Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Returning to the series - Complementary and Paradoxical Truths
• Our Work and God's work
• We have just sung about labouring for God
• Do you feel that it is toil?
• In once sense this is a good thing - there will come a day of rest
• Christian work:
• Not just about what we do in work
• We serve the Lord each day - examples
• The Whole of Life
• Two dangers:
• Thinking it all depends on us - a church can become very tired and work like mad
• Thinking it all depends on God - as if we have no involvement leading to indolence
• The truth:
• The battle is the Lord's but He has called us to be soldiers
• A sword for the Lord and for Gideon
• Ps 144:1-2
• Why now?
• Looking at the Hallelujah Psalms
• Considering the words of Howard about the tribe of Ephraim
• We are restarting works
• We should use every opportunity God has given to us
• Examples
• The key area - our day to day living

Some Provisos

• Make sure you are holy
• Sin in the camp - Example of Achan and the sons of Eli
• If things are not right amongst God's people - how can they go into battle?
• Make sure you are listening to the voice of God
• We can work hard - but not at God's work
• Example of working differently during Covid
• We must seek God's will

God's Work

The Importance of God

• v1 - David was victorious over Goliath as he went in the name of the Lord of Hosts
• God had trained him
• We all need training - Example of athletes and doing exercises
• Do we train ourselves for godliness?
• v5-8 – Look at David's dependence on God
• He did not think he had the victory to win the battle
• He was reliant on God
• Example of Cory Ten Boom

The Importance of Prayer

• v3 - David recognises that man is nothing / v11 - David recognises he has no ability
• How little we pray
• Without God we can do nothing
• We must pray to Him
• Praying alone is good but praying together is important
• The apostles prayed together
• The disciples continued in communion
• They persevered in fellowship
• They persevered in the Apostle's teaching
• Attendance at the weekly prayer meeting is so important
• Having prayed - we must go out to the people
• We cannot just have prayer meetings

Dangers in Christian Work

Christian Pride

• David understood he was totally dependent on God
• Example of Sampson
• Signs of pride:
• We become possessive about our role
• A failure to share, delegate and pass on
• We are here to serve
• Example of Barnabas
• When we take glory / boast in our work
• Ignoring the contributions of others
• Thinking it is something we have done rather than God working through us and others
• David recognised that it was God who would work - v11-15
• When we don't give God the glory

Dejection

• It is hard when people lie about us and misunderstand it
• Sometimes all we can do is pray
• David knew this - v8 & v11
• v9 - David has learnt it a little thing when people speak evil of him
• Rather than be dejected and deflated - he will praise God
• The devil's tactic is to deject and deflate us - to make us think we are worthless
• Examples
• Go to the Bible
• God has prepared good works for us to walk in
• Even if we are tired and weary - keep on, pray
• Example

Our lives must not be bound up in our work

• Example of David Lloyd-Jones
• As Christians - our identity is in Christ not our work
• v15 - the nation of Israel were joyful when their identity was in God and they were serving Him
• God will forgive our sin (if we confess it)
• Example of Peter and David

The Importance of Faith

• v1 - David had faith in God
• Hebrews 11
• God's work must be done in faith
• Examples
• Example of Abel, Noah, Abraham
• Faith is always linked to action
• We are involved by having faith in the living God
• "Paul planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase"
• 1 Cor 3:6-7
• Example of Joshua in the battle and Moses holding the rod of God

Closing Remarks