Called [Session four]

16/05/2019 11:14:30 AM | Lisa

My husband Steve and I had a pretty spectacular and somewhat supernatural calling to serve in Cambodia. As such, we could have been tempted to think we were something special. Except that once we were in Cambodia, we found other equally-called workers who had been prompted by nothing more than a desire to be obedient to Jesus’ command to “…go make disciples…”. It was by God’s profound grace (not our awesomeness) that He made our call so clear we had no choice but to obey.

However, our mission or vocation was never our primary calling. Our first and primary calling is the call to follow Jesus.

Watch: Episode 4 – Milestones in Mission www.globalinteraction.org.au/GrowSow

Discuss:

“There’s no retirement in serving my God.” How does Paul describe his job? (Tip: it’s the very next sentence!) Contrast this with how we might describe his work.
What sacrifices have Paul and his fellow believers made in order to follow Jesus? What cultural practices do they retain and redeem in order to express their faith in Jesus in culturally understandable ways?
In a context with many barriers to belief in Jesus, what is one way their local community is comfortable to ask for help?

Luke 9:18-27, 44-50, 57-62
Read through these passages where Jesus talks about the call to, and cost of, discipleship.

In these verses:

Jesus was correctly identified as the Messiah and warned them that he would be killed and then raised to life.
Discipleship would require denying oneself daily… but the disciples fought over who would be greatest.
Fitness for service in the kingdom was measured through singleminded obedience at the cost of comfort, wealth and family.

Reflect:

How easy (or otherwise) is it to be a follower of Jesus in your context? What sacrifices has Jesus asked of you to in order to follow Him?
How does this primary calling to follow Jesus impact your secondary calling to a vocation, place or people group?
Asking for prayer is a way the Ethnic Thai community accepts help from the believers. In what ways might your local community be comfortable to accept or seek “help” from your local church?

Act:

Ask Jesus to help you to count the cost daily, trust Him fully and encourage one another, so you will not be tempted to say “no” when following Him means going where you are uncomfortable.
Take some time out this week to reflect on how your work (or future work) is involved in building God’s kingdom. (Check out www.theologyofwork.org for helpful resources in getting a better sense of your vocational calling).
Pray for the Ethnic Thai believers to be faithful in the face of opposition and reflectors

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