7/1/2017 2:14:10 PM
Oh, For A Faith…That Is Willing to Work
As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. John 9:4
Did you use wisely your extra minutes this past week? You know you had more daylight this past week than any other week of the year? Did you take advantage of the light and get more work done? Did you take advantage of the light and at least enjoy being outside in the daylight?
Jesus’ words are not about worshiping the sun or the extra minutes of light. Jesus’ words are about taking advantage of the opportunities and using our time to share the Gospel with others. In our text, Jesus is confronted with the man who was blind from birth. Certainly Jesus did not heal every person in Israel in his public ministry. And he could have easily passed him by. But he didn’t. He encouraged his disciples to see that his purpose on this earth was to work, to do the work of the Heavenly Father who sent his Son to save the world. He was revealing that he was the Anointed One who was to come into the world.
Not only was it his work, but Jesus said, “we” must do the work of him who sent me. This is the work that our ascended Lord Jesus gave to us his church, to reveal him as Savior. But what about the light and dark illustration? For those of us who have grown older and wiser, we realize that our bodies can’t do everything they could when we were younger. We all have a limited amount of time on this earth with our short, fleeting lives. The day is coming when the time of grace of this universe will be over and Judgment will come. And we also know that a day will come when people will not put up with the sound teachings of God’s Word but instead will turn to the teachings of the world, devil and sinful nature so they can hear what their itching ears want to hear.
But right now it’s time to work. Look at what the Lord has done through his Word over the past 75 years. And now consider the opportunity before you; the Lord continues to bring people through the doors of First Lutheran, La Crescent. A waiting list has been started for the parents who will allow us to speak the Gospel of Jesus into the ears and souls of their children. It is day and it is time to work. There may come a day when night will be upon us and you are not able to work. But it is not today. Today, and the future of First Lutheran is work, working for the Lord, sharing the good news that Jesus is the Light of the world.
And that is why you work, is it not? Your hearts were consumed by the darkness of sin. Your sinful nature desired the sins of the night. But the light of Christ through the Word gave you the light of life. Christ’s light is your salvation. Christ’s light is eternity. Christ’s light is your hope and strength. It is your work, to reveal that light to others through the Word of God.
Now is the time to work. And the work of God has many facets and forms. It doesn’t matter how young or old you are, how many talents you have or don’t have, or the amount of resources you hold or don’t hold. We must, as Jesus said, share the good news with others. You will be working by praying and encouraging others to pray. You will be working by giving and encouraging others to give. You will be working as you physically help with the new building. You will be working as you usher, or count offerings, or clean the kitchen. You will be working as you come to church and encourage others to come to church. You will be working as you serve in worship or serve in leadership. You will be working as you invite your friends or encourage your brothers and sisters. You will be working as you teach the young or visit the elderly. You will be working… As you can see the list goes on and on and there is work for everyone in Christ’s Kingdom.
Oh, for a faith like Christ’s, that sees the need and opportunity and works. Christ has given you his Spirit and the gift of faith that is willing to work. The days are growing short. Now is the time to work as we share Jesus and add souls to His Kingdom.
Keep Christ First,
Pastor Chris Christenson