I. ANSWERING GOD'S CALL
Matthew 8:19-23
(19) And one scribe, coming near, said to Him, Teacher, I will follow You wherever you may go.
(20) And Jesus said to him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere He may lay His head.
(21) And another of His disciples said to Him, Lord, allow me first to go away and bury my father.
(22) But Jesus said to him, Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.
(23) And He entering into the boat, His disciples followed Him.
(also) LUKE 9:59-60
(59) And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
(60) Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
(60) Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
* Jesus called a man to service, but the man sought to delay his duty, in order to care for his elderly or sickly father.
* Not all obstacles to faith are inherently evil. The man's concern for his father was commendable, but there is a greater duty due to our heavenly Father.
* Let the Dead (the unsaved) Bury the Dead (care for earthly concerns).
* Many can care for the temporal duties of life, but only a few will respond to the eternal needs in this life. Let God lead you in your life's journey.
Application...
* Jesus does not oppose proper disposal of the deceased or funeral services or medical care or other works of mercy and kindness.
Application...
* Jesus does not oppose proper disposal of the deceased or funeral services or medical care or other works of mercy and kindness.
* Sometimes we ought to do the one and not neglect the other,
Luke 11:42
(42) But woe to you, Pharisees, for you pay tithes of the mint, and the rue, and every plant, and pass by the judgment and the love of God. It was right to do these things, but not to leave aside those.
* But sometimes people use earthly activities as a an excuse to avoid the call of God.
Other excuses for not doing the will of God, or substitutes that people put in the place of serving God, are...
* Providing political stability,
* Protection of the righteous and punishment of the wicked,
* Education,
* Financial help,
* Feeding the hungry,
* Medical support,
However, all of these can and should be addressed by Christians and non-Christians.
But only Christians can be vessels of light and life. While there are many who do the temporal ministries, there are few who are trained, dedicated and active in the work of winning the lost.
Let the Dead Bury the Dead.
II. GOD CALLS PEOPLE TO DEDICATED SERVICE
As God was preparing to send Isaiah as His representative to Juday, He said, "Who will go for Us?"
Let the Dead Bury the Dead.
II. GOD CALLS PEOPLE TO DEDICATED SERVICE
As God was preparing to send Isaiah as His representative to Juday, He said, "Who will go for Us?"
Isaiah 6:1-8 (LITV)
(1) In the year that King Uzziah died, then I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up. And His train filled the temple.
DLG note... God calls those who see the Lord, high and lifted up.
(2) Above it stood the seraphs. Each one had six wings; with two he covered his face; and with two he covered his feet; and with two he flew.
DLG note... The call of God is a high calling, a heavenly calling.
(3) And one cried to the other and said, Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory!
DLG note... The call of God is to Himself and to Holiness of heart and life.
(4) And the doorposts shook from the voice of the one who cried; and the house was filled with smoke.
DLG note... The call of God is miraculous and powerful.
(5) Then I said, Woe is me! For I am cut off; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live amongst a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of Hosts.
DLG note... The call of God is revealing and humbling.
(6) Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, snatched with tongs from the altar.
(7) And he touched it on my mouth, and said, See, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin is covered.
DLG note... The call of God is purifying and redemptive.
(8) And I heard the voice of Jehovah, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? Then I said, Behold me. Send me!
DLG note... The call of God is personal, invitational, and demanding.
III. GOD'S CALL IS A COME AND GO
God calls us to come to Him, in order to be saved and then He calls us to go to the lost, so that they will be saved.
Conversion requires
Faith,
Repentance,
Confession, and
Obedience.
IV. MAKING OUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE
In order to continue in a right relationship with God, He tells us to add godly qualities to our lives, and to grow in grace and knowledge.
2 Peter 1:4-10
(4) Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
DLG notes... believers are partakers of Divine nature.
(5) And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
(5) And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
(6) And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
(7) And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.DLG notes... believers must be driven, be diligent to add godly qualities to our lives.
(7) And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.DLG notes... believers must be driven, be diligent to add godly qualities to our lives.
(8) For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
DLG notes... A productive Christian life and a growing relationship with Christ depends on our diligence.
(9) But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
(10) Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
(9) But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
(10) Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
DLG notes... Failure to be diligent results in blindness and separation from the redeemed life. Deliverance from falling is dependent on diligent faith.
2 PETER 3:18
(18) But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.
Grow In Faith And Love
(2) THESSALONIANS 1:3
(3) We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith grows exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other abounds;
TOW MORE PASSAGES...
Grow In Grace And Knowledge2 PETER 3:18
(18) But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.
Grow In Faith And Love
(2) THESSALONIANS 1:3
(3) We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith grows exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other abounds;
