Working for God

Thanks.

Such amazing stories about faith heroes all throughout the Bible.

It wonders me, what did they touch on which caused them to do such amazing things?

Today I'm going to be talking about working for the Lord.

Before I begin, I want us to go into two things.

The first is that God died for you.

It's something that's told to us again and again,

especially if we've grown up in church families or communities.

But I think because we are told it again and again,

it begins to lose its meaning.

I mean, just think, the God that was in heaven came to earth,

experienced all sorts of temptation,

and died so that you could know him.

For some...

Oh, he said that, sorry.

I want you to imagine this is the first time you have ever heard

that the God of the world wants a personal relationship with you.

And he knows everything about you.

It should invoke something in us that makes us want to run for him,

not so we can earn his love, he offers it freely,

but instead to learn to experience all of God as our will aligns with his.

I think the people mentioned in this passage we have just been reading knew this,

and it gave them a zeal,

a love so great that they would go down in history as true faith heroes.

The second thing I want to touch on before we begin

is when we were on our weekend away a couple weeks ago today,

I was sitting at lunch with a man called Wyatt

from the group called YWAM,

that youth with a mission,

a missions group that were visiting us.

Me and Wyatt talked over our lunch,

and one of the things we discussed was

that me, as a 15-year-old boy,

is just as cool as all of these faith heroes

and the different speakers we hear.

And it's something I feel like I know,

but it really hit me

of those people we just heard about,

Paul, David, Abraham,

or any of the other apostles.

They were all called to different things,

and we're just as cool to our calling as they were.

So those are the two things I want you to remember.

God loves you and died for you,

and we are called just as much as one another.

So what does it actually mean to work for the Lord?

Well, for one, I think it starts with knowing

that it is not in our timing.

David was appointed to become king before Goliath,

and when Goliath came around,

there was a promise that whoever killed Goliath

would become king.

But when David killed Goliath,

he didn't go to Saul and claim his throne.

Instead, he went back to his job.

I think David knew that he wasn't in charge

and that when he was meant to become king,

it would happen.

But there was a time before that

that he had to go through to reach his calling.

We all have these callings

that we are all called to,

but there was a time before that

that we must work for the Lord

before we can reach it.

This can sound terrifying

or like it's too much to do,

but it's okay,

because honestly, it is too much

for us alone.

The people in these passages,

they didn't have to do it alone.

They had a God in heaven

who now walks with us on earth

to help them.

It says in the Bible,

in this world,

you will have trouble.

And that is true.

As Christians,

we live our lives daily

and we have troubles that face us.

But then it says,

to take heart

for he has overcome the world.

Let's look at a story in the Bible

where we see this.

In the Old Testament,

a king made a statue

and he commanded everyone

to bow down

and they ordered

the whole nation

on their knees

to this false god.

And there were three men

out of everyone

in a whole country

standing to,

Meshach,

Shadrach,

and Abednego.

They end up with being

thrown into a furnace

for doing this.

And at this point,

if they were alone,

they would surely die.

But instead,

they were seen

walking around the fire

with a fourth man

described as looking

like a son of the gods.

They knew they didn't

have to do it alone.

They did it with

an all-powerful God

that protected them

when they needed it.

I doubt we are going

to face trials

like they did.

But day in and day out,

we have a responsibility

to reflect the love

we have been given

on this earth

by God.

Let's look at Adam.

That's Adam from

the Old Testament,

not me.

What did he do

in the garden

before him and Eve

made the mistake

of eating the apple?

The fruit.

It doesn't actually say apple.

In the perfect paradise,

there was a form of work.

He tended to the garden.

Adam showed us

the role in working

for the Lord

is to develop

and take care

of what which we have

been given by the Lord

and to do it with a joy

that's rooted in him.

And that sounds

so simply put like that.

So why can it be

such a struggle sometimes?

I think it's because

it's easy.

We've been given

free will

and that means

we can choose

to follow God

or to not.

And I think

so often

the easiest choice

in the moment

is to not

and we will

get it wrong.

But luckily,

even when we do

get it wrong,

we will

because none of us

can live that perfect life

that Jesus came down

to live for us,

God will still call you

a son and daughter

and he will still

call you

to this amazing life

that he's got

prepared for you.

if you're sitting

here wondering,

I want to work

for the Lord

but I don't know

where or how

to start,

I challenge you

to get stuck

into your Bible

and prayer life.

Over time,

you will begin

to fall in love

with God

and it will invoke

you to do so much

more from a fascination

of this amazing love

we've been given

and a determination

to earn it

because nothing

you do

will ever be enough

to earn it,

unfortunately.

But that's okay

because he gave it

to you.

When Jesus

gave his life

up on that cross,

he said,

it is finished.

Just sit on that.

Yes,

it is finished.

Our debt is paid

and that means

we can have

this relationship

with God.

The sweetest thing

that we can ever

be offered

and this work

I have talked about

will very quickly

become a part

of this relationship

because it is

so worth it.

So if you're

to remember

one thing

from today,

I'd say this.

God died for you.

You are called

and you don't have

to walk this earth alone.

God has given us

each other

to help us thrive

with him

and I want you

to consider it all.

The God who made

the stars,

the earth,

and other planets

billions of light years

away,

he looked at you

and he said,

I have a plan

for this one

who I'm very glad

with.

And he is calling you

to something

so much greater.

Thank you.

Heavenly Father,

we thank you

that you created

each and everyone

in your perfect plan,

your perfect purpose.

and we just pray

now, Lord Jesus,

that in whatever context

we're going into

this week,

whether that be

in school,

in college,

at work,

in our own homes,

Lord Jesus,

we just pray

that you would help us

to do everything

as if we are working

for the Lord.

As those great heroes

of faith did,

just like Adam

talked to us about.

Lord,

would we work

not for our own glory

but for yours.

And would you give us

opportunities

and eyes to

see those opportunities

for what they are,

to take you

into the places

that we're going

into this week.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.