It’s September which means another Labor Day celebration on September 4th. This is supposed to be a rest for American workers. But why rest if you don’t do any labor?
Hebrews 4:9 tells us, “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God,” and verse 11 says, “Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.” Further, Revelation 14:13 says, "Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” But, again I ask, “How can we rest from our labor if we do no labor?”
There are those who say they are busy with “church work,” and they truly are. There are all kinds of activities that keep people busy around the church building. But there is a vast difference between “church work” and the “work of the church”!
What is the “work of the church” supposed to be? Through God's Word, we will find that the work of the church is threefold, let's look at them one by one:
PREACHING THE GOSPEL: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). Mark 16:15-16 says, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” What should the church be preaching (proclaiming, teaching)? Briefly, we should preach/teach: (1) Christ was the Son of God, (2) what Christ did on our behalf to save us, (3) what one should do to be saved, (4) the importance of the church, (5) the items of worship, (6) the importance of the Christian's life, etc.
HELPING THE POOR: The Bible shows us that the church was concerned about those who were in need of help. Who is to be helped? The needy in the church, first of all - that is the poor, old people, widows, cases of emergency, orphans of Christians, and so on. Not only are members of the church to be helped. All people who are deserving of assistance can be helped. This is a way of reaching people with the gospel.
EDIFYING THE CHURCH: To edify means to build up, to strengthen, to encourage. It is to help the members of the church grow spiritually. What are some of the things that edify? God's Word, fellowship, engaging in worship, helping one another, good works, love, etc. (cf. Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 10:24-25).
Are you busy doing “church work” or the “work of the church”? Have you earned your “rest” from God?
In His Loving Service, Vernon