Vocation week 2

I. What is Vocation-

a. Our thoughts, definitions. It is larger than and separate from a career or job. A job can be included in our calling but not necessarily.

b. Classical Christian understandings. Vocation comes from the Latin vocatio which simply means a summons or an invitation. Vocation is simply the call from God.

i. Martin Luther, responding to the high monasticism of the Catholic Church came up with a dual understanding of vocation: the spiritual and the external vocation. The spiritual vocation was what comes to all Christians through the proclamation of the gospel. External vocation is God’s call to serve God and humanity in the world. The external vocation comes to a person through his or her station in life or profession.

ii. The reality that Luther was dealing with was the 16th century. There was no such thing as upward mobility or the middle class. This understanding of vocation did not make room for multiple professions or provide a good understanding of alienation or mindless work. The Lutheran understanding of vocation compartmentalized life into two separate realms: the spiritual and the external.

iii. Volf’s understanding is more holistic and stems from Luther’s understanding yet differs from it significantly. Volf agrees with Luther in that all Christians are called. Where the difference comes is in that Volf believes there is one calling that encompasses all of one’s life. The call is to the gospel and to enter the kingdom of God. Part of how that call is realized is through the living out of our calling, bearing the fruits of the Spirit as given to each individual.

iv. Holistic understanding. Read Psalm 24:1-2. Everything is under the dominion of the Lord. The entire world and all those who live in it. The call of God on our lives is not limited to what we do to “make a living.”

v. Our lives, every aspect of our lives, is the response to the call and becomes the substance of our vocation as we continue in conversation with God. Vocation encompasses all that we are.



II. The Last Things and its impact on the significance on human work and activity. There are two broad understandings of the last things that we must consider. To gain an appreciation for human activity and culture.

a. Apocalyptic. If we believe that all of this will pass away—that God is going to start over, or transport us all to some other place, what value do our actions have?

b. Transformative If we believe that creation will be transformed, that the new creation has its roots in the current creation then work and all human activity takes on a greater, even ultimate significance from a theological perspective. Look at the time between Gen 2 and Gen 3. Here we have the beginnings of culture. Where to eat. Where to sleep. Where to put our garbage. What to do in our leisure time, etc. All of these activities fall under the mandate that God gave to humanity in Gen 1. The human activities and accomplishments along with the way we interact with one another are part of the cultural mandate. Yes some aspects of this are fallen, but through the power of the Cross we can access God in right relationship and carry out our divinely appointed role in a divinely appointed manner. (Rev 21:1-5)

c. Read Romans 8:18-23. This tells us that creation is groaning in anticipation of renewal. Humanity is also groaning in this anticipation. Jesus’ talk about the kingdom of God being at hand and coming to the present earth is also indicative of a transformational understanding. (Luke 17:20-21)The mission of the UMC is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. This also bears witness to a transformational understanding or at the very least about positive contributions to the present world. A resurrected physical body makes sense only in the context of a restored earthly environment to exist in.

III. Charisms Read 1 Cor 12:1-7. Ask how does God do this with us? How does our vocation or our calling from God manifest itself? This is where Palmer comes in handy. His Let your Life Speak is instrumental in this. God has placed the Spirit within us all. Our capacities to be co-creators with God are in us all. The calling is not primarily a call of obedience but a call to be equipped and a conduit of the Holy Spirit. (Exodus 31:1-6, Ephesians 4:4-16).

Next week: Summary of where we are and a look at practical ways to discern our gifts and utilize them.



Paul