The Heavenly Calling
July 24, 2005
Hebrews 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle [messenger] and High Priest [helper] of our profession [confession of faith], Christ Jesus;
Called for an abundant entrance into the kingdom
2 Peter 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence [by adding to your faith] to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly [richly] into the everlasting [agelasting] kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
We can either fall or be faultless
Jude 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
His Glory SHALL be revealed
1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be [if you do not fall] glad also with exceeding joy.
Matthew 24:30 And then [immediately after the tribulation] shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet [Rapture], and they shall gather together his elect [the church, not the tribulation Jews] from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Partaker of the glory of Christ
1 Peter 5:1 The elders which are among you I [Peter] exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed... 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Principalities & Powers in the heavenly
Ephesians 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities [arche] and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
We wrestle against heavenly powers
Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood [earthly], but against principalities, against powers [heavenly], against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Jesus will bind Satan and spoil his goods in the kingdom
Matthew 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. 29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
Luke 10:17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
Seated in heavenly
Ephesians 2:6 And hath raised us [holy ones in 1:1]up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Seating speaks of positions of honour
Luke 14:10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
Luke 20:46 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;
Position far above all
Ephesians 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world [ age; trans. eternal or ever in KJV], but also in that which is to come:
Hebrews 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world [age] to come,
Positions in the world to come is not unto angels
Hebrews 2:5 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord [the Apostle], and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? 5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus BEGAN to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Not all are called
1 Corinthians 1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should GLORY in his presence.
The purpose of election – Who will serve whom
Romans 9:11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
His sovereign will who can resist
Daniel 4:17 This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.
The Lord hardened king Nebuchadnezzar
Daniel 5:21 And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.
Many are called but few will be chosen
Matthew 22:12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
With many he is not well pleased
1 Corinthians 10:5 But with MANY of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown [not overcame] in the wilderness.
Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and MANY there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and FEW there be that find it.
Many will end in destruction
Philippians 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Adding takes diligence
2 Peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
This one things I do
Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.