Summary:
There are 4 types of calling:

1. From above: Seize hold of the opportunity to preach while we still have time! Not only our time is limited, the time of others is limited too! No one can guarantee they’ll live the next day.
2. From below: Can we bear if our family and friends are amongst those who cry out pitifully from below after the Last Day?
3. From external: Singapore church lacks full time workers to succeed the work. Have we heard the Macedonian call to preach salvation?
4. From within: “Woe to me if I do not preach!” Do these words resonate with us?

Everyday, men hear different types of calling. All these voices come from our vicinity. At home, we may hear the scolding voices of parents. At the office, we may hear bosses screaming at their subordinates. Of course these voices are hard to bear. Besides voices we can hear within our vicinity, there are some voices from within, and yet are still able to be heard. Some voices carry a coherent message. For example, the cry of suffering of another would reach our hearts. This is because human beings have empathy. Consider a child attending school for the first time. Because they aren’t used to being away from their parents, they would cry. There are some children who normally wouldn’t cry, but seeing the others cry, they are influenced to cry as well. The crying is contagious. Why? Because they, too, realise they would be away from their parents. Callings/voices, whether outside or within us, can be felt by us. As Christians, we ought to listen to 4 types of calling, as they have an intricate relationship with our lives. If we miss it, it would seriously affect our lives, and not just this, our eternal lives as well.

1. The calling from above

This calling is from the gospel. The world needs to listen to the calling of the gospel; they require salvation. We see many calamities today; the Last Days are drawing near. Many people are unwilling to lose their lives. There are wars, pestilences, disasters. People cry out for help. But who listens to their calls? Who will bring them out of danger? The Lord Jesus. He can bring us peace in the turbulence of the world. In turbulent times, wealth may not be sufficient. A man who contracted COVID-19 threw his money into the street. “Since I’m dying, what use is the money I have?”

There are people whose cries to heaven are voiceless. Who can help them?

As Christians, we have already heard the calling of the gospel. We need to pass this message to others so that they can receive salvation.

Mark 16:15-16
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

We are clear this voice comes from heaven. All Christians ought to cry this message out to everyone, because the gospel is meant to be proclaimed. As we listen to the message to God, we ought to know a response is expected of us; action is required of us. Let us not give the excuse that we aren’t able to do it because we lack time.

Acts 26:19-20
Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.

Paul witnessed to King Agrippa that when he was called, he heard a voice from heaven. Thereafter, he proclaimed the voice of salvation. He did not disobey the heavenly vision, and we observe how Paul was diligent in preaching the gospel in his whole life. Why? He wanted others to be like him - hearing the voice of heaven freed him from the grip of Satan! When Paul bore this testimony, he had believed in Jesus Christ for quite a while. But time didn’t erode his gratefulness to the word of salvation. Even when the environment was bad, he was beaten and persecuted, he wasn’t discouraged from doing the work of the gospel.

How about us? What we have received and heard is also from heaven. Do we have Paul’s spirit to endure to the end? To testify of the gospel of salvation? Or has time deteriorated our zeal to preach? Time is indeed a great test to our willingness to preach the gospel, especially when we face a lot of problems and difficulties. But let us not forget: time reminds us, there is not much time left. Recognise that men have limited time. This is why we have to seize hold of the opportunity to preach while we still have time! Paul recognised he had limited time. Not only our time is limited, the time of others is limited too! No one can guarantee they’ll live the next day. The explosion in Lebanon that happened a few days ago was terrifying. By-standers standing afar did not expect the might of the explosion to be so great, the impact killed them too. Who can hold on to their lives? All those people had dreams; they had plans. But the next voice that came to them was one that required their lives.

Since we know man has limited time, as Christians, we ought to listen to the voice from heaven. Always seize hold of the opportunity to preach the gospel to those who have yet to believe. If we are not able to listen to the voice from above, let’s listen to the next type of calling. But it doesn’t come from above, and is actually something we hope we won’t hear, because it comes from below.

2. The calling from below

Luke 16:27-28
Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’

Jesus spoke the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. He reminded His disciples and others who were listening about the voice from below. Regardless of whether we believe or don’t believe, we will die if we don’t resolve the issue of sin. Sin will result in death and torment in hell. There would be no chance for salvation. When the rich man was in Hades, he regretted how he led his life. He was now in torment forever and couldn’t even have a drop of water to quench his thirst. He therefore cried out for the voice of salvation. Abraham said he had the opportunity to respond to the voice of salvation then, but because he ignored it, his cries would not go to God anymore. Such cries are very pitiable. There are many pitiable cries in the world as well. But the salvation of God can bring these pitiable cries to an end. They would have joy and comfort in the end. But the cries from below won’t end; it will be torment forever. Their cries of pity will be forever and it will never be resolved. The Lord Jesus Christ wants us to recognise this. Although we may be like Lazarus who suffered in this world, let’s remember these cries of suffering will end one day. Let us not be like this rich man. He didn’t want others to be like him either! That’s why he requested Abraham to send Lazarus to inform his brothers.

Have we heard the voice from below? Do we want our family and friends to be amongst those who cry out pitifully? As Christians, can we disregard this voice? Do we not want to warn others so they can have salvation?

Preaching the gospel is not a simple task. We may have spent a lot of time and effort, but let’s not be discouraged. Continue preaching. Continue keeping them in prayer. Seize hold of every opportunity and time to preach. Perhaps we may need to employ some methods. For example, we can share our personal testimonies to our family, deliberately or not. Perhaps we can leave church materials around the house. Importantly, pray fervently and unceasingly for them.

After we have listened to the voice from above, not only must we preach this gospel, we must make changes to our lives. Otherwise, we’d be a stumbling block to them.

1 Pet 3:1-2
Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.

Elder Peter exhorted Christian wives whose spouses had not believed yet; their husbands didn’t want to listen to the gospel. Sometimes actions speak louder than words. Because the wives were of good conduct after believing in the gospel, this moved their unbelieving husbands to believe. Are we able to demonstrate such good conduct? God is invisible, but can others see Him through our behaviour? Many Christians are active in church work and church activities. But let’s not just keep amongst ourselves; don’t neglect our family, friends and loved ones outside of church. We don’t want the voices that come from below to be that of our loved ones.

Some people say they have a closer relationship with their friends as compared to their family. Why is this the case? Often because we can’t choose our family. Whether we like them or not, we are born into this family. But we can choose our friends, and ‘unfriend’ those we don’t like. We may choose our friends, but we shouldn’t preach with such a perspective. All people need the gospel. Whether family or friends, people we like or don’t like, all need they gospel.

What changes can we make in our lives after we have received the gospel? Can the way we lead our lives bring others to the voice above and save them from being amongst one of the voices below?

Christ can change our lives. We are imperfect but if we are resolved, God can help us. It’s worrying if we don’t listen to both the calling from above, and the calling from below. We might become one of them who calls from below. When preaching the gospel, we don’t know whom God will choose, but we have to put in our effort.

A testimony from Pr Ho Jung Yu:
He preached to an elderly person struck with cancer. He listened to the voice from above. In the most crucial part, he received the Holy Spirit and was baptised into Christ later on. We thank God he would not be amongst the voices crying from below.

The speaker shares:
“When I preach the gospel, I have come across people who don’t receive it. Some were in the terminal phase of their lives but still weren’t willing to receive the gospel. It was so unfortunate and regrettable, but this shouldn’t cause us to give up preaching.”

3. The calling from the external (the Macedonian call)

Acts 16:9-10
And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.

While Paul was going around to preach, he saw a vision of a Macedonian man calling him. This is a voice that’s external which represents geographical areas that have yet to hear the word of God. Actually, we have insufficient workers around the world. Now, we aren’t able to go to other countries to preach because of the pandemic. Nevertheless, we ought to prepare ourselves so that when there is the opportunity, we will be ready to testify, so that the whole world may be able to listen to the gospel of salvation. Have we heard the Macedonian call? Singapore church lacks full time workers to succeed the work. Have we heard the calling?

We ought to possess the spirit of our early workers 100 years ago. Today, we have the financial ability to go to other countries. We have visited many places, but not to preach the gospel. We regret when we miss out getting to go to a place, but do we regret when we miss out preaching at a certain place?

An elder in Malaysia was motivated to go to Bangladesh to preach the word. He responded to the Macedonian calling. When people were receptive, they called for more workers to help. This elder who was 70+ year old was willing to do this. As the country is against Christianity, they weren’t able to get baptised in the day, or they may get killed! Furthermore, the river waters were very swift so they had to tie ropes around those who were to be baptised, lest they get swept away by the waters.

Listen to the Macedonian call. Listen to the external voice.

4. The calling from within (internal)

1 Cor 9:16
For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!

Have we heard the warning voice of Paul? “Woe to me if I do not preach!”

God has laid this responsibility on us. If we do not, we will be punished.

Prov 24:10-12
If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small. Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?

This tests the true character of a person. If he becomes faint in the day of adversity and has small strength, it reflects a lack of responsibility. God judges us according to our conscience; He knows our hearts. Depend on God’s strength to accomplish what we ought to.

The speaker’s testimony:
When I tried to preach to my father, it was a great struggle for me. He was an atheist. He never discussed anything spiritual since I was young. It was difficult to preach. But a brother told me I ought to pray for him unceasingly. One day, he was struck with colon cancer. I asked him whether he would want to come to church for service. Because of his sickness, he was willing to come with me. The first time, he did not have much reaction. The second time he came, my faith in Jesus was so small. I thought: “How can my father believe?” I asked my father, “Would you like to pray with us?” He agreed. I told Jesus I didn’t know how to preach to my father. And then clear as day, I heard him speak in tongues beside me!

Jesus came to save mankind. Why do we not have faith?

My father received baptism thereafter. A person you would not expect to believe, came to believe. My father even said, “How can there be so many gods? There’s only one God!”

Today, he is in hospital and in poor condition. He vomited a lot of blood yesterday. The doctor said there is not much they could do. But I am not worried. Right now, my father is listening to this sermon in the hospital. I tell him that he will join my mother soon, because he has the Holy Spirit. He said, “I’m not worried. It’ll be good to sleep and go to the Lord.”

The reason I bear this testimony is to glorify God and to share that the voice within me was initially very weak. But it’s through the strength of the Lord Jesus Christ that I responded.

Recognise all of us will leave this world one day. When we do, would we have a clear conscience when facing Jesus Christ? Would we have peace in meeting Him? When we die and open our eyes again, would we hear the gentle voice of Jesus or the pitiable cries below?

Have we heard the voice from above, from below, from the external, and from within us?

John 9:4
I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.

Jesus reminds us we have to listen to this calling. If we are still not preaching the gospel today, what are we waiting for?

Only when we listen to these 4 callings can we be reunited with Jesus Christ.