The work of the Church
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Paul told the Church at Corinth to always be abounding in the work of the Lord.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
Paul told the Church at Ephesus that they were created for good works and that they should walk in them.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
But what do these two verses mean and what is the work of the church?
How do we abound in the work of the Lord?
If we are going to abound in the work of the Lord then the work must be plentiful.
Is there a lot of work to be done in God’s kingdom?
Is there so much work in the kingdom to be done that it would take a family to accomplish it?
According to Peter we are a stone in a spiritual house that is being built up to God.
In constructing a house or a church building there are a lot of different jobs that need to done.
Laying a foundation
Framing
Flooring
Electrical
Masonry
Painting
Plumbing
In building the house of God there are a lot of jobs that need to be completed.
In worship there is...
Men to lead singing
Men to server on the Lord’s Supper
Men to lead prayer
Men or a paid preacher to present the sermon
In Church leadership there is...
The role of the eldership needs to be filled.
The role of the deacons needs to be filled.
The role of the preacher that needs to be filled
Before worship there is...
Bible classes that need to be taught.
Lord’s Supper that needs to be prepared.
Between Services there is...
Custodial work that needs to be done to the building.
Baptistery that needs to be cleaned.
Class curriculum that needs to be ordered and maintained.
Throughout the week there is...
Evangelism that needs to take place.
Evangelism could include .
Gospel meetings
Having a gospel meeting would include people to organize and set-up the meeting.
Door-knocking
This would also include people to set-up and oversee the door-knocking campaign.
Talking to friends and family about God.
Visitation
Widows and orphans that need to be visited.
Nursing home patients that need to be visited.
Sick that need to be checked on.
Hospital patients that need to be visited.
Benevolence
Benevolence that needs to be taken care of.
Mentorship
People to serve as mentors.
I would not dare to guess the amount of work that Bonnie does as the church secretary.
Nor that Jim does in the custodial work for the church.
I know that I am leaving out a bunch of things that could be added to this list.
There is a lot of work to be done and it will take a lot of man hours and everybody must do their part.
Paul told Timothy to be a worker who does not need to be ashamed.
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Paul told the church at Ephesus that each person has a role with-in the group to make the church function properly.
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
With-in the church there is work for everyone (Eph. 4:11).
We need to be working at equipping the saints for the work of ministry (Eph. 4:12a).
We need to be working at edifying the body of Christ (Eph. 4:12b).
We need to be working at being unified in the faith and knowledge of the Son of God (Eph. 4:13a)
We need to be working toward perfection in Christ (Eph. 4:13b) (not that we will ever obtain it but we need to be working toward it).
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
We need to be working at no longer being children (Eph. 4:14).
Children are...
Easily tossed to and fro
Easily tricked by men’s craftiness
Mature adults...
Speak the truth in love.
and continue to grow in all things.
Paul told the church at Corinth....
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Paul’s conclusion to Ephesians 4:11-15 was if everyone is doing their part the whole body profits.
16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
How do we abound in the work of the Lord?
Body
First off we should keep God on our minds constantly.
Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth (Col 3:2).
The psalmist that wrote Psalm 119 has insight as to how to keep our minds on the things above.
We are going to look at Psalm 119 to see how keeping our mind on the things above helps us with abounding in the work of the Lord.
By keeping our minds constantly on God this causes a lot of things that take place in our life.
Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord! (Ps. 119:1)
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart (Ps. 119:2).
Those who walk in the law of the LORD, keep His testimonies and seek Him with the whole heart… (Ps. 119:1-2).
They do no iniquity and actually walk in His ways (Ps. 119:3).
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
They care about the commands of God (Ps. 119:4).
15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.
They keep God’s precepts diligently (Ps. 119:4).
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
They desire for God to direct their ways (Ps. 119:5).
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
They look into all the commandments of God (Ps. 119:6).
4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
They have a desire to learn God’s righteous judgments and praise Him with uprightness of heart (Ps. 119:7).
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
They will keep God’s statutes (Ps. 119:8).
10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word (Ps. 119:9).
A young man that desires to cleanse his way will… (Ps. 119:9)
Take heed according to God’s Word (Ps. 119:9).
Paul told the young gospel preacher Timothy...
16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
Seek God with their whole heart (Ps. 119:10a).
37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
Not wander from God’s commandments (Ps. 119:10b).
19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,
20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
Hide God’s word in their hearts (Ps. 119:11).
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,
2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
Blessed are You, O LORD! Teach me Your statutes (Ps. 119:12).
Those who desire to be taught by God will…(Ps. 119:12).
Desire to learn the statutes of God (Ps. 119:12).
Declare the judgments of God’s mouth (Ps. 119:13).
Rejoice in God’s testimonies as much as in their riches (Ps. 119:14).
I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways (Ps. 119:15).
Those who meditate on God’s precepts and contemplate His ways will...
Never forget God’s word because they delight in His statutes (Ps. 119:16).
Desire their eyes to be open so they can see the wondrous things from God’s law (Ps 119:18).
Long for the judgments of God (Ps. 119:20).
Keep His testimonies (Ps. 119:22).
Princes also sit and speak against me, but Your servant meditates on Your statutes (Ps. 119:23).
Your testimonies also are my delight and my counselors (Ps. 119:24).
Those who meditate on God’s statutes, delight in God’s testimonies and accept God’s counsel will…(Ps. 119:23-24).
Realize the condition of their soul (Apart from God) and desire to be revived according to God’s Word (Ps. 119:25).
I have declared my ways, and You answered me; Teach me Your statutes (Ps. 119:26).
Make me understand the way of Your precepts; So shall I meditate on Your wonderful works (PS. 119:27).
Those who meditate on God’s wonderful works, desire to be taught God’s statutes, and wish to understand the way of God’s precepts will…(Ps. 119:26-27).
Desire to be strengthened according to God’s Word because their soul melts from heaviness (Ps. 119:28).
Desire to have lying removed from them and repentance granted to them graciously (Ps. 119:29).
Desire to lay the judgments of God before them and chose the way of truth (Ps. 119:30).
Desire to cling to the testimonies of the Lord (Ps. 119:31).
Desire to enlarge their heart by running the course of God’s commandments (Ps. 119:32).
Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end (Ps. 119:33).
Those who desire to be taught by God will…(Ps. 119:33).
Desire to keep God’s statutes to the end (Ps. 119:33).
Seek understanding from God (Ps. 119:34a).
Shall observe God’s law with their whole heart (Ps. 119:34b).
Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it (Ps. 119:35).
Those who delight in God’s commandments will... (Ps. 119:35).
Walk in the path of Gods commandments (Ps. 119:35).
Incline their heart to God’s testimonies (Ps. 119:36).
Desire to have their eyes turned away from looking at worthless things (Ps. 119:37a).
Desire to be revived in God’s ways (Ps. 119:37b).
Desire to have God’s word established in them (Ps. 119:38a).
Be devoted to fearing God (Ps. 119:38b).
And I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I love (Ps. 119:47).
My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on Your statutes (Ps. 119:48).
Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage (Ps. 119:54).
The earth, O LORD, is full of Your mercy; Teach me Your statutes (Ps. 119:64).
Teach me good judgment and knowledge, For I believe Your commandments (Ps. 119:66).
You are good, and do good; Teach me Your statutes (Ps. 119:68).
Their heart is as fat as grease, But I delight in Your law (Ps. 119:70).
Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; For Your law is my delight (Ps. 119:77).
Let the proud be ashamed, for they they treated me wrongfully with falsehood; But I will meditate on Your precepts (Ps. 119:78).
Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction (Ps. 119:92).
Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day (Ps. 119:97).
I have more understanding that all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation (Ps. 119:99).
Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, And teach me Your judgments (Ps. 119:108).
Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy, and teach me Your statutes (Ps. 119:124).
Make Your face shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes (Ps. 119:135).
Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, yet Your commandments are my delights (Ps. 119:143).
My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word (Ps. 119:148).
My lips shall utter praise, for You teach me Your statutes (Ps. 119:171).
I long for Your salvation, O LORD, and Your law is my delight (PS. 119:174).
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