What You Do Matters!
Scripture: Revelations 20:11-15; Jeremiah 17:10; 1 Corinthians 3:8-15
Introduction:
I went to graduate school at night while I was in the Air Force. I was a non-commissioned officer and I was not planning to go to officer training school or retire from the military. Because I was not planning to become an officer, some questioned me as to why I was getting a master’s degree. What would it matter, why not just stop with the bachelor’s degree? When I was three-quarters away from finishing, I almost dropped out because I was tired of going to school at night (this was my third consecutive year) and I could not see what it would benefit me. The voices of those who questioned why I was putting myself through it all stayed in my mind. As I listened to the voices, I began to ask myself if it mattered. When I talked it over with Nikki, she was emphatic that I should finish for it I did not finish then I never would. Today I am glad that I listened to her because that degree has helped me to get to where I am in my current industry. Even though I could not see it while I was frustrated with doing the work, it did matter.
While working on my graduate degree, I took an independent study course where I did not have to attend any classes. This would be similar to what we have today as an on-line course, except we did not have computers. The instructor for this course was very laid back and took pity on us because we were in the military serving our country. To pass this course I had to write a paper. I chose to write a paper on my military mentor, Walter McKinney, and his leadership style. Because I knew my instructor was easy – even somewhat lazy, I put half effort in the writing of the paper. When I interviewed my mentor and told him what I was doing, he was very flattered and offered to help me should I need it. I did not take his help because “it did not matter” because I knew I would get a good grade. So long story short, after doing some minor research, I sat down and hurriedly wrote the paper. This was in the spring of 1988 (21 years ago). This paper did not matter to me because I knew my teacher was easy and I would get at least a low “A” or high “B” on it. I turned my paper in and I gave a copy of the paper to my mentor. Now this was during the time when you had to type documents on a typewriter with carbon paper – did not have the fancy computers with spell check. Needless to say, my paper had some misspelled words and some other grammatical mistakes – which my mentor immediately noticed. As he read the paper quietly I knew he was not happy with what he read. When he finished the paper, he slowly placed it on his desk and looked me in the eye. He told me that he was ashamed that I did not put more effort into the paper. He stated that I was capable of producing something a lot better than what he saw before him. His words stung me and I was offended. I was offended because he had struck a cord – he knew that I did not put much time into it that paper because he knew me. He figured out quickly that the paper I wrote to honor him did not really matter to me and since it did not matter to me, I did not put much effort into it. When I got my paper back from my instructor, I actually got an “A” on the paper. I took it to my mentor to show him – as if to say “See, it was a good paper after all!” He looked at the “A” and looked at me and told me that the instructor giving me an “A” told him a lot about the instructor but it did not change the fact that I had done a poor job on it. Again I was offended because he knew that I had not done my best. What I learned years later was that this paper which did not matter to me mattered to him. And through this experience my mentor taught me that all things should matter to me, especially if it is my work, even if it does not matter to anyone else. I also learned that some things that do not matter to us right now might become important later so we should always give it our best.
This morning I want you to know that what you do matters! Even if what you do does not matter to anyone else, it should matter to you and it definitely matters to God. I shared with my inner circle last week that God showed me clearly that I have allowed this Church to take on an “It Does Not Matter” mentality. That was a wake up call to me and I am charged with ensuring this stop - immediately. Now understand what I am saying, I own the responsibility to ensure that every thing we do we do it as if it matters, because it does. I am not responsible for making it matter to you, but that whatever is done here, it is done as if it matters. Do you understand the difference? Before I show you scripturally that you matter and therefore what you do also matters, I want to give you a few examples of things we do when it does not matter. Please understand, I am not pointing a finger or talking to any one person this morning, I am talking to all of us. So if I step on your toes, know that my toes have been hurting for a couple of weeks.
I. When It Matters
Special Events: When we attend a special event (i.e. sporting even or a concert), it matters that we are on time. So, what do we do? We leave the house in enough time to be at the event 20-30 minutes before it starts. We do not want to miss anything. When it does not matter, we get there whenever or we may not show up at all because it does not matter.
Cooking Dinner: When the dinner matters, especially when we are entertaining guests, we make sure everything is prepared just right. We use the best tableware and we admonish the kids as to how to eat properly. When it does not matter, we use paper plates and cups or tell everyone to go in the refrigerator and find their own food.
Homework: When you’re doing homework, if it matters (the difference between passing and failing a course) we spend the time to make sure it is right. If we are writing a paper, we do the research, get the documentation and quotations right, spell and grammar check it for errors and make sure we double space when we are typing it. When it does not matter, we forget to spell check it, even when the computer program flags the word as being misspelled. We do not use the appropriate punctuations and we do not worry about whether a sentence makes sense or not. Sometimes the only goal is to get it done so that you can have something to turn in.
Our Jobs: When our jobs matter, we do our jobs as if they matter. We arrive to work on time; we give a full day’s work; we do not take liberties that we shouldn’t. We do not sit at the computer all day searching the internet and watching the TV shows we missed while ignoring the important calls from our customers. When the job does not matter, we have to find the motivation to get up and go to work. We complain constantly and do the job as if the minimal is the best that can be done. There is a saying that people use when they do something poorly and the saying is: “It is good enough for government work.” This saying came into being because when people worked for the government it was extremely hard to get rid of them even if they did not do the work they were paid to do. So they did the least amount possible and everyone accepted it because it is good enough for the government. This is one of the reasons things are so messed up within our government today because we have a lot of people making decisions and doing things as if what they are doing does not matter.
I want you to know in no uncertain terms that what you do matters, especially when you are doing work in God’s service. However, the problem that we face is that when one group of individuals start doing something with an “it does not matter” attitude, it spreads to others who may initially be trying to do their best. We have all heard the term “one bad apple spoils the whole bunch”. This is absolutely true. Ripening fruit produces a hormone called ethylene gas that converts the starch in the flesh of the fruit to sugar. A bruised, damaged, or overripe fruit also emits ethylene, which causes other fruit to ripen faster. So let’s apply this to people. A person who does not believe that what they are doing matters will continue to do their jobs as if it does not matter. When others look at how they do their jobs and see that their “poorly done job” is acceptable, they begin to question why they should work so hard. Pretty soon even they begin to do their jobs as if it does not matter. This happens on the job when hard workers witness others getting promoted who does little work. It also happens in the Church when good workers begin to question why they should do all the extra stuff while everyone else just sits around and enjoy the fruit of their labor. Regardless of which situation you may find yourself in, I want you to know that you matter and everything that you do matters. So let me switch and focus on those things we do for God.
II. Everything You Do Matter
There are many people doing things for God because they want to be seen by man. Their hearts are not in line with God and yet they are out front. These people often do what they are doing as if it does not matter. We have Church pastors who will allow anything to go on in their churches because their “workers” are all volunteers and therefore the expectation for perfection should not fall on them as they are not getting paid. I apologize to each of you today as I have allowed some things to be done within this Church as if it did not matter. God has corrected me and now I will be correcting our Church. From this day forward, whatever we do, we will do it because it matters. I will no longer allow people to be in positions where they cannot fulfill the tasks and I am directing all of my leadership members to do the same. Whatever we do from this day forward will be done as perfect as we can do it or we will not do it. If you believe that the things you are doing does not matter to God, then please see me after Church and you can step down from whatever it is you are doing. This is a new day and we need people who are going to get it done right. I have accepted every excuse in the book – but no more. If you cannot do what needs to be done, step aside and let someone else do it. This is not about “I should be glad that you’re willing to do anything” it is about you standing before God and answering to Him about what you have done for Him while you were on this earth. So let me now show you scripturally why what you do and how you do it matters to God. Turn with me to Revelations 20:11-15.
Revelations 20:11-15 states: “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them, according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
For those of you who have not read the book of Revelations, let me make something crystal clear to you: first, there is more than one book that will be looked at on the day of judgment and second you will be judged on your deeds, not whether or not you will be good enough to spend eternity with Christ. Let me give you a few other references to explain:
Jesus said “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds.” (Matthew 16:27)
Jeremiah prophesied “I, the Lord, search the heart; I test the mind, even to give each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds.”
(Jeremiah 17:10)
Peter said “If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth.” (1 Peter 1:17)
When we take our last breath, at that moment, whenever it happens, the decision will be cemented in the Book of Life as to if we will enter into eternal life. Once we die, no one can pray for our forgiveness or that we enter into eternal life with Christ. So when you read the book of Revelations in conjunction with the supporting Scriptures from the other books of the Bible, this clear picture emerges:
• First, we are born on the earth and we are given a free will to live whichever way we want.
• Second, somewhere early in our lifetime, we will choose how we want to live and if we want to serve God.
• Third, once that decision as to how we will live is made, we begin to do things that are recorded by God in books. Those recordings come directly from the things we do from our hearts whether good or bad. Christians will be judged on what we did for Christ and the sinner on their sins.
• Fourth, after our life is over, should we not be here when Christ returns, we will die and await the final judgment. For a sinner, they wait in what most considers to be hell. Remember, hell is not the final place where sinners will end up, it is the lake of fire where Satan, death and hell will also be placed. When a Christian dies, we go to a place that has been prepared specifically for us individually; a place some call paradise. When Jesus was comforting His disciples He told them “…I go to prepare a place for you……” John 14:2 This place where Jesus has prepared for us is temporary and will last until the Day of Judgment. After the day of judgments, we will reign with Christ right back here on the new earth.
• Fifth, we will stand before the judgment seat, before God’s throne, according to Revelations chapter 20. At the time of our judgment, our name will be called and we will stand before God and books will be opened. Those books will contains our deeds from our time here on earth. Once those deeds have been read, then the final book will be opened and that book is the Book of Life. After God has revealed your deeds – those things that have been credited to you, those things from your heart, He will check to see if your name is written in the Book of Life. If your name is there, you will spend eternity with Christ. If your name is not there, you will spend eternity in the lake of fire with Satan, his angels, death and hell.
That is how our life plays out – in a simplified explanation. Everything we do matters and are being recorded in the books in heaven. The old people used to sing a song about sending up their timbers to heaven building their heavenly home. What they were singing about was their understanding that their actions here on earth carry consequences and those actions are being recorded in heaven. Everything that you are doing and have done, both good and bad, are recorded in God’s books. Based on these entries, your works for Christ will be judged according to the motivation behind them. Contrary to what we believe and practice here on earth, God does not accept just anything we do “in His name”; He truly examines the “how” and the “why” something is done. So whatever you are doing or have done, if you did it as if it did not matter, believe me when you stand before God you will find that not only did it matter, but because you did it as if it did not matter, you will not be rewarded for it. God wants more for us than that we should just enter into eternal life with Christ, that’s just the beginning. Getting into heaven, if you will, is just the first step; it is the minimum of what God has for us. However, if our works do not measure up to God’s standard, even if it was great by man’s standard, there will be no reward for us even after we get to heaven. We will exist in eternal life with Christ, but nothing to show for our time here on earth. Let me show you what I am talking about. Turn to First Corinthians chapter three.
Paul told the following to the Church at Corinth: “Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder, I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” 1 Corinthians 3:8-15
For those of you out there “being holy” in your own mind and doing things just so you can be praised of men, I put you on notice. For those of you not doing anything for Christ, I put you on notice. For those of you who are doing things but you are frustrated because it appears that you are the only one doing it, I put you on notice. For those of you who are committed to doing something, but everything you do you do it as if it does not matter, I put you on notice. For those of you who are giving it your all and you have not given up and you have not let the attitudes and actions of others persuade you to change, I put you on notice and I tell you keep going for your time is coming.
This is message is about attitude and desire; the attitude you have when you are doing something for Christ and the desire that you have to make sure it is done right because it matters. It is only what you do for Christ that will last. You came into this world with nothing and when you leave here you can take nothing with you except what you have done for Christ. When I stand before God to be judged on my works, He will not care about how many awards I received for doing a great job at Merck – those will not be listed in the book. He will not care about how many salary increases and bonuses that I received for doing a good job – those rewards will not be recorded in the book. He will not care about my house, cars, clothes, bank accounts, etc – none of this material stuff will be recorded in the books. He will not care about how many touchdowns you got; how many baskets you made or how many hole in ones you hit – none of these accomplishments will be found in the books. He will not care how many college degrees we have, what our GPA was when we graduated or how high our IQ is. He will not care about how much we weighed when we died or how many muscles a man had in life. He will not care about how cute you are of if you wore Air Jordans or converse tennis shoes. None of these things will be recorded in the books because in God’s eyes they do not matter!!!!!!!!!
However, God will care about how many clothes I donated to charity. But, because I had worn them out and they were good for nothing, and I needed a quick tax write off as the reason I donated them versus just throwing them in the trash, these charity donations will be written in the book. Regretfully though, when they are tried by the fire, they will burn up because the works were of poor quality and I will receive no reward. God will care about how wonderfully I sang in the choir or led the praise team. But, if I was only doing it because I could sing better than anyone else and I liked being up in front of people, even though they are recorded in the books, they will not withstand the fire because they were of poor quality and I will lose my reward. God will care about how hard I preached yet if I am just performing in the pulpit, these acts will be recorded in the books, but once again when they are tried by fire they will be burned up because of the poor quality and I will receive no reward.
If you are wondering why all of these acts would not be credited to the person doing them the answer is simple – they were not done for God, but for some selfish personal reason of the person doing them and thus the quality of the works was poor. The highest quality of works that we can do for Christ comes from deep within our hearts. It is these works that we do because we love Christ and we do them regardless of what others are doing around us. Remember what God told Jeremiah? He told him “I, the Lord, search the heart; I test the mind, even to give each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds.” (Jeremiah 17:10) What matters to God are those acts that we do for Him because of our love for Him. If you are doing anything with any other motivation, your works may not make it through the fire. I want to close with this verse from Matthew 10:40-42. Jesus said the following in reference to those who do anything in His name:
“He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”
Even you giving someone a cup of water in the name of Christ will be recorded – if it was done from your heart. All of those very small things that we do that no one else takes notice of, God notes it in the books. All the sacrifices you have made in private, God has noted in the books. What you have done and continues to do matters.
Conclusion
I started this message off reflecting on the time 21 years ago when I was working on my graduate degree. The story that I told you about the paper that I wrote honoring my mentor and his response to it still pains me today. When I stood in the pulpit 10 years ago to preach his funeral, that paper came back to my mind. I cannot tell you how I felt and the pain that that memory causes me even to this day. However, what I can tell you is that it is nothing compared to how I will feel when I stand before God and He opens the book containing my works and I see them burning up in the fire because they were not truly done with my heart towards Him and they were of poor quality. Believe me, I know today that I will have some works that will not make it through the fire; works done for recognitions, or personal glory, but this Church will not be one of them. This Church will stand the fire because of the changes we will start immediately.
As of today New Light, everything that we do will be done as unto the Lord because it matters. If you are doing anything and you are not giving it your best, for whatever reason, I am asking you to step down from the position, no hard feelings. If no one else steps up to take your place, then we will wait until someone comes who will do it right. As of today, we will either do it right or not at all. If you are so frustrated at this time to where you cannot do what you are doing as unto the Lord, I am asking you to step down. Again, in order for this Church to move forward and become what God wants us to be, I need people who are going to stand up and through thick and thin, get it done – not because of Rodney, but because they are doing it unto the Lord understanding that He will be the one to reward them.
I am asking each of you to think about what I have said this morning. Everything that you do is important and it matters. You may not understand right now how important it is, just as I failed to realize how important that paper was, but one day you will understand. Do not allow others to stop you from receiving your blessing – from receiving your future reward. When you stand before the throne of God, you will stand alone. All of your lies, cheats, and false works will be exposed before Him. Today is the first day of the rest of your life, you still have time. I am responsible for what I allow you to do in this Church and today I will no longer allow anyone to do anything as if it does not matter. I cannot read anyone’s heart, but God can. So I will only be able to go on what God’s Spirit tells me and what I see in the works you do. I hope and I pray that you will take seriously what you do because it is being recorded in the books. As I told you at the beginning – you matter. As God told Jeremiah “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born, I consecrated you….” (Jeremiah 1:5) God knows you personally and He knew you before you were born. You matter to Him and what you do also matters to Him. Think about it! May God bless and keep you is my prayer.
