Work For Lasting Food

I. EXORDIUM:

Are you a hard worker for the kingdom of GOD? Yes, because GOD works hard within me.

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that GOD works in and within us to show the world His Glory, all GOD needs is our availability, if we refuse to give this to Him, then what can we really give Him?

IV. TEXT:

John 6:27 (Amplified Bible)

6:27 Stop toiling and doing and producing for the food that perishes and decomposes [in the using], but strive and work and produce rather for the [lasting] food which endures [continually] unto life eternal; the Son of Man will give (furnish) you that, for God the Father has authorized and certified Him and put His seal of endorsement upon Him.

John 6:27 (King James Version)

6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

V. THESIS:

Praise, worship and thank You very much LORD JESUS, You are Faithful who called us to this heavenly and upward calling, You will also be the One to work hard for it within our lives.

VI. TITLE:

Work for lasting food

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: John the Apostle, son of Zebedee and Salome, and younger brother of James.

—Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary

B. Date and Setting:

Written between a.d. 85–90 from Ephesus, after the destruction of Jerusalem (a.d. 70) and before John’s exile to the island of Patmos

—Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary

C. Audience:

New Christians and searching non-Christians.

—Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary

D. Purpose:

John 20:31 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. Don't labor on food or meat that perished

"Stop toiling and doing and producing for the food that perishes and decomposes [in the using],"

Labour, work or "ergazomai" in Greek which means:

1. to toil

2. task, occupation

3. effect, commit, do, labor for, minister about, trade

Meat, food or "brosis" in Greek which means:

1. eating, food, meat

Perisheth, perished or "apollumi" in Greek which means:

1. to destroy fully

2. lose, die, perish

John 6:28-29 (Amplified Bible)

6:28 They then said, What are we to do, that we may [habitually] be working the works of God? [What are we to do to carry out what God requires?]

6:29 Jesus replied, This is the work (service) that God asks of you: that you believe in the One Whom He has sent [that you cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger].

As CHRISTian believers, our work here on earth is to work the works of GOD. Not to earn a living, not to earn money, not to become rich, not to be rich in careers. These are secondary to us, but our main priority is to work hard for the works of GOD on earth.

John 4:34 (Amplified Bible)

4:34 Jesus said to them, My food (nourishment) is to do the will (pleasure) of Him Who sent Me and to accomplish and completely finish His work.

Philippians 2:13 (Amplified Bible)

2:13 [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 (Amplified Bible)

1:3 Recalling unceasingly before our God and Father your work energized by faith and service motivated by love and unwavering hope in [the return of] our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

Our real participation in the work of GOD is our availability not our abilities, because it's not needed, because GOD will be the One to work in and within us, we're only vessels of GOD.

1 Thessalonians 5:24 (Amplified Bible)

5:24 Faithful is He Who is calling you [to Himself] and utterly trustworthy, and He will also do it [fulfill His call by hallowing and keeping you].

Romans 9:23 (Amplified Bible)

9:23 And [what if] He thus purposes to make known and show the wealth of His glory in [dealing with] the vessels (objects) of His mercy which He has prepared beforehand for glory,

2 Corinthians 4:7 (Amplified Bible)

4:7 However, we possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves.

Illustration: I know of a full-time pastor who has a church already but the work called and that she needed to go to abroad and leave her church behind to a layworker. She forgot that her highest calling and prize in this life is her calling, and she's a gift to the church.