Title: Why Do Believers Work?
Text: Acts 20: 35; Ephesians 4: 28
Date: April 15, 2012
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Why do believers work? I mean by work, the honest labor you do each day at your jobs. Why do believers work? We are living in a tough time, many here have lost jobs. Right away you wasted no time seeking another one.
What is it that makes a believer want to have a job where we earn an income? What motivates a believing mother to go about her daily work? What constrains the believer—in all our various occupations—to want to earn an honest days’ pay?
When we were younger most of us could have given many different reasons for wanting to work:
· Make ourselves lots of money
· Buy ourselves lots of toys
· Make a name for ourselves
· Live the dream—a house, land, picket fence, kids, cars.
· In one word—for self.
The child of God who beholds what Christ has done for us has a whole new reason for everything we do—including why we work.
Acts 20: 35: I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Ephesians 4: 28: Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Propositions: Believers work and support the weak because we know that it was by our Savior’s labor that he provided all for us poor and needy sinners.
I. DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS TO BE THE POOR, WEAK, NEEDY SINNER?
A. King David knew it.
Psalm 86: 1: «A Prayer of David.» Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.
B. The apostle Paul knew it.
1 Timothy 1: 15: This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
Ephesians 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
Poor and needy and weak sinners:
· No bread from heaven
· No water of life
· No coat of righteousness
· Unable to work to achieve life by our own hands
C. Do you know what a shameful thing it was to be the thief, oppressing the poor and needy, attempting to rob the very glory of God? Paul did.
1 Corinthians 15:9: For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
How many of us were poor and needy but attempted to steal the glory of God. Too proud to beg for mercy and to sinful and depraved to provide by the works of our hands.
II. DO YOU KNOW WHAT OUR SAVIOR SAID WHEN HE DWELT AMONG US? (Turn to John 9) THIS IS THE NECESSITY CHRIST GAVE TO HIS WORK.
John 9: 4: I must work…
A. His everlasting love for the Father and for those given him of the Father was constraining love--I must work!
Illustration: You husbands who love your wives, father’s and mothers who love your children—the constraint of love for those you love compels you to say—I must work!
1. For his Bride, Christ said—I must work!
2. For his children, Christ said—I must work!
3. For the glory of his Father and the good of his Father’s house—Christ said….
John 9: 4: I must work the works of him that sent me…
A. His father sent him to work the works given him from eternity
1. To fulfill his surety ship engagements
· To glorify his Father
· To fulfill the law of God
· To make an end of sins
· To bring in an everlasting righteousness
· He said, “I must be about my Father’s business”
B. For the honor of his Father he would not rest till he could say, “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” (John 17:4) For the salvation of his bride and his children he would not sit down until he could cry from the cross, “It is finished!”
D. Time was of the essence to our Redeemer.
John 9: 4: I must work the works of him that sent me the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
Illust. David was a believer who had the Spirit of Christ within him. He knew the urgency of this work.
Psalm 71: 18: Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.
App. Brethren, this is why we go about our day-to-day jobs. Our own bride must be fed and clothed, our children must have shelter, and not only with the daily necessities, but as sinners they are in need—of these unsearchable riches of Christ!
And not only in our own homes but wherever our sphere of influence reaches. And time is of the essence—this is the day of grace—the night is coming.
III. WHAT KIND OF POSITION DID OUR SAVIOR TAKE FOR HIS WORK? (Turn to Php 2)
Philippians 2: 5: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
A. He possessed all the glory of God, equal with God, yet God the Son made himself of no reputation
1. The glory of his divine nature was covered, and out of sight;
2. There was no form nor comeliness in him to make anyone desire him
3. Note: He made himself of no reputation—he voluntarily subjected himself to this position.
B. and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
· A servant
· Made like unto his brethren
· Made under the law
· To redeem them that were under the law
Hebrews 10: 7: Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
C. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Php 2:8)
1. This is the position Christ took—no reputation
2. This is the work he took—the form of a servant
3. This is the zeal fidelity of his work—obedient unto death, even the death of the cross
Paul says, “v5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:…
Application: Has there ever been more honest work ever done? Has there ever been work performed by the labor of man’s hands—has there ever been a position ever taken by a man as honest, as honorable, as highly esteemed by God as the work Christ performed? Never!
· Yet it was position of no reputation, the least.
· It was a work despised and rejected of men.
· But that which men reject, God highly esteems.
Does we have to have work have that exalt us before men? Or make us of reputation? Does the job have to be what is highly esteemed by men?
· A mother who can get her house all in order so she has time to teach her child the scriptures
· A father working two low paying jobs, or working a job this world puts no importance own—so he can put food on his children’s table and talk to them about these spiritual reasons why he does what he does
· When we can have a house to worship in where we can spread this feast and call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:--who can’t recompense a dime—poor, outcasts, who can’t recompense this religious world’s admission fee (Lu 14:13)
· However this world may disregard us—the work that is honorable to God and highly esteemed of God is that work done for his glory and the salvation of poor and needy sinners.
Review: We saw the necessity of Christ’s work—I must work the works of him that sent me!
· We saw the position Christ took—no reputation
· The work he took—the form of a servant
· The zeal he worked—obedient unto death, even the death of the cross
IV. PAUL SAID WORK THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO GIVE TO THE NEEDY—WHAT DID CHRIST GIVE! HOW MUCH DID OUR SAVIOR GIVE?
Matthew 20: 28: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
A. Gave his life—
1. His body to be broken
· Under the weight and shame of the cross
· By the cruel torture of men
· Under the fierceness of God’s wrath
· His visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
Psalm 32: 4: For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
2. Gave his blood to be shed
· To be pressed out of him like juice from a grape
· He sweat blood like great drops of sweat
· Blood was beaten out of his back
· His blood was pierced out of his hands and his side
· But it was the blood of his life that sealed his testament in his own blood
· That washed, and purged us of our sins
· That provide for his redeemed a seat of mercy—of propitiation, that made atonement and reconciled us to God while we were just vile enemies.
3. A ransom for many—
· Christ gave his life a ransom to pay the debt that each and every one of his poor and needy children owed.
· God loves a cheerful giver— Paul said, remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”—when Christ gave his life a ransom for his elect throughout all time, he did so with a holy, pure heart, saying, “it is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Illustration: Thursday feeling crummy—I kept thinking of the pain, the shame, and the ransom he paid for me—I must work the work of him that sent me, while it is day, the night cometh, when no man can work!
V. HOW MUCH DID OUR SAVIOR ENRICH YOU WHO WERE SO WEAK AND NEEDY?
2 Corinthians 8: 9: For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
Psalm 112: 9: He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.
Pr 21:21: He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Christ our Great Worker, our Great Provider, our Great Husband and Father and Friend and has given him a name which is above every name.
And our Savior is that Righteous Man who has dispersed abroad, he has provided all for his children.
Ps 112:3: Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
Pr 8:18: Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
· Bread everlasting!
· Water eternal!
· Righteousness immaculate!
· Life eternal!
· Inheritance with him!
· He is the riches unsearchable!
So back to our original question: why do we work, labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. The Lord said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
There is only one thing that brings a believer as much happiness as receiving these riches from our Redeemer—it is giving them to another poor and needy sinner.
Is it possible to lose by doing that which pleases God? Did our Savior? He gave himself away (2 Cor. 8:9.)
Believers never lose—we are made all the more happy because the needs of many are met and they glorify God and give thanks to him. Anything that results in needy sinners giving glory and praise to our great Redeemer is what makes us happy!
True Christianity is submission to the gospel of Christ. And the fruit of his grace in our hearts makes our works to be labors of love.
‘Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift, our Lord Jesus Christ–the giver of every gift, the fountain of all blessings and the only Saviour of sinners.’
Amen!