WEBVTT
Kind: captions
Language: en

00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:06.640
okay let's open with prayer again 
father uh teach us open us to  

00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:16.080
the fact that we are called in a promise in christ 
from all eternity but we are also called to become  

00:00:16.080 --> 00:00:21.280
something and so open our heart now as we 
consider these things of what we're called to  

00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:31.760
and lord we bless you in jesus name amen well 
this is our third session about vocation and  

00:00:32.400 --> 00:00:37.920
uh what we talked about last time was that 
fundamentally as we look at the call of god  

00:00:38.560 --> 00:00:41.920
it is fundamentally about 
really our covenant with god  

00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:48.000
and that there is a unif uh this this unilateral 
side of the covenant there's also a bilateral  

00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:53.680
side and the unilateral side was the fact that 
we're we're called in a promise and that that is  

00:00:53.680 --> 00:01:01.440
that is essential that is i think the rock bottom 
of of how to understand our our calling in god we  

00:01:01.440 --> 00:01:08.400
are called to participate in a promise to stay 
open by faith and trust in who we are in christ  

00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:14.080
but now i want to turn and we'll really 
be here for the rest of the sessions  

00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:21.520
i want to look at the bilateral element of our 
vocation this this has to do now with our response  

00:01:22.160 --> 00:01:27.760
it has to do with that part of the covenant of 
god which is our response to the commands of god  

00:01:28.880 --> 00:01:34.320
and so this is our side this is the call as it 
comes to me this is the call as it comes to you  

00:01:36.080 --> 00:01:42.800
these are the commands this is the life and i'm 
not only to say yes to abide in christ and that's  

00:01:42.800 --> 00:01:50.560
a major part of it is you know in john 15 5 to you 
know jesus is saying that i am the vine you're the  

00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:56.240
branches and you're to abide in me well abiding 
in the promise that's a major part of our of  

00:01:56.240 --> 00:02:04.000
what we're to be doing now and experiencing this 
unilateral promise of government but there is now  

00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:12.240
my side so there's the promise the promise is what 
think of the promise as what i've been called into  

00:02:13.520 --> 00:02:20.960
and the command is now what i am called to become 
so the promise is what i've been called into and  

00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:27.360
now in there what am i to become what kind of 
person am i to become what am i to give my life to  

00:02:29.200 --> 00:02:36.160
and so what is it that we're to give ourselves 
to i'm going to break this up into what i would  

00:02:36.160 --> 00:02:43.520
call the general calls of the bible so here 
as we look at the bilateral calls of god

00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:53.840
there will be the general call and 
there will be the particular call

00:02:57.600 --> 00:03:02.640
the general calls or the particular calls 
these are things that just come right out  

00:03:02.640 --> 00:03:09.200
of the scriptures of what it is that we are called 
by god to participate in to give ourselves to that  

00:03:09.200 --> 00:03:13.680
is if you want to know the will of god it turns 
out the scriptures are going to make something  

00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:20.160
very clear about his will so let's start with 
the general call or this is the general vocation  

00:03:20.880 --> 00:03:30.000
and what i mean by this general call is this is 
how the call of god comes to me as a member of the  

00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:37.520
church as a member of the body of christ this is 
this is how the call comes to all of us as members  

00:03:37.520 --> 00:03:43.920
of the body of christ this is our general vocation 
it doesn't matter what you think you're called to  

00:03:43.920 --> 00:03:50.400
what you think you should be about these are what 
all members of the body are called to do and the  

00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:57.600
first one is this it is a vocation of love and 
that shouldn't surprise us it's a vocation of love  

00:03:58.400 --> 00:04:05.760
so as i'm trying to understand god what am 
i really called to do you're called to love  

00:04:05.760 --> 00:04:12.000
you're called to be a lover and this is uh a 
number of texts but i'll just give you one in  

00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:16.880
the gospels this is luke chapter 10 verse 
27 this is of course the great commandment  

00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:27.840
right you are to love god with all of your heart 
soul mind and strength everything every morning  

00:04:28.640 --> 00:04:36.400
my daughters and i we we we sing a a prayer to 
the lord and it's about this and it's a question

00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:47.760
do you love him with all your heart amen but lord 
have mercy do you love him with all your soul amen  

00:04:47.760 --> 00:04:54.000
yes but lord have mercy because i know i don't do 
it as i ought do you love him with all your mind  

00:04:55.840 --> 00:05:01.440
lord have mercy do you love him with all 
your strength amen yes but o lord have mercy  

00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:10.080
to love god with my whole heart my whole prayer 
that is my call that is going to be a fundamental  

00:05:10.080 --> 00:05:13.840
general call and attach to 
that is loving your neighbor  

00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:20.560
not with your whole heart but to love your 
neighbor as yourself that is the same way  

00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:27.200
that you attend to yourself that you attend 
to your needs that you attend to your desires  

00:05:27.200 --> 00:05:33.760
you are to care for another person that way 
wow and so just a couple of points on this  

00:05:34.960 --> 00:05:39.120
this vocation of love which is summarized in the 
great commandment but throughout the new testament  

00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:46.080
and old testament this is true for all believers 
all the time it's true for all of us all the time  

00:05:46.080 --> 00:05:52.720
this is our vocation this is a calling of god and 
secondly it must be done in light of the promise  

00:05:53.440 --> 00:05:58.720
it's got to be done in light of the promise 
it's it's not in order for me to gain acceptance  

00:05:58.720 --> 00:06:04.080
from god it's to be done in light of the 
promise in light of what he's done for me  

00:06:04.880 --> 00:06:10.800
so i'm not doing this to hide or cover i'm not 
doing this to appease my guilt i first got to  

00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:16.960
deal with in my life do i really believe the 
promise and then on the base of that freedom  

00:06:16.960 --> 00:06:23.360
open to loving in in just the ways i i can and see 
all the failure that will come with that as well

00:06:25.520 --> 00:06:31.680
and the third point under this one is it will 
shape this shape this this vocation of love will  

00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:38.320
shape all the other callings it will it will shape 
all of them it will be in a sense the governor  

00:06:38.320 --> 00:06:43.200
of all the other callings so as if i 
think i'm called to be a great theologian  

00:06:43.200 --> 00:06:48.240
well i could give my whole life to that 
and forget loving my wife and my children  

00:06:48.240 --> 00:06:57.360
and my neighbor and so this this vocation of love 
is to shape and govern all the other vocations  

00:06:58.240 --> 00:07:02.880
and that's why you should be praying every every 
time you have a class god how much time should i  

00:07:02.880 --> 00:07:08.000
be giving to my class how much time should i 
be giving to ministry how much time should i  

00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:12.960
be giving to recreation how much time should i be 
given to all these things that i might like to do  

00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:21.600
when i know i'm called to love i'm called to 
love you and i'm called to love my neighbor

00:07:23.680 --> 00:07:32.080
secondly is there is the vocation of spiritual 
formation the vocation this is a general part  

00:07:32.080 --> 00:07:37.280
of the general call so this is the second 
one so the first under the general call is  

00:07:37.920 --> 00:07:48.960
this this vocation of love and the second 
one is the vocation of spiritual formation  

00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:54.800
it's the vocation of growth this is romans 8  

00:07:54.800 --> 00:08:03.200
29 it says that god predestined and called 
me to be conformed to the image of the son  

00:08:04.160 --> 00:08:11.680
and so as god from eternity passed as he saw 
me in christ as he called me in christ in full  

00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:20.640
justification his call was that in reality by the 
filling of the spirit i would be slowly conformed  

00:08:22.160 --> 00:08:34.560
to the image of christ so my your growth my 
growth that is my vocation i am called to grow  

00:08:34.560 --> 00:08:42.000
to become like christ i am called to abide in 
christ to let the spirit of christ indwell me  

00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:49.600
as luther would say to participate in this life 
so that his virtues become mine by the spirit  

00:08:50.240 --> 00:08:57.840
and that's the fruit of the spirit my growth is 
my vocation i know that and so as i'm seeking  

00:08:57.840 --> 00:09:03.360
all these other detailed questions about what am 
i called to this one i can you can take to the  

00:09:03.360 --> 00:09:10.240
bank you are called to love and you are called 
to grow you are to give your life to growth  

00:09:11.920 --> 00:09:19.680
and this can take place in all times and you can 
be certain of it if you're on an if you're stuck  

00:09:19.680 --> 00:09:28.400
on an island by yourself if you're sick if you 
become crippled if whatever happens to you you  

00:09:28.400 --> 00:09:36.560
and i are called to growth and we can participate 
in that and something we can participate in

00:09:38.640 --> 00:09:46.640
a third element so the third element or the third 
vocation under this general call or the general  

00:09:46.640 --> 00:09:53.200
vocation if the first one is it's my vocation of 
love second one is vocation of spiritual formation  

00:09:53.200 --> 00:10:00.240
the third vocation where we're all called to 
it's universal is the vocation of good works and  

00:10:00.240 --> 00:10:06.880
this is ephesians 2 10 ephesians 2 10. 
we are a workmanship of god created in  

00:10:06.880 --> 00:10:14.880
christ jesus for good works and then it says 
that god predestined or prepared beforehand  

00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:21.120
that we should walk in them and so there is 
there is in god's mind a certain plan of good  

00:10:21.120 --> 00:10:25.840
works as he is as he has thought of how the 
body of christ is going to affect this earth  

00:10:26.400 --> 00:10:33.200
and how it will affect one another he's he's he's 
again in his mind he is predestined for a certain  

00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:39.360
set of works now it doesn't mean that i need to 
then kind of find that exact one it means though  

00:10:40.560 --> 00:10:44.560
that because god is sovereign he 
will work all things but it does mean  

00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:51.120
that there are certain things that i will be 
called to that are very clear from scripture and  

00:10:51.120 --> 00:10:57.040
as we talk in a little bit later right after this 
that god has called you circumstantially right now  

00:10:57.840 --> 00:11:05.200
and uh in your life in his providence to 
live out so there our life is to be given  

00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:13.840
to a life of service to caring for others good 
works and so here are the general calls and so  

00:11:15.360 --> 00:11:19.360
when calvin and luther discuss calling 
we'll actually talk in a little bit about  

00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:24.720
their view of this but when calvin 
luther talked about vocation and calling  

00:11:25.680 --> 00:11:35.280
they thought that it's not something so ethereal 
that you need to seek for because god has made his  

00:11:35.280 --> 00:11:41.600
calling so clear to us he's made it so clear that 
we are called into a promise this is so important  

00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:48.320
for calvin and luther and then the bilateral 
elements of the general call they are so clear  

00:11:49.920 --> 00:11:56.240
calvin luther said you could spend your whole life 
giving yourself to becoming a lover of god and  

00:11:56.240 --> 00:12:02.480
lover of people to growth and spiritual formation 
and the third element a life of good works you can  

00:12:02.480 --> 00:12:08.000
you can give your whole existence to this so in 
one sense there's there's not a mystery to this  

00:12:09.680 --> 00:12:13.280
attached with this uh i'll 
have you do a prayer project  

00:12:14.560 --> 00:12:17.040
and i like to do this prayer 
project for about a half an hour  

00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:23.360
and you can break this up kind of any any kind 
of way you want but here's what i want you to do  

00:12:23.360 --> 00:12:28.560
i want you to to spend the first i guess maybe 
about five minutes just asking the lord lord  

00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:36.000
how how have i been doing in my life just lately 
with uh with loving you with my whole heart  

00:12:36.720 --> 00:12:40.800
or are there other things i love with my 
whole heart this is an opportunity for you  

00:12:40.800 --> 00:12:44.560
just to reality test about the truth 
of what's going on in your life  

00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:52.000
and then spend about five minutes talking to the 
lord about lord how am i doing regarding neighbor  

00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:59.360
love do i do i really consider my neighbors who 
are my neighbors do i do i love them as much  

00:12:59.920 --> 00:13:06.400
as i love myself i and again this is not to make 
you feel guilty this is only to reality tests to  

00:13:06.400 --> 00:13:12.640
come out of hiding in a sense and to ask the 
lord lord this is my vocation god encouraged  

00:13:12.640 --> 00:13:18.400
my heart to give myself to loving my neighbor 
to loving the one who is in need around me to  

00:13:18.400 --> 00:13:23.520
loving uh the lord and then spend about five 
minutes just talking to the lord about lord  

00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:30.080
have i really considered that spiritual growth 
is my vocation that i'm really to give myself  

00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:35.280
to growing in the lord is that has have i taken 
that on as my vocation or are other things kind  

00:13:35.280 --> 00:13:42.240
of distracting me thinking that something out here 
is my vocation and not growing that is my calling  

00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:49.520
i've been predestined to become conformed to the 
image of the sun i've been called to this and the  

00:13:49.520 --> 00:13:56.400
last is just to talk to the lord about what are 
those good works that you're called to do what  

00:13:56.400 --> 00:14:03.920
what is that that set of works that that god this 
this aragon this this economy of god that he has  

00:14:03.920 --> 00:14:10.240
you participating in to bring about change 
into this world so spend about 20 minutes  

00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:18.800
uh praying and then uh write again half page to 
a page and bring it to discuss let me close a  

00:14:18.800 --> 00:14:26.720
prayer father again we we just want to encourage 
one another in this general call you've made it so  

00:14:26.720 --> 00:14:33.840
clear what we're to give ourselves to and this 
is in one sense not mysterious what what what  

00:14:33.840 --> 00:14:42.640
is mysterious is what it would be to really 
live without these calls and can just open  

00:14:42.640 --> 00:14:50.320
our heart in reality where we are bless you 
and bless these students in jesus name amen  

00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:59.040
okay class let's begin with prayer our father 
we uh we thank you so much of your kindness that  

00:14:59.040 --> 00:15:06.240
you have called us in christ that our vocation in 
some ways is so clear we are called into a promise  

00:15:07.920 --> 00:15:15.920
lord we are we are then called to live a certain 
life of love a life of growth a life of good works  

00:15:15.920 --> 00:15:22.640
and continue to encourage us especially uh now 
as we look at the particular calls of each person  

00:15:22.640 --> 00:15:31.840
here god be gracious as we hear these things and 
open our hearts to them we bless you lord may you  

00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:38.800
teach us by your spirit in jesus name amen so 
this is our fourth session uh in the concept of  

00:15:38.800 --> 00:15:45.280
vocation in the class on uh spiritual formation 
vocation and the spiritual disciplines last time  

00:15:45.280 --> 00:15:52.560
we again we've been talking about the the vocation 
of god the the calling that he has in our life  

00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:59.760
and that the fundamental calling is into a promise 
that we are called into a life a fellowship of the  

00:15:59.760 --> 00:16:06.800
son to abide in christ to participate in christ 
in in our justification and on the ground on that  

00:16:06.800 --> 00:16:12.960
basis to then enter into becoming something this 
bilateral side of the covenant and the commands of  

00:16:12.960 --> 00:16:18.720
god and so last time we talked about the general 
call that part of my vocation is very clear in the  

00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:25.200
scripture it's a vocation of love it's a vocation 
of growth and it's a vocation of participating in  

00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:30.880
that economy of god of works that he has for 
me on this earth and opened my heart to that  

00:16:31.440 --> 00:16:37.280
i want to move now from the general call to 
what what i might call the particular call  

00:16:38.160 --> 00:16:45.120
this is the particular call and what i have in 
mind here is this is how god's vocation comes  

00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:52.400
to you particularly in your life that is if the 
general call was was how the vocation comes to  

00:16:52.400 --> 00:16:57.600
everyone that everyone's called to is just 
being a member of the church this is what  

00:16:57.600 --> 00:17:05.680
now you are called to given just who you are 
in your particular place in life this is where  

00:17:06.800 --> 00:17:13.760
although the church is a whole it's an organism 
the church is not a collective it's not a beehive  

00:17:13.760 --> 00:17:21.840
it's not like in star trek the borg we we we 
talk about god's love as particularizing love  

00:17:21.840 --> 00:17:28.320
that yes he calls out a community but in that 
community his love particularizes each person  

00:17:29.280 --> 00:17:37.680
and god's will and vocation his calling to you 
is specific to this now i i should say right here  

00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:44.400
notice we haven't yet talked about gainful 
employment there there is some there is a  

00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:52.000
correlation between gainful employment or a lot 
of the tasks that we do and our vocary but as we  

00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:59.440
see now vocation the vocary the calling of god the 
the coletto the colline it's so much broader it's  

00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:05.600
it's all encompassing of our life but we'll be 
moving more towards issues of gainful employment  

00:18:05.600 --> 00:18:11.280
uh a little bit later in talking about 
the particular calls so i want to focus  

00:18:11.280 --> 00:18:17.200
on these particular calls there's a number of 
them and these are again how the work of god  

00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:26.400
comes to you in your particular circumstances 
so let me start with the first one the first one  

00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:30.480
under the particular call is what 
i call the providential vocation  

00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:41.840
the providential vocation so if we if we line it 
up here the first one is providential location  

00:18:43.520 --> 00:18:50.320
and what i mean by providential vocation 
this is the call of god in your life  

00:18:51.760 --> 00:19:01.040
to accept and integrate all of your history 
as a as a gift according to his sovereignty  

00:19:01.040 --> 00:19:08.160
and providence this this calling has to do 
with god's providence about your whole life  

00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:13.600
as it intersects your particular 
experiences in history that you had  

00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:19.280
a couple of verses to talk about this this 
is ephesians chapter 1 verse 4 where it says  

00:19:19.280 --> 00:19:27.360
that we were called before the foundations of 
the earth to be holy and blameless that in love  

00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:35.600
in love he predestined us 
to adoptions as sons through  

00:19:35.600 --> 00:19:41.920
christ jesus to himself so that by placing us 
from the foundations the earth in all eternity  

00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:46.880
he has thought about your life in christ and 
that was the way he was going to adopt you  

00:19:47.600 --> 00:19:54.080
in that sense in god's providence your 
whole life is part of his adoption  

00:19:55.920 --> 00:20:01.440
you know we we tend to kind of want to separate 
the goods side of our life from the bad side the  

00:20:01.440 --> 00:20:07.760
good stuff of our history the stuff that wasn't 
so good but in god's economy of providence  

00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:16.400
knowing from all eternity all of your 
life was part of what god had in mind  

00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:26.800
to adopting you into his family and our task 
is can we receive that can we accept that  

00:20:26.800 --> 00:20:36.080
providential call and say yes god i see now that 
all of this was within your plan this is romans 8  

00:20:36.080 --> 00:20:42.800
28 where it says after it talks about the 
spirit is praying for us and our weaknesses  

00:20:43.840 --> 00:20:49.600
it says that god works all things together 
for good he's working everything together  

00:20:49.600 --> 00:20:55.200
now whether he's causing it or not that that 
raises deeper philosophical theological questions  

00:20:55.920 --> 00:21:02.000
but everyone is going to agree that god is 
going to work all things together for good  

00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:09.520
to them that are called according to his purposes 
see god has called you according to his purposes  

00:21:10.320 --> 00:21:14.400
and his purposes in verse 28 are that 
you'd be conformed to the image of christ  

00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:20.880
and so everything in your life everything 
that has ever happened in your life  

00:21:21.840 --> 00:21:28.880
has been part of the vocation of god the calling 
of god to conform you to the image of christ the  

00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:34.480
parents you had the siblings you had even 
the struggles that you dealt with the sins  

00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:41.440
the pains the hurts whatever it is that is all 
part of god's calling paul had seen this in his  

00:21:41.440 --> 00:21:48.080
own life in galatians 1 15 where he sees that he 
was called in his mother's womb by grace and yet  

00:21:48.080 --> 00:21:53.920
in all of that he was going to his life would take 
him to be a pharisee his life would take him to be  

00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:59.360
a persecutor of the church his life would actually 
take him to be one who is killing individuals  

00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:07.680
in the name of yahweh and yet now he sees 
all of this really is in a bigger panorama  

00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:12.320
and it's the providence and the sovereignty of 
god that he was called even in the mother's womb  

00:22:13.680 --> 00:22:20.960
this is also about um if you look just for 
a moment it's psalm 139 we see again the the  

00:22:20.960 --> 00:22:29.520
sovereignty of god here psalm 139 he says in 
verse 13 for you did even form my inward parts  

00:22:29.520 --> 00:22:34.720
you weave me in my mother's womb i'll give 
thanks to you fran fearfully and wonderfully made  

00:22:35.440 --> 00:22:41.600
wonderful are your works my soul knows it my frame 
was not hidden few even when i was made in secret  

00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:45.440
and skillfully wrought in the depths 
of the earth meaning in the womb  

00:22:46.960 --> 00:22:50.160
and then he says this in verse 16 psalm 139 16  

00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:59.200
thine eyes have seen my unformed substance 
you saw me even before there was body  

00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:06.160
even before this whole thing took total form you 
knew you knew me you knew what my soul would be  

00:23:07.600 --> 00:23:11.600
and in your book they were all written 
all the days that were ordained for me  

00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:17.760
when as yet there was not one of them you knew 
all these days this was all part of your plan

00:23:19.920 --> 00:23:26.800
and so uh in this context i want 
to read ecclesiastes chapter 7.  

00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:32.560
now there's a whole uh there's a whole context 
here for the book of ecclesiastes we don't  

00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:40.720
um we don't have time to get into but in 
ecclesiastes there is the question of um  

00:23:42.080 --> 00:23:48.800
you know the old testament sage is is talking 
generally in proverbs about the issue of um sowing  

00:23:48.800 --> 00:23:53.200
and reaping and that we should participate in this 
life of sowing and reaping and generally things  

00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:59.680
will go well but in the book of ecclesiastes 
he's dealing with now difficult issues issues  

00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:04.720
that sometimes just cause an effect and 
so on reap don't explain because god's  

00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:10.800
purposes are are much higher than some of the 
things that we might be looking at in life  

00:24:11.440 --> 00:24:18.880
and so he says in in chapter 7 verse 13 so 
is ecclesiastes 7 13 consider the work of god

00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:27.280
let's consider god god's word discern 
this for who is able to straighten what  

00:24:27.280 --> 00:24:31.840
he has meant that is when god has done a 
work in his providence who can alter this

00:24:34.960 --> 00:24:40.640
and then he says this in the day of prosperity 
and now for the old testament sage the day of  

00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:47.040
prosperity means when things are going well 
when you're sowing something wisely and you're  

00:24:47.040 --> 00:24:52.640
reaping the good results of sowing wisely that 
that's the day of prosperity so he says look  

00:24:52.640 --> 00:25:00.160
when everything's working out in the day of 
prosperity uh be happy and others enjoy it  

00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:07.040
he'll say in the refrains in ecclesiastes because 
god has given you the ability to enjoy the things  

00:25:07.040 --> 00:25:13.840
that you're reaping go ahead and enjoy it but 
then he says this but in the day of adversity  

00:25:14.480 --> 00:25:18.880
consider now what's the day of adversity 
for the sage the day of adversity is when  

00:25:18.880 --> 00:25:23.920
you have been uh sowing things in 
life you've been you're hoping to  

00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:28.320
get the raise you are sewing you know you 
get trying to get good grades at seminary  

00:25:28.320 --> 00:25:35.120
and then all of a sudden adversity comes you 
get into a car accident you don't get the raise  

00:25:36.080 --> 00:25:41.600
that it looked like you deserved that's the day of 
adversity adversity is when things don't turn out  

00:25:41.600 --> 00:25:46.960
the way that you would you sowed them to 
be so in the day of adversity consider  

00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:52.640
god has made one as well as the other 
wow what a view of god's sovereignty  

00:25:53.440 --> 00:25:59.840
that god has made one as well as the other so 
that man may not discover anything that will be  

00:25:59.840 --> 00:26:07.200
after him so that man will not know see god 
god has worked out these plans so that we won't  

00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:11.440
always be able to figure out just by cause and 
effect so and reap how everything's gonna work  

00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:20.640
because god has made it that his purposes are 
greater and so part of our vocation or our calling  

00:26:21.600 --> 00:26:28.000
is to accept and to receive to 
say yes to our whole history  

00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:37.840
the whole providence of god as it's moved in 
our life so let me erase this for a moment

00:26:43.760 --> 00:26:53.360
so i hope you can maybe read this but 
here perhaps here i am now in the present

00:26:56.320 --> 00:26:58.320
and my vocation

00:27:01.840 --> 00:27:05.840
one of my vocations is to accept

00:27:08.160 --> 00:27:09.360
the providence of god

00:27:13.120 --> 00:27:18.320
in my history and that includes of course the 
future as it's going to come to but right now  

00:27:18.320 --> 00:27:26.400
we're going to be thinking of the past and so here 
uh way back here at you know at birth you know  

00:27:26.400 --> 00:27:31.280
why did i have the parents i had some of you had 
excellent parents some of you wish your parents  

00:27:31.280 --> 00:27:36.720
were different some of you maybe had horrendous 
parents lord how how does that fit into my life  

00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:42.320
and as you're going along in life there might 
have been real peaks of of times of natural  

00:27:42.320 --> 00:27:46.880
consolation that is just great experiences 
of life and then there might have been  

00:27:46.880 --> 00:27:54.560
some real valleys of natural desolation times of 
depression times when somebody really hurts you  

00:27:54.560 --> 00:27:57.440
times when things didn't go well 
times when your parents divorced

00:27:59.600 --> 00:28:04.720
and so who knows what is all part of this life 
and you had siblings why the siblings that you had  

00:28:04.720 --> 00:28:07.440
why the grandparents why the aunts and uncles  

00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:12.720
why did your parents get divorced and some didn't 
why did your parents stay together and you kind  

00:28:12.720 --> 00:28:18.240
of wish they would have split i have no idea why 
did somebody have great family some of you not  

00:28:18.880 --> 00:28:23.680
why did some of you get sent to have great 
educations and for others of you uh it's very  

00:28:23.680 --> 00:28:28.000
difficult some of you had parents who could pay 
for the whole education some of you didn't some of  

00:28:28.000 --> 00:28:34.000
you it's been it's been hard work to do everything 
you know and then you you come to salvation  

00:28:35.600 --> 00:28:39.840
at some point in life and and there 
are maybe times of great consolation  

00:28:40.560 --> 00:28:47.200
god just seems really close things are going well 
in times of desolation god may be seen distant or  

00:28:48.320 --> 00:29:00.240
times of trials and then you know great times 
in life our life can go in so many directions

00:29:02.400 --> 00:29:13.600
and part of our task is consider the work of god 
discern the work of god in our history how has god  

00:29:13.600 --> 00:29:27.760
used prosperity and adversity right here peak 
times prosperity bottom times adversity god has  

00:29:27.760 --> 00:29:32.880
made one as well as the other so that we would 
trust him so that we wouldn't know everything  

00:29:32.880 --> 00:29:38.320
that's going to happen so we could live causally 
and reap and sow and figure out life without him  

00:29:39.120 --> 00:29:45.600
this leads us to trust and so part of our 
calling is to consider the work of god in  

00:29:45.600 --> 00:29:48.160
all of our circumstances that we've had in life  

00:29:49.760 --> 00:29:56.880
why the parents and family that i had god how did 
you use that for good how did you use the siblings  

00:29:56.880 --> 00:30:04.640
how did you use those people who sinned against me 
who hurt me lord how are you using the way i have  

00:30:04.640 --> 00:30:10.560
even sinned against others in the past because god 
says everything is going to work together for good

00:30:12.800 --> 00:30:19.360
how have you used and are going to use the good 
traits i've developed the bad traits my regrets  

00:30:21.120 --> 00:30:28.960
all of these moments it's to discern how god is 
using them all to make you the particular person  

00:30:28.960 --> 00:30:34.720
this is this is different from one to another this 
is mike wilkins here this is john koh this is you  

00:30:35.680 --> 00:30:43.360
this is walt russell this is jp morgan this is 
brian willis this is judy tenelson this is you the  

00:30:43.360 --> 00:30:50.000
student each one of you are a different package 
each one of you god has thought from eternity past  

00:30:51.280 --> 00:30:57.360
he called you he predestined you to be adopted 
as son he knew everything that was going to  

00:30:57.360 --> 00:31:04.640
happen in your life and he would work all 
things together for good do you believe that  

00:31:05.680 --> 00:31:12.560
do you believe that you were your whole 
life has been a call of god born out of love  

00:31:13.360 --> 00:31:17.200
can you receive it as love or are there 
things right now you don't want to think  

00:31:17.200 --> 00:31:21.760
about you don't want to accept you don't want 
to understand how god is going to use that  

00:31:22.960 --> 00:31:33.120
to make you the unique person you are to bring 
his glory and kingdom to bear on this earth  

00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:43.440
and so i think here we need to beware of pockets 
of bitterness or pockets that are unresolved  

00:31:44.080 --> 00:31:48.800
pockets of our hidden heart that we just don't 
want to look at parts of our past i don't want  

00:31:48.800 --> 00:31:53.360
to look at that god just whatever is good 
i want to look at no it's whatever is true  

00:31:54.720 --> 00:32:02.880
whatever's true that's what we want to start 
to because god is using it all everything  

00:32:02.880 --> 00:32:09.200
is redeemable now for some of you that will be 
easy to think of for others of you this may be  

00:32:09.200 --> 00:32:14.240
very difficult because there are some things in 
your life perhaps even some of your own sins that  

00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:20.400
just don't seem redeemable some of you feel like 
you've wasted time you've let the situations go by

00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:26.800
and you don't think it's redeemable no 
all of this can work together for good  

00:32:27.440 --> 00:32:34.320
and so some of us can be tempted to tiptoe 
around those parts of our character parts of  

00:32:34.320 --> 00:32:42.480
our life parts of our past and not integrating 
them the need is to is to now look at our life  

00:32:43.760 --> 00:32:51.280
accept it say yes god i see this now for some 
again this will be easier for others you may be  

00:32:51.280 --> 00:32:55.840
needing to do this with some other people because 
for some of your life has been very difficult  

00:32:56.640 --> 00:33:01.200
and at that point the body of christ has been 
given to help you process this and so that's  

00:33:01.200 --> 00:33:08.320
that's what christian therapists are for christian 
counselors pastors shepherds to help you process  

00:33:08.320 --> 00:33:12.720
this through what i would like 
you to do as you consider this

00:33:15.280 --> 00:33:20.880
and this will be the fourth project i'd 
like you to spend about a half an hour  

00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:27.600
and here's what i'd like you to 
do i i'd like you to spend um  

00:33:29.280 --> 00:33:37.840
just talk to the lord for about 10 minutes 
about your your family and ask the lord lord how  

00:33:39.360 --> 00:33:46.320
how have you used them for good in my life what 
have um how are they part of my vote how is my  

00:33:46.320 --> 00:33:56.480
vocation then a calling with that family how have 
you used that to put together this life how am i  

00:33:56.480 --> 00:34:04.400
called into that family and to say yes to that 
and what it has been your parents your siblings  

00:34:05.120 --> 00:34:10.160
the life up to now how has god worked 
and used them for good so take about  

00:34:10.160 --> 00:34:15.680
10 minutes just processing through that and 
then i'd like you to take about 10 minutes  

00:34:16.800 --> 00:34:24.960
to process through just other relationships 
the good and the bad how people have loved you  

00:34:24.960 --> 00:34:30.640
how people have hurt you friends people in church 
pastors i want you to just kind of scoop up  

00:34:31.600 --> 00:34:39.200
relationships that you've had and how has god used 
those in in your calling to be adopted as a son  

00:34:40.400 --> 00:34:46.080
so that you would become the person that's 
unique in all this world to do his will so  

00:34:46.080 --> 00:34:50.240
spend about 10 minutes doing through that and 
then i'd like you to spend about 10 minutes  

00:34:51.760 --> 00:34:59.600
just ask the lord lord what about the sins i've 
committed what about just the the losses in my  

00:34:59.600 --> 00:35:09.200
life the regrets the things i wish were different 
lord now see you know once once history has taken  

00:35:09.200 --> 00:35:15.280
place then in the sovereignty and the providence 
of god it has become now part of what we would  

00:35:15.280 --> 00:35:20.800
call the decorative will of god it is happening 
and so somehow the lord is going to work all these  

00:35:20.800 --> 00:35:27.360
things together for good we all agree on that 
and so how is god even going to take your sins  

00:35:27.360 --> 00:35:34.720
your failings your regrets your wasted time 
and and somehow what is he doing with that  

00:35:34.720 --> 00:35:40.960
so that you can say yes to that you can integrate 
that open to that and see how that is even making  

00:35:40.960 --> 00:35:46.640
you the unique person that you are because now 
see all of these things become places where we  

00:35:46.640 --> 00:35:51.920
can open in weakness to how he's made because it 
may be that he's going to make you more empathic  

00:35:52.640 --> 00:35:56.000
showing empathy to people who've struggled 
in the same kind of thing or give you a  

00:35:56.000 --> 00:36:02.080
deeper understanding if you look at some of the 
greatest theologians in the history of the church  

00:36:02.080 --> 00:36:07.920
they were great sinners and that's what gave them 
the insight often into understanding that's what  

00:36:07.920 --> 00:36:13.920
gave them the empathy and the insight to see the 
dynamics of sin and how it worked in people's life  

00:36:14.720 --> 00:36:20.800
so go ahead and pray then for that's a total 
of about a half an hour and write a one-page  

00:36:21.520 --> 00:36:28.080
paper on that and you'll turn it in to discuss 
so let me close in prayer our lord we um  

00:36:29.760 --> 00:36:32.960
we see that we have been called 
from eternity we have been adopted  

00:36:34.160 --> 00:36:41.200
into your family and all of our life is part 
of that adoption and nothing is in vain nothing  

00:36:42.640 --> 00:36:48.400
you knew what you were about in all things 
god be gracious to those who are hearing this  

00:36:49.280 --> 00:36:56.240
as they process that as they receive their life 
from you and give them grace to to do this it  

00:36:56.240 --> 00:37:03.200
will take time to really understand what your work 
has been from the beginning to the end in our life  

00:37:04.720 --> 00:37:11.600
but we just want to taste this and open our 
heart to it bless these students lord in the  

00:37:11.600 --> 00:37:20.880
name of our lord jesus we pray amen father 
we desire you to teach us about our vocation  

00:37:21.600 --> 00:37:27.920
our calling how you're working in our life in 
particular lord so i pray for each student that  

00:37:27.920 --> 00:37:34.000
they would really ponder their life and what 
how this calling comes to them in their life  

00:37:34.000 --> 00:37:41.120
circumstances teach us by your spirit teach us 
truth according to your word according to reality  

00:37:42.560 --> 00:37:51.520
and so may you be with us in jesus name amen 
well this is our fifth lecture on the concept  

00:37:51.520 --> 00:37:58.880
of vocation in our class uh sf504 spiritual 
formation vocation and spiritual disciplines  

00:37:59.680 --> 00:38:06.320
and we've been discussing the whole this whole 
idea of callings and so uh again we've talked  

00:38:06.320 --> 00:38:13.600
about that when we look at the content of callings 
our vocation or that we're really talking about  

00:38:13.600 --> 00:38:19.120
the covenant what is it to be in covenant with 
god and the unilateral side of the calling or the  

00:38:19.120 --> 00:38:26.000
vocation is that we were called into a promise 
and that's the ground in christ abiding with  

00:38:26.000 --> 00:38:31.200
christ open to the spirit open to walking 
in the spirit that's my fundamental calling  

00:38:31.200 --> 00:38:36.480
but now there's the the commands the bilateral 
side of the covenant the bilateral side of our  

00:38:37.440 --> 00:38:43.600
vocation we are called to become something we 
are called to a promise we are called to christ  

00:38:44.960 --> 00:38:48.400
we were called to fellowship with him 
but we're also called to become something  

00:38:48.400 --> 00:38:53.680
and this is the bilateral side of the commands we 
talked about the general vocation these are things  

00:38:53.680 --> 00:38:58.480
that are to all the church just as a member of 
the church and then we talked about the particular  

00:38:58.480 --> 00:39:04.960
call and the first one that we talked last time 
was the providential call you are called you are  

00:39:04.960 --> 00:39:12.160
called by christ in in your whole history and how 
then to collect that history and to see it as a  

00:39:12.160 --> 00:39:19.040
call of god and to accept the purposes of god in 
that now i want to move to the second one and the  

00:39:19.040 --> 00:39:27.840
second one is what i call the circumstantial 
vocation the circumstantial vocation

00:39:34.000 --> 00:39:40.640
i'm sorry if you can't read this perhaps sometime 
we will have some other slides on this but the  

00:39:40.640 --> 00:39:46.640
second one the part of our particular call is 
our circumstantial vocation and and this is  

00:39:47.200 --> 00:39:56.320
what i have in mind here it's it's the call 
or the vocation of god whereby we are to say  

00:39:56.320 --> 00:40:02.400
yes to god we are to respond in obedience 
to god we are to respond to the call of god  

00:40:03.360 --> 00:40:12.640
in whatever circumstances you are in now god is 
actually working in these circumstances right  

00:40:12.640 --> 00:40:21.680
now and our task is to discern his call right 
now in how he is working in those circumstances  

00:40:22.880 --> 00:40:31.440
and so that right now there is in the present 
see i have my whole history but right now  

00:40:32.000 --> 00:40:42.880
there are a whole bunch of present circumstances 
that impinge my life that god is using to conform  

00:40:42.880 --> 00:40:48.560
me that i whether i like it or not those now have 
become part of the will of god and as i move from  

00:40:48.560 --> 00:40:53.920
into the next present moment well then there's 
going to be these present circumstances and then  

00:40:53.920 --> 00:40:58.880
as i move into the future into the next what 
will be a present there will be these present  

00:40:58.880 --> 00:41:06.080
circumstances so so from now on life becomes 
moving into the future and inheriting a bunch  

00:41:06.080 --> 00:41:12.880
of present circumstances now we'll talk about 
well how can i shift and change my circumstances  

00:41:12.880 --> 00:41:20.960
that will come up but how to find what the lord 
is doing in the present circumstances is a major  

00:41:20.960 --> 00:41:26.480
issue and this is a major issue that paul is 
addressing in first corinthians chapter seven  

00:41:26.480 --> 00:41:31.920
if you remember the situation in corinth a 
number of pagans have now come to the lord  

00:41:33.040 --> 00:41:37.200
and they're wanting to discover the will of god 
in their life now that they've come to the lord  

00:41:37.200 --> 00:41:43.360
and want to move out of their pagan lifestyle well 
some of them are no doubt probably talking to the  

00:41:44.080 --> 00:41:49.920
the pastor or others in the corinthian church 
saying look i'm married to a pagan i i want out  

00:41:49.920 --> 00:41:54.640
of this why should i be connected to a pagan i'd 
love to marry a non-christian or i'd love to just  

00:41:54.640 --> 00:42:02.240
be uh single others are saying look i i go 
to work and i work with a pagan he offers  

00:42:02.240 --> 00:42:07.760
certain meats and other things to i don't want 
to i don't want this anymore i want i want to  

00:42:07.760 --> 00:42:15.840
come out i i i want to change my circumstances 
because i think by changing my circumstances  

00:42:16.880 --> 00:42:24.080
that will assist me in living out my call to 
god it'll assist me in my growth it'll be better  

00:42:24.080 --> 00:42:33.120
circumstances and paul very clearly addresses 
these things and um and so he addresses some of  

00:42:33.120 --> 00:42:40.000
this this in chapter seven about marrying look 
don't stay single i mean stay married if you're  

00:42:40.000 --> 00:42:44.320
married to an unbeliever hey maybe that person 
will come to lord stay there just stay there  

00:42:46.320 --> 00:42:51.760
and now he comes to the general principle in 
verse 17 only as the lord has assigned to each one  

00:42:53.040 --> 00:42:59.280
as god has called each now notice only as 
the lord has assigned to each one as god  

00:42:59.280 --> 00:43:05.280
has called each in this manner let him walk 
meaning whatever circumstances you're in or kind  

00:43:05.280 --> 00:43:10.160
of i mean unless they're like you know so sinful 
that yes the commands of god would say get out  

00:43:11.440 --> 00:43:15.520
in whatever situation you're in this 
is this is the lord's assignment  

00:43:17.120 --> 00:43:21.440
and so in this manner let him walk 
just as i directed in all the church  

00:43:21.440 --> 00:43:26.880
was any man already called called already 
circumcised that if someone was a jew  

00:43:28.000 --> 00:43:31.920
in the corinthian community you know it was 
in the synagogue and has come to the lord  

00:43:32.720 --> 00:43:36.000
well that person might say well i don't want 
to be a jew anymore i want to find my freedom  

00:43:36.000 --> 00:43:40.320
in christ i want to uh you know i want to 
get uncircumcised that'd be interesting

00:43:42.400 --> 00:43:48.640
but paul says no let him not become uncircumcised 
meaning don't don't worry about this don't worry  

00:43:48.640 --> 00:43:53.840
about now throwing out all the jewish rituals that 
you have done don't worry about all this stuff  

00:43:55.760 --> 00:43:59.600
has anyone been called an uncircumcision 
right there are some gentiles who  

00:43:59.600 --> 00:44:04.480
have come to the lord saying you know maybe 
i had to take on a lot of things that i'm now  

00:44:04.480 --> 00:44:11.280
understanding about in old testament torah and 
law what i see my jewish friends doing and my  

00:44:11.280 --> 00:44:15.760
jews jewish friends who become christians wow 
i should maybe take on that paul says no no no  

00:44:17.040 --> 00:44:24.000
no has anyone been called in uncircumcision let 
him not be circumcised circumcised circumcision  

00:44:24.000 --> 00:44:28.720
is nothing uncertain is nothing what 
matters is keeping the commands of god  

00:44:29.600 --> 00:44:35.280
obedience to god the love of god were you 
called while a slave there are some of you  

00:44:35.280 --> 00:44:40.400
were called slaves i don't i'm i'm i'm a free man 
in christ i don't want to be a slave anymore now  

00:44:40.400 --> 00:44:44.480
the slaves back then are a little different than 
our slaves they were kind of indentured servants  

00:44:45.200 --> 00:44:51.120
now here's what he says don't worry about it don't 
don't make your whole life trying to get free of  

00:44:51.120 --> 00:44:58.720
circumstances as if changing circumstances is the 
way to find a better place for the will of god  

00:44:59.360 --> 00:45:06.160
now he does say if you are able to become free 
rather do that now we're going to have to come  

00:45:06.160 --> 00:45:12.960
back to this later this will actually be the next 
vocation it will be called the vocation of freedom  

00:45:12.960 --> 00:45:18.800
or the vocation of stewardship that is if 
you have freedom to alter circumstances  

00:45:19.520 --> 00:45:25.280
well then how can we do that in the lord 
but paul's general principle here will be  

00:45:26.640 --> 00:45:32.640
yeah if you can get free that's good but then he 
says verse 22 for he who was called in the lord  

00:45:32.640 --> 00:45:38.880
while a slave well that's the lord's freedom 
in other words you're really free in the lord  

00:45:39.600 --> 00:45:45.200
so don't worry about it likewise he who is 
called while free right so we have a gentile who  

00:45:45.200 --> 00:45:51.520
is wealthy landowner he's free but he's christ's 
slave so it just depends on how you look at things

00:45:53.600 --> 00:45:56.640
you're bought with a price so 
don't become slaves of men don't  

00:45:56.640 --> 00:46:00.800
don't worry about this don't worry 
about how others are going to view you

00:46:03.280 --> 00:46:07.360
and then here's his principle again 
brother let each man remain with god  

00:46:08.080 --> 00:46:14.080
in that condition in which he was called paul's 
general principles look wherever god found you  

00:46:14.080 --> 00:46:20.080
and just stay there hang out there find god's 
will well i take that as a general principle  

00:46:22.000 --> 00:46:27.840
that is god has assigned to each person 
by his providence in circumstances now  

00:46:28.800 --> 00:46:31.680
god has called each person to walk in those  

00:46:32.960 --> 00:46:39.040
so in each of your you've got to hear about this 
in each of your circumstances that you're in now  

00:46:39.040 --> 00:46:45.760
god is saying walk in those as god has assigned 
you if you are married give yourself to them  

00:46:45.760 --> 00:46:51.840
if you have children give yourself to that you 
have an unbelieving spouse give yourself to that  

00:46:53.520 --> 00:46:57.440
you have parents who need help if it's 
within your me give yourself to that  

00:46:58.960 --> 00:47:02.240
looking at the circumstances you have that is part  

00:47:03.120 --> 00:47:10.400
of now how god is going to work his will in 
your life through time i think the tendency  

00:47:10.400 --> 00:47:15.360
is especially for us see if i was and we 
will be talking about this more uh later  

00:47:17.200 --> 00:47:22.640
if i was living in the 13th century you know i'm 
norwegian so if i was living in the 13th century  

00:47:22.640 --> 00:47:32.560
in norway i would probably be the child of some 
surf i would be digging potatoes most of my life  

00:47:33.680 --> 00:47:38.000
i wouldn't have a lot of freedom i wouldn't have a 
lot of choice i wouldn't have a lot of things that  

00:47:38.000 --> 00:47:42.880
yeah but what university am i going to go to what 
job should i get it's pretty much laid out for me  

00:47:44.880 --> 00:47:50.480
and so for those people especially this was 
so important find god in the circumstances  

00:47:50.480 --> 00:47:56.320
you're in don't always try to get out i think if 
there's going to be a temptation there will be  

00:47:56.320 --> 00:48:01.120
the tendency or the temptation of christians 
to want to get out of their circumstances  

00:48:01.840 --> 00:48:06.720
to find better circumstances so that they 
think they can live god's will out more  

00:48:08.400 --> 00:48:13.040
that's going to be a great temptation 
paul's general principle is  

00:48:13.040 --> 00:48:16.560
don't worry about okay if you can get 
free yeah that's that's good but otherwise  

00:48:17.920 --> 00:48:24.400
find god where you are find god where 
you are that's the first thing and  

00:48:24.400 --> 00:48:29.280
then to change things okay fine and we'll 
talk about what what things can we change

00:48:31.920 --> 00:48:39.040
but it's crucial to come to grips with 
what circumstances we're in and how  

00:48:39.040 --> 00:48:44.640
to open to god in those circumstances this is 
especially difficult for us in the 20th century  

00:48:44.640 --> 00:48:50.800
because there's never been a time in the history 
of the world where americans have so much freedom  

00:48:51.360 --> 00:49:00.000
and so much space to try to move to advance 
to do things to choose people we want to marry  

00:49:00.000 --> 00:49:04.880
to choose the place we want to live to choose 
the occupation is it is incredible the freedom  

00:49:04.880 --> 00:49:10.080
in fact i would have to say in the history of 
the world it's probably dizzying to most of us

00:49:12.400 --> 00:49:18.880
now the next particular call we're gonna 
we're gonna talk about that but this one  

00:49:19.440 --> 00:49:26.640
we're talking about what is it that god has put in 
front of you where are you at right now before you  

00:49:26.640 --> 00:49:32.480
try to change circumstances let's try to find 
what god's done what's god doing and then we  

00:49:32.480 --> 00:49:39.280
can ask the second question should we change these 
but we want to find god in this if you're married

00:49:41.360 --> 00:49:45.440
what has god called you in that marriage 
if you've got children right now  

00:49:46.400 --> 00:49:49.840
how has god called you to love them 
how much time should you give them  

00:49:50.480 --> 00:49:54.720
if you're in a particular job right now how much 
should you be giving to them how is that part  

00:49:54.720 --> 00:49:59.600
of god's call and then we'll ask well should you 
change the job that's that's the second question

00:50:01.680 --> 00:50:10.400
but we want to take responsibility for how god 
is working and so we we find this tension that  

00:50:10.400 --> 00:50:15.840
we're in these circumstances and maybe we 
want to change them first let's find god  

00:50:15.840 --> 00:50:22.000
let's walk in them and then in that on that basis 
open to if there's things that should be changed  

00:50:23.840 --> 00:50:29.840
let me um just on this point i want to give 
you a little bit of a historical caveat  

00:50:31.360 --> 00:50:34.320
of how the reformers came to talk about this  

00:50:36.320 --> 00:50:43.440
um so so let me uh and especially in responding 
to the medieval world when the medievals talked  

00:50:43.440 --> 00:50:48.080
about vocation so i'm going to talk 
about this this circumstantial vocation  

00:50:48.080 --> 00:50:51.600
but i'm going to do it a little bit historically 
right now for a moment just to get a taste of this  

00:50:53.040 --> 00:50:59.680
what when the medievals at least as it is it 
continue to develop through time by the time  

00:50:59.680 --> 00:51:03.840
we get to the reformers the way they look 
back on the medieval talking about vocation  

00:51:04.800 --> 00:51:11.760
the medievals talked about vocation normally only 
with respect to the religious and so vocation  

00:51:11.760 --> 00:51:16.560
or calling more and more became part 
of well this is what the religious are  

00:51:16.560 --> 00:51:22.960
now those who married had a calling too they had a 
calling to fulfill it became a sacrament actually  

00:51:22.960 --> 00:51:28.320
to live out with one another but much of 
the writing of vocation and calling is  

00:51:28.320 --> 00:51:33.120
more toward the religious and the discussion 
for the religious then became much more about  

00:51:33.920 --> 00:51:38.240
and we won't worry about the distinction right 
now but they distinguish the apostolic life  

00:51:38.240 --> 00:51:44.000
versus the contemplative life they realize those 
people who are called to be priests or monks  

00:51:45.120 --> 00:51:51.520
would they live more an apostolic life of service 
in the church preaching ministry administrating or  

00:51:51.520 --> 00:51:59.360
would it be more the contempt of life of prayer 
and giving your life to loving god and praying  

00:51:59.360 --> 00:52:04.960
for the church or was it a combination so this 
became a major discussion amongst the medievals  

00:52:05.840 --> 00:52:11.040
and aquinas is kind of discussing this quite 
a bit saying that it's really the call of  

00:52:11.040 --> 00:52:18.240
uh for everyone especially those of religious to 
do both but some will do one more than the other  

00:52:18.240 --> 00:52:21.440
but now when luther and calvin 
come into this discussion

00:52:23.680 --> 00:52:27.360
they uh they think something has 
gone awry in this conversation  

00:52:27.920 --> 00:52:35.280
and they spend quite a bit of time talking about 
vocation for everyone because these individuals  

00:52:35.280 --> 00:52:40.480
especially want to assert the priesthood of 
the believer and so if that's the case well  

00:52:40.480 --> 00:52:48.320
then every every believer has a vocation and a 
calling in god were all priests of the living god  

00:52:48.320 --> 00:52:55.280
and so they wanted to emphasize that all folk are 
called to serve god and neighbor where they are  

00:52:56.480 --> 00:53:01.840
they came to feel there was nothing too low 
there's nothing too mean and so they were  

00:53:01.840 --> 00:53:08.960
concerned about this sacred secular split and 
rather what they said is no we have a a sacred  

00:53:08.960 --> 00:53:16.080
duty to accept all of life and to sanctify it 
as part of our calling and especially all of  

00:53:16.080 --> 00:53:23.200
our circumstances so for them there was no secular 
sacred split but rather they wanted to make sacred  

00:53:24.400 --> 00:53:32.800
all the secular so that god's god's whole earth 
was being sanctified by the work we do and so  

00:53:32.800 --> 00:53:39.760
they lifted up the the plumber they lifted up the 
farmer they lifted up all these vocations these  

00:53:39.760 --> 00:53:46.320
the housewife the mother the child because they 
all are part of a vocation and a calling in god  

00:53:47.120 --> 00:53:55.840
and now back in these circumstances most of the 
individuals that calvin and luther would address  

00:53:57.040 --> 00:54:02.960
had no great chances for upward mobile living 
usually the classes and people they would marry  

00:54:02.960 --> 00:54:08.080
were almost pretty set the jobs of the the 
gainful employment they had was pretty set  

00:54:08.080 --> 00:54:15.920
and so the primary way that they talked about 
vocation was look we were called into a promise  

00:54:16.800 --> 00:54:23.040
you plumber you king you whoever live in the 
promise you were called in the commands the  

00:54:23.040 --> 00:54:30.960
general call love god love neighbor grow in 
christ do good works this is the general call  

00:54:30.960 --> 00:54:36.880
the particular call providential your whole life 
is a call learn how to integrate learn how to say  

00:54:36.880 --> 00:54:42.160
yes to god in all of this to see god working 
in everything so that you can accept your life  

00:54:42.800 --> 00:54:49.200
as a gift from god and in particular it 
was to find god in your circumstances  

00:54:49.200 --> 00:54:56.720
this became very central for calvin plumber 
find god in your pony farmer find god in your  

00:54:56.720 --> 00:55:01.920
farming find god in your family you've got 
plenty to do just with all that don't worry  

00:55:03.600 --> 00:55:11.120
it became an issue for the king though and the 
prince and the princesses they had many freedoms  

00:55:12.320 --> 00:55:18.320
what could their vocation be and that will address 
next time let me give you the prayer project for  

00:55:18.320 --> 00:55:22.000
this one this will be the prayer project number 
five i'd like you to spend a half an hour  

00:55:23.680 --> 00:55:26.160
addressing in prayer your circumstantial call  

00:55:27.120 --> 00:55:35.600
and what i'd like you to do is i would like you 
for the first 15 minutes to just talk to the lord  

00:55:36.560 --> 00:55:42.880
about the circumstances in your life 
right now that um that you really like  

00:55:44.080 --> 00:55:49.200
that you that just are good the things that 
you really like that are taking place and just  

00:55:49.200 --> 00:55:55.520
open up for you know 10 15 minutes of what is god 
doing in those how's god using those to shape you  

00:55:55.520 --> 00:56:01.280
how is that part of your vocation i just want 
you to to not just let circumstance in life go  

00:56:01.280 --> 00:56:06.880
by because we can just kind of live through 
life rather than open up to what's god doing  

00:56:07.760 --> 00:56:11.840
so i want you just to open to those things that 
you like about your circumstances right now  

00:56:12.400 --> 00:56:18.080
of what god is doing then what i want you to do 
i want you to spend the last again whatever 15  

00:56:18.080 --> 00:56:23.440
20 minutes of this half hour opening to those 
part of your circumstances that you don't like  

00:56:24.000 --> 00:56:28.240
things that you might really hate things 
that you maybe have real regrets about  

00:56:28.240 --> 00:56:33.440
things that you wish you hadn't gotten into 
things that they are the way they are um  

00:56:34.080 --> 00:56:38.880
problems right now i don't know if it's with your 
children your spouse the church you're going to  

00:56:38.880 --> 00:56:44.480
the job you have things that you don't like and i 
want you to ask the lord lord what are you doing  

00:56:45.600 --> 00:56:53.920
what what is it to walk what is it to walk in 
that right as the lord has assigned to each  

00:56:53.920 --> 00:57:00.480
one as god has called each in this manner let him 
walk what is it to walk with god in those things  

00:57:01.840 --> 00:57:04.320
i just want you to open that to 
the lord what is god doing in that  

00:57:05.520 --> 00:57:10.240
and then i just want you at the very end 
to open the question lord are there any  

00:57:10.240 --> 00:57:16.320
circumstances maybe in your will that would be 
good to change that would be good to change and  

00:57:16.320 --> 00:57:24.480
that's what we'll be talking about next time so 
let me pray our lord we we open our heart to you  

00:57:25.360 --> 00:57:31.600
i just pray for these students as they consider 
for some for some students circumstances are  

00:57:31.600 --> 00:57:35.760
really wonderful this is just a delight 
right now in their life for others it's  

00:57:35.760 --> 00:57:42.960
a real mix and then for some it's it's perhaps 
overwhelming be so kind and gracious to them  

00:57:44.960 --> 00:57:52.800
give those people especially support as they 
need this to learn how to walk and and to  

00:57:52.800 --> 00:58:02.560
discover what it is to to walk with you in those 
circumstances and as we consider our freedoms  

00:58:04.000 --> 00:58:11.840
give us wisdom of what would be good to change 
or what things that we can pursue but lord first  

00:58:11.840 --> 00:58:19.600
we want to discover what your work is before we 
to move to quickly move to try to change things  

00:58:21.440 --> 00:58:27.600
lord we need your help because lord when 
uh difficult or hard things come we want  

00:58:27.600 --> 00:58:35.840
them changed so fast so watch over us 
and teach us lord in jesus name amen