Sunday Service | Mt. Zion Church | The Highest Calling Series | 21 Jan 2018
God gave the ultimate calling to all believers, so we can have a meaningful life! In the first week we learned from Genesis 1:26-28 that we are created in God’s image and God’s likeness, so we can grow until the fullness of Christ Eph.4:13; we are created to dominate this world through our faith 1Jn.5:4; and we are created to live in God’s blessing Gal.3:9. And then at the second week we learned how we must walk worthy of the calling with which we were called Eph.4:1-3. Just like Joseph who did not want to compromise with sin at any single moment in his life because he understood the divine calling that he already received. And also like David who count himself not only as a food delivery person for his brothers, but he aware completely that he must bring the name of God wherever he may go.
And now for the last but not least, we are going to learn how God want us to get prepared for the final calling! All good beginning must be completed with a good ending as well. Otherwise, that good beginning will be ended in ruin. The Bible explained something that very important and very clear for all believers about the finish line of our journey of faith in this world. God told us about the rapture which will be happened only once through this long history of human life. We can say that the rapture is the final call for all believers and we must get prepared for it and not going to miss it! The truth about rapture started in Genesis when Enoch suddenly disappear because Enoch walked with God and God took him to abide together in heaven and also for testimony for all people how God respect a devoted and faithful believer who always put his trust in God alone Gn.5:24! And then the truth about rapture become clearer when Jesus taught His disciples about the end times. And finally, the Holy Spirit put more details about the rapture through Apostle Paul who called as a teacher for believers.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 1Corinthians 15:50-54 NKJV
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1Thessalonians 4:15-18 NKJV
BE CHANGED
We are called to inherit the kingdom of God! However, the kingdom of God could not accept the condition of flesh and blood. That’s why the body of devoted believers must be changed first, and that transformation will be happened in the rapture! This is the final call for all believers because we are going to leave this mortal world and move into immortality! We should not lose heart about our outward man which is perishing away because our inward man is being renewed day by day, moreover all of our body will BE CHANGED to the glorious body Phil.3.21 so we can inherit the kingdom of God for eternity! There is no one in this world able to change our body so we can live forever. Only God is able to do such thing like that!
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. Philippians 3:20-21 NKJV
This transformation happened in no time as the Bible told us that the process will be in the twinkling of an eye! The trumpet of Father God will sound, the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, and also with the voice of an archangel which represents the Holy Spirit. The Godhead 3 in 1will be responsible for this adorable moment and Their command will change the body of believers. The good news is all believers are eligible to take a part in this glorious calling! That’s why we must get prepared, so we can listen clearly to this command and be ready whenever this calling will take place!
JESUS SAID: one will be taken and the other left
31 “In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise, the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. 34 I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. 35 Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. 36 Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.” 37 And they answered and said to Him, “Where, Lord?” So, He said to them, “Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.” Luke 17:31-37 NKJV
Even though all believers are eligible for this calling, Jesus said that not all believers will have a good response when that glorious moment will happen! Jesus said that one will be taken and the other will be left, either in the bed, or in the field. Jesus made it clear that the rapture will be happen at the same time all around the world, while believers in some area may still sleeping and believers in another area may in the middle of their works. Jesus also made it clear that not all believers are worthy enough to be taken! Jesus told us that he who is on the housetop MUST NOT come down only to take his goods which are in the house. And those who are in the field MUST NOT turn back. There are always some reasons for anyone to turn back and to come down, but we need to remember what happen with Lot’s wife! We must keep walking in our calling and never turn back whatever it may take! We may find that sometimes it will become difficult and not easy enough for us to keep holding our faith, but we must remember the highest calling that God already gave and keep waiting for that final calling!
For those who will be taken in the rapture, the marriage supper of the Lamb will be prepared, and they will be very joyful to celebrate the marriage of the Lamb! Christ is the Lamb of God and the church will be His Wife Rev.19:7-9. For those who will be left in the rapture, the next thing which are going to happen in this world is the reign of the antichrist where will be very terrible and scariest moment for the history of human race!
CONCLUSIONS: LET’S BE A WISE VIRGIN
No one will ever know when that final calling will take place exactly. However, the signs will be clearer when that big day is approaching! Jesus said as people able to discern the face of the sky and of the earth, so we should be able to discern the signs of the end times Luk.12:56. The Bible also said that the second coming of Jesus will come as a thief in the night 1Thes.5:2. That’s why we must not let our spirit ‘fall asleep’ as others do, but let’s watch and be sober!
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labour pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 1Thessalonians 5:1-6 NKJV
We need to always get prepared as the 5 wise virgins who always bring their lamps together with the vessels of oil Mat.25:1-4! The lamp is one important thing that we need to have as believers as God called us as the light of the world Mat.5:14-16. But having the oil in the vessels is the next important thing as we must keep our lamp light up until Jesus come again. Our waiting could be very long, and we will never know when Jesus will come again. In the meantime, lot of scoffers would appear in our journey of faith trying to discourage our waiting and put off our light 2Pet.3:3. The only thing to overcome all this problem is by having oil plentifully within our vessel! The oil represents the work of the Holy Spirit! Holy Spirit is the Helper, who will teach us all things, and bring to our remembrance all things that Jesus said to us Jn.14:26. Holy Spirit will make our journey become smooth and always refresh! And the most important thing is Holy Spirit will keep us awake and alert, so we will be completely aware for the final calling. Let’s keep our spirit awake and get prepared for that final calling. Let’s keep praying in the Spirit Jud.1:20 and walk in Spirit Gal.5:16. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit Eph.4:30. And let’s live in unity, so that oil will be poured out from heaven to our vessels Psa.133:1-3. AMEN.
MP3: http://www.gbsion.org/mp3/2018/20180121MP_FinalCalling.mp3