THE TOOLS OF OUR TRADE

TEXT-  JOHN 9:4

INTRODUCTION


THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE THOSE WHO SERVE GOD ARE REFERRED TO AS "LABORERS" OR "WORKERS".

2 TIMOTHY 2:15  DO YOUR BEST TO PRESENT YOURSELF TO GOD AS ONE APPROVED, A WORKMAN WHO DOES NOT NEED TO BE ASHAMED AND WHO CORRECTLY HANDLES THE WORD OF TRUTH.  (NIV)

1 CORINTHIANS 3:9  FOR WE ARE GOD'S FELLOW WORKERS; YOU ARE GOD'S FIELD, GOD'S BUILDING.  (NIV)

SINCE WE ARE CALLED LABORERS OR WORKERS WE SHOULD FIRST OF ALL UNDERSTAND FOR WHOM WE ARE WORKING.

WHEN WE GO TO WORK ON OUR SECULAR JOBS WE ALWAYS KNOW OUR BOSS.

BUT FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON MANY OF GOD'S PEOPLE EITHER DO NOT KNOW OR HAVE FORGOTTEN WHO THEY ARE WORKING FOR.

WHO DO WE WORK FOR?

ROMANS 15:17  IN CHRIST JESUS, THEN, I HAVE REASON TO BOAST OF MY WORK FOR GOD.  (NRS)

COLOSSIANS 3:23-24  WHATEVER YOU DO, WORK AT IT WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AS WORKING FOR THE LORD, NOT FOR MEN, 24SINCE YOU KNOW THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE AN INHERITANCE FROM THE LORD AS A REWARD. IT IS THE LORD CHRIST YOU ARE SERVING.  (NIV)

FROM THESE SCRIPTURES IT IS EASY TO SEE THAT THE REASON WHY CHRIST DIED FOR US WAS TO PURIFY FOR HIMSELF A PEOPLE FOR HIS OWN POSSESSION AND THAT IT IS CHRIST WHO WE SERVE OR WORK FOR.

NOW THAT WE KNOW WHO WE ARE WORKING FOR. WHAT IS THE JOB HE HAS GIVEN US TO DO FOR HIM?

AS I WAS GOING THROUGH OUR ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION LAST WEEK I CAME ACROSS WHAT THEY SAY THE WORK OF THIS CHURCH IS.

IT SAYS THAT THE WORK OF THIS CHURCH IS "SPECIFICALLY AND PRIMARILY TO CARRY OUT THE GREAT COMMISSION OF OUR LORD.

MATTHEW 28:19-20  THEREFORE GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, 20AND TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU. AND SURELY I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE VERY END OF THE AGE."  (NIV)

THIS TELLS US WHAT OUR WORK IS.

IT IS TO PREACH THE GOSPEL AND MAKE DISCIPLES.  IT IS TO WIN THE LOST AND BAPTIZE THEM.

AS ANY LABORER OR WORKER MUST HAVE CERTAIN TOOLS TO DO THEIR JOB, WE TOO MUST HAVE CERTAIN TOOLS TO CARRY OUT THE GREAT COMMISSION.

THE GREAT PART ABOUT THIS IS THAT GOD HAS PROVIDED US WITH ALL THE TOOLS WE NEED TO DO HIS WORK.

BUT FOR SOME REASON MANY CHURCHES REFUSE TO USE THESE TOOLS.

THEY PREFER TO BE LIKE THE LABORER WHO THINKS HE KNOWS MORE THAN HIS BOSS AND THINKS HIS WAY IS A BETTER WAY.

IF WE REFUSE TO USE THE TOOLS THAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO US TO DO HIS WORK WITH THE JOB WILL NOT BE DONE PROPERLY.

THIS MORNING I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER FOUR TOOLS GOD HAS GIVEN TO US FOR DOING HIS WORK?