We are talking about serving God and working to advance God’s kingdom this morning. Let me begin by saying that . .
Jesus was a man with a mission
He worked hard to promote the kingdom, to make it a reality on earth. As Matthew 9:35 says, “Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.”
Jesus gave himself to this completely and constantly. Serving God was his life focus and orientation. As he said in Luke 4:43 – “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”
The Gospels tell us that Jesus
- taught God’s way
- healed the wounded
- loved the loveless
- served the needy
He served God in all these ways in order to spread God’s kingdom message and to build up God’s kingdom community.
Jesus also calls other people to be a part of his mission
During his earthly ministry we are familiar with how he frequently said to people, “Follow me.” Now this phrase included in it an invitation to repentance and faith in Jesus – but most especially it was a call to “Come and work with me to advance God’s kingdom.”
Let’s look at one example of this in Mark 1:16-20:
“Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.”
Jesus called many people when he walked this earth. And now that his earthly ministry is over, Jesus calls us to work hard to spread the kingdom and finish the mission he began.
Drawing on the familiar parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), as well as other passages where Jesus talks about God’s mission, lets look at some
Lessons we learn from Jesus about working for the kingdom
These are things we can take away from these scriptures that will help us, encourage us and equip us for the task.
1. Each of us are given tasks to advance God’s kingdom. Just as the servants in the parable of the talents were to take what was given them from their master and increase it, so we are each given kingdom responsibilities and we are to advance the kingdom in those areas.
We all have responsibilities, according to our ability. Some have heavier duties, some lighter.
Please note: You are not released of your responsibilities because you have a pastor here now, a full time pastor, or a pastor supported financially by the church, however you want to say it. So please don’t think, “The pastor will take care of it all.” That’s a good way to send me over the edge, but more importantly and the focus here, is that it is an abdicating of your God given responsibilities.
A healthy church needs to have all of its parts working together to accomplish God’s mission. No one person can do it all, or even most of it.
Also note: You are not released of your responsibilities because you are retired. Indeed there is no retirement age in kingdom work. We work for a God who didn’t even begin to fully use Moses until he was eighty years old! Age is no barrier. No, as long as we have health and ability, we are to serve God in one way or another.
So don’t say, “We did our work and now its time for others to do the work.” It is good to make room for others to come along and work as well, but that doesn’t mean that you quit.
As long as the Lord gives you breath and you are able, that is how long you are to carry out your responsibilities to serve God and work for the kingdom.
So, each of us have been given tasks by God and we must work at them to promote the Kingdom.
2. These tasks can be anything that further God’s kingdom. Just as with Jesus’ example, we can
- teach God’s way
- heal the wounded
- love the loveless
- serve the needy
Whatever God assigns to us to spread his kingdom message and to build up his kingdom community.
So, find out what your gifts are and use them. Find out what God wants you to do, and what God has gifted you to do; what brings joy to you – and get busy at it!
But also, help out with whatever needs to be done, even if you don’t feel tremendously gifted, or called in that area. In any Christian community there are things that just need to be done for the community to work. And you don’t need a heavenly vision or a warm and fuzzy feeling to do it – just a servant’s heart. Give of yourself in these areas as well.
3. The focus of all our work is bearing witness to Jesus. It is about testifying to the coming of the kingdom with Jesus; it is about sharing who he is and the salvation he gives.
Jesus said, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” – Acts 1:8.
- We do this as individuals, sharing as we have opportunity about what Jesus has done in our lives; inviting people to church.
- And we do this as a community. Jesus calls us “a city set on a hill” (Matthew 5:14) As a community, we live by a different standard than the world around us, and this is a witness to Jesus.
Let’s remember that Jesus tells us don’t put your lamp under a basket, but let your witness shine before others – Matthew 5:14. We don’t need to be fearful. And he tells us don’t be ashamed of him before the world – Mark 8:38. We are to share our faith in Jesus boldly with others.
4. The goal of our work is to make disciples of Jesus. In the words of Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” We are to bear witness to Jesus so that people will make the commitment to be a disciple themselves; to be a part of the kingdom of God.
5. Jesus calls some to give their whole lives to working for the kingdom. They may have to leave family behind, and their career plans to help finish the work Jesus has begun.
As we saw in Mark 1:16-20, the first disciples did this. And in Mark 10:29 Jesus speaks of those who leave family and homes behind “for my sake and for the gospel.”
And might we not hope and pray that God would raise up from among us missionaries and pastors and others who will give their whole lives over to kingdom work? Are you open to hear what God has for you?
6. Jesus calls others to stay in their place in life and work for the kingdom. To the healed demoniac who wanted to be a traveling missionary with Jesus, he said in Luke 8:39 – “’Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.’ And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.”
It was God’s will for him not to go, but to stay home and serve and witness there.
7. We are to support those who give themselves fully to working for the kingdom. Jesus said, speaking of these, “the laborer deserves his wages.” – Luke 10:7. They can’t do what they are called to do without your support. And, by the way, we are still looking for more support for Gary and Denise for their work in The Gambia.
8. God’s Spirit gives us the power to work for his kingdom. Just as Jesus was empowered by the Spirit, so are we.
Jesus said in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses . . ..”
We can’t do anything in our own strength. We need God working in and through us to accomplish something for the kingdom.
9. Be prepared to give an account. This brings us back to the parable of the talents. We have each been given tasks, and we will have to give an account for how we have done. The parable is meant to impress in our minds the exacting nature of our master.
It teaches us: Don’t be lazy, doing nothing to increase God’s kingdom; doing nothing to finish Jesus’ mission. For those who do nothing, will not enter the kingdom on that final day when Jesus returns. And the parable ends with this ringing in our ears in order make an impression on us.
Rather, find out what God wants you to do and work hard! Give your all for the work of God. Be a man or woman with a mission, just like Jesus.
And if you do, you will be blessed to have joy with Jesus for eternity. This is a reward that far surpasses anything we give up to work for him; anything we have to sacrifice to advance God’s kingdom
A final thought
We all go through times when we need to step back and take a rest, or move into another area. So this is not about making anyone feel guilty. We have to be aware of our limits, and I don’t want anyone to get burned out. All of our lives are so busy today. It is a part of our culture that we are always doing things. So we each need wisdom and there is no reason to judge the decisions of others.
But having said that, let me challenge you a bit: Are we really burning out because of doing too much work for the kingdom? Or is it because we over commit in other areas of our lives?
My plea is that you keep a “a final day perspective” – What will God really care about in terms of all you do when you stand before him on the final day?
What I am saying is, of all your many commitments, make serving God and working for the kingdom the top commitment. And schedule the rest of your lives around that.
William Higgins (edited)
Christian teaching 