Romans chapter 1. I want you to pay close attention
again to verse 6. Among whom are you also the called
of Jesus Christ? The called of Jesus Christ. I'd like to tell you a cute little
story. There was a boss of a big company that needed to call on
one of his employees about an urgent problem that he was having
with one of the main computers at work. He dialed the employee's
home telephone number, and he was greeted with a child's voice
very quietly, which said, hello. And feeling a little put out,
At the inconvenience of having, first of all, to talk to a child,
the boss asked, is your daddy home? And he goes, yes. May I talk with him, the man
said. And to the surprise of the boss, he replied, no. So
wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asks, is your mommy
there? Yes, quietly came the answer. May I talk with her? Again, the
little boy said, no. Knowing that it was not likely
that a young child of this age would be home alone, the boss
decided that he'd just leave a message with the babysitter,
the person who should be there watching over the child. So he
asked, is there anyone there besides you? Yes, said the child. A policeman. May I speak with
the policeman? He's busy. Busy doing what? The boss said. Now it's irritated. Talking to daddy and mommy and
the fireman. Quietly came the answer. Now
the boss is growing concerned and even worried as he heard
what sounded like a helicopter in the background on the telephone
and the earpiece. And he asked, what's that noise?
And the little boy said, a helicopter. It's a helicopter. They just
landed the helicopter. Now really alarmed, why are they
there? Still whispering, the young voice
replied along with a little muffled giggle, they're looking for me. Now that's a cute little story.
But, beloved, in all seriousness, God's children cannot and will
not hide from Him. God knows where to find His chosen
elect, and He calls them by His grace, and they come every time.
For He must needs go through Samaria to call and to save a
ruined woman in Jacob's well. He must need to pass through
Jericho and come to a place under a tree to call and save a Wheeland
tax collector. He must need to cross the water
to a country of the Gadarenes to call and save a man possessed
by a legion of demons. He must. He must. He must. He must. For whom He
predestinated, He must call, seek, and save. And when He effectually
calls, and that word effectual simply means effective. When
He is effective in His calling, there will be no hiding, for
they will be made to come gladly. Is that not the case with you?
Those of you that know God, when He called in the fullness of
time, and He called you by your name, you came and you came gladly. You came gladly. They are the
call of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what Romans 1 6 tells
us. There's no resisting God. There's
no hiding because His call is always effective. always effectual. And His grace is irresistible. For the God of heaven and earth
who does as He wills, how He wills, when He wills, to whom
He wills, predetermined, predetermined before the foundation of the
world to call certain. We love that word in Scripture.
Certain. There was a certain man. There
was a certain woman. A certain elect sinner. He calls
to repent and to trust in Him as their all and in all. And
let me reiterate to you, every single one of them will come. Now if you turn over a few pages
here to Romans 8, I know we're on very familiar ground here,
but look at verse 30. Romans 8 30, Paul says, Moreover
whom He did predestinate, them He also called." Now, I want
you to understand what the word predestinate means. I know most
of you do, but I won't assume anything. It means to predetermine,
to determine beforehand, to decide beforehand. It means to decree
from eternity past, to foreordain, to ordain something before the
time. and a point before. God predetermined
and chose certain men and women in Christ before the world began,
and every one of them will come gladly to the One who calls them. Christ said, All that the Father
giveth Me, I hope that they will decide to come. No, that's not
what He said. That's the way some men preach
it. But they shall, they shall come
to me. They shall, there's no doubt
about it. You see, free will religion would like you to think
that you determined your own destiny. I was raised in it.
I know what they believe. They want you to feel as though
you determined your own destiny by making your own decision to
follow Jesus. That's why they proudly sing
that song, I have decided to follow Jesus. But that's a lie
from the father of lies, and that way of thinking and believing,
dear friends, will lead only to death, because it's contrary
to the Word of God. God decided before the world
began who would come to Him. Those He predestinated, He called. the call of Jesus Christ. That's what we're talking about.
Look at verse 29, back a verse or two here in chapter 8. 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. God chose a people before the
world was ever made. It says, "...before the foundation
of the world, and He knew them before they ever came to be."
Before they ever were. Speaking of Jacob and Esau, that's
exactly what the Apostles Paul said. Before either were born,
before either had done any good or evil, that the doctrine of
election might stand, it's of Him that calleth, it's of Him
that chooses, it's of Him that elects. And God said before the
children ever were, Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated. And that makes men and women
mad. Religious men and women, but not the children of God. He loved them and gave them to
Christ and predetermined them to be like His Son. being conformed to the image
before they were even born. He's the firstborn of many brethren.
And He identifies with us by calling us His brethren. By calling
me His own. Him becoming a sinless man who
was made sin for us. It's said of our Lord in the
Scriptures for having loved His own. which were in the world,
He loved them unto the end. And He loved His own. The called
of Jesus Christ. Now God knowing me beforehand
doesn't mean He knew beforehand that I would be obedient to the
Lord Jesus Christ and then call me according to what I did. That's
not what it means. His foreknowing meant that I
would be obedient, that I would, by His effectual call, gladly
come to be one of His beloved children. As I said, that makes
religious people mad. I don't know why. Well, really,
I do. You know why? It takes salvation
completely out of the hands of the creature, the fallen and
depraved creature, and declares in no uncertain terms It's salvations
of the Lord. And men don't like that because
they want to make the difference. But friends, it's God who makes
the difference in the saved and the lost. Who make it thee to
differ from another? Well, we know it's God and God
alone. So again, this brings me to the
subject of my message. Those whom He predestinated,
He called. He calls the called. And when He calls the chosen
sinner, the chosen sinner will call on Him in desperation. For God has made him to see his
unworthiness and his need of a Redeemer. And when they call
upon Him, let me tell you, He always comes to seek and to save
them that are lost. Luke 19, 10. Now what an example
of God's sovereign, irresistible grace and His calling is found
in the story of Lazarus. We all know that story very well.
I'm not going to have you turn there, but let me just give a
little summation of that story. When our Lord had heard that
Lazarus was sick, you can bet He knew that Lazarus had more
than just a bad couple. He knew that Lazarus was sick
unto death. Why, he had preordained it. He's
the first cause of everything. And when the word came to him,
he on purpose stayed where he was for another two days. Someone
said, well, didn't he care? Oh, how he cared. Oh, how He
cared. And when the Lord and His disciples
finally made their way to Judea, which is where Lazarus and his
sisters lived, our Lord told His disciples that Lazarus was
asleep and that He was going to wake him up. And the disciples
were rejoicing in this because they said if he sleeps, he must
be doing better, must be doing well. But our Lord spoke of His
death, the Scriptures say, and the apostles thought that the
Lord meant He was taking rest. But Lazarus was already dead. Already dead. Because when he
got there, he'd been dead four days, and the Lord stayed two
days where he was, so he'd already been dead. By the time the Word
got to the Lord Jesus, Lazarus was dead. God had already, though
as I said a moment ago, predetermined to choose love and to save Lazarus,
though he was already dead. He was about to effectually,
effectively call him who was dead and make him alive. And
that's exactly, now listen, that is exactly what God does in the
case of every chosen sinner. We were dead, dead in trespasses
and sins. And that's why the Apostle said,
And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. He said in chapter 2 verse 5
of Ephesians, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened
us together with Christ by grace, are you so? The call of God,
the effectual call of God is a call of grace. Colossians 2.13,
and you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your
flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you
all trespasses? That's the best news I ever heard.
The Lord told His disciples plainly, Lazarus is dead. He doesn't just
sleep. He's dead. And then he said these
words, he said, I'm glad for your sake that I was not there. I'm glad for your sake that I
wasn't there and that he died to the intent that you might
believe. Christ rejoiced for the sake
of His 12 best friends that He was not there so that they might
see the power of God in raising the dead to life. Do you believe,
beloved, that Christ is not only able but willing to save those
He predetermined to call and save? See, when our Lord finally
arrived, and let me add that He's always been exactly on time. You know, Martha Mary said, Lord,
if you'd have been here, like, you know, He was late. But the
Lord is never late. He's always on time. He knew that Lazarus had already
laid in the grave four days. He didn't need for them to tell
Him that. He knew it. 1 John 3.20 says, Our Lord knows
all things. That means all things, doesn't
it? It doesn't mean just some things. It means all things.
And the sister of that dead and corrupt body of Lazarus stands
at the side of the tomb and with tears of heartbreak. She loved
her brother. The Lord loved her brother and
loved the two sisters, but she loved him and her heart is breaking. And she said, Lord, by this time,
he's stinking for he's been dead for four days. Now, that's a
voice of reason. and of nature. You see, Martha
was correct, naturally speaking. He'd been dead four days. All
dead sinners stink in the holy nostrils of God Almighty. But
beloved, she forgot the most important thing. By her side
there stands a man who is very God of very God. And he gives
the command Roll ye away the stunk. Roll it away. Oh, my. It's going to stink. Roll away the stunk. You see,
friends, God had predestined to save this dead dog sinner
that stunk in the nostrils of God. And He rolled away my stony
heart and gave me a heart of flesh. I did not somehow by my
own doing rehabilitate my heart and make it better. That's what
a lot of men preach. But now brother, you just straighten
up, you try to do better, and God will save you. No, that's
not what it is. It's in the self-rehabilitation
of our heart. It's dead. It's deceitful. It's
desperately wicked. Our heart was beyond repair.
And it had to be replaced. God did spiritual heart replacement
surgery. And it's successful every time.
God in the fullness of time and at the appointed time of love
spoke to the Holy Spirit concerning me. And He said, roll away the
stump. Roll it away. I've often thought
what it would have been like to be there that day. Always
been infatuated with the story. Sometimes I can just almost hear
the master cry, Lazarus, Lazarus, come forth. I heard that in my
own heart with my own name. Come forth. Now there is God's
effectual call. What an example it is. It's effectual
because it's always effective. In John's account of this story
in chapter 11, 44, it reads this, And he that was dead came forth. That's the gospel. Dead. Been
dead four days. Stunk. Roll away the stump. Roll it away, roll it away. Oh,
Lord. Let's stand back here, it's going
to get bad. Lazarus come forth, and he that
was dead came forth. And that's exactly what happened
to every child of God. They came forth. Lazarus was
bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face about with
a napkin. And our Lord said to him, and
you let him go. And Lazarus was the called of
Jesus Christ. So I say to those of you who
trust Christ alone, this is also your story. This is your story,
spiritually speaking. You were dead. You were wrapped
in the grave clothes of self-righteousness. And at the effectual call of
God the Son, you came forth. Because God empowered you to
do so. It's just the Word of His command. Lazarus, come forth. Or if God tells you to come forth,
you're going to come forth. In order to distinguish God's
people from all other men and women, God gives His redeemed
the name of the called, the elect. And I want to give you this morning
from Scripture, just briefly, just what this great truth of
being the called should be to you and I as people. At the same
time, if you're lost in these things, may you see the glorious
gospel and the unsearchable riches of Christ. First thing, It's
a personal calling. It's a personal calling. The
call of God is a personal calling. It's not a call to a nation.
Israel was God's chosen people. And He told Moses to tell Pharaoh
to go let My people go. He considered them His people.
He said, let My people go. But God's effectual call of grace
is not a collective call to a nation, but to all that are true Israel. For they are not all Israel which
are of Israel, Paul said in Romans 9. It's a call to predestine,
chosen, and elect sinners that God predetermined to save before
the world began. It's personal. It's personal.
It'll do me no good for God to call you. And it will do you
no good for God to call me. God must call me in order to
be saved. And just as our Lord was the
Lamb slain before the foundation of the world, God's people are
the chosen who will be called in Christ the Lamb of God, which
was in the mind and heart of God, slain before the world was
ever made. Before there was a sinner, friends,
there was a Savior. And He came to save His own before
the world began. Oh, what a mystery. Don't try
to figure it out. Just bow to it. It's the truth
of Scripture. And does this not again declare
that salvation is in the hand of a sovereign God who has mercy
on whom He'll have mercy and compassion on whom He'll have
compassion? That's what Paul said in Romans
9. Now turn with me to 1 Corinthians 1, verse 26. Just over a few
pages if you're still in Romans. 1 Corinthians 1.26. But here
Paul says, for you see your calling. Do you notice what he calls this
calling? He calls it your calling. It's a personal calling. For
you see your calling, brethren, how the not many wise men after
the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. Now look
over to the book of Ephesians 4. Ephesians 4. Paul says there is one body and
one spirit. Notice these words. Even as ye,
even as you are called in one hope of what? Your calling. This is your calling. It's a
personal calling. Look at 2 Peter 2. No, 2 Peter
1. Verse 3. 2 Peter 1, verse 3. According as His divine power,
and let me just make a comment there, it takes God's divine
power to save us. But notice these next words.
Hath given unto whom? Us. Is called? all things that pertain unto
life and godliness through the knowledge of Him that hath called
us to glory and virtue." If you are to be redeemed, dear sinner,
the call of God must be personally to you. One might ask, well,
how do I know I'm called? Do you love Christ? Do you love
Him? Do you trust Him? Is He your
all and in all? If yes, this call has been made
personal to you. Do you love Him? I mean truly
love Him. Can't do without Him. Secondly,
this call is a holy call. Look at 2 Timothy with me. Again,
chapter 1, verse 9. And you know this verse by heart. But look at it with me in light
of the subject of the call. Here, speaking of God Almighty,
Paul tells Timothy who has saved us and called us, what? With a 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." Now,
wherever the call of the gospel is, there is an effectual call
and it's found to be a holy call, making those holy who are called. That's why it's a holy comment.
It makes the called holy. There again, that's not hard,
is it? You see, notice Paul tells Timothy that it's not according
to your works, That's unholy. You can never be saved by your
works. Your works of righteousness are filthy rags. Fifthly, God called us with a
holy calling according to His own purpose and according to
His own grace. Therefore, He gets all the glory.
You who were once unholy are made holy. Your calling sees
to it that you're conformed to Christ who is holy. Look at the
verse again. Our holiness was given us, personal,
in Christ Jesus before the world began. Our calling is a holy
calling. For the Author is holy. It's a called holiness. And the
means of it is Christ our Substitute, who is holy. So it is a holy
calling. In Him, we're given principles
of grace. Holiness is implanted in us. And we're influenced to live
holy lives, though we fail miserably. We're encouraged to live holy
lives. We're responsible before God to live out of love in a
way that is pleasing to Him who loved us and gave Himself for
us. And we fail. We fail every day. But we're
responsible to do so. Third thing, it's a heavenly
calling. Look at Hebrews chapter 3. It's a heavenly because it's
personal, it's holy, and it's heavenly. Hebrews chapter 3 verse
1, Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling,
consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ
Jesus. Now this confirms our calling
as a holy calling, because He calls us holy brethren. There's
sure nothing holy about us, sin and of ourselves. He also lets
us know that our call is a heavenly calling. This is a heavenly calling
according to the grace of God, and it's by powerful, effectual,
and irresistible grace, which only comes from He who reigns
on high. the Father of heaven and earth,
chose and calls and saves His people." It's a heavenly calling.
It came from heaven. Mercy said, let that sinner go
first. It said, be heavenly because
the grace by which the saints of God are saved is a call from
heaven. And it is to heaven that they're
called. The means of their calling is
the gospel. It's from heaven. Christ came
down, condescended down, and dwelt among us. Your calling,
dear child of God, is a heavenly calling. Don't ever forget it.
And Matthew, our Lord, asked, Who do men say that I am? And
they all began to answer. One said, John the Baptist. Another
said, Elijah. Another said, Jeremiah. One of
the prophets. And he said, Who do you say I
am? And Peter answered, he said, Thou art the Christ, the Son
of the living God. And what did the Lord Jesus say
unto him? He said, Simon Bar-Jonah, you're
a blessed man, but flesh and blood didn't reveal this to you.
Who revealed it to you? Peter, my Father which is in
heaven. It's a heavenly calling. Fourthly,
as a sure calling, 2 Timothy 2.19, nevertheless the foundation
of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them
that are his, and let every one that nameth the name of Christ
depart from iniquity. In the book of Isaiah chapter
28 it says, Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in
Zion a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone,
a what? A sure foundation. He that believeth
shall not make haste. As we mentioned in the beginning,
it is sure for the Apostle Paul said in Romans 8, 28 through
verse 30, and we know that all things work together for the
good of them that love God, who are what? Decawed. Decawed according to His purpose. were called to the purpose of
God. For whom He did foreknow, He
did also predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that
we might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom
He did predestinate, them He also called, and whom He called."
It doesn't stop there. Them He also justified. And whom He justified, them He
also glorified. God chooses, God calls, God saves,
and God glorifies. He does it all. He does it all. With these sayings, be sure,
and may we rest in Christ. Now, are these just words to
you, or are they the promises of God in Christ? What I just
read to you in Romans 8 is God's promise. God's promise. He knew you before you ever were. He chose you in the Lord Jesus
Christ. He called you. And it's called
the call of the Lord Jesus Christ. He called you by Christ. He justifies
you in Christ. He glorifies you in Christ. And
these are promises to the elect of God. And they're sure. And you can rest in that. You
see, being the called of God, we have fellowship with God in
Christ. God who is faithful, by whom
you were called unto the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our
Lord. Being called of God, we have
peace. Being called of God, we have
grace. He told the church at Galatia,
in Galatians 1.16, he said, I marvel, I'm amazed that you're so soon
removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ
and to another gospel. Being called of God, all things
work together for our good. Now this is where the rubber
meets the road, friends. We know that all things work
out together. And you've heard me say, I don't
care how heavy a trial, how heavy a tribulation, how horrible a
sickness you're going through. If you're a child of God, it's
working together for your good. To them that love God who are
of the called. Thee called. I like that name. I'm the called of Jesus Christ.
I didn't call myself. I'm called of Him who loved me
and gave Himself for me. Being justified freely by His
grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. And
when it pleases God, dear friends, who separated me from my mother's
womb and called me by His grace. He called me by His grace. The
call of the Lord Jesus Christ. That being justified by His grace,
we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
May the Lord call more sheep into His fold.