By Oscar Cruz.
When we come to the knowledge of the Gospel there is a clear purpose that comes along with it. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:11-12.: “He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” That can seem intimidating when you think “I have none of those gifts”. And you may be right.
Except that the 1 Corinthians 1:26-28 also says: “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are,”
Jesus called to Himself and assembled a rag-tag community to follow him. Foul-mouth fishermen, hated tax collectors, humble servants, zealots… people of no educated background. He could have gone to the rabbinical schools and have the pick of the litter, but he called the humble of the earth.
“The Saviour knew the character of the men whom He had chosen; all their weaknesses and errors were open before Him; He knew the perils through which they must pass, the responsibility that would rest upon them; and His heart yearned over these chosen ones. Alone upon a mountain near the Sea of Galilee He spent the entire night in prayer for them, while they were sleeping at the foot of the mountain. With the first light of dawn, He summoned them to meet Him; for He had something of importance to communicate to them.” Desire of Ages, p.291
See, when Jesus found you, He knew who you were. But He also knew who you could become with the power of the Holy Spirit. He spared no time to include you in this complicated path and took the last moments He had in this earth to pray for you: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, | that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:20 – 23.
This is the purpose of your calling, and this His promise to you as you go on to explore the gifts you will receive: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8. The ends of the earth? That is what Vancouver is to us. This is where many of us ended up preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.