John 9:4......Are You Working.....

Psalms 16:8 “I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.”

INTRODUCTION

Are you working? Are you doing everything that you possibly could to help build the kingdom? To help bring someone to Christ? To spread the good news of Christ?

Are you working to help your family, your community, the people on your job. The people you don’t know just like you would the people you do know.

Are you part of the solution and not the problem? Matthew tells us..... Matthew 9:37 “Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” There is work to be done..TALK,PREACH...

I haven’t brought it up in awhile but we have our mission statement, “ Continuing the work”… And New Hope we need to make sure we are doing that exact thing. TALK (kids church)

This also effects our worldly lives. I am not saying to be conformed to the world but the word of God can help us in every aspect of our lives.

As I was meditating over what God had given me, a phrase came to my head that I am sure we all have heard before. The phrase asks a question, Are you living or just existing? Are you living life to the fullest and enjoying this blessing of life that God has given us or are you just going thru the motion? We can have an abundant life on this side as well. Especially with Jesus in your life.

And like we said last week, everything you do in word and in deed, do it in the name of Jesus.

But are spending time with your loved ones? Or are you letting things, excuses , get in your way.

Are you enjoying this gift of life that God has given you, to the fullest?

The concept is the same as with our walk with Christ. Are you enjoying life while you can because one day, it will be too late. We don’t need no woulda, shoulda, coulda.

We need,.... look at what the Lord has allowed me to do. Look at what the Lord has blessed me with. Remember, enjoy it, work it, but do not take credit because if it had not been for the Lord…TALK, PREACH…(we should not boast)

Let me put a disclaimer in there, yes enjoy this life but do not put it before the one that gave it too you. TALK....

As for our Christian life, are you working. are you doing the will of the one who sent you?

We are not here on our own accord. God placed us here with a purpose. With a job to do. And we need to remember, when you don’t your job you can get fired. Or sent to the fire....

We must work the work. We should on the battle field, we sing the song but do we live it. We should be showing how amazing His grace really is. TALK, PREACH....

BODY/POINTS

Let’s look at the word of God....

Before we begin to work thru chapter 4 we must back up to chapter 8 and verses 58 and 59.....John 8:58-59 “Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.”

The Tony Evans Study Bible Chapter 8

This is one of Jesus’s most profound claims to deity in the Gospels. He didn’t say, “Before Abraham was, I was,” but “I am.”

The Tony Evans Study Bible Chapter 8

Not only was he claiming to have existed in Abraham’s day, but he was also claiming divine identity.

HOW?

Those that were listening, knew the scriptures and to hear Jesus, call himself, I AM, putting himself in line with God, Exodus 3:14, that upset them and now they are ready to stone Jesus....TALK, PREACH....(when you tell the truth people will turn on you)

Jesus was working....talk,preach..

So now Jesus has left the temple and as he is walking he sees a blind man from birth.

If you are working for the Lord, you never know when a opportunity will present itself, always be ready…TALK, PREACH…(work text v1-3)

And look at the b clause in v 3, John 9:3 “Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.”

God has a plan for all of our lives. TALK, PREACH…(being used by God for his purpose)

his blindness was not due to sin but he suffered so that the works of God could be demonstrated in his life…they could me manifested before man....TALK...

the songwriter penned the words, I’ve learned how to live holy. I’ve learned how to live right. I’ve learn how to suffer, for if I suffer, I’ll gain eternal, eternal life.

But when I see Jesus, amen, when I see Jesus, amen. All my trouble will all be over, when I see Jesus amen.....preach

So, if you are working for the Lord, realize that opportunities will always come up and be ready.

Next, Jesus shows the NECESSITY TO WORK FOR GOD.....I MUST....

Jesus came to work the works of God....theologians have listed four works.....seeking man, caring for man, loving and having compassion, and delivering man…TALK...

by Jesus saying i must he shows a sense of urgency, it must be done...

So opportunities will arise and we need to understand the urgency to work and next, KNOW WHO YOU ARE WORKING FOR....John 9:4 “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.”

First, The Father, when he sent his Son into the world, gave him work to do; he did not come into the world to take state, but to do business; whom God sends he employs, for he sends none to be idle.TALK..PREACH

Secondly, The works Christ had to do were the works of him that sent him, not only appointed by him, but done for him; he was a worker together with God....TALK, PREACH

Are you working for Him? (God)

So we have opportunities, we know that there is an urgency, and we need to know who we are working for, then we need to know that THE WORK MUST DONE ANYTIME AND ANYPLACE...

(continue story of blind man)

put the clay in his eyes, go wash, people recognize him and know he was blind, he gets questioned, they even ask his parents…Jesus had done this on Sabbath so the Pharisees were ready to eat this up.....TALK

But Jesus say, WHILE IT IS DAY…in other words, we need to be working whenever we can...

Anytime you can help a brother or sister do it…TALK, PREACH...

we just don’t worship and praise God on Sunday, that’s when gather for the service but we can worship and praise anytime and anywhere. So can we work for Him, anytime, anywhere....TALK,PREACH.

We need to be working whenever we can and while we can because next Jesus shows us there are limitations on how long we can work.....

Look at the b clause of verse 4, John 9:4

John 9:4 (NKJV)

I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.

Jesus understood that opportunities for service and doing good don’t last forever. Even Jesus knew he only had a limited time to work here on God’s earth, while covered in flesh.

Charles Spurgeon, says this, “Our Lord as a man here on earth had a day. It was only a day-a short period, and not very long; he could not make it longer, for it was settled by the great Lord.” (Spurgeon)

But while it was day he worked because Jesus knew his night was coming. TALK, PREACH....

God gave us 70, Psalm 90:10 “The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”

But let’s be real by our own doing, alot of folks don’t make it. So we have to use our time here wisely and according to the purpose that God has put on our lives. We should be working.

The time for work is now. And our time has a limit. The night comes, it will come certainly, may come suddenly, is coming nearer and nearer.

Conclusion:

I can hear my grandma now, when my head hits that pillow...

New Hope are you working? Are we working as a church?

Have we missed opportunities, do you feel a sense of urgency, do we know who we work for, do understand that our time is limited?

Jesus not only talked about, he was about that life....TALK,PREACH, CLOSE