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Jesus and the Father's Call
April 5, 2014

Last week I wrote Jesus and His Teachings About Treasure.  Christians must value the Kingdom of God and God's righteousness first. While most Christians will talk more about Jesus, those of us who identify as First-Century Apostolic Christians seem to talk more about the Father, and the importance of the Father's call. Today we will review the Father's call and the connection that call is intended to make.

John 6:44
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:44 is the verse cited by those of us who identify as First-Century Apostolic Christians and we use this verse to show that unless God does the calling a person cannot be a Christian. We will use this verse to show that it is not up to a person to give their heart to the Lord; God must draw them first. It is only when God draws us that we have the opportunity to be raised up on the last day and receive immortal life. In all of this we focus attention on the Father, and sometimes overlook that the purpose of being drawn, or called by God is so that we may come to Jesus. Somehow coming to Jesus is a message we First-Century Apostolic Christians seem to like to avoid, like its uncomfortable. Very plainly and with few words this verse also shows that it is through Jesus we are resurrected. So why is it we have difficulty with the idea of being drawn to Jesus?

Mark 10:13-16
And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

Even back in the day, parents wanted their young children to meet Jesus and the disciples thought it was a waste of time. They did not want these young children to be drawn to Jesus. Jesus had to point out that coming to Jesus was essential to receive the Kingdom of God, and maybe that is an important concept to realize for those of us who identify as First-Century Apostolic Christians. It doesn't mean we toss out the Sabbath or Holy Days. It simply means we embrace Jesus as the object of our calling from God recognizing that this will lead us to eternal life and our place in the Kingdom of God. This is why Peter started his second epistle with this in mind.

2 Peter 1:1-11
Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Peter knew Jesus and heard him talk about the Father's calling. He knew that responding to the calling would be our pathway to the Kingdom of God, and that as we responded to the Father's Calling we would grow spiritually. The intent of the Father's call is to to be connected to Jesus so that He can lead us on the path to the Kingdom of God.

All verses are from the King James Version.
This site provided by Tom Laign. To all who may believe differently, I also extend peace and love.
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