HELP WANTED  

Matthew 9:35-38

          Jesus spent the last 3 years of his life traveling around Jerusalem and Judea meeting the needs of the people.  But with all the walking, preaching teaching and healing that he did he recognized that it was just not enough.  He looked at the masses that were scattered and abandoned like sheep with no shepherd and his heart grieved with compassion for them.  You see, the religious leaders, the scribes and Pharisees had neglected the common man, considering him to be cursed.  Jesus saw these people as the fruit of God’s labor, wasting away and dyeing because there were not enough laborers to harvest them or in other words to give them the care and attention that they needed.  In his compassion, Jesus tells the disciples to pray that God would send workers into the field to gather in the crop.  God has sent me today to post a want ad.  God says to us today “HELP WANTED”.

          When you read an employment ad in the classified section of the paper you generally see a job title, where the job is, required qualifications and something about compensation. 

So God’s ad says HELP WANTED – LABORERS  

What is a laborer?  Let’s us the construction industry as an example.   When you go on a construction site you generally see lot’s of people working.  You may find, depending on what is being built, a few brick masons.  You may find several carpenters, an electrician, and roofer.  These are all craftsmen trained to do a specific job.  But the majority of men on a construction sites are just called laborers.  They are the men who carry wood and bricks, hammer nails, build scaffolds, mix mortar, and so on.  They are the men who do all the odd jobs.  Though their jobs are important to the completion of the task, they are simply called laborers.  Generally, there are lots of these men on a construction site, because there is a lot to be done.  The job of the laborer is not glamorous.  There is generally no specific part of the finished work that he can lay claim to.  He can not say with pride, “I framed that house” like the carpenter can, or “I bricked that house” like the brick mason can.  He is the laborer.  He has done many tasks all of which are important, but none of which he can lay specific claim to.  He in simple terms is just the worker who does whatever the boss wants him to do at that given moment. 

So God wants to hire laborers.  He has a job he wants done.  He is building a kingdom and He needs kingdom laborers.  What are these laborers to do?  Spread kingdom news, encourage others to come into the kingdom.  They are to pray for, and help meet the needs of others.  They are to be used to show mankind the love, grace and mercy of God.  They do whatever service the boss requires.  Laborers are general all purpose servants. 

What are the requirements for this job?  In construction there are no special skills required to be a laborer.  Many times, unemployed men, standing on a corner are picked up and hired to be laborers.  In construction a laborer needs only to be able to follow instructions, be willing to work hard, and be dependable.  He gets on the job training, for all else that he must do. 

As I began to seek the Lord for His requirements for the job of laborer, He reminded me that this is not the first Help Wanted Sign He has posted.  He prompted me to consider all of the great leaders in the Bible whom He had selected for various tasks.  They all responded to a help wanted ad posted by God.  I asked the Lord what was it about these men and women that caused you to select them for a specific task.  And he led me to the life of one specific person to answer this question.   

I Sam. 13:13-14  Saul the first king of Israel, in his impatience and fear did not obey the Laws of Moses.  Because Samuel, the priest and prophet of God, had not arrived when Saul thought he would, Saul offered the sacrifice himself.  This was a task reserved only for the priest of God.  By Law, not even the king was supposed to kill and offer the burnt sacrifice.  God saw in Saul a rebellious heart, and Saul’s actions during his kingship proved this to be the case over and over again.  God saw in Saul, a heart far from his own, and he sought a man with the heart of God. 

Ps. 89:20 – While looking for a man with a heart like His own, God found David.  Do you think that David even knew that God was looking for a new king? You never know when God is looking for someone for a special task.  David was going on doing his shepherding task.  While David was in the field, tending to his father’s sheep, God looked at his heart and saw in it that characteristic that he was searching for.  While looking for a man after his own heart, God found David. 

What was so special about David? 

I Sam. 16:1, 5-7 – Samuel goes to Bethlehem to anoint a new king.  He calls for Jesse and his sons so that he can fulfil this task.  When he sees the first son he is sure it is he.  From the outside everything suggests that he would be a good king.  But God rejects him.  You see when God is choosing a human for his service, the outside appearance, the intelligence, the economic and social status, none of these weigh heavy in His decision.   

1 Cor. 1:26-29 - For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.  

I may think that you are perfectly suited for a task, based solely on the human abilities I can see in you.  But I can not see and judge you heart.  Likewise I may think that you are the wrong person for a job, and you end up being just the person that God selects.  Why?  Because God judges on a criteria that I can not fairly judge because I don’t know your heart.  

God rejected Eliab, because though he had all the physical traits that might be desirable by man, he did not have a heart like God’s. 

I Sam 16: 11-13 – God did not select David because he was important or highly respected.  In fact David was so insignificant in his father’s sight that he did not even bother to call him in from the fields for this feast.  

Did God select David because he was perfect? No David himself recognized that he was sinful by nature (Ps. 51:5).  Not only did God know that David was not perfect, He knew that even after he was anointed to be king, called in the service of God, he knew David would sin.  He knew David would commit adultery and murder.  He knew that David would listen to Satan, and count the men of Israel against the wishes of God, causing 70,000 men to die in a plague sent by God.  But in spite of the mistakes God knew David would make, He chose him to be king.  Many times we listen to our enemy, and fail to move forward when God is instructing us to do so.  We feel unworthy because we know our own shortcomings.  We feel inadequate, because we have fears and limitations.  But when we don’t move at the command of God, we are questioning His wisdom in choosing us.  In spite of what we are or are not, God still chooses to use us to fulfil His will in the earth.   

Ps 78:70-72 -  Care for the sheep of his father = care and concern for the people of God.  It would take heart to lead the people of God and God found David to be a man with a heart of integrity.  God saw in David a sincere heart; a heart that loved God and wanted to glorify Him.  If you go back and study the life of David as written in the scriptures, you will find a man who looked for opportunities to glorify God.  But when opportunities presented themselves, He trusted God to do the work.  He recognized that he himself was nothing.  But he also knew that the God of Israel, whom he served, was the almighty God.  He had experienced the grace and power of God in his life.  He had spent time with this God, meditating and listening as God spoke to him.  He had developed a relationship with God, and he trusted Him.  He loved the God that he served and he was willing to sacrifice all for him.  This is what God saw in David’s heart.  He saw a heart that was open to him and that loved him. 

Acts 13:22 – Why did God choose David?  He saw a man whose heart was turned to Him and one who would seek to fulfill all that God asked him to do.  This is the testimony that God gave of David. 

Now we only looked at David.  But if you look at all the people in the Bible who have done great things in God’s service you will see that all of them, in spite of their weaknesses, fears, sinful nature and actions, they all submitted to God and sought to fulfill His will for their lives.   

God has a job opening.  He is in need of laborers; those who will go into the fields, to harvest the crop of souls, waiting to hear the Gospel. 

You may be thinking that no one wants to hear the Gospel.  You are wrong.  The Christians in the Church at Rome were having the same problem.  It seemed that no one was listening to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Paul responded to them in chapter 10 by reminding them that Isaiah had asked this same question.  He reminds them that some will call on the name of the Lord and be saved.  But then he asked 

Romans 10:14-15 - How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"  

God wants laborers to send into the fields here at NCSU to tell the good news of God’s love, the wonderful mercy that He has shown towards man, and the saving grace that he extends to all men.  His only requirement is a heart that is submitted to Him.  You don’t have to know all the ins and out of the Job.  God will give you on the job training and He will send a helper, the Holy Spirit, with you on every assignment.  

What hours do you work?  Well you will be on call 24 hours a day, but you operate on an open door policy.   Whenever God opens a door, you go to work. 

What compensation do you get?  Well keep in mind that you are not working for pay.  If so, you don’t meet the requirement for the job.  Those who accept this job work out of love for the father and for mankind.  You should view this as a volunteer job, not looking for payment here on earth.  But there is a benefit package that is out of this world. 

1 Cor. 2:9 -  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.  

And included in your package is a bonus. 

I Thess 2:19 – This is called the soul winner’s crown.  It is a crown of rejoicing.  It is associated with the pleasure and sense of accomplishment we will feel when we see standing in heaven, all the people we have led to Christ. 

This morning God is posting a want ad.  It says

“HELP WANTED – LABORERS’

Will hire all who meet the requirement – A willingness to submit to me.No experience necessary.  Will give on the job training and provide assistance with each assignment.  Flexible work hours.  Will call when needed.  Compensation:  Eternal rewards, with a benefit package designed in Heaven by the maker, creator and owner of all things.  IMMEDIATE OPENINGS.  If interested dial “1-800- I will labor” on you prayer line.  There is always someone available to answer your call. 

Will you make the call today? 

 

  1/21/01