Calling Invitation and Selection

Calling

Invitation and Selection

Along with having the knowledge of God we must dress properly

This is to put on Godly character

Character that will cause us to walk morally upright

And compassionately toward others

Paul talks about believers in God who believe in vain 1 Corinthians 15:2

It was not only true of the Pharisees and Sadducees it is true of so many today

Who can only accept a god that fits their mind set

I have known God all my life and yet I still find God showing me

Through His Word, my concepts of Him need to change

Your Calling, Your Invitation is not enough

You must accept it and the changes to the way you think and clothe yourself  

In the end God makes the selection, He does the choosing

God called you to work for Him

God invited you to the wedding

So our call requires a daily pray

“Not my will but thy will be done” 

Invitation and Selection

I can’t think of anything more wonderful

than God calling us to Himself…

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,

 that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,

but to save the world through him.

John 3:16-17

The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!"

And let him who hears say, "Come!"

Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes,

let him take the free gift of the water of life.

Revelation 22:17

God’s love invites us to

become His children, that is incredible.

If you have ever planned a large wedding,

 you know the cost, the work,

and the time it takes to make it right.

One key detail of a wedding is the invitation.

Invitations have to be given

and have to be received.

But it is more than putting a

postage stamp on an envelope.

The one giving the invitation has to make

some choices on who will be invited.

Each person invited will cost the one

giving the invitation, but it is not the

cost that determines the invitation…

 It is the love.

To receive an invitation is to know you meant

something to the giver of the invitation.

But an invitation given has to have a response…

 We call it a RSVP.

Because it is not God’s will that any should perish.

2 Peter 3:9

His invitation is given to everyone at

the cost of Jesus’ death on the cross.

When you receive an invitation,

 you have to do something…

You can reject it or accept it.

But that is not the end of the matter.

Jesus said…

"For many are called, but few are chosen." 

Matthew 20:16 & 22:14 NKJV

Jesus says this in two different parables.

The one has to do with workers.

Although all the ones invited to work

are paid, all the workers are not happy.

The one who hired the workers and paid

them fulfilled his end of the agreement.

But it was the one who called the laborers,

when he decided to show his goodness,

the other workers complained.

Bottom line…

 They were called and paid, but those workers

complained about the owners right to be good.

Jesus says…

"For many are called, but few are chosen." 

The second time is an invitation to a wedding.

There was a person who must have got the

invitation and came, but was physically removed.

The reason…

 He was not clothed for the wedding.

This guest did not have the

respect to change his clothes.

And Jesus says…

"For many are called, but few are chosen."

Too often we hear of people who are angry

at God because He did not do what they

thought He should do or not do.

In doing so, we do not make Jesus, LORD…

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord,"

and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,

you will be saved.

Romans 10:8-9

We must make Jesus Lord

in order to be accepted.

I can’t imagine asking Jesus to wear a Speedo.

Jesus is not trying to dress like you or me

(PS I don’t wear Speedos either).

We are told we must clothe ourselves with Christ.

 Romans 13:14

Chosen people clothe themselves this way…

Therefore, as God's chosen people,

holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion,

 kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances

you may have against one another.

 Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

And over all these virtues put on love,

 which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Colossians 3:12-14

Peter sums it up in 2 Peter 1.

You and I do not have the knowledge

to tell God how He should do things.

We do not have the proper attire

to wear before the living God.

But…

His divine power has given us everything

we need for life and godliness through

our knowledge of him who called us

by his own glory and goodness.

2 Peter 1:3

So make every effort to add to your wardrobe…

For this very reason, make every effort

to add to your faith goodness;

 and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control;

and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;

 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure,

 they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive

in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind,

and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

2 Peter 1:5-9

Verse 1 sums it up…

 

Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1 10-11

“to make your calling and election sure.”

Make your invitation and selection sure.

Our calling is to grow in the Knowledge of God.

This will require us to humbly inquire of the Lord

and not to preach an opinionated gospel.

Only the truth of God will set us free.

Along with having the Knowledge of God,

 we must dress properly.

This is to put on Godly character.

Character that will cause us to walk morally

upright and compassionately toward others.

Paul talks about believers in God who believe in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:2

It was not only true of the Pharisees and Sadducees,

it is true of so many today who can only

accept a god that fits their mind set.

I have known God all my life and yet,

I still find God showing me through His Word

my concepts of Him need to change.

Your Calling, Your Invitation is not enough.

You must accept it and the changes to

the way you think and clothe yourself.

  

In the end God makes the selection…

 He does the choosing.

God called you to work for Him.

God invited you to the wedding.

So our call comes from a daily pray…

 “Not my will but Thy will be done” 

Scripture Reading

2 Peter 1:1-11 NIV

1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:

2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Revelation 22:17 NIV

17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.