Introduction

Who are you in the kingdom of God? Are you doing what you can in the kingdom? Nelda McGivney is advanced in years, badly bent over, and suffers terribly with arthritis, but she writes some of the most beautiful notes and letters of anyone I know. Some of you have health problems that would be an excuse for someone else to do nothing, but you, too, do what you can.

Body

I. Every part of the body of Christ is important.

A. Peter takes the analogy of Christ being a living stone, and of our being stones of a spiritual building.

(1 Pet 2:4-5 NKJV) Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, {5} you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1. Peter goes on to bring in our being priests.

2. As priests, we are to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

a. Our sacrifices include our bodies.

(Rom 12:1-2 NKJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. {2} And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

b. Our sacrifices include the fruit of our lips.

(Heb 13:15 NKJV) Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

c. Our sacrifices include doing good and sharing.

(Heb 13:16} But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

B. Paul tells how each of us are important as being members of the body.

(Eph 4:11-16 NKJV) And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, {12} for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, {13} till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; {14} that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, {15} but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head; Christ; {16} from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

II. We are workers together with God.

(2 Cor 6:1 NKJV) We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

A. Before sin entered the world, God placed man in the garden of Eden to keep it.

(Gen 2:15 NKJV) Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.

B. God expects diligence and care on our part.

(Heb 4:11 NKJV) Let us therefore be diligent¹to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. .

¹spoudazo, spoo-dad'-zo; to make effort, be prompt or earnest:--do (give) diligence, be diligent (forward), endeavor, labor, study. .

In other words, work and effort is to be involved.

Too often, we seem to think, “Jesus paid it all,” and there is nothing left for us to do.

III. Let us do what we can.

A. The little drummer boy.

I didn’t hear the song this year, but almost every Christmas, we hear the song of the little drummer boy. There’s always something touching about it, because he wanted to give what he could. The thought of doing what we can is a biblical concept.

B. Mary did what she could.

(Mark 14:3-9 NKJV) And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. {4} But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted? {5} "For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they criticized her sharply. {6} But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. {7} "For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. {8} "She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. {9} "Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her."

C. Dorcas what remembered for what she did.

(Acts 9:36-42 NKJV) At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did. {37} But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. {38} And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. {39} Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. {40} But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. {41} Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. {42} And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.

IV. What can you do?

A. You may already know.

1. Be here with a smiley face is a good place to start.

a. Your presence and your greeting can mean a lot to a lot of people.

b. Check on our absentees by phone, or visit, or card.

2. You can be in prayer.

a. For those on our visible and invisible board.

b. You can pray for me and for our elders, deacons, and teachers as well as other workers in the church.

c. You can pay for our country.

(1 Tim 2:1-4 NKJV) Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, {2} for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. {3} For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, {4} who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

B. You can ask God for guidance and that He will show you the things you can be doing in His kingdom.

Conclusion

I. Are you doing what you can in the kingdom?

II. Are you praying for yourself and others?

III. Are you a Christian?

Welcome to Bible Study Sermons I have Preached

Hit Counter