SERMON: CALLED OUT AND CALLED UP

 

 

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to Romans 8:28-30

 

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

 

            -- I want to begin this morning by telling you the true story of William Borden -- Borden was born in the late 1800's as the heir to the Borden Dairy Company -- he was a multi-millionaire -- an Ivy League graduate -- he studied at both Yale and Princeton -- and everyone knew what Borden’s future held -- being the well-educated heir to the Borden Dairy Company, his whole life was mapped out before him -- he would finish up his graduate studies and return home to run the family business -- he would get married and have children and live life as a wealthy and highly respected member of the community

            -- but while he was in college, something extraordinary happened to William Borden that changed everything -- he became a Christian -- actually, more than just an ordinary Christian -- Borden became a true follower of Jesus -- and it changed the direction of his life

            -- having seen the spiritual and physical needs of others while traveling abroad, Borden sensed a stirring in his soul and he wrote to his parents that he wanted to spend his life as a missionary to an unreached Muslim people group in the Middle East -- in doing so, he walked away from millions of dollars -- he walked away from his family business and the life that had been planned out for him since childhood -- and he walked into the calling that God had given him

            -- even while he was still at school preparing for his new life, Borden started a prayer ministry at Yale University that eventually had over 1000 students participating daily -- he began working with the homeless and hurting in the streets of New Haven -- and founded the Yale Hope Mission in an effort to rehabilitate alcoholics and other addicts

            -- upon graduation, he went to Egypt to learn the Arabic language -- but, while he was there, he came down with spinal meningitis and died -- Borden never made it to his destination, the Muslim mission field

            -- many would say Borden ruined his life -- that by walking away from his fortune and family to follow the call of God he had made a mistake -- he didn’t even make it to the mission field -- what a waste, they thought

            -- but what is better? -- a life ruined by money and prestige and worldly admiration or a life that touched thousands of shattered men and women in New Haven -- a life that brought healing to alcoholics and addicts -- and a life that continues to inspire new generations of Christians today

            -- despite his critics -- despite the opinion of his family -- Borden never wavered from the moment he heard his Savior call -- he gave everything he had to fulfill the call God had given

            -- in the back of his Bible, Borden had written these three lines:  No Reserves -- No Retreats -- No Regrets¹

            -- those are the words of a true follower of Christ -- someone who knows their calling -- who understands their purpose -- and gives all they are and all they have to follow Jesus where He leads

 

II.  Scripture Lesson (Romans 8:28-30)

            -- this morning, I want us to look at what it means to live lives of purpose and meaning like Borden -- lives sold out for the Kingdom of God

            -- ever since the pandemic hit, this theme has just come up time and time again -- I’ve seen it in my devotions -- I’ve heard it in sermons on the radio -- I’ve seen it in the papers and in the media as people struggle to find meaning in the midst of all that we are going through

            -- more than anything, this pandemic we have been living through has caused us to consider what is truly important in our lives -- and the same is true for our individual churches, as well

            -- I met with a group of pastors this week, and we discussed how the pandemic had affected our churches -- before the pandemic, all of our churches were basically doing the same thing -- we would gather for worship on Sundays -- have a midweek Bible study or service -- and we had all kinds of programs and projects going on, from Vacation Bible School to revivals to covered dish dinners to Sunday Schools to shoeboxes at Christmas -- all of our churches were busy doing religious things

            -- but then the pandemic hit -- and we made the decision to not meet together in corporate worship to avoid potentially infecting others -- everything we had been doing -- everything we had planned to do -- just stopped and was put on hold  

            -- and now, as we are starting to come together again for worship, we see the churches struggling with the decision of what to add back -- we see the churches looking at all that we had been doing and asking the question, what is truly important? -- what is it that we need to add back at this time?

            -- and that process has revealed our true purpose and reason for being -- if you’ll notice, the things we added back first were the most basic elements of our faith -- the reading and interpretation of God’s word -- the prayers of the saints -- the worship of God in song -- and the remembrance of Jesus’ death and resurrection through the sacrament of Holy Communion

            -- which makes us wonder if the rest of the stuff we were doing was truly needed, or if it was just religious busy work

 

            -- we’ve seen this in our individual lives, as well -- as we’ve been forced to define our relationship with Christ apart from a church setting, we’ve discovered that some of us were only fans of Jesus and not true followers

            -- as Kyle Idleman put it in his book, “Not a Fan,” a fan is someone who likes Jesus -- they admire Jesus -- they are grateful for what Jesus has done -- they'll come to church -- they'll come to Bible studies -- they'll even put one of those little Jesus fish on the back of their car -- but that's about it

            -- but a fan is really someone who just adds Jesus to their life -- they keep their plans and their dreams and their lives just like they were -- all they’ve done is add just one more thing -- Jesus -- no biggie -- they're still going to get to heaven -- they're still going to enjoy eternal life -- and they won't have to worry about having anything ruined here on earth

            -- a follower, on the other hand, is committed -- they don't just like Jesus -- they don't just admire Jesus -- they follow Jesus -- they want to be like Jesus

            -- if they see Jesus do something, then they want to do it, too -- if they hear Jesus say something, then they want to tell someone else

            -- they put their whole lives on hold for Him -- they let Him call the shots -- they let Him tell them what to do and where to go and who to be -- it doesn't matter what they had planned out -- they let Jesus change them and change their lives because they trust Him to bring about a better life in the end -- to give their lives meaning and purpose

            -- the question before us this morning is who do we want to be? -- do we want to be fans or followers? -- do we want our churches to be busy doing religious stuff or focused on fulfilling our purpose and calling?

            -- these verses from Romans tell us the path God would have us choose -- He would have us be followers and not just fans -- in our lives and in our churches

 

            -- look back at verse 28

 

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

 

            -- this is a verse that we turn to when times are bad -- when we’re looking for hope in the midst of a storm -- it promises us that God is going to bring good out of whatever trial or trouble we are currently in -- that in all things, God will work for our good

            -- there’s a couple of things in there I want to call your attention to

            -- first, notice that this promise is only given for “those who love Him” -- for believers -- for followers of Jesus

            -- in all things -- both good and bad -- God will work in the lives of those who trust in Him -- who are sold out to Him -- to change their lives for the better -- that doesn’t necessarily mean our physical lives or our material lives -- our health and our wealth -- although it might -- but it does mean that God will always work in our lives and will use every situation and everything that happens to us to shape us and mold us in our spiritual lives to conform us to the image of His Son

            -- next, notice that “those who love Him” -- the sold-out followers of Christ -- have been called according to His purpose -- what does that mean?

            -- that means that we have a reason for being -- God calls us out of the world to be His own and He gives us a mission -- He gives our lives meaning and purpose -- in other words, when God calls us to salvation, He calls us to work for Him in His kingdom

            -- we’re not just called to be fans who come to church on Sundays for one hour a week and then go home -- no, we’re called to be followers, who follow Christ into the mission field and do His will every single day -- as it says in Ephesians 2:10, “we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”

 

            -- verse 29

 

29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

 

            -- there’s two words in here we need to consider: foreknew and predestined -- and, as you look at them, you can see they’re referring to two separate things

            -- there are some denominations that teach predestination in light of salvation -- they say that God has chosen some people to be saved -- the elect -- and has chosen others to not be saved -- in other words, some people were predestined for salvation while others were predestined for condemnation

            -- but that is not how Methodists or how I understand salvation -- 2 Peter 3:9 says that God is patient, that He does not want anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance -- God loves all of us -- and He sent Jesus to die for all of us -- so that all of us might repent of our sins and believe in Jesus and come to salvation through Him -- that is the gospel message that I see in the Bible

            -- but not everyone will be saved -- some people harden their hearts and turn away from the truth of God’s word and the offer of salvation -- we know that -- and God knows that -- that is why it says here that God foreknew those who would love Him -- from the very beginning, God knew which individuals would put their faith and trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins and which ones would not -- there is a big difference between God foreknowing who will be saved and God predetermining who will be saved -- this verse makes that clear

            -- so, for those God foreknew would love Him -- for those who would receive Jesus as their Savior -- these followers of Jesus were predestined -- not for salvation -- but to be conformed in the likeness of His Son

            -- what does it mean to be conformed in the likeness of His Son? -- to be like Jesus -- to live holy and blameless lives -- to follow Jesus and to imitate Him in all ways -- to be holy as He is holy -- to be like Him in attitude and behavior

            -- and it’s important for us to know that in regards to our purpose and meaning as Christian -- we see that in verse 30

 

30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

 

            -- here we see the process of becoming followers of Christ -- notice that before the calling, comes predestination -- not predestined for salvation -- but predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son

            -- before we can serve God -- before we can do anything for Him -- we must first be changed from natural people to spiritual people -- we must be transformed into the likeness of Christ -- as Craig Groeschel put it, “the who comes before the do”

            -- to do meaningful things for the kingdom, we must first become who God wants us to be -- saved and sanctified in His name -- followers, not fans

            -- then comes the calling -- and the thing to know here is that everyone in this room has been called -- if you are a Christian -- if you are a follower of Christ -- you have been called to minister in the name of Jesus

            -- that doesn’t mean everyone is called to be a preacher or a pastor or a teacher -- but everyone is called to witness to the hope we have in Christ -- as it says in Matthew 28:18-20, we are all called to go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything Christ told us to do

            -- that is the calling of every Christian -- along with the Lord our God with all our heart and soul and strength and loving our neighbor as ourselves

 

            -- all Christians are called -- and through living out that calling, we are justified -- in our calling, we find our true salvation -- that’s what Philippians 2:12 means when it says we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling -- by living into our salvation -- by living out what we believe and sharing it with others -- our faith is strengthened and our lives find meaning and purpose

            -- by living out our calling, we are justified -- when we are justified, we are also glorified -- to be glorified means we are in the process of being perfected -- of being like Jesus, inside and out

            -- this is the process of sanctifying grace -- of becoming more and more like Jesus everyday through the power of the Holy Spirit within us

            -- as we follow Jesus -- as we give all that we are to Him -- the Holy Spirit works within us to refine us and remove all our impurities so that we might be pure and holy as Jesus is -- it is then that we are truly fulfilling the purpose and calling of Christ -- it is then we become followers and not just fans

 

III.  Closing

            -- let me close by sharing with you the story about a family who was on vacation in Mexico -- they were playing in the ocean when a rogue riptide swept their young son out to sea -- Immediately, the father started to do whatever he could to help get his son back to the shore, but he, too, was soon swept away in the tide -- He knew that in a few minutes, both he and his son would drown -- He tried to scream, but his family couldn't hear him.

            -- even though he was a strong guy, he was powerless in this situation -- As he was carried along by the water, he had a single, chilling thought: My wife and my daughters are going to have to have a double funeral.

            -- Meanwhile, his cousin, who understood something about the ocean, saw what was happening -- He had learned that if you try to fight a riptide, you will die -- so, he walked out into the water where he knew there was a sandbar -- he stood as close as he could get to the father and son, and then he just lifted his hand up and said, "You come to me. You come to me."

            -- even though the shortest distance to safety seemed to be to swim straight to the shore, it was the most dangerous -- but, by following their cousin’s call and swimming parallel to the beach, the father and son were able to break free of the riptide and made it to the safety of the sandbar²

 

            -- Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death”

            -- it seems right for us to go back to the normal way of church the normal way of living out our Christian lives -- and while following the easy path may not lead to spiritual death, it does lead to spiritual malaise

            -- we have the opportunity before us to redefine who we are now -- as Christians and as a church -- to remember our purpose -- to choose to hear the voice of Jesus calling us to come to Him -- to follow Him -- to fulfill our calling

            -- as we leave here today, I want to challenge you to consider what you have been doing -- the life you have been living -- and see if you need to make a change

            -- if you’ve been living as a fan of Jesus and not a follower, today is the day to let Christ remake you and remold you into the person He has called you to be

            -- remember, you are here for a reason -- God knew that you were one of those who loved Him -- and He predestined you to be conformed to the likeness of His Son -- so that you might fulfill your purpose and be justified and glorified in His name

            -- let us pray

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1[Idleman, Kyle (2011-05-24). Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus (p. 207-209). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.]

2John Ortberg, in the sermon The Way of Wisdom, PreachingToday.com

 

SERMON: TODAY I REMEMBERED MY PURPOSE

 

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in your Bibles to Isaiah 43:6b-7

 

6b Bring my sons from afar

    and my daughters from the ends of the earth—

7 everyone who is called by my name,

    whom I created for my glory,

    whom I formed and made.”

 

            -- "Today I was reminded of my purpose"

            -- that line was the first post I read when I opened up my Facebook account one Friday morning -- it was from a young friend of mine, and that was all it said

            -- I don't know the occasion that prompted this statement -- he did not elaborate in his status -- but those simple words spoke volumes to me and I have been reminded of them many times since

            -- they come from the questions that we all ask of God at some point in our lives -- Why am I here? -- Why did You make me? -- What do You want me to do with my life?

            -- St. Augustine wrote that our hearts are restless until they find rest in our God and Creator -- I would add that our hearts are restless until we find answers for those questions -- until we remember our purpose and know why we are here and what God wants us to do with our lives

 

            -- looking around, I think a lot of people are just wandering through life -- drifting along -- aimless and pointless -- with nothing to do and nothing to live for

            -- some people are like those described in the book, “Brave New World” -- they fill their lives seeking the highs of happiness through entertainment and superficial relationships -- doing nothing of importance while true life passes them by

            -- others follow the traditional treadmill of the American Dream -- that plodding path that a lot of us were set on where we go to school and get a job and work for 30 or 40 years -- waiting for retirement so that we can start enjoying life

            -- others seek to hide from their lives in the bottom of a bottle or with drugs or sex or something else

            -- very few people have truly found their purpose in life and the reason they are here -- the vast majority of us are still looking for it

 

            -- I think there’s a reason why we feel so lost -- I’ve pondered this for some time, and I’ve come to the conclusion that this drifting and sense of lostness in our lives is a move of God -- I think it is God shaking our lives and calling our attention to the fact the American Dream should not be our dream -- that we were created for more than a treadmill to retirement -- that we were created to love and to be loved -- to be in relationship with God and to live out of that relationship into the lives of those we come into contact with

            -- I think that’s one reason He allowed the coronavirus pandemic to affect our lives in this way -- in a matter of weeks, God stripped away all the superficialities of life -- entertainment -- sports -- relationships -- vocations -- even our religion -- and He brought us to the place where there was nothing left but us to remind us of who we truly are and why we are here

            -- He’s done all of this to help us learn to see again -- to remember our purpose -- to know why we are here and why He created us in the first place -- so that, when all this is over, our lives won’t go back to “normal” -- but they’ll go back to “better” -- they’ll be lives of meaning and purpose lived in the light of God’s love

 

            -- in order to remember our purpose -- in order to find our way with God again -- we must remember the great truth that God created us -- He created you -- on purpose

            -- in Jeremiah 1:4-5, God tells Jeremiah, "Before you were in the womb, I knew you -- before you were born, I sanctified you" -- that means that even before we were conceived by our parents, God had already planned for us to be born and had already planned what we would do here on earth -- our lives were designed with purpose and meaning in mind

            -- we are not accidents or the result of an evolutionary process -- we were created by God the Father with a purpose in mind -- the Bible tells us that God loves us for who we are and He has great plans for our lives -- Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you -- plans of peace and not for evil -- to give you a future and a hope"

            -- so, what are these plans? -- Why are we here? -- Why did God make us? -- What does God want us to do with our time here on earth?

            -- that’s what I want us to talk about this morning

 

II.  FINDING MEANING AND PURPOSE IN LIFE

            -- we’re going to begin our journey to answer these questions in Isaiah 43:6b-7 -- listen as I read these verses to you again

 

6b Bring my sons from afar

    and my daughters from the ends of the earth—

7 everyone who is called by my name,

    whom I created for my glory,

    whom I formed and made.”

 

            -- this section of Isaiah is one of the few places in the Bible where God speaks to us directly -- in most other places in the Bible, we hear others talking about God or their relationship with God -- but here, in Isaiah 43, God Himself speaks to our hearts and our souls

            -- He begins by reminding us that He is the one who created us -- it was He who formed us and redeemed us and saved us from captivity to sin and death -- in verse 11, God says, “apart from Me there is no Savior”

            -- and, because He has redeemed us -- because He has saved us -- He now calls us to Him from all the places where we have wandered -- in verse 6, He calls out to the north and the south to give us up and not to hold us back, but to let us come back to Him

            -- in the second part of verse 6, God says, “Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth -- everyone who is called by My name”

            -- and here’s what I want you to see -- “whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made”

            -- why did God make us? -- what is the chief end of man? -- it is to bring glory to God -- that is why He made us -- that is why He formed us -- that is why He redeemed and saved us through His Son Jesus Christ -- that we might bring glory to Him -- that is why we are here

            -- so, how do we bring glory to God?

 

            -- first, by being in a relationship with Him -- by believing in Him and putting our faith and hope and trust in His Son Jesus Christ

            -- turn over to Ephesians 1:3-8 and let’s read that passage together

 

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,

 

            -- there is one purpose for which we were all made -- we were all made for a special relationship with God -- out of all the things that God made, mankind was the only thing that was created in the very image of God

            -- that means we are the image bearers of God -- we are designed to reflect God's nature -- just like Christ reflected the image of the Father when He was on earth-- we were designed to reflect and share God's care and concern for the world

            -- that’s why He says here that He chose us in Him before the creation of the world -- that is why He has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing -- that’s why He adopted us as His sons and daughters through Jesus Christ

            -- so that we would be in relationship with Him -- we would be living in Him and He in us -- so that He would be our all in all -- all that we have -- all that we do -- all that we live for -- it all finds meaning and purpose in God and God alone

            -- when we are in a relationship with God -- when we are living our lives in faith and walking as God intended us to walk, then we are doing what God called us to do -- and when others see that -- when they recognize that we are living supernatural lives empowered by God’s presence within us, then God is glorified through our lives

 

            -- whenever we are doing what God called us to do -- whenever we are being who God called us to be -- when we are living in relationship with Him through faith in Jesus Christ, then we are bringing glory to the Father and are fulfilling our purpose

            -- a spiritual leader once said, "the glory of God is a human being fully alive" -- to be fully alive is to know God and have faith in God and find our meaning and purpose in Him and bring glory to Him through our lives

 

            -- the second way we bring glory to God is by doing good works for Him -- by ministering to others in His name, so that they will see God in us and through us

            -- turn over to 1 Peter 4:7-11 -- here in this passage, Peter tells us how we are to live holy and blameless lives for God so that others might come to know Him through us

 

            -- verse 7 -- The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.

             -- he tells us to be clear minded and self-controlled -- to know our purpose and to live lives of meaning -- to not let ourselves be carried away by entertainment or politics or any other pettiness of this world -- but to self-controlled so that we may give ourselves to God in prayer and in our relationship to Him

 

            -- verses 8-9

8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

 

-- our lives should look different from those who live in the world -- we should love everyone deeply -- in words and in deeds -- we should forgive sins and offer hospitality to one another -- that means to minister to them -- to meet their needs -- to give them water when they’re thirsty and food when they’re hungry -- to reach out to others without complaint -- to bless them as God has blessed us

 

            -- verses 10-11

10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

 

            -- Peter says that when we take the spiritual blessings that God gave us and use them to serve others in the strength God provides, God will be praised -- God will be glorified through us

            -- when we serve others in the name of Jesus, God is lifted up -- when we minister to others in the name of Jesus, God is glorified

            -- we bring glory to God by doing good works for others in His name

 

            -- the final way we bring God glory and honor is by worshiping and praising Him -- 1 Chronicles 16:23-29

 

23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth;

    proclaim his salvation day after day.

24 Declare his glory among the nations,

    his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

 

25 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;

    he is to be feared above all gods.

26 For all the gods of the nations are idols,

    but the Lord made the heavens.

27 Splendor and majesty are before him;

    strength and joy are in his dwelling place.

 

28 Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,

    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

    bring an offering and come before him.

Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

 

            -- nothing brings God more glory than when we worship and praise Him for who He is and what He has done

            -- in these verses, we are told to sing to the Lord, all the earth -- to proclaim His salvation and His name day after day -- to declare His glories among the nations -- to lift up His marvelous deeds to all

            -- I don’t think we spend enough time worshiping and praising God -- we spend a lot of time learning about Him and talking about Him and asking Him for things in our prayers -- but I don’t think we spend enough time actively worshiping God and praising Him for who He is

            -- the writer here reminds us of God’s splendor and majesty -- of His strength and the joy in His dwelling place -- he admonishes us to ascribe to the Lord glory due His name -- that means we are to praise enthusiastically -- to constantly lift Him up

            -- we need to intentionally spend time worshiping and praising God -- to glorifying His name -- take some time this week -- sing to Him with your whole heart -- lift Him up on high -- and praise Him for who He is and what He has done for you

 

III.  CLOSING

            -- for those of us who find ourselves adrift in this world today, seeking meaning and purpose in life, let us be reminded of what God has done for us -- He formed us and He created us in His image and breathed into us the breath of life -- He redeemed us and saved us from captivity to sin and death -- He has brought us into life and filled us with His very presence -- He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing through Jesus Christ -- and He calls us His sons and His daughters

             -- when Brooke was younger, she always wanted to be a princess -- so, I told her that she was truly a princess because she was a daughter of the King -- and on those days when she was acting out and doing things she wouldn’t do, I got into the habit of asking her who she was -- and she learned to repeat back that she was a princess, the daughter of the King -- and then I asked her how a princess should act -- and when she thought about it, she’d straighten up -- at least for a little while

            -- we need to remind ourselves of who we are in Christ -- we are the sons and daughters of the King -- we are those God created and formed and called to bring glory to His name -- and when we live our lives a princes and princesses -- when we live our lives as those redeemed and saved by the King -- we find our purpose and meaning for life

            -- our goal -- our objective -- should be to bring glory to God in our lives -- by living in faith and in relationship with Him -- by living holy and blameless lives and doing the good works He has called us to do -- and by worshiping and praising God for who He is and what He has done

            -- we are leaving here with a choice -- to step into who we are as royalty in the Kingdom of God -- or to step back into the world and into lives without true meaning or purpose

            -- where do you want to go? -- at the end of your days, what will be the measure of your life? -- a retirement certificate on the wall? -- a last-ditch effort to travel and see what you missed your whole life? -- or the remembrance of lives touched for the kingdom -- of souls saved from the fire -- of eternity changed for many because you took the time to seek them out and to see them and to love them

            -- this week, I want to challenge you to look at life as never before -- to look into the eyes of another -- to seek their heart -- and to speak into their life the good news of Jesus Christ

            -- that is where we find meaning and purpose -- that is what we are searching for

 

            -- let's pray

 

 

SERMON: UNDERSTANDING THE TIMES

 

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to 1 Chronicles 12:32

 

from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;

 

            -- we recently hired a new biologist at work, and I have been going out with her some to help her learn her way around the installation -- she is a herpetologist by training -- someone who studies reptiles and amphibians -- and I am not a specialist in any one area, although I did focus on wildlife diseases when I was working on my Master’s Degree

            -- but what I’ve found interesting is the difference in our experiences in the same place -- for instance, I took her out to show her the bald eagle nest we have on the installation -- and we walked down the same trail together to the nest and then back to the truck -- when we got back, she started talking about the different frogs she heard -- the lizards and skinks she saw -- and the snake that crossed our path

            -- I didn’t see any of that -- what I did see were the birds that were flitting in the trees around us -- and I heard the birds calling and singing -- and I made a mental note of the ten different species that we encountered during our trip to the nest and back -- she didn’t see or hear any of the birds

            -- two people in the exact same place, walking the same trail at the same time, and each of us saw and experienced something different

 

            -- thinking about it reminded me of the Rorshach Test -- better known as the inkblot test -- the psychological test that a lot of people are given at some point in their lives -- people are shown a picture of an inkblot and then asked what they see -- their answers reveal insights into their personality characteristics and their emotional functioning

            -- it’s amazing how different people can look at the exact same image and see something entirely different

            -- this morning, I want to talk about seeing what is really there -- about learning go through life recognizing God’s presence and seeing His hand moving around you so that you will be able to join Him in His work

            -- our text this morning is just one verse, but it is a verse of great depth that is really meaningful to us today

            -- if you would, let’s read 1 Chronicles 12:32 together again

 

from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command

 

II.  The Men of Issachar

            -- let me give you the context of this passage, because this is important in understanding what is going on in this verse

            -- during the time of the prophet Samuel, the nation of Israel cried out for a king -- previously, they had been led by judges or prophets who gave them direction from God -- but the people of Israel looked around at all the other nations and saw that they had kings -- and they wanted one for themselves

            -- so, God gave them over to their desires, and had Samuel anoint Saul, from the tribe of Benjamin, to be their king -- Saul looked like a king should look -- tall, strong, handsome -- unfortunately, he just wasn’t a good leader and he wasn’t a godly man -- he disobeyed God -- he did things his own way -- so, God sent Samuel to anoint another man as king -- the shepherd boy David -- a man after God’s own heart

            -- although God anointed David as king, Saul continued to rule in Israel -- David was his son-in-law, and conflict broke out between them and David fled from Saul’s presence -- Saul continually hunted David, seeking to kill him -- during these years of conflict with Saul, people started to follow David -- and he was appointed king over a portion of the 12 tribes, ruling in the town of Hebron -- but David had not yet been appointed king over all the nation -- rather than trying to take things into his own hand, he bided his time -- waiting for the Lord hand and for the time when God would lead him to take the throne of Israel once and for all

            -- while Saul continued to rule Israel, the nation was at constant war with the Philistines -- and right before this passage in 1 Chronicles 12, we read that Saul and his sons were killed in battle -- the nation was without a king and was at a crisis point -- would they appoint Saul’s grandson as king in his stead? -- would they appoint one of the other military leaders? -- or would they turn to David?

            -- the warriors recognized David’s military prowess, and began coming to him at Hebron to serve him there -- and, over time, more and more came -- beginning in 1 Chronicles 12:23, we see a list of the men from the various tribes who came to pledge loyalty to David -- the men of Judah -- the men of Simeon -- the men of Levi -- all the way down to 1 Chronicles 12:32, our verse for today, where we read about the men of Issachar

 

            -- Issachar was Jacob’s ninth son -- the fifth son born to Jacob and Lea -- so, Issachar and the tribe that came from his lineage -- were not the leaders of Israel -- they were a lesser tribe -- lower down in authority and strength because of their position

            -- when Moses brought the nation of Israel to the Jordan River and was getting them ready to cross over the river under Joshua’s leadership, Moses called out each tribe -- describing their character and their nature and talking about the land they would inherit

            -- in Genesis 49:14-15, Moses said “Issachar is a rawboned donkey lying down between two saddlebags.  When he sees how good is his resting place and how pleasant is his land, he will bend his shoulder to the burden and submit to forced labor”

            -- this description of the men of Issachar reflected their work effort -- their physical strength -- their willingness to do what needed to be done

            -- Moses said they would submit to forced labor -- in other words, they would be servants, not leaders -- the text implies that they were called to serve the Lord wherever He led -- and their history as a tribe bears that out -- throughout the ages, the men of Issachar recognized what God was doing in their midst -- they knew His will for them and for the nation of Israel -- and bent their shoulders to do what God was calling them to do

            -- they were known for their wisdom -- as James Emery White pointed out, “it was even noted in the Talmud that the wisest members of the Sanhedrin came from the men of Issachar”

            -- which explains why we are given this extra information here in 1 Chronicles 12:32 about the tribe of Issachar when they came to present themselves to David at Hebron -- “the men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do”

            -- I want to unpack that verse a little right now and see what it meant in light of the tribe of Israel and what it means for us

 

III.  Understanding the Times and Knowing What to Do

 1.  Understood the times

            -- the first thing we see there is that the men of Issachar “understood the times” -- other translations have this as they “knew the signs of the times”

            -- what does it mean to “understand the times?”

 

            -- as we have said before, we live in an information age -- we have more information available to us than at any time in history -- we have more information in our smartphones than the NASA scientists had available to them when they put a man on the moon

            -- I read a stat this week that said that in the year 2015 alone, we produced as much information as had been created from all of history up to that point -- we are a people bombarded with news and information on a constant basis -- 24/7

 

            -- when I was a kid, I remember always having to watch the local news at 6:00 pm -- that’s just what we did -- Daddy would wait all day for the news to come on so he could see what was happening in south Georgia and so he could see what the weather was going to be for the rest of the week -- his day revolved around making sure that he was at home on time to see the news

            -- now we have 24 hours news on stations like CNN and Fox and 24-hour weather on The Weather Channel -- we don’t have to wait to get news or weather any longer -- it just comes at us all the time -- we just have to turn to that channel -- and, if that wasn’t enough, while the announcer is telling us the news about one story, we see all the headlines of the day scrolling right below him

 

            -- but what do we do with this information? -- our verse tells us the men of Issachar saw the news -- they saw everything that was going on -- they received all this information, and they understood the signs of the times -- that means that they not only knew what was going on, but they knew what it meant  

            -- when we watch the news -- when we receive information like this -- we need to learn to spend time with it, asking the question, “what does this mean? -- what does this mean to me? -- what is God doing in this story?

            -- when we watch the news or read the internet or do whatever it is we do to get information, we have to keep in mind that although we are living in this physical world, there is always a spiritual component behind the scenes -- that’s why Paul said in Ephesians 6:12, “for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers and the authorities, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” -- there is always an unseen spiritual component behind every physical act

            -- that means we need to learn to see the spiritual behind the physical -- we need to seek to understand what is happening from God’s perspective in order to really understand and know the signs of the times

            -- I like what Zig Ziglar used to say -- every morning he would get up and read the newspaper and then he’d read his Bible, because he wanted to know what each side was up to

            -- that’s what we are talking about -- that’s what the men of Issachar were doing -- they read the signs of the times -- they understood them and knew what they meant -- and looking at the signs going on around them, they saw the hand of God moving

           

            -- when we watch the news -- when we read stuff on the internet -- we need to ask ourselves, “what does this mean? -- what is God doing at this moment in time? -- How is God moving in our world today to shape us and form us and mold us into who He wants us to be?”

            -- the first thing we should seek to do is to understand the signs of the times -- what is God doing in our midst?

 

2.  Knew what Israel should do

            -- the second thing we see here in this verse -- the men of Issachar knew what Israel should do

            -- when the men of Issachar saw God’s hand moving in David’s life -- when they saw that God had allowed Saul and his sons to die on the battlefield -- they remembered Samuel’s prophecy and anointing of David as the chosen one of Israel

            -- they realized God’s hand was with David and they knew it was time for Israel to fulfill the prophecy and to do the will of God

            -- “they had a sense of what to think, how to act and the manner in which to respond -- the role their lives had in light of the moment in which they lived”

            -- they knew it was time for Israel to appoint a new king -- so, they came to David at Hebron to pledge their loyalty to him

 

            -- that’s not the first time the men of Issachar understood the signs of the times and knew what needed to be done -- in the time of the Judges, the nation of Israel was leaderless -- it was under attack from other nations -- their spiritual life was waning -- they needed a strong leader to rise up and restore the nation under God and to lead them into battle -- and, so, they raised up Deborah from their tribe to lead the nation and defeat their enemies on the battlefield

 

            -- it’s not enough to understand the signs of the times -- once we know what is going on, we must know what needs to be done -- in other words, once we recognize what God is doing in our midst, what should we do?

            -- I think Henry Blackaby put it best in his Bible study, Experiencing God -- when we see  where God is working, then we should go and join Him

 

            -- how do we do this? -- how do we know what to do?

            -- remember, we are God’s people -- we are no longer part of this world -- we live in this world, but we are not a part of it -- we are part of God’s kingdom, and we must look to Him for wisdom in knowing what to do

            -- our primary resource is always God’s word -- we must start with the Bible -- even though the Bible may not speak exactly to the situation on today’s headline, it does speak of responding to similar situations

            -- through the Scriptures and through prayer, we learn how a godly person should act -- as we read the Scriptures -- as we pray for guidance and direction -- the Holy Spirit guides our steps -- He reveals the truth of situations -- He shows us what to do -- He gives us principles and precepts by which to live -- He shows us how to respond, leading us to the path we should follow so we can join God in what He is doing in this place

 

            -- I remember one time that my mother was struggling with the question of what to do -- someone had asked her to do something, and she didn’t know if she should do it or not -- she wrestled with it for a long time -- and so she brought it up at Bible study one night

            -- she said that she had prayed about it and that she had read a passage in the Scriptures that seemed to tell her that she should get up and do what they were asking her to do, but she still wasn’t sure

            -- we looked at the passage with her and all of us at the table said, “it sounds like you should do this” -- but she still wavered - she still wasn’t sure -- “I just don’t know what God wants me to do”

            -- we tried to get her to see God’s direction from the Bible -- finally, I said is God going to have to call you and tell you to do it? -- and, believe it or not, her phone range -- and it was the person who needed her help, asking her again to do it -- you can’t get more clear than that -- at that point, she knew what she should do, just like the men of Issachar knew here in this passage

            -- once you understand the signs of the times, you have to know what to do

 

3.  Took action

            -- but there’s one more step in the process -- once you understand the signs of the times -- once you know what needs to be done -- you have to get up and you have to take action

            -- right now, there are thousands of unwritten novels in this country -- right now, there are unfinished projects in every home -- right now, there are people who are saying, “I know I need to do this, but…” -- and nothing gets done

            -- you have to take action once you know what needs to be done

           

            -- we see that right here in this verse -- once the men of Issachar understood the signs of the times and knew what Israel should do, they got up and went to Hebron and pledged their loyalty to David as king over all Israel

            -- definition of wisdom is knowing what to do with the facts -- knowing what to do with knowledge

            -- but the definition of a mature Christian is someone who applies wisdom through action

 

            -- it’s not enough to just know what needs to be done -- or even to make plans for doing it -- none of it counts for anything until you actually take action

            -- Think of a football game -- the offense gathers everybody together in the huddle -- they understand what is going on -- they know what needs to be done -- they know what play needs to be called for them to make it to the goal line -- but huddling up is not enough

            -- you aren’t recognized for how good you huddle -- you aren’t recognized for how good your plan is or for your good intentions -- you’re recognized for what happens after you break the huddle and the ball is snapped -- it’s only when you get into the game, that anything happens

 

IV.  Closing

            -- so, let’s bring this to a close

            -- we live in an unprecedented time in history -- never before has anyone gone through what we are going through right now with the pandemic and the injustice and the racial issues and the threat of terrorism and war and the moral issues in our country and in our churches -- people have been through similar issues in the past, but never all at the same time and never compressed into such a short time period as this

            -- future generations are going to look at this -- they’re going to study this time -- they’re going to talk about all the things that have happened -- and they’re going to ask the question, “so, what did the people in that time do? -- what should the people in that time have done?”

            -- that’s the question that is before us today

 

            -- the first thing we must do is to seek to understand the signs of the times -- to look past the headlines and to see God’s hand and what He is doing -- we have to open spiritual eyes and seek God’s presence in the midst of what is going on

            -- secondly, we have to know what we should do -- we have to search out our Scriptures and pray and talk with other mature Christians to learn what God would have us do -- what does He want us to do at this moment in history? -- what is He calling us to do?

            -- the Bible promises us that if we seek God, we will find Him -- He will never leave us or forsake us -- so, if we turn to Him in this time, asking for His guidance and direction, He will show us

            -- and then we must move -- we must act -- we must break our huddle and get outside the walls of this church and join God and make a difference in this world in this moment of time

 

            -- there’s a famous illustration that is used in the Walk to Emmaus that you have probably heard before -- either from there or from another source -- there is a church in Europe that had a statue of Jesus in front of it during World War II -- during the bombing and the fighting in Europe in that time, the statue was damaged, and the hands of Christ were broken off

            -- someone gathered those hands and put them at the feet of the statue, along with a sign that said, “Christ now has no hands but yours”

            -- we must be the hands and feet of Jesus in this time -- He is not calling us to fear and paralysis, but to action in His name -- He’s calling us to witness -- to disciple -- to minister to the physical and spiritual needs of those around us -- to save the people of this world by leading them to His kingdom

 

            -- the men of Issachar understood the times and knew what Israel should do, and then they did it

            -- may we understand the times in which we live and know what the Church should do -- and then, may we have the grace and the strength to do it

            -- let us pray