The Call of Duty
Duty Today is Honor Tomorrow
Outline to this message is at the end of the text.
Below is a message in 2013. There are a few insertions of current numbers.
Faith and Duty
And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you" (Luke 17:5-6, NKJV).
The Role of a Servant
And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, "Come at once and sit down to eat"? But will he not rather say to him, "Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink"? Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, "We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do" (Luke 17:7-10, NKJV).
You have an employee, someone working for you, whose task for eight hours a day is to do their job. After they've worked all day, there is no celebration for doing their job. They receive wages for that work; it is their duty.
This is the instruction of the Lord. Jesus said that when you've done everything that is expected of you, everything that is commanded, say, "We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do."
"The Ugliest Word of the Bible," I heard a preacher preach years ago a message with this title. The Ugly word was, “Duty.”
Duty is unpopular for some, but for others it is an honor to do their duty.
Duty is an honorable word.
Duty is defined as a moral or legal obligation, a responsibility, a task, or an action that someone is required to perform. I've heard it said that duty is a dirty word, an ugly word. However, if one is to be honorable, they will do their duty when it is demanded.
Examples of Duty
What is our duty? We all have different kinds of duties. I know a person that gets up before anybody else. This person makes all kinds of preparations for everyone else and then gets to the place where they work 30 or 45 minutes before anybody else, because it is their duty. This same person has many duties in their home and family that are often unappreciated, unrecognized, and not glamorous. When others are sleeping, playing, or doing nothing, duty motivates this person to act differently.
This same person plans and practices every Saturday and is the first person at church on Sunday. This person does many things because they are a mother, an employee, a wife. I highlight this person. However she is not alone, the world is full of honorable people who do their duty.
However as I considered this honorable word, the person I know who exemplifies this is seen in the lovely lady that is my wife.
The Call of Duty
The real challenge in life is when you either don't know what your duty is or you do not perform what is your duty.
What is it that you feel responsible to do?
Do you feel responsible for ensuring prayer happens in church?
Do you believe certain things should be done every time we come to service?
Do you believe it enough to shoulder this neccessary thing as your duty? Not just expect everyone else to do their duty while you inspect their service and live with a welfare, immature, expecting everything to come to you and expect nothing of yourself.
No doubt, people will complain if prayer is not done, but it must be someone else's duty.
Outreach is important; we all believe that, but is it our duty, or is that someone else's?
To be faithful, no doubt we believe people need to be faithful, dependable, available, and present, but is it a call of duty that you feel?
"Call of Duty," is one of the most popular video games in history. Children, young men, women, boys, and girls have spent billions of hours and dollars to play a game called, “The Call of Duty.”
Many have failed to do their duties, because they played a gam.
From 2009 to 2025, 33 Billion Dollars in total revenue for a Game called, “The Call of Duty.”
Honoring Duty
Memorial Day. Honoring those who paid the full measure of devotion for the land of the free and the home of the brave.
We have a country full of people who don’t realize what a great blessing it is to live here. In a world of 10 Billion people, 9 of those billion would like to live in your house, wear your clothes, drive your car and have the wealth you have
I asked this question, “How many people live on less than 500 a month in the world today?” The answer is 4 Billion people.
I asked, How many live below the poverty level outside of the US? 6 Billion.
Our desperately poor in the US would be considered incredibly wealthy by more than half of the world.
What am I saying? Too many Americans complain, and they have a belly full of food and amazing array of luxury technology.
In the U.K. right now everyday 30 people are arested for posting something on Social Media that the Government forbids.
Many people live in places they would be stoned and killed for worshipping another diety than the one that is required.
FREEDOM
To prosper, to express, to speak, to worship, or not worship,
We have this because of those who died for something greater than themselves.
We honor those who died in battle every year across this country at many different events because of the tremendous sacrifices they made due to the duty they signed up for. Look at the hardship a young person will endure. They go through boot camp, suffer all manner of indignities, rigors, and challenges because they have signed up for a duty. They will do what a disrespectful drill sergeant tells them to do and endure all types of disrespect because they have signed up for the military. The military trains them to have the mental ability to stand up under pressure. The whole purpose of the pressure, abuse, and challenges is that when they are in battle, they will be able to endure and perform their duty even till death.
The military is not about boot camp; it's about being able to survive when the battle is intense. People have dug foxholes in frozen tundra, sat in those foxholes in freezing cold, wet, and without food as bombs and mortars dropped around them, as the enemy charged them. Duty caused them, in the face of great resistance, to stand and not flee because duty called.
They do this out of honor, a sense of right, a sense of duty.
The dividends of duty today will be honor given tomorrow.
There is a sense of accomplishment that comes.
Duty today becomes honor tomorrow.
When a man or woman who has served in the military dies, their funerals often include a military presence. I attended a funeral where the coffin was draped with a flag, and the Marine band played "Taps" during the ceremony. It was incredibly touching, but the only way a person can be honored in such a way in death is if they answered the call of duty.
Wisdom of Solomon
Solomon, in the scripture, is where this lesson was born. The Lord asked him what he would like, and he said, "I would like wisdom." The Lord said, "Because you did not ask for long life or wealth, I will give you both long life and wealth with your wisdom" (1 Kings 3:5-14, NKJV).
No man has ever been recorded in scripture to have a greater grasp of wisdom than Solomon. He is the writer of the Book of Ecclesiastes, and toward the end of the book, he sums up what he has written. If one of the wisest men in the Bible gives us a conclusion, we should listen to it.
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.(Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).
The Amplified Bible says, "All has been heard. The end of the matter is: Fear God [revere and worship Him, knowing that He is] and keep His commandments, for this is the whole of man [the full, original purpose of his creation, the object of God’s providence, the root of character, the foundation of all happiness, the adjustment to all inharmonious circumstances and conditions under the sun] and the whole [duty] for every man. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil."
The Contemporary English Version states, "Everything you were taught can be put into a few words: Respect and obey God! This is what life is all about. God will judge everything we do, even what is done in secret, whether good or bad."
The call of duty is to fear God and keep His commandments.
Why? Because we will be judged by God, and everything we do, even what we do in secret, will be judged by God.
Job: A Model of Duty
What is your duty as a believer?
Fear God and keep His commandments. One of the greatest heroes in scripture, not a hero of man but a hero of God, was Job. God had such respect for Job. The Bible tells us,
"There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil" (Job 1:1, NKJV).
The Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?" (Job 1:8, NKJV).
If there is a man in the Bible who demonstrates a sense of duty, it is Job. "So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, 'It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.' Thus Job did regularly" (Job 1:5, NKJV).
Job had such a sense of the goodness of God and the depravity of flesh that he continually sanctified his children by praying for them and offering sacrifices to the Lord. In this mixture of prayer, sanctification, and sacrifice, a hedge was put around him. When the Lord asked Satan about Job, Satan said, "Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land" (Job 1:10, NKJV).
The devil knew he couldn't touch Job because Job had a hedge. Where did the hedge come from? It came from the sense of duty Job had. Many people complain about the trouble in their lives, but the reason is not that God has let them down. They have failed to build a hedge around their lives, which is a product of consistently doing their duty as believers, parents, and church members.
Duty is challenging and demanding. Duty makes you get to church on time, early even. Duty makes you pray when nobody else is praying. Duty makes you understand that if no one else is going to do it, it's part of who you are.
Duty in Everyday Life
Many of you are employees and take pride in what you do. You know what it's like to try hard to do what's right and be frustrated with people who aren't doing what they're supposed to do. Have you ever worked with someone who didn't pull their load, still got paid, and nobody said anything to them? They just went along, and you had to do what they weren't doing. Why did you do that? Because you had a sense of duty.
If there's anything in our lives we should feel a responsibility for, a duty, it should be our walk with God, our part in the house of God, and our contribution to helping other people. That's what Job was doing. Job wasn't praying for himself; he was praying for his children. I dare say Job prayed for everyone he loved. His duty, the things he did, stemmed from fearing God and keeping His commandments. That spirit of loving what God loves and hating what God hates caused him to love his children and those he knew so much that he was continually praying, sanctifying, and sacrificing for the good of others.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
The Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The soldiers who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the middle of rain, sleep, snow, or sunshine does it with such excellence and commitment. Someone might ask why these would do all that when it is often unrecognized and unnoticed, and they are alone, standing as sentinels guarding and honoring.
Their service is as much, if not more, to honor the memory of the dead soldiers as it is to guard it.
Who wants to break into the tomb of an unknown soldier? They are there to honor the memory of someone who died and is forgotten. How much more should you and I feel that sense of duty, not for a tomb that holds the bones of a man, but for the empty tomb where He is no longer, because He is risen?
Blessings of Duty
Job demonstrated his sense of duty. "The fear of the Lord leads to life, and he who has it will abide in satisfaction; he will not be visited with evil" (Proverbs 19:23, NKJV).
Let us consider the wisdom of the wise again: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, NKJV).
The Lord knows every sin you commit in secret, and it will be judged. But we will also be judged for the good we do in secret. The scripture is full of this principle: "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly" (Matthew 6:6, NKJV). "But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly" (Matthew 6:3-4, NKJV).
When you do your Christian duty, you will be judged for the good that you do, just as the sinner and the hypocrite will be judged for the deeds they did that dishonored themselves and God. The saints of God will be judged for the good they did that was a blessing to themselves and to everyone they knew, even though those who knew them did not know the depth of their personal consecration and commitment.
The Reward of Duty
The truth is, none of us really knows how deep each other's love for God is. We can dress up, clean up, and shout out at church, but how each person will be judged is not what is done in the public eye. It is the dutiful spirit of a Christian soldier that says it matters not whether I am recognized or celebrated. I am doing this because there will be a payday someday. There will be a day when God will give rewards.
Think about how humbling it will be when we see our Jesus and worship Him.
The Bible talks about crowns being given (Revelation 4:10-11, NKJV). I cannot imagine a more humbling thing. People have said to me, "I enjoyed your message, Pastor," or "You blessed me when you prayed for me." That's humbling, and at times, I don't know how to respond. But how challenging will it be to look into the face of Jesus Christ, and He will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord" (Matthew 25:21, NKJV)?
God is not going to be in a hurry.
I don't believe there will be much deliberation in the judgment of the wicked, but I believe God will take His time in rewarding the saints. He will say, "Thank you for being a blessing to My people. Thank you for leading them in praise, in music, for teaching them the word, for doing what I put in your life to be a duty to do. Thank you for being a witness when no one would listen, for being true when everyone rejected you, for being true when you were persecuted for it."
On that day, praise is not just something we give God; God will honor His people. The Bible says the death of His saints is precious in the sight of the Lord (Psalm 116:15, NKJV).
Just as much as you love the Lord and want to praise God, God loves you more than you can imagine.
Think of how you feel toward your children or someone you love when they do good—your heart swells with pride. If that's how I feel about my natural children, how much more will my heavenly Father reward and celebrate the sacrifice and faithfulness of His people, His church?
The Bible says the church is the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-27, NKJV).
The Lord loves His church like He loves no one else. If you want to experience the greatest source of God's blessing, put yourself in a position where the Lord can look down and say,
"That's My child."
The only way to get the praise of God is to be on task, to do your duty.
The Meaning of Fear and Keeping Commandments
To fear God is the Hebrew word "yare," meaning to be fearful, to cause to be in awe, to aspire in reverence, godly fear. If my whole duty is to be in awe of God, to be in reverence of God, not to walk around wondering if God loves me—He absolutely does—how much more should I love Him? When you feel discouraged, disappointed, or like things aren't working out, consider what He has already done for us. "For the joy that was set before Him [He] endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2, NKJV). He ever makes intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25, NKJV).
Whatever struggle, trouble, or temptation you may be going through, the Lord is rooting for you. He has shed blood for you. You can do what God has called you to do. You are here today in a holiday season, preaching to the choir. The choir needs to be preached to sometimes. Let the tenors sing, the sopranos sing, the altos sing, let the piano play, the drums beat, and the trumpet sound. Let us bring ourselves to an even greater sense of duty, a greater sense of obligation, a greater sense of service, that we would have a servant's heart, not just in church but in all of life.
In 2014, let us gather all the loose strings, the distractions, the things that discourage and disappoint us, and bring it all together. Like a marine with sharp clothing, let us make sure we're pressed, shine our sword, and set our hat just right, to be at our post because there is a call of duty upon every one of us to fear the Lord and keep His commandments.
The Hebrew word for "keep" is "shamar," meaning to guard, protect, watch, wait, observe, retain, remember, restrain, celebrate, perform, protect. To keep His commandments is the whole duty of man, to fear God and keep His commandments, because God will judge everything that is done in secret, both good and bad.
A Glorious Day
What a day that will be
when my Jesus I shall see,
when I look upon His face,
the One who saved me by His grace.
When He takes me by the hand
and leads me through the promised land,
what a glorious day that will be (Revelation 22:4, NKJV).
Outline of the Sermon: "The Call of Duty"
I. Introduction: Faith and the Call to Duty
Summary: The sermon begins with the apostles requesting increased faith, to which Jesus responds by illustrating the power of even small faith and introduces the concept of duty through the parable of the servant. The preacher sets the stage for discussing duty as an honorable but challenging responsibility.
Scripture References:
Luke 17:5-6 (NKJV): "And the apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith.' So the Lord said, 'If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, "Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea," and it would obey you.'"
Key Points:
Faith as small as a mustard seed can achieve great things.
The sermon transitions to exploring duty as a response to faith.
II. The Role of a Servant: Understanding Duty
Summary: Jesus’ parable of the servant illustrates that duty involves serving without expecting immediate reward. The preacher emphasizes that after fulfilling all commanded tasks, believers should humbly acknowledge themselves as "unprofitable servants" who have merely done their duty.
Scripture References:
Luke 17:7-10 (NKJV): "And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'? But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'? Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.'"
Key Points:
Duty requires serving diligently, even when unrecognized.
Believers are called to humility, recognizing their service as an obligation, not a means for praise.
III. Examples of Duty in Everyday Life
Summary: The preacher shares a personal anecdote about his wife’s dutiful life, illustrating how she exemplifies duty in her roles as a mother, employee, and church member. This section highlights practical examples of duty in daily responsibilities, emphasizing its often-unrecognized nature.
Scripture References: None directly cited in this section, but the concept ties to the earlier Luke 17:7-10 parable, reinforcing the servant’s role.
Key Points:
Duty is seen in consistent, unglamorous tasks (e.g., early preparation, church involvement).
The preacher’s wife is an example of someone who answers the "call of duty" without seeking recognition.
IV. The Call of Duty: A Broader Perspective
Summary: The sermon expands the concept of duty to societal and spiritual contexts, referencing the "Call of Duty" video game to contrast its popularity with the real, honorable duty of military service and Christian life. The preacher challenges the congregation to identify and fulfill their spiritual duties (e.g., prayer, outreach, faithfulness).
Scripture References: None directly cited, but the section builds on the Luke 17:7-10 framework of duty.
Key Points:
Duty is not a game but a serious commitment, as seen in veterans’ sacrifices.
Spiritual duties include prayer, outreach, and faithfulness, which require personal responsibility.
V. Honoring Duty: The Rewards of Faithful Service
Summary: The preacher discusses how duty leads to honor, using military funerals (e.g., flag-draped coffins, Taps) as examples of posthumous recognition for service. This transitions to spiritual rewards, emphasizing that God honors those who faithfully fulfill their duties.
Scripture References:
1 Kings 3:5-14 (NKJV): Referenced indirectly regarding Solomon’s request for wisdom: "The Lord asked him what he would like, and he said, 'I would like wisdom.' The Lord said, 'Because you did not ask for long life or wealth, I will give you both long life and wealth with your wisdom.'"
Key Points:
Duty today results in honor tomorrow, both in earthly (e.g., military honors) and spiritual contexts.
Solomon’s wisdom sets the stage for his insights on duty, introduced later.
VI. Wisdom of Solomon: The Whole Duty of Man
Summary: The preacher cites Solomon’s conclusion in Ecclesiastes, stating that the whole duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments. This is presented as the ultimate call to duty, with God judging all actions, both good and evil.
Scripture References:
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (NKJV): "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil."
Key Points:
Solomon, the wisest man, summarizes life’s purpose as fearing God and obeying His commands.
God’s judgment encompasses all deeds, reinforcing the importance of dutiful living.
VII. Job: A Model of Duty
Summary: The sermon highlights Job as a biblical exemplar of duty, noting his fear of God, avoidance of evil, and consistent intercession for his children. Job’s actions created a spiritual “hedge” of protection, demonstrating the power of dutiful faithfulness.
Scripture References:
Job 1:1 (NKJV): "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil."
Job 1:5 (NKJV): "So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, 'It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.' Thus Job did regularly."
Job 1:8 (NKJV): "The Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?'"
Job 1:10 (NKJV): "Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land."
Key Points:
Job’s duty involved fearing God, avoiding evil, and interceding for others, resulting in divine protection.
Believers are challenged to build a “hedge” through consistent duty (e.g., prayer, church involvement).
VIII. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: A Symbol of Duty
Summary: The preacher references the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as a powerful symbol of duty, performed with excellence despite often going unnoticed. This is contrasted with the Christian’s duty to honor the risen Christ, whose empty tomb signifies victory over death.
Scripture References: None directly cited, but the section ties to the broader theme of duty from Luke 17:7-10 and Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.
Key Points:
The Tomb guards’ commitment reflects selfless duty, honoring the memory of unknown soldiers.
Christians are called to a higher duty to serve the risen Christ, motivated by eternal significance.
IX. Blessings of Duty: Divine Rewards
Summary: The sermon emphasizes that God rewards those who fulfill their Christian duties, both in secret and openly. The preacher cites scriptures promising open rewards for private faithfulness and underscores the eternal rewards awaiting believers.
Scripture References:
Proverbs 19:23 (NKJV): "The fear of the Lord leads to life, and he who has it will abide in satisfaction; he will not be visited with evil."
Matthew 6:3-4 (NKJV): "But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."
Matthew 6:6 (NKJV): "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."
Key Points:
God sees and rewards secret acts of duty (e.g., prayer, giving).
Faithful service leads to divine satisfaction and protection.
X. The Reward of Duty: Eternal Recognition
Summary: The preacher envisions the ultimate reward of hearing Jesus say, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” emphasizing that God will honor the saints’ sacrifices. The sermon highlights the preciousness of the saints’ lives and the church as Christ’s bride.
Scripture References:
Matthew 25:21 (NKJV): "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord."
Psalm 116:15 (NKJV): "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints."
Ephesians 5:25-27 (NKJV): Referenced indirectly as the church being the bride of Christ.
Revelation 4:10-11 (NKJV): Referenced regarding crowns given to the faithful.
Key Points:
God will personally commend and reward faithful servants in eternity.
The church’s unique role as Christ’s bride underscores God’s love and reward for dutiful service.
XI. The Meaning of Fear and Keeping Commandments
Summary: The preacher defines “fear” (Hebrew: yare) as reverential awe and “keep” (Hebrew: shamar) as guarding and observing God’s commandments. This section reinforces that the believer’s duty is to live in awe of God and faithfully obey Him, despite challenges.
Scripture References:
Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV): "For the joy that was set before Him [He] endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Hebrews 7:25 (NKJV): "He ever makes intercession for us."
Key Points:
Fearing God involves awe and reverence, not just fear of judgment.
Keeping commandments requires active guarding and obedience, supported by Christ’s intercession.
XII. Conclusion: A Glorious Day
Summary: The sermon concludes with a vision of the glorious day when believers will see Jesus and receive their rewards. The congregation is encouraged to embrace their call of duty in 2014 (sermon context), living faithfully to experience God’s ultimate praise.
Scripture References:
Revelation 22:4 (NKJV): Referenced indirectly regarding seeing Jesus’ face: “They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.”
Key Points:
The ultimate reward is fellowship with Jesus and divine commendation.
Believers are called to live dutifully, anticipating eternal glory.