The Voices That Call

The Gospel Call
1. Called by the Gospel II Thes 2:14
  II Thes. 2.14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  1. God's power to save Rom. 1:16
    Rom. 1.16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
  2. Commandments of the Gospel
    I John 3.23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
    
    Acts 17:30-31
    Acts 17.30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
    Acts 17.31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him dead.
    
    Acts 10.48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.
2. Called to be Saints I Cor. 1:2
  I Cor. 1.2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
3. Call of Jesus to Sinners Matt. 11:28-30
  Matt. 11.28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
  Matt. 11.29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
  Matt. 11.30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
4. Some will not answer the call Isa. 65:12
  Isa. 65.12 Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.
Call to Christian Faithfulness
1. Make your calling sure II Peter 1:10-11
  II Peter 1.10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
  II Peter 1.11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
2. Not all of the Called Shall be Chosen Matt. 22:14
  Matt. 22.14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
3. Faithful Rev. 2:10
  Rev. 2.10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
  1. Enduring Matt. 10:22
    Matt. 10.22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
  2. Fruit Bearing John 15:1-6
    John 15.1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
    John 15.2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
    John 15.3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
    John 15.4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
    John 15.5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
    John 15.6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
Call of the World
1. Lust of the Flesh
  I John 2:15-17
  I John 2.15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
  I John 2.16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
  I John 2.17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
  
  Matt. 13.22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
2. Demas Answered This Call II Tim. 4:10
  II Tim. 4.10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
3. Moses Did Not Heb 11:24-25
  Heb. 11.24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
  Heb. 11.25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
  Heb. 11.26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
4. All Should Refuse This Call Prov. 1:10
  Prov. 1.10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
Call of Conscience
1. Conscience Condemns or Approves I John 3.18-21
  I John 3.18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
  I John 3.19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
  I John 3.20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
  I John 3.21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
2. Look to God's Word Lest We be as Paul
  Acts 26.9-11
  Acts 26.9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
  Acts 26.10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
  Acts 26.11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
  
  Acts 23.1 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
3. Herod Matt. 14:1-12
4. Felix Acts 24:24-25
  Acts 24.24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.
  Acts 24.25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
Call of Death
1. All Shall Answer Heb. 9:27
  Heb. 9.27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
2. Separation of Body and Spirit
  Eccl. 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
  
  James 2.26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
3. Death Can be Gain
  Phil. 1.21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
  
  I Cor. 15.50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
4. Time of the Call is Uncertain James 4:13-14
  James 4.13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
  James 4.14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Call of Judgment
1. All Shall Answer
  John 5.28-29
  John 5.28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
  John 5.29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
  
  Matt. 25.31-33
  Matt. 25.31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
  Matt. 25.32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
  Matt. 25.33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
2. When the Roll is Called Will Our Name beThere? Rev. 20:11-15
  Rev. 20.11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
  Rev. 20.12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
  Rev. 20.13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
  Rev. 20.14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
  Rev. 20.15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
3. Every Knee Shall Bow and Every Toung Shall Confess Rom. 14:11
  Rom. 14.11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Conclusion
Heb. 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb. 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Gospel