When God Calls — E.A. Johnston

When I was a little boy, I would just be fascinated at the old Flash Gordon TV shows. I would sit on the floor in front of my parents' black and white TV set, and I would be glued to that TV because Flash Gordon was a blond, handsome hero who fought intergalactic criminals with his ray gun.

He was always getting into a jam, and somehow he would find a way out of it and save the day. The actor in the old Flash Gordon shows was a man named Buster Crabb. Buster Crabb won a gold medal in the 1932 Olympics for swimming.

He was also known for playing well-known comic characters such as Tarzan and Buck Rogers, but I remember the most from the Flash Gordon serials. Well, one day, back when I was a student in college, I was walking down the hall in my fraternity house, and the hall phone rang.

I answered it, and a voice said, Hello, this is Buster Crabb, the movie actor. I need a ride from the airport. Can you come pick me up? It turned out he was in town for a nostalgia movie conference, and he called the local Sigma Chi house because he was a Sigma Chi.

I'll never forget the shock of answering the phone and hearing his voice. It was unmistakable. It was Flash Gordon speaking to me. And I recall even more vividly the times in my life when God has spoken to me.

The Unmistakable Voice of God

Oh, friends, when God calls, His voice is unmistakable, and that's the title of my message today, When God Calls. You will never forget the special times when God speaks to you. That voice is attended with authority and majesty.

There are several examples found in Scripture of such times when God calls. One is found in 1 Samuel 3 and verse 4, where we read that the Lord called Samuel, and he answered, Here am I. Another example of a divine call is found in the book of Jeremiah, where God calls the prophet Jeremiah.

The text is found in Jeremiah 1 -4. Then the word of the Lord came unto me. Well, there are three divine calls which I will speak of today. The call of salvation, the call of service, and the call of separation.

The Three Divine Calls: Salvation, Service, and Separation

We will look at, number one, when God calls us effectually to Him in salvation. This is the call of salvation. Number two, when God calls us especially into service for Him, this is the call of service.

And number three, when God calls us home to be with Him in glory, this is the call of separation. Well, let's look at the first of these, the effectual call of salvation. Allow me to borrow an illustration from the Puritan Isaac Ambrose.

Christ Calls His People by Name

The passage I'm going to use today is in the Gospel of John, chapter 20, regarding Mary Magdalene and the risen Christ. This passage is remarkable on several levels. I will begin reading in verse 11. But Mary stood without at the sepulture weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the sepulture and seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had lain.

And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back and saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus.

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary.

She turned herself and saith unto him, Rabboni, which is to say, Master. We will pause there and reflect upon this striking passage, for it is a wonderful illustration of how God calls a person savingly to him.

You may discern the effectual voice of Jesus Christ as it singles a man out. Usually God speaks through some poor preacher in an effectual way to the sinner's heart. The preacher speaks, but you hear the voice of Christ as he speaks particularly to you.

It goes to the very heart of a man. God's call is distinguishable as that voice is clothed with a marvelous majesty and glory is stamped upon it. There is a heavenly authority shining through that wonderful voice as it speaks to your heart and conscience.

When I preach, my prayer is always that the people don't hear this raggedy voice, but they will hear his voice through me. You see, friend, when the Lord comes in, he speaks particularly to the very heart of a man, and that man says to himself, this is God speaking to me.

Look at how the risen Christ addresses Mary. First he calls her woman, which is a general call. It doesn't move her one inch closer to him. But when Jesus speaks her name and says, Mary, she turns about and draws closer and recognizes him and calls him Master.

He is her Master. This voice comes home to her heart, and she knows he is no stranger. He is not the mere gardener, but the risen Christ. He calls her by name. Listen to this passage from Exodus chapter 33 and verse 17, where God spoke to Moses.

Thou hast found grace in my sight. I know thee by name. Moses was known of God, friends, and Mary was known of Christ. The call of salvation is effectual. It does the job. It transforms the life. Look at the following six issues in the salvation of a person by grace.

The Six Marks of Effectual Salvation

Number one, to be first known of Christ is the right way to know him. Number two, to hear his voice in an effectual call. Number three, to see a revealed Christ is part of saving faith. Too many, I fear, stand on false bottoms because they have failed here.

They have believed the fact of the death of Christ rather than believing on the Christ who died. Notice Christ reveals himself to Mary, so she recognizes him as her master. Number four, Christ speaks personally to her by calling her name.

Christ speaks personally to you by his Holy Spirit, working conviction upon the heart over sin, and drawing you to him. Jesus declared to the Jews, No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me.

Draw him. An effectual call is a call which penetrates the heart of man personally and makes him realize God is speaking directly to him. Number five, you respond through repentance and faith. Mary responds to Jesus and turns herself to face him.

Then you enter a union with the living Lord. Number six, Mary calls him master. When we are brought to Christ through saving faith, we then acknowledge Christ as king in our lives. He is our master. So there is a call of salvation when God calls us savingly to him.

God's Call to Service and Christian Vocation

Next, there is a call of service where God calls us into service for him. There are many examples of this in scripture found in the life of Samuel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Apostle Paul. I will never forget the day that God called me into the preaching ministry.

It was on May 22nd of a certain year. I was sitting at my desk having my early morning quiet time and reading the passage found in Luke chapter 14 and verse 23 which reads, And the Lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in that my house may be filled.

Those words leaped off the page and burned in my heart. I knew God was calling me into the preaching ministry. That day I told family and friends what had happened. Shortly thereafter, God confirmed this call by opening doors and preaching platforms for me which before were completely closed to me.

God gave me a global preaching ministry through that divine call that special day. Brother preacher, don't you remember the day that God called you into ministry? Wasn't it glorious? Or you, missionary, who hears that voice, who calls you to the foreign field, it's unmistakable.

God's servants receive a divine call to service and it is both memorable and unforgettable. That is why it is so important to have and maintain a close walk with God so you can hear His voice. The daily quiet time is essential in the Christian walk.

How can we follow Him if we are not already walking with Him in a close relationship to Him? God called Moses to a specific task, to deliver the Jewish people from Egyptian bondage. God called Ezekiel to a specific task, to let the people of God know there had been a prophet among them.

God called Jeremiah to a specific task, to go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem. God called the apostle Paul to a special task, to reach the Gentiles with the gospel. And God will call you, friend, to a specific task for Him.

God is on the lookout for men and women He can use to advance His kingdom work. How do I know? Listen to this from 2 Chronicles 16 .9. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him.

God wants to put you to work, friend. Get close to Him and receive your marching orders. Lastly, there is a call of separation at death. The spirit is separated from the body and returns to God who gave it.

The Call Home: Death, Rest, and Glory

When God calls us home to be with Him forever and ever and ever, this is when sin touches us no more. When we are free from sin forever, we receive a glorified body as we walk the streets of glory with our blessed Lord Jesus.

Oh, friends, the Bible declares there is a rest to the people of God. There is a day coming when our work here is done and we go home to be with the Lord. He calls us home. This sin-soaked world is not our home.

This crying planet is not our home. Heaven is the saint's home. The death of a saint is a lovely thing to behold, to see a true believer resting in Christ as they lay dying. It was said of Dr. Adrian Rogers as he lay dying in the hospital, his final words were, I am at perfect peace.

Perfect peace. That's it, friend. The call of death is just a call to come home. The father calling the child home. I used to hear my mother's voice as she was calling me home while I was outside at play.

She would call my name and I would go home. And there will be a day, dear friend, when God calls your name to come home with him and the angels gather you to his side. How glorious. How wonderful. What hope we have in Jesus.

Responding to God's Call

So we've seen today when God calls, when God calls us savingly to him, when God calls us into service for him, and when God calls us finally home to be with him. Stay close to Jesus, friends. He has something to say.

But you must draw closer to him. Pursue him in a red hot love relationship and keep looking at him.