QUESTION ONE

A friend of yours seems unclear on "How to receive the call of God". Give a clear
explanation based on your understanding of this track.

Many people wonder when and how the call of God is received. Some believe that the call of
God comes after years of religious study and devotion, while others believe it is a sudden
and miraculous experience. However, one thing that is clear is that the call of God is
received at salvation.

Salvation is the foundation of the Christian faith, and it is through salvation that a person
becomes a child of God. When a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, they
are born again, and the Holy Spirit comes to live inside them. This is the moment when the
call of God is received.

Just because God doesn't coerce or impose his will on us, it doesn't mean that we have a
choice or that he has given us a choice. This also doesn't mean that it is not necessary or
obligatory.

Mark 16:15-16 (KJV) And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and
preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;
but he that believeth not shall be damned.

While you have the choice to not believe, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's not necessary
to believe. In other words, you can choose not to believe, but that doesn't imply that
believing is optional or not mandatory. So, God does not force His will upon anyone, but
rather He has selected the repercussions or outcomes of not adhering to His wishes. The
option doesn't leave you with the decision of the consequences.

God's word is not a suggestion. It's not suggesting to pray, to live right, to preach the Gospel,
it is commanding you to pray, to live right, to preach the Gospel. It is not suggesting to love,
forgive people but it is commanding you to love and forgive people.

Matthew 9:38 (KJV) Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send
forth labourers into his harvest.

The labourers here are shepherds who will guide/lead men. And God methods is MAN. In
Numbers 20, God informs Moses that he will not lead the Israelites into the Promised Land.
Moses understands God well, that why he said in Numbers 27
Numbers 27:15 – 16(KJV) 15 And Moses spake unto the Lord, saying,
16
Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,

God was with Israel, as you can see; He is always with them. Moses, however, is aware of
how God operates; thus, a man should be appointed to preside over this gathering.
Remember that the Lord is already in charge of that gathering.

God works on the earth via men. I'm not suggesting that God's strategy is for man to just
receive, but I must be the man God is appointing. What is your calling if it is not the
ministry? Andrew Murray famously remarked that there are two different kinds of
Christians: backsliders and those who win souls through evangelism. There aren't any
additional organizations. Third groupings don't exist.

Pray the Lord of the Harvest to send forth laborers. The call of God, which we stated is at
salvation, is strong and obligatory. The doctrine that makes us to embrace the call to ministry
after years of salvation is not accurate, or at likely not full. The doctrine must instantly
initiate you into ministry the day you embrace Christ and receive the Holy Spirit.

There is an urgency you must respond to immediately. God words must be seen as urgent.

Luke 9:58-62 NIV Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but
the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the
dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Still
another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my
family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for
service in the kingdom of God.”

QUESTION TWO
Write a detailed commentary on the text Matthew 9: 36-39, explaining the grammatical
meaning and the background of the use of words therein.

Matthew 9:36-38 (KJV) But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with
compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep
having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous,
but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send
forth labourers into his harvest.

V.36 – who were the multitudes? According to earlier passages, there were sick and ailing
people present, but they had already received healing.

v. 6 - But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then
saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

Matthew 9:18 – 25 – Jesus healed a woman of the issue of blood and a ruler’s daughter
v. 22 - But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good
comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
v.25 - But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the
maid arose.

Matthew 9: 27 – 30 – Jesus healed two blind men

v.30 - And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man
know it.

Matthew 9: 32 – Jesus healed a dumb man possessed with a devil

Matthew 9:35 - And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their
synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and
every disease among the people.

The next statement is very vital, He was moved with compassion because they fainted and
were scattered abroad, which has a lot to do with their spiritual nature. No, they weren't
panting or running about erratically. “as sheep having no shepherd” - This expression from
the Old Testament refers to a leaderless individual or group.
The word fainted is the word “eskylmenoi” in the Greek, which imply to be troubled. Other
references to the word eskylmenoi - Mark 5:35, Luke 7:6, Luke 8:49. The second word
“scattered” is the word “errimmenoi” in the Greek, which means to be cast away.

New International Version (NIV), English Standard Version (ESV), Berean Standard Bible
(BSV) – They were harassed and helpless
New Living Translation (NLT) - they were confused and helpless
Berean Literal Bible – they were wearied and cast away
New King James Version (NKJV) – they were weary and scattered
New American Standard Bible (NASB), Legacy Standard Bible (LSB) - because they were
distressed and downcast
NASB 1995, Amplified Bible - they were distressed and dispirited
Christian Standard Bible (CSB) – they were distressed and dejected
Holman Christian Standard Bible - because they were weary and worn out
NET Bible – they were bewildered and helpless

The people in this place are not physically ill; rather, they are distracted, confused, and worn
out spiritually. And why did they behave that way? Because they lack a shepherd, they are
like sheep.
v. 38 - Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his
harvest - in this case, the labourers are shepherds, those who will guide people.

The background of the statement “Pray ye the lord of harvest to send forth labourers” is in
Numbers 27:17

In Numbers 20, God informs Moses that he will not lead the Israelites into the Promised
Land – it is both attornments and discipline

Numbers 27:15-17 (NKJV) - Then Moses spoke to the LORD, saying: “Let the
LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, who may
go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in,
that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep which have no shepherd.”
MAN is God's method. Moses is well acquainted with God. God was with Israel...they have
God's everlasting presence. But Moses understands how God works, so he said God should
appoint a leader to this assembly. Don't forget that the Lord is already in charge of that
gathering.

Exodus 3:
v.8 - And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, …
But in verse 10, He sent Moses to deliver them

v.11 - … that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel
out of Egypt

Yes, God said he will deliver the people of Israel in verse 8, Moses I should deliver the
people of Israel in verse 11.

Exodus 7:
v.17 - …I will smite with the rod that is in mine…
v.19 - … Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand …

In Exodus chapter 3 verse 20, God said he would stretch his hand, but he now commands
Moses to do the same.

Exodus 8:
v.5 - … Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams …
God said to Aaron, stretch forth your hand.

Therefore, the exact description of God leading Israel is given to man.

QUESTION THREE
Itemize at least 10 practical lessons learnt from this track.

1. As a pastor, leader, preacher, one of the things I must be weary of doing is preaching
my fancy, weakness, preaching to support my weakness
2. Before it can affect other people, my teaching note must first have an impact on me. I
must therefore start by feeding off of my teaching. I'll know when you feed from it
yourself whether the things, I'm saying inspire people to serve God or mammon.
3. I must take all of God’s word as compulsory. You do have a choice, but you cannot
determine the consequences.
4. You study God looking at His interaction with Man
5. Man is God's tool or means of action on earth. I need to learn how to receive from the
men God has placed over me.
6. To say that God's method is man is not only for receiving, but I must be the man God
is using.
7. The call of God, which we stated is at salvation, is compelling and obligatory. The day
you accept Christ, receive the holy ghost, the doctrine must have a content that
initiates you into ministry immediately.
8. The doctrine that leads us to accept the call to ministry after years of salvation is not
true, or at least not complete.
9. In Matthew 9: 36, the statement has to do with their spiritual nature
10. The friends I keep matters alot