THE CHRISTIAN'S JOB DESCRIPTION

September 8          “The Christian's Job Description”                             Matthew 22:37-39

Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39)

 Everybody has a job description. Regardless of who you are—a pastor, a church member, or a student—you have a job description. We all do. And they are nothing new.  Job Descriptions have been with us from the beginning of time. Adam and Eve had a job description. Noah had a job description. Abraham, Moses, and Saul too. They all had job descriptions. But sometimes we get so immersed in fulfilling the details of our divinely given job description, that we lose sight of the big picture. From time to time, we need to remind ourselves of the mission and purpose that God have ordained for us to follow and to demonstrate, in our daily living. When it comes to summarizing biblical mandates and our responsibilities as believers, no one did it better than our Lord. He was able to get right to the heart of things. Jewish history said that there were 613 laws that needed to be obeyed, but Jesus reduced them to two: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” and “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” In the midst of the challenges of our commitments, what are the basics of God's job description for us. In many respects, it’s not a job description, but a job prescription—a prescription mandated for us by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:31 – 11:1. Paul was cautioning the Corinthians about misusing their Christian liberties, he admonishes: "Whether then you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to Jews or to Greeks or to the Church of God, just as I also, please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ." The first description or duty, is to “Seek the Glory of God!” "Whether then you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (10:31). The second duty, is to “Seek the Benefit of Others!”  "Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God" (10:32). “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love, give preference to one another in honor” (Rom 12:10).  The third duty of the Christian, is to “Seek the Salvation of the Lost!”  "Just as I also, please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many so that they may be saved" (10:33).  Our ultimate duty is to share Jesus with the Lost and to be that “Bright Light” in the Darkness of this Evil World.  The Fourth duty is to, “Seek the Likeness of Christ!”  "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ" (11:1). Our job is to Glorify God. This must be our purpose in life, whatever we do, do all to the Glory of God. How are we to accomplish this? By placing the benefit of others ahead of ourselves, by foregoing our liberties so that the lost might be saved, and by pursuing the likeness of Christ.  Have we allowed the “world” and its issues to cloud our commitments?  Have we allowed the issues of the day to determine our attitudes and actions?  Are we living for Christ or are we living for Satan?  What God does with you, is entirely, up to you!  It always has and it always will!  Please allow God to use you for HIS GLORY and not your own!  Keep this in your mind…THE WORLD IS NOT OUR HOME; WE ARE JUST PASSING THROUGH!  Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!