25 Feb W2 | Readiness Starts with Being Available
REFERENCE BIBLE VERSES
Mark 16:15 “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
2 Corinthians 9:8 “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”
1 Peter 4:10-11 “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
OBJECTIVE
To understand that God will equip who He calls
To embrace the stewardship of His calling confidently
CONTENT
God’s standard is not worldly standard
- A large sum of Jesus’ disciples are fishermen. According to the worldly standard, they shouldn’t be qualified to spread the gospel, yet God chooses them. Oftentimes God deliberately chooses those that the world looks down upon in order to demonstrate His glory through them. Despite their shortcomings and unglamorous resume, Mark 16:15 encourages Jesus’ disciples and every believer to go into the world and preach the gospel to all.
- God will empower those He calls to fulfill their calling. Take an example of Moses who stuttered. As much as Moses is insecure about his persuasive ability, God helps him by telling him what to say and provides Aaron to be his talking representative. God won’t leave us to fulfill the calling on our own strength. 2 Corinthians 9:8 explains how He supplies what we need and will carry us to completion.
God doesn’t need to use us for His glory, but he wants to involve us
- When we want to be used by God, we have to remember that we are merely the vessels. God doesn’t need us at all to shine His glory. However, God loves us so much that He wants to involve us in His plan. 1 Peter 4:10-11 supports this, hence the bestowing of the gifts so that we get to be a part of His plan. His plan for us is designed in such a way that only through partnership with Him, it can be completed.
To be available starts with obedience
- Oftentimes we can become insecure with our shortcomings. We know that we can’t carry the calling on our own. But just like how God can do miracles with the 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes, He can use what we have and work with it. We only need to be available by obeying Him, just like the boy with the bread and fish. It is only possible if we say yes first to His invitation and surrender our 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes.
- To fulfill our calling, we don’t have to figure out everything all at once. 1 Peter 4:10-11 explains how God has equipped us with gifts that will help us fulfill God’s calling. God will enable and enlighten us step by step, our only job is to obey and be willing to be available to His invitation.
CONCLUSION
God doesn’t call the person who seemed to be most qualified for His calling. Instead He always looks for those that are available. When God gives you your calling, He has already factored in your weaknesses. In fact, your weakness is where God can meet you to supply you with His strength to bring the calling to completion. You can rest confident, for the same God who calls you for His mission, is the same God who will empower you til the very end. It all begins with a yes.
REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- What keeps you from fulfilling your calling to God? Discuss with one another what has been the biggest set back from embracing His calling confidently.
- Discuss the crucial mindsets that you have to employ in order to be able to fulfill His calling to finish.
REFERENCES