What does the Bible say about vocation?

• Genesis 1:28, have dominion over every living thing
• Genesis 12:1, "Now the Lord said to Abram, `Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.'"
• Joshua 22:5, serve the Lord with all your heart
• Psalm 105:1-2, make known the deeds of the Lord to all the people
• Amos 5:15, "Hate evil and love good, and establish justice in the gate"
• Micah 6:8, what does the Lord require of you?
• Matthew 6:33, "Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness"
• Matthew 9:9, Jesus says "follow me"
• Matthew 28:18-20, the great commission
• Mark 1:14-15, "repent and believe in the good news"
• 1 Corinthians 1:26-27, "Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong"
• 1 Corinthians 7:17, "Let each of you lead the life that the Lord has assigned, to which God called you"
• Ephesians 2:10, "For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life."
• 1 Peter 2:9, God has called you out of darkness into his marvlous light
• 1 Peter 4:10, "Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received."

Sermon ideas about vocation

A Christian's biggest calling

A Christian's biggest calling isto be a faithful citizen of the kingdom of God, or even an enthusiastic citizen — a prime citizen. That is, a Christian's calling is to think, speak, and act in ways that accord with God's kingly rule and to contribute to building shalom, or, in New Testament terms, to the ultimate coming of the kingdom at the end.

So Christian pray "Your kingdom come" and then work in the same direction as they pray. After all, "Your kingdom come" means "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." A prime citizen of the kingdom will contribute heavily to this cause. She doesn't merely endorse justice in the world; she hungers and works for it. She doesn't merely reject cruelty; she hates and fights it. She wants God to make things right in the world, and she wants to enroll in God's project as if it were her own. She "strives first for the kingdom" in order to act on her passion.

Seeking the interests of the kingdom

Christians follow their main vocation by playing a lively part in institutions and endeavors that, consciously or not, seek the interests of the kingdom. Of these the church is first, but others — including governments, businesses, professions, and non-profit service organizations — are crucial as well. So are families. If they work right, families become a microcosm of the kingdom of God, incubating us in faith, hope, and love, schooling us in patience, supplying us with memories good enough to take out of storage on a lonely night. Families can give us our first lessons in meshing our kingdoms with others. They can fill us with delight, especially when they contain sunny, unspoiled toddlers.

To follow their main vocation of serving the kingdom of God, Christians pursue a wonderful array of sub-vocations. They sing, pray, and hand each other the body and blood of Christ. They rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. They fight against evil, but also fly kites and bake bread. As part of their vocation they absorb good books and good music. They work, but also rest from work in order to make a space in which to long for God. Some of them join volunteer groups that turn rails to trails, or that assist flood victims, or that paint somebody's house. In an emergency, an adult Christian might spend herself for a friend who is dying — sitting with her, praying with her, encouraging her, seeing to some of her needs. This isn't a job that appears on any government list of occupations, but it is a calling of God, and it is surely a contribution to the kingdom of God.

Too may Christians believe in their vocation too narrowly. It is actually vast and deep. Pursuing it may be thought of as a life's adventure.

Sermon ideas about vocation from Zeteosearch.org

• "Vocation is indispensable to combating sin and becoming people who combine grace and humility with a profound sense of responsibility and stewardship." -Greg Forster on The Christian History Institute
• "God's participation in our vocation is based upon his kindness and favor. It is a blessing to work and have work to do." -Lydell C Lettsome on The African American Lectionary
• "Our desire to do good work is a result of this belief that God has prepared in advance and calls us to something." -Courtney Jacob on Groundwork

Stories of calling

• "If we see God's compassion to Nineveh as surprising, perhaps we should view his second chance to Jonah as equally surprising." -Roger Namon Working Preacher
• "With all his might Andrewpulls at his net, while his head is turned backwards, focused on the One to whom he is listening."-Marleen Hengelaar-Rookmaaker about Dick Tulp's "Calling of Andrew" on ArtWay
• "The calling of Samuelis a great story of intergenerational cooperation and faithfulness."-Eric C Fistler and Robb McCoyon Pulpit Fiction