God’s Call Is Life’s Greatest Opportunity
Text: “And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matt. 4:19).
Scripture Reading: Matthew 4:18 – 23 10
Introduction
God’s call has always been a person’s supreme opportunity. It was so with Abraham, Moses, and the prophets, and with all of the disciples and Paul.
If God had not called these men, and if they had not harkened to his call and found their place in his redemptive program, the world never would have heard of them. Their own generation would have ignored or forgotten them.
God’s call is an invitation to faith, friendship, fellowship, and fruitfulness.
Those who have heard God’s call and have responded have discovered in the laboratory of experience that people really begin to live when they heed God’s call. The door of supreme opportunity begins to swing wide open before us when we hear and respond to the call of God to our hearts.
I. God’s call is a person’s opportunity to experience and understand the compassionate heart of God.
A. God is love. “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9).
B. God loves this sinful world. We can discover and experience this love as we hear his call and respond to his good will.
II. God’s call is a person’s opportunity to lead others to the way of real life.
A. To lead one to trust Christ is the greatest service one can render to God.
B. To lead one to trust Christ is the greatest possible service that can be rendered to our fellow humans.
C. This work must be done directly and instantly. Consciously and unconsciously we should give our witness. Voluntarily and involuntarily we should share the good news of God’s love. Deliberately and definitely we should press the claims of God’s love on the hearts of those who need him.
III. God’s call is a person’s opportunity to see what God can do with one life.
Dwight L. Moody has often been quoted as saying that he wanted to demonstrate to the world what God could do with one man who was fully surrendered to his will. It is said that because of his ministry a million people were converted to Christ.
A. The task of becoming a great Christian is not a human achievement alone. It is the result of a person cooperating with the working of the Holy Spirit in his or her heart.
B. Only God knows what your life could amount to under his miraculous touch. Centuries ago Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you” (Josh. 3:5).
IV. God’s call is a person’s opportunity to discover the condition of his or her own heart.
A. By means of X-rays and carefully worked out tests and examinations, a medical doctor seeks to discover the true physical condition of a patient.
B. People can discover their own spiritual condition by the response they make to the call of God.
Conclusion
A deep awareness of a great need, combined with a conviction that God wants to meet part of that need with your time, talents, tongue, and treasure, constitutes God’s call to you.
To each of us there comes the call of the highest, the pull of the lowest, and the appeal of the practical. How do you respond to God’s call? Do you, like Jonah, say “I will not go”? Do you respond like Jeremiah did when he said, “I am too young and inexperienced”? It would be wonderful if you would respond like Isaiah did when he said, “Here am I, Lord, send me.”
