"Even So Faith, If It Hath Not Works, Is Dead...” (James 1:17)

• We are told today by the business world it is difficult to hire people to work.

• And we are also told those who are hired it is difficult to get them to work once they are hired.

This is also a problem we have in many churches today.

However, this is not a big problem in this church because we have some very dedicated workers and for that we are truly thankful.

But God is always needing more workers.

One of the problems we have in recruiting new workers for the Lord is that many feel they do not have anything to offer the Lord in Christian service.

Listen, God has used all kinds of people in Christian service.

The next time you feel like GOD can’t use you, just remember...

• Noah was a drunk

• Abraham was too old

• Isaac was a daydreamer

• Jacob was a liar

• Leah was ugly

• Joseph was abused

• Moses had a stuttering problem

• Gideon was afraid

• Samson was a womanizer

• Rahab was a prostitute

• Jeremiah and Timothy were too young

• David had an affair and was a murderer

• Elijah was suicidal

• Jonah was a backslider

• Naomi was a widow

• Job went bankrupt

• John the Baptist ate bugs

• The Disciples fell asleep while praying

• Martha worried about everything

• The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once

• Zaccheus was too small

• Timothy had an ulcer...

• Lazarus was dead!

• And did you know in Numbers 22 God even used a donkey

God has used all kinds of people and things in Christian service and God can use you!!!

Let’s look at-

I. THE CHRISTIAN AND HIS SERVICE

Do you know why preachers across this nation preach continuously on the need for CHRISTIAN SERVICE?

Our Christian life obligates us to perform works, not for our salvation, but as an outward demonstration of our love for God.

Illus: Show me a Christian who sits on a pew year after year, never doing anything for the Lord, and I will show you a Christian that is not developing and growing spiritually.

Illus: Did you know if the strongest man on earth was to find a lazy boy chair and sit in it week after week, he will soon dry up like a dried-up prune.

He will soon begin to complain how bad he feels and how weak he feels all the time.

Illus: God designed these bodies to work, He tells us in His Word we are to work 6 DAYS and rest ONE!

The same thing applies to us spiritually we are to be busy every day of the week doing something for the Lord Jesus!

Illus: It will surprise you today of how many Christians that the only thing they do is join a church,

• Find a certain pew and sit.

• And sit in that pew week after week, month after month and year after year.

• And they never do anything in CHRISTIAN SERVICE. NEVER!!!

Note: And MAY I mention once they find that pew do not dare sit in their PEW because they will let you know that GOD has called them to set in that pew and they are going to hold it down as long as they live!!!

When a person accepts Jesus as his/her Savior, they should not waste any time getting involved in Christian service.

God does so much for some, and they do so little Him!!!

WHAT A SHAME!!!

Illus: When the Lord saved that great servant, the Apostle Paul, his immediate response was “And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, WHAT WILT THOU HAVE ME TO DO? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” (Acts 9:6)

After he was converted, Paul did not waste any time asking:

• WHAT THE LORD WANTED HIM TO DO,

• And the Lord did not WASTE ANY TIME TELLING HIM WHAT HE WANTED HIM TO DO.

Do you really want to stand before the Lord at the Judgement Seat of Christ as a Christian that the only thing you did in life was to live your whole life and did not do anything for the Lord?

Illus: A grandson was going to see his grandmother in a town he had never been in before.

He called her to ask her for information how to get to her apartment in a high-rise building.

She gave him the address and she said when you get there you will go by Walmart.

When you get to the address, I told you very carefully take your elbow and push the door open carefully.

When you get to the elevator step inside and take your elbow and push the fifth button floor.