UNDERSTANDING THE CALL OF GOD (PART 1), August 15th, 2021

Posted by on Aug 14, 2021 in Sunday School |

CENTRAL THOUGHT

Blessed are the congregations and ministries whose leaders or men and women truly called by God.

HYMN: WHEN HE COMETH, WHEN HE COMETH

–  

TEXT: Ezekiel 34:1-10,

Eph. 4:7-12, 1 Cor 12:28

INTRODUCTION:

The call of God is a privileged assignment to man that comes from God, using the clearest medium of expression in order to avoid ambiguity. The scope is usually well-defined and the necessary equipment for accomplishment      adequately provided.

These general characteristics appear to be quite consistent with the call of God, no matter the nature of the call whether it is specific or general. General calls are for all believers while specific ones are usually expressed in any of the five major “offices” of the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists and Pastors. There are other “service” positions needed for good administration of the church as in the provisions for Deacons and Bishops, group leaders etc.

This study therefore seeks to provide some characteristics/marks for major group of “calls” so that we can reappraise our individual calling, whether it is from man or God.

LESSON OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study are:

  1. To understand, on a general basis, what the “call of God” means.
    1. How to know you have been called by God.
    1. To identify some most important characteristics/peculiarities associated with the major calls by God.

Q1. WHAT DO YOU UNDERSTAND BY “THE CALL OF GOD”?

It is God laying his hands upon an individual or group of persons for a project he wants executed. There are three major types of call. The first is the general call for all believers that or genuinely saved. Mark 16:15- 18 “…Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature…” is a call to all Christians. John 15:16 “… I have chosen you and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain…” strengthens the call. 2 Cor. 5:17-19 “… God who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and have given to us the ministry of reconciliation…” is an assignment, a biblical ministry, for all believers.

The second is the call to a specific assignment. In Exodus 3:1-9, we read in part “…God called on to him out of the midst of the bush and said Moses, Moses … come now therefore and I will send thee to Pharaoh that mayest bring forth my people, the children of Israel out of Egypt.” That was for Moses. It was that specific for Joshua (Joshua 1:1-9). For Paul, it was “… separate unto me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them “(Acts 13:1-2). Specificity in calls is clearly spelled out in Ephesians 4:8-11 when the Lord Jesus Christ called and “… gave some apostles, in some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers”.

The third major category of calls is the “service” calls or assignments. Acts 6:1-3 “… then the 12 called the multitude of the disciples unto them and said “…Look ye out among use seven men of honest report, Full of the Holy Spirit whom we may appoint over this business”. This category includes all service chiefs, no matter the title bishops, elders, deacons, headship of various organs in church; chosen by the people and so appointed by those chosen by God into specific offices to assist them accomplish these specific assignments.

Thus, the call of God is for all living Christians at the “general”, “specific” or “service” levels of God’s work.

Q2. HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED BY GOD?

For the general call to bear fruit (personal evangelism or ministry of reconciliation), it is automatic, which is immediately after you become born again. It is for this purpose, primarily, that we are baptized in the Holy Ghost (Acts 1:8). What is needed is simple obedience. Do you have a soul to your personal credit since you got born again? If not, you have a very fundamental issue of spiritual fruitfulness to settle with God. For the specific calls, it is entirely at the discretion of God. God is not stampede, begged or bribed into calling anyone for any specific assignments. But he speaks expressively, in a way or language most understood to you so as to avoid any ambiguity. It must be definitive in scope, timing, take-off point or place, and other details of consequence. It is, therefore, not to be presumed. No child of God has ever been able to successfully resist God’s specific call. It cannot also come too late. Galatians 1:1 “Paul, an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the father who raised him from the dead;…”. So, it is God that does the choosing by himself, through the Lord Jesus. Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Samson, all the apostles, Paul etc. were chosen the same way; by direct and unambiguous contacts with God and exclusive to apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists, and pastors (Ephesians 4:8-11). For the service calls, which are for the primary purpose of good church administration, the overseer observes an area of need or deficiency, creates or identifies a group of such people and instructs the brethren in that group to evolve leaders, through the instrumentality of internal democracy, but guided by the virtues of “… honest report, Full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom” (Acts 6:3) to represent them. Such people are then sent to the overseer or his bona fide representative, at the local church level for appointment. The choice of bishops and deacons are further guided by the qualities enunciated in 1 Timothy 3:1-13. It is instructive to note the prescription of scripture for those to be so appointed.

Q3. DISCUSS THE CHARACTERISTICS / PECULIARITIES OF THE FOLLOWING CLASSES OF “CALLED” PEOPLE.

A.) Apostles

“And God hath set some in the church, first apostle…” (1 Cor. 12:28). The apostle, therefore, is the arrow-head of any God-given ministry. His call is characterized by the following, among others:

  1. It is specific by God, not man (Gal. 1:1)
  2. It has a scope “…separate unto me Barnabas and Saul… for the work whereunto I called them” (Acts 13:2; Exodus 3:10 Moses)
  3. It has a starting point (Joshua 1:2)
  4. It has a confirmation in the “signs” of the apostle “…in signs and wonders and mighty deeds” (2 Cor. 12:12). He may exercise freely and consistently all the gifts of the Holy Spirit;
  5. He Chiefs like the deacons/ bishops after going through the appropriate screening by the brethren. (Acts 6: 1-6 & 1 Tim 3: 1-13);
  6. He can function in the offices of the prophet, teacher, evangelist and pastor, but he cannot claim to have been called them (that is God’s prerogative). For example, Paul was a (1 Tim. 4: 1-3), teacher apostle and preacher (1 Tim. 2:7) an evangelist (Acts 16:6-10), and a pastor (2 Cor 11:28).
  7. And because it is a “ministry” headship position, as with all headships in spiritual matters in scriptures: from the creation of Adam to the choice of the 12 apostles, it is gender-sensitive for the male and female.
  8. It is not duplicated in one ministry or assignment by God.

B.) Prophets

“And God have set some in the church secondarily prophets” (1Cor 12:28). These or the “Seers” or the “Eyes” of the body of Christ. They have advanced privileged information from God about the past, present and future events for the benefits of the church of God. They are identified by the following compulsory peculiarities, among others:

  1. The call to this office is specific and the functions are well defined by the Godhead (1 Kings 19:15- 17; Jer. 1:9-10)
  2. The Word of God is always there in their mouth (Jer. 18:18)
  3. This Office is not gender- sensitive. Prophets and prophetesses abound in Scriptures.
  4. They are enabled to do their work through the gifts of the spirit word of wisdom, words of knowledge, prophecy, discerning of spirits, interpretation of tongues. The Lord also speaks to them in visions and dreams (Numbers 12: 6-7).
  5. They are usually, therefore, in the Fellowship of the brethren. However, a prophet can carry messages that are beyond his or her local assembly.
  6. Their prophecies are usually fulfilled unaided and have confirmations in the word of God.

C.) Teachers

“And God have set some in the church, …thirdly teachers (1Cor 12:28). That anybody teaches in a secular setting or privilege to have benefited from western education does not make such a teacher of God’s people. Otherwise, the God-chosen teachers constitute the “ground force” in the body of Christ charged with the sole responsibility of teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you…”(Matt 28:20), “till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…” (Eph. 4:12-14). Therefore, the extent of preparation or readiness of the congregation for heaven is an index of the success of the teacher. They are further characterized by the following:

  1. They all called and ordained by God, not man (1 Tim 2:7). Their responsibility and loyalty are, therefore, first to God before man;
  2. They must be practitioners or “partakers” of what they teach (Rom 2:21-24), in words and deeds. They must be able to say “be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ (1 Cor 11:1)
  3. They allow the holy goals teach through them (1 Cor. 2:13, 1 Jn 2:27), in wisdom, knowledge/ understanding. Therefore, no seeming controversy rages for too long without the teacher being able to take a biblical stand;
  4. They are enabled by the gifts of the holy Ghost at levels sufficient for them to prove or demonstrate what they teach.
  5. The teacher is dispassionate about the truth (should neither add to it, nor subtract from it) 2 Cor. 13:8). He is bold, sticks to the word of God but compassionate.

Daily Living Application:

Every born-again, Holy Spirit field child of God has a measure of the call of God on him or her. But you cannot respond to the God you do not really know. The starting point, therefore, is to ensure that God is your Father and that he has also accepted you as his child. Then you have the responsibility of bringing other people into the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. In doing so, you have the additional “call” of ensuring that where you are bringing them into four nurturing must be conducive for growth. Therefore, you must also take an active part in bringing your local assembly so that standard where it can be called your father’s house. Do not therefore allow your father’s house to be taken over and run by wolves and hirelings.

Finally, into whatever call or office you have been genuinely called by the Lord, please operate within its confines and wait for him that called you; he will reward you according to your works.

Memory verse:

1 Corinthians 12:28

“And God have set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after

that, miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues”.

Daily Devotional Guide:

Monday: Every born-again holy spirit filled Child of God has a call from him.

Mark 16:15– 20; John 15:16.

Tuesday: The five-fold offices or made by God for special ministries with the apostle as the head.

Ephesians 4: 7 – 10; Galatians 1:1.

Wednesday: Deacons, elders, bishop’s, Google leaders etc. Or service chiefs chosen by the people according to spiritual guidelines and appointed by the apostles.

Acts 6:1-6; 1 Tim 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9

Thursday: At whatever level of call, be faithful.

Romans 12: 3-8.

Friday: Know your genuine shepherds: honor, obey and care for them.

Ezekiel 34:1-10; 1 Tim 5:17; Heb. 13:17.

Saturday: Fulfill your ministry.

Col 3:12, 2 Tim 4:5