Sermon
#1457[i] Miscellaneous Sermons
Title: The Called
Text: Romans 8:28
Subject: The
Effectual Call
Date: Sunday Morning Bible Class –
Tape # W-35b
Introduction:
There
are numerous titles given to God’s saints which appear
to be specifically designed to display the fact that they are the objects and
beneficiaries of God’s peculiar, distinguishing, discriminating, sovereign
grace and love in Christ. Believers are called…
·
The Elect.
·
The Redeemed of the Lord.
·
The Called.
Those
who are regenerated, those who are born of God, those who believe on and trust
the Lord Jesus Christ are given this peculiar, distinct title, “The Called”, to distinguish us from
those who are not called. Look at it for yourself in Romans 8:28.
Romans
Proposition: Obviously, (at least it is obvious
to anyone whose brain has not been pickled by the vinegar of free will
religion), the call spoken of here is not the outward, external, general call
of the gospel, but the internal, effectual, irresistible call of God the Holy
Spirit, by which we have been separated and distinguished from all other
people.
I
really like the way John Gill describes this effectual, irresistible call of
grace, which comes to chosen, redeemed sinners by the sovereign power of God
the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the gospel.
“Christ stands in the
gospel-ministry, at the door of men’s hearts, and knocks and calls. Having the
key of the house of David, he opens the heart by the power of his grace, and
lets himself in. In this way, and by this means, the Spirit and his graces are
received. Men are called both to grace and glory by the gospel.”
Divisions: Today, I want to show you three things taught in the Word of God
about the call of God the Holy Spirit, and then show you from the Book of God
who the called are. Then, I will answer one very important, practical
question.
1. Those who are the called are
called according to the sovereign will and purpose of God.
2. Those who are the called are
called by the sovereign, irresistible grace of God.
3. Those who are the called are
the called of Jesus Christ.
4. Who are the called?
I. Those who are the called are
called according to the sovereign will and purpose of God.
Sinners
are not called to life and faith in Christ because of their wills, but because
of God’s will. We were not given life and faith in Christ because of what we
did, or what might do, but by what God did for us in eternity and in us in
time. That which distinguishes God’s elect from other people is the
distinguishing grace and purpose of God. What could dead sinners ever do to
attract God’s attention and get him to call them?
Do you see how utterly absurd free will religion is?
It is the religion of spiritual insanity. It was not our choice of God that
caused him to call us, but his choice of us! Look at Romans
Romans
Romans 9:16-18 "So then it is not of him that
willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. 17 For the
scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up,
that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared
throughout all the earth. 18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have
mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth."
Salvation
is not man’s work. Salvation is not partially man’s work and partially God’s
work. Salvation is not a co-operative effort between God and men. Salvation is
God’s work alone. “Salvation is of the Lord!”
God almighty has, in his
eternal purpose, determined the particular people whom he will call by his
grace. He determined from eternity the time when he will call
them. -- As there is a time for every purpose, so there is a time for the
calling of God’s elect. It is called the time of life and of love.
Moreover, our great God
determined from eternity the very place where his chosen ones
shall be called. And he fixed from eternity the very means and
circumstances of their calling, all according to his divine purpose.
Every aspect of our calling
shows clearly that the whole thing is the result of the sovereign will and
pleasure of God, who does all things after the counsel of his own will. Our
wills had nothing to do with it. Our works contributed nothing to it.
“‘Tis not that I did choose
Thee,
For, Lord, that could not
bee.
This heart would still
refuse Thee,
Hadst Thou not chosen me.
My heart owns none before
Thee,
For Thy rich grace I thirst,
This knowing - If I love
Thee
Thou must have loved me
first!”
II. Those who are the called
are called by the sovereign, irresistible grace of God.
The
great, impulsive, moving cause of the effectual call is the grace of God. The
Apostle Paul describes the call of God as a call of grace, free, sovereign,
undeserved, distinguishing grace (1 Cor.
1
Corinthians
Galatians
Listen
to me now. God, as the God of all grace, calls his elect to grace and
glory by Christ. The infinite, superabundance of his grace in Christ was
displayed to us in this call. Indeed, the first open display of his grace, the
first discovery of his love was made to us in this call of grace. Then, seeing
something of the infinite grace and love of God in Christ, by the revelation of
the Holy Spirit, we were; with loving kindness drawn to Christ, as the fruit
and evidence of God’s everlasting love for us. Therefore the time of calling,
is called a time of love (Jer. 31:3; Eze 16:8; Zech.
Jeremiah 31:3 "The LORD hath appeared of old
unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with
lovingkindness have I drawn thee."
Ezekiel 16:8 "Now when I passed by thee, and
looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt
over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into
a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine."
Zechariah 12:10 "And I will pour upon the house
of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of
supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they
shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in
bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn."
·
The fact that this call is given to some and not to others demonstrates
it is the work of God’s sovereign, distinguishing grace, and of his good will.
·
The fact that this call, as spoken it is of and illustrated in Holy
Scripture always results in the one called having eternal life and faith in
Christ, demonstrates the power, efficacy and irresistibility of it
III. Those who are the called
are the called of Jesus Christ.
This
is what we are told in Romans 1:6 and 2 Timothy 1:9-10.
Romans 1:6 "Among whom are ye also the
called of Jesus Christ:"
2 Timothy 1:9-10 "Who hath saved us, and called us
with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own
purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who
hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through
the gospel:"
Believers
are described as “the called of Jesus Christ”
because the Holy Spirit calls those who were redeemed by Christ, to whom he
is sent by Christ, and calls them to Christ. And this calling is ours only “in Christ”
in whom are hid all the treasures of God and by whom
alone we receive all the blessings of his grace.
Let
us never fail to observe the fact that the triune God has arranged everything
in the whole scheme of salvation and grace to give all the glory to Christ, our
Mediator and Savior. Even the calling of grace was “given us in him before the world
began”. All grace is in Christ, comes to us from Christ, and gives all
glory to Christ (Ps. 115:1).
Psalms 115:1 "Not unto us, O LORD, not unto
us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's
sake."
The
Called are called
according to the purpose of God, by the grace of God, in the Son of God. Now,
let me show you the answer to this question…
IV. Who are the called?
We
are never left to guess about such things as this. These things are plainly
revealed in the Word of God. Let’s see what the Book of God says. I will not
even comment on this, lest any who hear this message think I am twisting the
Scriptures to suit our doctrine. Let the Word of God stand alone. It needs no
defense from me! Hear what the Book of God says and rejoice in it.
A.
Those who are “the called” are THOSE WHO WERE CHOSEN
AND PREDESTINATED UNTO SALVATION IN CHRIST BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN.
·
Romans 8:28-31
·
Romans 9:23-24
Romans 8:28-31 "And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according
to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many
brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom
he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also
glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God
be for us, who can be against us?"
Romans 9:23-24 God will "make known the riches of his
glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 24 Even
us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles."
The
objects of election and effectual calling are the same. Those who were chosen
in eternity are called in time. And those who are called in time were chosen in
eternity.
B. Those who are “the
called” are THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST.
·
Jude 1
Jude 1:1 "Jude, the servant of Jesus
Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father,
and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called."
·
In His Hands as our Surety.
·
In His Care as our Shepherd.
·
In His Loins as our Representative.
·
In His Heart as our Husband.
C. Those who are “the
called” are THOSE WHO WERE REDEEMED AND PURCHasED
BY THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AT
Throughout
the Word of God, election, redemption, and effectual calling are works of grace
performed for the same people. We were chosen because God chose us, redeemed
because God the Father chose us, and called by the Holy Spirit because the
Father chose us and the Son redeemed us. This is not a fine point of rhetoric
and logic. This is exactly what the Book of God declares. Is it not?
·
Isaiah 43:1
·
Zechariah 10:8
Isaiah 43:1 "But now thus saith the LORD that
created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have
redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine."
Zechariah 10:8 "I will hiss for them, and gather
them; for I have redeemed them."
D. Those who are “the
called” are THOSE WHO APPEAR THE MOST UNLIKELY TO BE CALLED.
·
Matthew 11:25
·
1 Corinthian 1:26
·
James 2:5
Publicans
and harlots go into the
Sinners, real sinners,
guilty, helpless, doomed, damned, ungodly, abominable, filthy sinners, are
interested in just one thing -- MERCY! The folks who
need mercy, publicans and harlots, not good, religious people, are those who
are “THE
CALLED”.
Matthew 11:25 "At that time Jesus answered and said, I
thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these
things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes."
1
Corinthians
James 2:5 "Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not
God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which
he hath promised to them that love him?"
E. Those who are “the
called” are THOSE WHO ULTIMATELY ARE GLORIFIED WITH CHRIST.
·
Romans 8:30
Those
who are irresistibly called are infallibly kept by the grace of God and shall
be eternally glorified with Christ. After all, he has called us to glory and
honor!
F. Those who are “the
called” are YOU WHO BELIEVE ON CHRIST.
·
John 15:16
·
Colossians 2:12
·
Philippians 1:29
If
you call on Christ in faith, it is because he has called you by the effectual,
irresistible power of his Holy Spirit.
“Am I called?
And can it be! Has my Savior chosen me?
Guilty
wretched as I am, Has He named my worthless name?
Vilest of the
vile am I, Dare I raise my hopes so high?
Am I called? I
dare not stay, May not, must not disobey;
Here I lay me
at Thy feet, Clinging to the mercy-seat:
Thine I am,
and Thine alone; Lord with me Thy will be done.
Am I called?
What shall I bring, As an offering to my King?
Poor, and
blind, and naked I, Trembling at Thy footstool lie;
Nought but sin
I call my own, Nor for sin can sin atone.
Am I called?
An heir of God! Washed, redeemed by precious blood!
Father, lead
me in Thy hand, Guide me to that better land
Where my soul shall be at rest, Pillowed on my Savior’s breast.”
AMEN.