Today’s Bible Study, Authored by Arthur Cincotti. 06/20/2021
Listen to our discussion at: Listen to today’s Bible Study Discussion Podcast with special guest, Pastor Bob Costello
Many are Called, Few are Chosen
This saying is spoken by
Jesus twice in Matthew’s Gospel.
Mat. 20:16 and 22:14…
Must be
important.
There are several
interpretations of this Scripture. The classical thought is that Jesus is speaking
to the Jews. Matt is a gospel to Jewish readers. The Jews thought of themselves
as a chosen race; Matt. 3:9, “We have Abraham as our father”. Finally, in the
Matt. 22 passage, Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees.
Another thought is that
this speaks to all mankind. II Pet. 3:9, “The
Lord is…not willing that any should perish but that all should come to
repentance.” And, no one has an excuse, Rom. 1:20
On the other hand, Jesus
says, in Matt. 7:14, “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which
leads to life, and there are few who find it.
For the balance of
today’s study, we will consider the difference between
calling and choseness (if there is one) And then narrow in on the call of God in a believers life.
In Is. 6:8, the call
goes out, “Whom shall I send”, and the choice is made, “Here I am! Send me.”
In Matt. 21:28-32, two
sons were called to work in the vineyard, only
one chose to go; actually, both made a choice.
In Matt. 4:14 Jesus,
“called Peter and Andrew” And yet, in
Jn. 15:16 Jesus said to
the twelve, “You did not choose Me, but I chose
you and appointed you.” Who is doing
the choosing?
As believers we are all,
“a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation.” I Pet. 2:9 encourages us.
But what of this
“calling”
II Tim. 1:9 Paul speaks
of a “holy calling”, “…the power of God, who has saved us and called us
with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His
won purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began”
Pastor Jaron has been
saying, “your are able. Are you willing?”
God’s call on a persons
life is not to be resisted; Jonah is a perfect example of that. Rom. 11:29
says, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable (without repentance
KJV)”
But this verse speaks of
Gods promise to the Jewish people, and references Num. 23:19, “God is not a
man, that He should lie…Has He
said, and will He not do?”
There is a general
calling upon all believers to:
Pursue righteousness, I Tim. 6:11
Live in peace, Rom. 12:18
Know God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent, Jn. 17:3,
Phil. 3:10
Preach the word…in and out of season” II Tim. 4:2
And yet there is always
a higher calling in God available to us.
Phil. 3:14, “I press toward the goal for the prize of the
upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
In God’s economy the
highest calling may seem like the lowest.
Our opening verses in
Matt go on to say, “the first shall be last and the last shall be first. And
23:11 goes on to say, “he that is greatest among you, shall be your servant. I
Cor. 2:26-31, “not many wise… mighty…noble, are called.”
The smallest act
accomplished through a pure heart, may achieve the greatest impact. “Blessed
are the pure in heart, For they shall see God”
Matt. 5:8
“When God want to drill
a man,
And thrill a man,
And skill a man
When God wants to mold a
man
To play a noblest
part;
When He yearns with all
His heart
To create so great and
bold a man
That all the world shall
be amazed,
Watch His methods, watch
His ways!
How He ruthlessly
perfects
Whom He royally elects!
How He hammers him and
hurts him,
And with mighty blows
converts him
Into trial shapes of
clay which
Only God understands;
While he tortured heart
is crying
And he lifts beseeching
hands!
How He bends but never
breaks
When his good He
undertakes;
How he uses whom He
chooses,
And which every purpose
fuses him;
By every at induces him;
To try His splendor out-
God knows what He’s
about.
– Anonymous
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