Navigating Con ict and Di erence

and ministry such as the trans guration or the resurrection of which all, with the exception of Judas, witnessed before their deaths.10

When considering Matthew’s Gospel more holistically, however, another and perhaps less speci c option exists. roughout his Gospel, Matthew seems to emphasize the “already” part of Jesus’s kingdom. We do not have the space to parse out this idea completely, but the two places this seems clear is the birth narrative and the Sermon on the Mount. For instance, Matthew began his Gospel showing the ful llment of prophesy proving that Jesus is the long-awaited King.11 Furthermore, Jesus bookended the beatitudes with two statements indicating that a certain group now possesses the kingdom.12 Matthew appears to be proclaiming, “You do not have to wait for another king; the one who was promised is here!” Furthermore, when the King arrives, so does his kingdom. If you do not have a kingdom, you cannot have a king. However, if you have a King, you must have a kingdom. erefore, even though there may be a “not yet” to Jesus’s kingdom, for those in whose heart the King is already ruling, the kingdom has come!

10 Blomberg, Matthew, 261. 11 In at least ve ways in chapters 1 and 2, Matthew explicitly communicated that events around Jesus’s birth were ful llment of Old Testament prophecy that related to the coming Messiah or King. As a matter of fact, an argument can be made that Matthew was the rst to join together intentionally two separate prophetic ideas, that of a future king and a coming Messiah, in one person, showing that Jesus alone de nitively satis ed the prophecy. See Matthew 1:22–23 and 2:5–6, 14, 17–18, 22–23. 12 See Matthew 5:3 (“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”) and Matthew 5:10 (“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”). All of the other beatitudes in the list indicate a future reality. Noticeably these two in verses 3 and 10 indicate a present reality involving the possession of the kingdom.

Whereas the precise interpretation of this verse may be somewhat di cult to establish, the theology and point in context Jesus was communicating is not. ere is a guarantee that the literal kingdom of the King is coming. Moreover, we who trust and follow him will see it and actually work to help bring it about. erefore, in order to answer the call, we must nd hope and motivation in the coming kingdom of Jesus.

Conclusion

In calling his disciples, Jesus showed that following him was costly but in his hands. Answering God’s call to follow Jesus is life altering, but it is worth it. For a moment, we will return to the original purpose of this chapter and some of our original questions. Why is a call so di cult to discern? Why do so many people struggle to know speci cally what they have been called to do? What do we mean by a “call to ministry”? More speci cally, how do you know when you have been called and what you have been called to do? And ultimately, what does an authentic call from God look like? We still may not be able to answer all of these questions with precision and certainty, but as we look at these ve characteristics, we can make a few de nitive statements about the nature of God’s call.

First, if your call does not lead you to serve the gospel, you are not answering God’s call. Second, if your call leads you away from looking like or obeying Jesus, you are not answering God’s call. ird, if the decision for your call is made for your comfort and based on your plans, you are not answering God’s call. Fourth, if your call does not give you peace and satisfaction in Christ, you are not answering God’s call. Finally, if your call does not involve living in the kingdom now with an eye toward building the kingdom to come, you are not answering God’s call. If your call does not match all ve of these truths, whatever it may be and whomever it may be from, it is not an authentic call from God.

Case Study

You are on sta at ird Baptist Church in Somewhere, America. You just went through one of the most di cult six weeks in your personal life and ministry that you can remember. A couple of weeks ago, your mother-in-law succumbed to her long battle with a terminal illness. Your church has held numerous other funerals over this period, including a member who was the leading encourager in the congregation and another who was a signi cant giver and tither. Furthermore, one of your senior adult classes, full of some leading voices in your church, is currently upset with the youth ministry and wants to prevent the youth group from using the church bus for future trips. ey have made the proposal that each group secure their own transportation that can only be sanctioned and used by the group it is designated for. You also nd yourself more and more discouraged by the current division and state of a airs in your community and the country as a whole. On top of this, your daughter’s dog recently died. You feel overwhelmed and are slipping into depression. You are beginning to ask, “Is it worth it?” and, “Why do I do what I do?”

Taking into consideration the truths and axioms of this chapter, write a description or plan regarding how you would process through, understand, maintain, or perhaps even refocus your call in light of your current situation and feelings. Be speci c, and be sure to include support as to why you plan to respond this way. In other words, why are you committed to your call and how do you plan to maintain this commitment? What motivates you to respond the way you have chosen? You may supplement your answer with other information and sources, but be sure to include information from our study of Matthew 16:21–28.