Oct. 26, 2025

Loving God - Work Smarter instead of Harder

Introduction - We don’t have to experience life for too long before we discover that it involves work.  This work is productive and edifying, if it is work done for the kingdom of God.  As we learn to work, we learn that work can be done in simple ways or in difficult ways.  An old saying, “You can attract more flies with honey than you can with vinegar” says it well.  When it comes to serving God, there is a way that is easier and a way that is somewhat harder:

Matthew 11:28-30 - Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.” NASB

The easiest way to navigate through an earthly lifetime is to come to Jesus.  Though we don’t usually understand it, one of the first things He does is when we come to Him is that He forgives us of our sins.  This has the effect of lifting our heads, and making us realize that we are people He is pleased with.  We gradually learn that He actually loves us and does not see us as hopeless failures.  He did this, we did not achieve it.  

The Jews who lived before us never knew this.  No matter how hard they tried, they did not have a savior who justified them.  Their hope was in doing well at the many commands and details concerning offerings and the worship rituals.  Remember, for example, how they were commanded to build the tabernacle “according to all that I am going to show you.”  There were probably many Jews whom God mercifully justified based on faith, not on their achievements, applying the value of the future sacrifice of Jesus to their lives, as He did to Moses, but they did not know that.  They knew nothing of Jesus or imputed righteousness.  They did not have the liberty to preach or practice a covenant which had not yet come.   Except in some Psalms, called Messianic psalms which referred to the coming of Christ, they never heard “Your sins have been washed away” or that “they are removed as far as east is from the west.” 

Titus 3:5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.  NLT

So, the Jew was focused on “catching up” on his righteousness.  His life’s focus was on keeping His record clean, never on the larger Kingdom of God.  Many Christians live like this today, conscious of every sin, trapped inside the idea that God is still mad at them, and they believe that they will never be entrusted by Him to do anything for Him.  There are persuaded that there is nothing they can offer Him, so they just survive by managing their sin, just as the Jew did under the Law of Moses.   They are not free to bring anything to God that might please Him, because they believe it won’t be accepted.  By contrast, you’re not in that situation, and that frees you to do something very powerful, you can love God:

Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.  NASB

We often quote this verse in part, leaving out the two important phrases “to those who love God” and “who are called according to His purpose.”  Yes, God will cause all things, even trials, to work together for good, but He does it primarily for those who love Him and for those whom He has called (which includes all of us). Let’s talk about “those who He has called” first.  Many Christians who are simply managing their sin never consider that God has ordained them for a unique, special work we refer to as a calling.  In truth, every one of us is called.  Here’s an often misunderstood passage which is sometimes used to preach that God pre-determines who will be saved and who will be condemned:

    Romans 8:29-30 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the             image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; 30 and these             whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom             He justified, He also glorified.  NASB

The interpretation of this is really straightforward:  God simply knows everything about the future.  He is not on our timeline.  He knows who ultimately who will be saved and who will ultimately reject Him.  He does not force these decisions to happen.  Knowing this, he has a set destiny for every person, based on their decision to believe in Him or not.  The believer is predestined to conform to the image of Jesus: He is called, justified, and glorified, in that order.  The calling of the believer is to stay here on the earth where we have been planted and affect the earth for good by the Spirit-led lives we lead:

Luke 19:11-13 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.’ NASB

It is very easy to see the parallels in this parable:  Jesus is represented by the nobleman who went away to receive a kingdom.  His disciples are represented by the slaves who were each given an amount of starter money.  His command to do business represents our calling to make disciples until He returns.  Upon His return, the slaves which were rewarded were the ones who multiplied the assets given to them, probably representing a multiplication of disciples.  This noticeably blessed the nobleman!  The message is clear: God wants us to stay here and make disciples until He comes.  

Lastly, let’s talk about “those who love God” by looking at a few life-lessons we all experience. I want to draw on a lesson I recently heard from one of our deacons:  He said that the Bible doesn’t teach us to like each other.  Instead the prominent command is to love each other.  “Like” is a word which we connect to emotion toward someone.  It is really hard to like everyone, especially those who have done wrong to us.  “Love” by contrast, is a word we connect to doing something for someone.  The parallel is the same between us and God.  Loving Him involves doing something for Him.  

Conclusion - Here’s a great way to do something for Him:  The primary objective of the New Testament church is to provide fellowship for all the believers attached to it.  Our main job, the making of disciples, only   happens through face-to-face interaction with believers in a small group.  They truly get to know each other, care for each other, and learn the skills which train them to be disciples.  This simply cannot happen in a large, impersonal group where  everyone is listening to a lecture and leaving at its conclusion.  Remaining anonymous may be okay for a time, but it is a harder way to serve God, as I said in the comparison at the beginning of this message.  Today, you’re learning about a powerful, easy way to express love to God:  Join a small group!