Christ’s Call”
The Immediacy or Urgency of Christ’s CALL is reflected in the direct statement in priorities given by Jesus in Luke 14:26-27
Luke 14:26-27 (English Standard Version)
26(A)
"If anyone comes
to me and(B)
does not hate his own father and mother and
wife and children and brothers and sisters,(C)
yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.
27(D)
Whoever does not(E)
bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my
disciple.
Do
you love others less then Jesus?
Do
you love others less then the gospel?
Do
you love others less then the Kingdom of
God?
1 John 2:15-17 (English Standard Version)
Do Not Love the World
15(A) Do not love the world or the things in the world.(B) If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world—(C) the desires of the flesh and(D) the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17And(E) the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
At
the moment of your call, you will find that you have
already been broken off from all the natural ties of
life.
This
is not your own doing, but he who has called you, Christ
Alone!
Christ
himself compels us to break with our past.
Christ
has delivered us from immediacy or the urgency of the
world’s system, and brought us into immediacy or the
urgency of him self!
We
must face the truth, that the Call of Christ sets up a
barrier between us and our natural life.
By
Calling us, Christ has cut us off from all immediacy with
the urgent things of this world.
Christ
stands between us!
Christ
stands between us and God!
He
is the Mediator, Christ between…
1. God and Man
2. Man and Man
3. Man And Reality
Christ
is the sole Mediator in the world!
Because
of Christ, we have no immediate relationship of our own
with anything or anyone!
The
Call of Jesus is NOT a concept or ideal, but the Mediator
completely cutting us off from the world!
The
Call of Christ brings us as individuals face to face with
the Mediator.
We
cannot establish direct contact outside ourselves except …
1. Through Jesus Name
2. Through Prayer In Jesus Name
3. Through Christ The Word
4. Through Following Christ
5. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ
TO
THINK OTHERWISE IS TO DECEIVE OURSELVES!
Intercessory
Prayer is the most promising way …
1. To reach our neighbors
2. To reach the lost
Corporate
Prayer, offered in the name of Christ, is the purest form
of fellowship!
Every
thing must pass through Jesus Christ!
1 Timothy 2:5-6 (English Standard Version)
5For(A)
there is one God, and there is one mediator between
God and men, the man[a]
Christ Jesus, 6(B)
who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is(C)
the testimony given(D)
at the proper time.
Hebrews
9:15-17 (English Standard Version)
15Therefore
he is(A)
the mediator of a new covenant, so that(B)
those who are called may(C)
receive the promised eternal inheritance,(D)
since a death has occurred that redeems them from the
transgressions committed under the first covenant.[a]
16For where a will is involved, the death of
the one who made it must be established. 17For(E)
a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in
force as long as the one who made it is alive.
Hebrews 8:6 (English Standard Version)
6But as it is, Christ[a] has obtained a ministry that is(A) as much more excellent than the old as(B) the covenant(C) he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.
Hebrews 10:19-25 (English Standard Version)
The Full Assurance of Faith
19(A) Therefore, brothers,[a] since we have confidence to enter(B) the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20by(C) the new and living way that he opened for us through(D) the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21and since we have(E) a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts(F) sprinkled clean(G) from an evil conscience and our bodies(H) washed with pure water. 23(I) Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for(J) he who promised is faithful. 24And(K) let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25(L) not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and(M) all the more as you see(N) the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 12:22-25 (English Standard Version)
22But
you have come to(A)
Mount Zion and to the city of the living God,(B)
the heavenly Jerusalem, and to(C)
innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23and
to(D)
the assembly[a]
of the firstborn who are(E)
enrolled in heaven, and to(F)
God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous
made perfect, 24and to Jesus,(G)
the mediator of a new covenant, and to(H)
the sprinkled blood(I)
that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25See
that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For(J)
if they did not escape when they refused him who warned
them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him
who warns from heaven.
Hebrews 13:20-21 (English Standard Version)
Benediction
20Now(A) may the God of peace(B) who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,(C) the great shepherd of the sheep, by(D) the blood of the eternal covenant, 21(E) equip you with everything good that you may do his will,(F) working in us[a] that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ,(G) to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
CONCLUSIONS
The Call is impossible to follow in your own strength!
Christ’s followers, are the Community or People of the Mediator under the CROSS!
Pastor Rev. Stephen Coates