November 6, 2005

Cawson St. Church of Christ

Hopewell, Virginia

Mural Worthey

 

The High Calling of God

 

Introduction

 

   In athletic contests, we have all seen or even participated in the high jump or maybe the pole vault.  One by one the contestants are eliminated as the bar is raised higher and higher.  What if, instead of raising the bar, it was lower to only a couple of feet?  Almost anyone could jump over it.

 

   This illustration has several dangers and even misrepresentations of the Gospel.  First, God wants every one to jump over the hurdle and make it to heaven.  In fact, Jesus jumped the high hurdle of perfect righteousness and the high penalty of our sins on our behalf.  We receive redemption by faith as a gift of God’s grace.  This is not my point in this message.  Secondly, man cannot jump very high on his own anyway.  “All have sinned and come short of God’s glory.”  (Rom. 3:23.) No one can clear the high jump on his own without the Savior.  Jesus said, “Without me, ye can do nothing.”  (John 15:5.)

 

   But I have something else in mind with this illustration.  It is what Paul had in mind when he wrote: “I press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”  (Phil. 3:14.)  Likewise, “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. . .”  (Heb. 3:1.)  Solomon wrote: “The way of life is above to the wise that he may depart from Sheol beneath.”  (Prov. 15:24.)  The crown is above in heaven; Sheol is described properly as being down and beneath.  Our very profession as Christians is a very high goal—a high calling.  We must forever be pressing onward and upward to higher ground.  We have a noble profession and calling.  It is very high, above this world.  Paul knew that he had not yet attained it, but he had decided clearly on the right course.  He would forget the things which are behind and press onward.  God has given to us a wonderful work, to be co-laborers with Him, to talk about things that are greater than ourselves, and things greater than we can accomplish as human beings.  It is a divine work; we work with God.

   The song we sang said: “I’m pressing on the upward way.  New heights I’m gaining everyday.  Still praying as I onward bound.  Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.  Lord, lift me up and let me stand, by faith on heaven’s tableland.  A higher plane than I have found.  Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”  (Higher Ground, Praises for the Lord, 234.)

 

   I like the prayer by Michel Qoist: “I Would Like to Rise Very High”

 

I would like to rise very high, Lord

Above my city, above the world, above time

I would like to purify my glance and borrow your eyes

 

I would then see the universe, humanity, history, as the Father sees them

I would see the tiniest particle of matter and the smallest throbbing of life

Love and hate, sin and grace

Startled, I would understand that the great adventure of love, which started at the beginning of the world, is unfolding before me

The divine story which, according to your promise, will be completed only in glory after the resurrection of the flesh

When you will come before the Father, saying: All is accomplished.  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

 

I would understand that everything is linked together

That all is but a single movement of the whole of humanity and the universe toward the Trinity, in you, by you, Lord

 

I would understand that nothing is secular, neither things, nor people, nor events, but that, on the contrary, everything has been made sacred in its origin by God

And that everything must be consecrated by man, who has himself been made divine.  I would understand that my life, an imperceptible breath in this great whole is an indispensable treasure in the Father’s plan.

 

Then, falling on my knees, I would admire, Lord, the mystery of this world

Which, in spite of the innumerable and hateful snags of sin,

Is a long throb of love towards Love eternal

 

I would like to rise very high, Lord

Above my city, above my world, above time

I would like to purify my glance and borrow your eyes.

   There is a human tendency to slack off and drift downward.  If you were to ask students in school where they would set the standard for an A, they would choose the lowest mark.  If employees had their way, they would come in late and leave early.  We tend toward mediocrity in the home and church as well.  The purpose of this lesson is to encourage us to remember our high calling in Christ Jesus and to set higher standards.

 

   “Even so ye, forasmuch as you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.”  (1 Cor. 14:12.)

 

   “Know you not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize?  So run, that you may obtain.  And every man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things.  Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beats the air.  But I keep under my body and bring it unto subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”  (1 Cor. 9:24-27.)

 

   The concluding words of biblical writers to the churches almost always encourages excellence, zeal, fervency of spirit and activity in the Kingdom.  Note some of them. 

 

   “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”  (1 Cor. 15:58.)

 

   “Finally, brethren, farewell.  Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.”  (2 Cor. 13:11.) 

 

   “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. .  .Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”  (Rom. 12:1, 11.) 

 

   “Rejoice evermore.  Pray without ceasing.  In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”  (1 Thess. 5:16-18.)

 

   Jesus taught, “But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.”  (Matt. 6:33.)  “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of heaven.”  (Matt. 5:20.)  Jesus was talking about raising the bar above the low measure set by the scribes.  They trusted in themselves that they were righteous. The righteousness of God is far above that.  It is above a legal or law righteousness.  It includes the heart, not just outward deeds.

 

   Human standards are always too low.  Paul wrote, “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves, but they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise.”  (2 Cor. 10:12.)

 

   The church should raise the bar.  Think about modern churches and the new low standards that they have set.  Many are now accepting homosexual priests and ungodly behavior of its members that was unthinkable a few years ago.  All of this can be attributed to a low view of Scripture.  When churches reject the Bible as the Word of God, they then depend upon their own wisdom and choices.  Invariably, those choices will be lower than those set by the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

 

   Someone said that membership in modern churches in America costs one less than it does to ride a public bus across town!  That is a sad commentary on the life of the church in the 21^st century.  It is no longer taught in many churches to give your bodies as a living sacrifice unto the Lord.  Many are living sinful lives, yet they are in good standing with the church.  I was talking with someone who is not a member of any church.  He was referring to the immorality of church leaders in the news.  He well said, If the church is going to live like the world, why have a church?  The church should be different from the world and set a higher standard than the world. 

 

   “Love not the world, neither the things in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  The world passes away and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abides forever.”  (1 John 2:15-17.)  Are we living any differently from those in the world?

 

   I fear, rather than maintaining the high calling of God, that we are constantly lowering the bar.  There are new lows of immorality, new lows of commitment and interest.  Churches today are deciding that it is not worth it to have Gospel Meetings as we have done in the past so successfully.  If they are discontinued, it will not be because they never worked.  They have in the past and they can continue to work if we are interested.  If they fade away, it won’t be long until people will decide that coming three times a week is just too much.  Large churches in Hopewell no longer have “night church.”  They were discontinued because there was so little interest.  Preachers did not want to preach; and the members were glad to have it so.

 

   “A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land.  The prophets prophesy falsely and the priests bear rule by their means, and my people love to have it so.  And what will you do in the end thereof?”  (Jeremiah 5:30-31.)

 

   If Gospel Meetings are discontinued, it will not be because the elders and deacons killed it.  It will be because we killed it by not participating.  As Jeremiah asked, What will you do in the end thereof?

 

   Deacons should maintain a high calling.  I am convinced that many people have a non-biblical view of the role of deacons and their wives.  First, their wives are excluded as if their spiritual maturity is not important.  Yet the wives of elders and deacons must meet biblical standards, or else they disqualify themselves and their husbands from serving the church.  “Even so must their wives….”  (1 Tim. 3:11.)  Secondly, many view the work of deacons as primarily physical in nature.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.

 

   Listen to Paul’s words to Timothy:  “For they that have used (ministered) the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.”  (1 Tim. 3:13.)  Deacons should “hold the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.”  (3:9.)  The traits listed in Timothy and Titus say nothing about a deacon’s ability in carpentry, masonry, painting, electronics, or replacing light bulbs.  Since nothing is said about those things, then those matters have nothing to do directly with the work of deacons.  Procreation (just the ability to have a baby) does not qualify one to serve as a deacon.  Neither does it qualify one to serve as an elder just because that baby grows up and is baptized.  Many have noted that there are very few differences between the traits of elders and deacons and all Christians.  While that is true, the chief differences have to do with maturity in the faith and a commitment to service.  The role of deacons has often been demeaned and lowered.

 

   Large church buildings to maintain have changed the work of elders and deacons dramatically.  A good question to ask concerning their work is this: What would you do if we did not have a building to maintain?  We should encourage deacons to remember their high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  Their role has more to do with maturity in the faith and commitment to the work of the Kingdom spiritually.

 

   Elders likewise should keep high standards.  Jesus Christ is the Chief Shepherd; you follow his example and work with Him in shepherding his people.  Peter, who also was an elder, wrote to elders saying, “Feed the flock of God which is among you (by teaching, counseling, giving wisdom and direction), taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre (elders in the 1^st century were often paid for their work, unlike elders in our churches), but of a ready mind.  Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.”  (1 Peter 5:1-3.)

 

   Whoever desires this work, desires a good work.  He must be blameless, able to teach, not covetous, able to rule his own house well, having his children in subjection with all gravity.  If a man does not know how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of the God?   Moreover, he must have a good report of those which are without.  (1 Tim. 3:1-7.)  All these statements speak about the high calling of this work.  We should not grow discouraged, or become slack in our zeal.  This is the Lord’s work.  Your work too is primarily about people, not paper.  It is not equal to a board of directors in a modern company.  The business and military model are not good models.  The biblical model is a shepherd and sheep.  The greatest in the Lord’s Kingdom are those who serve others, not those who rule over others.

 

   Elders have a difficult matter changing false perceptions about who they are and what their work is all about.  The best way to overcome those false views is to serve in the way the Bible teaches.  Set a high standard of Christian conduct and an example of Christian maturity.  Lead others by who you are rather than by words.

 

   The books of Timothy and Titus reveal the work of preachers.  A preachers’ works includes the challenge: “Give diligence (study, KJV) to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  (2 Tim. 2:15.)  “Do the work of an evangelist.  Make full proof of thy ministry.”  (2 Tim. 4:5.)  Some preachers become heretics—they major in foolish questions, striving over law and legal matters.  After the first and second admonition, a heretic should be rejected because he is subverted and sinneth, being condemned by himself.  (Titus 3:9-11.)  Preachers have the difficult task of setting in order things that are lacking in local churches.  (Titus 1:5.)  The church is under the care of teachers and preachers until mature elders and deacons are appointed.  It is no small task to be responsible for presenting God’s will, knowing the Gospel well enough that that central message is taught.  Preachers must maintain the high standard set by these words from the apostles and Jesus Christ.  We must not lower the standards by our conduct or by what we teach.

 

Conclusion

 

   A church will succeed if it seeks after the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  If it seeks after lower standards of spirituality than those taught in Scripture, it will fail.  We should say with Paul, We have not yet attained, but this one thing I do—forgetting the things which are behind, we reach forth unto those things which are before.