"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT THE CALL OF GOD UPON OUR LIVES"
Acts 22:14 “Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth.
Acts 22:15 ‘For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.
Some explanatory thoughts/application/questions and a prayer:
These verses are part of a much longer story and message by the Apostle Paul. He had been in the temple, and wound up speaking to the Jews there, and it caused such an uproar that his life was in danger. These two verses focus in on just a few of the specifics that God told Paul were going to happen in his life. However, these same specifics, are actually for each and every Christian. Paul is an example then, of the call of God upon the life of every and any Christian.
1. You have been chosen by God.
Acts 22:14 “Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you
Here Paul is rehearsing what Jesus told him when He appeared to him, and he was converted. God had chosen him.
The same can be said of every Christian. God has chosen You also.
Ephesians 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
You have been chosen by God. And, this choice was made before the foundation of the world. So, we can take great comfort and understanding, God has chosen us, and He chose us for a particular plan.
2. You have been chosen by God to know His will.
Acts 22:14 “Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will,
Here Paul begins to explain why God had chosen him, and this reason applies to you as well, if you know the Lord and are born again.
God chose Paul and You with many things in mind, and in store. But, here's one of the major ones. That we would know His will for our lives. Isn't that beautiful. God wants you to know what His will is for your life.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
(note, you will notice, that are conditions set by God in order for us to know His will) please read Rom 12:1-2 again slowly, and see what those conditions are. You could even call them condition/promises )
3. You have been chosen by God to see the Just one.
Acts 22:14 “Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One,
This is interesting. To see Just One. We don't know of Paul ever seeing Jesus again with his physical eyes, he may have.
But, we also do not know of any persons living, who have seen Jesus with their eyes. Yet, Jesus told Paul he would see Him. And, we are also told that we will see Him.
We see God now through faith. We once were blind, and could not even begin to hope that we might see Him. We did not even know of his true and living existence. But, once saved our eyes are opened and we can see Him, through the eyes of faith. Look below here at a prayer Paul prayed concerning seeing the Lord.
Ephesians 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
Ephesians 1:18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
And, Jesus made this promise.
Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
4. You have been chosen by God to hear the voice of His mouth.
Acts 22:14 “Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth.
Now Paul further explains the call of God. Not only to see the Lord, but to hear the voice of His mouth. In other words, Jesus was telling Paul, You are going to hear me speak to you. And, speak to him He did. He does this through His Word.
We also hear God speak to us. We have ears that can hear, and Jesus speaks to us all day long through creation, and through other people we fellowship with, and of course through His Word, as we read it, and hear it preached and taught. God speaks to us.
James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
5. You have been chosen by Go to be His witness to all men of what you will see and hear.
Acts 22:15 ‘For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.
And here the Lord was explaining to Paul and to us, the outworking of His call upon our lives. He wants us to be a witness of Him to all men, and it's a witness to them of what we see and what we hear from God.
In other words, He takes our lives, and works in our lives, transforming us, and than wants us to be those living witnesses to others of God. What a great privilege it is to have God's call upon our lives.
Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Some questions:
1. Have you been saved by trusting in Jesus Christ?
2. Have you begun growing in your walk with Him?
3. Have you also begun to see what His call is upon Your life?
4. Have you in reading these verses today been encouraged by them?
5. Have you surrendered Your life to Him, as far as wanting to serve Him with Your whole heart?
6. Do you know that God will use You if you are available, and there is not greater blessing than to be used by Him?
A prayer:
Father, day by day, we have the opportunity to feast on Your precious Word. And what a feast it is. Thank You for feeding us so well through it. And, thank You for guiding us, and giving us examples of how You work. Thank You Lord for the call that You have upon our lives. We want to yield ourselves to You this day, in complete surrender to Your will and to Your call upon us. Work in us Lord, and work through us. May our lives shine brilliantly for You. In Jesus name.
Amen.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.
