REVIVESample

DAY 4: REVIVE OUR CALLING

JESUS CAME TO SEEK & SAVE THE LOST. Let that soak in for moment. His purpose, His plan, and His mission was for people. The whole reason why Jesus came was for us. The reality is that if this purpose was good enough for Jesus, then it should be good enough for us. Too often though, it isn’t good enough. Church and faith have become spectator sports that people tend to watch rather than live by. 

There is a concept floating around called ‘consumer Christianity’. The idea is that Christians have come to a place where they are consumers rather than contributors. We consume online sermons, we spectate the worship, we commentate on the leadership, and we pick and choose our churches based on the quality of the coffee bean served in the foyer.

Some believers have subscribed to the notion that the church exists just for our needs. When we live from this place, we develop a ‘serve me’ mentality – when the reality is that Christ came to serve not to be served (Matthew 20). So often we want the songs we like to sing, we want the sermons we like to hear and we want it the way we like to have it. But the truth Is that the Church doesn’t exist for what WE want – the church exists for what HE wants. And God wants the lost people found.

Of course, we pastorally care for our communities, and we love every person who walks through our doors. However, we need to be careful that we don’t mix our comfort with our calling. In reality, the Christian calling is not meant to be comfortable. Jesus calls Peter out onto the water into a place that is unknown and unchartered, yet that is where God has called us to live. Our goal as believers is not to live in COMFORT, but to walk in CALLING. This is made so clear in the example of Jesus - who gave up His own will for the sake of humanity. In the same way, our calling is to lay our lives down for the one who laid down His life for us. 

Our hearts should break for the things that break the heart of God. The truth is that our biblical mandate has NEVER changed, it has always been to go into ALL the world, preaching the gospel and making disciples. This means we need to turn our attention beyond our own needs and turn our hearts toward the lost.

God is reviving CALLING across the earth. The true purpose that Christ came for, is being realised and those who are in faith are rising. People are rediscovering purpose and the burden for the lost is growing. Hearts are being set alight with a desire to reach whoever we can, wherever we can and however we can - that is revival. 

QUESTIONS:

1. Are there aspects of my life where I am putting my comfort over the calling of God on my life?

2. How can we develop a deeper passion for people in our world, who don’t know Jesus? 

3. Who is someone I am praying for to become a believer? (Name them and pray for them).