Farm Without Hard Worker
One day the minister visited
a hard-working farmer who was in his congregation. The minister marveled at
the change in the farm, from dilapidated buildings and poor, worn-out land to
modern, brightly-painted buildings and rich, abundant cropland.
“My, Bill,” said the
minister, “the Lord and you have certainly worked wonders with this farm.”
“Yes,” replied the farmer
laconically, “but you should have seen the place when the Lord had it by
Himself.” —Gospel Herold[1]
Work is not primarily a thing
one does to live, but the thing one lives to do. It is, or should be, the full
expression of the worker's faculties, the thing in which he finds spiritual,
mental, and bodily satisfaction, and the medium in which he offers himself to
God. By Dorothy L. Sayers
(1893-1957)
Work is the greatest thing in
the world so we should always save some of it for tomorrow.
By Don Herold
Work is the meat of life,
pleasure the dessert. By
B. C. Forbes
What
is the Lord’s labor or the heavenly work?
Scripture Text:
Mat. 19:16 Now a man came
up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal
life?" 17 "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus
replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey
the commandments." 18 "Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus
replied, "`Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not
give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother, and `love your neighbor
as yourself." 20 "All these I have kept," the young man said.
"What do I still lack?" 21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be
perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have
treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 22 When the young man heard
this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Then Jesus said to his
disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the
kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through
the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 25
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked,
"Who then can be saved?" 26 Jesus looked at them and said,
"With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
27 Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then
will there be for us?" 28 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth,
at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne,
you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve
tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters
or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred
times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be
last, and many who are last will be first.
What must I do to get
eternal life? What is the work
that I should do to go to heaven? What
is the work that the Lord wants us to do?
1. Obey
the commandments. Shows who you
are. This is God’s design and
God’s desires for His people.
Matthew 19:18 "`Do
not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,
19 honor your father and mother, and `love your neighbor as yourself.
2. Go
sell your possessions and give to the poor.
Heavenly
work is more than just obeying the
law. God cares about people and
God wants us who follow Him to care about people.
Caring enough to take action to help.
We are in the people business. People
are the Lord’s concern. To
build the kingdom of God we must build it one person at a time.
Build up the people to build up the kingdom.
3. Follow
God’s plan for your life. Quantity or Quality?
That is the question. (Rich
man theology.) The Lord does not
necessarily bless a man who is rich. Jesus
said it is hard for a rich man. Do
you love the Lord more than you love all the things of the world?
God’s work for you is to follow his plan for your life.
If He has given you riches then he has a plan for those riches.
If He has given you intelligence then He has a plan for your life in
using your mind. He has a plan
for you. The heavenly work is
discovering that plan and following it. What
is His plan for you? Are you
following it?
4. With
God all things are possible to the one who has faith.
God’s
work is possible with God. We
must believe that God is God and that He is able to make the impossible
possible. God’s work is
propelled by Faith. There is a
simple rule that guides us in our work. It
is called, If you work then you receive pay.
If you receive pay then you work.
To the rich man who has faith this rule propels him to give his wealth
to help the less fortunate. Do
you have the faith to believe that even if you gave it all away that God would
take care of you?
5. God’s
payday.
There is a coming judgment and heavenly
rewards / earthly rewards will be 100 times what you have given.
There will be a payday for those who are willing to give to the Lord.
Some have faith enough to give.
Will you? Have you?
Will you be first or last?
Last now then first later. First
now then last later.