Calling on The Name of The Lord (Oak Ridge, 4-12-26): If you love studying God’s Word, I think this lesson will appeal to you! We are going old school this morning. I would like everyone to follow along in your Bible in whatever form you have [Noah/Moses Illustration]. I want us to take a deep dive into what does “calling on the name of the Lord” really involve? There is a lot of confusion in the world and this morning I would like us to see what this means from God’s Word.
Acts 2:21, 2:37-47 – “That whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (verse 21) and “as many as the Lord our God will call” (verse 39). Here calling on the name of the Lord included believing (Acts 2:37, 44), repenting (Acts 2:38), being baptized (Acts 2:38, 41), responding to the gospel (Acts 2:40-41), continuing in the doctrine (Acts 2:42), providing for one another’s needs (Acts 2:44-45), and worshipping God (Acts 2:46-47).
Acts 4:12 – No one can save but Jesus the Lord; no man, man-made church, man-made organization can save.
Acts 8:12 – Here Philip preaches in Samaria about “the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.” Verse 5 says he preached Christ to them. The response was that men and women were baptized. They were saved because they responded to the gospel.
Acts 9:14, 21 – “all who call on Your name” (verse 14) and “those who called on this name” (verse 21). This is referring to disciples of the Lord who were persecuted, who are following His commandments (John 14:15).
Romans 10:8-17 – In verse 13 the scripture says, “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved”. In verses 9-10 this calling involves confession and belief. Verse 12 shows that the gospel is for everyone. Verse 14 shows that calling on the name of the Lord includes truly hearing the preaching of the gospel. Verse 16 shows that obedience to the gospel is required. Verse 17 indicates faith comes from hearing the Word of God. Hearing, believing, confessing, and obedience are all working together when we truly call on the name of the Lord!
1 Corinthians 1:2 – “called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours (both their Lord and ours ESV).” In 1 Cor. 6:11 the scripture says they were sanctified and washed because the Corinthians had turned from their evil deeds to obey God. This included belief (1 Cor. 3:5) and baptism (1 Cor. 12:13).
2 Timothy 2:22 – Paul tells Timothy, “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” This call included fleeing youthful lusts, maintaining a pure heart (Romans 12:1-2), and pursuing godly virtues. Paul tells the Galatians that this pursuit includes all the good things of God along with crucifying the flesh, its passions and desires, and walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25). God calls all people through the gospel, but only those with pure hearts will respond by truly calling on the name of the Lord.
1 Peter 1:17-23 – Peter says in verse 17, “And if you call on the Father”. He tells them what is involved in calling on the Father; conducting themselves in fear, remembering they were redeemed with the blood of Christ by believing and putting their faith and hope in Him, having purified their souls in obeying the truth, and having been born again through the Word.
2 Peter 1:1-11 – Peter in verse 3, “through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.” These called individuals had “obtained like precious faith” in verse 1. In verses 5-7 Peter lists out virtues that these called individuals need to pursue with zeal [all diligence, faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance (or patience), godliness, and brotherly kindness]. He tells them if they do this they will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of Jesus (verse 8). He concludes this section by encouraging them in verse 10 to “be even more diligent to make your call and election sure”. Then he says in verse 11, “for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 3:12-4:1 – Paul says in verse 14, “I press toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”. This calling included being mature (verse 15), walking by the same rule (verse 16 - living by the same standard NAS), standing fast (4:1), and doing the things which they had learned and received and heard and saw (4:9). God’s call includes high expectations for His children.
From these passages we can see that “calling on the name of the Lord” is much more than simply saying a prayer, accepting Jesus or the Holy Spirit into your heart, or just acknowledging that Jesus is the Son of God. Calling on the name of the Lord means that we call on Him as our authority and we will hear and do whatever he says we must to do be saved (Matthew 7:21-29, 1 Corinthians 11:1). I know there are times I need to work on being more like Jesus. Maybe this study can help us understand what it really looks like to be a disciple who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus?
Have you truly called on the name of the Lord by obeying His commands? Acts 22:16 – Ananias asks Paul, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
Whatever your need this morning, please come forward as we stand and sing.