Morton Church of Christ

Jesus Is

 Preachers Stuff        Home

Here Am I (not!)

( 2-19-06 )

Acts 13:1-5

·        In the text reading, verse 2, who did the calling?

·        Did the one who called also determine the type of service called?

·        Did the church accept and cooperate in the process?

·        Did the ones called have a right to deny or reject the calling?

·        Does scripture give us any indication of Paul and Barnabas’ feeling about their calling?

Everyone who is in Christ was called by God, through various sources, into a relationship with him. This same God who does the calling also does the assigning of the place within the body that each individual holds.  

(Call -Rom.8:28, 2Pet.1:10) (Assigning – 1Cor.12:18,24)

(other passages on Calling – Eph.4:1, 2Thes.1:11, Heb.3:1)

Here are several conclusions that can be drawn from these passages:

1.     If you are saved then you have been called

2.     If called then you also have been assigned your place

3.     If you have been assigned a place then you also bear responsibility for the place you hold in the kingdom.

4.     If you are saved, assigned, and responsible for then you will be held accountable also.

Peters words that set the context for his statement of fact in 2Pet1:10 are necessary parts of the maturing of a Christian but also are vital to the accomplishment of the responsibilities each Christian will be held accountable for.

          Paul understood his calling as an Apostle to the Gentiles. We can see from the historic facts set before us in Scripture that Paul accepted his calling, investigated his responsibilities and joyfully pursued their accomplishment. We can all learn from his example of dedicated service.

          Paul writes this to the church at Corinth : “Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it.” (1Cor.12:27) and to the church at Ephesus he writes: “From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”  (Eph.4:16) The point is easily seen that every Christian has a place within the body and that place has its special duties. It can also clearly be seen that the rest of the body is dependent upon every other part for its own wellbeing.

          This leaves several questions for consideration:

1.     Are you in the body?

2.     Do you know what your place in the body is?

3.     Do you understand your purpose or role of dependence in the body? (by dependence I mean your being dependent upon the rest of the body and the body being dependent upon you)

4.     Is there reason to believe that this church body is as healthy and complete as designed by Jesus Himself?

Here some solutions that may need to be employed here at Morton:

·        Seek a better understanding of who you are in Christ and in His body, the Church.

·        Pray for the gifting (enabling) needed to accomplish and fulfill our high calling

·        Pray for the body of Christ here at Morton to be built up as Jesus would like it to be. (if parts of the body are missing, pray for filling)