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Called By God
Acts 13:1-12
Introduction
A few months ago, it was the twenty years ago that I was ordained. It was at Queensway Baptist Church in Brantford, and it took place on mystery last Sunday there before starting at a new church. It was a meaningful service but it really was one step in a long process of my calling. I felt God calling me while I was attending Central Gospel Temple here in St Catharines and while participating in Brock Christian Fellowship and especially while on a missions trip with Operation Mobilization. There was encouragement by many people that helped me to sense God’s call to pastoral ministry. I am thankful for that call.
However, there is a misconception in churches about the call to ministry. It is common for people to believe that among Christians, God calls only certain people to ministry. These are the people who attend Bible college or seminary and put reverend in front of their name. This has led to a division among Christians between those who are clergy and those who are laypeople. The problem is that this division is not in the New Testament. It is true that there are specific roles mentioned, including bishops and deacons, as well as a few others. But the gap was not as wide as we make it now and in the beginning, there were not even those divisions.
The passage that we read that mentions the setting apart of Saul and Barnabas is one that is sometimes used at an ordination service. That is fine, but I think we will find that it has a much wider application.
Barnabas and Saul
The passage we are looking at is a continuation of the story at Antioch, the place where the disciples were first called Christians. Things were really taking off. Some of the leadership was spending time in prayer, attempting to discern God’s direction for their ministry. As they spent time in God’s presence, the Holy Spirit told them to set aside Barnabas and Saul for the work that he had for them. The first thing we should notice is that they are not called to be a special class of Christian. Nor did they become Rev. Barnabas and Rev. Saul. It is true that they were commissioned, but was a commissioning to take on this particular mission.
This mission brought them to the city of Salamis on the island of Cyprus. They went through preaching in the synagogues. This brought them to the attention of Sergius Paulus, an important Roman official. This was a tremendous opportunity. But it came with some challenges. They faced opposition by a magician. This is another important lesson. There is an assumption among Christians that if something is God’s will, then it must come easy. That is not what the Bible teaches. It was God’s will that Barnabas and Saul have this ministry but they faced direct opposition. They overcame their opposition but they still faced it.
What we see here is that Barnabas and Saul were called by God, not to be professional Christians but to accomplish a specific task. The Holy Spirit was actively involved in leading them and empowering them for their task. They faced opposition and not everything was easy but by God’s power, they accomplished what God had called them.
Individual Calling
What I would like to do is what I have done with a number of these passages in Acts. I would like to look at how this applies to us, first as individuals and second as a congregation.
As I mentioned previously, there is a danger that we would look at this passage and assume that this applies for people who will do formal theological study and then go through an ordination process to become clergy. But if you went back in time and explained that interpretation to Barnabas and Saul, they would have no idea what you were talking about.
There is no reason to believe that God only chooses certain people for ministry. In fact, there is every reason to believe that God calls all of us to a ministry.
What has God called you to do? How would you even know if God was calling you? Part of it is by encouragement from others. Some of it is by opportunities that come your way. Some of it is about how your gifts or interests fit with a particular need.
For example, I never wonder ion God has called me to be a musician or a singer. That is not on the radar at all. I have never noticed any abilities in that area and neither has anyone else.
When this happens, you have a sense that you are doing the right thing at the right time. You just know that you are doing the right thing. Even if you have doubts, people around you should recognize that you are fulfilling you calling.
I should also note that this calling is not limited to “churchy” things. It may be a gift or a task that is manifested in a worship service or a ministry program. But it may not. One of the most respected gifts in the Bible is that of hospitality. If you thrive on having people over for a coffee or a meal, that is an important role. If you are called to pray, not public prayer in a service, but interceding at your home, that is an important calling.
We should also recognize that God can call for specific tasks that last for a season. You do not have to do the same thing for the rest of your life. I loved doing youth ministry during that chapter of my calling but I am in a different chapter now. Be watching how God is moving you around for his kingdom work.
Church Calling
One of the common but sad misconceptions is that congregations are in competition with each other. How can we as a small congregation compete with that large congregation? But we are not in competition and our calling doesn’t have to look exactly the same.
I once was pastoring at a small church. A young family with a teenager came and visited for a number of weeks. I was not surprised as we had no young people at that time. Then a couple of months later, they returned and informed that they were making us their church home. They assumed their son would want a church with a vibrant youth ministry but instead he preferred the family feel of our small church. It did not mean that we were better than that other church, but rather we had different callings. I preached in their church and their pastor preached in our church. We were on the same team, even though how we fulfilled our calling looked different.
God calls congregations, just as he calls individuals. It may be for a specific task or a particular focus on ministry. The challenging thing is that, like the individual calling, the ministry calling of a congregation can change over time. What ministry looks like for us today is somewhat different from what ministry looked like for this church in 1921, and not just because of technology or fashion. Each generation of this church has to go through that same discernment process for where we are going. There was a moment when this congregation realized we were being called to the downtown poor and newcomers to Canada. We needed to recognize that calling and act on it. Over time we have also recognized our calling to minister with people with disabilities. This has happened, not because I have a particular interest in that area, but because God was already working in this church.
This is exciting. We do not have to be like other congregations. We do not have to copy the programs of other churches. We need to listen to the Holy Spirit and recognize our calling and follow that. That really takes a lot of pressure off us.
Conclusion
A group of Jesus followers were gathered in prayer, seeking the leading of God. The Holy Spirit led them to set aside Barnabas and Saul. This was not to put them in a different class of Christian, it was for them to accomplish a specific task. The same Holy Spirit that called them, empowered them for ministry.
What about us? I can say with confidence that I am not the only one here who has been called by God. You each have a role. It is your job to discern that and then to respond in obedience and faithfulness. The same is true for us as a congregation. The church is not a machine that you turn on and then let it do its thing. The church is a living organism that is relationship with God and must respond to God’s calling. What ministry looks like today may look different from what it did twenty-five years ago and may look different from what it will twenty-five years from now. We need, as a congregation, to follow the path of Barnabas and Saul, not to Cyprus, but to faithful living out of our call.
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By Queen Street Baptist ChurchActs 13:1-12
Introduction
A few months ago, it was the twenty years ago that I was ordained. It was at Queensway Baptist Church in Brantford, and it took place on mystery last Sunday there before starting at a new church. It was a meaningful service but it really was one step in a long process of my calling. I felt God calling me while I was attending Central Gospel Temple here in St Catharines and while participating in Brock Christian Fellowship and especially while on a missions trip with Operation Mobilization. There was encouragement by many people that helped me to sense God’s call to pastoral ministry. I am thankful for that call.
However, there is a misconception in churches about the call to ministry. It is common for people to believe that among Christians, God calls only certain people to ministry. These are the people who attend Bible college or seminary and put reverend in front of their name. This has led to a division among Christians between those who are clergy and those who are laypeople. The problem is that this division is not in the New Testament. It is true that there are specific roles mentioned, including bishops and deacons, as well as a few others. But the gap was not as wide as we make it now and in the beginning, there were not even those divisions.
The passage that we read that mentions the setting apart of Saul and Barnabas is one that is sometimes used at an ordination service. That is fine, but I think we will find that it has a much wider application.
Barnabas and Saul
The passage we are looking at is a continuation of the story at Antioch, the place where the disciples were first called Christians. Things were really taking off. Some of the leadership was spending time in prayer, attempting to discern God’s direction for their ministry. As they spent time in God’s presence, the Holy Spirit told them to set aside Barnabas and Saul for the work that he had for them. The first thing we should notice is that they are not called to be a special class of Christian. Nor did they become Rev. Barnabas and Rev. Saul. It is true that they were commissioned, but was a commissioning to take on this particular mission.
This mission brought them to the city of Salamis on the island of Cyprus. They went through preaching in the synagogues. This brought them to the attention of Sergius Paulus, an important Roman official. This was a tremendous opportunity. But it came with some challenges. They faced opposition by a magician. This is another important lesson. There is an assumption among Christians that if something is God’s will, then it must come easy. That is not what the Bible teaches. It was God’s will that Barnabas and Saul have this ministry but they faced direct opposition. They overcame their opposition but they still faced it.
What we see here is that Barnabas and Saul were called by God, not to be professional Christians but to accomplish a specific task. The Holy Spirit was actively involved in leading them and empowering them for their task. They faced opposition and not everything was easy but by God’s power, they accomplished what God had called them.
Individual Calling
What I would like to do is what I have done with a number of these passages in Acts. I would like to look at how this applies to us, first as individuals and second as a congregation.
As I mentioned previously, there is a danger that we would look at this passage and assume that this applies for people who will do formal theological study and then go through an ordination process to become clergy. But if you went back in time and explained that interpretation to Barnabas and Saul, they would have no idea what you were talking about.
There is no reason to believe that God only chooses certain people for ministry. In fact, there is every reason to believe that God calls all of us to a ministry.
What has God called you to do? How would you even know if God was calling you? Part of it is by encouragement from others. Some of it is by opportunities that come your way. Some of it is about how your gifts or interests fit with a particular need.
For example, I never wonder ion God has called me to be a musician or a singer. That is not on the radar at all. I have never noticed any abilities in that area and neither has anyone else.
When this happens, you have a sense that you are doing the right thing at the right time. You just know that you are doing the right thing. Even if you have doubts, people around you should recognize that you are fulfilling you calling.
I should also note that this calling is not limited to “churchy” things. It may be a gift or a task that is manifested in a worship service or a ministry program. But it may not. One of the most respected gifts in the Bible is that of hospitality. If you thrive on having people over for a coffee or a meal, that is an important role. If you are called to pray, not public prayer in a service, but interceding at your home, that is an important calling.
We should also recognize that God can call for specific tasks that last for a season. You do not have to do the same thing for the rest of your life. I loved doing youth ministry during that chapter of my calling but I am in a different chapter now. Be watching how God is moving you around for his kingdom work.
Church Calling
One of the common but sad misconceptions is that congregations are in competition with each other. How can we as a small congregation compete with that large congregation? But we are not in competition and our calling doesn’t have to look exactly the same.
I once was pastoring at a small church. A young family with a teenager came and visited for a number of weeks. I was not surprised as we had no young people at that time. Then a couple of months later, they returned and informed that they were making us their church home. They assumed their son would want a church with a vibrant youth ministry but instead he preferred the family feel of our small church. It did not mean that we were better than that other church, but rather we had different callings. I preached in their church and their pastor preached in our church. We were on the same team, even though how we fulfilled our calling looked different.
God calls congregations, just as he calls individuals. It may be for a specific task or a particular focus on ministry. The challenging thing is that, like the individual calling, the ministry calling of a congregation can change over time. What ministry looks like for us today is somewhat different from what ministry looked like for this church in 1921, and not just because of technology or fashion. Each generation of this church has to go through that same discernment process for where we are going. There was a moment when this congregation realized we were being called to the downtown poor and newcomers to Canada. We needed to recognize that calling and act on it. Over time we have also recognized our calling to minister with people with disabilities. This has happened, not because I have a particular interest in that area, but because God was already working in this church.
This is exciting. We do not have to be like other congregations. We do not have to copy the programs of other churches. We need to listen to the Holy Spirit and recognize our calling and follow that. That really takes a lot of pressure off us.
Conclusion
A group of Jesus followers were gathered in prayer, seeking the leading of God. The Holy Spirit led them to set aside Barnabas and Saul. This was not to put them in a different class of Christian, it was for them to accomplish a specific task. The same Holy Spirit that called them, empowered them for ministry.
What about us? I can say with confidence that I am not the only one here who has been called by God. You each have a role. It is your job to discern that and then to respond in obedience and faithfulness. The same is true for us as a congregation. The church is not a machine that you turn on and then let it do its thing. The church is a living organism that is relationship with God and must respond to God’s calling. What ministry looks like today may look different from what it did twenty-five years ago and may look different from what it will twenty-five years from now. We need, as a congregation, to follow the path of Barnabas and Saul, not to Cyprus, but to faithful living out of our call.