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August 26, 2007AM
Mark 10:17-22
God’s CALLING
The story you are about to hear is a true story.
It happened on a Sunday morning very much like today.
The setting was a church very much like our church.
The cast was a congregation very much like us.
The Pastor who was very much like me (the poor man) was preparing for service.
He was checking on last minute details when someone rushed up with a bulletin.
It was a bulletin very much like ours.
The person had a concern.
Those scheduled to usher for the service were no where to be found.
There was no one to hand out bulletins or pass the offering plates.
It just so happened in this story that a woman walked by.
The Pastor had never seen this woman serve as an usher.
But in desperation he asked her: “Could you usher this morning?”
The Pastor in this story anticipated her answer before it was given.
The Pastor fully expected to hear “No, I’ve never done that before.”
The Pastor expected, “Can’t you get someone else do that?”
The Pastor already had his next line thought through.
He was ready to say, “OK, maybe another time.”
He was totally unprepared for what the woman said.
The answer he received was, “I can do that.”
Now the pastor had to regroup.
He couldn’t remember the last time he heard that phrase.
He could hardly believe his ears.
The exact words he said next are a bit fuzzy.
He blurted out something like, “Are you sure?”
The answer did not change.
She was still convinced she could usher.
“I can do that.”
That phrase has a beautiful sound to it.
It is a phrase that makes every leader’s heart soar.
One of the greatest gifts God gives to us is His calling.
He calls every person of faith into a life of service.
Over and over again Jesus called people.
He called people to follow Him and serve their world with Him.
Jesus, the greatest person who ever walked on this earth and its seas.
Jesus, God in flesh, dwelling among us, calling us to follow Him.
And in following Him He calls us to sacrifice everything.
Some amazingly said to Him, “I can do that”.
They dropped their nets and left their boats.
They left lucrative jobs.
They left family.
Jesus called and they replied, “I can do that”
Part of God’s Miraculous Giving to you is His call.
Regrettably not everyone says, “I can do that”.
We see an example of that in our Scripture today.
A person received God’s Miraculous Gift.
He called and that person refused.
Can you imagine a person actually saying “No!” to Jesus?
I shared this Scripture with the youth on Thursday night.
We looked at it from the perspective of How to Stay Young.
I did not know at the time that it fit into God’s Miraculous Giving.
But Jesus is offering a call to a rich young ruler. (Read Scripture).
Jesus must have longed to hear this young man say, “I can do that.”
Jesus did not ask him to do something he couldn’t do.
Jesus looked intently at this young man.
Love poured out from Jesus toward him.
Jesus did not ask him to do the impossible or something bad for him.
He simply called him to “Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor.”
He does not ask anyone to do the impossible.
He does not ask you to do the impossible.
The leadership of our church does not ask you to do the impossible.
Each of us has received at least one spiritual gift.
God’s call releases us to use that gift to His glory.
Using that gift for Him results in great joy and abundant life.
Paul says, “I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
In Matthew’s account of this same story “The disciples were astounded. ‘Then who in the world can be saved?’ they asked. Jesus looked at them intently and said, ‘Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.’” (Matthew 19:25-26)
Regrettably the rich young man went away sorrowful.
His countenance fell.
“At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.” (NIV)
“The man's face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off with a heavy heart. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go.” (TM)
“When the man heard Jesus say this, he went away gloomy and sad because he was very rich.” (CEV)
He said to Jesus, “I can’t do that.”
Now let’s return to the true story.
Not too many hours ago that same pastor was discouraged.
He was feeling overwhelmed by leadership issues.
He was hearing reports of dissention and gossip and rumors.
He was hearing reports of others who were grumbling about the church’s ministry.
He was feeling the pressure of not enough time to care for the sick.
His confidence was shrinking about the direction of the future.
And I have it on good authority that he had himself a pity party.
In his heart he said to God, “I don’t want to do this anymore.”
Or maybe it was a little different statement, “I can’t do this.”
It was then the Lord reminded him of the lady usher.
Someone who was willing to say “I can do that.”
Someone who received God’s Miraculous Gift.
Someone who, when called upon, said “Yes, I can do that.”
There is another story in the Bible of a man named Zacchaeus.
“He was a chief tax collector, and rich” according to Luke 19:2.
He received Jesus’ call joyfully.
Jesus called him out of the tree and this is how Zacchaeus responded.
“So he made haste and came down, and received Jesus joyfully.” (Luke 19:6)
He said “Yes!” to Jesus.
What a contrast between Zacchaeus and the rich young ruler.
This rich young ruler was no doubt respected by the people.
He had lived a noble life.
He was the cream of the crop.
And we never learn his name in scripture.
He said I can’t do that.
The more we say that the more our lives become tarnished.
They start to lose their beauty.
The countenance gets darker and darker.
Our lives take on very much the appearance of this silver plate.
The luster and sparkle have disappeared. (Dip plate in solution)
But Zacchaeus immersed himself in yes to Jesus’ call.
It is amazing that we know this person by name.
Zacchaeus was despised by those around him.
Being the chief tax collector made him offensive to everyone.
He was a traitor to his people.
He cheated and stole and made people’s lives miserable.
He did nothing for God and everything for himself.
His reputation all over town was that of a sinner.
He was everything the rich young ruler wasn’t.
But when Jesus called he said, “I can do that”.
He didn’t even wait.
He jumped right in and said, “I give half of my wealth to the poor.
“And anyone I have cheated I will repay fourfold”.
That is a huge “I can do that!”
And Zacchaeus began to shine in the image of Jesus.
The tarnish was stripped away and he became a brand new creation.
(remove plate from solution)
I know some of us have become tarnished.
I might be an old pastor but I am not blind.
Nor am I as deaf as some would believe me to be.
And I hear the replies to God’s Miraculous Giving, the call He extends to you.
And many of the replies result in sadness, sorrow, tarnish.
That is so needless.
To what have you said “No!” because you are holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go.
You do so to your own peril.
Some have said no to a ministry opportunity.
Some have said no to His gift of salvation.
Zacchaeus said yes to everything and Jesus said, “Today salvation has come to this house.”
Know this.
Jesus loves you just as he loved both the rich young ruler and Zacchaeus.
They were worlds apart but both were loved equally by Jesus.
How will you respond to God’s Miraculous Gift – His call?
It’s not too late to say to whatever His call is, “I can do that!”
It might be something huge, it might be something small.
But your yes to Jesus’ call makes or keeps life brand new.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Isn’t it time to put legs to your faith?
Isn’t it time to say “I can do that!” to Jesus’ call, God’s Miraculous Gift?
Don’t go away sorrowful today.
Receive God’s Miraculous Gift with joy.