Aug. 21, 2022

Working for God (21 August 2022)

Introduction - In the last several teachings I have had, we took an in-depth look at prophecy, specifically the important book of the Revelation and a companion passage, Daniel’s prophecy of the 70 weeks.  It is so kind of God to assure us that we will not be in the terrible events of the 70th week of Daniel’s prophecy.  The Christian lives in a wonderful age between the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and the Rapture of the Church.  No prophet ever saw this age before and no prophecies ever told about it.  It is the Church Age, the period of time in which Jesus is building his church.  The devil is still on the earth, but is restrained by the Restrainer, the Holy Spirit.  It is an opportune time to work while it is possible to work.  Many Christians take a very casual approach to the Christian life, leaning on the premise that since we are under grace and Jesus has done it all, there is nothing at all for the Christian to do in this life except sing songs and eat.  This, of course, is false.  Most Christians want to take part in kingdom-building.  The problem is that pastors don’t spell out very well what work needs to be done.  In this introduction and the next sermon, I’ll attempt to paint a more specific picture of this noble work.

Acts 15:36 After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing.” 37 Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark. 38 But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work. NLT

“Their work,” that is, the tending of the flock of new believers which was the result of the evangelistic work Paul and Barnabas had done on earlier visits, is the predictable and typical work God leaves for us to do in this age of the church.  It is a small model of the great creative work which God did in the creation of the heavens and earth and all that dwells within it: 

Genesis 1:27-28 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.28 Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”  NLT

Genesis 2:15 The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. NLT

We don’t have the authority to create new planets or new animal species, but we do have the ability to “create” or bring forth new life that God has set in motion already, both physical and spiritual.  We actually “tend” the garden of God which he calls the church, much like Adam and Eve “kept” the garden of Eden.  Humans can do more than that, being able to actually reproduce other humans.  This power is so basic that people can reproduce regardless of whether they are Christian or not.  Only Christians, however, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, can identify and nurture the spiritual life of another human.  The natural man cannot understand this.  This job has been given to the Christian, God will not do it Himself.  He relies on us to do it:  

John 9:4  We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. 

Conclusion - The time is NOW for us to carry out the many tasks involved with the making of disciples.  We are to baptize and then teach all believers concerning all that Jesus taught us.  We know what the time of “night” involves; it is not a frightening unknown to us, because God has already explained the tribulation and the end of the world to us.  So, NOW is the time to invest in the kingdom with our time, talent, and treasure.  In our next teaching, I’ll describe this in more detail.