"As thunder follows lightning, giving follows grace"
-Randy Alcorn
Showing posts with label service. Show all posts
Showing posts with label service. Show all posts
Painful Obedience
I'm still trying to work out some kinks in this new blog... so I haven't written anything new. But here's an old post from 2005 in another blog I had:
Who of us have always been a perfect Christian? Have you been perfectly obedient? No matter how good of a Christian we this we are , we are still disobedient from time to time. I'm guilty of it. But obedience is something that is greatly appreciated by God, and He'll reward you for it. He's been showing me that lately.
About a week ago, I was with some brothers and a sister, and something amazing happened during prayer. God showed me a verse, Acts 5.38-39, a verse that, since that day, has become very very familiar to me. Although I have read through Acts last summer, I had forgotten what happens in each chapter, so I really didn't know what to expect. A few of the believers that were with me at the time were really struggling with some stuff we were trying to do for God. We knew He wanted us to do something, but didn't know if it would be as good as we were hoping.This is what Acts 5.38-39 said: "therefore in the present case I advise you: leave these men alone! Let them go! If their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men. You will only find yourself fighting against God."
What more can you say when you've just been praying for God to make your work for Him go smoothly, than for God tosay to you through His word, "don't worry about it, nobody can stop you". Wow.
Anyways, I thought that since God was speaking to me through Acts, I figured this would be a good time to go back and study that book. Reading through the various stories and trials the early believers faced, I realized that they went through a similar pattern each time.
First- The believers faced a trial
Acts 5.17Thenthe high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18Theyarrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.
Second- They were obedient to God
Acts 5.19Butduring the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors... 20"Go, stand in the temple courts," he said...21At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told..."
Third - God rescued them from the trial
Acts 5.40 They called the apostles ... and let them go.
The apostles learned from this that obeying God would definitely pay off from them, and the result of this experience led to bear more fruit for God. (Acts 5.42Dayafter day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.)
In Acts 7, there is the story of how Steven, a very faithful man, was put to death, because of his faith. Some may see this as a defeat, but Steven was being led by the Holy Spirit. He was filled with it! He knew how real and powerful God was, and knew that obedience would pay off. He was obedient right to death. We can only imagine what kinds of rewards he must be enjoying now in Heaven!
I'm still studying Acts and reading the remarkable stories about these first disciples and how they risked their lives daily to serve God,knowing that God's rewards were worth it to suffer the pain they recieved.
Who of us have always been a perfect Christian? Have you been perfectly obedient? No matter how good of a Christian we this we are , we are still disobedient from time to time. I'm guilty of it. But obedience is something that is greatly appreciated by God, and He'll reward you for it. He's been showing me that lately.
About a week ago, I was with some brothers and a sister, and something amazing happened during prayer. God showed me a verse, Acts 5.38-39, a verse that, since that day, has become very very familiar to me. Although I have read through Acts last summer, I had forgotten what happens in each chapter, so I really didn't know what to expect. A few of the believers that were with me at the time were really struggling with some stuff we were trying to do for God. We knew He wanted us to do something, but didn't know if it would be as good as we were hoping.This is what Acts 5.38-39 said: "therefore in the present case I advise you: leave these men alone! Let them go! If their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men. You will only find yourself fighting against God."
What more can you say when you've just been praying for God to make your work for Him go smoothly, than for God tosay to you through His word, "don't worry about it, nobody can stop you". Wow.
Anyways, I thought that since God was speaking to me through Acts, I figured this would be a good time to go back and study that book. Reading through the various stories and trials the early believers faced, I realized that they went through a similar pattern each time.
First- The believers faced a trial
Acts 5.17Thenthe high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18Theyarrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.
Second- They were obedient to God
Acts 5.19Butduring the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors... 20"Go, stand in the temple courts," he said...21At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told..."
Third - God rescued them from the trial
Acts 5.40 They called the apostles ... and let them go.
The apostles learned from this that obeying God would definitely pay off from them, and the result of this experience led to bear more fruit for God. (Acts 5.42Dayafter day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.)
In Acts 7, there is the story of how Steven, a very faithful man, was put to death, because of his faith. Some may see this as a defeat, but Steven was being led by the Holy Spirit. He was filled with it! He knew how real and powerful God was, and knew that obedience would pay off. He was obedient right to death. We can only imagine what kinds of rewards he must be enjoying now in Heaven!
I'm still studying Acts and reading the remarkable stories about these first disciples and how they risked their lives daily to serve God,knowing that God's rewards were worth it to suffer the pain they recieved.
All Are Welcome
When I read this passage a while ago, it really jumped out at me. It's a story about several different categories of people. Each of us fall into one of those categories, and each of us has a role to play in God's kingdom.
The landowner in this passage, obviously, is God. Before I go on, I just want to point out something remarkable at the beginning of this passage. God, the landowner, went "to hire workers for his vineyard." I want to say that I think it's amazing that God would choose to use people for His work. He's an all powerful, all knowing, and all sufficient God. He has no need for us, but He chooses to use us. He gave us life and a purpose.In this passage, the landowner returns to hire workers several times throughout the day. Whenever the Bible repeats things like this, I always like to see why it's being repeated. What is different about each repeat?The first time the landowner goes out to hire workers, it is "early in the morning". These workers are, for lack of a better word, the "keeners" of the world. These are the people who seem to always be on the ball, always seem to do things right. These people rise early and work hard all day long. I'm sure you know people from you church who you might classify in this category. They come from a strong Christian family, perhaps they're involved in the choir or leading small groups. These people are very important to God's work and it's obvious why God has hired them to work in the vineyard.But not everyone is like this. The landowner returns a second time. This time it was nine in the morning. The landowner found some more people standing around "doing nothing". These are the "late comers". Why were they doing nothing? Why weren't they there early in the morning when the first group was hired? Perhaps they slept in. Perhaps they were the wild crowd who, to be blunt, might be a little hung over from the night before. For whatever reason, they weren't there the whole time. Something made them late, but they did eventually show up. In today's world, these might represent people who didn't know God for their whole life. These people might not have come from a Christian background and it might have taken a while before anybody introduced the gospel to them. They're "late", but they showed up. They're repentant and ready to work. They're not perfect, as nobody is, but God invites them in all the same, "You also go and work in my vineyard".The final group hits me the hardest. This is group I most identify with. The landowner returns late in the day and finds a few more people standing around. These people were not late. They did not necessarily do anything wrong. After all, we're told that they have "been standing here all day long". They were there when the first group was hired. They were there when the second group was hired. But when asked why they're still standing around, they shyly confess "no one hired us"."Nobody wants us", "We're not good enough", "We are of no value", "We have nothing to offer".This sad statement resonates with millions of people in our hurting world. Every time a person turns to drinking or suicide, they are looking for acceptance. Every person who gets fired from a job is looking to have value. Every one who is the last to be picked for a sports team wants to be wanted. When a marriage breaks up, people wonder if they have anything to offer.They did everything to the best of their ability, they stood there all day long, but they couldn't measure up to the best of the best.But the landowner gives hope.
In God's kingdom, you have value. In God's plan, you are essential. In God's heart, you are wanted. In God's vineyard, there is work that you have been specifically hired to do. God is saying to you, no matter how worthless the world may say you are, "you also go and work in my vineyard". You're wanted, you're welcomed, you're valued.This part of the passage concludes with the end of the work day. This, in my interpretation, represents the end of our earthly lives when we go meet our "landowner" face to face. Each worker is given the same payment. Whether they were the "best of the best" who showed up bright and early in the morning, or the last group hired late in the afternoon. All who enter in to God's kingdom are given the same reward: Eternal life!God is a fair and just God. He's a God who welcomes all, rewards all, and loves all. He's a God worth serving. Whether you've grown up in the church or have been beaten around by life, there's a place for you in God's kingdom. He came to you, He wants to hire you. He sent His son to make it all possible.That is one awesome landowner.
Matthew 20:1-8 (TNIV)“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.“About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’
So they went.“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing.
About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’
“ ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’
“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his supervisor, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’
The landowner in this passage, obviously, is God. Before I go on, I just want to point out something remarkable at the beginning of this passage. God, the landowner, went "to hire workers for his vineyard." I want to say that I think it's amazing that God would choose to use people for His work. He's an all powerful, all knowing, and all sufficient God. He has no need for us, but He chooses to use us. He gave us life and a purpose.In this passage, the landowner returns to hire workers several times throughout the day. Whenever the Bible repeats things like this, I always like to see why it's being repeated. What is different about each repeat?The first time the landowner goes out to hire workers, it is "early in the morning". These workers are, for lack of a better word, the "keeners" of the world. These are the people who seem to always be on the ball, always seem to do things right. These people rise early and work hard all day long. I'm sure you know people from you church who you might classify in this category. They come from a strong Christian family, perhaps they're involved in the choir or leading small groups. These people are very important to God's work and it's obvious why God has hired them to work in the vineyard.But not everyone is like this. The landowner returns a second time. This time it was nine in the morning. The landowner found some more people standing around "doing nothing". These are the "late comers". Why were they doing nothing? Why weren't they there early in the morning when the first group was hired? Perhaps they slept in. Perhaps they were the wild crowd who, to be blunt, might be a little hung over from the night before. For whatever reason, they weren't there the whole time. Something made them late, but they did eventually show up. In today's world, these might represent people who didn't know God for their whole life. These people might not have come from a Christian background and it might have taken a while before anybody introduced the gospel to them. They're "late", but they showed up. They're repentant and ready to work. They're not perfect, as nobody is, but God invites them in all the same, "You also go and work in my vineyard".The final group hits me the hardest. This is group I most identify with. The landowner returns late in the day and finds a few more people standing around. These people were not late. They did not necessarily do anything wrong. After all, we're told that they have "been standing here all day long". They were there when the first group was hired. They were there when the second group was hired. But when asked why they're still standing around, they shyly confess "no one hired us"."Nobody wants us", "We're not good enough", "We are of no value", "We have nothing to offer".This sad statement resonates with millions of people in our hurting world. Every time a person turns to drinking or suicide, they are looking for acceptance. Every person who gets fired from a job is looking to have value. Every one who is the last to be picked for a sports team wants to be wanted. When a marriage breaks up, people wonder if they have anything to offer.They did everything to the best of their ability, they stood there all day long, but they couldn't measure up to the best of the best.But the landowner gives hope.
He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’
In God's kingdom, you have value. In God's plan, you are essential. In God's heart, you are wanted. In God's vineyard, there is work that you have been specifically hired to do. God is saying to you, no matter how worthless the world may say you are, "you also go and work in my vineyard". You're wanted, you're welcomed, you're valued.This part of the passage concludes with the end of the work day. This, in my interpretation, represents the end of our earthly lives when we go meet our "landowner" face to face. Each worker is given the same payment. Whether they were the "best of the best" who showed up bright and early in the morning, or the last group hired late in the afternoon. All who enter in to God's kingdom are given the same reward: Eternal life!God is a fair and just God. He's a God who welcomes all, rewards all, and loves all. He's a God worth serving. Whether you've grown up in the church or have been beaten around by life, there's a place for you in God's kingdom. He came to you, He wants to hire you. He sent His son to make it all possible.That is one awesome landowner.
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