What’s Your Calling? – June 28, 2026

Exodus 18:13-26, Ephesians 4:1-16
June 28, 2026

“What’s Your Calling?”  That’s what I want us to think about today.  And I thought that would be a good follow-up to Kari’s sermon from last week, entitled “Who’s Your Drummer?”  Wasn’t that a great sermon?  If you weren’t here, I encourage you to go to the website and watch it!

I love the way she clarified the call to be “in step” with the Spirit, as opposed to being “led by” the Spirit.  I think that helped make Paul’s point even clearer, that it’s when we’re “in step” with the Spirit, that we then exhibit those “fruits of the Spirit” he told us about in Galatians 5.  “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness…”

So, today, it’s “What’s your calling?”  And yes, I ask that question on this day that we elect our next group of Church Officers.  And we think about them today.  And we pray for them.  We pray that they will have that “extra measure of spirit,” that “double portion,” that Elisha asked for when he took the reins of leadership from “Elijah.”  (Do you remember that?)

As we do that, I think we all recognize that those we elect today are “called” in a special way to serve.  And we celebrate that today.  And yes, we pray for them.  And we also recognize that we are all called to follow as they lead us, and as they seek to be “in step” with the Spirit.

But that’s not what this sermon is about.  At least not entirely.  Because here in the book of Ephesians, Paul asked the people – Paul begged the people – to “live a life worthy of the calling to which they were called.”  But he wasn’t addressing their leaders at that point, was he?  Sure, Paul had a lot of advice for the leaders in his writings.  But in this case, who was he addressing?  He was addressing the people of the church – the “Saints.”  And of course, he was addressing us.  So, we can take those same words to heart!  “I, Paul, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to live a life worthy of the calling to which you were called.”

As you think about that, I want you to look at the rest of that sentence.  (And remember, Paul loved long sentences!)  “Lead a life worthy of the call,” he said.  And here’s how – “with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.”  That sounds a lot like Galatians 5, doesn’t it?  That sounds like “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness…”

Well, that sounds a lot like it, because it is a lot like it!  If you think about it, it’s about being “in step” with the Spirit.  And remember what Kari said.  When we think in terms of being “in step,” we will exhibit those traits.  I love that thought!  It’s not that we strive to have those traits because we are called to.  (Although we do have to work on them!)  It’s more a matter that we will naturally have them if we are in-step with the Spirit.  So if we are lacking in any of those things, we need to ask ourselves if we’re “in-step.”

So, Paul begs us to live a life worthy of the calling to which we have been called.  But that doesn’t completely answer the question of “What’s your calling?”  We might say at first that the calling is leading the worthy life, and that it is being in-step with the Spirit.  But that’s not all there is to it.  So I’d like to flesh that out a little more.

First, our calling is about being “called into Christ and his salvation.”  Now, I know that almost goes without saying.  But let’s not let it!  Let’s say it.  And let’s remember it today.   We are called into Christ and his salvation!

Then, we are called to be “followers.”  And sometimes people forget that part.  They’re glad for their salvation, but that’s it.  They take their faith no further.  We can’t do that!  We are called to be Christ followers.  And as such, we seek to walk with him and to be “in-step” with the Spirit.

But then, last, but certainly not least, we are called into ministry!  And when I say that, I mean all the people of the church.  That’s what Paul was saying here.  Look at your bulletins.  I had Donna add to it what I talked about a couple of weeks ago.  It says “Pastors,” and it lists me and Kari.  But then it says “Ministers,” and it says, “All the people of the Church.”  I really like that!  And that’s what Paul is telling us here.  We may not all be called to a “particular ministry,” but that doesn’t mean we’re not called to ministry!

That was “new ground” for Paul!  He grew up in a world where “ministry” belonged largely to the religious class – or classes.  There were the Priests, who were the intermediaries.  They intervened with God on behalf of the people.  They prayed for the people and offered the people’s sacrifices.  Then there were the Levites.  They had religious responsibilities in the temple and synagogues.  We might think of them as being like our Lay Leaders!  Then there were the Scribes, who were the keepers of the Law – and the copiers of the Law.  (They were the Xerox of their day!)  Then, of course, the Rabbis were the teachers.  But the ordinary Israelites, even though they had religious responsibilities, were not generally understood to be “ministers.”

For Paul – who was one of those “ministers!” – all of that changed when he met the risen Christ.  After that, he saw the Church differently.  He saw that God calls certain people as leaders, yes, but not to do all of the ministry of the Church.  He saw those leaders as equipping God’s people, because the whole church is called into ministry.

That’s what he says here.  He names all of these various leaders.  They are Apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and the teachers.  But then he gives us their purpose.  He says that all of those leaders are called “to equip the saints for the work of ministry.”  There it is!  And they’re called “to build up the body of Christ.”  So, you leaders – you new leaders – that’s your job!  You are to equip the saints for the work of ministry.   You are to build up the body of Christ!

For you “other people,” that’s what we’re asking our officers to do!  Not to do the ministry, but to equip us – the saints – for ministry.  Threin lies the strength of the church.  It is the people – all the people – taking the call of Christ seriously, and uniting in joyful service!

So, think about your ministry today.  I like the way one author put it.  “Ministry,” he said, “isn’t just what happens from the pulpit.  Ministry is the person who reaches out to the sick.  It’s the person who quietly prepares communion.  It’s the choir member or the praise band who leads us in worship.  It’s the person who sends a card to someone who is grieving.  It’s the one who changes a light bulb, serves a meal, teaches a child, balances the books, or simply sits beside someone who is lonely.”  And I would add to that, “It’s the person who cooks the hot dogs, cares for the lawn, or installs a floor!”  “None of those people,” this author said, “may ever preach a sermon.  But every one of them is living out a calling!”

Now, I know many of you do many of those things!  So we are celebrating that today.  And I hope this might just change the way we think about all of that!  I hope that each of us can see each of the tasks we all do here as ministry!  Sometimes we tend to think of ministry as those less tangible, more “spiritual” things, things like sharing our faith with someone, or supporting the Deacons outreach.  But I’m asking us to see those more tangible things – maybe even the more mundane things we do – as ministry, too.  (Think about that the next time you carry trash out to the dumpster.)

That’s what we’re celebrating today!  That’s living a life worthy of the calling!  And yes we recognize and vote for and pray for those who lead us in that calling, those who equip us – all the saints – for the work of ministry.  And we encourage them as they lead us in “building up the body of Christ.”

So, I’ll leave you with the words of Paul.  And I encourage you to “live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called.”  You are called to salvation in Jesus Christ.  You are called to be followers, those who are “in-step” with the Spirit.  And you are called to ministry.

Prayer

Eternal God, we do thank you for the special calling you give to those who lead us.  And we pray for that extra measure of the Spirit to be with them.  But we pray for all of us who follow their lead in the ministry of your Church, as it has come down through the ages, to us here today.  Bless us and prosper us in all the ministry that we do.  And to you be all glory and honor and praise!  Amen.