Jesus Did Work
I struggled deciding on a title for this post. It came down to “Jesus Did Work” or “Made to Work”. I chose to emphasize Jesus’ role over our own assignment. “Made to Work” sounds like a catchy phrase someone would use to beat their chest a bit, but that could not be farther from the truth.
Ephesians 2:10 AMP says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
We are God’s work of art ready to be used. I love The Message version of this Ephesians 2 passage verse’s 7-10. “Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work He does, the good work He has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.”
The Greek word for “workmanship” is poiēma, which can also be translated as “handiwork” or” masterpiece,” suggesting that humans are crafted with skill and care by God. This implies that believers have a unique purpose and a plan that God has laid out for them. God made the work before the worker, then created us with the unique ability to fulfill our purpose. Born to employ our gift given to us by God through grace.
2 Tim 3:16 .. “God has transmitted his very substance into every Scripture, for it is God-breathed. It will empower you by its instruction and correction, giving you the strength to take the right direction and lead you deeper into the path of godliness. Then you will be God’s servant, fully mature and perfectly prepared to fulfill any assignment God gives you.”
God created us for work, not fun. There is nothing wrong with fun, unless it is your life’s mission. Real fun is a side effect of doing what you were called to do.
In Luke 22:24 Jesus’ disciples ask who among us is the greatest? Jesus replies that a servant is greatest in His Kingdom. Everyone is looking to be Served, when they should be looking to serve (Work)! If you want to be great, then Serve!
Matthew 23:10 “But the greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be raised to honor.”
““Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you’ll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you’re content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty.”
Matthew 23:11-12 MSG
Grab a towel, get in a stance, play defense, run the floor both ways, rebound every possession, and play unselfishly. These are just are few signs of good worker, a servant, and greatness!
Let’s take a look at one of Jesus’ final examples! In John 13 Jesus washed the feet of disciples. Foot washing was common tradition. It was a service of both humility and honor. What point was Jesus making?
Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that the time had come to leave this world to go to the Father. Having loved his dear companions, he continued to love them right to the end. It was suppertime. The Devil by now had Judas, firmly in his grip, all set for the betrayal. Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God. So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron. When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, “Master, you wash my feet?” Jesus answered, “You don’t understand now what I’m doing, but it will be clear enough to you later.” Peter persisted, “You’re not going to wash my feet—ever!” Jesus said, “If I don’t wash you, you can’t be part of what I’m doing.” “Master!” said Peter. “Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!””
This move by Jesus was strategic in every way. Judas was fixing to make his move setting in play the murder of Christ. Devil goes high, so Jesus says to his disciples, you don’t know what I am doing. By going low, Jesus chose once again to take the opposite path compared to Satan. He was saying by his actions, you think I am washing your feet, but I am actually defeating the powers of darkness!
Humility, sacrifice and obedience are presented as Jesus’s willingness to follow God’s plan, even when it meant suffering and death. As a result, Jesus is exalted by God, receiving a name above all others. This exaltation is a result of his humility and obedience, leading to his ultimate victory!
God is attracted to humility, work, and servanthood!
Hebrews 12:2 tells us that Jesus endured the Cross “for the joy set before Him.” Looking past the pain to something positive beyond it gave Jesus the courage He needed to get through the most painful and difficult series of experiences of His life, from Gethsemane to the Crucifixion.
God’s Work = Servant Heart = Sacrifice = Joy. God often calls us to do things we don’t want to do. It is called sacrifice. When you do something you don’t want to do, you often receive even more credit for it!
When you reach heaven don’t be surprised if the biggest rewards awaiting you came from the things such as helping your friend move even though it was not something you wanted to be a part of. You were actually created to lay down your life for other people!
In Matthew 16:24-28 Jesus said to his disciples, “If you truly want to follow me, you should at once completely reject and disown your own life. And you must be willing to share my cross and experience it as your own, as you continually surrender to my ways. For if you choose self-sacrifice and lose your lives for my glory, you will continually discover true life. But if you choose to keep your lives for yourselves, you will forfeit what you try to keep. For even if you were to gain all the wealth and power of this world—at the cost of your own life—what good would that be? And what could be more valuable to you than your own soul? I, the Son of Man, will one day return with my messengers and in the splendor and majesty of my Father. And then I will reward each person according to what they have done.””
Matthew 16:24-27 TPT
It is an important reminder not to put serving before God. Only He knows your heart and your motives. Never serve with the purpose of receiving a blessing. Instead, Work like Jesus! He was, is, and will always be the ultimate Servant! Jesus willingly became the Greatest Sacrifice of All-Time!