Sunday, July 29, 2012
I WANT TO BE A WORKER,
#114
Tonight we want to examine the words of another song we sing from time
to time. AS we continually
note, as we sing we are “teaching and admonishing one another.” (Col.
3:16).
This song was written by Isaiah Baltzell (1832-1893).
He was born near Frederick City, MD.
In 1854 he became a minister.
He wrote many hymns and composed some.
He also produced several hymnals.
The song we are discussing today was his best known song, written
around 1880. We know little
about the background of this hymn.
But the message is worthy of consideration.
This is a song challenging us to be continually engaged in working for
the Lord.
a.
“I want to be a worker
for the Lord.” The life of a
Christian is to be a busy one.
i.
Continually we are
reminded of this – Titus 2:14 – zealous for good works.
ii.
Jesus went about doing
good – Acts 10:38 – Peter described Him that way.
iii.
Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
speaks of how it is good to enjoy the fruits of our labor. It is a
blessing from God that keeps us busy with the joy of our hearts.
iv.
Rom. 12:11 describes the
Christian as “not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the
Lord.”
b.
I want to love and trust
His holy word –
i.
Such is a prerequisite
to being a worker of the Lord.
It is those who love Him and His word that will continually work
for it.
ii.
2 Tim. 2:15. “Be
diligent…as a worker who does not need to be ashamed…”
iii.
James 1:22 challenges us to “be
doers of the word and not hearers only.”
c.
I want to sing and pray,
and be busy every day –
i.
Jas. 2:18 in a passage
that addresses the importance of work, it says, “Show me your faith
without your works and I will show you my faith by my works.”
ii.
Do we spend time
worshipping God on a daily basis?
We need to ensure that our worship is more than when we assemble
together. Daily we ought to
study, pray and do things that bring praise to Him.
d.
In the kingdom of the
Lord – most older versions read, “in the vineyard of the Lord”.
This accords with the chorus.
(Some use this expression in the first verse and “kingdom of the
Lord” in the remaining verses.)
i.
The idea of a vineyard
teaches us about the importance of working.
ii.
John 15:1-8 speaks of
our Lord being the vine, the Father the vinedresser and we are the
branches. His message is one
of production, which is the theme of this song.
iii. Among the parables of Jesus we fine the parable of laborers – Matt. 20:1-16 where a landowner hired workers throughout the day.
a.
“I want to be a worker
every day” – the Christian life is not an occasional activity, it is a
lifetime commitment. In
fact, we don’t take vacations from serving God.
Jesus reminded His disciples to be busy daily because “the night is far
spent.”
i.
Rom. 13:12-13 speaks of
walking in the day – among the messages portrayed in this is the need to
be busy today.
ii.
John 9:4, Jesus spoke of
working “while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.”
b.
I want to lead the
erring in the way,
i.
More than once in this
song we are reminded of our concern for others.
That ought to be a pressing need in our lives.
ii.
James 5:19-20,
concerning erring brethren we ought to do all we can to bring them back.
iii.
Jude 22-23 speaks of
doing whatever is necessary to reach others – some with drastic measures
while others are taught with compassion.
iv.
2 Cor. 5:10-11 – we will
be judged (and so will everyone else).
Knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.
v.
Is this truly a desire
of ours? I firmly believe
that most of us are concerned about souls that are perishing and we want
to reach the lost, but we need some direction.
There are plenty of resources available, but where it has to
start is with what we WANT TO DO!
Not just a glancing desire, but a strong drive that burns within
us to tell others about Him.
c.
That leads to heaven
above where all is peace and love
i.
Is this not our goal as
we seek the lost? We don’t
want them to be LOST! We
want them to be in heaven with God the Father, countless thousands who
have gone before and US!
ii.
Heaven needs to be the
motivation that keeps us going.
1 Cor. 9:19-23 describes how Paul became “all things to all men,
that I might by all means save some.”
Why? “Now
this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.”
Is that our motivation?
iii.
Where all is peace and
love – just two of the many descriptions of the character of heaven.
1 Cor. 2:9, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered
into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who
love Him.”
Heb. 11:16 – the heavenly city.
d.
In the kingdom of the
Lord – as noted above, this is the alternative rendering for this
phrase.
i.
Just as His church is
described as a vineyard, it is also described as a kingdom.
ii.
We know that His kingdom
and the church are one and the same (cf. Matt. 16:18-19) and established
on Pentecost (Acts 2). The
idea of the kingdom is Jesus as our Lord and we are His subjects.
WE are NOW in the kingdom (cf. Mk. 9:1, Col. 1:13)
III.
Vs. 3 – Courage & Faith
a.
I want to be a worker
strong and brave
i.
True service to God is
not for the cowardly. Rev.
21:8 speaks of the cowardly being eternally condemned.
ii.
1 Pet. 1:17 calls for us
to conduct ourselves throughout out time here without fear.
iii.
Phil. 1:27-28, let our
conduct in the gospel be worthy so that we are not terrified by our
adversaries.
iv.
2 Tim. 1:7 – God has not
given us a spirit of fear.
v.
It takes courage to
faithfully work for God in so many ways.
It takes courage to:
1.
Speak up in a hostile
crowd
2.
Go to a sinning brother
3.
Open your mouth about
Jesus in an uncertain environment
4.
To confess your sins to
your brethren
5.
To trust God to take
care of us.
b.
I want to trust in Jesus
power to save
i.
As just noted this is a
part of our bravery. Do we
truly trust Him? That is
what faith is!
ii.
Heb. 11:6, without faith
we cannot please Him.
iii.
As to salvation, let us
NEVER forget that we do not possess the power to save.
It is Jesus Christ through the gospel – Rom. 1:16, etc.
c.
All who will truly come
shall find a happy home. In
the kingdom of the Lord
i.
Again we are reminded of
our motivation. It’s not
just about us, but “them”.
a.
I want to be a worker
help me Lord – in this final verse we find a realization that we need
our Lord’s help. John 15:4-5
– back to the vineyard analogy.
Jesus said, we cannot bear fruit unless we are in Him, and
“without me you can do nothing.”
There are some who become overconfident in their abilities.
Let us never do that.
Before we seek the lost, we ought to ALWAYS go to God in prayer!
We need Him and we need our Lord in all things.
Phil. 4:6 says to be anxious for nothing, “but
in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your
requests be made known to God.”
b.
To lead the lost and
erring to Thy word – we have already discussed the need to reach the
lost in this song.
Here we simply add Matt. 9:37-38 where Jesus said to His disciples, “The
harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into
His harvest.”
c.
That points to joys on
high, where pleasures never die – Peter could write to His audience as
He begin has first letter that we have a living hope with an
inheritance, “incorruptible and
undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you…”
(1 Pet. 1:3-5)
In heaven we will be rejoicing – John 14:1-3 – Jesus spoke of mansions
being prepared in heaven for us. 1
Pet. 1:8 of our rejoicing looking forward to the salvation of our souls.
d.
In the kingdom of the
Lord
a.
I will work; I will
pray; In the vineyard of the Lord; I will work and pray and be busy
every day; In the vineyard of the Lord
b.
Repetition is a good
thing if it reminds us of that which is good.
As
we sing this song, may we constantly remind ourselves of our “calling”
to reach the lost. As we
conclude, let us consider Hebrews 6: 9-12, “But,
beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things
that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. 10 For God is
not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown
toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do
minister. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence
to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become
sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the
promises.” Are you a
worker for the Lord? Think
about it!