have you ever stopped to wonder what if Jesus is calling you right now not just in some distant far-off place but in the very moment of your life right where you are in our fast-paced often noisy world it's easy to forget that Jesus is actively reaching out to each of us calling us into a deeper more meaningful relationship with him it's a call that Echoes through time and speaks directly to our hearts today we are going to explore this powerful and life-changing invitation Jesus is calling you but what does that really mean and how can
we respond to it in a way that transforms our lives close your eyes if you need to picture Jesus standing right in front of you extending his hand toward you his voice calling your name how would you respond as we dive into this message let's uncover the truth behind this Divine calling and how it can radically change our daily lives we'll look at what the Bible says share stor of those who heard and followed Jesus and consider practical ways we can all respond today the idea that Jesus is calling us might sound abstract at first
after all how can we truly know when he's calling is it just a vague feeling or is it something more specific let's begin by looking at some of the first moments when Jesus called people in the Bible Jesus's Ministry started with a call to those who would become his closest followers in the gospel of Matthew we read the story of how Jesus called called Simon Peter and his brother Andrew as Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew they were casting a net into the
lake for they were fishermen come follow me Jesus said and I will send you out to fish for people at once they left their Nets and followed him Matthew 41820 think about that moment Jesus didn't offer a detailed plan he didn't promise a life of comfort or success by worldly standards he simply called them to follow and they followed Jesus call is not based on our qualifications or our perfect track record it's based on his grace and his desire to be in relationship with us no matter your background your struggles or your doubts Jesus is
Calling You he sees the potential in you that you may not even see in yourself in John 10:27 Jesus says my sheep listen to my voice I know them and they follow me this is one of the clearest ways Jesus describes the relationship he desires with us it's about listening to his voice knowing that he is our Shepherd and trusting that he will lead us to where we need to go so what happens when we respond to Jesus call what does that look like in Practical terms let's look at the story of zakus the tax
collector in Luke 19110 zakus was a man who had everything wealth status power but he was spiritually empty one day when when Jesus entered his town zakus climbed a tree to see him and Jesus saw him he called out zakus come down immediately I must stay at your house today Luke 19:5 zakus a sinner was not the kind of person you'd expect Jesus to call but Jesus knew his heart he knew that zakus needed more than material wealth he needed forgiveness transformation and a relationship with God Jesus's call was personal and life-changing zakus responded by
opening his heart and his home and Jesus said today salvation has come to this house Luke 19:9 this story shows us that Jesus call isn't about our past mistakes or our social standing it's about what he can do in US despite where we've been when we answer his call we open ourselves to the power of His grace and the possibility of true transformation just like zakus you may feel far from God but Jesus is calling you to come closer and when you do he offers you something far greater than anything this world can provide a
relationship with him peace that surpasses understanding and the promise of eternal life you might be asking what does it really mean to follow Jesus in today's world it's one thing to follow him in the first century but what about now the answer is simpler than we might think following Jesus today is about making him the center of our Lives it's about letting his love and his teaching shape our decisions our relationships and our daily actions for example when Jesus calls us to love our neighbors he's asking us to reach out to the people around us
with kindness and compassion in Matthew 22:39 He commands love your neighbor as yourself this can be as simple as checking on a friend who is struggling helping a neighbor with groceries or forgiving someone who has hurt us when Jesus calls us to take up our cross and follow him Matthew 16:24 he's asking us to embrace selflessness and sacrifice putting his will above our own this might look like choosing honesty over convenience standing up for justice or serving others when it's not easy or comfortable Jesus doesn't ask us to do all of this on our own
he empowers us with the Holy Spirit to live out his calling and while the call to follow him may seem daunting at times remember that he is with you every step of the way guiding and strengthening you let's pause for a moment and reflect on some real life stories of people who have answered Jesus call many people in our own time have experienced this powerful invitation from Christ and have had their lives changed forever I want to share with you the story of a woman named Sarah Sarah was stuck in a life of addiction and
hopelessness she tried everything therapy support groups even changing her environment but nothing brought her peace one day she she went to a church service skeptical but curious that day she heard the pastor speak about Jesus's unconditional love and forgiveness she felt like the pastor was speaking directly to her as though Jesus was calling her by name she responded to the invitation to pray and that day everything changed Sarah's life was turned around not because she had all the answers but because she answered the call to let Jesus in this is the power of Jesus's call
it transforms lives in ways we can't even begin to understand and it's not just for people with dramatic stories it's for everyone you don't need to wait for the perfect moment to answer Jesus's call right now in this very moment he is inviting you into a relationship with him so what does it look like to truly respond to jesus' call the first step is to acknowledge that he is calling you if you've never heard his voice before know that he is speaking to you today it might be a quiet whisper in your heart or it
might be a deep stirring in your soul whatever it is take a moment to listen second choose to follow him this doesn't mean Perfection but it means making the choice to follow him one step at a time it means trusting in his goodness and his plan for your life even when things are tough finally share his love with others when Jesus calls us he also sends us the call isn't just for us it's for the world in in Matthew 28:19 Jesus gives the Great Commission go and make disciples of all Nations as followers of Jesus
we are called to share his message of Hope and salvation with those around us Jesus is calling you right here right now will you answer if you've never fully responded to Jesus's call I want to invite you to take that step today maybe you've been hearing his voice for a while but today you feel a deep sense of urgency in your heart now is the time to say yes Lord I will follow you you can start by simply praying this prayer with me Lord Jesus I hear your call I confess that I need you in
my life I believe that you died for my sins and rose again to give me new life today I choose to follow you come into my heart and help me to live for you in your name I pray amen if you prayed that prayer today welcome to the family of God your journey with Jesus is just beginning and it's a journey filled with hope purpose and his never-ending love let's all take a moment to reflect what is Jesus calling me to do today whether it's forgiving someone stepping out in faith or simply spending more time
in prayer I encourage you to take that step Jesus is Calling You will you answer
