Show NotesNo specific links or resources mentioned.TranscriptHey there! My name is Ian Forest-Jones and I am the pastor for Narellan Community Congregational Church, located in Narellan, a southwest suburb of Sydney, Australia. We want to encourage and equip your friendship with Jesus wherever you are and however we can.This "Deeper Dive" podcast is for those who want to dive deeper into the biblical texts and issues raised as I research and prepare my sermons. To get the most out of this podcast, therefore, you really should listen to or watch the sermon first.Let me state up front, these ideas and speculations are my own and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of my congregation and its leaders. I mention this each episode because we are a diverse community, from a wide range of backgrounds. Some among us are mature Christians; others are fairly new to the faith. I offer these reflections for those who are interested in reading the Bible better. I cannot give a definitive answer on any topic, nor would I wish to do so. I can only offer further content and perspectives that will help us all mature in our knowledge of Christ Jesus and our practice of the faith in our lifestyles.The content of the podcast, therefore, will focus on expanding your thinking on a topic rather than on giving you specific answers. This will infuriate some. So be it! In the tension may your faith be strengthened.If you have any questions, comments, or feedback afterward, I would love to hear from you. You can leave a comment on the show notes page for this episode or contact me using the "Contact" form found on our website at www.narellancong.org.auOn Sunday, the 29th of January, 2023, I delivered a sermon titled, “The SHAPE Of Our Calling”. The intent of the sermon was to remind us we are all called by God, generally and uniquely, to be co-workers with the Holy Spirit and with each other. Every member and friend of a local church should know their SHAPE. Why? To better express and enjoy their and our unique contribution to God’s Eternal Purpose.When I argue that individual Christians and local churches having a unique calling from God, I am aware not everyone would agree 'this is a thing', to put it colloquially. Some Christians don't believe God calls people uniquely or specially.They come to this conclusion, I believe, because they want to emphasise God's general call, that God calls people to place their faith in Jesus and to follow his commands in their lifestyle. "Do THAT and you will be doing well", they argue, "THAT is all you need to concern yourself with."Of course, I agree with that sentiment 100%; however, I believe there's more to Christian faith and lifestyle than that.Those who do not believe God has a unique or special call for individuals tend to belong to more theologically conservative and traditional denominations. And I am pretty certain their convictions on this issue are a reaction to those Christians and denominations espousing Prosperity Doctrine.Prosperity Doctrine, at its most basic level, holds that the Christian faith and lifestyle is one of health, wealth and happiness. Preachers and teachers in this space cast a grand vision of the glory, purpose and significance of individual Christians. Which doesn't sound all that bad, does it?So, on one hand we can believe individuals have no special significance to God's Eternal Purpose or that we have more special significance than we are currently experiencing. Who is correct?I would argue neither of these jokers are correct, but they do offer correctives to each other. Thus, we can find a balanced theology between thinking too highly of ourselves and thinking too lowly of ourselves.The key verse of my sermon was Ephesians 2:10, where we read, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do." From this we can first ascertain the issue of unique calling has nothing to do with the invitation to salvation. It has to do with what comes after salvation, what is called santification. Santification is the work of the Holy Spirit AFTER salvation to rescue us from the disease of sin, to help us be more like Jesus AND to empower us to do good works. Good works do not save us from sin, but if you are saved from sin you will want to do good works because you are just so thankful to be saved that you want everyone to know it and to be saved themselves.What are good works? Good works are the practical expression of loving our neighbours. We can get the best sense of good works from how Jesus described his own ministry: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour" (Luke 4:18–19).Another great passage on this topic states this, "Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world" (James 1:27).Good works, then, are the practical things we do to love others around us who are in need. It includes all the ways we contribute to the common good.So, God invites sinners to salvation AND God calls those who are saved to do good works.I am still talking generally, though. How do I move theologically from what is generally true for every friend of Jesus to that which is unique?For that, I would turn to passages like 1 Corinthians 7:17, where we read, "Let each one live his life in the situation the Lord assigned when God called him." Passages like this remind us to do good works where we are! And each of us has a unique SHAPE and context in which we live and move and have influence. So, do good works where you are and do what you can with what you have.Each of us are unique individuals, who can do unique good works in the unique situations in which we find ourselves. God may call us to bigger and better things that take us out of our comfort zones and put us into new contexts, but until that happens, if it happens, then be faithful in your good works where you are, because God has put you there for a reason. And the people around you need you to be faithful and to do the good works only you can do.Additionally, according to the apostle Paul, "Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit." (Romans 8:5). This tells us that, as we increasingly set our mind on the things of the Spirit, the Spirit herself will guide us toward the things the Spirit wants us to do. Therefore, not only can we decide ourselves what are good works to do, but we can grow in discerning the direction the Holy Spirit sets for us. Now THAT is the truly blessed life!Thank you for listening; I hope you found this Deeper Dive helpful.If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, then you can leave a comment on the show notes page or contact me using the "Contact" form on our website at www.narellancong.org.auUntil next time, may God bless you and keep you and fulfil in you the free, full, and forever life promised by Jesus to his friends.