Embracing Our Calling: Active Participation in God's Kingdom

 

Summary

God is still moving in our world today, doing the same supernatural things He did in the first century—saving, healing, delivering, and calling people to Himself. In a culture fascinated by the supernatural, God is inviting His people to step into a season where His power and presence are made known, not just within the church walls but in every sphere of life. Each believer is called to move from the sidelines to active participation, to “swing the bat” for the Kingdom of God. This means recognizing that our lives are not just about making the world a better place through our careers, but about making an eternal difference by connecting our abilities and availability to God’s purposes.

Paul’s words in Ephesians 4:1-2 challenge us to walk worthy of our calling. This calling is not reserved for pastors or church leaders, but for every follower of Jesus. It’s about taking what God has given us—our skills, our influence, our opportunities—and offering them back to Him, allowing Him to use us wherever we are. For Christians, there is a distinction between a career and a calling: a career may improve the world, but a calling impacts eternity. God sends most of His people into the marketplace, classrooms, hospitals, and government, not just to do good, but to carry the cross and fill the “pulpit” in those places with the love and truth of Christ.

Walking worthy of our calling requires humility, gentleness, patience, and a commitment to bear with one another in love. Humility means not promoting ourselves, but serving others and letting God lift us up. Gentleness and forgiveness are essential, especially when we face criticism or offense. True forgiveness is not about being right, but about being righteous—letting go of offense so that our hearts remain open to God and others. Patience and longsuffering are needed when we are provoked or wronged, choosing not to react in anger but to respond with restraint and grace.

Finally, making a difference in God’s Kingdom is not a solo endeavor. We are called to support and hold one another up, helping others walk worthy of their calling as well. Like the story of Shay in the baseball game, sometimes the greatest victories come when we help someone else succeed, bearing them up in love and celebrating their steps of faith. God is inviting each of us to step up, swing the bat, and trust Him to use our lives for something of eternal significance.

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Key Takeaways

- The Supernatural Season and Our Response
God is not intimidated by the world’s fascination with the supernatural; instead, He is elevating His own supernatural work through His people. In this season, believers are called to step forward and participate in what God is doing, not as spectators but as active agents of His power and love in every area of life. This requires a willingness to move from comfort and routine into faith-filled obedience, trusting that God will use us in ways that go beyond our natural abilities. [00:31]

- Distinguishing Career from Calling
For the follower of Jesus, there is a profound difference between a career and a calling. While a career may bring earthly significance and improve the world, a calling is about making an eternal impact by connecting our gifts to God’s purposes. This means offering both our availability and our ability to God, allowing Him to use us not just in church, but in every sector of society for His Kingdom. [13:54]

- Walking Worthy Requires Humility and Forgiveness
To walk worthy of our calling, we must cultivate humility of mind—serving without self-promotion and letting God be the one who lifts us up. Gentleness and forgiveness are not optional; they are essential for maintaining right relationship with God and others. True forgiveness is not about proving ourselves right, but about releasing offense and choosing righteousness, which keeps our hearts open to God’s ongoing work. [24:12]

- Patience and Forbearance in Community
Longsuffering and forbearance are vital in a world full of provocation and criticism. Enduring patience means choosing not to react in anger, but to bow in humility and support others, even when it’s difficult. Forbearing one another in love is the practical outworking of our calling, as we hold each other up and help one another succeed in the purposes of God. [31:47]

- Helping Others Walk in Their Calling
Our calling is not just about personal fulfillment, but about enabling others to walk in their calling as well. The Kingdom advances when we choose to support, encourage, and celebrate the victories of others, even if it means sacrificing our own preferences or recognition. Like the teammates who helped Shay in the baseball game, we are called to bear one another up in love, making a difference that echoes into eternity. [39:40]

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Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:12] - God Still Moves Supernaturally
[01:58] - “Swing the Bat” Series and Jersey Day
[03:50] - The Baseball Analogy: Stepping Up to the Plate
[06:31] - Moving from the Bench to the Game
[07:33] - Ephesians 4:1-2 – Walking Worthy of Your Calling
[09:03] - Paul’s Transformation and Challenge
[11:18] - Universal vs. Unique Calling
[13:54] - Career vs. Calling: Earthly vs. Eternal Significance
[15:18] - Real-Life Examples of Calling
[19:03] - The 3% and 97%: Marketplace Ministry
[20:53] - Making a Difference in Every Sphere
[23:52] - How to Walk Worthy: Humility, Meekness, Patience
[26:26] - Forgiveness: Righteousness Over Being Right
[31:47] - Forbearing One Another in Love
[34:45] - The Story of Shay: Helping Others Win
[41:08] - Responding to God’s Call
[45:25] - Closing Prayer and Invitation

Study Guide

Small Group Bible Study Guide: “Making a Difference – Walking Worthy of Your Calling”

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### Bible Reading

Ephesians 4:1-2 (ESV)
> “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.”

Matthew 6:14-15 (ESV)
> “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

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### Observation Questions

1. According to Ephesians 4:1-2, what attitudes and actions does Paul say are necessary for walking worthy of our calling?
2. In the sermon, what is the difference described between a career and a calling for a follower of Jesus? [[13:54]]
3. What does the story of Shay in the baseball game illustrate about helping others in their calling? [[39:40]]
4. How does Jesus’ example of carrying His cross “down the main street” relate to our everyday lives? [[20:14]]

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### Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Paul emphasizes humility, gentleness, patience, and bearing with one another in love as essential for living out our calling? How might these qualities impact our relationships in the church and beyond? [[24:12]]
2. The sermon says that a career makes the world a better place, but a calling makes an eternal difference. What does it look like to connect your abilities and availability to God’s purposes in your current context? [[13:54]]
3. How does unforgiveness become an obstacle to “playing in the game” or walking worthy of your calling, according to the sermon? [[27:41]]
4. In what ways does supporting others in their calling help advance God’s Kingdom, even if it means sacrificing your own recognition or preferences? [[39:40]]

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### Application Questions

1. The sermon challenges us to move from the sidelines to active participation in God’s work. Is there an area of your life where you feel you’ve been “sitting on the bench”? What is one step you could take this week to “swing the bat” for God’s Kingdom? [[06:52]]
2. Think about your job, school, or daily routines. How can you intentionally connect your skills and opportunities to God’s purposes, not just to make the world better, but to make an eternal impact? [[14:57]]
3. Humility means not promoting yourself, but serving others and letting God lift you up. Is there a situation where you’ve been tempted to promote yourself? What would it look like to choose humility instead? [[24:12]]
4. The sermon says true forgiveness is not about being right, but about being righteous. Is there someone you need to forgive so your heart can remain open to God and others? What is one practical step you can take toward forgiveness this week? [[26:26]]
5. Patience and longsuffering are needed when we are provoked or wronged. Can you think of a recent time when you reacted in anger? What could you do differently next time to respond with restraint and grace? [[31:47]]
6. The story of Shay shows the power of helping others succeed. Who in your life could use your encouragement or support to step into their calling? How can you “bear them up in love” this week? [[39:40]]
7. The sermon says God is not looking for the most gifted, but for those who are available. What is one way you can make yourself more available to God’s purposes in this season? [[43:00]]

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Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite the group to pray for one another, asking God to help each person walk worthy of their calling, to forgive where needed, and to support others in their journey.

Devotional

Day 1: Walk Worthy of Your Calling
To walk worthy of your calling means to recognize that God has uniquely gifted and called each believer not just to make the world a better place, but to make an eternal difference for the kingdom of God. This calling is not reserved for pastors or church leaders, but is extended to every Christian, inviting you to step off the bench and into the game, offering your availability and ability back to God for His purposes. Whether in your workplace, school, or home, you are called to connect your gifts to the kingdom, doing something of eternal significance that goes beyond earthly achievements. [07:55]

Ephesians 4:1-2 (ESV)
"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love."

Reflection: What is one specific way you can use your unique gifts or abilities this week to serve God’s kingdom, rather than just your own goals or career?


Day 2: The Difference Between Career and Calling
There is a profound distinction between a career and a calling: a career focuses on making the world a better place, while a calling is about making the kingdom of God a better place and doing something of eternal significance. As a Christian, you are invited to take the talents, skills, and opportunities God has given you and intentionally connect them to His purposes, whether you are a teacher, businessperson, healthcare worker, or artist. This means looking beyond personal advancement or recognition and asking how your daily work can be surrendered to God to impact lives for eternity. [14:08]

Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV)
"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."

Reflection: In your current job or daily responsibilities, how can you intentionally shift your focus from simply doing good work to making an eternal impact for God’s kingdom?


Day 3: Forgiveness as a Mark of the Called
Forgiveness is not about being right, but about being righteous and maintaining right standing with God. Holding onto offense or unforgiveness becomes a barrier to walking worthy of your calling, as Jesus taught that our willingness to forgive others directly affects our relationship with God. True forgiveness is demonstrated when you no longer need to talk about the offense and have settled it privately, allowing you to move forward in freedom and love. [27:07]

Matthew 6:14-15 (ESV)
"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Reflection: Is there someone you need to forgive today so that you can walk freely in your calling? What step can you take to begin that process?


Day 4: Forbearing One Another in Love
To forbear one another in love means to support, uphold, and encourage others, especially within the body of Christ, so that together we can all walk worthy of our callings. This kind of love is sacrificial and practical, choosing to help others succeed even when it means setting aside your own preferences or recognition. Just as the story of Shay illustrated, sometimes making a difference means helping someone else win, bearing them up in love so that the whole community is strengthened and God’s purposes are fulfilled. [32:26]

Galatians 6:2 (ESV)
"Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Reflection: Who in your life or church community needs your encouragement or support right now? How can you come alongside them this week to help them walk in their calling?


Day 5: Humility, Meekness, and Longsuffering in the Supernatural Life
Living out your calling requires a heart posture of humility, gentleness, and patience, especially when facing criticism, provocation, or discouragement. These virtues are not just biblical ideals but are essential for making a lasting difference; humility keeps you grounded, meekness enables you to forgive, and longsuffering gives you the endurance to keep going when it’s hard. In a world that often values self-promotion and quick results, God calls you to bow down in humility, respond with gentleness, and patiently endure, trusting that He will lift you up and use your life for His glory. [24:12]

James 4:10 (ESV)
"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."

Reflection: In what situation are you being challenged to respond with humility, gentleness, or patience? How can you invite God to shape your heart in that area today?

Quotes

Still saving, still healing, still delivering, still filling, still calling, still sending. Um, I I believe that the body of Christ as a whole, and I would ask you possibly to write this down, the body of Christ as a whole is entering into a season of the supernatural. We've been seeing it here at Bethesda and others have been seeing it in the body of Christ here in the United States and around the world. It's a season of the supernatural. It's a an understanding that in the midst of a world that is enamored with the supernatural, God's decided if the world's going to bring it on, he's going to bring it on. [00:00:06]

I dare you to to take out your phone and and look at the movies that are playing at any one of the theaters here in this area and you'll recognize that there's all kinds of movies with demonic possession and all kinds of evil spirits and and movies that are elevating the work of the enemy in our day and time. So, how many understand that when Satan decides to elevate the supernatural, God says, "You can bring it on and I'll show up and elevate what I can do in the midst of this culture." [00:01:16]

And today, I want to encourage you and inspire you as a Christian that we're all playing on a baseball team for the kingdom of God. And God's already shared even last Sunday when we were hearing the Apostle Paul in his orange jumpsuit talking about I therefore the prisoner of the Lord that there's something profound about living for Jesus and being on the kingdom's team that he calls us to move from the bench to the plate to swing the bat. That Jesus is not content for us to just sit on the bench and watch others engage in the game, but he's called us to engage ourselves. [00:06:28]

But Paul in Ephesians 4 takes it to a whole other level when he moves from this idea of just a universal calling to a unique calling. That each of us is uniquely called to contribute something to the kingdom of God. That we also must be captured by the Lord to walk worthy of the calling with which we have been called. And Paul wasn't talking to the Ephesians pastors or to the Ephesian elders or deacons. He was talking to the Ephesian Christians. He was talking to the first century Christians. He was talking to the 21st century Christians. [00:11:15]

Basically God says, I want you to be available. I want you to take your availability and your ability and I want you to give it back to me. I think we could define calling this way. To take our availability and our ability and give them back to God. So, we're not just doing something of earthly significance, but we're doing something of spiritual significance. I know uh especially for pre-Christians or non-Christians. This is extremely confusing because a career and a calling are the same thing. [00:12:26]

But when you become a Christian, God takes your career and your calling and differentiates them and says, "Listen, you're not just here on this in this world to make the world a better place, to have a career. You're here to walk worthy of your calling and make the kingdom a better place." So, a career makes the world a better place. The kingdom uh or the calling makes the kingdom a better place. Your career does something of earthly significance. Your calling does something of eternal significance. [00:13:46]

If God only called the 3%, we would be in trouble. But he called the 97% to go into all the world into every sector of our society to make a difference right where they are for the kingdom and the glory of God to step to the plate and swing the bat right where they are. I'm so thankful that God has chosen to do that. We we don't see Jesus carrying his cross through the back streets of Jerusalem. He carried the cross right through the main thoroughare the vodarosa of Jerusalem. He carried his cross right down the main street of the marketplace. [00:19:30]

I'm telling you, God is calling Christians to carry the cross right down the main street of our marketplace to do something of eternal significance, into the classrooms of our educational institutions, into the the rooms and our hospitals and health care facilities, into the the studios and entertainment uh centers, of our Hollywood and entertainment industry into the halls of the city chamber in our government in our communities into the halls of Washington DC in the morning at 3:00 bright and early I'll be leaving for Washington DC to meet with the speaker of the house and some of the congressional leaders, Mike Johnson, the speaker of the house, and Robert Sterns, have created a a a an Israel advocacy group, and the goal is to sit down with lead pastors and see how we can connect and work together to create a bridge for Israel, an advocacy for Israel, and to stand against anti-semitism, semitism. [00:20:14]

It's not just preaching from this pulpit on Sunday morning, but it's preaching from our pulpit during the week. It's understanding the value that if we don't fill the pulpit in our workplace, who's going to fill it? If we don't fill the pulpit in our classroom, who's going to fill it? If we don't fill the pulpit in our hospital room, who's going to fill it? If we don't fill our pulpit when we're doing construction at somebody's house, who's going to fill it? How many pulpits are empty? Because we haven't even understood that God has called us to walk worthy of the calling wherewith we are called not just to do something of of earthly significance, but eternal significance. [00:22:08]

But then the apostle Paul goes on to talk about something very profound and powerful. After he says, "I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy of the calling with which you were called." He goes on to tell us how. He says, "This is how I want you to do it. with loneliness, with meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, with loneliness. I love the word loneliness. It really means humility of mind. It means to be humble on the inside. You're humble on the inside. You have humility of mind on the inside." [00:23:34]

People who are humble don't have to promote themselves. The Bible says that humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and he will lift you up. I believe when you're humble in heart and mind that others will exalt you. Others will want you to be a success. You won't have to to do that yourself with loneliness, with meekness. It's interesting. It's really the word for gentleness. prautes in the Greek. It's the idea of pardon or clemency. I I can tell you really you don't have to worry about uh all the people who will promote you because there will be a number of people while you're experiencing encouragement from others. [00:24:48]

There will be people who will be criticizing you. Some people are worried about getting too much encouragement. Can I just tell you that you'll you'll get encouragement and you'll need it because on the other side of things, you're you're going to get people who criticize you. And when you're walking in meekness, you're walking in pardon. It it's the idea of clemency. You are forgiving the criticism. You're forgiving those who are offending you. And that's key when it comes to walking worthy of your calling. You walk worthy of your calling when you're willing to forgive. [00:25:37]

Forgiveness is not about being right. Let me just say that again. Forgiveness is not about being right. Forgiveness is not about being right. It's about being righteous. When you're righteous, you have right standing with God. But you may not have right standing with God if you're not able to forgive. Because what does the scripture say? Matthew chapter what is it? Matthew chapter 64 and 15. For if you forgive others their trespasses, God will forgive your trespasses. But if you do not forgive others your trespasses, God will not forgive you. [00:26:40]

So, how is it possible to be righteous in right standing with God when you're when you're holding on to unforgiveness and offense? It's not it's not possible to be right with God. You say, "Well, how do you know you're carrying offense and you're still dealing with unforgiveness?" Because you keep talking about it. If it was settled, you wouldn't have to talk about it. In fact, let me just say it this way. How do you know when you have dealt with the forgiveness? You're no longer talking about it. And second, it's not a public problem. [00:27:38]

Longsuffering, enduring patience, restraint in the midst of provocation. Have you ever been around people who are not just criticizers, but they're people who who literally are contenders? They come against you. They're not just criticizing you. They feel like that they are selfappointed people to be your thorn in the flesh. They're the ones who believe that criticism is one of the nine fruits of the spirit. They feel like it is their calling to criticize you. That's the word longsuffering addresses that. [00:29:15]

Longsuffering. So, we have enduring patience. It It's It's the idea that in the midst of provocation, we're going to not react. I read uh just this week about every city analysis concerning road rage. Did you know that in 2023 that somebody was wounded or killed in road rage every 18 hours in America? Now we're seeing people shot in the drive-thrus of McDonald's and Taco Bell just because they decided to honk their horn. Road rage. What I'm what I'm trying to share from the word of God today is this is not just a biblical virtue. This is a mandate for life, longsuffering, enduring patience where we decide we're not going to blow up in anger. [00:30:22]

We're going to bow down in humility. We're not going to blow up. We're going to bow down. We're not going to blow up and get angry in the midst of provocation, but we're going to have long suffering, long endurance, long restraint in the midst of provocation. And here's the most powerful part, forbearing one another in love, which is really the second part of this whole message, which is making a difference. When you're forbearing in love. And this is the picture I want you to see. A necami in the Greek forbearing is the idea of supporting holding up from underneath. [00:31:30]

Making a difference by forbearing one another in love means that you hold me up. You support me in love as a Christian in the body of Christ. I choose to support and hold you up in love. Isn't it Isn't it fascinating that when the Bible and the Apostle Paul is calling us to walk worthy of our calling, he goes on to tell us, "You're not going to be able to do it unless you do it with loneliness and meekness and longsuffering. You're not going to be able to walk worthy of your calling unless you're able to help others walk worthy of their calling." [00:32:26]

It's a prerequisite for walking worthy of our calling. It's it's a non-negotiable in the kingdom of God to have right standing with God. It's the idea that we're not just called to sit on the bench, but we're called to step to the plate and swing the bat. that our lives are forever intertwined with engaging in the game that God has established to do something of eternal significance. [00:34:02]

I believe this morning that u we're getting the idea that God is knocking on the door of our heart and he's saying there's something very unique about the calling with which you have been called. It's the opportunity to take what I've gifted you with, give it back to me, but also to be available to help others make an eternal significance, eternal difference in their lives, to do something of eternal significance. [00:40:54]

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Transcript
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