Sermon Central
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Looking For Work?
Contributed by Ron Hicks on Sep 8, 2005 (message contributor)
Summary: Unemployment isn’t only high in the secular world, the harvest fields are suffering from lack of laborers. Need a job? Name your position. Opportunities couldn’t be better.
LOOKING FOR WORK?
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
Jesus tells story of two sons who were told to go to work.
Which are you? Working is a good thing.
17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
I think that this may imply the sin of omission.
Lady in church who had to pray about helping in nursing home svc
I wonder what she prayed? Lord, is it your will for me to go and visit and comfort those people?
That’s like praying, Lord, is it your will for me to go to church when the doors are open, witness, pay tithes, or work in the church? God commands it.
Occupy till I come.
occupy-To engage, employ, or busy (oneself):
1 Cor 3:8-9
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
Could Jesus be so naïve to think that every Christian is a laborer?
Rev 2:2
2 I know thy works, and thy labour,
1 Cor 15:58-16:1
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Thess 5:12
12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
(Obviously we know those who do not)
1 Tim 4:10-11
10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
11 These things command and teach.
If we are not careful, we will let our emotions stand in the way of our labor. If we let the fear of how people are going to respond to us keep us from working for God, then that’s an indication that we are not equipped for the job. That’s not an excuse either, when we are required to pray and study God’s Word that we may be useful in the harvest field.
Heb 4:9-11
9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
(It takes faith and labor to prove God. Otherwise you are never convinced of who God is and what He can do, so therefore you live in unbelief)
Heb 6:10-12
10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Sloth- Aversion to work or exertion; laziness; indolence.
1 Cor 16:15-16
15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)
16 That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.
Eccl 9:10
10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
1 Cor 12:27-28
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
