CM26 | W12PM |The Demands and Responsibilities of the Higher Calling| Pastor Kircio Mota

Paul refuses to speak as if he had arrived. Philippians 3 says he keeps “forgetting those things which are behind” and keeps “reaching” and “pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” The text sets the tone: the call is high, so the life must press. Nothing from the past, not gains or failures, is allowed to anchor the feet when Christ has set the sights on the finish.

The call itself demands something. God’s call does not look for spectators. The call asks for obedience, availability, service, a listening ear to the Spirit, a good testimony, love in action. The call asks for light to shine and for the gospel to move, trusting that God equips the ones he calls.

Peter names the church’s identity. First Peter 2:9 says a “chosen generation,” a “royal priesthood,” God’s “own possession,” has been called “out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Darkness is not abstract. The list is concrete: promiscuity, drunkenness, slander, envy, stealing, lying, adultery, fornication, malicious intent, even those hot mood swings. Grace pulls people out so that praise can go out. Identity carries purpose.

Time reveals allegiance. God hands out twenty four hours a day. A faithful steward thinks in firstfruits, so a time tithe sounds like two hours and forty minutes daily, or sixteen hours and forty eight minutes weekly, set apart to share God’s goodness. Isaiah’s prayer fits the schedule: “Here am I. Send me.” Stealing time from God is no small thing when Jesus said that whoever confesses him before men will be confessed before the Father, and whoever denies him will be denied.

A life story stands as witness that “He is faithful then, faithful now, and faithful always.” When strength failed, when eyesight vanished, when altitude and hospitals threatened, God preserved life, opened doors, and sent the word again and again, “Get up and preach.” Numbers 23:19 holds the spine of that witness: God is not a man that he should lie. Christ’s promise in Matthew 28 holds the path: his presence rides with those who go and teach.

Revelation 3 pulls the eyes to the end. Christ says, “Behold, I come quickly.” Hold fast what he has given so no one takes the crown. The overcomer becomes a pillar in God’s temple, carries God’s name, and belongs to the New Jerusalem. Destiny is home with Jesus. Love for Jesus takes shape as care for his sheep. The identity of a royal priesthood and the promise of a near return both say the same thing: press on.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Press toward the high calling Paul will not coast, and he will not camp on yesterday’s grace. The prize sits ahead, so the church learns to forget what drags and reach for what draws. Repentance clears the past; hope pulls the future close; disciplined love does the walking. The high call dignifies the grind. [35:51]
• 2. Royal priesthood leaves the darkness Peter gives a name before he gives an assignment: chosen, royal, God’s own possession. That identity exposes the old shadows and cuts ties with familiar sins, not by pride but by new belonging. Praise becomes public when grace becomes personal. Light lives loud. [38:03]
• 3. Tithe time to the mission If money can be tithed, time can be too. Setting aside two hours and forty minutes a day to serve, witness, and disciple turns intention into a calendar. Availability is love with a clock on it. A schedule can repent, and a schedule can obey. [42:12]
• 4. Confession before men matters forever Jesus ties public words on earth to his own words in heaven. Witness is not optional garnish; it is covenant speech that marks out who belongs to whom. Silence can function like denial when fear sits in the mouth. Courage is love for Christ made audible. [49:25]
• 5. Hold fast and become a pillar Revelation promises stability in a shaking world to those who keep Christ’s word. Holding fast does not mean standing still; it means refusing to trade the crown for distractions. Overcomers get a place, a Name, and a city that cannot fall. Faithfulness now becomes permanence then. [59:19]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [31:13] - God proved faithful; call story
• [32:22] - Stroke, coma, daughter’s birth
• [33:17] - High calling title and prayer
• [34:32] - Philippians 3:12-14 read
• [35:51] - Pressing forward explained
• [37:05] - Royal priesthood identity
• [38:03] - Out of darkness named
• [41:52] - Stewarding time like a tithe
• [42:56] - Purpose to share God’s goodness
• [49:25] - Confess or deny before men
• [50:54] - Peru crisis and deliverance
• [56:58] - Revelation 3 promises
• [60:50] - Destiny is home; feed his sheep
• [66:27] - Closing prayer

1. What does Paul mean by "forgetting what lies behind" and "straining forward to what lies ahead" in Philippians 3:13-14?
2. According to 1 Peter 2:9 (referenced in the sermon), what four identities does the church hold, and what is their purpose? [38:03]
3. In Revelation 3:11-12, what does Jesus promise to those who "hold fast" and overcome? How does this connect to the idea of stewardship in the sermon? [59:19]
4. The sermon mentions "tithing time" as a practical response to God’s call. What specific daily and weekly time commitments are suggested? [42:12]

1. Why does Paul use athletic imagery like "pressing on" and "straining forward" to describe the Christian life? How does this contrast with complacency?
2. The sermon states, "Darkness is not abstract" and lists specific sins (e.g., envy, lying, adultery). How does our identity as a "royal priesthood" directly challenge these behaviors? [38:29]
3. Jesus warns that denying Him before others will lead to being denied before the Father (Matthew 10:33). Why is public confession of faith tied so closely to eternal outcomes? [49:25]
4. Revelation 3:11 urges believers to "hold fast" because Jesus is coming "quickly." How should this urgency shape daily priorities, especially in light of distractions mentioned in the sermon? [57:15]

1. What "things behind" (past successes, failures, or habits) might be holding you back from fully pursuing Christ’s call? How can you actively "forget" them this week?
2. If you tithed 10% of your time (2 hours 40 minutes daily) to serving others or sharing the gospel, what specific activities would replace idle or self-focused habits? [42:12]
3. The sermon shares a story of God’s faithfulness during a health crisis in Peru. When has God proven faithful to you in a desperate situation, and how can you share that testimony with someone this week? [50:54]
4. Jesus ties confession before others to His confession of us before the Father. What is one practical way to courageously acknowledge Him in your workplace, family, or community?
5. Revelation 3:12 promises overcomers will become "pillars" in God’s temple. What distractions or compromises threaten to make you unstable in your faith, and how will you resist them? [59:34]
6. The sermon says, "A schedule can repent." How might reorganizing your daily routine reflect greater obedience to God’s call? What specific change will you make tomorrow?