In the spring of 1970, something strange began to happen in my life. I had been a believer for almost a year, when my mind became consumed with preaching. I could not attribute this to my family because I knew of no one in my immediate or even distant relatives who were in the ministry. I found myself eating, sleeping, and drinking preaching. At this point in my life, I did not realize that God called men to preach. I had never heard anyone, to my recollection, ever preach on the subject or discuss the subject.
Shortly after this a close friend called together a few of the guys from our church youth group and told us that God was calling him to preach. My eyes brightened when I heard that term, call to preach, because I knew immediately what all this deep burden and compulsion was all about. I leaned over to my friend that night and whispered, "I'm next." And I was!
It was an exciting time in my life as a 16 year old to come to a very distinct understanding that God had called me to preach. While most of my friends were giving little thought to their careers at this point, I knew that I had a destiny planned by my Redeemer. I was to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Just how all of this would work out in terms of where, what type of ministry, and so forth, was yet to come. I just knew that God had called me and my deepest desire was to follow and obey this divine calling.
I did not understand at that point, but I have come to see what older men of God mean when they explain that your call to the ministry will keep you going in your toughest days. Many times I have drifted back to that time in my life, a time so real that I've never had cause to doubt or question it. There I have found encouragement to press on in the work of the ministry to which God has called me.
One of the most critical matters in Christian ministry involves the call of God to the ministry. I do not mean by this the general call of all believers to witness for Christ, to evangelize, and to serve. That is something all of us have as believers. Rather, by this I refer to a specific, undeniable calling by God to preach the gospel and minister in the church.
Throughout the Bible we see evidence of those called to the ministry of proclamation. Men like Moses, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Paul received unique calls to the ministry that distinguished them and thrust them into the ministry which God had ordained for them.
God still calls people into the ministry. There may be some young people or adults this morning who have struggled over this area or who will face this sense of calling in the future. I believe it is important for us to understand what a divine call is all about. This is an area that few have taken the time to study and think upon, so I believe it important that we give consideration to this subject as evidenced by our text. Understanding the divine call is not only important for the preacher, but also for the congregation. For we, as the church, have the responsibility to recognize and affirm those whom God has called, as well as to follow the God-given leadership that is inherent within the call to ministry. What is involved in God's call to the ministry?
I. The call of God comes sovereignly
The call of God does not mean that a person just happens to decide to enter the ministry. It is not the prerogative of the individual to enter the ministry. It is the business of Almighty God to sovereignly, according to His purpose, call His men out to service. "The call to the ministry is not based on the whims of men but on the sovereign choice of God" [John MacArthur, NT Commentary, 272].
When Ananias was given the command to "Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus name Saul," he was stunned by the divine word to him. He was not only to ask for Saul of Tarsus but to lay hands on him, so that he might regain his sight. His ministry to Saul was to be personal and intimate.
Now this may not seem like a big deal, but when Saul is the one man that has created the most trouble for Christians it becomes a real, big deal! Ananias was to approach a man who had thrown countless Christians into prison, persecuted others, and certainly seen to the death of still others. It was a suicide mission as far as Ananias was concerned.
It is the Lord's reply to his question that holds great nuggets of truth for us concerning God's call. "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake." Ananias obeyed. Out of this whole process, as Saul fasted and prayed, the call of God to the ministry of proclamation of the gospel came to him distinctly. There are several concerns we must note about this sovereign call of God.
1. It is not a career decision but a distinct call
After his conversion Saul did not choose to make a career as an apostle and a missionary. While we may view the ministry as a career purely from a secular point of view, it is much more than a career. It is a distinct call of God.
This week I had the opportunity of going to Germantown Middle School for a career day fair. Along with a doctor, SWAT team members, a nurse, a veterinarian, a stewardess, I represented the "career" of minister. Though all of those careers are noble and important in their own right, I really was not representing a career, rather a calling. All of those other careers were occupations which the individual himself chose. The ministry is something that is chosen for you by a Sovereign Lord, who works all things according to His purpose and pleasure.
The calling of Jeremiah reveals this distinct call in a clear fashion. The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations" (Jer. 1:5). Jeremiah tried to make a few excuses but the Lord did not give him a choice. He even told him, "Behold I have put My words in your mouth" (Jer. 1:9). Later when Jeremiah considered avoiding the path of his call as God's prophet, he discovered that he could not do otherwise: "But if I say, 'I will not remember Him or speak anymore in His name', then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire shut up in my bones; and I am weary of holding it in, and I cannot endure it" (Jer. 20:9). The call of God to preach His Word is distinct.
I have often been asked how I knew that God was indeed calling me to preach. I read something in Martyn Lloyd-Jones excellent book, Preaching and Preachers, that puts this experience of God's call into an understandable format.
[1] A call generally starts in the form of a consciousness within one's own spirit, an awareness of a kind of pressure being brought to bear upon one's spirit, some disturbance in the realm of the spirit, then that your mind is being directed to the whole question of preaching....It is thrust upon you, it is presented to you and almost forced upon you constantly in this way....
[2] Then what has been happening in the realm of your spirit in that way is confirmed or accentuated through the influence of others who may talk to you and put questions to you....
[3] Then this develops and leads to a concern about others....
[4] There should also be a sense of constraint. This is surely the most crucial test. It means that you have the feeling that you can do nothing else. It was Mr. Spurgeon, I believe, who used to say to young men-- 'If you can do anything else do it. If you can stay out of the ministry, stay out of the ministry'....I would say that the only man who is called to preach is the man who cannot do anything else, in the sense that he is not satisfied with anything else. [pp. 104-105].
2. The calling is as an instrument not a machine
The explanation God gave to Ananias shows us that God's call does not create a machine for ministry, but is instead an instrument in God's hand. "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine...." Instrument implies some type of vessel or implement. The idea is that this instrument is useful only when it is carried by the hand of Another. In this case the possessive pronoun, "Mine," demonstrates that the one called of God is an instrument that belongs to the Lord and is utilized by the Lord.
I believe this is one of the most humbling aspects of the preaching ministry. Too often men get the idea that God ought to be thankful to have such skilled and creative people in His service. Yet the truth is that when a man is truly called, God puts His hand on the man and uses the man as He desires. The God-called preacher of the gospel is not the instrument of the congregation nor of special interest groups nor of the denomination. He is an instrument in God's hand.
This implies that the place of the preacher's service and the type of ministry he is to exercise is according to the purpose of God. It is the divine prerogative to send the preacher wherever the Lord chooses. I recall in those days when I sought to understand the calling of God that one of my dear friends wisely asked me, "Phil, are you willing to go anywhere God wants you to go and do anything God wants you to do?" I thought for a few moments on that double-edged question and replied, "Yes." It was my first realization that God's calling ends the preacher's claim to his own destiny and path. He is an instrument to be wielded in the wise hands of God.
3. The calling is distinguished from common or ordinary
The phrase, "a chosen instrument of Mine," points us to the reality that God's call means the preacher is no longer charting his own course. He is set apart as a holy vessel to the Lord to proclaim the gospel of Christ.
There is a sense in which all believers are holy and set apart for the Lord. We see this throughout the New Testament in terms of our consecration and obedience to Christ's Lordship. And there is a sense that whatever a Christian is doing it becomes a ministry. Yet there is a distinction when it comes to a divine calling. It is reminiscent of the Old Testament priests who were distinguished from the rest of the nation of Israel in every aspect. They were considered to be 'holy to the Lord' (Ex. 39:30). Their provisions came through the ministry of the tabernacle and the gifts of God's people. They owned no land nor flocks nor businesses. They belonged to the Lord to be His instruments in the service of the tabernacle and later the temple. One of the saddest commentaries on ancient Israel was when her priests began to profane their holy office through their lifestyles and neglect of their divine office. For this they encountered the severe judgment of God. That which God has set apart for His purpose and glory must be used wholly unto Him.
It is the Lord who sovereignly calls the preacher of the gospel. Such a call sets that person apart as God's instrument for the sake of His name.
II. The call of God is specific
There was no doubt about what God had for Saul (Paul) to do. "...He is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel." The compass of God pointed toward a clear and specific goal, that of bearing the Lord's name, that is, proclaiming Him, to all men. Later, to the church of Colossae, Paul amplifies the meaning of what God had told him during his calling. "And we proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ" (Col. 1:28).
This specific nature of God's call is important for us to see in our own day. There are hundreds of thousands of people who say they are in the ministry. Yet there is often a seeming contradiction in their practice and their claim. I have observed some who are nothing more than shrewd salesmen or keen businessmen, not faithful proclaimers of the Word of God. We have all seen those charlatans who have amassed great fortunes by preying upon people in the name of Christian ministry. God's call upon the apostle Paul offers us some specifics which should be true of any who lay claim to a divine calling to ministry.
1. It is never self-serving
If a young man enters the ministry to help him feel better about himself, he is 'barking up the wrong tree'! That is an impure motive. If he enters the ministry for personal gain or fame or attention, these too are impure motives. If he enters the ministry in an attempt to gain merit or favor with God he will learn quickly that God will not be mocked by such impure motives. God told Saul that he was His chosen instrument. The instrument never decides its use. It is created by a designer for a non-selfish purpose. For instance, a wooden paddle is not crafted so that the paddle itself can find enjoyment, rather it is designed for the purpose of moving a boat through the water. The paddle is not serving itself. It is made for someone else.
Paul understood that his whole purpose as a minister of the gospel was to please the Lord and not himself. He captures this thought in Romans 14:7-8. "For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's." This should be true of every Christian, but especially true of those called to proclaim the gospel.
A look at the work of missions helps us to understand this. Have you ever wondered what motivates a person to go to an area where he will face constant danger and destitution for the work of missions? I think of William Carey's maiden trip to Burma, Hudson Taylor's journeys into inland China, David Livingstone's trek into darkest Africa, David Brainerd's labors with the savage Indians in our early Colonial period--all of these men faced incredible dangers and deprivations. They were not rewarded financially for what they did. They did not live to see their fame. They simply gave themselves for the sake of the gospel as those who are never to be self-serving. I would add that this non-self-serving spirit is seen across our own land by so many who serve Christ in the midst of great difficulties so that the name of Christ might be exalted.
2. It is centered in Christ and the gospel
Paul was not to go to Gentiles and kings in order to educate them in religious principles. His purpose was to bear the name of the Lord (v. 15). That is simply another way of saying that he was to proclaim who Jesus Christ is and what He has done to redeem sinners--the gospel. Everywhere the apostle went he was to carry the good news.
This would seemingly go without saying, yet there appears to be a great confusion in our day as to the exact nature of the ministry. Some consider the ministry to be religious motivation. Others think of it as psychology with a spiritual slant. Still others think of it only in terms of social action for others. That misses the focus of the ministry according to this text.
"But," you may say, "that was the call of Saul but it is not necessarily the call of another minister." I would respond by pointing to every example of divine calling that I am aware of in the Bible. All point to the central idea of proclamation of God's message, whether through Jeremiah, Isaiah, or John the Baptist, all who are called of God have the responsibility of delivering the word of God to needy people.
There are a multitude of different ministries found within the broad scope of evangelical Christianity. I certainly don't deny this nor denigrate any other type ministry; they are surely necessary. But I do point out that whatever type ministry a person senses a call from God, the central focal point of it must always be to proclaim Jesus Christ and His gospel. If his desire and purpose is not ultimately to know Christ and to make Him known, that person better re-check his calling.
3. It is always for the good of others
This quite naturally points to the fact that in this specific nature of God's call, it is always for the good of others. Saul's ministry would benefit Gentiles, kings, and sons of Israel (v. 15). He would make inroads for the cause of Christ into Gentile territory where others had not gone. He stated, "And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build upon another man's foundation" (Romans 15:20). Wherever the apostle went, he was faithful to his calling. You can see this in the way that he continually gave himself for the good of others.
When the apostle spoke of going on to heaven or remaining for ministry, he told the church at Philippi, "Yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake" (Phil. 1:24). He did not consider his own desires here, but looked out for others. To the church at Colossae he even rejoiced that he was able to go through suffering for their sake, "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body (which is the church) in filling up that which is lacking in Christ's afflictions" (Col. 1:24).
The record of Scripture is that those called of God are to minister Christ to others whether they appreciate it or not, whether they want it or not. Paul, quite obviously, was not always appreciated for his work in teaching and preaching the Word, yet he continued on because he understood that those to whom he preached needed the truth whether they recognized it or not.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones expresses this idea well when he wrote, "The true call always includes a concern about others, an interest in them, a realisation of their lost estate and condition, and a desire to do something about them, and to tell them the message and point them to the way of salvation" [Preaching and Preachers, 104-105]. Ultimately, Paul was beheaded for doing this. William Tyndale was burned at the stake for doing this. Jim Elliot was speared to death for doing this. Countless preachers of the gospel have been imprisoned, persecuted, run-off, black-balled, attacked, hounded, and criticized, yet, by the grace of God, they go on preaching the truth of God's Word for the sake of others! How do they do it? Because the Lord who redeemed them also called them and gives them the power to keep on obeying that divine call. Those who stay the course have kept in mind the specific nature of the divine call.
III. The call of God demands consecration of those called
Some of you may sense that God has been working in your life to prepare you for the gospel ministry. I would point you to the latter part of our Lord's message to Ananias concerning Saul of Tarsus. "For I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake." Now, Ananias did not have the job of showing Saul how much he would suffer. That was something our Lord Himself did during those private times of revelation which Saul was privileged to receive. He never painted him a picture of fame, reward, and reputation. Instead our Lord showed the apostle that he would suffer for the sake of Jesus Christ.
How well would you and I do if we received such a message? Now ministering in the name of Christ we might accept..., but suffering? We might suffer? Interestingly, Paul later told the church at Philippi that the Lord had given them two special gifts, first was the gift "to believe in Him," and second, "to suffer for His sake" (Phil. 1:29). The call of God demands consecration, yieldedness to the Lord in all things, that His purpose might be fulfilled through you. In terms of the call to the ministry I believe...
1. This involves obedience not personal gratification
Some claim to be called of God but when they do not find all the personal gain they desire in this work, they toss it aside. The ministry is littered with countless thousands who have faced its stringent demands and decided that the earthly rewards were not worth the effort. The call of the minister is obedience to Christ in the demands of God's call without becoming enamored with personal gratification.
Scottish theologian John Murray offered these sage words:
It will be hard for the people to receive the unadulterated Word. It may be still harder for you to proclaim it. You are human and you must be tender-hearted. It must needs be that you will feel in your own soul the pride-destroying effects of the truth and it must needs be that you will have a fellow-feeling with those who will be subjected to the same soul-cleaving and spirit-cleaving Word. You will be tempted to soften the stroke and to modify the truth. Remember in this hour of temptation--a temptation made doubly plausible by what appears to be consideration for the feelings of your people--remember the terms of the divine commission, 'to all that I shall send thee, whatsoever I command thee, thou shalt speak'. [Collected Writings of John Murray, vol. 3, 176-177]
2. This involves faithfulness not worldly success
When you consecrate yourself to something you press forward faithfully even when the world does not applaud you. The success of the world is determined by numbers, finances, buildings, and prominence. God's interest is never success but faithfulness.
Some of God's choicest servants we will never know until we get to heaven. They labor in out-of-the-way places, remote villages, forgotten countries, and hidden churches. They will never be considered a success by the world's standards. But when we stand before the Lord that really will not matter. Instead, were we faithful to God's calling in our lives?
At the end of his life, the Apostle Paul expressed it in what has now become immortal words. "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith" (II Tim. 4:6-7). Will we be able to make those words our very own when we come to the end of our days?
3. This involves perseverance not comfort and applause
A study of Paul's life is quite fascinating! When you consider that this man was an intellectual giant and one destined for greatness within Judaism, it is remarkable that he gave himself unfailingly to the cause of Christ. He understood perseverance, that quality of life in which you keep on keeping on in dependence upon the grace of God. If you want to get a good picture of this read Paul's testimony in II Corinthians 11 in which he told of the multitude of things he faced for the sake of the gospel. It is a lesson in perseverance.
This is quite a contrast with our modern version of Christianity! We want to be applauded and recognized or else we will sulk. We will gladly serve Christ as long as it does not inconvenience us. We want a religion that fits our lifestyles or rather does not interrupt our lifestyles and plans.
But we are called upon to persevere. One young man in the ministry whom we met in Kiev, Ukraine was named Vladimir. When he was enlisted in the Russian army for his compulsory military service, he refused to sign an oath of allegiance to the military commanders because his one allegiance was to Jesus Christ. So he spent the entire time of his military service planting cucumbers! Was he bitter? No, on the contrary, I saw a sweet spirit, contented with what God has provided, and determined to go on with God at all costs, even if it meant the humiliating task of planting cucumbers. The ministry demands perseverance.
4. This requires spiritual power as well as personal preparation
Paul had made many preparations for the ministry without realizing it. As he sat at the feet of Gamaliel, the leading teacher of his day, he was being readied by God for the ministry. Academic preparation, developing good study habits, laboring in the Scriptures are all vital preparation for the work of preaching God's Word. But all of this is vain without the power of the Holy Spirit. Ananias was given a solitary task of laying hands on Saul that he might regain his sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit (v. 17). We must not miss this, for the filling of the Spirit is ever the highest, most important qualification for true ministry. If you are called of God to preach His Word you must ever seek to live in the fullness of God's Spirit. This is living under the Spirit's control and depending upon His power. "For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction" (I Thes. 1:5).
Conclusion
I realize that it may seem strange to preach a sermon on 'the call to the ministry'. But I also realize that there may very well be some in our midst whom God is calling or shall call to the ministry. I want you to understand that the Lord does call His servants into His ministry. Heed His call when it comes!
As a church we have a great responsibility in this. We need to recognize when God is calling someone out for the ministry. We need to discern and encourage and confirm. We need to do all that we can to provide a good training ground for the ministry. As we set apart those whom God has called, we join in their work. Let's be faithful in our part by living consecrated unto the Lord, respecting the preaching and teaching of God's Word, and following the leadership God has ordained for His church.
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