Greetings to you this blessed day in Jesus name, Amen.
It’s always my pleasure to write these sermons and publish them online for the benefit of readers.
I’m making plans to start the audio and video versions of these messages and begin to broadcast on different social media platforms very soon by God’s grace.
Today, as promised last week, I will be dealing with The Different Kinds of Callings, and very briefly, How to know You’re Called to the vineyard ministry.
Let’s start with the general operations of the Calling of God.
THE GENERAL OPERATIONS OF GOD”s CALL IN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS.
1: The first point to note here is that there are two patterns of how the call operates in the Old Testament, and how they function in the New Testament.
The Old Testament was God’s Covenant with Israel.
Everything we read in the Old Testament pertained exclusively to how God dealt with his people, Israel, not with other nations. At a particular period in history, God was the leader, King and God of Israel, his Chosen people.
The bulk of the Old Testament stories covered this period, until the people of Israel rejected the leadership of the Almighty God and, instead asked for an earthly king like the Gentile nations.
However, the New Testament is the story of God’s dealing with the world, since Jesus came into our world to redeem us from sin.
Therefore, while all the Callings, spiritual offices, laws, statues, practices, rituals and ordinances, including the 10 Commandments were all made to regulate the conduct of the Israelites, exclusively, so to speak, we do not have such arrangements for the New Testament and the Gentile nations.
When Jesus came, he brought a new testament, a covenant for the entire world, and all the laws, including the 10 Commandments, thou shall not steal, thou shall not commit murder, thou shall not do this and that. Subsequently, Jesus reduced all the scores of Laws, including the 10 Commandments, to just two new commandments: Love God with all your heart, and love your neighbour as yourself.
We have seen that the call in the Old Testament was for God’s people, the Israelites, while the call in the New Testament is for the whole world. Ref: Gen 6:12-22, John 3:16
THE FIRST CALL IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
The first call in the New Testament is a call to salvation and repentance.
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, according to the scriptures. So, the first call is a call back to God for reconciliation, forgiveness and obedience.
After someone obeys this call, they could then be called to other types of offices, and assignments, which would require empowerment, anointing, enabling grace to function, jurisdiction, tenure, and all the rest.
Ref: Gen 9:1-11
THE 12 CATEGORIES OF CALLINGS
There are 12 categories of Callings we see in the entire Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments.
1: The High Priestly call-Aaron, (the brother of Moses) and his children were called to this ministry. Aaron was the first High Priest of Israel.
Ref: Ex 28:1
2: The Levites, Moses himself is a descendant of Levi, the third son of Jacob. The Levites served as music ministers, etc. (Gen 29:34)
3: The Kings – Several kings and their sons, were called to the throne in Israel to serve God in their dispensations.
Ref: 1 Sam 11:12-15, 1 Sam 16:13, 1 King 1:32-40
4: The Prophets – Many prophets, from the time of Samuel were called to serve God. This is a kind of Royal calling not seen today. ( Gen 12:1-3, Gen 3:10-18)
5: Leadership -The Judges were called as leaders at a time, to govern Israel in the absence of kings. To this category belong, Samson, Deborah, etc.
Moses was called to lead the Israelites from the oppression of Pharaoh in Egypt. (Gen 3:10-22)
6: The 5-fold ministries of Apostle, Pastors, Evangelists, Prophets and Teachers. This a New Testament calling to offices and assignments Jesus appointed individuals as he pleases. (Eph 4:7-13)
7: Diaconate – This is a call to specific assignments in the temple or church, to serve as Bishops, Deacons, wardens, security officer, cleaners, serving Holy Communion
However, some denominations have elevated the Bishop into General Overseers, and leaders of church ministries. That’s an administrative style and there’s nothing wrong with it.
(1 Tim 3:14, Titus 1:5-8, Acts 6:1-6)
8: Partnerships-Paul and Barnabas were called to jointly serve in the mission field before they went their separate ways due to a major dispute. (Acts 13:1-4, Acts 15:36-40)
9: Volunteers – People not directly called to serve, could offer to serve at a particular time, when someone is needed to do a job. Nehemiah rebuilt the broken walls of Jerusalem, even though he was not called to do that. David fought Goliath, when he was not instructed to do that. A wife could step in to continue the ministry of her late husband, if no one is available to go the job.
A son or daughter who’s competent, and gifted could step out to continue the ministry of his or her late father or mother if occasion warrants.
Aquila and Priscilla hosted a church in their home, and nothing could have stopped either couple to come the work in the absence of one of them through infirmity or death.
(Neh 1:1,2,3; Luke 7:4-7)
10: Family Callings – Abraham and his sons, Isaac and Jacob were the first patriarchs.Israel and his sons; the sons of Issachar, were all called specially for some assignments in the Old Testament.
God is still doing so today, because he is the same, yesterday, today and forever.
11: The believer today operates as a King and priest in the order of Melchizedek, which is the Priesthood of Jesus Christ. That’s why we’re called Kings and Priests under the new covenant.
Ref: Heb 5:1-10, 1 Peter 2:5, 9
12: Missionaries-Every mature Christian believer is called to serve in the mission field, in any way convenient, to make disciples of all nations.
Jesus gave this order to the disciples at his ascension. It is a statue of general application. That’s why the Bible says, many are called. (2 Tim 4:1-2)
This is my summary of the Callings I have been able to study from the Bible. Some of the offices listed in this sermon are now called different names and given new titles today.
We also see from the Old Testament that families could be called to serve God.
Couples could be called, anyone could be called, including husband and wife. There’s nothing wrong with all that so long as God’s purpose is served, hallelujah!
HOW CAN YOU KNOW YOU’RE CALLED?
How does God call his servants? There are various ways God may call his servants.
1: The call could be a direct call in a small, still voice. It could be like the call of Abraham, Jonah, Samuel, David, Rev Chris Okotie, Moses, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, and other servants of God whose testimonies we have heard in this generation.
Ref: Rm 8:28-30
2: The call may come through a strong nudging in your heart that is persistent, perennial, refusing to relent until you heed.
3: The call might be circumstantial, happening through mysterious circumstances, a prophecy confirmed by two or three others, a dream, etc.
4: A vacuum could suddenly be created for you to fill either through the death of your immediate leader, a vacancy, etc.
Ref: Jos 1:1-2
THE THREE PRINCIPAL WAYS GOD CALLS
The basic ways of the call of God are-
1: The call to salvation and repentance.
Ref: John 3:16
2: The call to specific ministries, assignments, offices and occasions.
Ref: Eph 4:11
3: An offer to serve. A child of God could make a voluntary offer to serve, if occasion warrants, like the absence of a ministry partner, colleague, death of a spouse, parent, or leader.
Ref: Joshua 1:1-2
However, the point has to be made clear that a volunteer may not be able to serve in a higher call ministry, if they are not called to such an exalted office, like in the 5-fold ministries of Apostle, Pastor, Evangelist, Prophet, and Teacher in the New Testament era.
No volunteer could serve as a Priest, Prophet and King, for instance in the Old Testament unless they were called by God to such a position or office.
To serve in a high calling without being called, could attract severe punishment, like it happened with King Uzziah who was struck by God, with leprosy for burning incense in the temple; a role reserved only for priests.
Ref: 2 Ch 26:16-21, 2 Kings 15:5
Ladi Ayodeji, Author, Gospel Minister, Counselor, can reached on 09059243004 (Whatsapp)
