Your Personal Call

Last Week’s Sermon

Title: Your Personal Call (Josue Aleman)

When Jesus began His earthly ministry, He did not begin with the acquisition of any earthly materials. Instead, what we see in Matthew 4 is an invitation to a relationship with the words: Follow Me.

This call is personal. From Creator to creation. From Master to disciple. From Jesus to one of us individually. 

This call is to a relationship. To know Him who calls and not just know about Him. For the Devil, in his deceitful scheming, tries to confuse and dissuade the disciple of Jesus from answering and remaining in this call. 

It is therefore important to know that this personal call is not transferable or inherited. This call is not a call to merely attend church services. This call is also not to memorize a set of arguments. This call is to know Jesus. To walk with Him. To surrender ourselves to Him who calls. To give up what we mistakenly called life but was only a pursuit of passing pleasures, for Life himself.  

So, what if you have already accepted Jesus? Is the work done?

No! For this call invites us to reorient our entire lives around Jesus. This takes a lifetime. 

Maybe you have strayed away and your relationship with Jesus has grown cold. Is there a way to rekindle that fire? Yes! The life of a disciple calls for daily surrender. So, as long as there is a today, there is yet another opportunity to return to living out this call to a relationship with Jesus. For a great example of this, follow the life of the apostle Peter (see Matthew 4, John 21, and Acts 2), and see how Jesus works in Peter through his ups and downs. Similarly, God’s mercy extends to us today. Though we may stumble, His faithfulness never fails.

Scriptural Text to Contemplate

Philippians 3:8 [ESV] - Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

Prayer

Our God, thank You for Your Son Jesus. Thank you for the call you have made into our lives. At the same time, forgive us Lord for the times we may have confused it for something less than a relationship with You. Help us Lord surrender all to follow You, Jesus. We desire to recognize You and You only as God. We want to bless Your holy name and that Your name may be exalted in our lives as disciples. Give us of Your Spirit to do this. In Your name we pray. Amen.