Called and Commission

Scriptures: Mark 3:13-19

“And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And the came to Him. Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send
them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to
whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; and Judas
Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. And they went into a house. During my childhood years, each time my parents are calling my name, I can only think two
reasons why they called my name, either they will ask me to do household chores or when I did some trouble in the house and neither of these two are pleasant to me. Then growing up I
used to think that because we called upon God through faith and prayers, because most of us believed that God exist, that He begun to notice us and called us back to Him but after reading
this scriptures it caused me to think it over again and that is not the case always.

I can imagine when God created Adam, the first man and breathed life to his nostrils, gains his consciousness as if awakens from a deep sleep. His first question was probably who am I? where I am? What am I doing here?  The God speaks and call His name Adam! Then it was God who called Noah to built an Ark, It was God who called Abraham to leave his home and go to a place He prepares for him and His descendants. It was God who called Moses from the burning bush to lead and delivers the Israelites from Egypt’s slavery. It was God who called Samuel and appointed him a prophet for the nations. It was God who called Saul to become Paul an apostle to the gentile nations.

What can we learned from God’s calling?
A. God’s calling in general is for all men to be saved and have fellowship with Him.
“Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.” (Isaiah 45:22) “God desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth” 1 Tim.2:4
B. Specific calling -the call to belong to Christ and participate in the redemptive work in the world. –
1. Called to Him
– called to belong to Christ (Romans 1:6)
– called according to His will and purpose (Romans 8:28) created anew, as ambassadors for Christ, entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Cornthians 5:17-20)

–it was a personal call! Christ deals with us as individuals and His calls is always a personal one. (Luke 19:5) Jesus called Zacchaeus by Name. It was though as He was saying to Zacchaes.
“I have called you by your Name, you are Mine” Isaiah 43:1
* God’s call is a call of sovereign election. –
“Called to Him those He himself wanted” – God chose them based on his sovereign right as King. They were chosen because of election.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the
world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. (Ephesians 1:3-5 )
Certainly a very controversial doctrine- God’s elect! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” Romans 11:34 Does the clay ask the potter what he is doing?
Does the pot complain that its maker has no skill? Isaiah 45:9 Trust God, He knows what is best for all of us. Remember Ephesians 2:8-9 our salvation is only
a result of grace, and we received this grace because of God’s election. Election does not means favoritism, the Bible clearly told us “ God does not play favorites. God does not show
favoritism, there is o partiality in Him. (Romans 2:11)
* God’s calling is a call to follow Him– “ And they came to Him
– to respond to God’s calling is to obey His words. Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed
Him. (Matthew 4:19-20)
* God’s calling is a call to faith and dependence on Him – “that they might be with Him”
Remember some of these apostles had left their secular job and family. But Jesus assured them and comfort them with His promises. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but
whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. (Matthew 16:25) And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will
receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. (Matthew 19:29)
– Almighty God, the creator of all things wants to have fellowship with His creation, to give us His imcomparable riches, unmerited favor and grace, to lavished unto us His unconditional
love. And as we spend time and walked with Him, God is teaching us His ways, reveals unto us His will and purpose, fashioned and molded us in Christ-like characters. Eg. Moses called to the top of the mountain (Exodus chapter 19, Exodus 24:1-18)

2. Appointed by God – Appointed means being designated/placed/commissioned to an office/position/task with the transfer of authority of the one appointing.
-Jesus said, You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit (John 15:16).
–appointed us to be a light and salt in this world. Matthew 5:13-16
– “Appointed the twelve to be apostles”
During our Leadership class with Pastor Jerry Sturgeon, he taught us about the importance of Authority in Spiritual leadership chosen and appointed by God and not by election/selection
by man.
RODA– Rightly Ordained Delegated Authority by God.

God can pick up a nobody, to be somebody in front of everybody without consulting nobody!
– to be set apart, given a particular task. ““Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work to which I have called them.” Acts 13:2. Everyone can prophesy the Word of God, but not everyone can be/ assumed to be a prophet of God unless God’s will and to do so. Everyone can share the Word of God but not everyone
should assumed to be a preacher.
– As God appointed us, He anointed us to do His will and purpose. He empowered and equipped us with all His spiritual blessings. He gave us different spiritual gifts to edify the body of Christ, just as His sovereign will is. ( 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4:11-32)
3. He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out
demons:
“;I am sending you, just as the Father has sent me.” John 20:21
– Great commission– the instruction of the resurrected Jesus Christ to his disciples to spread the gospel to all the nations of the world “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,   baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age. Matthew 28:1-20
– When God send us with His mission (to save the lost) He gives us vision, ( knowledge and wisdom, showing us the way) and when He gives us vision, His provision follows.
– His presence will go with us marks with sign and wonders. – Mark 16:17-20 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.” Mark 1:38 “this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. “ 2 Corinthians 4:7-10
– God send us to do good works
– As God’s chosen (Called) appointed/anointed servants let us serve with love and humility, so that the world might know Christ and glorify God .
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16
To God be the Glory alone!