The Effectual Call

Q: What does the Bible say about the effectual call?

The effectual call is God's personal and successful invitation to sinners for salvation, as seen in Luke 19:1-10. The effectual call refers to God's specific and powerful invitation to individuals to come to faith in Christ. This is illustrated in Luke 19 with the story of Zacchaeus, where Jesus calls him down from the tree and goes to his home, signifying an intimate calling that transforms Zacchaeus' life. In contrast to the general call of the Gospel, which is available to all, the effectual call results in true faith and repentance, as God actively chooses and empowers the elect to respond to his invitation. This doctrine underscores God's sovereignty in salvation, affirming that it is not merely a matter of human decision but a divine work that brings a dead sinner to life.

Q: How do we know the doctrine of God's sovereign calling is true?

God's sovereign calling is affirmed through Scripture and evidenced by changed lives, such as Zacchaeus in Luke 19. The doctrine of God's sovereign calling is affirmed throughout Scripture, particularly in passages such as John 1:10-13, where it is stated that those who believe are born not of human will but of God. This emphasizes that salvation is initiated by God and not based on human effort. Additionally, the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19 serves as a powerful illustration of the effectual call; Jesus personally calls Zacchaeus, who responds joyfully and is transformed. This demonstrates that God's calling is not only a general invitation but also a specific action that enables the chosen to believe and be saved. Such transformations in people's lives affirm the truth of God's sovereign calling.

Q: Why is the concept of the effectual call important for Christians?

The effectual call assures Christians of God's active role in their salvation, emphasizing His sovereignty and grace. The concept of the effectual call is vital for Christians as it highlights God's active role in the act of salvation. It reassures believers that their faith is not merely a random choice but the result of God's loving initiative and sovereign grace. The call is personalized and effective, as seen in the story of Zacchaeus, where Jesus calls him and changes his life. Understanding the effectual call helps Christians appreciate the depth of God's commitment to save the elect and affirms that salvation is a divine work from start to finish. Furthermore, it fosters humility, gratitude, and a greater sense of reliance on God's grace rather than self-effort in their faith journey.

Q: What are the characteristics of God's effectual call?

God's effectual call is gracious, personal, imminent, humbling, affectionate, permanent, necessary, and effective. The characteristics of God's effectual call include several key aspects that reveal its nature. First, it is a gracious call, extended to unworthy sinners, highlighting God's mercy. It is also a personal call, as exemplified by Jesus addressing Zacchaeus by name in Luke 19. The call is imminent, requiring immediate response, and humbling, bringing individuals down from pride and self-sufficiency. Additionally, it is affectionate; God desires to dwell with sinners rather than abandon them. The call is permanent, signifying that once God calls, He abides with His people. It is also necessary, as it aligns with God’s sovereign purpose in salvation, affirming that the elect will respond. Finally, it is effective; when God calls, those hearing will respond in faith and repentance, demonstrating its transformative power.

All right, I've got a subject
now that I'm going to deal with this morning and again tonight.
I'll be preaching this morning on the effectual call. The effectual
call. I was preaching on the radio
in Pennsylvania years and years ago. And I used that word effectual,
I kept using the word effectual. And when the time was up and
I went through the main studio leaving, the announcer was sitting
there at his control booth and He said, what's that word, effectual? I heard you keep using that word,
effectual, in connection with what you were preaching. What
does it mean? I said, well, it simply means
he got the job done. That's what it means. It's successful. The successful call. The effectual
call. I'll preach on that this morning
and then tonight. Make your calling and election
sure. How can I know that I'm one of
the called, one of God's elect? Tonight,
that's the message. Now, I have a request to make
of you. I miss Wednesday night pretty
frequently, not by choice, but by God's providence. I'll be
preaching this Tuesday night and I'll preach tomorrow on television
and Tuesday and Wednesday in Fairmont, West Virginia for Katie
Baptist Church. I'd like very much to have prayer
meeting here on Thursday so I can be here Thursday night. So if
everybody will remember that. We will not meet. In the bulletin
it says Wednesday, but forget that. We're going to meet
Thursday, the Lord will. Thursday night at 7.30. I'd like
to be here in prayer meeting Thursday night, so I'm making
that request. Let's change nights. And if you
know someone that usually comes to prayer meeting and they're
not here tonight, not here today, call them and tell them we're
going to meet Thursday. Thursday night. Here at 7.30. Now then, the effectual call. You know, I hear a lot of preachers
who say that they don't care for terms. They don't care for
using terms like, you know, total depravity, unconditional election,
or limited atonement, or particular redemption, or these terms. But quite frankly, quite frankly
and honestly, I find it very difficult to improve on these
terms and these distinctive doctrines of the old writers and the old
preachers of two, three, four hundred years ago. These men
lived and labored in the gospel. They lived and labored in the
gospel of Christ, and they left us a rich heritage. Many of them
died for what they believed. Not for the terms, but for what
the terms indicate and what the terms teach. Now, I don't use
the label Calvinist very often, but I'm not ashamed to be a Calvinist.
I'm not ashamed at all. I'm not ashamed at all that if
a person has a right view of what Calvinism is, that's what
I am. I'm a Calvinist. if you have
a right view. I'm certainly not a Pelagian.
I'm not an Arminian. I'm a Calvinist. There's nothing
wrong with that. And people who are well-read
in history and well-read in the scriptures and well-read in the
distinctive doctrines of the last four or five hundred years
are knowledgeable in those terms, and they agree with me. They
say, that's exactly right. Exactly right. They left us a
rich heritage. These men loved and worshipped
and magnified a sovereign God. They did. They magnified a sovereign
God. They believed that Almighty God
was God. In other words, let God be God.
He's sovereign, almighty in creation, in providence, and in salvation.
There was no compromise. These men knew nothing about
compromise. They knew nothing of an impotent
God, a weak God, a God who seeks the cooperation of creatures
before he can act. They knew nothing about that.
In fact, actually, the only place that you really worship, bow
down and worship, is at the throne and before the throne of a sovereign
God. Now that's exactly, and I'll
tell you the only place you'll find salvation. A helpless, impotent
sinner will find salvation only from the hand of a God who's
able to save. He's able to save. He's able
to saved to the uttermost, them that come to God by Him. He's
able to do all that He promised. He's able to keep that which
I committed. He's able to present me. He's able, sovereign, almighty. And these men, they preached,
they magnified that sovereign Christ. Now I'll tell you something
else. They told me in the truth about themselves. Absolutely. They preach the total ruin and
total depravity of the human race. Call it original sin, call
it what you want to. But the scripture says, as by
one man, Adam, sin entered this world, and death by sin. And so death passed upon whom?
All men. Death flows through our veins.
It's appointed unto men once to die, not only physically,
but spiritual death flows through our veins. You have to quicken
who were dead in trespasses and sins. Inability gave them no
problem. They didn't hedge, they didn't
compromise. If any man is saved, if any man
is redeemed, it'll be by an act of God. They knew that. They
were shut up to the power of God. And they were glad so to
be. One of them wrote this hymn,
my times are in thy hand, my God, I want them back. He said, my times are in thy
hand, my God, I want them back. And then thirdly, they rejoiced
in God's elective grace. You want to find the great hymns
on God's sovereign mercy, you will find them written hundreds
of years ago. That's right. One of them goes
like this, listen, "'Tis not that I did choose thee, for,
Lord, that could not be. This heart would still refuse
thee, but thou hast chosen me." They weren't ashamed of words
like elect and choose. They weren't ashamed of those
words. God's elective grace. Listen. My heart, my heart owns
none above thee, for thy rich grace I thirst, this knowing
that if I do love thee, thou must have loved me first. No problem with that. Like Noah,
they found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Like Paul in 2 Thessalonians,
they rejoiced. They didn't argue election, they
rejoiced in it. They didn't argue sovereignty,
they rejoiced in it. They didn't debate these so-called
doctrines of grace, they preached them. Like Paul, they could say,
I thank God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because
from the beginning he had chosen you to salvation. Blessed be
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed
us with all spiritual blessing in heaven and places, according
as He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having
predestinated us. Oh, I love that word. I love
predetermined, predestinated. It's in the Scriptures about
five times, and yet you mention the word predestinated or predestinate,
and folks wrinkle up their faces and put a scowl on their faces
and double up their fists and want to go to battle. These men
rejoiced in it. He hath predestinated us to be
conformed to the image of his Son. What better destination
could you have to be conformed to Christ? God took a little Jewish boy
in a family, out of a family of 70, and predestinated that
he would sit on the throne of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. And I'll tell you this, none
but God could do that. And God predetermined and predestinated
every step along the way that would bring him willingly on
the part of him and on the part of those who crowned him to the
throne. Only God can do that. And I'll
tell you, you dunghill dwellers, us dunghill dwellers, are far,
far more removed from the throne in heaven than Joseph was from
the throne in Egypt. It takes the same sovereign God
to take a son of Adam and put him on the throne with second
only to Christ. It takes the same power or greater
power to take that dunghill dweller and put him on the throne, dwelling
among princes, as it took to bring Joseph from that little
tribe of Israel to all power in Egypt. God did it. And let me tell you something.
He did it in such a way that everybody who acted their part
did exactly what they wanted to do. That's exactly it. Everybody, everybody, the brothers
that hated him, they wanted to hate him. And it's all part of
the voyage, journey. The fellows that bought him,
made him a slave, that's what they wanted to do. That's right. The fellow that put him in jail,
that's what he wanted to do. And the fellow that that told
about him, that's what he wanted to do. And then when Pharaoh
put the crown on his head, that's what he wanted to do. That's
right. Ah, I tell you, "'Tis not that
I did choose thee, Lord, that could not be. My heart would
still refuse thee, but thou hast chosen me.'" And then these men
back here, our fathers, our rich heritage, these faithful servants,
proven These fellas today hadn't been proved yet. These proven
servants. They had no problem with an effectual
atonement. They had no problem with protective
redemption. None whatsoever. Because real
sinners need a real atonement. Isn't that right? Real sinners. Somebody said helpless captives
need a complete deliverance. Not a cooperative effort. If
they could get out, they wouldn't be there. Those who are truly lost need
a certain Savior. Empty vessels need to be filled. Those who have nothing with which
to buy must have a free gift. They're not interested in an
offer. I'll tell you this morning, you could offer me every hotel
on Miami Beach. And I couldn't take you up on
the offer. I don't have anything to buy it with. So you'll have
to keep them. I'm not interested in an offer.
But now, if you've got something to give, I'm willing. And that's why I'm
before God. Oh, everyone that's thirsty,
come to the water. Come, buy wine and milk without
money, without price. I can handle that. Hold everyone
thirsty, come to the water. I can handle that because I got
a thirst. That's all I got. I got nothing with which to buy.
And I'll tell you, if the sacrifice of Christ is not full and complete,
if it's short in any way, it's not mine. If it requires anything for me
to do or to give or to produce, I've got no part in it, no interest.
Is that right, Bob? I've got no interest. But now if it's a free gift,
if it's a wrapped up package, full and complete, brought and
laid in my hands by the grace and goodness of God, I can handle
that because I've got empty hands. In my hands no price I bring
except through the cross of Christ I cling. I have no problem with
that. These men didn't either. Defectual atonement, particular
addiction, call it what you want to. And then fifthly, and I've
got to get on this quickly. These old giants, these men of courage and conviction,
and that's so hard to find today, those two things in one person,
courage and conviction. These men depended upon, listened
for, and waited upon God's effectual call. Mr. Spurgeon told this story.
He said there was a little boy in his church, sat by his mother
down on the second row in the great tabernacle. A little boy about eight or nine
or ten years old. He'd sit there and he'd put his
hands behind his ears like this. and listen to Mr. Spurgeon. Bothered
his mother. She looked at him and said, called
him by name. She said, are you having trouble
hearing? No. You don't have any trouble
hearing Mr. Spurgeon. He had a voice that
could reach all of the corners of that building seating 5,000
people. No microphones then. She said,
you're not having trouble hearing him? Then why do you keep your
hands behind your ears like that? He said, Mom, Mr. Spurgeon said, God calls people. And I don't want to miss hearing
my name if He calls it. That's right. A little of truth
there. God calls people. Can you speak life to the dead?
God can. God can. Can you make blind eyes
to see? God can. Can you make deaf ears
to hear? God can. Can you remove a heart
of stone and rebellion and put in its place a heart of flesh
and love? God can. Can you grant repentance
to the rebel? Can you grant faith to the child? No. God can. Can you reveal the
mysteries of the Godhead and give understanding to the simple?
No. God can. God can. And that's what, when
I come to the pulpit, when I preach on the television, when I go
in meetings, And I stand before people, open this Bible and preach
it. None of those things can I do. And yet all of those things must
be done in order for a person to come by faith to Christ. The dead must have life. The deaf must have the hearing
ear. The blind must be able to see. what he cannot see with his natural
eyes. The rebel must be given repentance. That's right. And I can't do
those things. He's got to do it. He must cross
the sinner's path in power and open the sinner's heart and ears
and eyes and call him by his grace. And that's the effectual
call. That's the effectual call. Now
let me show you something. Turn to Romans 1. I know, and
these old men that preached back then, they knew, there's a general
call. There's a general call. There's
a general call of creation. David said that. Turn to Romans
1. David said in the Psalms, he said, the heavens declare
the glory of God. The firmament showeth his handiwork. There's not a language in which
their voices are not heard. Their line is gone throughout
the whole earth. In other words, all over this
earth. Whether you're in America, whether you're in Mexico, or
whether you're in Australia, down under, or whether you're
up in the Antarctic, You're looking at the same moon, same sun, same
stars, same clouds, same sky. And God made those things and
they declare the glory of God. So there's a general call, there's
no language or voice in which their voice is not heard. I don't
need, God Almighty doesn't need to speak in different languages
to reveal his presence, his power, his greatness, his creative genius. You look and see it. That's what
Romans 1 verse 18 says. For the wrath of God is revealed
from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who
hold the truth in unrighteousness, because that which may be known
of God is manifested to them, for God has showed it to them.
For the invisible things of God from the creation of the world
are clearly seen, being understood with the things that are made,
even his eternal power and Godhead, so people are without excuse." That's right. It doesn't matter
where they are or who they are. There it is. Somebody made this
place. Somebody created this heaven
and earth. And that's what he's saying. God is revealed in the
things he's made. Isn't that clear? All right.
Secondly, turn to Romans 2. There's another call which comes
to all men, Romans 2. Another general call by which
God is known. It's called conscience. Now,
everybody here has a conscience. I tell you, a little fellow one
or two years old has a conscience. scold him sometime in the seat. Or he can do something wrong
and you say, did you do that? You can tell he did it. He does
not say yes or no either one. You can tell he did it. What's
wrong? His conscience is bothered. His conscience. Well, who put
that conscience in everybody? Look at Romans 2, verse 14. When the Gentiles, and when the
word Gentiles means pagan, heathen, which have not the law, do by
nature the things contained in the law." In other words, where
the Bible's never been, people know it. You're not supposed
to steal. You're not supposed to kill.
You're not supposed to commit adultery. You're not supposed
to lie. Where'd they learn these things, these principles of morality? I don't care who they are, where
they are. They don't have a law, but these,
having not the law, are law unto themselves, which show the work
of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing
witness, their thoughts, meanwhile, accusing or else excusing one
another. Sure, wherever you preach, God's
not left himself without a witness as creation. Conscience. Conscience. God has lighted every
man that comes into this world, every woman, every child with
a conscience. They know certain things are wrong, certain things
are right. And then there's the call of
preaching. Just preaching. There's preaching everywhere.
Bad preaching and good preaching. Oh, true preaching, false preaching. It's like the back of our bulletin
at the top of that Christmas. You go down the street tomorrow
and you'll hear these carols. Listen to them. Heart, the herald,
the angels sing. Glory to the newborn King. Peace on earth. Mercy mild. God and sinners reconciled. Huh? That's the gospel. That's
the gospel. Joy to the world, the Lord is
come, let earth receive her." What? King? Oh, come all ye faithful,
come let us adore Him. Listen to it. But what I'm saying is they don't
listen to it. They don't listen to it. They
don't. They go out and stand under the...
Isn't that a beautiful moon? Isn't that? Look at those stars.
It just goes on and on and on and on, galaxies, light years, unimaginable distances. The earth, we plow, we plant
seed, it grows. Isn't that a beautiful tomato? Who did it? God did it. Sermons are being preached. Truth
is being shown. Power is on display. But people
don't hear it. Do they? They don't glorify God as God.
They worship the creature rather than the Creator. They'll build
a silly statue and call it Buddha and bow down before it instead
of bowing. I'd rather bow down to the sun than Buddha. I'd rather
be a sun worshiper. At least you're worshiping something
God has something to do with. You're not worshiping that thing. And people make snakes and worship
them down in the Yucatan. Y'all saw that down there, snakes
and creeping things. They don't see. They don't hear. And conscience says, this is
wrong. This is wrong. You're not supposed
to do this. We don't listen to it. This is
right. We don't listen to it. And then
there's preaching and there's singing of these carols and other
things. Those are calls for which men
shall give an account. We're going to give an account
of the light we had and the light we could have had. The voice
we heard and the voice we could have heard and wouldn't hear.
That's right. It's there. Well, thank God we're
not left to those general calls. There is an effectual call. There
is a work of God. Turn to John 1. Let me show you
this. John chapter 1. Let me show you. A man is not left to look at
the stars or the moon. A man is not left
to listen to his feeling and do that which is right in his
own eyes. A man is not left just to hear somebody sing on a loudspeaker. But there is an effectual call
in which God takes his Word. and speaks individually, personally,
with his sheep, and brings them to faith. Listen, John 1, verse
10. He was in the world, and the
world was made by him, but the world didn't know him. He came
into his own Jews' tabernacle, temple, and his own received
him not. But as many as received him,
to them gave he the power to become the sons of God. even
to them that believe on his name, which were born, not of blood,
not of the will of the flesh, not of the will of man, but of
God." New birth, supernatural birth. God, God visited the creature
and gave him a new life. Ears to hear. Whom he did foreknow,
them did he predestinate to be conformed to the image of his
Son. Whom he predestinated, he what? He called. Personally. Whom he called, he justified.
Whom he justified, he glorified. Now, let me show you an illustration
of this in Luke 19. Just look quickly at this. Here's
an illustration of that effectual call. That effectual call, that
successful call, that call, our Lord called Matthew. He said, Matthew, follow me.
James and John, Peter. Here in Luke 19, the boys and
girls ears will prick up here because they've heard this, Zacchaeus
was a wee little man, a wee little man was he. He climbed up in
a sycamore tree, the Savior he wanted to see. Well, it's a good
story. And Jesus, Luke 19, verse 1,
"...Jesus entered and passed through Jericho, and behold,
there was a man called Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the
publicans." He was very rich. This man was, he wasn't just
a publican, he was a leading publican, tax collector, deceitful man, evil man. And he sought to see Jesus, who
he was, and he could not for the press, because he was little
of stature. So many people around, he was
so short. So he ran before like a little boy and climbed up in
a sycamore tree. I bet he wasn't the only one
up there either. I bet they were sitting on walls up in trees
to see Jesus, for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came
to the place, he looked up and saw him, and he said, Zacchaeus,
Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must abide
at that house, at thy house. That's what I'm talking about.
That's an effectual call. And he made haste and came down
and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, those people
round about saw it, those religious Jews, they murmured. They complained. They said, Jesus has gone to
be guests with a man that's a sinner. He's gone to a sinner's house.
And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, Behold, Lord, half
of my goods I give to the poor. He had robbed the poor all of
his life. Those tax collectors, they not only collected what
you owed, but what you didn't owe too. They just added to it
what they could collect over they kept. And if I've taken
anything from any man by false accusation, I'll restore him
fourfold. And Jesus said to him, this day
is salvation. Come to this house for as much
as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to
seek and to save that which was lost." Could I give you, very
quickly and briefly, eight marks of a factual call? Eight marks. Now, the Lord's
passing this way, and there's Zacchaeus up in the tree. And
the Lord called him. Now, the first thing about that
call, it was a gracious call. This man lived in a sinful city
and had a sinful occupation. He was an unworthy man, even
as we are. And yet the Lord set his affection
upon him, and he called. It was a gracious call. Secondly,
it was a personal call. There were many people all around
him. They were sitting on the walls.
They were in the trees. They were looking out the windows.
They were following him, and yet our Lord Jesus personally
address this man, Zacchaeus, you come down. Zacchaeus. It's a personal call. The Lord
knoweth them that are his. I don't know them. I know he
has a people, Mike, but I don't know who they are. But he does.
And he'll call them personally. Thirdly, it was an imminent call. He said, Zacchaeus, make haste. Make haste. Come down. Right
now. Right now. You see, preachers,
I may preach to people and I may pray for them. And they may listen
to me preach for a long time. And some of you are examples
of this. Some of you have been here a lot of times, a long time.
And the Lord dealt with you in his own time. But there may be
somebody here that's been here for months or years, and God
has not dealt with you yet. And we preach, but I'll tell
you, and people do nothing. But I'll tell you, if He ever,
by His Word, deals effectively and effectually with your heart,
you'll move right there. How long did you sit back there
before God revealed and said, 15 years at least? How long were
you? You were 50 years old before
God called you. Isn't that right? Am I wrong?
Is that right? In church all your life. You started at Potter's
Baptist, wound up down at Centenary Methodist, and you all drove
by here one day and you said, what's preached there? She said,
I don't know, let's go see. Isn't that right? How long were
you in religion before God called you? You was over 35 years old,
weren't you? You're 50 now, you know you was
35. That's right though. God calls when he will. Isn't
that right, John? Bob, a lot of years, wasn't he? Forty years old before God, about
the age of Apostle Paul, nearly. You grew up in religion, didn't
you, Chip? But God called you when he would.
I can go clear over this congregation and point out people. Ed, same
thing. You grew up in religion, didn't
you? Early, way over here at this
church, and God called you when he would. You were in Mormonism,
weren't you, Tom? Got to be a priest in Mormonism. What I'm saying is that when
God calls, that's when a man comes. He said
Zacchaeus. Make haste. We're not talking
about next week, next year. I'm talking about right now.
You come down. And he did. He did. Fourthly, but no one else could
have got him out of that tree. The apostles couldn't have done
it. And fourthly, it was a humbling call. Zacchaeus, come down. I hear these preachers say, come
forward. That's not what the Lord said to Zacchaeus. I hear
them say, come up to the front. It takes a man to confess Jesus,
nor it takes a sinner to confess Jesus. Come down. Zacchaeus, every eye was on him.
Boy, they knew that scalawag. They knew his past and his present,
and they hoped he'd have a good future too. But our Lord said,
come, and he came down. God always brings a man down.
Come down from pride. Come down from self-sufficiency.
Come down from good works. In things pertaining to God,
we're beggars. Come on down. We're all on the
same level. There's no rich or poor or learned. Fifthly, it was an affectionate
call. He said, Zacchaeus, I'm coming
to your house. I'm coming to your house. Oh, I tell you. Don't you know
those people were shocked that the Lord Jesus Christ would go
to that man's house? Well, I'm glad he does. I'm glad
he dwells with sinners. I'm glad he has mercy on sinners.
I'm glad he saves real sinners. I'm coming to your house. I'm
coming to your house. And then in the sixth place,
it was a permanent call, and he said, I'm going to abide there.
I like that. I must abide at your house. I'm moving in. I'm not going
to come and go. I'm going to unpack my bags.
I'm coming to stay. I'm going to abide there. Isn't
that something? I'm going to abide in you. He
never changes His gifts and calling without change. In the seventh
place, it was a necessary call. You know what He said? I must
abide at thy house. I must. Now you know he used
that word must several times. He said the son of man must be
lifted up. And he must be crucified. He
said that speaking of the death he would die. He must be crucified.
Why? Because God willed it. He's lamb
slain before the foundation of the world. He said other sheep
I have them also I must bring. He must bring Zacchaeus. I must
save you. Do you know why? Because God
gave Zacchaeus to him before the foundation of the world in
a covenant and made him Zacchaeus' surety and sent him down here
to save Zacchaeus. And he said, I finished the work
you gave me to do. I've got to call Zacchaeus. Isn't
that correct? Am I wrong there? He must need
to go through Samaria. There's a woman at the well.
He said, Zacchaeus, you come down. I must abide at your house. I must. You know down here, look
at verse 9, verse 9. Now look at verse 9 real hard.
And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this
house, Zacchaeus' house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. Hold it now. That street was
full of sons of Abraham. Ishmaelites and Israelites. My friends, the sons of Abraham
are those who believe on Christ. Israel is not that little country
over yonder across the water. God's not going to bless us because
we send them airplanes, tanks, and bombs to blow up their neighbors
with. That country and those people have nothing to do with
God. That's exactly right. That's not the holy land. There's
nothing holy about that land. That golf course out there I
play on is just as holy as Israel is. I thought I'd use a ridiculous
illustration and get your attention. But that's right. That's exactly
right. Israel, they're not all Israel
which are of Israel. He's not a Jew which is one outwardly,
the scripture says, he's a Jew which is one inwardly. You're
looking at an Israelite, a full-fledged Jew standing right here, a Scotch-Irish
Jew, an Israelite. That's right, the Bible talks
about Israel, sons of Abraham, are believers. And when Jesus
Christ looked at Zacchaeus here, and all those other Israelites
standing around, he said, now, he's the son of Abraham. You're
not. That's right. Son of Abraham. He that is of faith is a son
of Abraham. That's exact. I'm telling you
the truth. So it was a necessary call. He's a necessary call. He also is a son of Abraham.
There was a tabernacle built in London for George Whitefield to preach
in. They called it Whitfield's Tabernacle. And one Sunday the
people were sitting there and there was a group of men walking
outside one Sunday night. Rebels, rabble-rousers, troublemakers. One of them was named John Williams.
One of those troublemakers walking by the tabernacle that night
was John Williams, the great missionary. But he wasn't a missionary
then, he was a rascal, a real rebel. a real rebel, a wild boy. And one of the young men walking
along with him said, go in old man's Whitfield, go in old man
Whitfield's tabernacle and see what time it is. They had a clock
on the wall like we have right here, on the back wall of Whitfield's
tabernacle. And Whitfield was up preaching.
So this young man, John Williams, he went in to see what time it
was. And he came around, walked in the door, and looked around,
he couldn't see the clock. So he started backing down the
aisle until he got to where he could see the clock. He kept
backing down. And all the time he was backing
down that aisle, the words Whitefield was preaching were going in these
ears of his. And he stood there and looked
at the clock and never moved. He kept listening. Finally he
turned around and listened to Whitefield preach. God made it
effectual. Can you believe that? That's
his own story. He didn't go back and join his buddies. He sat
down. And God sent him to be one of the pioneer great missionaries
to preach the gospel. Because he just came in to see
what time it was. So when you're talking to folks
next week, tell them, come see what time it is over here. You
know, just drop in and look at the clock. I tell you, if they're
one of God's elect, I believe this. They'll hear me. They'll hear the gospel. I'm
not going to stand up and sing just as I am, twenty or thirty
verses, and beg you to come down here. I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to do it. That's a waste of, that's blasphemous. Salvation is not a decision.
Salvation is an experience. It's a hard work. Last, I'll
quit. Eight. This call was an effectual
call. Zacchaeus, verse 5, Christ said, Make haste
and come down. Verse 6, He made haste and came
down and received Christ joyfully. He heard. Now verse 8, And he
stood and said to the Lord, I've been wrong and of wrong people,
and I'm going to make it right. That man had some works of faith
and labor of love. I'm going to give. People I've
taken from, I'm going to restore it. And I'm going to give half
my goods to feed the poor. I'm going to do that. Now tonight,
I'm going to pick this up right here. You'll get something out of this
tonight. Who are the call? There's a Lamb's Book of Life.
I've never seen the pages. I don't know. I tell you, if
I were to see the pages, I'd look for my name. You can be
sure of that. And then I'd look for yours.

The Effectual Call

What does the Bible say about the effectual call?

How do we know the doctrine of God's sovereign calling is true?

Why is the concept of the effectual call important for Christians?

What are the characteristics of God's effectual call?

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The Effectual Call

What does the Bible say about the effectual call?

How do we know the doctrine of God's sovereign calling is true?

Why is the concept of the effectual call important for Christians?

What are the characteristics of God's effectual call?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

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