Kaleo San Diego Church > Sermons > Kingdom, Calling, Suffering

Kingdom, Calling, Suffering

David Fairchild
Aug 12, 2007
Series: Acts

Acts 9:15-16: "But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.'"

INTRODUCTION

Last week we looked at what true conversion is. This week we're looking at what true conversion believes. What is the motivating factor behind those who have been called?

I. A DIFFERENT STORY (KINGDOM)

In Acts 1 we are shown that Luke is recording what Jesus began to do and to teach. This means that Christ is now working to continue what He began. When He rose from the dead He spent 40 days and "presented Himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them and speaking about the Kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3).

He taught them extensively about the Kingdom of God for this period of time and told them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father. What was that promise? The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit's coming was a promise of God's Kingdom breaking in to topple the Kingdom of the world. The presence of the Spirit promised in the Old Testament was the promise and presence of the Kingdom. As they are told to wait for the promise of the Father, they are in essence waiting for the enabling power that raised Jesus from the dead, led Him through his life, filled Him, and worked through Him as He demonstrated that the Kingdom of God had broken in.

He performed miracles by the power of the Spirit and said in Luke 11:20, "But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." The finger of God is the Spirit of God.

What do you think of when you hear the word Kingdom? Most of us think of silver goblets, castles, knights, and damsels in distress. Few of us think of the Kingdom of God because it is such a foreign concept.

Our world was created as a place of flourishing and harmony with God under His gracious rule as King in every area. Resistance to His authority was treason against the King and led to a universal unraveling of creation which now groans under the burden of sin.

Our relationship with God, with other races and classes, with the opposite gender, with ourselves and with God's creation all disintegrate where God is not acknowledged and loved as King.

The definition of the Kingdom is the renewal of all creation by the reestablishment of God's ruling power through Jesus' death and resurrection. Hearts, relationships, work, communities, ethnic groups, and all of life are rewoven with one another to the degree they come under the authority of Jesus through His word and Spirit.

The Kingdom of God has arrived with Christ since He's the King, but the power of the Kingdom was not experienced until His death and resurrection and sending of the Spirit so that we would have access to the King of the Kingdom through repentance and forgiveness of sins.

As a church, our Kingdom witness is significant. We are not only to call people to come to this gracious King by grace through faith, by laying down all previous allegiances, we are also to be a signpost to the Kingdom.

This means all our efforts must be full-service in ministry. The purpose of the Kingdom of God is to heal the results of sin-spiritual, psychological, social, and physical-then Christians must intentionally use their gifts and resources to fight disintegration in every area.

This means that to fight disease and hunger, to provide help for the sick and physically afflicted is a sign of the Kingdom to come. This means that working to lift the poor out of poverty is a sign of the Kingdom. This means that when we bring people together within the church - people of different races and classes that cannot get along outside of the church - it is a sign of the kingdom. It also means that when we do our "secular" jobs with excellence, with integrity, love and with an eye to help others around us, it is also a sign of the Kingdom.

The Kingdom turns our world's value system upside-down. Those now marginalized, the sinners, losers, broken, weak failures, are brought to the center of God's plan. This is why Jesus performed miracles and loved the outcast, these were signs of the Kingdom. We are signposts to this same Kingdom to this world, an alternate city, a city within a city, a prevue of what's to come in fullness when Christ returns.

His Kingdom expands as others are called into His Kingdom. This is where Paul is confronted by King Jesus and shown that all his efforts, all his work, all his righteousness, all his goodness, all his plans are ultimately useless because they are not for the King but instead are opposed to Him.

II. A DIFFERENT CALLING (MISSION)

Calling to God for the world (mission). Kaleo means to call or the called. Church or ekklesia means called out ones.

Paul is called from enemy to ambassador.

Acts 9:15-16: "But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.'"

Paul was set apart before birth to come to Him so that he could be sent to the world.

The calling of the disciples shows us that Jesus' kingly authority restructures every area of our lives.

a) In Mark 1:16-17, when Jesus calls, two men leave their vocations (as fishermen). In Mark 1:19-20, when Jesus calls, two men leave their father and friends (a shocking incident in such a family-oriented, patriarchal society!)

b) The Bible is not teaching here that all Christians must leave their jobs or their families and go into "full-time Christian work." (It is very possible that the disciples continued to fish, just as Paul continued his own trade after beginning ministry.)

c) Rather, here we learn that Jesus is a King whose authority alters the priorities in every area of our lives. He must come first in our work lives, our family lives-in every area.

d) Notice that Jesus says to the disciples (in essence): "I have a fishing calling beyond your fishing; I have a family beyond your family." What this means is not that we stop working or stop relating to our family, but that Jesus is now our ultimate value, hope, significance, and security.

e) We look to Him for the things we would ordinarily look to our careers and families for.

Those called of God begin to apprehend that this calling was decided before they ever existed.

Our calling:

Ephesians 1:4: "even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him."

Jeremiah's calling:

Jeremiah 1:5: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."

Paul's calling:

Galatians 1:15: "But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace"

All of this is rooted in Jesus being loved before the foundation of the world:

John 17:24: "Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world."

John 17:15-20: "I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. 20 I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word"

Os Guinness puts it this way:

"By calling I mean that God calls us so decisively in Christ that everything we are, everything we have, and everything we do is invested with a direction and a dynamism because it is done in response to His summons and His call."

III. A DIFFERENT KIND OF HERO (Suffering)

We already spoke about Paul's credentials last week. He was a Jew who from a human standard was the top of his class. He was advanced in learning beyond many of his contemporaries: he was trained under Gamaliel who was one of the greatest teachers of his day; he was schooled in Greco-Roman culture; he was considered zealous as a Pharisee which was the most legalistic and pious religious sect of Judaism. He was so committed to his religion he even passionately pursued Christians to have them arrested, tortured, and even gave the nod to murder. This was a man who hated the name of Jesus, hated the followers of Jesus and carried with him human authority which allowed his hatred to be exercised upon those he hated.

This same Paul was introduced to Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus as he was traveling to get letters from the synagogues at Damascus so that he could arrest men and women who belonged to "the Way" (which were Christians) and bring them bound to Jerusalem to have them tried.

As he was on the road, he met Jesus the true King with all authority and he fell to the ground, blinded by the glory of Jesus as Jesus asked him a simple question, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"

We then hear Ananias asking Jesus if He was sure that Saul was the right guy for the job. He says in verse 13 and 14, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name."

This is Jesus' response to Ananias, "But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake.'"

Suffering and witness are closely tied to one another and one thing we know from the rest of Scripture is that Jesus is faithful to keep His word. Paul did suffer, and suffer while living for His King.

Listen to what happened to Paul:

1 Corinthians 4:9-13: "For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor. 11 To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; 12 and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; 13 when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now."

Paul's view of suffering was a mark of his authority which came from Christ. If you ever want to look at what authority is, according the Apostle Paul, read 2 Corinthians 11. This letter is perhaps the most painful letter in the New Testament because in tears it rips Paul apart that this church, which was founded by him, is now asking him for a letter of reference. It's heartbreaking. The Corinthians assumed they no longer needed Paul. He teases them, weeps with them, plays with them and uses every rhetorical trick to persuade them towards Christ.

Turn with me to 2 Corinthians 11 to see how this authority was shown in suffering.

2 Corinthians 11:1-33: "I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. 3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 4 For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully. 5 For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles. 6 But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things. 7 Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge? 8 I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you; 9 and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brethren came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 12 But what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting. 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds. 16 Again I say, let no one think me foolish; but if you do, receive me even as foolish, so that I also may boast a little. 17 What I am saying, I am not saying as the Lord would, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting. 18 Since many boast according to the flesh, I will boast also. 19 For you, being so wise, tolerate the foolish gladly. 20 For you tolerate it if anyone enslaves you, anyone devours you, anyone takes advantage of you, anyone exalts himself, anyone hits you in the face. 21 To my shame I must say that we have been weak by comparison. But in whatever respect anyone else is bold--I speak in foolishness--I am just as bold myself. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ?--I speak as if insane--I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. 24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. 26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; 27 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern? 30 If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, 33 and I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and so escaped his hands."

Why in verse 31 does he make an oath of truth to the Corinthians? This is important because he tells them of all his suffering is for Christ and ultimately for them, and then at the end he essentially tells them, "You want an Apostle figure that is like the Greco-Roman heroes. You want me to look strong, to put on an attitude of invincibility, to boast about myself by giving you my resume to show my great accomplishments. If I'm to boast I'll boast in all the wrong things in your eyes."

Here's my resume, Paul says. You want me to compare to the hero figures of our time, the "who's who?" of our day?" Ok, here we go.

I labor more, have been in prison more, been beaten more, in danger of losing my life often. Beaten with rods, stoned, shipwrecked, dogpaddling in the open water, in danger from rivers, robbers, my own countrymen, dangers from everyone everywhere. Sleepless nights, hardships without end, hungry, thirsty, etc. This is reputation suicide for Paul. He's boasting in all the wrong things. This doesn't show him as a great warrior; it shows him as someone who has taken beatings without giving them back, and someone who lets his persecutors escape. This is like saying "I'm unable to defend myself." This is how he compares to the great figures of his day. By twisting what it looks like to lead and have authority.

Then in the climax of the entire train of thought, Paul makes that strange oath in verse 31, "The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying." Why does he say that?

In this time of history, in the Roman world, if you wanted to be viewed as a hero by society, you would make an oath of what you did in battle. When Rome went to war and they were about to siege a city, they would set their ladders against the wall and the bravest would be the first over the wall. If he survived, he would come back before all the people and declare upon an oath to Caesar that he was first over in battle, he would then be given the Corona Muralis, which is like the Medal of Honor and he would be hailed a hero by all the people. This is Paul's big dismount in verse 33. Paul says, when the battle got going, and I was in danger of losing my life, I was let down in a basket and ran away! He subverted the pagan authority they wanted.

This is a strange authority that Paul brings to them. It is shameful in the eyes of the world to boast is such things and yet Paul does it with a desire to subvert their ridiculous notions of boasting in all the wrong things. He calls attention to his suffering and not his victories. Why? Because his victory was already won in Christ. Those in the Kingdom of God boast in the work of the King not in themselves.

Paul shows that it isn't the strong and successful but the weak losers that are brought in. Only when we declare personal and spiritual bankruptcy can we enter the Kingdom. We have to lay down our own success and righteousness.

Success then is redefined in an entirely different way...

IV. A DIFFERENT KIND OF SUCCESS (Union with Christ)

John 17:21-23: "that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me."

This is our motivation, our union with Christ which brings us into union with our Father who has bound Himself to us and runs our race through us. He does all the work yet we join with Him and share the joy of victory.

Dick and Rick Hoyt's story is an amazing picture of our Father working through us in union with us through Jesus.

Rick was born with his umbilical cord too tight around his neck and was paralyzed. Dick Hoyt said, "it's been a story of exclusion ever since."

How does this apply?

For those of you laboring and heavy laden, Christ sustains you as your rest and the Father is running His race through you even when you feel utterly paralyzed in doubt, fear, rejection, hurt, pain.

The King breaks in and brings His Kingdom, the King then calls those who once opposed Him to enter His Kingdom through faith, these Kingdom citizens then live Kingdom lives in subversion to the false kingdoms of this world. This creates suffering which sweetens our mission and causes us to lean heavily into our Savior. "We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, character produces hope and hope does not put us to shame because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" (Romans 5:3-6)

2 Timothy 4:6-8: "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing."