Labor Day 07 - Honoring those that labor in the Lord
Labor Day 07 Honoring Those That Labor in the Lord
1 Cor. 15:58 9/2/07 a.m.
Labor Day n1886 : a day set aside for special recognition of working people: as
a : the first Monday in September observed in the U.S. and Canada as a legal holiday [1]
Our purpose today is to confirm your labor in and for the Lord, to strengthen & encourage you in your work for the Lord, and to reassure you of Gods rewards to you for your labor.
1 Cor. 15:58 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.
1. Therefore,
How can we know that we are loved?
How can we be strengthened and unmovable?
How can we always be growing and busy in the Lords work?
How can we know that our sacrifices and labor for the Lord are not worthless? Because;
1 Cor. 15:56-57 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The sting of death is sin – we will all die or be changed – this body will not last
and the strength of sin is the law – the word of God reveals our true nature
But thanks be to God, who gives us the “victory” through our Lord Jesus Christ.
We are victorious over death, hell, the grave, and eternal damnation thru faith in Christ
Therefore, or Because We are victorious over death, hell, the grave, and eternal damnation thru faith in Christ, my beloved brethren, we are to be steadfast, immovable, we are to always be abounding in the work of the Lord, and we can know that our labor is not in vain in the Lord.
2. My beloved brethren, you are greatly loved by the God of the Universe!
The Manner of His love
1John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us,
that we should be called children of God!
We are Spiritual Israel
Rom. 9:25 25 As He says also in Hosea:
“I will call them My people, who were not My people,
And her beloved, who was not beloved.”
26 “And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them,
‘You are not My people,’
There they shall be called sons of the living God.”
The Home of the “Beloved” is the Beloved City
Rev. 20:9 9 the camp of the saints … the beloved city.
3. be steadfast, immovable, in the faith
Be determined as Ruth
Ru 1:18 18 When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her. (Naomi)
Don’t be turned from the Gospel of Christ as written in Gods Word
Trust the Lord to keep you
Ps 55:22 22 Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; (NOT SELF)
He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.
Ps. 78:8, 8 3set our heart aright, prepare its (your) heart
And our spirit is to be faithful to God.
Ps. 78:37 37 Have a heart steadfast with Him, (THRU THICK & THIN)
Be faithful in His covenant. (OBEY HIS WORD)
Col 1:23 Tells us to;
Continue in the faith, ( live according to the faith)
Be grounded and steadfast, (know it & be confident in it)
not moved away from the hope of the gospel ( don’t be swayed away)
1Th 3:3 3 that no one should be shaken by .. afflictions;
for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.
Heb 3:14 14 hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,
4. always abounding in the work of the Lord, busy and productive
Always abounding
2Pe 3:18 18 grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Because
Php 4:1717 , but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.
And this how we produce fruit
Php 1:9
our love must abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,
10 we must may approve the things that are excellent,
We must be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,
11 we should be filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ,
to the glory and praise of God.
The work of the Lord, is;
1Th 1:3 your work of faith,
Your labor of love,
Your patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ
5. knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
We know.
1 Cor. 3:8 8 each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
2Ch 15:7 7 But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be
rewarded!”
Ps 19:11 11 in keeping them there is great reward.
Ga 6:9 for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Heb 6:10 10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
Your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
Mt 10:40-42 40 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”
Mt. 25:31-40 31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
Rev. 22:12-13 12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”
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n northern, noun
U University
S south, southern
[1]Merriam-Webster, Inc: Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. Eleventh ed. Springfield, Mass. : Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003
3 Lit. prepare its heart