Sunday Re-cap 30th October 2005

The Parable of the “Missed Call”
by Ps. Samuel Hari

TEXT: Acts 9:1-6 and 10-19

Introduction:
Observing people waiting for their numbers to be called in Bank,

1. Take your number and immediately leave as too many people ahead. No hope, anticipation of ever being called. Feel we are not good enough.
2. Take your number and leave halfway; come back later? Impatient, too busy to wait? Disappointed? Lost the passion?
3. Take your number and wait; mind pre-occupied, dreaming and miss the call. Pre-occupied with things in life. Carrier, material wealth, ambitions.
4. Take your number and wait while talking to/looking at someone. They miss their call because of people they like or dislike. Hurts, Offenses, Unforgiveness, Persecution, Inability to get along, don’t like the face behind the counter? etc.
   

The first four fall in the category of missing the call.

1. Some may take another number and have to wait a long time before being called again.
2. Some just give up and are passed by.
3. Some just BARELY make it.

These are the kind of people who go to the petrol station and forget to pour petrol. OR like the people who don’t pick up the phone when a call comes because they’re afraid of who’s on the other side, don’t hear the phone or those who are simply not bothered to pick up the phone.

And yet there is a fifth category of people and these are the people that we want to emulate!

5. Take your number and sit waiting for the call. When the call comes, RESPOND!

The Apostle Paul was such a person.

1. Paul’s Call on the ROAD to Damascus.
a. Was it a conversion experience or was a call? For Paul it was BOTH and for many both come together when we first receive the LORD. However, for most the conversion and the call are separated by a period of time just like the people waiting for their numbers.
b. Some say Paul was already part of the covenanted community because he was a JEW.
c. This is somewhat like being a Christian for generations or a Christian who is one just by name.
d. Contrary to popular belief, every one of us must have a Damascus experience with the LORD.
e. Some have had it and are still blinded by it.
f. We need to come to a place in our lives where we recognize that God has called us.
g. We don’t need to give up our job, homes and families but like Paul, RESPOND!

Then SURRENDER and HEAR and OBEY!