Holistic
Stewardship: Reaching out with our resources. To enable our churches and their members to live a
whole life as disciples of Jesus Christ by being stewards of our lives in
regard to our time, talent, and treasures.
We are required to do so much today that someone has
coined the phrase “don’t work harder, but work smarter.” I agree that we should work as smart as possible.
This message today will show how that we can work and have it all
last forever.
Three
men worked on a large building project. One
was asked, "What are you doing?"
"I'm mixing mortar," he said.
The second man said, "I'm helping put up this great stone
wall." When the third man
was asked, he replied, "I'm building a cathedral to the glory of
God."
Those
three men could just as well have been working on a car, a truck, a house, a
road, or any legitimate product or service a man or woman might provide.
Most people work to earn a living, attain success, or amass wealth.
Such reasons, however, must not be the Christian's primary motive for
working. Like the third man in
our story, we need to see that what gives work eternal value is not the
product or service of our labor but the process of laboring itself -- doing
the job faithfully to the glory of the Lord.
An
old farmer who was about to die called his two sons to his bedside and said,
"My boys, my farm and the fields are yours in equal shares.
I leave you a little ready money but the bulk of my wealth is hidden
somewhere in the ground, not more than eighteen inches from the surface.
I regret that I've forgotten precisely where it lies."
When the old man was dead and buried his two sons set to work to dig up
every inch of ground in order to find the buried treasure.
They failed to find it but as they'd gone to all the trouble of turning
over the soil they thought they might as well sow a crop, which they did,
reaping a good harvest. In autumn
as soon as they had an opportunity they dug for the treasure again but with no
better results. As their fields
were turned over more thoroughly than any others in the neighborhood they
reaped better harvests than anyone else.
Year after year their search continued.
Only when they had grown much older and wiser did they realize what
their father had meant. Real
treasure comes as a result of hard work.
Scripture Text:
John 6:26 (NIV) Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are
looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the
loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food
that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God
the Father has placed his seal of approval." 28 Then they asked him,
"What must we do to do the works God requires?"
29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he
has sent."
30 So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we
may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our forefathers ate the
manna in the desert; as it is written: `He gave them bread from heaven to
eat.'{[31] Exodus 16:4; Neh. 9:15; Psalm 78:24,25}" 32 Jesus said to
them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the
bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from
heaven.33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives
life to the world." 34 "Sir," they said, "from now on
give us this bread." 35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of
life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me
will never be thirsty.
Are you ready to go to work? Work Smarter.
1.
Don’t work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to
eternal life. Too often we work
and work to buy something and it tears up or spoils before you have an
opportunity to really enjoy it. The
truth is we can work all of our lives and then die and loose it all.
Is it possible that you could work for something that would last
forever?
2.
Work for the eternal food that the Son of Man will give you.
Work for something that won’t tear up or spoil or wear out.
There is something in this world and life that will last forever.
It is salvation. It is of God and not made from stuff in this world.
It is made by the best and built with you in mind.
It is a life of love and work that will carry you through into the here
after.
3.
What must we do to do the works God desires and requires?
What in the world does God want?
There is nothing here that He hasn’t made.
There is nothing here that He doesn’t have.
What do you get for someone who made everything?
He wants you to join Him in the work of salvation.
He wants you to have Him and eternal life and He wants you to join Him
in working to save others. Come
to his table not just to have a free meal and a free ride to heaven.
4.
This is the work of God: to believe in the one he has sent. We must believe in his work of Salvation.
God’s work is to help others because He loves them.
He worked on this earth for 33 years to bring you the gift of
salvation. He died on the cross
so that you may know Him and eternal life.
On the communion table this morning you see the representation of his
work. The broken bread and the
crushed grapes shows the work that He has accomplished for you and me.
5.
Why did Jesus call it work? It is Faith that Works.
It is effective in your life. You
follow the Lord and pick up your cross and become a member of his family.
Work with the Lord in this life and enjoy your crown of faithfulness in
the life to come. Therefore all
that we do is done for Him and with Him.
Whatever meal you cook, whatever room you clean, whatever report you
write, whatever test you give or take, it is done with the Lord in this life
and forever more.
1Cor 10:31
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the
glory of God.
6.
Take the Bread of life into your body.
This is the work of God. Believe
that Jesus is real and receive him as your Lord and Savior.
The sign of the truth is the bread from heaven, which is Jesus.
Come to him for food that will last forever.
Enjoy your life and your work that will last for ever.
35 Then Jesus declared, "I
am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who
believes in me will never be thirsty.