Fulfilling the Christian Calling

I've met a lot of people in my life, but I have never ever met a person who did not want to be happy. Maybe some of you have, but I've never yet met a person who did not want to be happy. But I have met people who have given up on ever being happy. In fact, I've met quite a few, sadly, through the years who've given up on being happy. They've either lost the way or given up on trying to find the way. I have found that fears, failings, frustrations have a way of shutting people down, don't they? And shutting people down into resignation, defeatism. But you know, it's really quite simple. Happiness is an equation. People don't think of it as an equation. They just think of it as, oh, a product, a wonderful thing to have. But they don't think of it as an equation, or that happiness is the product of an equation. And it's a very simple equation. It's interesting that the things that really matter and that really count, and that really work, are many times quite simple. That's not the difficulty.

People think if something's really important and really worthwhile, there's got to be some complexity to it. It's got to be more of a challenge to be able to get it. Well, the challenge is not in the simplicity or the complexion. It's simply in the exercising the equation. But it's a very simple equation. They're very special in a very true equation. True happiness, and I emphasize true. True happiness is the product of this true equation. And this happiness equation is found in John 13 and verse 17. John 13 and verse 17.

At the end of the foot washing, Jesus said to his twelve, If you know these things, happy are you if you do them. If you know these things, happy are you if you do them.

And notice it's put in an equation format. Notice the equation here. Happy, which is what every human wants to be. Happy are you if, and there's that conditional if, you know and do.

In the Good News Bible, it puts it this way, Now that you know this truth, how happy you will be if you put it into practice. So, know and do. Knowledge and doing. Aware and practicing. Awareness and practice. Putting into practice what you are aware of. Acting upon the knowledge that you're given. In the human arena, human affairs, human thoughts, sometimes it's thought ignorance is bliss. What I don't know can't hurt me. And maybe there's sometimes and some things that we know we wish we didn't know. But ignorance is never bliss.

People pay for what they don't know. You start to go through a green light because you got the right away, and you don't know somebody's running the light to your right. You pay the price. You get slammed. You're in the intersection when they're running the light. And I got blindsided by a van one time. Couldn't see what was coming from the right. The light went green and I pulled out. And the van that was beside me, we were on like double lanes intersection with kind of like a four-lane intersection.

And as the van went forward to my right and I went forward, the light's green, I couldn't see past the van. He had me blocked. And all of a sudden, he braked and swerved. And I'm out there exposed and I get broadsided by a lady. She didn't get hurt and I didn't get hurt. Total the car. Total my car at the time. But I didn't know she was coming and that ignorance wasn't bliss. It cost me. People pay for what they don't know.

Remember that Scripture in Hosea? You would no need to turn there, but Hosea 4 and verse 6, where God said in Hosea 4 and verse 6, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. We see a whole nation being destroyed for lack of knowledge. Even the simple, sound, basic moral values and the knowledge and understanding of them is being lost. Ignorance is never bliss. And neither is knowledge. People say, okay, ignorance is not bliss. Well, maybe knowledge is bliss.

No. Knowledge isn't either. See, knowledge alone carries no value. This book, this Bible, I'm led up there. That is, if it's anything, it's a book of knowledge. I can take that and I can lay it on a shelf somewhere. I can let it collect dust. Whether it's dusty, never opened, or it's opened, it's knowledge. But knowledge alone carries no validity. I don't know if the devil has a Bible or not, but I can guarantee you he knows everything that is said in the Bible. He's a spirit being, perfect memory, perfect memory, able to, you want to call it a photographic mind, however you want to express it.

He knows everything in that Bible. Knowledge alone carries no validity. Knowledge by itself serves no purpose. The Bible does no good for the devil. No good at all. Knowledge by itself serves no purpose. Knowledge just for knowledge's sake only produces no positive fruit. You think about it.

Well, I want to know what's there just to know it. But if you want to know it, it's good to want to know it, but why do you want to know it? Knowledge just for knowledge's sake only produces no positive fruit. What's it for? It's for doing. It's for doing.

It's for putting into practice. For taking what is there, putting it into practice, it's for performance. Knowledge is for enabling one to perform accurately and effectively, isn't it? I mean, look at the job field. Look at the job force. Look at, look at, you know, somebody wants to go down here to Toyota and work as a mechanic back in the service department.

What training do you have? What knowledge do you have? Well, well, nine. I'll learn on the job. Yeah, but how many engines will you mess up in the process? The transmissions will you ruin? And all of that. They have to go. They have to get certified. They have to get training.

It's for enabling a person to be able to perform accurately and effectively in purpose. We're beings made to need purpose. To operate in purpose, to operate with perspective, to operate in direction. Knowledge is meant to be put to use and unused knowledge, unused knowledge is worthless. You ever stop to think about how when Lucifer was created, he was trained at God's throne. There was no necessary knowledge he needed to have that he wasn't given.

He was given all necessary knowledge. How much of that knowledge was actually used? How much of that knowledge did he put into practice? Obviously, he chose not to put huge amounts of important knowledge into proper use of purpose and perspective and direction. Unused knowledge is worthless. It doesn't accomplish that for which it was given. And it could even be dangerous. 1 Corinthians 8. And this is something that we always have to bear in mind as God's people. It could even be dangerous. In 1 Corinthians 8, verse 1, Paul writes, "...now as touching things offered to idols..." And that's not the subject I'm going to get off into, no.

We know that we all have knowledge. He uses this to illustrate something. We all have knowledge. But then he puts this major caution on knowledge. Knowledge puffs up. But agape, or love, edifies. Edifies means builds. Knowledge puffs up, but charity, or agape, or love, it builds. It's positive. I've known people who were given God's knowledge, and they got all puffed up over it. I've known people who, the more education they got, the more prideful they became. It is true. What Paul speaks of is, it is true as a general thing that knowledge does puff up.

And so, seeking knowledge and wanting knowledge is good. But it must be processed properly and not be allowed to puff one up. Now again, the Good News Bible puts it this way. It is true, of course, that all of us have knowledge, as they say. Such knowledge puffs a person with pride. And of course, as I would add, pride destroys always.

So obviously, the answer here is not to avoid knowledge. Right. Think about it. We just read Hosea 4.6. We quoted it and then turned back to it. But my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. So, you can be destroyed for lack of knowledge, but also you can let knowledge mess you up too. You can become prideful over it. Obviously, the answer is not to avoid knowledge, because again, the lack of knowledge also destroys. But the answer is the responsible use of knowledge.

Responsible use of knowledge through proper practice in your life, not letting it lie idle. Putting it into practice. That's what gives it life. Makes it vibrant. Obviously, happiness, the equation, begins with knowledge. Remember, if you know, Christ spent three and a half years giving knowledge to the disciples. If you know these things, but just as obviously it doesn't stop there, happy are you if you do them, put them into practice. You might do a little study on your own sometime. Look at how often conditions, promises, blessings hinge on that conditional word, if you will receive this, if this will happen for you, if you will be blessed, if I will give you this, if that little conditional word is very instrumental in God's word and with His knowledge.

Happy are you if you do them, you put them into practice, you're going to receive the product of, guess what, happiness. Over my lifetime, I've never lost the desire to be happy. I've never lost the sight of the value of being happy. Has every moment of my life been happy? No. Has every moment of your life been happy? No. Do you expect that every moment from here on out will be just filled with happiness? No. Why not? Because you'll make mistakes. I'll make mistakes. There'll be oversights, undersights, tiredness, weirdness, different things.

There'll be different things to deal with. But understanding what gives true happiness and where it comes from and practicing that, you're ahead of the game. You're ahead of the game. See, true happiness is the product of an equation that involves the true knowledge of God. And again, I emphasize the word true, true happiness. The true knowledge that God gives because true happiness can come only from God. Think about it. Could it be? Is it possible? Is it ever possible for true happiness to come from any place other than God? And when I say from God, I'm talking about God's knowledge, God's ways, God's understanding, God's practices.

True happiness can come only from God. It's a product that comes as a result of our proper endeavor with God. Our proper endeavor with God from yielding and cooperating with God as He does His work in us. It's a byproduct of a spiritual work that's being done in us. And I didn't say just happiness. I said true happiness. It's a byproduct of the spiritual work that God is doing in us, and it can come no other way.

Let's stop and consider something.

Man was created with a certain potential, wasn't he? Every human being is created with a certain potential. Now, it doesn't matter if the person is aware of that potential or not. It's there. Period. It's there. And whether he's aware or not, whether he ignores it or he doesn't, it's there. That's reality. That potential is there.

That potential has to do with his whole purpose for existing, for having been created, for drawing breath, for having life, for humankind, mankind having been created, for human beings having been brought into existence.

Without that particular potential, there'd be no human beings. There'd be no mankind. There'd be no reason to have such. Without that potential, there'd be no validity, no validation, no reason, no purpose for existing. If it weren't for that potential, God would never have undertaken the creation of the human race. He would not have brought us into being, into existence. It is most basic to what we are and are comprised of as a human being.

It's most basic. It is that potential that God ultimately taps into with all mankind.

In this age, with the few he calls, which are called firstfruits, in the millennium with everybody during that time, and then in the last great day, bringing up all the billions of uncalled of this age and bringing them up then to tap into that potential so that when it's all said and done, that potential, which lies in every human being, will be tapped into by God through His plan of salvation.

Our existence, yours and mine, is in an envelope of air with oxygen in it, in a bombing of water, we're about two-thirds water, and food we eat, and our relationships with each other, and with our five senses, a very materialistic existence in terms of the realm of matter. And we see out from our eyes all that's around us, and yet there was a time when none of this and us existed, and there was God, and there was the Word who was also God, and there was a time when, and we don't know how long and how many discussions that it took on their part and their planning, but there was a time when they made a decision to create an eternal family, and the means by which they would accomplish that, and it would go through the realm of matter, through physical family first, physical human beings. And if they were going to have a family that would be children of the father and younger brothers and sisters of Christ, if they were going to have such family, they wanted beings that would reflect them. They wanted beings that would be like them. They wanted beings they could see eye to eye with, because how do you walk for eternity with someone you don't see eye to eye with? Can two walk together except to be agreed? Amos 3-3. They wanted beings that would be like them, so they knew they would have to create human beings with the potential to be made like themselves. So God created us with the purpose of becoming a like product, to where in the whole process we could be more and more like they are, that we might become His sons and daughters forever in His family throughout all eternity. And God created us so that we could be or become God-like. God-like. End the sermon on the Mount. And by the way, this is fulfilling your Christian calling, Part 3. In the sermon on the Mount in chapter 5, Jesus told them, if this doesn't mean to become God-like, then explain to me what it does mean.

Chapter 5, Matthew 5, verse 48. Verse 48. Be or become you therefore perfect. That's complete. That's mature. Even as your Father, which is in heaven, is perfect or complete or mature.

Imitate. Become like your Father, which is in heaven. Become God-like.

And we could also say Christ-like, because in Galatians 4.19, Paul talked about laboring like a woman labors in childbirth until Christ be formed in them.

Till Christ be formed in them. So you can say God-like. You can say Christ-like. Really, it's one and the same, because Christ is the fitting, exact image of the character of the Father.

Now, we do have a term that we do use to refer to the tapping of this potential. As I said, every human being is born with this potential. And it's just the first fruits that are worked with now, middle fruits of the millennium and then the last fruits, the latter fruits of the last great day. But we refer to the tapping of this potential as our calling. Our calling, because that's what we're called to. Our calling. We refer to the successful endeavor of developing the potential as fulfilling our calling. When you know, when you see, when you understand, when you've been called, God is tapping into that potential and monitoring it and exercising it now, accessing it now, activating it now. And then the successful endeavor of developing this potential, that's what we can refer to as fulfilling our calling, filling full. I like to just flip the words many times because this one word made up of two, fulfilling. Just separate full and filling and flip it, filling full, our calling. That's what it's talking about. Filling full, our calling to become Christlike. See, the true Christian is on a mission.

They're on a personal mission to become Christlike. They're on a personal mission to become Godlike. And it's interesting, you could have 10 people walking side by side, each on a personal mission to become Godlike, Christlike. And if one of them decides not to do it, to bow out on it, the other nine cannot make up for that person's failure to be on a personal mission to become Godlike. The nine could be Godlike, and if the tenth one decides not to be Godlike, they cannot in any way stand in for him. It's a personal mission to become Christlike. The true Christian is on a personal mission that taps into and develops his or her potential, his purpose and reason for being. The true Christian is on a personal mission that validates his existence. If Michael the angel, or Gabriel, had said, God, now you've told us you're going to create human beings, a new species, a new creation, human beings. Now, why are you doing that? Well, I really don't have any real reason. I just, a little bit bored and thought it'd be a nice thing to do, to have some critters running around down there and put on a good show for me, entertain me, whatever. You mean there's not really any real reason other than just maybe entertainment on a global stage for you? No, that's it. There's no real reason.

Then, what true validation would there be for our existence?

There wouldn't be. Now, I'm talking a little foolishly only in the sense that we know why we were created.

God would express to Michael or Gabriel, and we don't know some of the chronologies. Let's put it that way. But we do know that since God created mankind to be the means by which and through, He would develop sons and daughters.

That validates the existence of mankind. That's the reason. That's the validity, the validation for having mankind. That being true, then the true Christian is the one on a personal mission to fulfill their calling, which personally does validate their existence. If I'm in pursuit of that, I am validating my existence. If I'm not in pursuit of that, I am not validating my existence. But on a personal mission to become God-like, that validates one's existence and leads to life eternal in and through Jesus Christ.

Therefore, it should follow suit in terms of happiness. Can you separate true happiness from your calling? Think about that. Maybe I should reward it this way. How can you separate true happiness from your calling? I don't think it's possible. How can you draw a distinction between true happiness and fulfilling your calling? How can you separate between the issue of true happiness and the successful fulfilling of your Christian calling? Because they're inseparably tied together. Hand in glove, as we say. Here in Matthew 5, let me read verses 3-9. Let's scan it quickly.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.

This is all God-like. This is all Christ-like. This is what we're called to. This is what we're called to become and be. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall seek God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. Now, I like the word blessed. It is the Greek word in Strong's Exhaustive, 3107, 3107, 3107. Makarios, m-a-k-a-r-i-o-s, m-a-k-a-r-i-o-s, makarios.

They translated this, when it was translated, they translated that word as blessed, which is accurate. It's not inaccurate, but there's two prime words that this Greek word means, and they could have chosen the other one if they had chosen to. The other word is happy.

Happy. If you were to read it with the other word, and it's just as accurate as the word blessed, happy are the poor in spirit. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Tremendous reward coming.

Happy are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Happy are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth while happy are they which have appetite, who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Happy are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Happy are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Happy are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. Think about it. Look at the benefit of being that which God says be. Look at the benefits. Look at what the benefits are. The kingdom, comfort, inheritance, fill, satisfied, being shown mercy, getting to see God, to have an eye-to-eye personal relationship with God right there with Him for eternity, to be called as children. Those are things that make for happiness. How could you not be happy with those things? It's just interesting that this could very well have been translated happy because that's what it's talking about.

Blessed because you're going to be happy. Happy because you're blessed. Blessed. That's a good state to be in. Christ is saying this is a good state. Blessed. It's a good state because it has to do with happiness. This is a good state to be in. It's blessed. Your attention to this, your pursuit of these seven, etc., etc., it's a good condition to be in. It is a condition of happiness. It's a condition that generates happiness, true happiness. And this brings up an interesting observation. As I said, I've never run into a person who didn't want to be happy.

I have never run into a person who was just absolutely miserable and said, I am so happy being so miserable. I just love being miserable. You're dealing with a nut job, if that's the case. And I should assume there's probably something like that out there in the woodwork. But here's an interesting thing about happiness. You don't have to worry about being happy. That may sound odd, because it's in our makeup to want to be happy.

And how many people do worry about being happy? You don't have to concern yourself with such specific pursuit. You don't have to concern yourself with that.

You know what you have to do? And I'm speaking to Christians, true Christians. Set yourself.

Set yourself. Resolve for yourself to fulfill your Christian calling.

Those things listed there from verses 3 through 9, set yourself to fulfill your Christian calling. And guess what happens? You automatically, happiness will automatically take care of itself. Set yourself to fulfill your Christian calling. Happiness will automatically take care of itself, because true happiness is generated out of that endeavor with God.

Forget trying to be happy. Just don't worry about being happy. Just put yourself to the fulfilling of your Christian calling, and true happiness is going to come. And it's going to come in measure to your success in becoming Christ-like. Because the more Christ-like you are, and the more God-like you are, the happier you'll be. You ever just stop and say, hey, God the Father must be the happiest person in eternity. And of course, exactly like Him, then that would be Christ at His right hand. They are happy beings. They're full of happiness. And they are. They are.

And the more we become God-like and Christ-like through setting ourselves to fulfilling the Christian calling, then the more that true happiness is going to automatically be a part of us.

True happiness comes with first things first. That's the pattern that works.

You know, a skylight, I don't know how many people I have visited, counseled, and especially in terms of new people over my lifetime. But I don't know how many times I would, in dealing with a new person, I would run into somebody who was saved. Well, when I get everything in order, when I get this taken care of and I get that taken care of, I'll be a church with you.

When I get this in order in my life, I'll get baptized. When I get this, I'll be with you.

Almost never, ever see them. Because, well, I've got to get this worked out first. I've got to get that worked out first. Well, why don't you step out on what you do know and start doing? Well, yeah, but I've got to get this over here taken care of. And when I get it taken care of, I'll call you. I'm going to want to go forward. And most of the time, never hear from them.

It is interesting that true happiness comes with putting first things first. Start stepping out on what you know to do and start doing it. And things begin to fall in place. And also, when I say first things first, you are beginning to make the effort to put God first in your life. You're beginning to make the effort to obey the greatest commandment. You're beginning to put things in order in the right way, first things first. And that's the pattern that works because that's the pattern that places the realities in their proper order. And it allows God to give His full backing. And only where God's backing is, is God's true happiness found. Okay, let's look at another aspect.

Let's consider this.

Could one be ignorant of or ignore His reason for being and truly be happy?

Could one either be ignorant of or ignore His reason for being and truly be happy?

The answer is no. And that would apply to the called. That would apply to the uncalled.

The uncalled can be ignorant of their real reason for existing. They've got their ideas, but their ideas don't match up with the truth of the Bible. They could be ignorant of it.

But then, one who is called of God could ignore their calling.

Either way, could such a person, called or uncalled, be truly happy? No, not really.

Could one be unaware of the real reason why He was brought into existence and yet experienced true happiness? I don't think so. Could one's most basic purpose, most basic potential, one's most basic calling, be unattended to due to not knowing or due to not being aware and one be truly happy?

I think not. Can the heart and core of our very reason for existing, for drawing breath, be unknown, be unattended to, undeveloped, and yet the product that goes with such development through happiness be truly experienced? I think not.

But I'll tell you what I do think. I think that people in general experience some happiness. Yes. I think that people in general experience some happiness.

And that there is a certain quote, and I put it in quotes, a certain quote, happiness, as we define it, based on good times.

Can people have good times uncalled? Yes, absolutely.

Can they have good family times? Yes, absolutely. Can they practice certain basic, just basic values and basic things of God that are very basic, that you don't have to be called to experience and know? Yes.

Certain happiness is defined as physical comforts, pleasures, health. You know, if you have good health and you feel good, that is a blessing.

And that does add positive to your daily life, doesn't it? How about goals reached, where people set goals and maybe work hard and have good, strong, godly work ethic.

And they achieve certain goals, and they really feel good about them.

And they have other challenges that they rise to the occasion or they meet. And again, I've mentioned already in all your relationships, those are things that are part of the human fabric.

And can there be a certain measure of elements of happiness and all through those things?

Yeah, yeah, we don't deny that. But in their heart of hearts, they know something is missing.

In their heart of hearts, they know something is lacking. They know something is unfulfilled.

Something is going, or that is, it's left unsatisfied. There is a soul hunger.

There is a soul hunger that goes unfulfilled, unanswered, unattended, and unsatisfied.

And consciously or unconsciously, substitutes are sought.

And though a measure of what people may many times define as happiness is achieved, it's not deep, it's not true, it's not lasting, and it certainly can be taken away from them.

It can be taken away from them by events, experiences, other people, situations.

Even in their best state, they sense that something is beyond them.

Have you ever seen somebody, you know, with hologram or whatever, but a kid trying to reach out and grab something it can't get a hold of?

And a lot of times, humans, they reach for something that they can't quite grasp. They know that there is something missing, that something is beyond them, that it's just out of reach, that there's more, but that for whatever reason, they can't find it, or they can't have it. And so, many just pragmatically, and I've seen this, I have seen this especially in society with human beings as they age and get older in this age.

The young are idealistic. The world is their oyster.

They're going to conquer the world. They're going to meet all the challenges. They're going to have the dream life they want. You know, they're idealistic, and that's fine. It's part of youth, and it's not that that's wrong. It's just not as realistic as reality will show them in time. But then, as people go through life with all they have to deal with, and all that happens, and fears, and failures, and frustrations, and again, wanting to be happy, but finding that any deep measure of happiness seems to be so elusive. So many eventually just pragmatically resign themselves to just accepting things as they are, as the best they can be. And this is as happy as I'm going to be.

Yeah, I'm kind of miserable, but I could be more miserable. And they just kind of resign themselves to accepting things as they are and doing the best they can, and frankly, not worrying about the issue. But you and I have no blockage in front of us.

You and I don't have a veil in front of us. The world lives behind the veil. You and I don't.

God has called us. He's called us, and He'll help us to fulfill our calling.

And of course, again, what those examples I've used are experiencing, they are experiencing their potential untapped. You and I are experiencing our potential tapped. And by processing properly with God, because we've been called and they haven't, you and I have a chance to have truly true happiness. They haven't been called, therefore, both fulfilling of a calling and true happiness is going to have to wait for them.

How long one may have to wait, we don't know. Some of the ones you love may yet be called in this age before it wraps up. And if none of the ones you love are called yet in this age, they'll all be called in the last great day. But how long one may have to wait, we don't know. As we look at any individual, we just don't know. Think about that. We don't know.

The guy at the cashier at the gas station, or you get gas, or if you do the self-checkout at Walmart, the monitor that's monitoring that area, or who you pass on the street today on your way home. We don't know when God is going to choose to call an individual. We don't know which individuals right now God may be calling right now at this point that we know or we don't know at all. We just don't know. But I want you to consider something. Here in Matthew, I'm still here with my Bible open to chapter 5.

On this spread, and my Bible is right here in front of me, is chapter 4. Consider chapter 4. And let's pick it up in verse 12. Matthew 4 and verse 12.

Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee, and leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the seacoast and the borders of Zebulun and Nepthali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet saying, The land of Zebulun and the land of Nepthali, by the way of the sea, be on Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. Notice specifically verse 16. 16. The people which sat in darkness saw great light.

The people without knowledge, without understanding, uncalled, saw great light. And to them which sat in the region and shadow of death, not just the region and shadow of death in the sense of under Roman rule, but the region and shadow of death.

It was a poor time economically and health-wise, and there was a lot of death. There was a lot of sickness. There was a lot of disease. And not to mention being under the second death, which obviously is not carried out until the plan of salvation is finished. And just like the second death has been lifted off of you through Christ, there has come a time of opportunity to be lifted off of them as well.

But notice, light is sprung up. The people which sat, King James puts it very well, the people which sat in darkness. Have you ever been in a place where darkness was so deep that you just stayed right where you were? You couldn't move because you could see nothing, and you might get yourself hurt if you moved. It's like a paralysis. It's like being paralyzed, almost. The people which sat in darkness saw great light. And to them that sat in the region and shut of death, light is sprung up. Sat as opposed to walked. The implications of being trapped, resigned, expecting of their situation. No place to go. Knowing nothing better, resigned.

And then they see this great light spring up.

So verse 25, so they followed that light. They weren't called. Their potential wasn't tapped into at that time. Oh, there were probably some among them, some few that would be tapped into during Christ's ministry or in the days that would come after the church began. But there followed Him.

They followed Him. Great multitudes of people from Galilee to Capitalists from Jerusalem, and from Judea and beyond Jordan. And as I pointed out at a previous time, seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain away from them. And when He was set, His disciples came to Him.

Followed Him because Christ was the bright light that shows up the darkness.

You know, John 1 in verse 5, I'll just flip over there. I'm coming back, I believe, to Matthew.

But in John 1 and verse 5, it says, and again in the King James, And the light shines in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.

Obviously, they didn't really comprehend. They saw the light, but they didn't really comprehend it because they weren't called. And those that become Christ-like, those that are truly attending to their calling, guess what they do? They begin to light up with the light of Christ. I go back to Matthew 5. Those that attend to their calling and begin to fulfill it and begin to be Christ-like, the great light, they begin to light up as lesser light with the light of Christ. Matthew 5 verses 14 through 16.

You are, verse 14, you are the light of the world.

The city set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither demand light a candle, put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it gives light unto all that are in the house.

Let your light so shine. They saw great light.

Be Christ-like. Happy are you, happy are you, happy are you, happy are you, happy are you, happy are you, all these things. And the result is you're becoming God-like, Christ-like, and the great light that they saw and they followed. You're a lesser light, but because you're God-like and Christ-like, the light of Christ shines in you. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father, which is in heaven.

And part of that glow is a true happiness that shows.

I've had people tell me. I'm talking about people that weren't in the church. I've had people tell me and I've had people say about me. There's something different about him. And they weren't talking about me being weird or anything. There's something different about him.

And there have been many a time, whether I was in a suit or overalls, blue jeans, casual. I've had total strangers come up to me and say, you're a preacher, aren't you? Yeah. But when did you think I was? Well, there's just a certain calmness about you, a certain peace, a certain something there that, you know, do a little exercise sometimes. Go to Walmart. That's a good place to really experience the common man. And just look at the faces of everybody that you see. Just walk around the store and go when there's a pretty busy shopping time. You get to see more.

And look how worn and tired and down so many people are. It's not a happy group of people.

It's a struggling group of people with fears and frustrations and grasping at what little straws of happiness they think will give them happiness as they can. Part of that glow in us is a true happiness that shows there's something different about us. There's a peace, there's a purpose, there's a commitment. And I've had people say, I don't know how it's there, but I sense a deep inner peace and happiness. And then they kind of poignantly express, I wish I had it. How can I have it? And you can't give what can't be received.

I've had some say, you know, I'd have a discussion with them that say, I'm going to look into this. I'm going to check this out. There at the very beginning of the sermon, which I'm obviously wrapping up, I said at the very beginning that I've never met a person who did not want to be happy.

But I have met people who have given up on it. They think, well, it's beyond my reach. And frankly, in this world, uncalled of God, true happiness is beyond their reach. They either lost their way, they've given up trying to find their way, and they're just resigned. They're just resigned to living with things as they are. True happiness is inseparably tied up with our God-given human potential. True happiness is inseparably tied up with our Christian calling.

It is inseparably tied up with becoming Christ-like, God-like. You cannot be God-like and Christ-like and not begin to experience some true happiness. Fulfilling our Christian calling, Part 3.

For a moment, let's reverse the equation.

Let's reverse the equation. And I say reverse it because you can't break it. I didn't say let's break the equation. You can't break it, but let's reverse it. You reverse it, you can't break it, because it breaks us. John 13, 17, if you know these things, happy are you if you do them.

And again, the good news says, now that you know this truth, how happy you will be if you put it into practice. Now the reverse. Now that you know these things, how miserable you will be if you don't do them. If we fail to become Christ-like, if we fail to fulfill our Christian calling, we not only lose out on true happiness, we lose our validation, our validity for existing. Because without the fulfilling of our calling, without the successful development of our potential, without the successful development of the reason that we exist, we're brought into existence.

Guess what? We have no reason to exist anymore.

So when this age has been processed, this age of humans, processed fully in the last great day, and the millennial world processed, and all the first fruits of this age processed, those in the final analysis who have not fulfilled their Christian calling, this is how serious it gets. They have no reason to any longer exist. They have no validation.

The existence has no validity.

That person has ceased to have validation for existing, therefore, this is why termination in the lake of fire, there is no validity for that person to continue to exist beyond that final part of God's plan. In the final analysis, any and every being that is not Christlike has neither purpose nor place. That's something that is not pleasant to contemplate, but it's very necessary to contemplate because that's how serious it is about what Christ is talking about in Matthew 5 and 6 and 7, because He wants us and His family as younger brothers and sisters, and God the Father wants us as children. And if we fulfill our calling, we're not only serving the greatest purpose we possibly could, but we also have a place in His family forever. That's why it is so crucial. Both existence, say, existence and happiness are tied to it, and fulfilling our Christian calling translates into a happy existence forever.