Labourers Together With God

[0:00] We're going to the Word of God now to Luke 10 and I'm talking about labourers together with God. Labourers together with God. It's a bit alike to the theme of this morning because I was talking about serving God in a way this morning too but! It's a theme right through the Word of God to serve God to minister ministry ministry.

[0:22] It's been defined as the faithful service of God's people rendered unto God and others on his behalf to bring him glory, build up his church and reach out to his world.

[0:34] Ministry. It's for all of us. It's not meant to be just for the one or the select few. Ministry is for the whole body. It's for every believer. All of us. Each one of you has a gift to share, has an ability that you can give something unto God in his service.

[0:52] And we're all servants of the Lord. It's a theme right through the Bible. People were serving the Lord, servants of the Lord, men and women serving the Lord in different capacities. And of course we know in modern times we've seen wonderful missionaries that have served the Lord.

[1:07] People like William Carey. He was an extraordinary pioneer missionary that went to India. And he said this. He said, Expect great things for God and attempt great things for God.

[1:20] Great things for God. We can all be a part in that, to play a part in that. And our Lord calls us, each one of us, we're all called unto his service. Luke 10 verse 2, it says this.

[1:32] Our Lord speaks and he says unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

[1:49] He's telling the disciples there to pray for workers, pray for labourers. And he says that the Lord of the harvest is the one to pray to. Our Lord tells of a great harvest.

[2:01] And there's an urgency. There's a need for workers. And there always has been. There's a shortage. They're in short supply. There's a skill shortage, a labour shortage. There's a need for labourers.

[2:12] The labourers are few. Our Lord says the labourers are few. It's the same today. Many are unconcerned. Our Lord says pray. It's a spiritual thing really, isn't it?

[2:23] And we can put people in jobs that they really are not suited for. That can be a mistake too. And we want to be prayerful about it. To pray for labourers.

[2:34] To pray for the right one. To take that role. To pray for the right one. To take that service. Pray ye, therefore, that says, The Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

[2:48] We want God to send them forth. We want God to send forth the labourers. And the sense of this sending forth, it's got the sense of thrust them out. Forcefully push them out. There's that forcefulness to this phrase here of thrust them.

[3:06] Send them forth. Send them out. Push them out. The harvest must be done. The harvest is ready and the labourers are few. The harvest is ready, but the labourers are lacking.

[3:20] And there's a call that's going out. Pray for the labourers to go out into the harvest. Pray the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth those labourers. And we're all called to be gospel workers.

[3:32] Really. We've all got the gospel. Every one of you, as a saved person, has the gospel message. It can be something you can share. You don't have to call for an evangelist or invite them to church to hear a preacher.

[3:47] Every one is called to be a gospel labourer, a gospel worker. Sent out to carry out that mission. This mission is not constricted or restricted to just some.

[4:00] It's for all. Every believer. He says, go ye, telling the whole church, of course, of sorts there, to take the gospel.

[4:11] Take the gospel. So we're all sent out. Every one of us is sent out to carry out a mission. And there's a call here. The call is going out. It's a call for effort. A call for diligence.

[4:23] A call to expend yourself. Spend yourself. Spend yourself. Spend yourself. As a call for maximum effort. To do something.

[4:34] It's talking about servants of Christ. Doing the will of God from the heart. And friends, it's getting that sense of the urgency of the call.

[4:44] It's getting that sense of the mission field all around us. Of the harvest field. And the call is for labourers. And we ought to be such labourers.

[4:55] And there's nothing wrong with a bit of hard labour. A bit of labour. A bit of expending of sweat and energy and application.

[5:08] I can think back. One of my numbers of my first jobs were being a labourer. Working in Bridgestone factory. Making tyres on the production line. Wasn't much fun.

[5:20] Or loading a printing press with printing papers and such. Until I was fortunate enough to get a much plusher job. But there's nothing wrong with being a labourer.

[5:31] It's a good thing to be a labourer. To put some effort and intensity. And to have an application of yourself. Our Lord tells us in Ephesians chapter 6.

[5:45] He's addressing there the servants of the day. The workers. The domestic servants of the day. And he's saying that they ought to serve. Not with eye service. As men pleasers.

[5:56] In other words. Just to please men. Who might be watching. Not while you're. Not just serving well. When you're under the eye. The supervision of someone. Not as one who would want to just please people.

[6:09] But as the servants of Christ. It says. Doing the will of God. From the heart. So as a servant of Christ. That. That. Our Lord wants that our working be.

[6:20] According to his will. Doing the will of God. From the heart. So again. With our service. Is our service doing the will of God? And is it doing the will of God from the heart?

[6:31] That's what our Lord wants for us. And so. When you think of it. If you want to have. An obedience to this scripture here. There's. A need to throw your soul into it.

[6:42] To serve God. Willingly. To do his will. And do it from your heart. Do God's will wholeheartedly. If we see something as God's will.

[6:52] Then let's put our. Soul into it. Let's throw ourselves into it. With all the energy that we can muster. With all the. Willing. Wholeheartedness we can have. To do something for God.

[7:04] Deny yourself. When we serve. It means. Oft times. It means putting aside our own. Comforts. And our own self will. Our own. Convenience.

[7:15] And comforts. And to. Throw yourself into it. Throw yourself into it. Do the will of God. From the heart. Do God's will wholeheartedly. And this work we're called to.

[7:27] It's got a time limit. It's called life. It's called life. Our Lord tells us of this work. That it's time limited. We see in John 9 verse 4.

[7:37] Our Lord himself says. I must work the works of him. That sent me. While it is day. The night cometh. When no man can work. Time's coming. When you'll clock off.

[7:48] For the last time. And you won't clock on again. It'll be. Your life will be ended. That opportunities to serve. Are finite. Our Lord's work.

[7:59] Is a holy work. It's a great work. He says. The night cometh. When no man can work. Time will come. When you can't work anymore. In terms of. You know. You might be.

[8:10] Physically. Not well enough to work. Or. Your life might actually end. Is the sense of it here. That night comes. When there's no more working time. And it's interesting.

[8:21] There was. A popular musician. Songwriter. Not that I. Follow such. But. In the early 70s. His name was Jim Crose. And one of his. Most famous recordings.

[8:31] Was. Time. In a Bottle. Time in a Bottle. It's. Probably a popular one. Some might. Have. Recognised. The title. It was a love song. About.

[8:42] His desire. To save time. In a bottle. In order to spend it later. With someone that he loved. And the eerie thing. About this piece. That. Jim Crose. Played. And it. Became.

[8:52] A best. Seller. At. At the time. It hit the airwaves. Jim Crose. The writer of the song. Was dead. And his song.

[9:04] Was about time. Time being limited. Time. Is. In limited supply. So use it wisely. Use your time. To do the will of God. And don't think. For yourself.

[9:15] That you have to. Have some. Plan. As in. That it's future. It's always future. That you're going to get around. To serving God. Because.

[9:26] Friends. That can be a trap. Because there'll always be something else. That takes. That. That makes it more and more of a delay. To. To do something for God. Don't delay. Jump in.

[9:38] And serve now. While. While you can. While you have breath. Serve now. There's only a limited time to work. The night cometh. It says. When no man can work. And it's God's purpose that we work.

[9:51] It says. Of our Lord. He gave himself for us. That he might redeem us from all iniquity. And purify unto himself. A peculiar people. Zealous. Of good works.

[10:02] God's purpose. Is that we work. And that we work with zeal. Our Lord wants willing workers. Workers who are willing. And he calls us to serve. To do the will of God.

[10:13] So. We know that. Our salvation. Is not by works. But our safe people. We're called to be. Workers. We're called to be. With the people.

[10:23] Who have a zeal. To do his will. A like scripture. Is Titus 3. Verse 8. And it reads. That. Paul says to Titus.

[10:35] This is a faithful saying. And these things. Are will that thou affirm. Constantly. In other words. This is something to. To repeat. To keep going. Over and over. And over again. Affirm constantly.

[10:47] That they which have believed. In God. Might be careful. To maintain. Good works. These things are good. And profitable. Unto men. So. It's rightful. And needful. That.

[10:58] A preacher. Exhort. The people. That we. Be exhorted. Together. To maintain. Good works. Good works. Are profitable.

[11:08] They're good. They're profitable. We ought to be careful. To maintain them. Another important point. Here. Is that. We must be careful. That our works. Are wrought in God.

[11:19] And we can work. But it might not be. The work of God. Our Lord says. In John 3. 21. He says. He that doeth truth. Cometh to the light. That his deeds. Might be made manifest. That they are wrought.

[11:30] In God. We want our works. To be wrought in God. In other words. They're works that. God would have us to do. That it's an activity. A function. That. He wants for us.

[11:41] To. To undertake. Not something we. Make. Of our own. Intention. Because there are some works. That are vain. We see some will brag.

[11:52] At the judgment day. Of many wonderful works. But they are vain. Because these ones. They never knew the saviour. So we must firstly. Be saved. To know him.

[12:03] And then our works. Will be. Recognised. But to. Do many wonderful works. As some might do. And have all kinds of. Charitable. And good.

[12:13] And commendable. Activities. And service. They might render. To the world. The community. If they know not the saviour. He'll say. I never knew you. We must firstly. Get that right.

[12:24] That we know the saviour. And then. As we know him. Be careful. To maintain good works. It says. Of Laodicea. Our Lord says. I know thy works. Laodicea.

[12:35] Had some works. But of course. We know. That their works. Were spoiled by. Lukewarmness. The Bible also tells. Of dead works. Of vain works. May our works. Be of God.

[12:45] That's a very important. Consideration. And we must grasp. Our responsibility. To God. Daniel Webster. A famous. Man of old.

[12:56] Was present one day. At a dinner party. In New York. And some friends. Came to him. And put the question. To him. And they asked Mr. Webster this. They said. Would you please. Tell us Mr.

[13:06] Webster. What was the most. Important thought. That ever occupied. Your mind. And Mr. Webster. Raised his head. And passed his hand. Slowly over his face. For it. And said. Is there anyone here.

[13:18] Who doesn't know me. And they said. No sir. We all know you. And are your friends. Then he said. As he looked around the table. He said. The most important thought. That ever occupied.

[13:28] My mind. Was my individual. Responsibility to God. As an individual. Responsibility to God. That we all have. And then he spoke. On this subject.

[13:39] Some while later. The most important. The most important. Responsibility. The most important. Thought. The most important. Consideration. Is our individual.

[13:50] Responsibility. To God. So find God's will. And do it. From your heart. We see. The Bible says. For by grace. Are you saved through faith.

[14:00] That not. Of yourselves. It is the gift of God. Not of works. Lest any man. Should boast. We want to underline. That the works. Do not save. But it goes on to read.

[14:11] That we are his workmanship. Created in Christ Jesus. Unto good works. That God has before ordained. That we should walk in them. So. We're saved by grace.

[14:22] Through faith. And we're called. Unto good works. That we should walk in them. That follows on. Christ has placed. His people. In a perishing world. We've all got. A responsibility.

[14:33] And we've all got. An expectation. From our Lord. Upon us. To carry on his work. To be. Constrained by his love. To be led by his spirit. To find places.

[14:45] And ways we can serve. And we've got a responsibility. Individually. One by one of us. Every one of us. Has a responsibility. What are we able to do? What are we willing to do?

[14:56] Let's be willing and able. And do it. You know. We thank God. For people serving. In the church. We know. There's multiple people serving. I'm sure everyone is serving. In their own way.

[15:07] But maybe you could consider. What other ways can I serve? How else can I serve? How else can I serve my saviour? And do something. For the glory of God. You know. There's times past.

[15:18] When. You know. I've probably done more than I ought to have done. You know. I was driving the bus. I was running the. The Bible study. Running the youth group. Every week.

[15:29] And morning and night. Sundays. And everything in between. And working a full time job. At the same time. Now we can get to a point. Where we're running ourselves ragged.

[15:39] And running ourselves. Flat out. And that can. That can. Fail. And that. And really the. The idea of the church. Is it's a body ministry. That every part.

[15:51] Everyone is playing their part. Every. Member. Every. Component. Of the body. Makes the body function. As we know. Our human body. And likewise too.

[16:01] In the church. It's body ministry. That every believer. Is finding. Their function. Finding their activity. Finding their place to serve. And doing that. Fulfilling that.

[16:12] We've all got that responsibility. And there's a pressing importance. It's our life purpose. It's only while we've got life.

[16:24] That we can serve. Time will come. When we're. Dead. We're physically dead. This side of.

[16:35] Of course our spirit lives on. But the physical capacity. That we have. While we've got a body. That's alive. So. It's finished. Because night comes. When no man can work.

[16:46] So. And God's ordained. That we should work. He's ordained. That we should walk in good works. He's ordained. That we should walk in them. So. It's important. I know.

[16:57] I've been in discussion. About works lately. And just. We're not against works. We want to be a working church. A functioning church. We want every Christian. To be working. It's just.

[17:08] Our salvation. Isn't dependent upon it. But as saved people. We ought to. We're ordained to. Walk in those good works. It's no light thing. Don't neglect to work.

[17:20] Friends. We see. Matthew 5. Our Lord addresses the people. He says. Ye are the light of the world. Ye. Plural. The body of people. He's addressing. The disciples. He says.

[17:31] Ye are the light of the world. He says. A city they set on a hill. Cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle. And put it under a bushel. You don't cover something. That's a light.

[17:41] You display it. That's what he's saying. Put it on a candlestick. And it giveth light unto all them. That are in the house. Let your light so shine before men. Let your light shine.

[17:53] People. Let your light shine before men. That they may see your good works. And glorify your father which is in heaven. Let your light shine. Do we let our light shine?

[18:06] Or do we hide it? Don't be afraid to be a witness. Let your good works glorify your father. And let's not get caught up in this material world. Where we neglect.

[18:17] Where we don't sustain those works. Where we slack. The Bible talks about people being slack. There's times that we all feel feeble and inadequate and weak.

[18:30] But we've all got the calling. Everyone. Everyone is called to live and work for the kingdom of God. Work and keep on working.

[18:43] Sometimes our zeal, our labour, we can flag. We can falter. Sometimes people don't have the stamina. There's a lack of stamina.

[18:57] The Lord will give you the strength that you need to serve him. If it's his will, he'll give you the strength to do it. And our Lord calls us to shine.

[19:08] We're in a dark world, friends. And we shine as lights in the world, it says in Colossians. That we need to travel through this world sending the light, bringing the light to darkened souls.

[19:20] The wonderful reality is that God is working with us and through us. And this is the verse I'd really like to really highlight here. 1 Corinthians 3 verse 9.

[19:31] It says, For we are labourers together with God. We are labourers together with God. Ye are God's husbandry, which means you're like God's farm.

[19:43] There's a sense where he's the husbandman, he's the farmer, he's the gardener. Ye are like a gardener. Husbandry speaks of, I think they've still got courses like that in, what's that agricultural college up the road?

[19:56] You can do a course in husbandry. It's basically being, it's farm work, isn't it? It's looking after a farm. It's looking after gardening and such. So the sense where we're like God's garden.

[20:07] And we're also God's building. So there's lovely pictures we could paint about all such things, isn't there? To think of that. He's planting us like a garden. He's growing us, building us like a building.

[20:19] But the point here is, especially, that I wanted to emphasise, is that we're labourers together with God. And when you actually catch that, capture that, labourers together with God.

[20:32] We're meant to work with God. God working with us, to be co-workers with God. He works through us. It's his work. And we're working with God. He will equip us to do the work that he's called us to.

[20:45] Now some of you might have prayerful desires to serve God in particular ways. And they may still be yet future. But don't stop serving God thinking that you can't serve till then.

[21:00] Till you're qualified. Till you're more able. Till you're more experienced. Because that can be a trap. Jump in now. Jump in now. Start to be an apprentice.

[21:11] Start to be a labourer. Start to take those little chunks of what you can do. I know I was speaking with a brother lately and he was talking about being faithful in the little things.

[21:24] It can be just little things. Just being consistent in fellowship. Just trying to be a consistent testimony in your home, in your workplace. Finding those opportunities to share the gospel that might come your way.

[21:38] Knowing that God will strengthen you and enable you to stand up for Christ when you've never done that before. He'll help you. And those little small incremental things will help you to grow stronger and stronger for future service.

[21:54] He will equip us. We're told that we all have a gift. It says 1 Peter 4 verse 10. It says, Every man hath received the gift.

[22:06] There's a sense where every believer has something that he's been given. Brother, sister, you've been given something. Every man hath received the gift.

[22:18] Even so minister the same one to another. As good stewards of the manifold grace of God. That's why church is important. Fellowship. Because you can't minister one to another unless you're with one another.

[22:30] So it follows. Get together. Take those opportunities to get together. And minister one to another. Serve one to another.

[22:41] And it says, If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God. In other words, with God's authority. When we speak in the word of God, we can speak it with authority. If any man minister, which means to serve, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth.

[22:58] When you serve, do it with God's ability. Not with your own. I know for myself, if I'm doing it in my own strength, I haven't got the ability. But do it with the ability that God gives.

[23:10] That God in all things may be glorified. That's the object, isn't it? That God in all things might be glorified through Jesus Christ. So whom he prays in dominion forever and ever. Amen.

[23:21] So the point of this little passage, 1 Peter 4, verse 10. Use your gifts. You've been given a gift. Minister the same. Use your gift. Serve with the ability that God has given you.

[23:33] Serve with God's strength. He will supply. You might say, well, who am I? I'm just really learning. I don't know much about the Bible. I'm pretty new to some of this stuff.

[23:45] Do it with the ability that God gives. He will supply. He will continue to supply. He will give you more ability as you step out and serve.

[23:55] Step out of the comfort zone. And he will give you the strength. Because we all need his strength. And to work in his power. Every one of us, men and women, we've all got capacities to serve.

[24:07] You know, we've been talking lately about the youth group. We've been finding it hard to have a kind of consistency there in the youth group.

[24:19] It's not everyone's cup of tea to minister to youth. But maybe you could be a help. A helper. And as you help, you'll learn. You'll grow. You'll be able to do more.

[24:31] You'll get more comfortable. Our serving is a form of worship. Our Lord tells a time, a parable of two sons in a home.

[24:44] And a certain man, he had two sons. It says Matthew 21, 28. And he came to the first and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard. The man in this story, the parable, had two sons.

[24:58] But only one went. And it's kind of interesting. One said, yes, I'll go. And then they never showed up. They were a no-show. And the one who, the first said, I can't.

[25:10] He actually did. The one who went was the one who fulfilled the father's will. Notice it says, Son, go work today in my vineyard.

[25:22] Spurgeon comments on this that there's always something to be done in a vineyard. You know, I live in a bit of a farm block. And there's always something to do. There's always some weed to pull or some ground to dig.

[25:37] There's something to plant. Something to tidy up. And, you know, much bigger farms. I'm sure they're much busier than me in such things with fences to fix and things that can be done.

[25:48] You think of the vineyard. There's always work to do in a vineyard. There's always some clipping, cutting, planting, trimming, weeding, whatever it be. The father says, Son, go work today in my vineyard.

[26:07] One went. The other went not. And it's a picture for us. He calls us as his servants, more so his sons, to work. To work today, it says.

[26:18] Today. I'm not talking about tomorrow, next month, next year, when we might have all fanciful ideas about when we're going to start serving God. Today.

[26:30] Work today. In my vineyard, he says. Give yourself to work for God. Wesley's preachers had the motto, Our work is to win souls, and we give ourselves to it.

[26:43] Give yourself fully to it. Pour out yourself as a drink offering. Pour out yourself. Expend yourself. Spend and be spent. He calls us to work. To the work of the master.

[26:54] There's nothing more important than that. The work is unfinished, and we're all accountable for souls. One preacher put it, Oh, friends, I'm so tired of weak Christianity.

[27:05] Let us be out and out for Christ. Let us give no uncertain sound. If the world wants to call us fools, let them do it. It is only a little while. The crowning day is coming.

[27:17] Thank God for the privilege we have of confessing Christ. Crowning day is coming. Friends, we've only got this time of life.

[27:28] Spend it well. Someone has said this. May we live as though Christ died yesterday, arose this morning, and is coming back tomorrow. Our Lord is coming back, and surely we ought to be mindful of that.

[27:43] Great prospect. For the meantime, every believer has a work to do. Don't think that you are just a spectator, that church is about coming, sitting, and just passing some time, and then leaving, and that's the end of your commitment to God.

[28:04] Our life is his. Our labour, he wants to give unto him. Every believer has a work to do.

[28:15] The Bible talks about a diversity of gifts and operations. So there's different combinations of callings, of abilities, diversities of gifts and operations.

[28:28] In other words, there's some who are, who've got the niche for certain things. It might be working with the toddlers in the creche.

[28:39] It might be looking after the garden. I know dear sister has been working hard today. There's some, there's different things. You've got abilities. We've all got a different skill set of things we can do.

[28:50] Even just a friendly smile and a handshake, if we're allowed to, and just a greeting, taking time to care, to pray for one another, to reach out to a soul, to be a glowing testimony for Christ.

[29:07] Every believer has a work to do and a task that you can fulfil. So don't feel like you can't serve God. Don't feel like serving God is something that is beyond you.

[29:19] And there's no retirement plan. Really, we work till we drop. We should die with our boots on. We should, I know that some have criticised the idea, burn out rather than rust out.

[29:32] It'd be better to be burning out, you know, I've seen some videos of a preacher dying while they were preaching. What a way to go. Wouldn't that be good? You know, the sense where, you know, we should be willing to serve right to the end of our life, to our last breath, God helping us.

[29:49] Giving us the health to. There's no retirement plan for the Christian. We are meant to be serving today. Today, today, every day.

[29:59] Because every day is today. And Noah took 120 years to build the ark. That was a consistency where he kept on serving through 120 years. Through 120 years.

[30:10] As he laboured. That this wasn't something that was just a flash in the pan. Now, it's been said, we are saved by God's grace, but we're rewarded by our works.

[30:22] There's a sense where our works will be rewarded. So, as much as our heaven, our salvation, is purchased for us, and it's a gift, there's a sense where our works will be recognised.

[30:34] Our works will be rewarded, if they're rightly worked. We see Colossians 3, verse 23. Our Lord, through Paul, says to the Colossians, to the servants of the day there, he says, whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto man, knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ.

[31:00] Now, in the workplace, we should be a commendable employee, such that they know that our supervisor knows that we're going to do a good job, whether he's watching or not.

[31:11] That we're going to be a commendable employee, because really, we're not serving the boss of the place, we're doing it unto the Lord, because our Lord is the one who's truly the one that we're serving.

[31:25] And so we ought to do our service heartily. And your works will be rewarded, it says, knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward. There's going to be a reward.

[31:35] It says, likewise, Jeremiah, for thy works shall be rewarded, saith the Lord. So there's a wonderful prospect that there is a reward, a reward. Not a reward, not that we earn our salvation, none of that.

[31:50] It's a gift. But as a saved one, how much oughtn't we to please our Lord, to expend our life, to give ourselves as living sacrifices, to be used of God.

[32:04] Now we talked about this morning, Isaiah 6, and of the call of Isaiah, I won't labour this, but it does boil down to that decision point, as Isaiah, I talked about this morning, he saw the Lord, high and lifted up, he heard God's call, who shall I send?

[32:22] And he said, I, here am I, send me. It's that response to God's call, it's critical. And we can say, here am I, send somebody else.

[32:34] Or, here am I, but I'm no use, forget about me. No, he says, here am I, send me, send me, pick me. How will you respond?

[32:45] Our Lord says, son, go work today in my vineyard. One went, the other did not. Will we have the attitude of a servant? It's like, when sometimes I ask people to serve in the church, and I say certain things, and sometimes the slightest thing can put someone off serving.

[33:05] And we don't make much about, you know, dress code for example, but, you know, if I say, like a woman who serves has to wear a dress, that can be enough to put them off serving. You know, but really, if we've got the heart of a servant, if we've got the willingness of a servant, then we'll serve, and we'll have that humility in our service, because that's what counts.

[33:26] It's not about the issue, or whatever the pastor might say, this is what our church would like for you to be able to serve. It's about the attitude of service. It's about the attitude of that humility.

[33:38] That's what counts. And if you're humble enough to serve, if you're willing to be a servant, then you'll have that humble heart. You'll have that willingness to obey, to submit to the direction of the church.

[33:53] Not that we're meaning to be a heavy, domineering, or judgmental kind of concept. It's about the certain requirements that we have for serving in the church, for serving in the church.

[34:07] And what it boils down to, have you got the attitude of a servant? You know, if you can't accept a simple request, then you don't have the attitude to serve. You don't have the right spirit, the humility of spirit.

[34:21] It tells us in Hebrews 12, 28, You know, it's possible to serve God unacceptably, to not have the right attitude of service, to not have reverence and godly fear.

[34:39] So we must serve God acceptably, in God's way. Serve God by God's power. Serve God intentionally. Serve God quietly. Serve God prayerfully. I leave you with this plea, and I know it's a passage I've often referred to.

[34:55] It just cuts it all down to the bone here. My beloved brethren, Paul says, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know that, your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

[35:08] Now we can do labour, we can work, we can serve. If it's not in the Lord, then it is in vain. Some people serve, or do kind of a ministry function, to their own glory or praise, or with the wrong motive, with the wrong attitude, as if they're earning their salvation, or whatever it be.

[35:30] Such labour is in vain. It's not in the Lord. But if our labour is in the Lord, then it is not in vain. It's something that is commendable, and will be commended. And so friends, to wrap up, if I could leave you with some plea here tonight, would be start now.

[35:48] Start now. Start small. Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. It says, serve the Lord with gladness.

[36:01] I know Julie often reminds me of this one, when we can get a bit tired, in our serving. We can find, serving God isn't always easy.

[36:11] You don't always get pats on the back, or nice emails from people. Often you get the opposite. But, we can serve the Lord with gladness.

[36:23] Serve the Lord with gladness. Even when, we might find the going hard, and there's lots of opposition, and there's lots of discomforts, and there's lots of sacrifice. Serve the Lord with gladness, it says.

[36:36] Serve the Lord with gladness. So friends, tonight, there's a plea for labourers. Pray for harvest workers. Pray that the Lord would send them out.

[36:48] Have that heart, that you would serve the Lord, and do his will from the heart. Be a people that he's redeemed, from all iniquity. And he's made a people, purified them unto himself.

[37:02] A people that he wants to be zealous, of good works. Get a bit of zeal about you. God, God inspired zeal. Yes, I want to do, something for Jesus, my saviour.

[37:15] And, be careful to maintain good works. Not just a flash in the pan, but you're going to maintain, the good works. You're going to sustain it. God helping you. You're going to be careful, to maintain the good works.

[37:28] You're going to realise, you've been created, in Christ Jesus, unto good works. That he's ordained, that we walk in them. Amen. And we are labourers together with God. Let's pray.

[37:39] Lord, we thank you, that your word calls us to, the work, to the work. And Lord, we pray, each one might have that, thought, even now.

[37:50] that's what I can do, to serve you. That's what you want to put on my heart to do. That's what I will do. God helping me.

[38:00] Lord, we pray each one might have that heart tonight. We pray firstly, that each one might know, your saving grace, because we know, all works are vain. Even the most wonderful works, if we, do not know you.

[38:14] Lord, that we know you, as saviour. we've received your gift of salvation. And that's our heavenly assurance. Yet, Lord, you've caught us to more than that, to more, to be your workmanship.

[38:30] You've caught us to maintain good works. You've caught us to be active, this side of night time, because night time is surely coming.

[38:41] Lord, help us to use the day, and to hear your voice, when you say, son, today, go work in my vineyard. Show us what you want us to do, Lord, and help us, by your grace, to do it.

[38:54] And we pray, you'd encourage each heart, each soul today, to be stirred up, to be zealous of good works. Lord, to have that zeal, not a fleshly zeal, not a zeal, it's not according to knowledge, but a zeal, that is inspired, because we know you.

[39:12] That zeal that, you give to us. That zeal that you, maintain in us. Lord, and when we're feeling, weary and, worn, and, when things are hard, in the gospel labours, Lord, help us to yet, serve you with gladness.

[39:30] Knowing that, ultimately, it's all to your praise. And Lord, the greatest joy, that we can have, is, not so much, any blessing, that we might have, but, that one day, we'll see your face, and you'll say, well done, good and faithful servant.

[39:48] Lord, and we'll see the smile, on your face, and we'll know, that you've been pleased, with what we've done. Lord, we look to that day, we pray, help us to prepare for that, by maintaining good works, for the meantime.

[40:01] While you give us breath, let us use it, each time, each day, each moment, each life here tonight, all to your praise. In Jesus' name we pray.

[40:14] Amen.