WHEN GOD CALLS YOU (CLEARVIEW FOLLOWUP) by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson
Here are some key points to remember from the message:
- A Historical Fact to Learn: Capernaum was much more than just a fishing village. As I’ve mentioned before, Nicole and I have been there. It is on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. In ancient times it sat along an important trade route known as the Via Maris (Way of the Sea), which connected Egypt in the South to Syria in the North and Mesopotamia in the East. So people from everywhere passed through Capernaum. Not only that but because of the Sea of Galilee Capernaum was an important port for importing and exporting cargo. This It was a big checkpoint for customs. This is why so many tax collectors/customs officials were there. There was a small Roman garrison in Capernaum. You can only imagine the brothels and prostitutes everywhere. Isn’t it amazing that Jesus picked Capernaum to be the base of His early ministry? Why? Because people from everywhere were there, especially the nonreligious types.
- A Theological Truth to Believe: What kind of a call did Jesus give to Levi/Matthew? Was it a call to salvation? I don’t think so because there’s nothing about belief in Jesus. Was it a call to discipleship, to growth in his faith? I don’t think so because discipleship does not mean that you have to quit your job. What kind of a call was this? It was a specific call that Jesus gave only one other time to people He picked to be His disciples. This was a call to a very specific life of being an apostle.
- A Biblical Principle to Apply: Matthew’s call was to go and call others. God reaches people through people. We are the instruments of His gospel. As a pastor, I may not be able to reach people that you can reach. They won’t listen to me but they will definitely listen to you. There are many people at Clearview who have come because a friend or neighbor invited them. Do you invite people to meet Jesus?
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