Be Bold!

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 28th of July, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Three weeks ago we saw the help wanted sign Jesus posted in our scripture.  Then the following week, we read through the job description a little.  Last week we looked at what it means to truly work the fields.  Today we'll see how the early church responded to the job offer.

All of our scripture this morning will come from the Apostle Luke’s Book of the Acts of the Apostles, because it gives us our best description and picture of the early church.  Please listen and follow along as I begin with Acts chapter 4, verses 23 through 31, from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said:

‘Why did the nations rage,
And the people plot vain things?
26 The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the Lord and against His Christ.’

27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. 29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

--Acts 4:23-31 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, when Peter and John returned to their disciple brothers, they were all so joyful that they lifted their thanks to You in prayer.  They recognized Your authority and control and asked You for the boldness to continue the work Jesus left them.  Father, thank You for saving this scene for us, this example of how we can turn to You for help in our own labors.  Please help us to be bold, too, as we try to share the Good News of salvation with others.

Now speak to us, Father, speak to our minds and our hearts, that we may hear Your message this day.  Give us clearer vision into Your will for our lives.  This we pray in the holy name of Jesus.   Amen.


Michael Cocoris, in his book, Evangelism, A Biblical Approach, shared a short lesson provided by an English preacher who was challenged by his monarch:

Hugh Lattimer once preached before King Henry VIII.  Henry was greatly displeased by the boldness in the sermon and ordered Lattimer to preach again on the following Sunday and apologize for the offence he had given.  The next Sunday, after reading his text, he thus began his sermon: "Hugh Lattimer, dost thou know before whom thou are this day to speak?  To the high and mighty monarch, the king's most excellent majesty, who can take away thy life, if thou offendest.  Therefore, take heed that thou speakest not a word that may displease.  But then consider well, Hugh, dost thou not know from whence thou comest, upon Whose message thou are sent?  Even by the great and mighty God, Who is all-present and Who beholdeth all thy ways and Who is able to cast thy soul into hell!  Therefore, take care that thou deliverest thy message faithfully."  He then preached the same sermon he had preached the preceding Sunday, and with considerably more energy.


Henry the 8th is mostly remember for his many wives, but also for the huge disagreement he had with the Pope in Rome which led to the English Reformation and the founding of the Church of England, of which Henry appointed himself as head.  Evangelist Hugh Lattimer also knew that, as king, Henry held the power of life and death over his subjects, including Hugh.

But Hugh also knew that God is truly the ultimate authority, who holds our very soul, our eternal life in His hands.  So Hugh made the bold move to serve and please God rather than his earthly king.


Let me give you a little background on this morning’s scripture reading.  Peter and John had entered the temple where a crippled man cried out to them for money, for charity.  The man was in his 40's and had been lame since birth.  Having no money to give, they healed him instead.  Our Bible tells us more than 5000 people witnessed this and believed what Peter preached about Jesus.

Of course, all of this enraged the Jewish leaders, who had Peter and John arrested and brought before them.  But they really had nothing they could hold against the disciples, so they forbade them to preach or heal in the name of Jesus anymore, then let them go.

And we read what followed.  The disciples all came together in prayer, giving thanks and asking for boldness to continue their efforts.  And the whole place shook as the Holy Spirit moved among them.


Much like Hugh Lattimer, Peter and John were bold in healing the lame man and preaching in front of that great mass of witnesses, all in the name of Jesus.  The Jewish leadership had surely thought they’d put an end to all this Jesus stuff, but here were His followers, carrying on in His place.

From all this we can see that speaking out for Jesus may carry certain risks in this world.  Paul was quite familiar with those risks.  Almost immediately after his conversion, while he was still known as Saul, the persecutor of the church, he began to preach the truth of Jesus.  When he went with Barnabas to Jerusalem, the rest of the disciples feared him and were not willing to give him a chance at first.  Hear how Luke recorded this incident, in chapter 9 of the Book of Acts, verses 26 through 30...

26 And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28 So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out. 29 And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. 30 When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.

--Acts 9:26-30 (NKJV)

The risks of being bold were great in those early days.  Peter and others of the disciples were arrested again, and this time thrown in prison.  But an angel of the Lord let them out during the night and told them to go preach in the temple.  They did just that the next morning, and were arrested once more, again charged with preaching and healing in the name of Jesus after being told not to.  Peter answered that charge quite succinctly, as seen in chapter 5 of Acts, verse 29...

29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.”

--Acts 5:29 (NKJV)

Like Hugh Lattimer, Peter proclaimed that it is far better to speak for God, faithfully delivering His message, since He holds our eternal life in the balance, than to speak what man wants to hear, even if that man holds our earthly life in his hands.


The disciples were released, but only after being beaten and yet again ordered not to speak out in the name of Jesus.  How did they respond?  Listen to what Luke tells us in Acts chapter 5 verses 41 and 42...

41 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

--Acts 5:41-42 (NKJV)

Of course, since God is good, there are rewards for those willing to take the risks of doing the job Jesus assigned us.  We already heard how over 5000 people came to Christ after Peter and John healed the lame man and they heard Peter speak the truth of Jesus.  Listen also to what Luke tells us resulted from all this risk-taking, in Acts chapter 9, verse 31...

31 Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

--Acts 9:31 (NKJV)

Sometimes we are able to realize our rewards during this life, but sometimes not until the next.  The disciples all suffered greatly in this life, even as they carried out Jesus’ work with boldness.  But Luke tells us that one result of their efforts was that all the churches in the region enjoyed a period of peace and were uplifted by the Holy Spirit.  Not only that, but they grew, in the number of individuals within the churches and in the number of churches being created.  And it all started with two men being bold enough to speak and act in the name of Jesus, no matter the personal cost.


A common complaint among churches today is that we are aging out, our numbers are shrinking.  Young people are not coming in, not staying even after being raised in the church.  But I have to ask, are we going out to them, as Jesus commanded us?  Are we living our lives the way our Bible tells us we should so that others can see Jesus in our actions?

Are we speaking out for truth, for justice, for Jesus?  It’s easy to sit back and complain.  It takes courage to go out and make things happen.  Now is the time for boldness.  Be bold, family, be bold!  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You are the Creator of all, and none can stand against You.  Thank You, Father, for granting us salvation through our belief in Your Son Jesus.  Now please give us the boldness to put our belief into action.  Please forgive us when we are too timid or afraid to speak out, to tell others just what Jesus means to us.  Help us be more bold in our interactions with others.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our disobedient ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…

Lord Jesus, before You left this earth to return to Your Father in heaven, You gave us a job to do.  You commissioned us to go out and tell all the world about You, sharing with them all that You said and did.  Thank You, Lord, for promising to always be with us.  Please stand by our side and help us carry on the work You began.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

Working the Fields

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 21st of July, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Two weeks ago we saw the help wanted sign that Jesus posted in our scripture.  Last week we read through the job description a little.  This week we'll take a closer look at what it means to work the fields in a manner that Jesus would find good and acceptable.  And what better way to know what Jesus would want than to hear it from His brother, James.

Listen to what James wrote regarding what I like to think of as some of the rules of working the fields for our Lord.  This comes from the 2nd chapter of James’ letter to the early church, verses 1 through 13, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. 2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? 7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. 

--James 2:1-13 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Lord Jesus, just like everything in this life, there are rules to follow even when doing Your work.  We must be mindful that what we do in Your name will be seen as righteous by our Father God.  Father, thank You for guiding us in our labors.  Please help us to be strong and courageous and impartial in our work.  And speak to us, Father, speak to our minds and our hearts, that we may hear Your message this day.  Give us clearer vision into Your will for our lives.  This we pray in the holy name of Jesus.   Amen.


There's a wonderful story from long ago about a Chicago bank that once asked for a letter of recommendation on a young Bostonian being considered for employment.  The Boston investment house could not say enough about the young man.  His father, they wrote, was a Cabot; his mother was a Lowell.  Further back was a happy blend of Saltonstall’s, Peabody’s, and other of Boston's first families.  His recommendation was given without hesitation.  Several days later, the Chicago bank sent a note saying the information supplied was altogether inadequate.  It read: "We are not contemplating using the young man for breeding purposes.  Just for work."


The Chicago bank didn’t care so much about who the young man was, but about what he could do.  And so it is with God, who is not so much a respecter of persons, but accepts those from every family, nation, and race who fear Him and work for His kingdom.  The Apostle Peter first noted this as recorded by the Apostle Luke in his Book of the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 10, verses 34 and 35…

34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him."

--Acts 10:34-35 (NKJV)

If God, the Almighty Creator of everything, shows no partiality, shouldn’t we follow His example?  Early on, Peter was quite prejudiced against the Gentiles.  He thought since Jesus was a Jew that only Jews should have the opportunity of knowing Jesus and being given eternal life.  God showed him just how wrong he was.

In reading the Old Testament, we can see that God had intended for the Jews to minister to the Gentiles all along.  Instead, they got too hung up on the law and on themselves.  God tried to remind them of what was truly important.  Listen to what He said through His prophet Micah in chapter 6 verses 6 through 8 of his book…

6 With what shall I come before the Lord,
And bow myself before the High God?
Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,
With calves a year old?
7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
Ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
My own child for the sin of my soul?

8 He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

--Micah 6:6-8 (NKJV)

Burnt offerings, animal sacrifices, offerings of oil…  Will any of these atone us of our sins?  No, not even if we were to sacrifice our own child.

What does God expect?  That we do what is right in His eyes.  That we do what is just and right.  That we show love and mercy.  That we are humble in our walk through this life, in our daily dealings.

The great prophet Isaiah gave a similar warning to us.  Hear what God spoke through his prophet in the 1st chapter of the Book of Isaiah, verses 10 through 17…

10 Listen to the Lord, you leaders of “Sodom.”
Listen to the law of our God, people of “Gomorrah.”
11 “What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?”
says the Lord.
“I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of fattened cattle.
I get no pleasure from the blood
of bulls and lambs and goats.
12 When you come to worship me,
who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony?
13 Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts;
the incense of your offerings disgusts me!
As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath
and your special days for fasting—
they are all sinful and false.
I want no more of your pious meetings.
14 I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals.
They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them!
15 When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look.
Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen,
for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims.
16 Wash yourselves and be clean!
Get your sins out of my sight.
Give up your evil ways.
17 Learn to do good.
Seek justice.
Help the oppressed.
Defend the cause of orphans.
Fight for the rights of widows."

--Isaiah 1:10-17 (NLT)

God is sick of the burnt offerings, the blood sacrifices that His people make without thinking, without feeling.  It isn’t the acts He is tired of, but the manner in which they are carried out, with all the pomp and ceremony.  They are meaningless if they have no meaning to the people doing them.

Instead, what does God want?  That we cleanse ourselves of our sins and get them out of His sight.  That we repent, give up our evil ways and do what is good and right.  That we seek justice, not just for ourselves but for everyone.  That we help the oppressed and stand up for those who are unable or afraid to fight for themselves.


God sacrificed His own Son on our behalf.  He sacrificed the spotless Lamb, once for all time, to atone us of our sin.  He said we don’t need to offer any more sacrifices, but instead we are to be merciful, to defend the defenseless, to act in a righteous manner in all things.

We are to conduct any and all business dealings with honor, respectfully, honestly, humbly, as if dealing directly with God.  We are to treat all people with love, as Jesus loves us.  We are to show no partiality, no concern for race or language or country of origin, no special consideration to the rich or the poor or because of one’s station in life.

In his 2nd letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul says that if we are truly in Christ, then we are a new creation, the old has passed away and been replaced by the new.  This means that once we accept Jesus as Lord, we aren't supposed to just keep doing things the way we've always done them!  It’s no longer business as usual.  And in his letter to the Ephesians, Paul tells us to be kind to one another, be tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgives us.

All of these are our rules for working the fields for our Lord.  In all things, we must act in love, showing the love of Jesus, dealing honestly, setting aside our pride in true humbleness, being merciful even to those who would do us harm, standing up for those who can’t stand on their own.  Because we cannot show other people Christ Jesus if they can’t see Him in us!  Let everyone who sees you see Jesus in action.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, to You, we are all the same.   We are all a part of Your creation.  You place no value on what the world thinks important.  You are impartial.  Thank You, Father, for loving us all the same and giving us all the same chance if we would only believe.  Please give us the strength and the courage to get out there and work Your fields before the great harvest comes.  Please forgive us when we are fearful or hesitant to do so.  Please strengthen us and encourage us in our labors.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our sin, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…

Lord Jesus, even in Your day the harvest was great and ripe for the picking.  You chose men to help You in that harvest, and then, as You prepared to leave this earth once again, You assigned Your church the mission of carrying on Your work.  Thank You, Lord, for giving us the opportunity to serve You.  Please be with us and help us continue what You began.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

Planting and Harvesting

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 14th of July, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

It’s summertime and we’re in the midst of the growing season.  The ground is prepared and seeds are planted in the spring.  Many crops are harvested in the fall, and the land rests through the winter.

But summertime is a busy time as the fields are cultivated and kept free of undergrowth.  Plants are watered when the rain doesn’t fall.  Some of the crops are picked and enjoyed by many.  It’s a lot of work, but it’s all to bring forth fruit.

Listen to what the Apostle Paul wrote about bringing forth fruit in the 1st chapter of his letter to the Colossians, verses 1 through 14, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 

2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse: 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; 7 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit. 

9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. 

--Colossians 1:1-14 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, Your word in our Holy Bible is not only our user’s manual for this life, it is also a seed, a seed that can bear glorious fruit.  Thank You, Lord, for Your word.  Please help us to plant that seed in others, to carefully tend to it and help it grow.  Help us be faithful gardeners in Your fields.  Now speak to us this morning, Father, that we may hear Your message this day.  Write it upon our hearts.  Give us clearer vision into Your will for our lives.  This we pray in the holy name of Jesus.   Amen.


Henry Abbey, an American poet who lived in the latter half of the 19th and into the 20th century, penned this little poem:

What do we plant when we plant the tree?
We plant the ship that will cross the sea,
We plant the mast to carry the sails,
We plant the planks to withstand the gales —
The keel, the keelson, and beam and knee —
We plant the ship when we plant the tree.


The tallest, mightiest tree starts out as a tiny seed.  When we plant that seed, what we expect to harvest is not only a tree, but what can be made from that tree.  Maybe we envision a simple bench, a roomful of furniture, a house, or even a ship.  But a tree takes a long time to grow, and sometimes the one who planted the seed is not the one who harvests the tree, nor the one who uses the wood to create those marvelous things.

And the same is true for when we plant the seed of Truth, the seed of God’s Word, the seed of the Gospel.  What we hope to harvest is not a Bible, but a believer, a new follower for Jesus.  But we have to understand that it can often take a long time for that seed to take root and grow.  We may not see the harvest in our lifetime.  But that shouldn’t keep us from planting the seed.


Last week we saw the help wanted sign Jesus posted.  This week we'll look a little at what the job entails.  Paul gives us a very good idea of the kinds of fruit we can expect to see by showing us the Colossians.  They have great faith in Jesus Christ, and love for all the saints.  Their hope is laid up in heaven, not based on earthly things or mortal endeavors.  And then comes the kicker.

They are bearing all this fruit because of the seed that was planted in them earlier, and not by Paul but by a fellow minister of Christ, Epaphras.  Paul also notes that this is all pleasing to our Lord: being fruitful in every good work, increasing in the knowledge of God, seeking greater wisdom and spiritual understanding.  Epaphras planted the seed, and Paul is seeing the fruit from that seed.


Seeds are amazing things.  One tiny seed can produce a dandelion, which in turn will produce dozens of seeds, each becoming another dandelion.  So it can be with the seed that is the Gospel, the Word of God.

Someone planted a seed within each of us present here this morning, or we wouldn’t be here.  I don’t know of anyone in the US that hasn’t heard about Jesus somewhere along the line, that they would just happen to walk into a church on a Sunday morning to see what was going on.  Someone worked the soil and planted a seed in us.  Maybe it was our father or mother or some other relative.  Maybe it was a teacher or a friend.

Someone planted a seed that bore harvest when we accepted Jesus.  Someone cultivated and watered the plant.  For some of us, maybe that plant is still growing, hasn’t quite yet quite ripened.  For most, though, the fruits of that planting are visible, the fruits of the Holy Spirit within us – love, joy, peace, gentleness, patience, faithfulness, self-control.

The person who first planted that seed may not have been around for the harvest, but that’s OK.  Jesus says it’s OK.  Listen to His words in the 4th chapter of the Apostle John’s Gospel account, verses 34 through 38…

34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! 36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.”

--John 4:34-38 (NKJV)

Jesus says that His sustenance, His food, is to do the will of God who sent Him, to finish His work.  Shouldn’t ours be as well?  Jesus sends us out to finish His work and that should be our primary goal in this life, working His fields.

Jesus also says it doesn’t matter if we are the one who first plants the seed or who later gathers the fruit.  Both the sower and the reaper have entered into the same work, to produce a harvest.  And Paul tells us that both the sower and the one who tends the garden will be rewarded.  Listen to what he wrote in his 1st letter to the Corinthians, chapter 3, verses 5 through 11…

5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

--1 Corinthians 3:5-11 (NKJV)

In this case, it is Paul who planted the seed, and then Apollos came along and tended the garden.  Someone planted a seed within you that is now bearing fruit.  I am helping cultivate the garden, tending the plant that has sprung forth from that seed.

But it’s not up to just me, or my fellow pastors.  Each of us here can plant seeds, each one of us can tend to gardens, each one of us can help pull weeds.  Because weeds will grow up in rich soil.  Anything can be built upon a firm foundation.  We have to do what we can so that only the fruits of the Spirit grow and flourish, so that no other building but Christ Jesus be erected upon the foundations set in place by the Word of God.  The load is lighter when shared, and in this case, the rewards will be equally shared, no matter which labor we help with, once the great harvest is completed.


Be a planter of seeds.  Keep the garden clear of weeds and pests that might damage the growing plant.  Water and tend the garden and help it grow.  Watch the fruits as they come forth and flourish.  And some sweet day we will all share in the wonderful harvest.

In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, spreading Your truth should be just as important to us as our physical food, just as it was to Jesus.  Thank You, Father, for Your word, saved for us in our Bible.  Please give us the courage to share the Good News of salvation You offer through Your Son Jesus with others.  Please forgive us when we are fearful or hesitant to do so.  Please help us work Jesus’ fields, preparing for the great harvest to come.  Strengthen us, encourage us in our labors.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our sin, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…

Lord Jesus, nothing was more important to You than to finish Your Father’s work.  Thank You, Lord, for caring enough about us to see God’s work through.  Please help us be good and faithful gardeners, too, whether it is in planting the seeds or tending the fields.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

Help Wanted

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 7th of July, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

“Help Wanted…  Inquire Within”

Have you ever seen a sign like that posted in a store window?  The store already has some employees, but business is good so they need more helpers.  Did you know that Jesus once put out a Help Wanted sign?  Well, figuratively speaking, perhaps.

Listen and follow along to what the Apostle Luke recorded in his Gospel account, chapter 10, verses 1 through 11 and verses 16 and 17, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. 2 Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. 4 Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. 5 But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. 8 Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. 9 And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’"

16 "He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”

17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”

--Luke 10:1-11, 16-17 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You give us Your word in our Holy Bible, everything we need to get through this life and be prepared for our next, eternal life.  Thank You, Lord, for Your great kindness and mercy.  Please help us to study and better understand Your word, and what it really means to us.  Now speak to us this morning, Father, that we may hear and follow Your message this day.  Give us clearer vision into Your will for our lives.  This we pray in the holy name of Jesus.   Amen.


The sign in the store window read: NO HELP WANTED. As two men passed by, one said to the other, "You should apply -- you'd be great."

An exasperated farmer was once heard to exclaim, "The hardest thing about milking cows is that they never stay milked."


Some jobs are easier than others, but all jobs need to be done, and they should be done right.  One often overlooked way we can serve God is in how we perform jobs, especially our normal, daily tasks.  Martin Luther once noted, "The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays, not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors.  The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship."

In his letter to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul tells us, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men...” [Colossians 3:23 (NKJV)]  Whatever it is we do, we should do it the best we can, just like we are doing it for God.


In our scripture reading, Jesus tapped seventy of His disciples and sent them out in pairs to the cities He Himself planned to visit.  Did you know that Billy Graham followed that same example for his crusades?  Rev. Graham would send two of his people into each city on the schedule to do all the advance work in preparing for his visit.  Maybe this is why he was so successful in bringing people to Christ through those crusades, because he closely followed the example of Jesus.  This should serve as a pretty big hint to us all, to do things as Jesus did.

So Jesus sent them out with specific instructions, chief among which was to pray to God for more helpers.  In this Jesus was not only looking to be able to offer salvation to more of the people, but also to increase the number of true disciples that would help bring even more to Him, to redemption and salvation.

The harvest is great, there are so many out there in the world that need to know Jesus as Lord, as their personal Savior, yet there are so few willing to tell them about Him.  And family, if there were not enough workers in Jesus’ day, the odds are stacked even greater against Him now, in this present age.  There are literally billions of people on this earth who may never have even heard of Jesus, or if they have, they don’t know Him, they don’t follow Him.

Of course, little has changed in mankind’s history.  Genesis chapter 8 verse 22 tells us there will be a need for harvest as long as the earth exists.  After the flood, God made this promise…

22 “While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
Cold and heat,
Winter and summer,
And day and night
Shall not cease.”

--Genesis 8:22 (NKJV)

Yes, God was talking about the physical harvesting of crops, but doesn’t the same hold true for the spiritual harvest as well?  We can see countless references in our Bible of the acts of sowing and reaping being applied to the daily actions and spiritual nature of man.  In Galatians chapter 6 verses 1 through 10, Paul speaks of the harvest that sin produces…

1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load.

6 Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

--Galatians 6:1-10 (NKJV)

What we sow, we will reap, and not only of the flesh, but of the spirit as well.  If we play with fire, we will be burned.  The question is, do we want to be burned forever?  Do we want our loved ones or our friends to burn forever?

Jesus wants us to help sow His seed now, the seed of truth and righteousness, because there is a great harvest to come.  In Matthew chapter 13, Jesus warns that the final harvest will be at the end of the age, when the angels will reap the non-believers, the lawless, from the earth and cast them into the eternal furnace of fire.  We want to make sure we are among the wheat, and not the tares, the weeds.

Jesus asks that we help prepare others for this harvest.  He sends us out as lambs among wolves.  He commissions us to spread the Good News of salvation, to make more disciples and laborers, before it is too late.


In just a few moments, we will be celebrating our Lord’s last meal as we join together in the holiest of Christian sacraments: Holy Communion.  In his 1st letter to the church in Corinth, Paul cautions us not to come to our Lord’s table in an unworthy manner.  We must examine ourselves, judge ourselves, to be sure we are right with God before we can partake of the body and blood of Jesus.  Otherwise, Paul says, we will be just as guilty of Jesus’ death as those who had Him nailed to a cross.

If we’re holding a grudge, get rid of it now.  If we’re harboring hatred or misgivings, now is the time to cleanse our hearts of them.  Let us take these next moments to pray and repent.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You bless us so richly, and You blessed us most by sending Your Son to us, to die for us so that we might live.  Thank You, Father, for so great a gift.  Please forgive us when we take that gift for granted.  Forgive us when hesitate to do as Jesus commands.  Please help us as we labor in His fields.  Strengthen and encourage us to continue His work.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our sin, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…

Lord Jesus, it is our greatest desire that when our time on this earth passes and we come to You in our eternal home, that You will welcome us with the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”  Thank You, Lord, for giving us the opportunity to serve You as You prepare for the great harvest to come.  Please help us carry out the mission You set before us, to bring more people into the family of God before the day of that harvest.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord, our Master, our Savior.  Amen.