SERMON “I HAVE LABOURED IN VAIN”
Introduction
The last time I stood before the Lord and yourselves was some while ago when we spoke about faith. During my preparations for that sermon I bought some marbles, remember I called them “Noah’s” marbles.
I had trouble finding them and actually ended up buying them on a market stall in my local town of Ormskirk. When the stall holder, a little old lady, asked me what on earth a man of my age wanted with a packet of marbles I replied that they were to be used in a sermon the following day at church.
Her reaction was quite interesting; “Oh,” she said – “you’re a Christian! There aren’t many of us left you know.”
Can I interest you in any of these CD’s, there all religious themes?
I was just about to refuse her kind offer (I already have enough of Yacob’s tapes to last my earthly lifetime) when she thrust 5 or 6 CD’s in my hand. “Here, you can have these and I don’t want paying for them you’re a Christian after all – take them away and have a good listen to them.”
One thing I have learned in life is to take anything offered for free (you can always throw it in the bin afterwards!)
Thinking about that though, someone recently gave me the most precious gift I will ever have – the gift of salvation – I think I might be keeping that gift!
Next time I was out and about in the car on a long journey I decided to give them a try. Oh dear, the first three were by some preacher with a thunderous voice accompanied by a symphony of loud music of the religious dramatic kind.” I am warning you, the end is near, hell and damnation awaits………..etc”
Anyway, it certainly wasn’t my cup of tea, lots of shouting and dramatics, it sounded very effective but I quickly realised that my pastor had brought me up on better material and food than this.
So I placed them back in the glove compartment where they have remained to this day (anyone want to buy some nice religious tapes?)
It must have been several weeks later when I inadvertently reached into the glove compartment to sort through them one more time; I knew there was one that I hadn’t listened to yet. I already had a fair idea what I would find but I thought I would give it just one more try.
I looked at the title and it was called “Have you laboured in vain?”
Here goes, I thought. So I put it on and it started with some introductory music, and I thought “Here we go again”, I reached forward to hit the eject button but before I got there a voice said,
“Have you ever laboured in vain, have you ever failed to reach your goal or objective, have you ever despaired that despite your best efforts it all went wrong again. You failed to make the mark. You didn’t come up with the goods. Your best effort was good, but not quite good enough.
In simple terms it all went pear shaped!
This guy had my attention; this guy had just pushed the right buttons.
“That’s me, I thought, that sounds just like me. Always not quite where I want to be, always a little short of the mark. It was always me who people were speaking to when they said things like “Its taking part that counts Bill, being in the game, that’s what matters.
Since listening to that tape the same section of the Bible has gone around my head repeatedly, and it has eventually brought me to the topic for this sermon.
So thanks are due to three people for this message, one works on Ormskirk market, one lives at 705 Liverpool Road, Ainsdale, and the other holds a considerably higher position (look up!)
The sermon and its message is aimed at anyone who right now feels that they are failing, anyone who has felt that way in the past or for that matter anyone who thinks they have failed in their first duty as a Christian.
So that probably has widened the audience to everyone right now, lets proceed!
Have you laboured in vain?
Have you laboured in vain?
I would like you to consider the question set out above; does it perhaps apply to you at some point in your life?
Have you ever failed in your duty; have you ever laboured in vain?
I guess if we are really honest we have all shared the same emotion or thoughts at some stage in out life; probably more than once. I know I have gone through this sentiment scores times in my life! You know the sort of thing I mean; failure of that examination, you didn’t get your driving licence the first time around!
Perhaps it was a family member who was disappointed by your failure. Irrespective of the reason for the failure or the actual event that caused it we are sometimes quite badly affected by the results.
That can be quite traumatic in it self, but when it comes to failing in our Christian duties it gets more serious than that.
When it comes to our faith the feeling can be quite devastating, desperate and lonely. As any born again Christian will tell you, once you realise the single and vital importance of the Lord’s message it becomes a priority to tell everyone the news.
How can you let other people, especially your own family and close friends go through life in ignorance of the word and message of the Bible?
It becomes the single most important thing in a Christian’s life. When I arrive at Heavens gate and the Lord let’s me in (that may sound arrogant – but I don’t mean it to – I just know that as a Christian that’s where I am going to end up!)
Well, I want to be sure that at least I might meet the people who I have had a chance to witness to; my wife, son, daughters and grandchildren and everybody else for that matter.
I want to be sure that we will meet again. Doesn’t this become one of the single most important parts of every true Christian’s life?
You know there is a God, you know there is a heaven, but how to convince others remains the one big problem.
I had you praying for me and God was listening; it was obviously in God’s plan and I was saved, praise the Lord.
The only way I can make sure of this is by witnessing to them here on earth; I must try to convince them of the truth of the Bible. Of course, as any born again Christian will tell you this can be the most satisfying or disappointing experience.
I imagine (because I have never experienced it) that being involved in saving someone and turning them to Christ must be the most wonderful feeling for those involved.
Our Pastor and my good friend Geoff must have had these feeling lots of times, and so must most of you all at least once, it was your prayers that helped bring me to the Lord – Thank you and praise Him most high.
I have experienced the other side of the coin a few times though; when I have had long conversations with others in an attempt to witness and show them God’s word. But so far I haven’t had any success. So far people either just look in disbelief or laugh out loud – Oh, that’s happened a few times already!
Before condemning ourselves the first thing we ought to realise is that we are some excellent company in failure. The very best people have done it before. Even the best of us have apparently failed at times.
Here are a few examples; let’s begin with David Livingston. One of the things he wrote about himself towards the end of his life was that he felt that he had failed his converts badly.
He brought many to Christ during his lifetime, he spent all his adult life witnessing and sharing the joyous word of our Lord with others.
He must have been instrumental in saving hundreds of people during his lifetime
A famous and bold explorer and missionary who travelled to places most can only wonder at and took the Lord’s word wherever he went.
He preached to gospel far and wide and probably spent the most part of his life working for others and certainly working for the Lord Jesus Christ.
But he thought he had failed - What was his failure?
It was this. He considered that everywhere he had been in Africa he was followed by the slave traders. In his own estimation all he did was lead the way for others to profit from his missionary work.
So in his perception, his good work came to nought. He had “Laboured in vain”. His witnessing and preaching had come to nothing much except trouble for the natives he perhaps converted and also those he didn’t.
They all ended up pretty much the same way – caught up, one way or another in the slave trade.
He thought he had fallen short of the mark.
He thought he had missed his goal and in his own estimation failed in the Lord’s work.
If you think you have laboured in vain you are amongst biblical giants
We all know that the Lord called Moses to deliver his people out of Egypt to the Promised Land, the land of milk and honey. In Exodus 3 verse 4 – 10 The Lord called Moses saying,
“Moses, Moses” and Moses said “Here I am”
“Do not come any closer” God said, “For the place where you are standing is holy ground”
God then went on to tell Moses how he had been chosen to lead God’s people out of Egypt into the Promised Land.
We know that Moses put up more than one protest about being given this job, but eventually he realised who was in charge here and got on with the task!
Can you imagine for a moment, after all the things that Moses went through, first of all to get Pharaoh to release God’s chosen people – to warn of and live through all the plagues?
We get some idea in Numbers 11 verses 10 though 15
“Moses heard the people of every family wailing, each at the entrance to his tent. The Lord became exceedingly angry and Moses was troubled. He asked the Lord,
“Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people?
Did I give them birth?
Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their forefathers?
Where can I get meat for all these people?
They keep wailing to me “Give us meat to eat”.
I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.
If this is how you are going to treat me put me to death right now – if I have found favour in your eyes – and do not let me face my own ruin!
This is what it was like then, to labour in vain.
Only to see the people released and then live through their constant doubts and rebellion; to repeatedly convince the same people that the Lord had their interests at heart, to lead them through the wilderness and battle one problem after another and finally to realise, can you imagine what Moses must have felt like when God told him, that he was not going to make his one aim in life, the single goal that God had set for him.
After in excess of 60 years in the job the Lord told him that he wasn’t actually going to make it. He was to hand over to someone else for the final stage of this massive journey.
There is no indication in the Bible of exactly how Moses must have felt about this but I wouldn’t imagine he would be too pleased – would you be?
After all that time going through trials and tribulations to arrive almost at your goal but not quite hit the mark.
Maybe Moses might have thought that he had laboured in vain.
Although he was 120 years old when he died the Bible says “Yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone”
He almost made it but had to hand over responsibility to Joshua.
If you think you have laboured in vain you are amongst biblical giants
Let’s look at what God has to say about labouring in vain.
In fact, there are many examples in the Bible, one of them being in 1 Kings 19. It's about Elijah.
Remember the story in 1 Kings 18 where he had this great miracle from God. God sent fire down and the whole nation turned back to God. They killed all the false prophets. It was a once in a lifetime miracle. There was a big emotional high.
Scene two, the next chapter (1 Kings 19) the Queen Jezebel, the wicked queen, gets very mad. So she puts a death threat out on Elijah and sends a messenger to him telling him she was planning on killing him.
Just a few days after this enormous miracle where the whole nation turns back to God, Elijah runs for his life across the desert, hides in a cave. He's in fear saying, "God, please kill me!"
What's going on? This is a classic example of failure. After every mountaintop there is a valley. After every high there is a low. With success comes stress and sometimes apparent failure.
The good news is that the Bible tells us Elijah was just like us. He was a human being he wasn't supernatural. God used him in some miraculous ways but he was just a normal human being. So we can look at his life and we can see the causes or the signs of failure and tiredness and the cure.
You may not need this message today; if you don't, congratulations.
But you may someday. I will guarantee you that there is probably somebody you know that's going through this feeling now.
We put ourselves down mentally. There's a little tape going on in your mind that says over and over, "I'm a nobody. My life doesn't matter. I'm insignificant. I don't count. I have no value." It plays over and over in your mind. When you start doing that, you know you're headed for this feeling of labouring in vain, and it’s Satan who’s put that message there.
1 Kings 19:4, "Elijah came to a broom tree, sat down under it, and prayed, `Take my life. I'm no better than my ancestors.'"
"I'm no better." He's comparing himself to his ancestors and saying, "I'm no better than those guys!"
When the Devil plants the seed of failure, of labouring in vain, you listen to your feelings rather than the facts. You focus on how you feel rather than on what's reality, what's the truth.
It goes like this: "I feel it, therefore it must be true."
Have you learned yet that emotions lie? Feelings lie.
Feelings can be wrong.
Feelings are highly unreliable.
Often it’s the enemy who puts these feelings of failure inside you; it certainly isn’t God.
God wouldn’t do that.
When you feel you have failed remember that you are in the company of biblical giants; you are in the company of people you have read about, heard about at church.
You are in the company of people who you are trying to model yourself on.
Would it surprise you if I said the Lord Jesus had felt like this and been tested in this way?
Do you think He had any doubts ever about the success of His mission for His Father?
Was our Lord tested; did He ever have doubts about His efforts whilst on earth carrying out his Messianic work?
The answer lies in Isaiah Chapter 49 verses 1 through 4; would you please turn there now. Isaiah Chapter 49 verses 1 through 4. This is the section on Isaiah that has been whirling around in my head for months now. Once you realise the true value and message of the content it becomes an absolutely vibrant piece of scripture with a totally wonderful message.
This reads “Listen to me, you Islands; hear this you distant nations. Before I was born the Lord called me from my birth He has made mention of my name. He made my mouth like a sharpened sword; in the shadow of His hand he hid me; he made me like a polished arrow and concealed me in His quiver. He said to me “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendour”
But I said “I have laboured to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing”
I have read this passage over and over and over again and it represents a prophetic conversation between God the Father and God the Son, Yeshau.
We all know that this was no surprise to God – He knew this temporary rejection would occur, but nevertheless Yeshua must have felt some disappointment at the time whilst on earth.
It perhaps represents the fact that Yeshua’s original mission had failed; His own people, the very people He had come to save, had rejected him.
He had preached, performed miracles, given signs of all kinds that He was indeed the Son of God, the saviour of mankind.
The dead were raised
The blind could see
The deaf could hear
He had come with a two edged sword, words that would be so sharp and piercing that they would go straight to the heart of the nation, of his chosen people. Words of wisdom and love, kindness and gentleness, caring and tender………
He came in joy, in victory, charged by his Father to save Israel
His message was powerful, strong and true
But they didn’t listen, they scorned and mocked Him
They turned way from Him
They spurned Him.
The people He came to save had rejected him.
He thought He had laboured in vain; His efforts had fallen short of the mark
How do you suppose he must have felt, let’s look at it again at what is prophesied in the book of Isaiah –:
This is a two-way conversation between God the Father and God the Son – let’s read it again please.
“Listen to me, you Islands; hear this you distant nations. Before I was born the Lord called me from my birth He has made mention of my name. He made my mouth like a sharpened sword; in the shadow of His hand he hid me; he made me like a polished arrow and concealed me in His quiver. He said to me – that is God the Father said “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendour”
Yeshau said - But I said “I have laboured to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing”
So the writer of Hebrews was right when he said “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin”
He had been sent to save His people, Israel. He came as a Jew to save the Jews and now they were rejecting Him.
Within one week of being welcomed by the multitudes, and crying
“Hosanna to the Son of David”, (and they had got that wrong anyway), the same people were screaming,
“Crucify Him, Crucify Him”
“Crucify Him, Crucify Him”
They condemned Him to death; there is no record of Yeshua ever actually saying the words, as prophesied by Isaiah in Chapter 49, but I would speculate that if he ever did say those words it would have been right there and then
“Crucify Him, crucify Him”
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem........How often I wanted to gather your children like a hen gathering her chickens under her wing, but you would not have it. Look, your house is left to you desolate……”
Luke 13:34
We can only wonder at the desolation that Yeshua must have felt at that time; sent to save His people and those same people were now rejecting Him. And this is when Satan probably came to Yeshua and said; this is the house you came to save.
“But I said “I have laboured to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing”
This, I would speculate, was Jesus speaking as a man. And this is important for everyone.
Jesus knows what failure feels like; he has experienced it himself, not for long, but he felt it too.
You know the feeling also, when you’ve prayed, asked, begged, pleaded, tried every way you know and still the answer doesn’t come. All your prayers, all the work you have put in seems to have come to little or nothing.
YOU KNOW HOW THAT FEELS - YOU HAVE BEEN THERE.
And that’s when the Devil comes in and plants the seed, the lie; he tells you that you have laboured in vain. It’s all been a waste of time. It’s all come to nothing. You wasted your efforts. You have laboured in vain.
Well, don’t believe it because it is a lie from the pit of hell itself.
We must remember that Yeshua was without sin; perfect in every way; in every way.
Therefore the first message is clear; there is no sin in trying to do the right thing but failing to meet the mark.
If Yeshua had seemed to have laboured in vain it could not be a sin. If it were the whole Christian belief is in jeopardy. It would all be a myth.
Yeshua was, is and always will be without sin; therefore trying and failing is not a sin – it cannot be.
The answer and second lesson is in the remainder of verse 5; and what a wonderful verse it is, what a wonderful verse.
“Yet what is due to me is in the Lords hand and my reward is with God”
“Yet what is due to me is in the Lords hand and my reward is with God”
Message – DON’T JUDGE YOUR RESULTS, THAT’S THE LORDS WORK! As Christians we are already saved, it is our works that will be judged, and it is God who will judge them, not you. We will talk about this later.
1 CORINTHEANS Chapter 11 verse 31 deals with this, where it says
“But if we judge ourselves we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world”
If we read on not only do we find that Jeshua’s efforts would not be in vain, but that they would triumph in fantastic manner
God is saying to Yeshua, OK so you think you have laboured in vain; perhaps your efforts have not been completely effective, but do not believe that lie planted by Satan; Do not believe that lie.
We knew what was to come, we knew the end result, and here, in all its glory it is, here it is!!
The Holy Spirit moved and look at the results in the remainder of verse 5 and 6 !!
It’s worth reading the entire section from verses 1 through 6 in Isaiah chapter 49; they represent some of the most powerful scriptures in the book.
“Listen to me, you Islands; hear this you distant nations. Before I was born the Lord called me from my birth He has made mention of my name. He made my mouth like a sharpened sword; in the shadow of His hand he hid me; he made me like a polished arrow and concealed me in His quiver. He said to me “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendour”(God speaking)
But I said “I have laboured to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing - Yet what is due to me is in the Lord’s hand and my reward is with God”
And now the Lord says, he who formed me in the womb to be His servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself for I am honoured in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my strength, he says
“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”
Not only had Yeshua not failed but also He was to experience unlimited and unrivalled success in His work for His Father.
Not only would he save the Jews, He was now going potentially to save the whole world.
Everyone was to be given a chance of salvation.
All were to be eligible to receive the gift of everlasting life in heaven.
He had not laboured in vain – His work was to be eternally powerful, eternally wonderful and eternally saving.
He had not laboured in vain.
“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”
We find in Hebrews Chapter 4 verses 14 –16 we are told by the writer –
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Yeshua has experienced what we experience; He knows all out feeling and emotions, He has experienced them all.
When the time comes for each of us here to meet our Saviour, to gain entrance to the most wonderful place imaginable (and remember what it says in 1 Corinthians chapter 2 verse 9 “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him”)
Do not be afraid about being judged.
Your salvation is secured, we already understand this – it is your works that will be judged, and only the Lord God Almighty knows the true value of those works.
Can you begin to imagine the possibilities; there before you stand scores of people who are testifying about your efforts for the Lord in your earthly life.
As one person after another after another after another lines up to witness about your good work whilst on earth.
You had forgotten most of them.
A word here!
A hug there!
A conversation that had long since gone from your mind.
A story from the Bible told!
A thought shared.
A caring word about the Lord.
Can you imagine the feeling that you are going to have when this happens, because it will, but only if you keep this promise with me and of course with God, right now?
KEEP ON LABOURING
KEEP ON LABOURING
You are not the judge of the value of your work; the Lord will do that.
All He asks right now is that we continue to do His work, continue to pass His message, continue to praise Him and tell others.
In closing I would ask you all to turn to 2 sections of scripture. The first is from Hebrews 12 verses 1 through 3, this reads
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
The second is also from Hebrews; this time Hebrews chapter 10 verses 19 through 25.
“Therefore, brothers, since we have the confidence to enter the most holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the day approaching.”
I put most of this sermon together in my hotel room in Russia in February; as always I had prayed about the content and asked for guidance from the Lord. I was a little uneasy about the end, it’s such a powerful message and there are so many verses of scripture that seemed apt to end on but non seemed clear.
I prayed and slept on the matter; when I woke he following morning I went straight to this section of the Bible.
It seems a fitting end, it seems to illustrate why we should continue to labour, in the sure and certain knowledge that we never labour in vain
It comes from Luke Chapter 23, verses 39 through 43.
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him - “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” but the other criminal rebuked Him
“Don’t you fear God” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong”
Then he said “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be in paradise”
Jesus’ last labour for us was on the cross; the final victory in Christ.
In Mark’s gospel, Chapter 15 verse 34 is says that at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice -:
“Eloi, Eloi, Lmam sabachthani, which means my God, my God, why have you forsaken me”
It was over and everyone in the world had been given the opportunity of salvation – there was no labour in vain. Our Lord knew that from the very beginning.
Jesus’ love and work continued to the very end of his earthly life and beyond for eternity.
The criminal sought forgiveness and was given it at the very last minute.
Jesus laboured to the end and is still labouring on our behalf. He interceded continually on our behalf, He will never labour in vain and He will never give up.
So why should we?
So don’t be fooled by the evil one, pick up the work of the Lord and get rid of all this rubbish about labouring in vain and worrying about how well you are doing.
Just get on with the Lord’s work
1 Corinthians 15 verses 58 says “ Therefore my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labour is not in vain.
Praise the Lord
Isn’t Jesus wonderful!
Praise the Lord and God Bless us All
