[Joshua Creech] So as we begin, I have two questions that I'd like to present to you. I want you to keep these in the forefront of your mind as we go through the sermon today, and try to keep bringing them back up and think about how you can apply them and how this fits in together. The first one, what kind of Christian workers are we? What kind of Christian workers are we? And the second one, are we servants or are we hirelings? Are we servants or are we hirelings?

So if you would turn with me over to John 10, this is where we're going to start. This will give us a good look as to what God expects for that second question of a servant or a hireling. So John 10, if we start in verse 11, I'm going to read through to 13. So John 10:11 says, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling he does not care about the sheep.”

So we see two different people in this, we see the shepherd and then we see the hireling. So I want to take some time and break these scriptures apart so that we can get a better understanding of what exactly a shepherd is and what a hireling is. This idea of what a shepherd is is actually truly astounding when we can connect the dots. They are a type of servant. This shepherd is a servant. They care for the sheep, they have a deep love and concern for the well-being of those sheep. They love those sheep. It takes commitment and it takes drive from the shepherd's standpoint. He has to serve those sheep, he has to be there every step of the way for them, so much so that the shepherd doesn't want to lose one sheep. Not a single sheep. He loves every single one of them in that flock.

Christ gave us a parable that hits on this very thing over in Luke. So if you would flip over to Luke with me, Luke 15, we'll read through this parable. Luke 15, I'm going to read verses 4-6. So just before this leading up, the Pharisees and the scribes complained that Jesus received and ate with sinners. And that's where this parable comes into play, this is what Jesus turns to. So in verse 4, it says, "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents and over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance."

Well, I added seven in there, I know I said I'll read through six. But this parable as we go through, he was so excited about that one sheep, he was dedicated to every single one. Yeah, we understand that Jesus is referring to sinners here and that people who repent is really the key of the long-term goal and plan of God. But this parable has significance because this made sense to them, they understood that a shepherd would leave the entire flock to go find one lost one. He loved him that much that he would take the time to go find the one. He didn't just leave it, he cared for every single one, every individual sheep. He put a high value on them not as a group, but individually. Each one had value. A shepherd is in a constant state of servitude. When you're out in the field with the sheep, you're constantly watching them, you're constantly helping them, you're constantly fending off dangers.

At times in their lives, there were wild animals that attacked these flocks. Back in John where we read mentioned a wolf coming. We have another example back in 1 Samuel 17, 1 Samuel 17:34-36, you don't have to turn over there. I just want to reference it because this is right before David fights Goliath, and as David's talking, he's talking about what he did as a shepherd. He cared for his father's sheep and he ended up having to protect that sheep, that flock from a lion and a bear. He had to protect the sheep. He had to love those sheep and dedicate his own life to making sure they stayed out of harm.

He was committed to sticking by their side, he was going to be there. Is this how we view our brethren, brothers, and sisters? Are we that committed to making sure that they are safe, they're taken care of? They're loved? Are we willing to take our time, our energy and focus on that person sitting in front of us, or behind us, or beside us? All of our brothers and sisters here today, are we taking that time to love them? Are we willing to die for them? Are we willing to die for them? That's an important aspect of verse 11 as well because it tells us back in John 10, it tells us that the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. Not that he will give it, but he gives it. He gives his life for the sheep.

Christ was willing. Christ actually died for us. Every single one of us. We have to do our best to follow in His footsteps, to make sure that we're living the life that He lived. We have to be shepherds to each other. Servants of our brothers and sisters. So in verse 12, we get into the contrast of this, so in verse 11 it talks about the shepherd. So verse 12 we have the other person. Verse 12 reads, "But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them." This hireling, they're looking for a wage, they're working a job, they're doing something to make money. Other ways that we could put this, they're a laborer, they're a hired hand, something along those lines. They're filling a job opening that there was an opening that they thought they could fulfill so they applied for that job.

Any type of work, there's different types of work that they try to get into. Have any of you guys ever had to recently do job searches? I would imagine it's much simpler than it was then we have like monster.com now where they give you a nice field, and they give you some requirements that you can key in. You can put what you're good at, you put what your degree is, and you start refining it, you start whittling it down to see what you're qualified for, to see what applies to you. Most often, when we're searching, it doesn't always tend to be our dream job, a lot of us have degrees that we went to school for, some people just have actual hands-on experience that they have to put in here. But you're applying for a job, you're trying to fulfill a role, and we're going to receive a wage for that role. That's what this hireling is, trying to meet these job requirements.

But what happens in verse 13? So 12, we saw all the danger. In verse 13, it says, “The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.” He wasn't motivated by love. He wasn't committed. He fled. He gave up when it got difficult, he left the sheep completely vulnerable. Why? Why would he do that? It was his job, right? He was hired to make money, to watch the sheep. But as soon as it got dangerous, he left. He left them to the open. Let's think about this. Sheep don't really have very many defense mechanisms, do they? They won't survive well all by themselves, that's why they have a shepherd, someone to protect them. I looked up another word to go along with this, mercenary.

So if you use mercenary as an adjective… this is what I found. It's “a person or behavior primarily concerned with making money at the expense of ethics. Somebody concerned with making money at the expense of ethics.” This is exactly why that hireling ran. He was hired on to do the job, and as soon as it got difficult, the ethical side where he should've helped protect the sheep, he ran. He gave up the ethics part because he was only concerned about that pay, he was only concerned about what he thought he would get in the end. Hirelings aren't vested for the sheep's safety when they wander off. They're not going to go and search them out and rejoice when they're found again. It's just part of the job. They're just making money. They don't lose any sleep over sheep who are lost, they're not out anything. They don't own those sheep. They're not theirs. That's why they weren't willing to fend off the wolves. That was too risky they might get harmed in the meantime.

Is this how we view each other, our brothers and sisters in Christ? Is this how we view the world? We run when it gets tough. Do we only help when it's convenient? We have a few extra minutes here and there, somebody is in pretty big need, "I got a little bit extra time, I can go help right now." If we don't ever make that transition of, "Hey, I can give this up and go help now," we're just like that hireling. If we're not willing to sacrifice our time and our energy to help, we become that hireling and we lose out on being that servant. We're not that shepherd. We find a really good example over Matthew. If you flip over with me to Matthew 20, it goes over this whole idea. Matthew 20, I'm going to read through verses 1-16.

It's this parable about the workers who are equally paid. Verse 1, "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into the vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. Again, he went out about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard and whatever is right you will receive.'"

"So when the evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the labors and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they'd received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.' But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go… go your way. I wish you to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Was your eye evil because I am good?’ So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called and few chosen."

He was upset. He was upset that he didn't get more money. So as he would stand there waiting to receive his paycheck that week, he saw the other people who didn't put in as much time, as much work, and effort get the same thing that he was supposed to get. So what do you think? “Oh, this is great, good news. I'm going to be getting more. I'm going to get more than what I'm supposed to.” So he was excited, but then the landowner gave him what was agreed upon, one, just like everybody else. This is where we can see that significant difference between a servant and a hireling. This parable makes it crystal clear for us. That drastic difference? The incentive. The incentive. That hireling's incentive was pay. He didn't care about the fields, he didn't care about the vineyards, he didn't care about the work being done, he didn't care what it was that he was providing to the landowner.

Obviously, there was a lot of extra work they needed done because they weren't getting it done with the initial people that he hired. So the landowner was needing more people, trying to fulfill his need of what he had to get accomplished with that vineyard. The hireling wasn't concerned about any of that, he didn't love that field, he wasn't committed to the field, the work that was taking place. He was only concerned of one thing, how much money was he getting at the end of the day? Where do we stand? What is our goal? What are we focused on day in and day out? What are we putting our time in for? Where do we put our time? Do we just put in our time? Is that it? Are we just trying to put in our time to do what we think to meet God's requirements?

The limited amount, are we getting something for it? When we show up here week after week for services, what are we expecting? What do we want to get out of it? Why are we here? Are we just trying to get a little bit of fellowshipping in with our brothers and sisters? “Hey, how are you doing? How's your week?” Then you go through the rest of your week, do it again the next week. That's a hireling, it's not a servant, not a shepherd. So that's the two drastic differences between the two. So before I move on to the next section, I want to try to summarize these for you just to give you four summarized points of these differences.

So the first one, a hireling will not work if there is no reward. A hireling will not work if there's no reward. Number two, another name for a hireling could be mercenary. Another name for a hireling could be mercenary. Three, the philosophy of a hireling, "No pay, no work." Their philosophy, "No pay, no work." Now, fourth summarized point, a good servant is interested in doing the work, getting the job done not what they're getting paid. This is a long one I'm going to pause it, there's still more. This is an extended point.

So a good servant is interested in doing the work, getting the job done, not what they're getting paid, and he expects to do more than just what is required regardless of pay, regardless of reward. We've got a couple mottos that might fit their personality really well. First one is, "Whatever it takes." Second one would be, "I'll make it happen." Whatever it takes and I'll make it happen. Have we ever been approached by someone that needed help and our answer is, "I'll make it happen. I will make it happen." I hope so because it's a good feeling. That's the mindset we need to be on because that means we're going to get it done. It doesn't matter what we have to give up, it doesn't matter the flexing that we have to do in order to what we're going to lose out on, but we know it needs done and we're going to put forth the effort to get it done.

And that's why this concept is so important this time of year. You probably don't need a hint, but I give you one anyway. It's the New Testament significance of Passover, we've touched on it a little bit. So New Testament significance of Passover what it means to us. So Passover, it's the memorial of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who became our Passover, each individual one of us. Turn with me over to 1 Corinthians, we'll read this in Scripture of how He became our Passover.

1 Corinthians 5, 1 Corinthians 5:7, it reads, "Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us." Was sacrificed for us. So I don't want to get into all the details of Passover and the meanings because I'm sure we will get a couple messages on that either leading up to Passover or even Passover evening, they'll get into the details of it. They'll get in all the deep down details of it.

But I want to focus on these last couple words here in verse 7. What does it say? It says, "Christ was sacrificed for us." So just like that shepherd we read about back in John, Christ fulfilled that. Christ laid down His life that was the final act that Jesus Christ did in his physical life for us, lay down His life. Every single one of us, if we're that one sheep that wandered off, that was us. What's really neat? Not everybody even knows it yet. The vast majority the world doesn't even recognize this, they don't understand. They don't know He died for them. It was the ultimate sacrifice, His life. He is the shepherd, He is a servant to us. He left us a perfect example, too, at the highest level of what we need to follow, how we need to act towards one another, the love and compassion that we show towards each other.

He's not our only example that were given in the Bible, there's another example that I'd like to turn to and read through over in Acts. We have a really good example that I think might help us to try to apply it to our lives. Acts 9, if we read verse 30… start in verse 36. Acts 9:36. "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. But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 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. Then Peter arose and went to them."

"When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by weeping… they stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. But Peter put them all out, he 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. Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord. So was that he stayed many days in Joppa with Simon, a tanner.” This is amazing example for us. Yeah, Christ led the perfect life, the ultimate example. We have other stories like this, other individuals who we can relate to maybe, that we can take and put in our heart. We need to evaluate where we stand on our day-to-day life and how we look at our brothers and sisters.

Tabitha had an enormous impact on her community. We can read and see it right here the interactions that she had were amazing. She made an impact on them, she changed their lives. She did good works and charitable deeds for the people of her community. So Scripture doesn't give us the exact number, it doesn't tell us how many she helped, how many garments she made. But what it does tell us, if we pay close attention, we're going to assume that there were several because right there in the middle of verse 39, right in the middle of verse 39, it says, "And all the widows stood by weeping." All. We can assume that this wasn't one or two people that she helped, she was helping all of them.

She took the time and loved them, cared for them. We've got to take a page out of her book, we have to be like that. So where are we able to make an impact like Tabitha? Where can we help? We have a number of opportunities to serve as we watched the A.B.C. class last week, they filled roles. Many of them probably had never done it before. Once we get here, it is a good thing to fellowship, we keep our eyes and ears open figure out who's needing help. Who's struggling. Who's going through trials. But here at services, if you're looking to serve we have ample opportunities. It starts at that front door as soon as we walk in, right? There's somebody there to hold the door for us and greet us, give us a hug and say, “Good morning.”

This morning it was my nephews, two little guys holding the door open. They love it, they love seeing everybody. They love serving. They love being a part of it. This morning when I was given this I don’t have it written down my notes, but I was thinking, you know, it actually starts before that because that paper we get handed, somebody had to put that together. Somebody took the time to edit it, write it, change it. Somebody took the time to print it off. So it all started before Sabbath morning, somebody was doing that, somebody was serving somewhere.

What else do we have? We have snacks every week, right? You need to help set up, take down the snack tables, bring snacks. We can help with the mothers' room. We have a mothers' room set up every week. We have security at the front every week. Sometimes we have days where church is packed and we run out of chairs. Somebody's willing to serve and set up chairs so others can have seats. Ushering, collecting the hymnals after services. As a disclaimer to this one though, you've got to be quick, anybody from Cincinnati knows why it's because we have a whole bunch of little kids who try to collect as many hymnals as they can. They try to beat everybody else and get all of them so if you want to serve that way, you better be quick that's all I have to say. Quick and nimble. We have Sabbath school teachers.

We have a sound system that has to be ran. We have somebody who plays hymns for us every week to accompany songs. I could keep going. I could keep going. We have long lists of where we're able to serve, where we're able to help our brethren. The big kicker though, you can't stop here, you can't stop on the Sabbath day. One day a week. We can't just go through our normal week and then get here try to serve a little, go home forget about this family that we have. This is our brothers, this is our sisters, this is our family. We have to remember that we're here for each other. Like I had said that fellowshipping is great, that's where we can build those relationships so we know when someone's hurting. When someone's in need when someone needs lifted up. And it's much easier if we have that relationship beforehand instead of just trying to jump in on the spot.

We have no idea what kind of trials are ahead of us. What type of sicknesses or illnesses that may knock us down, wipe us out for a week or two, longer, in some cases. But as the young adults are trying to set up this Living 18-35 weekend of mowing grass, and trimming trees, picking up sticks, vacuuming, and dusting, deleavening. There should be a special one time of year, us as a local congregation have to have that for each other all year long. All the time. Might just be vacuuming, dusting, mopping, sweeping, throwing in a load of laundry or two, doing the dishes that somebody's not able to stand at the sink for very long and do.

They just need some normal everyday tasks done. It might be just a run to the grocery that might be outside of the range of what they're capable of doing at the time. Here we have a couple groups set up already for meal trains for the women who have had babies or if there's a case where somebody is injured, who can't get to the making meals we have meal train set up for them. We help out. We have ladies who help out with that. We have groups who make cards, we get prayer request after prayer requests, we have a list of shut-ins that we see every month, we have groups that make cards for them. Try to send cards out regularly.

On top of that, we have some people who actually take the time and just go visit the shut-ins. Visit the sick. If they're in the hospital, they go visit them in hospital. Don't just surprise people it usually doesn't go over well. You might catch them in a bad time, but it is good to get out to them, visit them, make sure they're up for it.

If you would, turn with me over Deuteronomy 15, we'll see that this is…  why this is an everyday activity. Why this can't be one time, one day a week, it has to be all the time. Deuteronomy 15, let's take a look at verse 11. So verse 11 says, "For the poor will never cease from the lands…” they “will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’"

This is our land, our congregations, our brothers, and sisters. This is our land sometimes there's poor and needy. It's not always financially. I know that's a catch up for some of us. This doesn't always mean financially. Sometimes it's just been that body to do a little bit of work. Sometimes it's not even doing work, sometimes just sitting with them. Somebody's having a bad day, just needs lifted up, they're depressed. And just needs that needs somebody to talk to, need somebody to be there. That's serving someone. That's serving someone. Do we have the time to be that body to show up? Are we willing to make time? Will we make time to make sure that when somebody needs us we'll be there? We can move stuff. We can prioritize what we have actually have to do, and what we think would be a better option than serving.

God never overlooks this when we actually commit ourselves to being a servant. He never forgives. Hebrews 6, Hebrews 6 lets us know this. Hebrews 6:10-11. Starting in verse 10, it says, "For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown towards His name,” let's pause right there for just a second. How do we show love in God's name? Is this meaning just that? Only loving God? Just focusing on God and loving Him? That's not the whole intent of this. That's not the bigger picture.

When we love our other human beings, we're loving in His name. We're showing the example that Christ showed for us, we're being that light. We're being that example that they need. We're obeying the commandments by showing kindness, love, concern for God's children because we're all God's children. So if we carry on from there it says, “…toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” Verse 11, "And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end."

When’s our reward come? Are we that hireling? Are we doing things now to try to benefit this physical life? To earn a reward. Are we trying to look good because we think it might get us ahead somewhere? That's not what this is, that's not where our focus is or at least should be. The ultimate reward is what we're looking towards, that ultimate reward of being part of God's family, having eternal life in the God family. That's our reward, all the other blessings that we get are just bonuses. If we focus on those bonuses, we're missing a big part of what God's put towards us. Turn with me to Luke 17, this explains this idea that we don't need, we don't need the extra bonuses.

We don't need the extra credit for the things that we do because we know it's right. Luke 17:10 reads, "So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’" Go back to that motto, "I'll get it done. I'll get it done." That's basically what this is. We are unprofitable servants, God doesn't need us. He wants us to be servants and He tells us it's our duty. We've done what our duty is to do. Our service, it isn't meaningless, it's helping our brothers, helping our sisters, it's not useless.

Ever asked anyone who you've ever served? It meant the world to them. I've never met anybody who ever talked bad about somebody who is serving. It meant the world to them, it changed their whole demeanor for that day, but we have to stay focused on the ultimate goal. Not the bonuses, not the extra credit, we have to care for our brothers and sisters now for the big picture, becoming part of God's family.

It's crucial for us to understand this wholeheartedly. I know it sounds simple enough. It's not overly complicated, but we have to be careful. And that's because even some of the apostles had difficulties understanding this. So if we can read where they have trouble. We need to watch out we need to keep ourselves in check. So let's look at Mark 10, we'll read what I'm talking about. Mark 10:35, we see where even these apostles didn't quite understand, at least at that moment. It's figured out later, but right here Mark 10:35. Mark 10:35, and I’ll read down through 37. It says, "Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, ‘Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.’ And He said to them, ‘What do you want Me to do for you?' They said to Him, 'Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.'"

They were looking for that reward just like the hireling we talked about at the beginning. They're focused on that, their spot. Where are they going to be? What are they getting? This was a critical time in Jesus' life and they were focused on what their reward was, what they were going to get paid for the work that they were doing. They want to know where their spot was in the Kingdom. Did they get it that they were performing God's work? That they were doing God's bidding or were they trying to get… or were they were they fulfilling those roles to get something out of it. They missed that big picture.

Right here in this section, they missed the big picture at this point. They didn't understand bringing as many children to God is our ultimate goal. So if we keep reading through, the rest of the story plays out when Jesus goes through and explains that, you know, they don't even really understand what they're asking, they don't understand the magnitude of what they just asked Him to do. And Jesus says that you know, “It's not even My role to give. It's not My position to give” and then He touches on authority and talks about how people who had authority at this time, lorded it over to the Gentiles. And I want to pick this back up down in verse 43 because… and this takes place just after that authority verse 43 says, "Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant."

Plain as day. There's no questions. There's no gray areas with this. We're flat out to be servants. We're not looking for the highest position. We're not looking to sit on the right hand or left. We should be happy in God's family. That's it. We should be happy if we're able to help other people come to God's family. Not where or when we come in. If we're being those good servants, we are right now in God's hands. He's watching over us, protecting us. Sometimes blessing us heavily. That's not why we're doing it. We're doing it because it's the right thing to do. We've all been called to serve that's why we're here today. We've all been called. Each and every one of us we have different roles, different responsibilities.

Long term, we don't know what they are. Sometimes we can't figure out exactly where we're serving or what we're supposed to be doing. But we have a lot of ways we can serve, and we start trying them out. God's given us abilities, He's given us gifts, we have to use them. There's jobs that require those skills that He gives us and we're expected to fulfill them. It's who we are, plain and simple. It's who we are. We may all be working in different ways using those different skills to help accomplish different things, but we better all have one title, servant. We have to be. It doesn't matter what kind of serving we're doing. It's the same title for all of us, we have to serve. That has to be our identity, must be our identity. We must love each other. Care enough for each other to make sure that nobody has fallen through the cracks. So I want to reiterate those two questions I presented to you at the beginning.

There's two questions. What kind of Christian workers are we? What kind of Christian workers are we? Are we in it for the short term—those benefits? And two, are we hirelings or are we servants? God's given us a huge gift. If we allow that gift to work in us and help us, God's Holy Spirit, if we allow that to shape our lives so we can be the best servants that we know how to fulfill His plan, then we're on the right track. We have to add that initiative to get the job done. Because that's the right thing to do. The job is what matters. Getting people into God's family, that's the job, right? It's the job, it's not the rewards. We want to grow the family. Let God's Spirit help us to serve, serve in loving, fulfilling our responsibilities. If we can let it work in us, then we become true servants. That's where God's family is. God's family is going to be true servants, comprised fully of true servants.