Sermon Notes
All of life is designed to draw us into the likeness of Christ.
Holiness is loving God with all my heart, mind, soul and strength and loving my neighbor as myself. Simply put, Holiness is Christlikeness. Holiness is not an “it” as in “have you got it?” It’s him I need. In him I find purity, power, and obedience. Jesus Christ himself is the definition of holiness and its living example.”
- Keith Drury, Holiness for Ordinary People
A calling is when God issues an invitation to a deeper level of following him
Mark 1:15
“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”
Matthew 4:19
Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”
He was not asking them to change their occupation. In fact, they didn’t. He was calling them to change their preoccupation. He was asking them to take on his mission and make it the sole purpose of their lives.
- Steve DeNeff, FaultLines
Can God really be trusted with my life?
Luke 5:4
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”
Luke 5:5
“Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
God’s calling is preceded by God’s promptings.
Luke 5:6-7
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
When we get to the end of ourselves, God presents an opportunity to experience his power anew.
Luke 5:8
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”
God’s call to something greater begins with a new awareness of a greater need for God.
Luke 5:10-11
“Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
Don’t let the fear of the unknown keep you from following what I know.
Don’t let the fear of what is behind you keep you from discovering what I have ahead of you.
A call from God is never an offer for us to do something for God, but a forecast of something God will do through us.
“The call is God’s idea, not our idea, and only on looking back over the path of obedience do we realize what is the idea of God.” But as to whether or not God comes through, “we have nothing to do with the afterward of our obedience.”
- Oswald Chambers