Doing the work of God

Our sufficiency is from God.      — 2 Corinthians 3:5

When I was a pastor I used to have a recurring nightmare. I would rise to preach on Sunday morning, look out at my congregation — and see no one in the pews!

It doesn’t take a Daniel (Dan. 2:1, 19) or a dream therapist to interpret the vision. It grew out of my belief that everything depended on me. I mistakenly believed that if I did not preach with power and persuasion, the congregation would fade away and the church would fold. I thought I was responsible for the results of God’s work.

In the Gospels, we read that some people asked Jesus, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” (John 6:28). What audacity! Only God can do the works of God!

Jesus’ answer instructs us all: “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent” (v. 29). Whatever we have to do, then, whether teaching a Sunday school class, leading a small group, telling the gospel story to our neighbor, or preaching to thousands, it must be done by faith. There is no other way to “work the works of God.”

Our responsibility is to serve God faithfully, wherever He has placed us. Then we’re to leave the results to Him. As Jesus reminded His disciples in John 15:5, “Without Me you can do nothing.”                                                   — David Roper

The work of the Lord for us has been done —

Jesus has paid the supreme sacrifice;

Our service for God has only begun —

And nothing we do can help pay the price.         — Hess

READ: John 6:25-33

Christ’s work on the cross equips us to do good works for Him.

The Bible in one year:

• Job 14-35

• Acts 15:1-21