I Called ...Part 2

Matthew 22:14, “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Mark 13:36, “Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.”

We dealt yesterday with those that are called to the marriage supper, but will be cast out simply because they tried to wear their own garments, or because they never would heed the call. Today I would like to deal with the second verse I gave. Here Christ is speaking of someone that has answered the call, but has become slack in Him, and let themselves fall asleep. Christ is here dealing with somebody that has answered the call of the born again experience, and has chosen the wedding garment, and has even probably come to a place of leadership over others. So He isn’t simply dealing with sinners and saints now, as was yesterdays writing, but now He is speaking directly to those that have come to know Him. All throughout Mark chapter 13, Christ is speaking about the end of time. He speaks of many being deceived, of false prophets running through the land wildly, of wars, earthquakes, famines, all kinds of trouble on the earth. Then we come to our text at the end of the chapter, where Christ is speaking to those that know Him. He speaks of Himself as a man that was to go to a far country, and leave His work in the care of others, but leaving with them a command to be always doing it. Then He says to be always on the watch, and always doing His work, for those servants don’t know when He is coming back again. So we can understand that by this parable, He is speaking of us as the servants. We are to always be doing His business, and always loving Him, for He will come again, and “lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping.” Christ is not merely speaking of sleeping in death, but speaking of those that are spiritually asleep, while they should have been at work with His business.

Now, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 says, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” By this verse we see that Christ is once more going to make call. But this call will be not one of pleading to come to Him! Nor will it be a call to get it right and fulfill His business! No! It will be too late on that day to answer either of those calls! Today is the day for that. That call will be “come up hither!”

Beloved, the rapture of the Church is by no means far away. Christ is coming with a shout, and you better be doing His business when He comes, “Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.” Better wake up now! Get back to His business! You sure don’t want to hear the words uttered from the lips of God, “I called, but you were asleep. I called, but you could not hear, for you was away from my business, and playing in flesh. I called, AND YOU WAS ASLEEP! I CALLED, AND YOU MISSED THE RAPTURE. …I CALLED.”