00:00:00.000 - 00:00:15.500

[ Silence ] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:00:15.500 - 00:00:54.000

[MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [Music]

00:00:54.000 - 00:01:42.000

I love the Lord, he heard my cry, and with him every woe. ♪ Long as I live ♪ ♪ And troubles rise ♪ ♪ I'll listen to ♪

00:01:47.720 - 00:02:14.460

♪ His throne ♪ ♪ I love the Lord ♪ ♪ He heard my cry ♪ ♪ And pity and regret ♪

00:02:14.460 - 00:02:42.140

♪ In every grove ♪ ♪ As long as I live ♪ ♪ And troubles rise ♪ ♪ I'll hasten to you ♪

00:02:43.360 - 00:03:13.880

♪ To his throne ♪ ♪ Amazing grace ♪ ♪ How sweet the sound ♪ ♪ That saved a wretch like me ♪

00:03:13.880 - 00:03:35.200

♪ 'Cause I once was lost ♪ ♪ But now I'm found ♪ - All right. All right, that's okay.

00:03:35.200 - 00:03:57.420

♪ Most blind but now ♪ ♪ I ♪ ♪ I see ♪ ♪ I love the Lord ♪

00:04:00.540 - 00:04:23.120

♪ He heard my cry ♪ ♪ And pitied ♪ ♪ Me ♪ ♪ Long as I live ♪

00:04:25.920 - 00:04:53.480

♪ And troubles rise ♪ ♪ I'll hasten ♪ ♪ To his throne ♪ ♪ Don't you know I'll hasten ♪

00:04:53.480 - 00:05:52.880

[MUSIC] series of messages based on the Epistle to the Romans. So in some weeks to come, I encourage those of you who have not been bringing your Bibles, Bring your Bibles as we will be preaching through the Epistle to the Romans.

00:05:52.880 - 00:06:37.160

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, which he promised to for by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures concerning the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Holy Spirit, through the resurrection from the dead, even Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we receive grace and

00:06:37.160 - 00:07:20.560

apostleship among all nations for his name's sake, among whom are ye also the called of Christ. To all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice where the word called appears in this

00:07:20.560 - 00:07:52.640

preamble. Paul is called to be an apostle and those to whom the letter is addressed are also called of Jesus Christ. And then he speaks in the last instance that they are called to be saints.

00:07:52.640 - 00:08:18.840

It so happened that as we consider the letter to the Romans that Karl Barth, one of the most popular theologians of modern times, wrote a definitive work based on this letter.

00:08:18.840 - 00:08:45.880

And he uses it as the foundation of his theological system. Then of course, his contemporary, Emil Brunner, also has written a great deal about the epistle

00:08:45.880 - 00:09:01.080

to the Romans. But I'm particularly concerned about lifting up this phrase, "called to be saints." Called to be saints.

00:09:01.080 - 00:09:32.520

So as we begin, this is something for every person in the congregation. It was in the day Paul wrote it, and it's for all of us now who are called Christians. So I'd like for you at the beginning here to shake hands with the person either next to you, behind you, or in front of you, and say, "We are called to be saints."

00:09:32.520 - 00:10:06.520

One more time. "We are called to be saints." called to be an apostle, called to belong to Jesus, and called to be saints. Called to be an apostle, called to belong to Jesus, called to be saints.

00:10:06.520 - 00:10:46.760

I know that there are those who have a particular interpretation of call. Some people only think that the minister is called. The reverend is called to preach and ministers take a great deal of pride in saying that I was called of God. I ran for a long time, but I finally gave in. Some who say they have

00:10:46.760 - 00:11:32.640

been called say that they had a vision and they saw the letters GP in the sky, which meant go preach. And some have later said of those persons who claim that it meant go plow rather than go preach. So we think of the ministry as having reservations on calling, but I want to suggest to you that the calling is of God and it's not limited

00:11:32.640 - 00:12:07.800

to the gospel ministry. You may be called to be a doctor, you may be called to be a nurse, a teacher, or you may be called to be an undertaker. There is what Martin Luther to cause the sacredness of all human callings. So that a person who does some secular work

00:12:07.800 - 00:12:24.180

such as sweeping the floor, he may be called to do that in the sanctuary. And we need to appreciate the sacredness of all human callings.

00:12:25.520 - 00:12:44.400

So, Paul says to the Roman congregation, "You are called to be saints." You're called to be saints. That's your calling, to be saints.

00:12:44.400 - 00:13:06.040

Now, many people are quick to say today, "I ain't no saint." You know, we're quick to place a disclaimer on that word "saint." No, no, don't expect that of me.

00:13:06.040 - 00:13:23.640

I'm not a saint. But Paul says all of us are called to be saints. When it's said that the difference between a sinner and a saint is that one is saved and the other ain't.

00:13:23.640 - 00:13:39.260

The difference. We often associate being a saint with living a perfect life, no mistakes, no sin whatsoever.

00:13:39.260 - 00:14:06.360

Paul wasn't using that word in that sense. But this is a journey on which we have embarked and we are called to belong to Jesus Christ. We are called to be like him

00:14:06.360 - 00:14:23.700

as we sing more and more like Jesus. So that's our calling. Now, many of us, the word calling may be associated with, or it is associated with vocation.

00:14:23.700 - 00:14:36.300

That's your vocation. So the ministers don't have their only claim on vocation. All of us are involved in a vocation. Now, many people get that mixed up with vacation.

00:14:36.300 - 00:14:53.820

Just let it, the difference in there, One has A and the other has O. And it's easy to get it mixed up that way. So some people meander around and never really

00:14:53.820 - 00:15:10.860

discover their calling. They're on a vacation, permanent vacation. Like the man who slept. He reveled beneath the moon.

00:15:10.860 - 00:15:23.060

He slept beneath the sun. He lived in a world of going to do, and died with nothing done. We have a calling.

00:15:23.060 - 00:15:39.300

God has a purpose for our lives. A divine purpose. And Paul says that the people of God are called to be saints.

00:15:40.300 - 00:15:57.700

called to be saints. So don't think of saints as being reserved for the Bible where you say Saint Matthew, Saint Mark, Saint Luke, Saint, all of the dead.

00:15:57.700 - 00:16:12.940

We're talking about some living saints. And Paul addresses his word to living saints. You are called to be saints. Now you don't have to wait.

00:16:12.940 - 00:16:22.980

The Catholic Church has a procedure by which so many years after you're dead, you're canonized, they recognize that you've lived an outstanding life

00:16:22.980 - 00:16:40.900

and you are able to move into sainthood. But this is something that is in the here and now. You didn't come to hear a message about some saints some person who may be a saint a hundred years from today.

00:16:40.900 - 00:16:55.660

But to be a saint now, to be a saint, you are called to be a saint. He's talking about persons who are becoming more and more like Jesus.

00:16:55.660 - 00:17:12.220

He's talking about those who are called to live a different life, who are called to holiness and to become a saint is to respond to the call to abandon idols.

00:17:12.220 - 00:17:41.360

And one of the problems of our time is that we are worshippers of idols. We make idols and bow down before them, and they become the object of our devotion. But we're called to live the life of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We're called to participate in a journey,

00:17:41.360 - 00:18:00.980

in a journey that causes us to leave the flesh parts of Egypt and engage in a journey toward Canaan. We are called not to be Pharisees and Sadducees,

00:18:00.980 - 00:18:15.260

known for our fashionable garments and our ritualistic practices, but we're called to be saints. We're called to live the good life.

00:18:15.260 - 00:18:32.060

Jesus went about doing good and we're called to be like him. And this is goodness in the truest sense of the word. I remember some time ago, I delivered a eulogy.

00:18:32.060 - 00:18:44.380

And I didn't know the man. I inquired among those who knew him, something about him. And they told me the outstanding things he had done in their opinion.

00:18:44.380 - 00:18:56.200

And I delivered the eulogy. And after the eulogy, I met Brother Youngblood, who's gone on now, out in the parking lot. He said, Reverend, you know that man

00:18:56.200 - 00:19:04.460

you were talking about in there? I said, yes. He said, I knew that man. And he was nothing like what you said.

00:19:04.460 - 00:19:17.780

[LAUGHTER] It's what opinion we have of goodness. People have different opinions of goodness. But certainly, the one who lives the good life

00:19:17.780 - 00:19:37.400

is living a life that sort of radiates. And it shines as light shining in darkness. So a saint is on that journey toward becoming, the journey toward becoming like Jesus Christ.

00:19:37.400 - 00:19:56.640

So the church is a home for saints. Now we had a special section when I was a boy. Ladies that were dressed in white like these ladies are here today. And we looked upon them as the saints.

00:19:56.640 - 00:20:37.640

And others called it the Amen Corner. I don't know which one we would apply to our ladies here today. The world to which Paul addresses this message is a world that is the center of secularity. Rome, Rome, people who are living there who have all kinds of attractions and all kinds

00:20:37.640 - 00:21:13.880

of gods, a god for every sphere, but Paul is giving them a word that is above the ordinary. You are called to be saints and the church is the home for saints, not demons. The apostle refers here to saints in the church. He's talking to people and about people whose lives radiate a shining glow of holiness,

00:21:13.880 - 00:21:29.640

the brightness of purity, which is a delight. That is why Christians are regarded as peculiar people. Peculiar, different. Not like the run of the mill.

00:21:29.640 - 00:21:40.120

We're called to live different lives. Saints in the church, saints in the home, saints in the community.

00:21:40.120 - 00:21:52.080

So it is not a situation where we are called to act one way on Sunday and another way on Monday. We are called to be saints.

00:21:52.080 - 00:22:13.600

So don't run from the term saints. Embrace it. Say to one another, "Yes, we're called to be saints." In fact, as we continue to study Paul's letters, he talks about saints in Caesar's household

00:22:13.600 - 00:22:26.040

over there in Colossians. He closes the letter with a sort of benediction that you sent greetings, he said,

00:22:26.040 - 00:22:45.760

greetings from the saints of Caesar's household. The saints of Caesar's household send greetings to you. Now that was a great challenge for persons who were called saints

00:22:45.760 - 00:22:57.360

to be in Caesar's household. While Caesar was in many instances opposed to the Christian faith, here in the midst of all of the opposition,

00:22:57.360 - 00:23:12.160

in the midst of all of the contradictions of history, here are saints in Caesar's household. That's what we're called to do today, to be saints in Caesar's household.

00:23:12.160 - 00:23:27.600

And to be a saint in Caesar's household is to be on this journey of being more and more like Jesus. In fact, to be holy,

00:23:27.600 - 00:23:36.840

to be above some things that we look upon in this life. Not to have that reserve. When I was a boy,

00:23:36.840 - 00:23:52.520

we sort of had those who reserved this term for Pentecostals, the holiness. They were the ones that were holy, not us. And they claim to have this sanctified existence

00:23:52.520 - 00:24:09.460

where they commit no sin, but every one of us is called to be a saint, to be different, to be peculiar, to live the life that is more and more like Jesus.

00:24:09.460 - 00:24:48.160

That's our mission. And we are called to be saints not just in heaven, but we are called to be saints on earth as well as in heaven. Saint John was in exile in the Isle of Patmos and he had visions of the future and as he looked into the future He saw seven seals and angels were opening those seals and the angel came to the fifth seal

00:24:48.160 - 00:25:17.840

and there were saints underneath the altar and those saints underneath the altar came forth and said, "How long, O Lord, Sovereign, True, how long will it be before you avenge our suffering?" And those answers that came were answers of patience. Wait just a little while.

00:25:17.840 - 00:25:34.160

Wait a little while longer. And it won't be long, just a little longer. We don't have long to be here, just a little while. And then, after you've suffered a little while,

00:25:34.160 - 00:25:49.360

Those who are on earth will be killed as you were killed. They will suffer. But after that, the end will come. The end will come.

00:25:49.360 - 00:26:01.640

Call to be saints. Call to suffer. Call to sacrifice. Call to be like Jesus who went to the cross.

00:26:01.640 - 00:26:26.020

That's the one we serve. that's the one we follow. We're called to be saints. Thanks be to God that there is a day that those martyrs and those who have suffered for the truth and for goodness, there is a day when we shall all gather. And John saw that.

00:26:26.020 - 00:26:49.500

That's the thing that gives us encouragement in the present, is that we have a future that's already determined by God. We have a future and we sing about it and it seems that through the years they've tried to take this, the world has taken it away from the church. Oh when the Saints go marching in. Oh

00:26:49.500 - 00:27:34.340

when the Saints go marching in. Lord I want to be in that number when the saints go marching in. That's good news. That those who live the good life on earth have already prepared for them a place in heaven. Oh, when the saints go marching in. Lord, I want to be in that number when the saints go marching. You're called to be saints. Call to be apostles, call to be sent on missions for God, call to live the holy life.

00:27:34.340 - 00:27:56.340

You are called to be saints. As we sing now the hymn of invitation, we extend the privilege of the church to accept Jesus Christ as Lord of your life. [BLANK_AUDIO]