GOT TO WORK

SCRIPTURE: I CORINTHIANS 12:1-16; MATTHEW 24:14-21 CONCEPT: ALL OF US HAS WORK TO DO AS CHRISTIANS WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA FIRST BECAME PRESIDENT, HE

INHERITED A COUNTRY THAT WAS IN BAD SHAPE. THE ECONOMY

WAS BAD. PEOPLE LOST A LOT OF MONEY ON THE SAVINGS AND

THEIR RETIREMENT FUNDS. A LOT OF PEOPLE LOST THEIR HOMES

AND MANY PEOPLE LOST THEIR JOBS. PRESIDENT BUSH, THE

PRESIDENT BEFORE PRESIDENT OBAMA, MESSED OUR COUNTRY

UP REAL BAD. THEY MEASURE HOW MANY PEOPLE DON’T HAVE

JOBS AND CALL IT THE UNEMPLOYMENT INDEX. YOUNG PEOPLE,

WHEN YOU HAVE A JOB THEY CALL IT BEING EMPLOYED. WHEN

YOU ARE EMPLOYED YOU HAVE A JOB. SAY THAT. WHEN YOU ARE

EMPLOYED, THAT MEANS YOU HAVE A ? SO WHEN YOU DON’T

HAVE A JOB YOU ARE ?

EVERY MONTH, THEY CALCULATE SOMETHING CALLED THE

UNEMPLOYMENT INDEX. THEY COUNT HOW MANY PEOPLE DON’T

HAVE A JOB AND COME UP WITH A NUMBER. WHEN HE CAME INTO

THE PRESIDENCY, IT WAS VERY HIGH. MEANING A LOT OF PEOPLE

DIDN’T HAVE A JOB. BUT BECAUSE OF HIS HARD WORK AND GOD’S

FAVOR UPON HIM AND OUR COUNTRY. THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

IS GOING DOWN. THAT MEANS MORE PEOPLE ARE BEING

EMPLOYED. THE AMERICAN ECONOMY DOES NOT HAVE FULL

EMPLOYMENT. IN OTHER WORDS, THERE JUST AREN’T ENOUGH

JOBS FOR EVERYBODY. EVERYBODY CAN’T BE EMPLOYED. NOT

ENOUGH JOBS. AND SOME OF THE JOBS AVAILABLE, PEOPLE

DON’T HAVE THE SKILLS TO DO THEM. LIKE ENGINEERING JOBS,

OR HIGHLY TECHNICAL JOBS.

THAT’S IN THE WORLD’S ECONOMY, BUT IN GOD’S ECONOMY, GOD

BELIEVES IN FULL EMPLOYMENT. THEIR IS A JOB FOR EVERY

BELIEVER. HE HAS GIVEN EVERY CHILD OF GOD SKILLS OR

SPECIAL ABILITIES AND A JOB WHERE THEY CAN USE OR EMPLOY

THOSE ABILITIES. HE GIVES THEM TO ALL OF US WHO BELIEVE AS

A GIFT. LOOK AT V.1 “12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would

not have you ignorant.” DIFFERENT VERSIONS IN STEAD OF

IGNORANT SAYS, UNINFORMED, ANOTHER MISUNDERSTAND AND

STILL ANOTHER SAYS YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND. AND THAT IS

GOD WANTS TO MAKE SURE ALL OF US UNDERSTANDS AND IS NOT

IGNORANT OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS OR SPECIAL ABILITIES GIVEN TO US

THROUGH THE HOLY GHOST.

V4 - V6 SAYS (CEV) 4 There are different kinds (DIVERSITIES) of spiritual

gifts, but they all come from the same Spirit. 5 There are different ways

(ADMINISTRATIONS) to serve the same Lord, 6 and we can each do

different things (OPERATIONS). Yet the same God works in all of us and

helps us in everything we do. 7 (KJV)But the manifestation of the Spirit is

given to every man to profit withal. 7 (cev)The Spirit has given each of us a

special way of serving others.

THE FIRST THING WE CAN’T BE IGNORANT OF IS THAT ALL OF US

HAVE BEEN GIVEN AT LEAST ONE SPIRITUAL GIFT. SOME OF US

MORE THAN ONE. BUT ALL OF US HAVE BEEN GIVEN AT LEAST?.

THAT’S RIGHT. THE SECOND THING THAT IS POINTED OUT IS THAT

THERE ARE A DIVERSITY OF GIFTS OR THERE ARE DIFFERENT

GIFTS. ALSO THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATIONS OF

GIFTS OR THEY CAN BE USED IN DIFFERENT WAYS. STORE FRONT,

OR STREET STAND. IN THE MALL OR OFF A TRUCK. DIFFERENT

ADMINISTRATIONS. IT ALSO SAYS THAT THEIR ARE DIFFERENT

OPERATIONS. IN OTHER WORDS, EACH GIFT OPERATES

DIFFERENTLY. DIFFERENT OPERATIONS. ONE GIFT OPERATES

THIS WAY AND ANOTHER OPERATES THAT WAY. THEIR ARE A

DIVERSITY OF GIFTS OR DIFFERENT KINDS. THERE ARE

DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATIONS OR THEY ARE USED IN DIFFERENT

WAYS AND THEN DIFFERENT OPERATIONS OR EACH GIFT DOES

OPERATES DIFFERENTLY.

THIRDLY I WANT YOU TO SEE THE END OF V7, THESE GIFTS ARE

GIVEN TO EVERY MAN TO “PROFIT WITHAL”. ANOTHER VERSION

SAYS FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF ALL, OR ANOTHER TO SERVE

OTHERS OR ANOTHER SAYS THE HELP OTHERS. BUT I WANT TO

FOCUS ON THE KJV, TO PROFIT WITHAL.

TURN TO MATTHEW 25:14. TO SUMMARIZE, THIS PARABLE IS GIVEN

TO HELP US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS

LIKE. IT’S LIKE A MAN WHO WAS GOING AWAY TO A FAR COUNTRY.

LIKE JESUS, WHO DIED ON THE CROSS AND ROSE FROM THE

GRAVE AND ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN. A MAN GOING INTO A FAR

COUNTRY AND GAVE HIS SERVANTS TALENTS. GAVE FIVE TO ONE,

TWO TO ANOTHER AND THEN ONE TO ANOTHER. WHEN HE COMES

BACK HE CALLS THEM ONE BY ONE TO SEE WHAT THEY DID WITH

THE TALENT OR IF YOU WILL THEIR SPIRITUAL GIFTS. THE ONE

WITH FIVE CAME BACK AND SAID, I HAVE TAKEN THE FIVE AND

HAVE MADE FIVE MORE. AND THE MAN SAID, WELL DONE THOU

GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT, YOU’VE BEEN FAITHFUL OVER A

FEW THINGS, I’M GOING TO MAKE YOU RULER OVER MANY THINGS.

ENTER THOU INTO THE JOY OF THE LORD. HE SAID THE SAME

THING TO THE MAN WHO HAD TWO TALENTS AND HAD MADE TWO

MORE FROM THEM. BUT THE MAN WHO HAD ONE TALENT MADE

EXCUSES. HE SAID HE KNEW HOW HARD THE MAN WAS AND HE

KNEW THAT HE COULD HARVEST OR REAP WHAT HE HAD NOT

PLANTED OR SOWN. AND THAT HE COULD GATHER THINGS THAT

HE HADN’T PUT DOWN. THE MAN TOLD HIM AT LEAST YOU COULD

HAVE TAKEN WHAT I GAVE YOU AND GOTTEN INTEREST OR

SOMETHING EXTRA BACK WITH IT. BUT INSTEAD OF HAVING

SOMETHING TO SHOW FOR IT, HE SAID, HE WAS AFRAID HE’D

MESS IT UP AND SO HE HID IT IN THE GROUND. HE DIDN’T DO

ANYTHING WITH IT BUT HIDE IT. AND WHEN ASKED WHAT HE HAD

DONE WITH WHAT HE WAS GIVEN, ALL HE COULD DO WAS GIVE

BACK WHAT HE HAD BEEN GIVEN. AND WHEN THE MAN WHO GAVE

IT TO HIM ONLY GOT BACK WHAT HE HAD GIVEN THE MAN, HE

CALLED HIM IN (V26) A WICKED AND SLOTHFUL SERVANT.

IN OTHER WORDS, THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE THE LORD

GIVING ALL OF US GIFTS OR SPECIAL SPIRITUAL ABILITIES AND

AFTER GOING INTO HEAVEN COMES BACK ONE DAY TO JUDGE

EVERY MAN, WOMEN, BOY AND GIRL. HE JUDGES OUR LIVES

BASED ON WHAT WE DID WITH WHAT HE GAVE US. HE HONORS

THOSE WHO USE WHAT THEY ARE GIVEN AND PRODUCES MORE

WITH IT OR BEARS FRUIT. BUT THOSE WHO HIDE WHAT GOD GIVES

THEM AND REFUSES TO USE THEM, FOR WHATEVER REASON, ARE

CALLED WICKED AND SLOTHFUL OR EVIL AND LAZY. THE SERVANT

WHO DID NOTHING WITH WHAT HE HAD, HAD THE ONE GIFT HE HAD

TAKEN AWAY FROM HIM AND GIVEN TO SOMEONE ELSE. USE IT OR

LOSE IT.

BUT IT’S THE END OF THAT CHAPTER, THE 30TH VERSE, CAST THE

“UNPROFITABLE SERVANT”, NLV - BAD, NIV - WORTHLESS, NLT -

USELESS SERVANT. BUT CAST THE UNPROFITABLE SERVANT INTO

OUTER DARKNESS, TO A PLACE WHERE THERE WILL BE MUCH

WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH OR IF YOU WILL INTO HELL’S

FIRE.

WHAT’S THE POINT REV? WHEN WE DON’T USE OUR SPIRITUAL

GIFTS, THE GIFTS GIVEN TO US TO PROFIT WITHAL. TO SERVE

OTHERS. WHEN WE DON’T USE THEM, BUT INSTEAD CHOOSE TO

HIDE THEM AND NOT USE THEM TO SERVE OR HELP OTHERS, GOD

SEES US AS WORTHLESS OR USELESS, OR EVEN BAD. BUT THE

KJV SAYS, UNPROFITABLE. OR NOT DOING ANYTHING WITH WHAT

GOD HAS GIVEN YOU.

TURN BACK TO I CORINTHIANS 12, AS WE PREPARE TO CLOSE.

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

IN OTHER WORDS, ALL OF US WHO HAVE GIVEN OUR LIVES TO

CHRIST AND BEEN SAVED, HAVE THE HOLY GHOST. AND THE HOLY

GHOST IS SEEN, OR MANIFESTED THROUGH THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS

WE ARE GIVEN. AND THOSE GIFTS ARE GIVEN TO US SO THAT WE

CAN PROFIT OR MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS. TO

HELP OTHERS AND SERVE OTHERS. WHEN WE DON’T USE THEM

TO PROFIT ALL, THE WORD OF GOD SAYS THAT WE ARE

UNPROFITABLE. AND WHEN WE ARE UNPROFITABLE, GOD SEES US

AS BAD SERVANTS, WORTHLESS AND USELESS SERVANTS.

SERVANTS WHO ARE CAST INTO OUTER DARKNESS, TO A PLACE

WHERE WE CRY OR WEEP AND GRIND OUR TEETH!

WHAT’S THE POINT REV? THE POINT IS, IF YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED.

IF YOU HAVE GIVEN YOUR LIFE TO CHRIST, KNOW THAT GOD DIDN’T

DO IT SO THAT YOU COULD BE A GOOD PEW MEMBER AND HIDE

YOUR GIFTS IN THE PEW. NO HE CALLS US ALL TO USE WHAT HE

HAS GIVEN US. THESE SPECIAL ABILITIES, THESE SPIRITUAL GIFTS

TO PROFIT WITHAL, OR TO HELP AND SERVE OTHERS. TELL

SOMEBODY, IN OTHER WORDS, GO TO WORK. GOD BELIEVES IN

FULL EMPLOYMENT.

HE’S GIVEN EVERY PERSON SPIRITUAL GIFTS. GO TO WORK.

HE EXPECTS EVERY ONE OF US TO DO SOMETHING WITH WHAT HE

HAS GIVEN US. HE EXPECTS US TO ADD SOMETHING TO THE

KINGDOM. TO SHOW WE HAVE DONE SOMETHING FOR THE

KINGDOM. TO SHOW A PROFIT, AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE. TELL

SOMEBODY, YOU’VE GOT TO GO TO WORK.

EVERY ONE SHALL GO BEFORE THE JUDGEMENT SEAT. WE SHALL

ALL BE JUDGED. WE WILL ALL HAVE TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF OUR

STEWARDSHIP. NO EXCUSES. NO EXCEPTIONS. NO PASSES OR

WAIVERS. YOU’RE EITHER PROFITABLE OR NOT. YOU’RE EITHER A

BAD, WORTHLESS, USELESS, AND UNPROFITABLE SERVANT OR

ONE WHO GOD SAYS WELL DONE TO. AND GOOD AND FAITHFUL

SERVANT.

PAY NOW, OR PAY LATER. WORK NOW, OR WEEP LATER. DON’T BE

IGNORANT. GOD HAS GIVEN TO ALL OF US SPECIAL ABILITIES,

SPECIAL TALENTS, SPIRITUAL GIFTS. DON’T BE IGNORANT OF

THAT. HE CALLS US TO USE THEM. DIVERSITIES OF GIFTS, OR

DIFFERENT KINDS. DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATIONS OR DIFFERENT

WAYS TO USE THEM. AND DIFFERENT OPERATIONS OR EACH GIFT

DOES SOMETHING DIFFERENT OR OPERATES IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

THOSE WHO HAVE EYES TO SEE..., EARS TO HEAR... FROM THIS

DAY ON, NO ONE HERE CAN EVER SAY YOU DIDN’T KNOW OR

PRETEND TO BE IGNORANT OR UNAWARE. YOU WILL BE HELD

ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT YOU HEARD AND LEARNED TODAY. SIT

THERE IF YOU WANT THERE AND DO NOTHING. COME WHEN YOU

FEEL LIKE IT. DO WHATEVER YOU FEEL LIKE DOING OR GET MAD AT

ME OR SOMEBODY IN THE CHURCH AND DECIDE YOU AIN’T DOING

NOTHING, IF YOU WANT TO. BUT KNOW THIS, ONLY WHAT YOU DO

FOR CHRIST WILL LAST,. GOD IS A GOD OF FULL EMPLOYMENT.

EVERYONE IS EQUIPPED TO DO A JOB. GIVEN ABILITIES TO DO

THAT JOB AND IS EXPECTED TO GO TO WORK! GO TO WORK!

ONE DAY, GOD CALLED JESUS TO GO TO WORK. HE USED HIM TO

SHOW US HOW ANYONE WHO ALLOWS GOD TO USE THEM CAN

WORK. YOU SEE, THE CRUCIFIED MY JESUS. THEY HUNG HIM ON A

OLD RUGGED CROSS. PIERCED HIM IN THE SIDE AND HUNG A

CROWN OF THORNS AROUND HIS HEAD. HE WAS CRUCIFIED, DEAD

AND BURIED. IT WOULD SEEM THAT GOD COULD NO LONGER USE

A DEAD MAN. A MAN WHO WAS OLD, A WOMAN WHO HAD BECOME

FEEBLE. A CHILD WHO WAS TOO SMALL, OR A MAN OR A WOMAN

WHO WAS TIRED AND WEARY. BUT LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING.

GOD TOOK A DEAD MAN. A MAN WHO SUFFERED AND BLED. HE

TOOK A MAN WHO SEEM DOWN AND OUT. WORTHLESS AND

USELESS. HE TOOK JESUS AND TOLD HIM, GO TO WORK. GO TO

WORK JESUS AND JESUS WHO WORK THE WORKS OF HIM THAT

SENT HIM. JESUS WHO DRANK FROM THAT BITTER CUP. JESUS

WHO LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS. JESUS WHO WAS

KILLED AND THEN LAID IN A BURIED TOMB. GOD STILL EXPECTED A

DEAD MAN TO GO TO WORK. AND EARLY ON A SUNDAY MORNING.

JESUS GOT UP AND HE WENT TO WORK. GO TO WORK! KING OF

MY LIFE, I CROWN THEE NOW.JUST ASK THE SAVIOR TO HELP

YOU...