The Call

Deacon Ordination (Tri-Campus Joint Service)
Matthew 21:1-11

“Even though you get a perfect score on paper, you may fail in life.” (Walker Percy)

1. The call is a God-given holy desire.

 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.” (20:18-19)

 a. It is beyond the approval of people. 

 “And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, ‘Who is this?’ And the crowds said, ‘This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.’” (v.10-11)

b. It is to give, not to gain.

 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9)

Call vs. Complain

Burden vs. Blame 

2. The call is fulfilled through the obedience of the true master. 

 “If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.’” (v.3)

“You will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” (Luke 19:30b-31)

Seasonal calling

Circumstantial calling