Our Calling
Ephesians 4:1-6 tells us, “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.”
Paul tells us that we must walk in a manner worthy of our calling. Do we even stop to think about our calling, let alone walking in a certain manner which is worthy of that calling? We want to take a closer look at what manner we ought to be walking.
As disciples of Yeshua we should look like Him. If you were honest with yourself you would have to say, “ I do not look like the Master.” Yet, that is what discipleship is all about. In the true sense of the word, a disciple takes on the characteristics of the one he is following. Rabbis would have disciples and their disciples would emulate their Rabbi in all things. How he prayed. How he taught. What he taught. How he carried himself throughout the community. The student would begin to act just like his teacher. But Luke 6:40 tells us this, “A student is not above the teacher; but everyone, when he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.”
We must be fully trained. So our goal is to learn from Yeshua and put in practice everything that He did, and everything that He said, we too, must say. So let’s get started. To be like Yeshua first you must be godly. Paul tells us that we must walk with humility and gentleness with patience, bearing with one another in love, being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. This certainly does not look like the world I live in. In many churches today politics rules. I am not talking about Republican or Democrat, I am talking about church leadership. If our churches are not being run with humility, certainly the congregation will not learn humility from our pastors or deacons. Next to Yeshua, our pastors and deacons and those in leadership must set the example, they must be like Yeshua. As Paul said to the Corinthians, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Messiah.” Our pastors need to preach Yeshua’s words and they must walk as Messiah walked, so that they can lead their congregations as true shepherds leading the flock of Messiah.
Matthew 23:10 tells us, “And do not be called leaders; for only One is your Leader, that is, Messiah. But the greatest of you shall be your servant.”
1 Peter 5:1-4 says, “Therefore, I urge elders among you, as your fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Messiah, and one who is also a fellow partaker of the glory that is to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not with greed but with eagerness; nor yet as domineering over those assigned to your care, but by proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”
We need to help our pastors and the leadership of our churches by sometimes giving them a gentle reminder that they need to imitate Yeshua. We all fall short of the glory of God, and we need others to remind us when we begin to drift away. And if they do not accept your gentle reminder then I suggest you find another pastor.
Let’s continue to look at Yeshua. We know that Yeshua went about doing good. He healed the sick and mended up the broken hearted. He preached “Repentance.”
Why? Because the kingdom was at hand. In Yeshua’s day, just like today, we can take hold of the kingdom. Yes, we can actually walk and live in the kingdom during our lifetime. How do we do it? By living like Yeshua. You say, “ But I can not be perfect like Him.” He knows that, and that is why we have the Holy Spirit to help us. He is there to counsel us. And we have each other, for we are all one body, and so because of that, you can say, “We are all in the same boat.” We all have faults. We all sin. We all fall short. Galatians 6:1-2 tells us, “ Brothers and sisters, even if a person is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual are to restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you are not tempted as well. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Messiah.”
We have been called and if we have answered that call then we must live like Yeshua, and do the works that He did. John 14:12 tells us,
“Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I am going to the Father.”
We are to be the light in this world as Yeshua was the light. Many people fall away from truth, from churches, even from associating with Chrisitans, because they think they are hypocrites. They do not see Yeshua in us, nor do they see us living out the word of God. Now I know that more times than not, they too, are not living like they should, but the point at hand is, that the church today and the people in those churches, look more like the world than like Yeshua. The music sounds like the world. The people leading music act like they are in a rock band and holiness has gone out the window. We dress like the world, we talk like the world , we watch programs that are not godly, movies that are not godly, we do not talk godly. I know, you are saying, “But we live in this world.” But even though we live in the world we must stand out. We must be light. We must be different. We must go about doing good, and doing the works of Messiah. We must work in His fields. We must, we must, because we are to be like Him in this world. His hands, His feet, His mouth, speaking His words, going about doing His work. Yeshua did not get involved in political matters, only matters of the kingdom and when we do, we may encounter persecution.
Yeshua, says in John 15:19 “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.”
1 Peter 3:8-17 tells us, “Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”But in your hearts revere Messiah as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Messiah may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.”
Yeshua, spoke the words of His Father and did the Father’s work. Now we too, must do the same. But if we are to look like our teacher Yeshua, then we too, must love what He loved. And He loved the Commandments and He said that He came to fulfill the Commandment, or to say it in today’s words, He came to keep the Commandments and to teach them in the true light.
We must be as much as possible like Yeshua, then we will be the light to the world. And every spark of light will dissipate the darkness and we will see more and more of the kingdom begin to appear. This is our calling, to advance the kingdom.
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