Why I Labor For The Lord
There are four groups of people that the apostle Paul addressed in II Timothy 2:12. We have looked at two of them; listeners and learners. That is the beginning of picking up God’s truth and passing it on to others. Listeners hear the truth with their ears and learners hide the truth in their hearts.
Now we have come to the third group of people in this passage—"faithful men.” There is something to be said about the Christian who is simply faithful in all that they do! These are laborers, who take the truth they have been given and heed to it!
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” (James 1:22-25).
Do you want to be blessed in your deeds? Then we must heed to the truth we have heard! I Corinthians 15:58 encourages us, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
But I think we must ask ourselves why? Why do we serve the Lord? Here are a few reasons why I serve the Lord:
Because He loves me and gave Himself for me!
Words cannot express the magnitude of God’s love toward us—“while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us!” (Romans 5:8). If the power of His love doesn’t motivate you to serve him, I’m not sure what will.
Paul said, “…the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.
When I look at all He has sacrificed for me, how can I do anything but serve Him the rest of my days!
Because He rewards faithfulness
It is a privilege to be called into the ministry of Christ and an even greater joy to know that our faithfulness does not go unnoticed.
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9.
God has written into the constitution of universal law a principle of sowing and reaping. If you plant an apple seed, after some time and care you will reap an apple tree that bears fruit in it’s season. You can be assured that whatever kind of seed you plant will be the type of fruit that it will bear. It is the same spiritually in our lives. If we sow to the flesh, we will “reap corruption” but if we sow to the Spirit we “shall reap life everlasting.” (Galatians 6:8).
I do what I do because I love Jesus (not for a prize) but I am so very grateful to know that my God has record my deeds and will reward my labor for His glory!
Because time is short
I am still what would be considered in the “prime” of my life. I’d like to think I have plenty of life left ahead of me. But the Bible teaches us to redeem “…the time because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16) and that “…it is appointed unto man once to die…” (Hebrews 9:27).
The truth of the matter is that we are not promised tomorrow. “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” (James 4:14).
One preacher put it this way, “If you want to make the most of your life, meditate on your death.” Live in the reality that our season on this earth is simply for a moment. What will you have to show or it?
Because Jesus is coming soon!
“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25.
Its an awesome thought to think that we could be the generation that Lord chooses to call up in the rapture. We’d be like Enoch and Elijah that did not taste of death, but that the Lord translated into glory! But I don’t know about you, but that places a high awareness on how I’m living for Jesus today. When I look at the fields that are so white ready for harvest I think “How are we going to get all of this work done?” But look verse twenty-four again, “…Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works…” We can’t change the world alone! We must bind ourselves in the unity of Christ’s blood and strive together for the faith of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:27).
There is no time for divisive criticism, preferential separation and meaningless theological disputes! I believe in biblical separation but as one wise preacher put it, “There is truly a difference between separation and isolation.” That goes for your relationships within the church and from without. He is coming my friend! Are you ready?
Because of the Judgement Seat of Christ
I remember asking a pastor during Bible college, “What is the one thing that keeps you serving the Lord through these many years?” I thought he would say something spiritual like the undying love of his wife or something of that nature. But I’ll never forget his simple answer—the Judgement Seat of Christ.
The reality that I will stand before the Lord knowing He knows everything is sobering to me!
“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:11-15).
At the Judgement Seat of Christ, I will not be judged for my sin, as they have already been judged at Calvary, but I will stand before God and give an account of what deeds I have done in the body of Christ and my service to him. That fact keeps me on heels, ready move when He calls.
Why do you serve the Lord? What is the fuel that ignites the fire in your soul to be busy for the Master?
For more on this topic, check out this podcast episode!
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