The Importance of Knowing and Serving Your Calling (Part 2)

Those of you who might not understand the difference between servant and born servant.

So we don't have a duty roster in ex church. We have a privileged

roster because everyone who's on that roster counts it as a privilege. And one

of the greatest things that God is looking for in revelations when we meet with

Him face to face, is not so much just our love, is our

holiness, he says, a born servant of Jesus Christ called to be an

apostle separated to the Gospel of God. With just this verse, I want

to give you three points, three points on what the call means, not

just calling, not just any calling, but what the court means. Number

one, it means you and I are servants of God through love, not

just servants, but born servants. Now, when a servant is one who

has been bought by the Master, I'm talking about olden daiser uh slaves servants.

The Master comes and chooses you. Maybe you are a servant in this

church, servant of God in this church, and you were chosen uh you

to be uh you know part of ex teens you to be a singer with

extreme you to be you know, uh PC head or PC and I can

go on and on. Okay, you to be so you you you,

you get chosen. That's a servant. And when people get chosen, it's

good. But it always it doesn't always mean that you will rise up to

your full potential because uh, you're chosen to do a task, and uh,

when you do the task, you will just come on time, do

it, do it well hopefully, and then go home. And so you

will called to a task and it doesn't mean that you will do it in

all your heart. It doesn't mean that you will grow or develop. It

just means that you are serving, just like anyone else is serving. It

doesn't even have to be the church. But you are serving and you're just

doing. That's why in ex Church we don't call it duty roster because we

don't really like the word duty because when you just come to do your duty,

you come, do it and go home. So X Church has been

taught by the Lort many years ago, don't call it duty, call it

privilege. So we don't have a duty roster. In ex Church, we

have a privileged roster because everyone who's on that roster counts it as a privilege

to serve the lot it's not huh, you want me apprecia againer. You

know, I must confess sometimes I feel that way, especially when I've been

preaching a lot the last few weeks. But it's a privilege. It's a

privilege. It's a privilege. Passandra, you know, thirty five years of

worship leading, you know, still does it. And before she can worship

lead on a Sunday, she has to practice on another day. So we

have to come out to practice on another day. But I don't see her

taking it as a duty or as a chore. She takes it as a

privilege. And I pray everyone in this room we'll take it as a privilege

to serve the Lord. Somebody say, amen, okay, this is important.

Now. I started on the fact that there are servants and they're born

servants. That's the difference. So a born servant is one who chooses the

master, who chooses to serve Before that the servant, the master chooses.

You born servant is you choose the Master. Let me give you a scripture

right after this as a slide, and I'll explain to you the Bible says,

and if it happens that he says to you, who is he the

servant. When the servant says to you, I will not go away from

you, because he loves you and your house. Since he prospers with you,

then you shall. This is a scripture given to the master. So

every master reads this and he says, then you the master shall take an

all and thrust it through his ear to the door. When we were growing

up, we sang a song pierce my ear, Oh Lord, my god.

This is where it comes from. And he shall be your servant forever.

Also to your female servant, you shall do likewise. So what's the

background story. The background story is a servant who's been bought a quiet a

slave does whatever the master wants him to do, and then by the seventh

year, the law of God says, release him. Uh huh is a

sabbatical year. So every servant is waiting for that seventh year. Every servant,

it's like it's like some of you, like, I know, you're

tired, you're waiting for your holiday, or you're waiting for your break,

or you're waiting for a time and you don't have to serve, right,

servants always are you know like that They go like yeah, just enough flah,

just enough lah. Just enough, lah, because you're a servant.

But you're not. You're a bond servant. A bond servant is the one

who chooses his master, who says, you know, so, for example,

is seventh year now, and the master says, how many of you

want to be released? I'm a man of God and I have to follow

the word, so I've got to release you. And by the seventh year,

you know, people are packing their bags. Oh, waiting for this

day, waiting for the day we don't have to serve anymore, waiting for

this day where I don't have to serve anymore, waiting for this day.

But you know, the servant attitude, it's just like when is my break?

When is my holiday? Okay? So waiting for a seven year?

Now, seven year comes, yay. They're all running out of the door,

right here, out of the door, okay. And then comes a

sir one who's taking his time spacking his bag, maybe some tears rolling down

his face. Actually, my boss has been very good to me. My

boss has been the nicest boss to me. You know, when I came,

I came as a single. When I came, I came as a

single. And and then you know, because My boss was so nice.

I was able to find a wife, even while in bondage, I was

able to find a wife. My boss was so nice, even while serving

and being a slave, I was able to have kids. And my kids,

Wow, they all got schooling. My boss gave me extra money to

send them to international school. Wow, international school Jerusalem, you know.

Wow, you know they get to go. I got and those days a

lot of kids, you know, all my seven kids get to go to

school. My boss is so nice, I know, and he trusts me,

and he treats me well. And he's probably having tears, you know.

And and and while everybody's running out of the door, servants are running

out of the door at the bond servant, the bonds servant is saying to

his wife, and she also cries, and you know, puts her makeup

away and you know, collects her cosmetic and she looks at the husband,

and the husband looks at her. Drama and drama man, and then oh

on your and your okay, I'm going it, I know, I know

is Jerusalem ca pop okay? Oh comes okay. And so they're packing their

bags and their children are like not wanting to go. Have you seen that

children not wanting to go. Pat your toys, pr quickly quickly. This

is our year, you know, of deliverance. This is our year being

set free. And the children like, I don't want to go. I

don't want to go. My friends and the Master's children are their friends,

you know, no where we go. So they're crying and they're really dragging

their feet, dragging their feet. And as they're walking out the front door,

the Master says, why are you so sad? You should be happy.

It's a happy day, And said Master, because in this house we

have served you for seeing and we're prospered with you. We'll be so blessed.

I know a little bit of bit about it because about four years ago

the church got me a driver, and I had so many meetings. Every

day I was meeting kre a meeting with different places. And so they say,

Pastor, to make it to all these meetings without parking, and parking

is crazy, jem is crazy. So there was a driver, Indian man

who came and a nice guy, and UH tried him out for three months

and uh, you know, in my family, we treat every human being

as a human being, whether it's a driver, a made whatever, and

so he drove us around, drove me to all the meetings, and after

three months, I said to my eldest I said, I don't think I

need a driver. I want to save the church this money. I don't

need a driver. The said, no, Pasta, you know how you're

gonna make all I'll just drive, or maybe I'll just not have so many

meetings. So that's the problem, you know, you need to go to

all these meetings, and I'll probably just choose better. So this driver drove

us around and it was quite luxuriously okay to never need to part again,

you know, and to be able to just call for my meeting. And

then he's downstairs waiting for me. But we let him go because I'm very

aware of, you know, not abusing God's funds if at all I don't

need it. So I told him, I said, brother, we had

to let you go. And when he was giving back his tag and all

that, he told Elder Shirley, he says, in my twenty seven years

of being a driver, I've never worked for a nicer boss. Shelley told

me that. Later on, she says, he really he really doesn't want

to go past her. But I said, no, I have to let

him go, actually, because I don't think I need a driver. And

she and then he said, I've not worked for a nicer boss in twenty

seven years. I've not worked for a nicer boss wife, because she treats

him a lot of respect as well, and it's a nice testimony to have,

nice testiment to have. But we let him go, and he's still

on my telegram and he says, Boss, anytime you need me, just

send me a telegram. I will take leave just to drive for you.

I said, thank you very much. And of course he kept our shirt

because I allow you. I allow him to go our logo h A y

A, and ex change logo on the shirt because when he drives, her

drives with this nice shirt. She boss can keep say, as long as

as long as you're not robbing a banger, you can you can wear it.

You can wear it. He was so proud to wear it. You

don't want to leave. So the master says, really, you don't want

to leave. You don't want to go. I chose you and bought you.

Once upon a time you were my servant. But now this servant doesn't

want to go. No, I don't want to go, boss, Is

their way is their way? Is their way? Well, the boss says,

well, the word of God says that there is a way that if

you choose me, not just I choose you, if you choose me,

this is the way. What was the way? Boss? I don't know

the word of God. I'm a stranger. Well, the word of God

says that all I need to do is to bring your ear to the door

post. Yes, and think it all. What's that is kind of a

sharp object? Oh? And I'm supposed to pierce your ear. Oh that's

the only time we allow guys to have earrings when they want to be born

servants of the Lord. Sometimes we think it's very cool, but it's not

cool. It started as a commitment, not as a cool thing. But

people don't understand where it came from, so can't blame them. You know,

I'm just thinking to myself, boss, have you done this before?

No, you're the first one. Boss. Slowly and we used to sing

that song piers my ear, Oh Lord, my God, and it was

just it was just a song for most of us because it was a nice

melody. But it's a very powerful thing. When Christian's the call, not

just call the call makes a choice and say I'm a bond servant. But

you're not a bond servan because someone paid your money. You're bond servant because

of the love that the Master showed you. And it's not force, there's

no extra bonus promise. It's just I love you. I love you,

Jesus, I love you. And so you move from being just called to

the call and Paul is saying, I am a bond servant. I mean,

it's not something you want to be proud about and share with everyone that

you hit your ear pierced, you know, by your Master. But you

know everywhere they went, right, people will see their ear pierced and go

like, are you a bond servant? Yes? How you know I can

see your ear everywhere they went to market, they went to school, whatever

they went holiday. I can see your ear pierced. Are you a bond

servant? Yeah, I am, I am. And they will know that

it's out of love that you did it, not out of force. They

we're you okay, all right? Second one second thought is that the call

is one who's somemitted to God's purpose. Let's look at the next verse Ephesians

four one to three. I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord beseech you

to what worthy of the calling with which you were called. Wow, with

all loneliness and gentleness, with long suffering, bearing with one another in love,

and endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.

Now this is important. Look at the first sentence is a very powerful

sentence when he says prisoner of the Lord. Now, when you are prisoner

of anyone or anything, is no longer your will that can be done.

Oh tonight, I want to eat McDonald's, cannot because this is going to

serve you porridge. You're a prisoner. Or I want to go out there

for exercise, noe, exercise time is only from four to five. You're

a prisoner. And many Christians don't see themselves as a prisoner of Christ.

And so the anthem of Christ is Father, not my will, but yours

be done. Today's anthem with a lot of people young and old, is

Father, not your will, but mine be done. And so a lot

of people are moving from church to church, and from you know, denomination

to the denomination, finding a church that can help serve their will. I

like this music, I like this pastor I like this way. I don't

like this way. So you keep going and seeking for a church that can

help you fulfill your will. Is of God's will, but you have to

come to a place if you really want to be the call, to submit

as a prisoner of the Lord, saying God, I have a lot of

likes and dislikes, preferences, but I'm a prisoner, and prisoners have no

preferences. I'm gonna say, Lord, not my will, but yours be

done. And in doing that you become the call. And what happens is

that the other words follow. You are able now because it's not your will.

You're able to be lowly and gentle. You're able to be patient,

long suffering, not just suffering, but long suffering. Bury with one another

in love, because I tell you what you know. In church there can

be a lot of things that can happen, and sometimes even politics and all

that kind of stuff are and we must remember if we are a prisoner of

the Lord, call the call of God, we are to have a spirit

and an attitude that you know that that shows what we are reading here.

Bury one another in love and daring to keep the unity of the spirit in

the bond of peace. Let's go back to Romans one one. I want

to show you something before I move on. Romans one one says Paul,

a born served of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle. Now,

the word apostle, to remind you, is the word sent. And it's

very important to understand that you were sent by someone who sends you is not

to do your will, but to do the will of him who send you.

So in that one sentence, Paul is saying now, not just a

bond servant. He's saying, I'm a prisoner and I am one here to

do the will of God, and I would do it according to how I

was sent to do it. Okay, so this is very very important.

Now let me show you the next point. And with that, I'm about

to draw to a close point number three, which is our last point,

being the call is about being a person or people who are separated to the

gospel. This is really really important for us to understand. Sometimes you can

feel called, but your calling could be like, oh, I'm a worship

leader. Your calling could be like, oh, I'm doing express so,

or your colleagues could be like, oh, I'm just usher. But if

your calling just stops there. Then you can rest assure that you have only

come to a level of knowing that you're called, but not really experiencing what

the court means. Because the call is that you do everything for the sake

of the Gospel. And I pray that if you catch that, then when

you come and do whatever you're doing, either you're preaching or you're leading worship,

if you're not just called to lead worship, you are the callt to

lead worship, meaning that when you lead worship, you're thinking about the loss.

When you're praying, you're thinking about the loss. When you're preaching,

you're thinking about those who have not yet heard the gospel. When you're cooking

for expresso, you're thinking about God. I don't just want to feed the

Christians and the Christians coming up to me and saying, oh, very good

food. And you know expresso provides very good food. But you don't want

to just do that. You want to say, Lord, next Sunday,

when I prepare food for expresso, Lord, bring in people who have never

tasted this food, bringing people who are lost and people who need to be

coming to cheer and tasting this food. So you're praying over your cakes.

You're cutting your cake, is it God? If a person is a non

believer, let him eat this cake and let the cake go into his heart.

No, no, no, to do his heart. Okayn going to

that's going into the stomach. R Let the love from this cake and the

warmth from miscake go into this heart. And and and let let this cake

be salvation cake. Let this curry puff be salvation curry puff. Let all

these that I've done, you know, so hard work, right. I

want to do it for my brothers and sisters, But I also want to

do it for the sake of the Gospel. To be separated to the Gospel

means to be set apart, to be made holy to the Lord. Now,

it's very important to understand that that Christians have been set apart by God,

and that we are called to be holy. I once spoke a message

in the Acts many many years ago. Uh, And the question was,

is love the greatest thing that will last for all eternity? And is it

the one that we are to focus on when we come into our you know,

into eternity. And I remember reading from Revelations, and I go,

like, in Revelations, I look at it, and I realize that love

is not mentioned as many times as holiness, and there's one part at least

that says holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty. And I

realize that one of the greatest things that will last, and one of the

greatest things that God is looking for in revelations when we meet with Him face

to face is not so much just our love, is our holiness, and

it is very important. Just means to be set apart, and so you

must remember that as Christians, being set apart is what's most important. We

hope you've been blessed by this message. If you're keen to get the phone

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is going to be a good week ahead for you. God bless