Sermon Central
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Called To Be A Spiritual Hero
Contributed by Riaan De Villiers on Jan 23, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: What is my calling? How can I make a difference in my generation? What does God want me to do? Does these questions sounds familiar? Come and find God’s purpose for you.
Called to be A Spiritual Hero
We are standing at the beginning of a new year with lots of challenges in front of us. I believe the biggest challenge is to find your calling and to live out that calling.
Romans 8:28 – 30
ALT: But we know that to the ones loving God all things work together for good, to the ones being called according to [His] purpose.
BBE: And we are conscious that all things are working together for good to those who have love for God, and have been marked out by his purpose.
GW: We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God-those whom he has called according to his plan.
WNT: Now we know that for those who love God all things are working together for good--for those, I mean, whom with deliberate purpose He has called.
Words that stand out in this vers are purpose, plan, and deliberate purpose. It is then very clear that God has a purpose with each one of us. There is a reason why we are now at this moment and time here.
KJ: "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."
BBE: Because those of whom he had knowledge before they came into existence, were marked out by him to be made like his Son, so that he might be the first among a band of brothers:
GW: This is true because he already knew his people and had already appointed them to have the same form as the image of his Son. Therefore, his Son is the firstborn among many children.
MSG: God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him.
MSG: How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!)
Long before we were even born God already decided what our destiny, our calling will be, namely to be conformed to the image of His Son.
KJ: "Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."
GNB: And so those whom God set apart, he called; and those he called, he put right with himself, and he shared his glory with them.
MSG: After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun.
God has called us to be in His glory. Most people see calling = performance. Calling is not something that I must do; it is somewhere I must be. We are not called to do but to be.
1 Thessalonica 2:12
GNB: We encouraged you, we comforted you, and we kept urging you to live the kind of life that pleases God, who calls you to share in his own Kingdom and glory.
YLT: for your walking worthily of God, who is calling you to His own reign and glory.
ASV: But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
EMTV: But may the God of all grace, the One having called you into His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, may He Himself make you complete--He will establish, strengthen, and firmly ground you.
GNB: But after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who calls you to share his eternal glory in union with Christ, will himself perfect you and give you firmness, strength, and a sure foundation.
GW: God, who shows you his kindness and who has called you through Christ Jesus to his eternal glory, will restore you, strengthen you, make you strong, and support you as you suffer for a little while.
