like a welcome everybody to our session this morning. I want to share with you some thoughts that I've had recently, that have been on my heart, and some things that really relate to some of the current events that have happened in our world. I believe that many believers, if not all believers, have been affected by the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk, young man who was 31 years old, whose life was taken so tragically, and yet really meaningful, and I think God had a tremendous purpose in that young man's life. It's made me kind of search my own heart in some of my discussions with my wife and my family, as to what I'm doing with my life and where I'm going.
I want to speak to you today about your calling in your life, and what are you living for and where are you going? I'm going to invite you first of all to turn to Matthew's Gospel, and we're going to read in chapter 25, Matthew chapter 25, and I want to read at verse 14. Matthew 25 and verse 14, It says that the kingdom of heaven is like a man, going into a far country who called his servants. Notice that word called?
He called his servants, and he entrusted unto them his property. To one, he gave five talents to another. He gave one talent to each, according to his ability. Then he went away, and he who had received the five talents went out at once and traded with them, and made five other talents.
So also he that had the two talents made two more. But he that received one talent went and noticed what he did. He dug a hole in the ground, and he hid. He buried his master's money.
And after a long time, what happens? If you were to drop down to verse 23, his master said, well done, good and faithful servant. You've been faithful over a little. I will set you over much.
Enter into the joy of your master. He also had received the one talent came forward, and the master said, I knew, sorry, saying to the master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not so, and gathering where you scattered no seed. Notice verse 25, so I was afraid. And I went and hid your talents in the ground here.
Here is what is yours. But the master answered him, you wicked and slothful servant. And I think you know the rest of the story. Just to introduce my subject today, I want to speak to you about the calling that is on your life.
I think that many of us don't think about how short our time is. I think many of us don't think about the resources, the talents, the gifts that God has given us. And I think many of us are not using them wisely. I want to speak to you today about the calling that is on your life.
And I want to speak to you about the cause. I want to speak to you about the cost. There is a cost. And I want to speak to you today about the crown.
Let me ask you this question. Is it better to live a life all out for Jesus Christ and be cut down at 31 years old? Or would it be better to play it safe? Stay on the sidelines.
Maybe survive your 80 years with minimal turmoil, minimal conflict. Maybe you've caused minimal ripples in your life, and you just make it through. You haven't impacted many lives. You've made a living.
You've raised your family, and you've lived a soft, easy life. And you reach a full life of 80 years old, and you've buried your talents in the ground. Which life is better do you think? I want to challenge our hearts with that question, because I believe that we are living in perilous times.
I believe that the landscape of this world and the church and everything that's happening right now is changing quickly and dramatically. Notice what this slothful servant said to the master in Matthew 25 and 25. He said, I was afraid. I was afraid.
So I hid my talent and the earth. And I've kept it safe. Here it is, Lord. What does the Lord say to him?
He says, you wicked and slothful servant. That's not why I gave you what I gave you. Recently, I experienced something that I never experienced before, and I'm just going to share this with you. A couple weeks ago, an older gentleman, an elder in the faith came to me and he said, John, can I pray for you?
And I said, sure. He said, I want to speak into your life. He said, God has put this on my heart, and I want to share it with you. He said, it's great that you and others are doing street ministry.
But I want you to think about where we are now in the world. Think about the times that we're living in. Think about where it's going. He said, I want to speak into your life to mentor younger men and women.
Do we equip them to evangelize? To stand for the truth, to use their gifting and their calling and the word rang in my heart, calling, calling, calling, what is my calling? To use it for the glory of God. To redeem the time because the time is short.
Let me go back to my question today. Every one of you as you sit here in the comfort of your life today. What has God called you to do? What is your calling?
Are you carrying it out? Or are you like some that take those precious talents and bury them in the ground? I'd like to look today at what the Apostle Paul said about this subject as he spoke his last words to Timothy. Turn please to 1 Timothy, chapter 6.
1 Timothy, chapter 6. We're going to read and see what Paul valued and what instruction in counsel he gave young men. In verse 6, he said, Godliness with contentment is great gain. We brought nothing into this world and it's certain we're going to carry nothing out.
Having food and clothes let us there with be content they who will or desire to be rich will fall into temptation and a snare. And many foolish and hurtful lusts which plunge men into destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil. Some having coveted after or strived for have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
But you, you, pick it personally today. You, oh man of God, flee these things. Follow righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness. And then he says fight, fight, the good fight of faith.
Lay hold on eternal life which you have been called to. You have been called to this calling and you have professed a good profession before many witnesses. I command you in the sight of God who makes all things alive, who also when before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession. Keep this commandment without spot, unreputable, unto the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Second Timothy chapter two, verse one, therefore my son be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. What was Paul doing? He was passing the mantle of calling, the mantle of his apostleship and his focus.
He was passing it on to the next younger generation, Timothy. And he's saying, be strong, stand for truth, be courageous, take what God has called you to do and do it. That is the foundation of values motivating the next generation to pursue the things of God. Chapter three, I don't think this has ever been more pertinent than it is today.
This know that in the last days, perilous times shall come. Okay, we're there. It's here, it's today. Parallest times shall come.
Men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, voatsous, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful and unholy. Drop down to verse 13. Evil men and seducers will become worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But what about you, Timothy?
What's your calling? Continue in the things that you have learned and been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned them. That from a child, you've known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise at the salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction and righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Chapter four, I charge you. That word is I command you. I charge you, I command you. Therefore before God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead, at his appearing and his kingdom, preach the word.
Be diligent in season, out of season. In other words, when it's convenient, preach the word, reproof, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. Verse three, for the time will come, it's here. Right now, the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lust, they will heap upon themselves, teachers having itching ears.
In other words, we've got churches today and the preachers from the pulpit preach what people want to hear, what tickles their ears, what makes them feel good. That's not what Paul is saying. He's saying be solid in preaching the doctrine of the word of God and don't change. The time will come when people won't want this.
They will turn away their ears from the truth. This is now, it's happening right now. People are turning their ears from the truth, even the church, and they were turned unto fables. But what about you, Timothy?
Watch in all things. Endure sufferings, endure afflictions, do the work, the work of the evangelists, the work of an evangelist. Make full proof of your ministry. I'm now ready to be offered.
He's a drink offering that is being poured out. I am currently being poured out. The time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight.
I have finished my course. I have kept the faith. Henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will give unto me at that day and not to me only, but unto all them that love his appearing. I want to speak to you today about four things.
The call, the cost, the crown, and the cause. I want to speak to you about the calling that is on your life. Maybe you're sitting here today and you might think, I didn't know there's a calling on my life. Well, let me ask you this question.
Has God saved you? Are your sins forgiven? Are you born again? Are you in the family of God?
You have a calling. You have a purpose. You have a ministry to fulfill that God has given you in your life. And he has uniquely gifted you.
All of our giftings are not the same. He's given you resources. He's given you passion. He's given you the ability to do what God's called you to do.
Are you engaged in that calling? Or are you on the sidelines waiting and watching and not being involved in what God's called you to do? Well, what was the call for Timothy? Preach the word.
Do the work of an evangelist in your suffering. That was the calling. That's very clear. We'll go through it to take together today.
Why, what's the cause? Why am I doing this? What's the motivation? Here's the cause.
Jesus Christ is coming. Church, this is not a fairytale. Jesus Christ is coming. And I think we're asleep.
He is coming and he will judge the living and the dead at his appearing. This is a truth, a doctrine that needs to stir up the church, that needs to wake people up. Jesus Christ is coming. Paul picks up his pen as he's laying in the Mamertine prison.
He's about to go out and be decapitated. He knows that his execution is certain. He's probably not going to see Timothy again. He says, Timothy, preach the word, be diligent.
Don't let anything distract you because Christ is coming. And when he comes, he will judge all men. The world has turned into apostasy. It's here right now.
The world has apostatized. Romans one, the truth that they knew, they suppressed. The creator that they ought to worship, they worship the creature. They have been given over to a mind that is perverse.
And the world has taken God's values and what is morally right and morally wrong and mixed it all up, and the world is in living chaos, confused. Jesus Christ is coming and he's going to set it all right. He will reign in righteousness. He will rule with a rod of iron.
He will judge the nations. And this is the cause as to why we need to make our calling sure Jesus Christ is coming. He will judge all men. The world has turned to apostasy.
Why do many Christians not yet engaged in evangelism? Why do many Christians kind of stay on that clean part of the footpath and live a comfortable, easy life? Why? Because there's a cost and the cost is suffering and the cost is persecution and the cost is rejection and the cost is conflict and the cost is loss.
And Jesus said it. He said, he that will love his life will lose it. If a man served me, he must follow me. And where I am, there will my servant be also.
Peter says, Lord, we've left all and followed you. And Jesus said, there's no man who has left all and followed me that will not be rewarded. He said he that is willing to lose his life for my sake and catch this part and the gospel's sake shall be rewarded. I am calling young men and young women, older men and older women, whatever time you have left in the hourglass of your life, use it for God, redeem the time, get engaged in the work, fight the good fight of eternal life, they hold on it.
There's a battle that's going on out there. And I invite everyone in this church, come out with us on Friday night, pray with us, give out tracks, speak the name of Jesus, stand for truth, call what is truth, truth, and call what is wrong, wrong and stand for it and quote the scripture. And if you're not able to do that, pray with us, support us as I know you do, but you can get engaged in the game, you don't need to sit there on the sidelines. There's a cost, there's a cause, there's a calling, there's a crown, there is a crown, there is a day coming when we will all stand before God and we will all give account for how we have used our time for the deeds that we have done in the body.
Now I want to elaborate on this because I think it's very true. If you look at Second Timothy chapter one and go to verse one, he says, I charge you, this is a command. I charge you in the presence of God, the actual Greek rendering of that interpretation as I understand it, I've read this, I believe it's true. He says, I charge you in the presence of God, even Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead.
What is he saying here? He is saying that Jesus Christ is the Almighty God. Jesus Christ is deity. He is the judge of all the earth and he's coming to judge the world in righteousness.
I think that we as a church have forgotten this. He's coming to judge the world in righteousness. Do you know that in John chapter five and verse 22, Jesus said these words, the Father judges no man but has committed all judgment unto the Son. Who is it that's gonna judge the world?
Jesus Christ. How do we know? Acts chapter 17 and verse 30. God now commands all men everywhere to repent because he is appointed a day when he will judge the world in righteousness by that man.
Jesus Christ whom he has ordained and he's given assurance unto all in that he raised him from the dead. Jesus Christ is alive and he's coming and he's going to judge the world. There are three distinct judgments that we read about in scripture. Matthew chapter 25 and verse 31, Jesus Christ is coming to judge the living.
And you think, well, I thought you had to die to be judged first. Matthew 25, it's very clear verse 31 to 32, the Son of man will come in his glory, in his glory. And he will sit on his throne as he begins the Millennium Kingdom and he will judge the living and he will separate one from another. Those that are his sheep, he will put on the right hand.
Those that are the goats that have rejected him and his people and his things, he will separate them on the left and he will say to the sheep, go ye into my kingdom prepared for you from before the foundation of the world, you are blessed of the Father. And he will say to the goats, depart from me into everlasting punishment. I never knew you. He will literally come and he will set up his kingdom and he will reign on the earth and he will judge the living.
Let me remind you of a few scriptures that come to mind. Second Corinthians five and verse 10. This is the judgment of the seat of Christ. It is for all believers.
It's not in view of condemnation. There's no aspect of being judged for sin. Every believer that has put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, repented of their sin and surrendered their life to God will be rewarded in that day. It's an evaluation for how you've lived your life, what you've done for Christ, your faithfulness to God.
Second Corinthians chapter five and verse 10, it says, all of us must appear before the judgment seat of God, judgment seat of Christ to give account for the things done in the body, whether they be good or bad. We are all accountable for how we've lived our life. That's the second judgment. The third judgment is the great white throne judgment.
Found in Revelation chapter 20 and verse 11, it's those that died outside of Christ, never trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior, died in their sins, their soul goes to hell, Hades. It is a prison house for those who died in their sins and they're held there until Revelation chapter 20, and the great white throne of judgment appears heaven and earth have passed away. There's nothing but outer space and a great white throne and souls naked, sand before God, and the books are opened and every man is judged by the things that are written in the book. There will be a sentence then.
Whoever's name is not found written in the Lamb's book of life is cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. That's what the scripture says, Revelation chapter 20. Three judgments, the judgment of the living nation, the judgment seat of Christ for believers that are raptured before the tribulation and are in the Father's house and are rewarded for things done in the body, faithfulness to Jesus Christ.
You can also read about the judgment seat of Christ in first Corinthians chapter three. We're exhorted, let every man take heed what he builds into his life. Wood, hey, stubble, it's gonna be burnt up. Means nothing, it's suffering loss, but gold dried in the fire, silver, precious stone, things done for Jesus Christ eternally.
There will be a reward in that day. The great white throne, horrific time. God will be just and he will show his justice to every unbeliever who has died in their sins without Christ in light of these judgments that are not fairy tales, reality. Paul says, Timothy, preach the word because Christ is coming.
I wanna elaborate on the coming of Christ for a moment. The word used in Greek is the parausia. And it literally means his presence, the arrival of the outshining, glorious presence of Jesus Christ. It's coming, it's coming to this earth, the glories of God.
The last time humanity saw God, they saw him on a cross, crucified with hands and feet that were nailed to a cross. They knew him as Jesus of Nazareth. They said, he can't be God. They esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted poor man suffering for his own cause.
No, let me tell you what the second coming of Jesus Christ will be like. It will be a manifestation of the power and glory of God. Zechariah 14 says this in the last day, his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. Christ is coming out of heaven and he's descending down to the earth and his feet will stand on Mount Olives and there will be a huge earthquake where the mountain will clave in two and there will be a way opened into the city of Jerusalem.
And it says in Zechariah 14 that in that day, there will be one Lord and he will rule over all the earth and there will be one name. Is it any wonder that Peter said, there is no other name under heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved. When he comes, he's coming in power and great glory. We can read about this in 2 Thessalonians chapter one and verse eight, I believe it is.
It says he's coming in vengeance to take vengeance on those who know not God and on those who have not obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ. What's the calling in our life? Get out there and preach the gospel. Tell sinners they need to repent.
There's a king that is coming. He's going to reign in righteousness. He's coming in power and great glory. And Paul writes to those Thessalonians and he says, don't be troubled by your present persecution.
There is a day coming while Christ will reign. He's coming out of heaven with his saints. That's how I know there's a rapture. He's coming out of heaven with his saints and with his angels.
And they're coming to the earth and he's going to set up his kingdom and he's going to reign in power and great glory. He says in the last chapter of the Bible, he says, behold, I come quickly and my reward is with me. Timothy, in light of all of this, preach the word. Okay, let me ask you this question.
Are you preaching the word? And you say, I'm not a preacher. I didn't ask you that. And you say, I'm a woman.
That's not my role. And you say, I'm a whatever. It's not my thing. I just want to say this.
We can all quote scripture. We can all quote scripture. And the scripture is living. It's powerful.
It convicts. It's like a sword that pierces through to the conscience. You know that Jesus said in Acts chapter one and verse eight. He said these words.
He said, you will be empowered by power from on high. The Holy Spirit will come upon you. And you all shall be witnesses of me. What you're calling?
If you are saved by the grace of God, you are a witness of Jesus Christ. You don't have to stand up here on this pulpit and preach the word. You don't need to go out on Spring Garden Road and preach what we wish you would. Be great if you came, but you don't need to do that.
You can be in your office on Monday morning when somebody blasphemes the name of Jesus Christ and you can quote the scripture. You could say, God will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain. You can say every idle word that a man shall speak. He will give account of in the day of judgment.
Do you know what that is? Preaching the word. You can share your faith with your next-door neighbor, with the person on the bus beside you. What is that?
Preaching the word. Quote scripture. Why quote scripture? Because it's the living word of God.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God. All scripture. And it is profitable for correction, for reproof, for righteousness, for instruction. I love what we heard this morning about telling a young boy raise up a child in the way he should go.
And when he is old, it will not depart from him. Pour into the hearts of your children. The scripture. Preach the word in the home.
Let me tell you this. You're not gonna be able to preach the word. You can't quote the word if you don't know it. If you're not memorizing it.
If it's not in your heart, meditate on the scripture as Paul says, give yourself holy onto these things that your property may appear to all. Know the word, quote the word. You know what else he says in this? He says, be ready.
I gotta tell you sometimes, I'm not ready. You ever have that in your life? Opportunity comes and you're engaged in something else. You're distracted.
Your heart's not in it. You're not where you should be with God right now. And somebody gives you a door of opportunity and it's not convenient and you're not ready. And so what do you do?
You let that opportunity pass. Paul says, no, Timothy, be ready. Have a sense of urgency, preparedness. That's what that word means.
Speak the word of God. Sometimes it's sharp. It's okay. It convicts.
You're doing his work. Be ready. When it's convenient and when it's not convenient. Do you know how many times it's not convenient for me to go out on a Friday night down Spring Garden Road?
You know how many times? I just don't feel like it. I've got other issues, problems going on. And I have this urge not to do it.
This word comes back to me. Be ready. When it's convenient, when it's not convenient, preach the word, speak the scripture, go. In season and out of season.
Reprove means correction of behavior. Correction of doctrine. Many times we hear things that are just not right. Quote the scripture.
That's not what the scripture says. Correct doctrine. Exhort. That's what I'm trying to do right now.
Encourage you. Get in the game. Get engaged in living your life for Jesus Christ. Be motivated.
Have patience and long suffering. You're gonna get conflict. If you start sharing your faith, you're gonna get all kinds of conflict. Most people don't share their faith because they're just not up for the conflict.
And so what happens is we live insulated lives that we're protected and we just shut the world outside. You know, Paul says fight the good fight of faith. Preach the word. Endure suffering.
Do the work of an evangelist. What is the work of an evangelist? The work of an evangelist, I believe, is to publicly announce the gospel. Share your faith.
Communicate the truth of the gospel. The good news of Jesus Christ. Not everybody is able to do it publicly. That's okay.
Not everybody is able to go down and get on a soapbox and quote scripture. That's okay. But everybody is able to share their faith. Everybody is able to be a witness for Jesus Christ.
It is your calling and it's incumbent on all believers to do that. What's the cause? Because Jesus Christ is coming. He's coming.
Can you imagine what it would be like? Let's say that you're, I don't know, finishing up your lunch hour in the office. You're in the elevator. You're going out on the street to get a sandwich.
You're driving your car. You're driving your kids to work. You're washing dishes at the sink. You're doing whatever.
And all of a sudden Christ comes. What will that moment be like? Christ will come. And He will make things right.
It's coming. First of all, to the air, the rapture of the church. And then to the earth to set up His Millennium Kingdom. Christ is coming.
He will rule. He will reign. He will judge all men. The world is in a state of apostasy.
And the church is largely asleep. What's the cost? The cost is suffering. The cost is persecution.
And I just want to say that I hesitate to say it, but I think it's true. It's here right now. Suffering and persecution is here right now for anyone who will take a stand for truth. Anyone who will speak the name of Jesus Christ.
Anyone who will quote the word of God. There is suffering and there is conflict. And there is persecution here right now. But it's going to get a lot worse than it is right now.
It's going to get a lot worse. And we as Christians need to be strong. We need to be founded on the word of God. We need to be engaged.
If you sit in here today and you got buried treasure, well, dig it up. Go get a shovel and dig up your buried treasure and let it shine. Don't hide it under a bushel. Let your light shine before men.
Be salt and be light in the world. That's what God's called us to do. You know, in Revelation chapter two and verse 10, these words are written. Jesus said these words to the church in Revelation two and 10.
Fear none of these things. Do you know how many times it says in the Bible, be not afraid? I didn't know this till yesterday. Look it up.
365 times it says in the Bible, be not afraid. One for every day of the year. Be not afraid. Paul says when he writes with Timothy, God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Revelation two and 10, fear none of these things. Be faithful unto death. And I will give you a crown of life. That's a big cost.
That's huge suffering. That's the counsel of God. Be faithful unto death. Do you think Charlie Kirk sits in heaven today in the glories of heaven and regrets what he did?
No. I don't think he regrets it for one moment. If he had his life to do over again, he would probably be more passionately on fire than he ever was. He would go out in blazing fire.
Most of us are going to rust away in our life. We'll set in the security and comfort of our own life and we'll wait for the Lord to return. Waiting for the ejection button that's going to rapture me up to heaven. I counsel you, get in the game.
We're living in a world right now that is hostile against Christianity. We're living in a country that is making laws that are anti-biblical, that has denied God. We have an opportunity to stand for truth. Revelation 3 and 18, I counsel you to buy of me, gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich spiritually, that you might have white garments.
What kind of garments are you wearing? Are they soiled with sin? White garments, anoint your eyes to see as God sees that you do not appear naked and in shame before God. That's what he says in Revelation 3 and 18.
There's a crown coming. I love these last words of Paul. He says, I have fought a good fight. I have finished well.
I have kept the faith. For me, there's a crown of righteousness, not for me only, but to all those who love is appearing. Let me ask you this question on your last day. Who knows when it's going to be, but on your last day, let's say that God gives you a deathbed.
Are you going to be able to say, I have no regrets. I look back over my life. I lived well. I fought a good fight.
I did what God called me to do. I finished my course. And for me, there's a crown of righteousness. It's laid up for me, and I can see it in heaven.
I encourage you all today to preach the word, read the scripture, get involved in the game, use your talents, be faithful to God, stand for truth, preach the word, and be what God wants you to be. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for the word of God. We thank you Lord for the encouragement of this great man, the Apostle Paul, and the life that he lived, and how he encouraged him at the time to take a stand for what was right.
We just pray, Lord, that each one of us in this church, in this age, where we are today, that we would stand for truth, that we would take a stand to be engaged in what God's called us to do, that we'd be faithful to you, and that at the end, as we look back over our life, we will say like Paul, I finished my course. I fought a good fight. I kept the faith. And there's a crown of righteousness for me.
We love you. We thank you for the cost of our redemption. We thank you for our Savior. We worship him and praise him and pray that you would bless this church today as we leave.
In part, we pray that you would part us with your blessing. In Jesus' name, amen.