MANY ARE CALLED, BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN
MANY ARE CALLED, BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN
Sunday, April 22, 2018
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
This week we as a nation and as Texans in particular celebrated the life of Barbara Pierce Bush. Do I believe she was chosen by God to fulfill destiny? Yes I do! She was the wife of an Ambassador to China, Vice President and President. She was the mother of two governors and a President. Her funeral honored and gave glory to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It was a Christian service. She was an admitted sinner who was redeemed by the same grace of which we all must receive and that is the Blood of Jesus Christ.
“Many are called, but few are chosen.” Men and women are called from the foundation of the earth for Kingdom purpose. We are called for many different life positions. Often we are reassigned and realigned within our one lifetime. The LORD calls “certain” people to serve as Kings, governors, government leaders as well as in the Priesthood as Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Evangelists and Teachers. It is the Lord Jesus Christ who chooses. (Eph. 4: 7-11).
“Many are called, but few are chosen.” For those who are “chosen” whether to be government leaders or ministers of the gospel, the cost is high. There will be many battles to face. There will be times of success and times of seeming failure. However, if we press on, there is no defeat in Jesus. We will overcome if we follow wholly after the LORD and die to the desires of our flesh. We will fulfill our destiny and purpose.
We will not be diverted from the divine course God has set for us. As the “living dead” who walk in the Spirit, soulish battles of envy, insult, and offense are just a memory of fleshly weakness gone to the grave.
How could anyone become President of the United States and hold onto ego and offense? How could anyone become President of the United States except they were chosen by the LORD either for blessing or judgment? The same is true for a true calling in the ministry. The Holy Spirit blesses us with many giftings; but it is Jesus who sets us into an Office. It will cost you everything you have. I count it all joy!
Once we have overcome, our lives are dead to the things of this world/kosmos. We have been embalmed with a supernatural power to overcome all the devil’s hellish tactics. Our soulish grave clothes have come off and a living spirit has been resurrected. We are dressed in our wedding garments!
In Matthew 22:2-13, Jesus tells a parable of a King who had a great banquet for his son (Jesus Christ) and invited his servants (those who are called) to come. They would not come. They made light of it. They continued on with their merchandizing, their farming, and their own lives. The “remnant” treated some of their servants spitefully and even killed them. The King was very angry. He sent his army (angels) and destroyed the murderers and burned their city. He told his servants, the wedding is ready, but those who were called were not worthy. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good; and the wedding was furnished with guests. The King saw there was a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. He confronted him that he could not stay without a wedding garment. The man was speechless. The king told the servants to bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
“Many are called but few are chosen.”
When we are chosen, there is a preparation. There is the operation of the gifts and callings which must be submitted to God the Father and His Kingdom purposes. We are clothed upon with preparation for the gospel; and have laid down all of our selfish ambition. When those who were called did not answer the call, he brought in the good and the bad. The LORD can and will use whoever is able and available. The government elite are offended that the LORD chose Donald J. Trump to deliver this nation from corruption.
“I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I lived by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Gal.2:20)
This my friends is the cost of a public life whether government or ministry. This kind of inner strength and character will help you face the fire of difficulty and adversity in life. The fiery trials most often come in areas where you must walk on with God, even if nobody else is walking with you.
“What does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)
Our government is being purged of lawlessness, evil doers, corruption, hypocrites, and wickedness in high places. When the Spirit of the Lord moves on the earth, it is a clean sweep.
Jesus said, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint, anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith: these you ought to have done and not leave the others undone.” (Matt. 23:23)
The Pharisees were men-pleasers who were always “play acting.” That’s what being a hypocrite means. These were the masters of “religion on a stage.” They wanted to look good before men, which really means they didn’t care about what God thought. They sacrificed integrity with God for the popularity of the people. God asks, “How can you even live, how can you exist when you are always looking to please the unstable opinions of men?”(John 5:44)
Today we know this is politics in government or in the church. We don’t allow politics to operate in this church. You say, “Carolyn you preach about the government all the time.” Yes, the government of the Kingdom of God and that is our standard for the church and for our nation.
The Pharisees were insanely jealous of Jesus because He was able to influence the multitudes by the mercy, grace, and love of God.
All are welcome at the table of the LORD.
The prophet Jeremiah told Baruch, the son of Neriah, “And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them…” (Jer. 45:5)
“I believe God hides His endings in His Beginnings.” This is why the Old Testament is quoted by Jesus and the Apostles all through the New Testament. The Law of first mention will always mean the same thing from the first mention of a word to the last mention of the word.
The difference between seeking “greatness” and seeking “great things” is summed up in ego. The Lord will require Greatness from us, but it is not for us. If we do that which is Great in the eyes of the Lord, it will be Greatness for the Kingdom of God and not for ourselves. We will always decrease that He may increase. If we look up Greatness in the Bible, it will always refer to God.
John the Baptist when he saw Jesus said, He must increase, but I must decrease. We must all be teachers praying our children, those we disciple, and the next generation will rise above us.
When we see Jesus, we see the perfect example of greatness. He evidenced the authority that comes with greatness by driving demon spirits out of people’s lives. He was given such authority because of His submissive, humble obedience to His Father. His act of humbling Himself as God to become human, as well as living in perfect obedience to God’s Word gave Him the authority to rule over and command the ruler of this world and his demons.
JUSTICE
Five Fruits of Justice and Integrity:
- Do your actions and attitudes bring dignity and significance to others?
- Do your actions and attitudes provide others with purpose, hope and a powerful positive future?
- Do your actions and attitudes bring individuality to others? Do they allow others to be creative individuals?
- Do your actions and attitudes give others a sense of safety and protection?
- Do your actions and attitudes cover others’ mistakes releasing them from sin through forgiveness and restoration?
When we esteem others better than ourselves, we can work out anything. It is part of our calling as Christians and our commission as disciples of Jesus Christ to live justly and to deal justly with everyone we encounter. We are required to demonstrate God’s nature of justice and integrity toward people. The apostle John said we were not to “love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” (1 Jn. 3:18)
Justice is part of the very nature of God and a “weightier matter” of God’s Kingdom. Let’s begin to learn how to produce the five fruits of justice in real life, where “true religion” really counts.
One of the fruits of righteousness is justice, and justice refreshes, preserves, protects all who enjoy its fruit—even if they are in a place where justice is rare. Jesus Christ is the “pattern son,” the ultimate measure of perfection for everything in our lives. He is also the “author and finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:2) One of the most important things Jesus did was fulfill prophecy by planting justice in the earth.
“…I will raise unto David, a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.” (Jeremiah 23:5)
I believe we are watching on our television screens the King of Kings executing judgment and justice in the earth. It is hard to watch. I have to be careful not to complain that the process is too slow.
The Lord has commissioned me in this season to preach on Holiness and Righteousness. Jesus Christ gave us the “gift of righteousness. (Ro. 5: 17-18).
In Romans 6:11, We reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord
However in Romans 8:18, Paul reminds us of another “reckoning.”
8:18: For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Before becoming a revelation of His glory, we must be prepared to participate in his sufferings, drink from his cup, pick up our cross and follow him.
The Lord brought us to Himself, saved us from sin through the blood of Jesus, imparted righteousness to us through declaration; sanctified us through the washing of the Word; delivered us from sin; delivered us from the law; filled us with His Holy Spirit; Gave us gifts of the Spirit; gave us ministries to edify and equip us; adopted us as sons; presented us to the world as His Son; then placed His glory on us.
Up until this point in Romans, everything has been deposited in our account before we earn it. We have been his guests all the way. However, in Verse 18, Paul has another “reckoning”. The path to glory lies through pain as we die to our own carnality. Jesus was made perfect through sufferings. We are not exempt from this program. If we fix our eyes on our problems, we will despair. If we fix our eyes on the present problems of the world, we could despair. But if we shift our eyes on Jesus, we can press through and use problems as a stepping stone into His Present Glory.
“For He has made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him”. As the revelation of righteousness grows in our lives, so the fruit of justice prospers and reigns through our lives.
Every time we treat people with dignity and respect, we demonstrate the true meaning of God’s justice. A good man always seeks to make others good.
A just man empowers others to see a future and a hope for themselves. An individual will usually become who you encourage him or her to be. “Treat men and they will be true to you, treat them greatly and they will show themselves great.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
A just man forgives, even if others maliciously or ignorantly hurt him. Jesus planted a gracious nature in you and I, that is not evil, malicious, or condemning to other people. A key to forgiveness is knowing how much we have been forgiven. God continues to forgive us moment by moment. When we forgive others, we tear down the walls between us. Forgiveness brings unity.
There is a divine correlation between forgiveness and correction. A forgiving person knows how to receive correction. Some people think that correction means rejection because they have a poor self-image. “He who hates correction will die. (Prov. 15:10) A person who is just likes to be corrected, forgiven, and then released. This is the way the just handles the injustices others do against them. They forgive and release people. Pride can keep us from being a forgiving person.
If the person does not repent and continues in justification of their wrong-doing, we cannot come into agreement with the wrong, but we can forgive them and release them. Forgiveness does not mean to condone or approve of sin or wrongdoing. Nor do we cover it, but we are able to release them from the injustice they have done to us.
HUMILITY
“Do you wish to be great? Then begin by being humble. Do you desire to construct a vast and lofty fabric? Think first about the foundation of humility. The higher your structure is to be, the deeper must be its foundation.” – St. Augustine.
In God’s dimension of greatness comes a selfless prayer life of intercession for the lives of other people. True Servants of the Lord forget about their own needs. They have become dead to the pressure that would cause most well meaning Christians to bail out. They put their trust in God for the deliverance and restoration they need and run to the battle. These “Certain” Christians are impervious to the fiery darts of the enemy because they have overcome whatever is thrown at them
Every marked person carries battle scars on his or her body. Follow someone who walks with a limp because he or she has been through the battle and has come out fighting. They have overcome evil with good.
These “certain” ones bear God’s mark of humility, justice, mercy and are chosen as vessels of greatness. This is His army of intercessors willing to weep before God’s altar on behalf of those under the devil’s deception. These attack the very gates of Hell in a holy passion of fire from on High! God says, I have marked your heart for greatness. You are a chosen vessel on which I have engraved My name. Now is the appointed time for your life to fulfill its true purpose and meaning for existence. You have come into the Kingdom for such a time as this. Take your place in the Assembly of the elect ones.
These elect ones are placed in as government leaders, kings of nations, the offices of Christ and intercessors throughout the world. All of their callings and commissions are for the LORD’s Kingdom purposes concerning nations and His church.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church
I entered into the labors of “Requirements for Greatness” By Lori Wilke. Comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of those who I entered into their labors.