SESSION FOUR
called
My husband Steve
and I had a pretty
spectacular and somewhat
supernatural calling to
serve in Cambodia. As
such, we could have been
tempted to think we were
something special. Except
that once we were in
Cambodia, we found other
equally-called workers
who had been prompted
by nothing more than a
desire to be obedient to
Jesus’ command to “…go
make disciples…”. It was
by God’s profound grace
(not our awesomeness)
that He made our call so
clear we had no choice
but to obey.
However, our mission or vocation
was never our primary calling. Our
first and primary calling is the call to
follow Jesus.
Watch: Episode 4 – Milestones in Mission
AC
www.globalinteraction.org.au/GrowSow
Discuss: Reflect:
› › “There’s no retirement in serving
my God.” How does Paul describe
his job? (Tip: it’s the very next
sentence!) Contrast this with how
we might describe his work. › › How easy (or otherwise) is it to
be a follower of Jesus in your
context? What sacrifices has
Jesus asked of you to in order to
follow Him?
› › What sacrifices have Paul and
his fellow believers made in
order to follow Jesus? What
cultural practices do they retain
and redeem in order to express
their faith in Jesus in culturally
understandable ways? › › How does this primary calling
to follow Jesus impact your
secondary calling to a vocation,
place or people group?
› › In a context with many barriers
to belief in Jesus, what is one
way their local community is
comfortable to ask for help?
Luke 9:18-27, 44-50, 57-62
Read through these passages where
Jesus talks about the call to, and cost
of, discipleship.
In these verses:
› › Jesus was correctly identified as
the Messiah and warned them
that he would be killed and then
raised to life.
› › Discipleship would require
denying oneself daily… but the
disciples fought over who would
be greatest.
› › Fitness for service in the kingdom
was measured through single-
minded obedience at the cost of
comfort, wealth and family.
› › Asking for prayer is a way the
Ethnic Thai community accepts
help from the believers. In what
ways might your local community
be comfortable to accept or seek
“help” from your local church?
Act:
› › Ask Jesus to help you to count
the cost daily, trust Him fully and
encourage one another, so you
will not be tempted to say “no”
when following Him means going
where you are uncomfortable.
› › Take some time out this week
to reflect on how your work (or
future work) is involved in building
God’s kingdom. (Check out www.
theologyofwork.org for helpful
resources in getting a better
sense of your vocational calling).
› › Pray for the Ethnic Thai believers
to be faithful in the face of
opposition and reflectors of the
God whom they follow.