Nov. 02, 2025

Loving God - Stay Here, Do His Work

Introduction - A popular theme spoken of often in the Christian life is “the sweet by-and-by,” referring to how good life will be when we get to heaven.  It indeed will be, beyond our present comprehension. God has a lot of exciting kingdom-building in store for us, so we need to have a vision to stay here and carry out our assignments until He removes His church from the earth.  In this series of sermons I am sharing biblical ways to love God.  Perhaps the main way of showing him we love Him is to purpose to stay here and be “a city set on a hill” “a light shining before men” or “the salt of the earth.”  So it is with God: loving Him doesn’t involve merely gushy, sentimental expressions of affection; God’s “love language” is doing. We’re often told by preachers to love God, but not often told how to do it.  At the start of this lesson, the following parable illustrates some important ideas about how to love God: 

Luke 19:11-27 Now while they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem and they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately. 12So He said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then to return. 13And he called ten of his own slaves and gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business with this money until I come back.’ 14But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ 15When he returned after receiving the kingdom, he ordered that these slaves, to whom he had given the money, be summoned to him so that he would learn how much they had made by the business they had done. 16The first slave appeared, saying, ‘Master, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 17And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave; since you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to have authority over ten cities.’ 18The second one came, saying, ‘Your mina, master, has made five minas.’ 19And he said to him also, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20And then another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I kept tucked away in a handkerchief; 21for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man; you take up what you did not lay down, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22He *said to him, ‘From your own lips I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am a demanding man, taking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow? 23And so why did you not put my money in the bank, and when I came back, I would have collected it with interest?’ 24And then he said to the other slaves who were present, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ 25And they said to him, ‘Master, he already has ten minas.’ 26‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. 27But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them in my presence.’” NASB

This parable, which we briefly looked at last week, is a bedrock teaching concerning how to love God.  It is describing the Millennial Kingdom, which Jesus sets up on earth when He returns to earth at His 2nd Coming.  It is obvious that Jesus is referring to Himself here as the nobleman.  The disciples would understand in time that He was coming to Jerusalem to die, not set up a visible kingdom upon His arrival.  There are two types of people He refers to in this parable: His own servants (believers) and His enemies (unbelievers).  His servants were given large sums of money to use to do business until He came back after having a kingdom given to Him.  Incidentally, a mina was worth $8,000-$10,000 in today’s money, so each servant had at least $80,000-$100,000 in cash to invest, hopefully to make a profit for the nobleman.  These cash sums represent the priceless Gifts of the Spirit, as well as earthly goods which the Christian is given (food, clothing, shelter).  He expects us, as He did the servants in the parable, to make a “profit” for Him while He is away receiving His Kingdom.  He will return, at His Second Coming, to deal with His enemies and to examine what His servants have done with the investment He gave them.  

Let’s examine a couple questions which may occur to someone reading this parable: 

1. Why do I need to do anything for Jesus?  I was taught that He did it all and there is nothing He requires me to do.  Doing things for Him, otherwise known as “works,” has nothing to do with you going to heaven.  Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross satisfied God’s anger against mankind.  That satisfaction was applied to you the instant you responded to God’s attempt to reach you. By contrast, God has placed you here for a reason.  Starting with Adam and Eve, the purpose of man was to subdue the earth and rule over the creatures.  That purpose has not changed, even with the fall of Satan and man.  There is plenty to do, which even a quick look at the news will confirm.  The earth is full of spiritually blind, poor, and spiritually naked people, all waiting for Christians to bring them light and deliverance.  There is a great harvest of these spiritually destitute people.  God has chosen to involve us in this harvest.  He will not do it all Himself.  These are called good works, and we are called to do them

Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.  NASB

Matthew 9:35-38 Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness. 36 Seeing the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then He *said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” NASB

     In the parable of the Minas, the minas given to the servants were given to all of the servants, not just a few. 

     This is a picture of the fact that everyone has valuable spiritual gifts, so God expect everyone to be 

      involved in the harvest. This is an urgent cry of Jesus.  It is evident that we are not called into idleness or 

      ineffectiveness, but to work with Him in the gathering of people.  

2.  How do I do this “harvest" thing? It’s really pretty simple.  Here’s a verse from the Passion Translation

     which says it very well:

Luke 16:9 Use the wealth of this world to demonstrate your friendship with God by winning friends and blessing others. Then, when it runs out, your generosity will provide you with an eternal reward. TPT

   Every Christian person has the ability to reap in the harvest. God has done the hard work in that He has 

   prepared the hearts of people to receive.  Probably everyone reading these notes has a roof over their head 

   and a place to sleep.  Usually that person also has a small cache of food and perhaps a table to eat on. 

   These are examples of the wealth of the world.  When you invite someone to share something as simple as 

   a piece of fruit, or a cup of coffee, or a cookie, you are using the wealth of the world to make a friend.  This 

   is a demonstration of your friendship with God! God loves this! The person sees it, is affected by God’s 

   love and is won into the kingdom.  God makes sure that you eventually are invited into an eternal habitation 

   in heaven, maybe by the person you gave a cookie to, because of your demonstration of love to another.  

   Imagine that: being welcomed into your new house in heaven by a person you shared coffee with down 

   here!

A simple way to get started in this is to be a guest yourself in somebody’s home who has taken on the responsibility of hosting a small gathering of Christians.  These meetings are called various names in different churches (life groups, touch groups, serendipity groups, home fellowships, etc.)  In our church we call them “branch groups” (Orchard - branch, you get it).  It’s easy to invite new people to experience this group.  It’s also easy to grow as a leader in these groups.  You first learn how to participate, then, as you gain confidence, you become a team member in starting one, perhaps then a co-leader and eventually a leader of a group.   You learn how to multiply the group, which groups eventually multiply to become a congregation.   

Conclusion - The common attitude that the world is too far gone and that there is no hope for anything here is false and devilish!  It is evident that God has an earthly spiritual career full of victory and success in mind for each of us until He comes.  We therefore need to have a mind to stay here to accomplish the harvest work He has in mind. This, in the simplest of terms, is probably the most effective way to express love to God.  It embodies many other dynamics: loving others, giving, assembling together, praying for the sick, encouraging each other to good works, etc. My hope is that these lessons will make your way through life easier. If we love God as He wants loved, even the trials we all experience in life will work out.  As Paul said, “God causes all things to work together for good, to those who love God…” (Romans 8:28)