Victory Church

The Dirty Word of Christianity – “Works”

Legalism! Guilt! Manipulation! Bondage!

Works = Work…a focus on the energy or effort involved. How important is it?

Works are like Drugs

The Principle of Works…
· You reap what you Sow. Karma. What goes around comes around.

The Truth – To whom much is given, much will be required (Luke 12:48)

The Importance of Works
· For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. (1 Cor 3:11-15)

Leaving a Legacy with the Lord has to include Works
·
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them.

19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with

21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Mt 25:14- 28)

The 3rd Servant – What NOT to do

Wicked…

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ (Mt 7:21-23)

For Works to matter – you have to know the Lord

Lazy…Doing the Least amount Possible

Attitude Matters

The first 2 Servants…

o God gave them everything they needed…and more
o Each to his own ability – Jesus doesn’t compare you with anyone else, so why would you?
o Talents = Talent, Resources, Time, and Influence
o They were purposeful – They were ready to give an account
o Whatever they did here was MULTIPLIED in heaven

The 4 Sweetest Words Ever Heard

1) Well done – Do the job right, finish it, leave it better than you found it.
2) Good – Care about others as much, if not more, than yourself.
3) Faithful – You’re a person of your word.
4) Servant – Doulos – Bond Servant.
*Determine to spend every day with the Lord

Who left the greatest legacy with the Lord in the Bible?

…Enoch

Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him (Gen 5:24