"Laboring in Vain"

Turn to Psalm 127

We as a church have been doing a lot of work!

Numerous days have been expended canvassing doors throughout Carlsbad.

Several hours have been devoted to inviting people to Easter.

Many hours have been necessary to rehearse in the choir.

A substantial amount of time has been invested by teachers studying for their Sunday School lesson.

Innumerable hours have been dedicated to serving on a bus ministry.

Multitudes of individuals have dedicated time to Bible reading.

Tens of thousands of dollars have been dispatched to missionaries around the world.

Thousands of dollars have been spent on the church building…Just in the last few years...

Central Air

New Fans and lights

100 chairs

Sound system upgrade

Security Camera System

Renovated Bathrooms

New exterior doors

Expanded Nursery

Foyer renovation

Even a Ping Pong table

New steeple

New shed

New bus

Why do we put so much effort, time, and money into this church?

Because we want to see God’s will done!

Much has been done here at Faith Baptist Church.....

and we all have a similar goal to accomplish the will of God...

But all of this...

Time...

Money...

Effort....

IT MAY ALL BE IN VAIN!

Psalm 127:1a Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it.

Title: “Laboring in Vain”

(Prayer)

ILL: I remember going to the beach for the very first time when I was around 8 years old....

I remember building a sand castle on the beach and it crumbled as soon as a big wave came in...

over and over again…I built the house and the waves destroyed it.....

This thing that I built did not last....You might say I was laboring in vain...

We might be making the same mistake here at Faith Baptist Church!

Except the Lord build the house.....

Except the Lord build the house.....

Except the Lord build the house.....

they labour in vain that build it.

Here you are....just a little while ago you were singing an old-fashioned gospel hymn....not Contemporary Christian rock and roll…Amen?

Just a few minutes ago you put your offering in the offering plate with a joyful heart....Right?

Yesterday perhaps you came out and handed out Easter invitations

You are laboring!

But it might be in vain!

“Except the Lord build the house.....

they labour in vain that build it.”

This week I spent several hours studying my Bible for the 3 sermons that I will preach this week.

I personally used multiple hours here at the church getting ready for Easter Sunday...

I have been laboring!

But yes even the preacher could be laboring in vain!

“Except the Lord build the house.....

they labour in vain that build it.”

If we want this church to stand...

If we really want God’s will accomplished here...

If we desire this church to not be laboring in vain...

There is one and only one Necessity!

We NEED....WE NEED.....WE NEED...

We need the Lord to build this house!

We don’t need pastor Clay to build this house!

We don’t need Sunday School teachers to build this house!

We don’t need Kids Church teachers to builds this house!

We don’t need evangelists to build this house!

All of that is in vain!!!

UNLESS THE LORD BUILDS THIS HOUSE!

We need God!

We need Him!

We need His Power!

We need His Leading!

We need the LORD to build this house!

“Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it.”

This morning I want to give you some things that will cause our labor to be in vain:

I. Lost Laborers

Matthew 7:21-23 “21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

ILL: I have heard some preachers, and these are good pastors, with great churches, and the pastor will say they believe that half of their church is lost!

I know of one preacher of a church of 4,000 and he has said that he thinks that 3/4 of his church members have never been saved.

Vs. 22: “Many will say to me....”

I thought the Bible says, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. -Rom 10:13

Often this verse is taken out of context.

The context is that the person has repented of their sin, their heart is turned towards God, and they call upon the name of the Lord!

ILL: Just on Friday, as we were out with the teenagers, I heard someone shout out God’s name....

The problem was he was taking God’s name in vain…using it as a swear word.

Matthew 7:21-23 “21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven

1. Repentance,

2. Belief,

then 3. Call upon Christ

If there is no repentance, if there is no belief, then there is no salvation!

You could pray 1,000 prayers calling upon the name of the Lord and still be lost!

You might say, pastor are you trying to get me to doubt my salvation?

Yes I am! Because a salvation that cannot be challenged cannot be trusted!

You should KNOW that you are saved!

If you have never put your heart in a position towards God, and repented of your sin, you are not saved!

Repentance is not a work to be saved....it is the realization that you cannot work to save yourself!

A prayer does not save you!

Only faith in Christ does!

Catholics call upon the name of the Lord, Jehovah Witnesses call upon the name of the Lord, Apostolics, Methodists, Anglicans, Pentecostals, and even Baptists, all call upon the name of the Lord,

Yet many of them are lost!!!!

Why?

Because they have called upon the name of the Lord but they are missing something:

Repentance

Faith

(Turn to Luke 23)

Many people don’t truly want to repent of their sins, they don’t want a relationship with Jesus…they just want fire insurance.

Many so called “Christians” have the same attitude as the thief on the cross:

Luke 23:39 “39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.”

Essentially saying....”Jesus....if you are really are the Savior....then go ahead and save me.”

He may have called out to Christ but....there is no repentance....there is no faith!

Now look at the other thief....

Luke 23:40-43 “40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

Repentance (vs. 40-41a)

I am a sinner.

I deserve to die

Belief (41b-42)

That Jesus is perfect and died not for His sins, but for the sins of the whole world.

That Jesus is God

That Jesus would rise again

Call (vs. 42)

Jesus said this man was saved!

ILL: Rich young ruler: “Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”

Oh this is a layup for Jesus. This one is Easy!

Surely Jesus will tell him what Paul told the jailer who said “What must I do to be saved?

“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

Surely Jesus will tell him that!

But no, what does Jesus tell the rich young ruler?

“but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.”

Why did Jesus say that?

Because this man thought that he could keep the commandments! Jesus was showing him he cannot keep the commandments.

What was Jesus teaching him?

“Salvation starts with repentance!”

Turning away from not only your sin, but your good deeds!

To be saved, you must realize you are lost!

Before you call upon the name of the Lord, there must be repentance, there must be belief!

There may be someone here who may be a member of this church, you may tithe every paycheck, you may pray every day, you might read your Bible, you come soul-winning, at one time you prayed a prayer and called out to Jesus, but you are lost!

You have never repented of your sin.

You have never put your faith in Jesus alone.

You are lost!

And all the work you do for the Lord, all the labor you do for this church IS IN VAIN!

What do I do?

What will people think?

What will my kids think?

What will my spouse think?

It doesn’t matter what they think!

Get saved!

They will rejoice with you!

2 Corinthians 13:5 “5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”

If you are lost, you are working in vain.

ILL: Judas Iscariot....

With Judas’s eyes, he saw the clearest evidence.

With his ears, he heard the finest teaching.

With his feet, he followed the greatest example.

And yet He was lost!!

Psalm 127:1a Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it.

some things that will cause our labor to be in vain:

I. You are lost

II. You are sinning

(Turn) 2 Timothy 2:19-21

2 Timothy 2:19-21“19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”

[Mat 7:17-20 KJV] 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Luke 9:62 “62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Galatians 2:17 “17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.”

some things that will cause our labor to be in vain:

I. You are Lost

II. You are Actively Sinning

III. You are Lukewarm

ILL: Can you imagine a race…gun goes off…everyone takes off…except one person just standing there.

(Turn) Hebrews 12:1 “1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”

We are to set aside the sin....and we are to run!!

I Corinthians 9:24-27 “24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

Revelation 3:15-16 “15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

Get in the fight!

Conclusion

Psalm 127:1 “1 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”

Easter is in one week.

We have labored.

We need God to work.

We labor in this church.

We need God to work.

Lord, please build this house!