006. calling

the following thought is based on a talk I gave at St Lawrence’s, Salisbury.

…..

calling.

a word that conjures up a multitude of meanings and thoughts but for this thought I’ll be taking two pieces of scripture, 1 Samuel 3 and Ephesians 4. what I would like to pick up on and spend some time thinking about is the idea of God’s calling on our lives. the idea that God’s calling on us is not only something that is formed within us but is also worked out within community.

in 1 Samuel 3 we have a clear picture of God calling Samuel. but do you notice how many times God has to call his name? how many times does God call Samuel Samuel! it takes four attempts for Samuel to answer as he does so in verse 10 when he says:

Speak, for your servant is listening!

but notice Samuel only reaches this point by sharing with Eli. Samuel a young follower of God reaches out to his community; in this case Eli. an older wiser man who realizes that God is calling this young man and helps to guide him to a place where he can respond.

this story is a timely reminder that our journey of faith is done so not on our own but with others.

God wants us to be built up by our brothers and sisters in Christ;

built up in our community,

and for most of us that have a faith in Jesus that means our church community.

i wonder for many of us who have a faith in Jesus and say we have a relationship with God we are where we are precisely because at some point when we were like Samuel — we had to reach out to the Eli’s around us — to guide us towards God. i know for me there have been times in my life I have had to reach out to older, wiser Christians to help guide me through situations and to help me understand what God wants for my life. i could have just tried to figure it out on my own but as most of us know that is not always the best way — there is something very powerful about sharing with one another and building each other up in our faith.

which is where the reading from Ephesians 4 dovetails with this idea of calling within the community setting.

Paul is writing to the church of Ephesus with a plea that we each of us are called. God has a calling on our lives that goes beyond just a faith based on him. notice how in verse 1 of chapter 4 Paul writes:

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

it is the words live a life worthy of the calling that speaks to me. Paul is not saying live a life that is ok or a life that will do. no he asks us all to life a life worthy of that which God has given us.

because as Paul reminds us in verse 7:

…to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

God has given us grace.

underserved grace is the thing which unites the church in Ephesus — the same grace is what unites us here this evening. God’s grace given through the gift of Jesus.

it is a grace that does not belong to a social demographic or economic class.

it is not defined by the colour of your skin. And it can not be contained to the borders of a nation.

it can not be earned,

it can not be purchased

and it can not be won.

it is a grace freely given by God for us to freely receive.

none is above all below in God’s eyes — in God’s eyes we are all the same.

as Paul sees it our calling can be worked out though our character, our gifts and our maturing in faith. within the relationship of Jesus and also the relationship with each other.

in verse 2 Paul calls us to have a character that is …completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

because if we are humble and gentle and patient with each other we will be a people that are listening to each other. happy to hear someone’s point of view. now we don’t always have to agree with it but we can bare with each other. and if our character is like that then we will grow as a community.

in verse 11 Paul reminds us that each of us are blessed with gifts

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.

each of us here is uniquely called to serve each other. God has given us all gifts that when put to use will build each other up.

now for some that will be standing up the front here and teaching or preaching; for others it will be making the tea & coffee or sorting out the rota. for some it will mean just being present and being that person who listens. all of these roles are vital parts of community life and each is a skill gifted to us from God.

which then leads us on to verse 13 where we can all ‘…become mature attaining to the whole measure of the fulness of Christ’

because if we follow our calling from God we will become more like Christ and in doing so we will naturally be reaching out to our community. and in doing so be looking to support and build each other up.

now I know for some here the idea of calling is something that is quite scary. you hear the word calling and you imagine that you life will be turned upside down, you will have to board a plane travel to the other side of the world and end up living in the middle of jungle with a tribe of cannibals.

ok I know that might seem extreme — but that is always how I heard and understood calling.

but I am stood here this evening because like Samuel I finally answered God’s calling on my life. i look back over my life and I realise that God has been calling me over and over again. but like Samuel I didn’t hear it properly. but with guidance within the community I belong to and seeking out others — and include Paul in this! -finally on September 24th 2014 I finally heard God’s calling and like Samuel answered.

and what have I found so far?… I have found I am doing things which God has gifted me in. from the depths of me God is using gifts I didn’t even realise I had. i have found myself standing up in front of a bunch of strangers and being allowed to teach and preach — all of which is nothing I thought I would be worthy or even able to do.

but in God all things are possible and it is by making ourselves open to Him and trusting in Him that all things are possible.

and for me that’s the point.

within each of us God has given us gifts — unique gifts.

God will not call you to a something that you will be uncomfortable doing or ill equipped to carry out. God just wants us all to respond like Samuel and in doing so build our faith not only in Him but as a result build each other up in the process.

because I truly believe that God means to do something with all of us and He means to do it within the context community. and all God wants us to do is respond to His calling on each of us.

Peace and blessings

-matt