Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Epistle Lesson just read, from 1 Cor. 7. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- If you are a believer in God, and especially if you have come to know His gracious love, mercy, forgiveness and salvation in Christ Jesus, then you probably have at least some interest in learning what God wants you to be doing as His child, as His servant and disciple in your life in this world.
- We learn some of this in Sunday School and Confirmation, and in the sermons we hear and the Bible Studies we attend. Yet we have also learned what it takes to be responsible and successful in our earthly life – and all of this is quite important as well, for people are depending upon us. At times we have questions as to just how these two sets of responsibilities fit together.
- In the Scripture lessons just read we heard about God’s calling to the people of Nineveh. In the Gospel reading we heard Jesus calling all to repentance and faith in the Gospel, and we also heard Jesus calling His disciples to follow Him and to become “fishers of men.” In our text, we heard the Apostle Paul admonishing the Corinthians as to how to live their normal lives of responsibilities, but as Christians.
- So we consider “OUR CALLING FROM GOD” as described in these verses, and contemplate what it is that God wants us to be doing as we live out our lives in this present world. First, it is quite clear and forceful that:
I. We Are Called To Repent Of Our Sins And To Believe In Christ Our Savior, And Also To Be Following Him – Learning From His Word And Seeking To Conform Our Lives To His Word
OT Lesson: “Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, ‘Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown.’ And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them . . .When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that He had said He would do to them, and He did not do it.”
Gospel Lesson: “Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed Him.”
Statement: All people are called to repent – to change their minds about sin and to turn away from sin, to conform to God’s Word, the ways of love. God has assured us of His gracious forgiveness and mercy throughout the Holy Scripture. He wants us to know and believe His love for us, His free gift of salvation from sin and eternal life. All who have become children of God through repentance and faith are also called to serve God by serving one another in love. Then some are called to leave off their former profession and to follow Jesus and serve Him full-time – like the 12 disciples of Jesus.
Application: So as we consider our life in this world – including all of our responsibilities to work, to be a faithful spouse, to be a proper parent, and also to be repenting, confessing our sin, and rejoicing in God’s gracious mercy and forgiveness, we are encouraged to continue growing in our knowledge of the ways of love, the Word of God. In this way we learn that we are privileged to serve God in all aspects of our life, by serving and loving those around us.
And some may be called to forsake earthly professions and devote themselves to the ministry of God’s Word full-time. But at the least our life of repentance and joy in God’s gracious love compels us be working to integrate the ways of His love into all aspects of our being and our doing in life. And thankfully, we are privileged each day to live in the assurance of God’s forgiveness and mercy, and His steadfast and eternal love for us.
Transition: But the Apostle Paul provides us with some practical instruction as to how to view these responsibilities as Christians, children of God, and followers of Jesus. Specifically he urges us to have a correct and appropriate perspective and scope in our lives:
II. As Christians Called To Follow Christ We Keep In Mind That The Time Is Short
Text: “the appointed time has grown very short.”
A. So We Are Not To Be Earthly Minded, As If The Temporal Is Permanent And The Most Important Thing To Us
Text: “For the present form of this world is passing away.”
NB: This does not mean that we shouldn’t fulfill our earthly duties, but rather that we perform our earthly duties as service to God, not as serving ourselves or serving mere “things.”
B. Rather, We Are To Be Heavenly Minded And Even-Keeled About The Things In This World
1. We are not to be deliriously joyful, nor morbidly sorrowful in our experience of the things of this world
Text: “let those who mourn be as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing.”
2. We are to be possessing things, but not placing any real value on the worldly possessions we have
Text: “let those who buy be as though they had no goods.”
3. We are to be “dealing,” conducting business, but knowing always that nothing is permanent
Text: “let those who deal with the world be as though they had no dealings with it, for the present form of this world is passing away.”
4. We are to honor our spouse, and remain faithful in love, but we place nothing and no one over God
Text: “let those who have wives live as though they had none.”
C. So That Finally We Have Undivided Devotion To The Lord
1 Cor. 7:35 “I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.”
Statement: Again, Paul is certainly NOT urging us to forsake our earthly responsibilities and commitments. He is certainly NOT commending us to desert our spouses, our children, our work, our life in the church. Rather, he is admonishing us to proper perspective and scope in how we view our lives in this world, so that in all aspects of our lives we see ourselves serving God and the purposes of His kingdom – with undivided devotion to the Lord. He is reminding us that the things of this world are passing away – so that we do not give anything of this world our undivided devotion, prioritizing it over the calling we have from God to live in repentance and faith, and joyful service to God by serving others.
Application: By reminding us that our time in this world is “very short,” he provides us with a view of what is eternal and will never pass away. He shows us how to pass through this present world with the glorious future of eternal life in heaven in constant view – informing us as to how we should view and experience and value the temporal and temporary things of this world. In so doing he seeks to preserve us from idolatry, from impenitence, and from all of the wretched immorality and wickedness that such unbelieving selfishness and pride brings into human life. He seeks to enable us to pass through all aspects of life – marriage, mourning, rejoicing, buying, work and doing business – with perspective and balance, so that we are constantly preserved in faith and decency.
Conclusion: “OUR CALLING FROM GOD” may include a full-time commitment to learning and ministering God’s Word to others. More likely, it involves continuing to learn His will from His Word, and incorporating this wisdom into our living – continuing in repentance, in faith and joy in His forgiveness and salvation, and growing in reverence and devotion to God, so that we seek to express His love in all aspects of our lives – to our spouse, our children, our fellow believers, our co-workers, and all people.
We can do so if we remember that our time in this world is very short, that the present form of this world is passing away, and that what really matters is the eternal life that God has called us to in Christ Jesus. Such devotion is pleasing to God, and is His good and gracious will for each of us! May He grant it to us all in great abundance! Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.