“Up Yonder”? What about when The Roll is Called “Down Here”??? We love to sing “When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there!” Are we as enthusiastic with “Here am I, Lord send me!”? 1Cor.15:52

Let’s understand a couple of things… “When the Roll is Called Up Yonder” is about the saved hearing God’s homeward call, 1Thess.4: But everyone will hear the ‘resurrection’ call, John 5: The difference will not be whether or not I am “Somewhere Listening for My Name” then, but now! Isa.6:8

Hearing & answering the “Roll Call” of heaven then… Depends upon some things now: Hearing & answering the gospel ’s call, 2Thess.2:13-14; 1Thess.2:10-13 Hearing & answering the call of Progress, 2Pet.3:18; 1:2-11; Preparation, Acts 20:32; 2Tim.2:15; Practice, Jas.3:13-18; 1:19-27; and, Participation, Acts 1:14; 2:42-47.

But these heavenly roll calls are sometimes set aside for: Nature Calls. Does hunting, fishing, camping, boating, golfing, etc. sidetrack you from spiritual duties? Matt.6:33 Family Calls. Who really comes first for you? Matt.10:37; 12:46-50 Fun Calls. Do you put God’s interests ahead of your own? Matt.16:23b Convenience Calls. Do you answer spiritual calls with “Here am I, send me!” only when convenient? Acts 24:25

Conclusions: 1.I fear that the Roll Call of the Righteous “up yonder” of which we sing will not be heard by some of us unless we start doing a better job of answering the Roll Call of Faithfulness “down here.” Matt.7: But there is a simple solution: Put God, His Word, His People, and His Purpose first in your life, and give a “busy signal” to all these other ‘calls’ that keep entangling you. 2Tim.2:4