Working With Jesus or For Jesus?
I am so grateful for Ben Pierce, a pastor of our church, who really opened my eyes to the truth that Jesus calls us to work with Him, not for Him. Working with someone is always harder than working for them. When we work with someone, we have to be on the same page, know the goals and priorities of the job and we have to compromise over and over again to make sure that we don’t let our own opinions outweigh the desire of the Boss. When we work for someone, we can sneak around and do it our way, and no one is the wiser, except God of course, as He is the One we are working for.
We are not only called to work with Jesus, but with others in the family of God. We must again compromise all the time, and be critically aware that our way may not be the best way.
I thought of this when I read Ephesians 4: 1-2 today: “As a prisoners for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”
Live a life worthy. Be completely… Those bring me to a screeching halt right away. I don’t know how to do any of that. On a good day I might be able to fake it. On ordinary days, I do a pretty poor job of living a life worthy of my calling. And the completely humble thing? Right…
Life Application Study Bible Notes on Ephesians 4:1, 2 “God has chosen us to be Christ’s representatives on earth. In light of this truth, Paul challenges us to live lives worthy of the calling we have received—the awesome privilege of being called Christ’s very own. This includes being humble, gentle, patient, understanding, and peaceful. People are watching your life. Can they see Christ in you? How well are you doing as his representative?”
Life Application Study Bible Notes on Ephesians 4:2 “No one is ever going to be perfect here on earth, so we must accept and love other Christians in spite of their faults. When we see faults in fellow believers, we should be patient and gentle. Is there someone whose actions or personality really annoys you? Rather than dwelling on that person’s weaknesses or looking for faults, pray for him or her. Then do even more—spend time together and see if you can learn to like him or her.”
Those wise words seem to indicate if someone is driving us crazy, that we pray for them, not about them. Spend more time with them not less. Yikes! How is this possible?
Completely humble. Completely gentle. Be patient, bearing with one another in love. Right…
So how can I possibly get to that state of perfection? It is appropriate that humble comes first. Once I really understand that there is absolutely no way on my own that I can begin to be humble, then I have a pretty good chance of being humble. Maybe being humiliated is a way to get there. I mentioned in a blog earlier this year: “Our lives are like garbage cans, and unless we open them up to God in order for Him to clean them out, He will allow someone or something to kick our can over and spill out in front of everyone.” Okay, that is definitely humiliating!
Where in my life am I proud? Where do I think I have it all together? The minute I start thinking I have it all together, some very ugly things start ‘leaking out’ of me. Knowing myself, and knowing that God has accepted me just as I am is a shocking realization of the truth of my inadequacy. I can walk with God, but not for Him. I can work with Him, and not for Him. He would never hire me to go do a job by myself. He knows I need constant supervision to do the right thing, say the right thing, and to produce the eternal fruit that He desires.
Now onto the subject of being completely patient. Oh yes! I am so great at that. NOT! People don’t move fast enough, and do not buy into my best ideas. Thank the Lord for that! It seems that in order for me to be patient at all, I have to be humbled to the point where I see others as more valuable. I put others first. I admire others. I am patient because of the love God has given me for them. And here we go again. I cannot do that job of being patient without my Boss doing it with me, because on my own, I am pitifully impatient!
Bearing with one another in love. As my humility and patience go out the window, I certainly am incapable of bearing with anything at any time in love. Here I am again, not working for God, because I would rather run than be patient and bear with others in love. I have to be joined to Him in love to bear with others in love. Working with God to love others, now that gives me hope. God put this truth in His Word because He knows that with Him, I can do this. I must be attached to the Vine, receive nourishment from the Vine, and extend out from the Vine, remaining completely intact and connected in order for His fruit to be produced in me.
It is interesting that before this section of scripture, the Word has these as the last verses of Ephesians (3:20-21): “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
Ahead of time, He reminds us we can’t do this without Him. He tells us that His power is at work within us.Then He tells us we are to live a life worthy of our calling and be completely humble, gentle, patient and loving. Jesus’ Words in John 15:4-6 sum it up:
“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”
Lord, help me to always work with you. Help me always listen for You, look for You, and help me never try to do this on my own.
Jesus plus something is nothing. Jesus plus nothing is everything.
I am so grateful for Ben Pierce, a pastor of our church, who really opened my eyes to the truth that Jesus calls us to work with Him, not for Him. Working with someone is always harder than working for them. When we work with someone, we have to be on the same page, know the goals and priorities of the job and we have to compromise over and over again to make sure that we don’t let our own opinions outweigh the desire of the Boss. When we work for someone, we can sneak around and do it our way, and no one is the wiser, except God of course, as He is the One we are working for.
We are not only called to work with Jesus, but with others in the family of God. We must again compromise all the time, and be critically aware that our way may not be the best way.
I thought of this when I read Ephesians 4: 1-2 today: “As a prisoners for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”
Live a life worthy. Be completely… Those bring me to a screeching halt right away. I don’t know how to do any of that. On a good day I might be able to fake it. On ordinary days, I do a pretty poor job of living a life worthy of my calling. And the completely humble thing? Right…
Life Application Study Bible Notes on Ephesians 4:1, 2 “God has chosen us to be Christ’s representatives on earth. In light of this truth, Paul challenges us to live lives worthy of the calling we have received—the awesome privilege of being called Christ’s very own. This includes being humble, gentle, patient, understanding, and peaceful. People are watching your life. Can they see Christ in you? How well are you doing as his representative?”
Life Application Study Bible Notes on Ephesians 4:2 “No one is ever going to be perfect here on earth, so we must accept and love other Christians in spite of their faults. When we see faults in fellow believers, we should be patient and gentle. Is there someone whose actions or personality really annoys you? Rather than dwelling on that person’s weaknesses or looking for faults, pray for him or her. Then do even more—spend time together and see if you can learn to like him or her.”
Those wise words seem to indicate if someone is driving us crazy, that we pray for them, not about them. Spend more time with them not less. Yikes! How is this possible?
Completely humble. Completely gentle. Be patient, bearing with one another in love. Right…
So how can I possibly get to that state of perfection? It is appropriate that humble comes first. Once I really understand that there is absolutely no way on my own that I can begin to be humble, then I have a pretty good chance of being humble. Maybe being humiliated is a way to get there. I mentioned in a blog earlier this year: “Our lives are like garbage cans, and unless we open them up to God in order for Him to clean them out, He will allow someone or something to kick our can over and spill out in front of everyone.” Okay, that is definitely humiliating!
Where in my life am I proud? Where do I think I have it all together? The minute I start thinking I have it all together, some very ugly things start ‘leaking out’ of me. Knowing myself, and knowing that God has accepted me just as I am is a shocking realization of the truth of my inadequacy. I can walk with God, but not for Him. I can work with Him, and not for Him. He would never hire me to go do a job by myself. He knows I need constant supervision to do the right thing, say the right thing, and to produce the eternal fruit that He desires.
Now onto the subject of being completely patient. Oh yes! I am so great at that. NOT! People don’t move fast enough, and do not buy into my best ideas. Thank the Lord for that! It seems that in order for me to be patient at all, I have to be humbled to the point where I see others as more valuable. I put others first. I admire others. I am patient because of the love God has given me for them. And here we go again. I cannot do that job of being patient without my Boss doing it with me, because on my own, I am pitifully impatient!
Bearing with one another in love. As my humility and patience go out the window, I certainly am incapable of bearing with anything at any time in love. Here I am again, not working for God, because I would rather run than be patient and bear with others in love. I have to be joined to Him in love to bear with others in love. Working with God to love others, now that gives me hope. God put this truth in His Word because He knows that with Him, I can do this. I must be attached to the Vine, receive nourishment from the Vine, and extend out from the Vine, remaining completely intact and connected in order for His fruit to be produced in me.
It is interesting that before this section of scripture, the Word has these as the last verses of Ephesians (3:20-21): “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
Ahead of time, He reminds us we can’t do this without Him. He tells us that His power is at work within us.Then He tells us we are to live a life worthy of our calling and be completely humble, gentle, patient and loving. Jesus’ Words in John 15:4-6 sum it up:
“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”
Lord, help me to always work with you. Help me always listen for You, look for You, and help me never try to do this on my own.
Jesus plus something is nothing. Jesus plus nothing is everything.
RSS Feed
