John  6_27-29      Laboring Day

Rev. David Holwick  ZB

First Baptist Church

Ledgewood, New Jersey

September 3, 1995

John 6:27-29


LABORING DAY



  I. The paradox of Labor Day.

      A. We celebrate work by resting.

          1) Makes more sense to put in a triple shift tomorrow!

          2) And do it for free.


      B. We have a lot to show for our labor.

          1) Our nation is prosperous.

          2) We have material blessings are ancestors could only

                dream of.


      C. Yet there is a sense of dissatisfaction.

          1) The rat race:

              a) Both spouses work, and the hours always seem longer.

              b) The bills and taxes keep leaping upward.

          2) Dissatisfaction within America has even led to the rise

                of extremist groups.

          3) What is our real problem?  We need to look at our values.


II. What are we really working for?

      A. Stuff that spoils.                                    John 6:27

          1) Elsewhere Jesus describes earthly wealth as stuff that rusts,

                gets eaten by moths, and ripped off.

          2) Celeste and I can relate - when we came home from vacation,

                all the cereal boxes were filled with moths.

          3) I like how billionaire Ross Perot put it a few years ago.


             "Guys, just remember,

                if you get real lucky,

                if you make a lot of money,

                if you go out and buy a lot of stuff-- it's gonna break.


             You got your biggest, fanciest mansion in the world.

                It has air conditioning.  It's got a pool.

                Just think of all the pumps that are going to go out.

             Or go to a yacht basin any place in the world.

                Nobody is smiling, and I'll tell you why.

                Something broke that morning.

             The generator's out; the microwave oven doesn't work....

                Things just don't mean happiness."

                                                                    #1748


      B. Stuff that lasts.                                     John 6:27

          1) There is one thing we can work for that lasts forever -

                eternal life.

              a) Not life that's a "broken record," but life that

                    is full and complete.

              b) Eternal life doesn't start at death, but right now.


          2) How can we work to get it?

              a) Jesus says we can, by believing in him.       John 6:29

              b) Salvation is hard work.

                  1> We receive it as a gift.

                  2> But we "work it out" the rest of our lives.   Phil 2:12

                      A> God begins the inner transformation.

                      B> We respond with obedience that overflows

                            through our lives.  This is the hard part.


III. What are you doing for the Lord?

      A. We are God's preferred way of getting things done.


         One afternoon while playing on a wooden picnic table, 4-year-old

            Jordon ran a splinter into his finger.

         Sobbing, he called his father at the office.

           "I want God to take the splinter out," he said.

         His dad told him his mother could remove it very easily.

         But Jordan wanted God to do it because when Mom takes a splinter

            out, it hurts.

         He wanted God to remove it "by himself."


         When Dad got home an hour later, the splinter was still there,

            so he proceeded to remove it.

         He tried to teach Jordon that sometimes God uses other means

            to do his work.

         God uses us.

                                                                    #2046


      B. There is work to do in the Church.

          1) For our 115 members there are:

              a) 66 official positions.

              b) 15 Sunday School teachers.

              c) 3 Youth group leaders.


          2) More important is the spiritual work.

              a) Do you pray for the people on the prayer list?

              b) Do you try to make people feel welcome here, even if

                    you barely know them?

              c) How about the example you set for others?


          3) Perhaps the greatest blessing you can be is a witness.

              a) Do you consciously try to encourage people in their

                    faith?

              b) God wants Christians to seek a harvest of people

                    for His Kingdom.                         Matthew 9:38


      C. There is work to do in the World.

          1) Impact on your own family.

          2) Impact on our community.

          3) All work is God's work, if it is done for His glory.


IV. What kind of an impact are YOU making?

      A. Whose life is better off because of you?


      B. Who have you led to personal faith in Jesus?



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