TOPIC: A KINGDOM WORKER

TEACHER: Sis. Motolagbe Adeosun

It is of immense importance to inform and remind ourselves of what it means to be a worker in the vineyard of God. I pray that the Lord will open the eyes of our understanding so that we may see through the light of His Word in Jesus name.

Firstly, who is a worker? A worker is someone who commits himself /herself to be useful for a particular course. If there is no work, then there is no need for a worker.

Secondly, what is God’s Vineyard? It simply means God’s Kingdom, God’s Domain, God’s Territory. The place where God rules and reigns. A place where God is the first, the last and above all. A place where all authority belongs to God. A place where His will is completely done.

We may be quick to think that this can only be in Heaven but no, the Kingdom of God is here on earth. The advent of the Holy Spirit on earth is the birth of the kingdom of God here on earth. Wherever a carrier of the Holy Spirit is, there is the kingdom of God.

A kingdom is one when it has a king, a people with the same and definite identity (citizens), a territory, it has a constitution (law), a covenant, a culture, code of conduct, etc.

It means kingdom citizens have a common identity. Is it still so today? The same applies in the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is a kingdom of people who are redeemed and regenerated by the blood of His Son (of the king) and are hereby translated from darkness into light and are living by the ordinances of the kingdom. No more, no less.

Col 1:12 -14 ‘Giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins’. This means the only passport into the kingdom is the salvation by the blood of Jesus.

Now, who are Kingdom workers? Kingdom workers are those who found their place of assignment in the kingdom. There is a chain of assignment that runs all through the kingdom, it simplifies the broad eternal plan of God into smaller specific units and it is expected of each citizen of the kingdom to find out his/her own place in the chain of assignment, key into it and achieve purpose for the kingdom. This is the kingdom work, God’s eternal Purpose.

The duty of a kingdom worker is not therefore not limited to their place of worship as many think. It is universal. A kingdom worker has duties at every place he/she finds his/her self.

It is the desire of the Lord that as many that has given their lives to him, grow and come to full maturity so that they can be responsible and accountable to the kingdom.

Matt 9:35–38 ‘And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest’.

Criteria for Becoming a Kingdom Worker include;

1. You must be a citizen of the kingdom i.e you must be born again. There are lots of people working in the church today but are not kingdom workers. Beware!

2. You must be a disciple i.e you must have been with Jesus Acts 4:13. There is an utmost need for learning Christ before working for the kingdom. No organization commits responsibilities unto whoever is not trained. No training, no commissioning. ‘And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also’. 2Tim 2:2

3. You must be filled with the Holy Spirit and Power. Without which no work can be done. It is the authority and power that commissions. ‘Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick’. Luke 9:1–2

Resources for Kingdom Work

Each kingdom worker is being equipped with resources for effective work. These include

1. Spiritual gifts 1 Cor 12:1–15. Vs 7 ‘But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal’. The spiritual gift is given to us to make gain for the kingdom, it is for kingdom expansion and the edification of the body of Christ. It is therefore important to identify the gifts we have and use it effectively for the work of the kingdom.

Do you know your gifts? Can you identify it/them?

It is so important for us to identify our spiritual gifts. It determines alot spiritually. May God help us

2. Service gifts Romans 12:4–8 ‘For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness’. These gifts are given primarily to serve the body of Christ.

This is another gift that we must identify, we may have prophecy as a service gift, or teaching as a service gift, even the ministry of help (you are just glad and fulfilled helping others) etc

3. Ministerial gifts Ephesians 4:7–12. ‘But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men… And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:’. These are gifts of men given to the church for purposes identified in the passage above.

Who knows whether the mantle is waiting to rest powerfully on someone in this meeting tonight

All these gifts are resources of the kingdom that must not be taken in vain. We must work and make profit with them. It must first be identified and put to appropriate use.

Some Work Ethics in the Kingdom

1. There is timing for every specific task ‘I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work’. John 9:4

2. Diligence is required. ‘Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest’. Eccl 9:10

3. Work is in action and not in words ‘But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you’. Matt 21: 28–30

4. No laying of claims on the fruits of your work ‘But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons’. Matt 21:38–41

We need to be extra careful here, so that we don’t end up taking the glory of. God. May God help us

5. Work without expectation of earthly reward ‘So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do’. Luke 17:10

6. Kingdom resources are not to be taken for granted ‘And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow… For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him’. Luke 19:20,21,26

Use all to His glory, every grace and abilities He has bestowed upon you

7. No competition, No retreat, no surrender… Heaven is the goal ‘So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny’. Matt 20:8–10

In conclusion dear brethren: ‘For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abides which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire’. 1Cor 3:11–15

May God help us in Jesus name. Amen

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