“Let’s Get to Work”: Sermon Outline by Keith Badowski
Matthew 21:28-32 (NIV)Matthew 5:41-42 (NIV)1. So, does my title suggest I’m talking about “works theology”? Doing hard labor on earth to earn our way into heaven?
Once there was a company that put out an instant cake mix. You only had to add water. It didn’t sell. Market research showed that people thought it sounded TOO EASY; it couldn’t be any good. They reformulated the mix so the instructions were to add water and one egg. It sold fine after that.
Some people are tempted to believe that God’s plan of salvation is to easy too.
2. Ephesians 2:8-9 “By grace you have been saved through faith . . ., it is the gift of God, not of works.”
God’s formula is not about to be changed.
Works do not earn salvation. Works show gratitude, devotion, willingness to yield yourself to God who blesses you whether you work or not. (Of course, chances are if the message of Jesus’ free gift has penetrated your heart and you are grateful for his forgiveness of your sins, you’re going to WANT to work—to express your return of the love God first extended to you.)
3. Did it ever occur to you that if you trust Jesus for your salvation/ forgiveness of your sins/ eternal life . . . you ought to maybe trust him to direct the way you live now?
Isn’t it possible that what he asks (not demands) has your own best interests at heart?
4. Serving others, as many can attest, feels good! Nothing gives the same satisfaction.
Albert Schweitzer was quoted as saying, “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.”
5. Jesus wants WILLING workers who chose Him FREELY, VOLUNTARILY do His work in the world. He doesn’t resort to guilt trips or any kind of manipulation to get us up and out of our seats.
Well, sometimes He can light a fire under us to get us moving. . .
6. Once there was a member of a motorcycle gang who a couple days earlier became a believer in Jesus. The only thing he knew to do was to go to church. As he made his way to sit in the 2nd row, the people of the congregation stared at him as he passed. They whispered to each other about his burliness, his leather chaps, his nose ring. As he sat down, the pastor announced, “We need a helper in to work in the nursery this morning. Can I get a volunteer please?” No one came forward, so the pastor asked again, “We really need a helper in the nursery this morning. Please step forward if you can help out.” Meanwhile the biker was praying, “Lord, I don’t know if you want me to help out, but I will take it as a sign from you that I should if he asks a third time.” The pastor made the third request when no one responded to the first two, so the biker raised his hand, stood up and started walking to the front . . . followed by 50 mothers who suddenly rose to their feet.
7. God shouldn’t have to send a burly biker to get us involved and on our feet.
Why not a motive of gratitude? A desire to show the world in action who Jesus is—the one who acts to help others, who sets himself aside for our well-being.
8. Jesus calls us to enact his grace and love by how we respond to the needs of others.
He wants us to pay no mind to whether the recipient DESERVES love and grace. That’s hard to do at 1st.
Jesus always asks his disciples to do tasks that 1st seem hard, unpleasant.
9. Sacrifice time. As if it’s “OUR time.”
Hard effort, physical strain at times.
Outside our comfort zone.
If we see such difficulties ahead we might delay our choice to serve.
“
If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice”
–Rush10.
"Did I ever tell you about the young Zoad,
who came to a sign at the fork of the road.
He looked one way and the other way too
The Zoad had to make up his mind what to do.
Well, the Zoad scratched his head,
and his chin, and his pants—
and he said to himself “I’ll be taking a chance.”
If I go to place One, that place may be hot,
so how will I know if I like it or not.
On the other hand, though, I’ll feel such a fool
If I go to Place Two and find it’s too cool,
in that case I may catch a chill and turn blue.
So Place One may be best and not Place Two.
“Play safe!” cried the Zoad.
“I’ll play safe, I’m no dunce.
I’ll simply start off to both places at once.”
And that’s how the Zoad who would not take a chance
went no place at all with a split in his pants."
--Dr. Seuss11. Option: remain indecisive when Jesus calls us to serve.
Like the Second son, say “Yes” but do “No”.
Sit quietly and hope he’ll forgot the whole conversation.
Opportunity: be like the First son. He may have said “No” fearing it was too hard or just not for him. But 5 minutes or 2 years later, we can CHANGE OUR MIND.
12. . . . get to work, give the mission to serve our best try.
Realize that God supplies wisdom, power, resources, guidance—to accomplish what it is He asks. God acts through us—He must because what He asks is too HARD to do without Him.
13. Hard Requests:
Someone strikes you, insults, snubs, or criticizes you, FORGIVE THEM. Be vulnerable, risk another stab in the back, love your enemies.
Be GENEROUS, even when the world is take, take, take.
Someone pressures you to work for them, look for EXTRA things you can do for them, go beyond their demands, showing God’s generosity and grace by working HARDER and doing MORE.
14. Be open handed with your resources, not just your leftover pocket change, but your checkbook, your car, your skills, and know-how, your tools, any of your possessions. YOURS? They don’t actually belong to you. They’re on loan from the Creator. Use what you “have” to improve the situation of another person.
15. I know of 3 Christian men who have loaned or given vehicles to needy individuals who are unlikely to ever pay them back. I know 3. I wonder how many Jesus knows. I wonder how many Jesus wants?
16. Jesus has given us a free gift of salvation. Jesus demands no works, no payment. He sets us free because he loves us. He hopes we will seek his directions, his instructions to devote ourselves to working on his behalf.
