The Call. Vocational ministers spend a lot of time talking about The Call. Sometimes it even takes on some kind of mystic quality, as if it cannot be categorized or defined. To be sure of The Call is an important thing for a minister, to know that you have been called by God to a certain ministry is at times the only factor keeping you in the ministry. It is a minister’s call that gives direction to their life. It is the call that gives confidence to their ministry. It is the call that keeps you faithful. It is the call that keeps you focused. It is the call that keeps you.

Moses heard the call in a personal encounter on the mountainside. Isaiah heard the call in a majestic vision in the temple. Jeremiah heard the call in a quiet word while still a youth. Paul heard the call in a blinding light on the road to sin. Charles Wesley heard the call in a church service, he called it a sudden warming in his heart. Billy Graham heard the call as a young high school student, sitting in a revival service. The disciples heard the call as they walked with Jesus. I heard the call while I was in college struggling to find God’s way. Have you heard the call?

Jesus called the disciples. Just as he had called to Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, he called to the disciples. Just as he would call to Paul, Wesley, Graham, me and you, he called the disciples.

The one who calls is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. He is the Almighty, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Creator of the Universe, the Savior of our souls and he calls us. He calls you. There is no higher calling than to be called by Jesus. There is no greater service than to serve Him. There is no greater ministry than to minister in His name. Therefore, his call takes precedence over all else. We shall not put him off, for his call takes priority. Do not put him on call waiting. Do not hang up. When Jesus calls, answer.

Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, “Follow me.” Luke 5:27

Jesus called them unto himself. When he would call them individually he would call them by saying, “Come, follow me.” He has always called people unto himself. He is the focus of our calling. We are called to him and for him. We should never think that we have been called to a work, we have been called to Jesus. Never put the work ahead of the one to whom we have been called. Never put anything ahead of Jesus. He is our focus. On him we focus this morning. On him we set our eyes, the author and perfector of our faith. As those stand around us in the heavenly bleachers, rooting us on, keep your eyes on the prize of Jesus Christ. He is our beginning, he is our end.

The Call has come forth from Jesus, “Come, follow me.” Have you heard the call? Have you responded to the call? Have you been faithful to the call?

More on the call next time 🙂