THEME: CHRISTIAN SERVICE AND COMMITMENT IN GOD’S VINEYARD
LESSON: THREE
TEXT: Matthew 9:35-38, Acts 6:1-7, Romans 12: 1-10, 1Corinthians 12-27
INTRODUCTION:
In our last lesson, we learnt about the two phases of harvests and that a labourer is one who forgoes all rights and privileges, does not get distracted nor get too comforted etc., first, to follow the Lord and work for Him without a sense of entitlement for reward (Luke 9:5862,10:1). We saw that the first labourers are the Godhead and every other person who labour under them are co-labourer.
Divine Ordination of Service and Commitment
God created all things, but He involves His creatures to achieve His purpose amidst creatures. In this instance, God is the labourer and the creatures are the co-labourers. The divine order of service and commitment is that labourers do not stand alone. Every labourer must have co-labourers. God is the first labourer and He worked with angels/men to achieve His purpose on earth.
God also encountered some men and gave them specific assignments that will affect generations on earth. God always surround these men with other men who will join forces with them to achieve the purpose of God in their generation (and generations to come).
Examples
- Moses, Aaron and his Sons (Exodus 28:1); Bezalel (Exo.31:1-6): The Lord called Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt, to become a nation of priests unto God and a peculiar people. Moses could not carry out this task alone, so God also ordained men who would work with Him to achieve this goal.
- David and his men (1 Chronicles 12:1,17,18,22,23,38): The Lord want David to be king over Israel but this couldn’t be achieved alone. So, God raised many mighty men to fulfil His will.
- Jesus and His Disciples (Luke 6:12): God gave the Lord Jesus men who were ordained from the foundation of the world that would help Him become the saviour of the world. He was the Word made flesh but could not do this alone without other men.
- The Early Apostles and the 7 Deacons (Act 6:1-7): The disciples were once co-labourers under the Lord Jesus but they were moved to a higher estate after Jesus’ resurrection. The Lord had to raise 7 men to be co-labourers; to ensure the ministry of the word prospered.
- Paul and his Fellow Labourers (Romans 16:1-15, 2Cor. 8:32, Phil 2:25, Col. 4:7 etc.,): Paul received a special message from the Lord for the whole humanity. This work is enormous and great. He needs men around Him who would be instrumental in achieving this great task.
ALL THINGS WERE MADE TO SERVE
The Almighty God; creator of the heavens and the earth is the Number One servant of all. His living, incorruptible and undying nature is deeply rooted in His selfless personality. God does not live for Himself, and He demonstrated this to us when He gave us our Lord Jesus Christ. God is the greatest over all because He sustains all creation both in the heavens and on the earth, by His life. He created things not for themselves but for other creatures. It is death for a creature to live to serve himself/itself.
A servant heart is the only heart that can sustain relationship with others and with God. Someone rightly said “serving is not just the way to the top but is the way of the top”
PERVERTED ORDER OF SERVICE (Matthew 20:18-28, Luke 22:22-27, Romans 12:1-3; Eph 6:5-9)
One major form of the perverted order of service is the Gentile way. The fall of man degraded man and this affected man in all facet of His expression including service. So, men fell into a corruptible sense of reason which called a benefactor (for name/fame) and to be served. This should not be the reason for service and commitment in God’s Vineyard. This world which is a system of thinking, a way of life, way of judgement etc., is designed to fight against God and the work in His vineyard. This is intentionally done by Satan to ensure God is not pleased with our service.
WRONG ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE WORK OF THE LORD
- Labourer Mentality vs Volunteer:
Volunteers are those who work without compensation, reward or profit attached to what they are doing. Often times, volunteer-minded workers in the vineyard of God have no sense of commitment whatsoever, all they do is at their convenience; they give the work attention out of their spare time and wouldn’t venture into the Lord’s work if there is no spare time. They work carelessly because nobody pays them, being ignorant that they are working for God and He will definitely pay according to how we work (Col 3:23-25).
- Labourer Mentality vs Cooperate Mind mentality:
A cooperate worker select what he can do and what he cannot do, and his preferences are based on self and area of interest. They give more credence to skill/ability than grace. They work based on worldly principle. They work according to terms and conditions and expect everyone to stick to this and work professionally. They give little or no room for growth (spiritual), forbearance, love and commitment to the welfare of the brethren. This kind of workers are not humble and cannot endure the mistakes/shortcoming of other fellow workers. This kind of mindset will spoil the Lord’s work (1Tim 3:6-7).
- Labourer Mentality vs Hireling (1Tim 3:3,8):
This kind of workers are working based on what they can gain and how they can use the people whom they serve (and the work) for selfish gain. They care less if things go bad as long as their gain is intact. They are not ready to lay down their life for the Lord’s work. Remember we said the harvest are the people.
- The Wicked Worker (Lk 19:20-24):
This worker is termed wicked because he did nothing. He disregarded the master’s call to serve, and had a wicked thought towards the Lord. He disobeyed the Lord by refusing to trade with the talent (gift of life and grace) for increase of it and went to bury it under the earth. This is primarily because it is not his own work.
CONCLUSION
Few questions to ask in this regard is “what will you do with your life?” “Will you be like a gentile worker, or the Lord’s worker?” The Lord sure will reward labourers in His Vineyard. Let’s make up our minds under the Lord to serve and do all we do as unto the Lord (Heb 6:10).