SENT: Calling

Matthew chapter 10 is a Sermon on Mission, showing us what it means to be Christ-centered people in a hostile world; what it means to be sent by God with the gospel to a spiritually needy world motivated by compassion, sure of our calling, displaying godly character, exercising caution, commanding courage, embracing crucifixion and receiving God's righteous rewards. We saw in Matt. 9:35-38 that Compassion motivates mission. It highlighted the fact that we need the Lord Jesus Christ, we need Christ’s compassion, and we need to be praying. Jesus was going about all the cities and villages teaching, preaching and healing. As He did He saw the people’s spiritual condition and felt compassion for them. And Jesus told His disciples to pray for God to act on the people’s behalf by sending workers into His harvest of souls that He would save.

While Compassion inspires mission, we see in Matthew 10:1-4 that Calling confirms it. You need to be sure of your calling…so that you are able to function unrestrictedly in the roles God has placed you in, the things God has given you to do. Calling is just as crucial in the process of being sent – as you are chosen by another of higher rank and go with the authority bestowed upon you by the one doing the choosing. God’s purpose in saving us is to conform us to the image of Christ – that we would praise Jesus forever. God’s purpose for us involves helping others love Jesus too. We are SENT by God, on assignment, on a journey of rescuing the perishing. We exist for His glory & He is glorified when more people come to know & praise Jesus Christ. Let’s see how God’s calling plays into that.

CALLING is whatever God wants His people to do. Disciple means student. Someone who accepts the instruction of their teacher, making His teaching the basis of their conduct. They totally submit to His authority. Totally surrendered. Captured by grace. An ongoing relational living experience. Called, summoned, appointed by God - they willingly accepted that appointment. They had switched their fundamental allegiance to Jesus; and where He sent them they would gladly go. From the earliest days, Christians confessed Christos Kurios – Jesus is Lord. In the 1st century they were required to say Kaiser Kurios – Caesar is Lord. Confessing Christ as Lord meant you believed Jesus was the supreme power. It put you at direct odds with the culture of the day.

Those Jesus called He gave His AUTHORITY The Greek word is exousia, which means the power to do anything. But not just the power, the right, permission, liberty to exercise it. It is the God-given power and right to act as His representatives. They were being sent to do the same things Jesus was doing. They were being given the ability to do what they could not do without Him. The One whose words were authority-filled bestowed on them the gift of His authority. Delegated it to them to show without a doubt that He is sovereign over all physical and spiritual realms, the effects of sin and the efforts of Satan to kill and destroy. This display of God’s power was unprecedented. He gave them a gift to authenticate their calling as God’s messengers.

And we see that it is not something done alone...it is done in COMMUNITY. God gathers those He sends. Being a witness of Christ to the world is a special and unique calling. And we see that Jesus does His mission through undeserving, unlikely, very different people working together for His glory to show His Excellency and power. The 12 Apostles were very ordinary men, no wealth, no academic background, no social position. Common folk.

Simon Peter and Andrew his brother were fishermen from Bethsaida. Peter is always first in the lists of apostles. He was a true leader. Not over them, they had only one master, Jesus. He was more like first among equals. Andrew was not as prominent but he was important. He brought people, including his brother Peter, to Jesus.

James son of Zebedee and John his brother. The 2nd set of prominent brothers, also fishermen. Jesus called them sons of thunder – due to their intense personalities. Once they wanted to destroy a Samaritan city that rejected Jesus.

Philip and Bartholomew. Philip means lover of horses. From Bethsaida as well. Bartholomew is Aramaic, meaning Son of Tolmai. Nathaniel, from Cana, of whom Jesus said, an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile. No falsehood.

Thomas and Matthew the tax collector. Thomas is called the twin. Known for doubting but also for courage. Matthew humbly remembers his former life by identifying his former profession. He was so mindful of God’s grace to him.

James the son of Alphaeus and Thaddeus. James may have been Matthew’s bother. Thaddeus means beloved.

Simon the Cananean and Judas Isacriot. Cananean means zealot. Josephus described Zealots as the 4th party of the Jews (behind the Pharisees, Saducees and Essenes). God was their only ruler and lord, willing to die for freedom. Refused to call any man king. They would murder to rid their country of foreign rule. And Judas is always listed last. Iscariot means one from Keriah, a town in Judah. He was the treasurer and a thief. He betrayed Jesus and took his own life.

What we have here is a community, of very different individuals, brought together by Jesus. They might not have felt able, 2 Cor. 3:6 He would be their adequacy, their sufficiency. Apart from Him they could do nothing, but with Him they could do all things. 1 Cor. 1:26 Not many wise, not many mighty…a diverse group – fishermen, a tax collector, a zealot…a thief, some quiet, some impetuous. Brought together for the gospel. A community of people united around common faith in Jesus Christ can do absolutely impossible things.

There are important implications for us.
If you are not a Christian you need Jesus.
If you are a Christian…1. You have been chosen and called by God to salvation and service. All He choose are called to take the gospel to others. It is a non-negotiable expectation. It costs nothing to us to be saved, it costs everything to us to follow. You may not feel able. He is your adequacy, sufficiency. Salvation is a free gift from God we didn’t deserve; being called by God to serve Him is an undeserved gift - God uses us in spite of not because of us. He is going to use you to fulfill His purposes. You are a tool in God’s hands.
Make sure that your fundamental allegiance is to Jesus Christ. If at any time you notice that it is not, quickly confess it to Him and realign yourself with Him lest you drift away from Him. Acknowledge Christ’s lordship & you will put yourself at direct odds with the world around you.

2. What God calls you to do He equips, enables and empowers you to do. You have everything you need to do everything He wants – you have everything you need this moment – given to you by God – to do everything He wants you to do in this moment. He will give you exactly what you need next to fulfill His purposes. It is His work, He will supply all the needed resources and tools. You are a tool in the hands of God. You have the ability and permission to act as Christ’s representative – empowered and enabled to do what is humanly impossible. It is the Holy Spirit working in and through you. God’s work is dependent on Him, not us. We are called to trust Him and be faithful.

3. You are called to reach others within a community of believers. He will be glorified through His church. When you come to faith in Christ one of the first things you need to learn is you cannot do it alone – you live within a fellowship of believers and must always seek to honor that fellowship. Christian mission is a community effort made up of various gifts from God, as 1 Cor. 12, Rom. 12, & Eph. 4 show the variety of gifts God blesses the church with. You may not like the co-workers God has placed you with. One of them may end up being an imposter, like Judas. You are called to be faithful to God’s calling – He will be faithful to complete the work He started in you. God unites into one family people of completely different and sometimes opposite backgrounds and personalities united by the cross of Christ and His substituting Himself for them. People who hate each other can learn to love each other when they have been chosen and called by Jesus Christ. We are part of a unique and unlikely mix God puts together - for such a time as this – united by & for the gospel.

God is building a gospel-centered community of those He has chosen and called, that proclaims and displays the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our calling in Christ is a gift – God by his Spirit God giving us power and ability we do not possess; in order to do what we could not do - in community with other believers –to the glory of God.

Soli Deo Gloria