Word from The WORD: The Third Call

This post is on the subject of “call” in the life of every Christian. Many a times we are confused when it comes to this issue of “call” and in this post we will look at it from the life of Simon Peter from the Bible on the three different and three levels of calls that God intends for every Christian. I believe that this post will help every reader to understand where he or she is in their call and towards where they need to grow and commit.

Meeting the Messiah

One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). John 1:40-42 (ESV)

The first call in everyone’s life as that of Simon is to meet with the Messiah – the call to repent from our sins and to commit our life to Jesus Christ to be saved.

This call also involves a change in our personalities. When Simon came to Jesus, He changed his name as Cephas/Peter which means “Stone”. That is, it is a change of character; from being a reed driven in different directions, to becoming a stone that is focused and strong. When we come to Christ He enables His strength and grace through which He helps us to become strong.

That’s why Peter goes on to write in his epistle,

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4-5 (ESV)

So when we come to Christ He makes us a living stone, removing all “dead works” (Hebrews 9:13, 14) from our lives.

This first call also reminds us of two things -

One, to remember, pray for and thank God for the “Andrews” who God used to bring us to Him.

Take sometime to remember your Andrews and pray for them.

Two, to always check whether we have the joy of salvation everyday. We need to pray as David prayed,

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Psalm 51:10-12 (ESV)

A call to give ALL

And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them. Luke 4:38-39 (ESV)

After the first call, we see Peter growing in a relationship with Jesus and taking Him to his house. The outcome of the first call is a growing relationship with Jesus Christ! This is possible only through daily Bible reading & Bible meditation and Prayer.

As we grow in Christ we need to commit ourselves to the second call as well, as Peter did. When we read Luke 5:1-11 we clearly understand this call.

Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. Luke 5:3 (ESV)

This call involves obedience and submission. First, Peter let Jesus use his resource (the boat). Second, he let Jesus direct his resource.

We need to grow to let Jesus take and direct all areas of our lives – personal, family, work, ministry, etc; our education, career, money, time, entertainment, pleasure, pain, etc. This is to act not according to our wish and desires, but according to God’s and obeying God at every point of our life and in every part of our life.

It’s to pray “not my will but Yours be done”. This requires a closer walk with God and to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit.

Thirdly, it is also to obey God right at the area of our failures and loss.

And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” Luke 5:4-5 (ESV)

When we fail we withdraw and become discouraged. But when we submit our failures to God and to do according to “His word” He will turn them into blessings that would be a testimony unto His name!

When Peter submitted to obey Jesus’ word, he did witness a great blessing.

And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. Luke 5:6 (ESV)

So much so that his partners astonished,

For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, Luke 5:9 (ESV)

A big blessing; partners praises; Peter could have boasted on his “connection” with the miracle worker or about his “spirituality” or about his “blessings”! But the person who has grown to this level of call in his life will only respond,

But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Luke 5:8 (ESV)

Fourthly, a sense of unworthiness! This needs to reflect in all areas of our life, work and ministry.

So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” Luke 17:10 (ESV)

This attitude is reflected in Peter’s ministry as well.

While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's. And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? Acts 3:11-12 (ESV)

We might also grow to this level of having an attitude of unworthiness, but this call requires that we grow more, to the next level.

and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. Luke 5:10-11 (ESV)

Fifthly, it’s a call to “forsake to follow”!

Peter obeyed Jesus to forsake a just-enjoyed-great-blessing to follow Him. It is very contrary decision to the given situation. Peter should have gone for a “business success sustainment plan” as he has found a great-business-partner-with-a-magic-wand!

This is a call to give ALL to Jesus and to let Him direct everything of my life. As we grow in this call the glory would go to God.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 (ESV)

All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

    I surrender all,
    I surrender all.
    All to Thee, my blessed Saviour,
        I surrender all.

Seek to Shepherd the Lost

The first two calls are self-centred; it is between “me and God”. But the third call takes us beyond us.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.” John 21:15-17 (ESV)

This call is to go in search of the lost and bring them to Christ. The call is beyond us in one more sense. It requires that we leave our “comfort zones” and go as God directs and need places us.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” John 21:18 (ESV)

God is calling us to submit ourselves to this call to go where He leads, to go where we do not want to go, so as to seek and save the lost through the gospel of Jesus Christ! God has blessed us with His knowledge and anointed us not to keep it all for us or not to overfeed an already fed people, but to go out and feed those who are starving, who have no one to feed them!

Go into the world
Take His love into the world
The time is right
The fields are white
There's work to do before the night
So let's go into the world
Take His love into the world
He is calling me and you into the world

Still we keep on thinking
Somebody else will go
While a world that's dying
Urgently needs to know
If we will lovingly compel
We'll storm the very gates of hell
WHO WILL GO?

Let us commit ourselves to grow and submit to the third call! Let this generation know Jesus through us!!