily, separated from God forever. This is deeply sobering. This reality should keep us up at night and break our hearts. Every Christian is called to help fulfill the Great Commission. Jesus said the following in Matthew 28: 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. The Great Commision is not a suggestion, but a command. The Christian who does not obey the great commission is disobeying God. But how are we to obey the Great Commission? Should every single Christian quit their job and go to the unreached people groups of the world? No. Who would send them, support them financially, pray for them? As Rom. 10:15 says: And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? DISCUSSION QUESTIONS How then do I know whether I am called to go to the mission field or to where? Or when should I go? How do I know if I am called?
As
we
seek
to
obey
Gods
word,
as
we
get
to
know
God
better,
he
will
change
our
desires
to
align
with
his.
He
will
make
us
wiser.
Our
heart
will
break
for
what
his
heart
breaks
for.
We
will
have
a
burden
for
the
world
that
he
loves.
God
then
uses
our
backgrounds,
interests,
experiences,
friendships,
etc.
to
shape
our
day
to
day
steps
and
the
future
of
our
lives,
including
our
call
to
the
mission
field.
There
is
much
freedom
in
this.
Augustine
said:
Love
God
and
do
as
you
please.
NEXT
STEPS
1. Read
about
the
Need
(the
newspaper,
books,
etc.)
2. Meditate
on
the
commands
of
Christ
3. Get
to
know
God
in
a
deeper
way
4. Get
to
know
and
love
Gods
Word
more
5. Pray
for
the
nations;
use
a
book
like
Operation
World.
6. Go
on
a
project;
consider
a
one
year
stint
after
university;
see
which
people
God
puts
on
your
heart
7. Continue
to
seek
to
grow
in
the
character
of
Jesus
as
you
walk
in
the
Spirit
8. Observe
how
God
has
made
you
and
how
he
could
use
your
spiritual
gifts
and
talents
to
help
fulfill
the
Great
Commission
9. Seek
the
wisdom
of
godly
people
who
know
you
well
Both
senders
and
goers
are
needed.
John
Piper
has
said:
There
are
only
3
kinds
of
Christians
when
it
comes
to
missions:
zealous
goers,
zealous
senders
and
the
disobedient.
Our
moto
should
be:
Ready
to
go,
but
willing
to
stay.
God
is
love
,
God
is
soverign,
God
is
gracious
and
God
loves
you.
You
dont
need
to
worry
or
have
anxiety
about
what
God
wants
you
to
do.
You
can
have
rest,
confidence,
fearlessnesss,
joy,
and
excitement
as
you
anticipate
the
future.
As
1
Cor
2:9
says:
What
no
eye
has
seen,
nor
ear
heard,
nor
the
heart
of
man
imagined,
what
God
has
prepared
for
those
who
love
him
7