Jesus Worked and Taught His Followers to work (Acts 1:1-3)
Introduction:
1. As Luke began the book of Acts, he referred to the Gospel (Luke) that he had written earlier. 2. In his Gospel, Luke: a. wrote about "all that Jesus began both to do and teach" b. mentioned the fact that Jesus gave "commandments unto the apostles" c. showed how Jesus spoke to the apostles "of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God." 3. As we study the Scriptures to know the Lord's will, we need to pay careful attention to the Lord's example as well as the instructions He gave to the apostles that they revealed through their teaching. 4. With tomorrow being Labor Day, let us concentrate on how "Jesus worked and taught His followers to work." 5. Let us begin by showing from the Scriptures how . . . Discussion: I. JESUS WORKED
A. At the age of 12, Jesus had a strong work ethic (Luke 2:42, 49). B. After He began His ministry, Jesus was sustained by doing the Father's will and finishing the Father's work (John 4:34). C. We learn from John 9:4 that Jesus had a sense of urgency about His work. D. Jesus worked diligently throughout His ministry to fulfill His mission. 1. Matthew 4:23 2. Matthew 9:35 E. We read about the quality of the Lord's work in Mark 7:37. F. According to John 17:4, Jesus completed His work. G. These verses tell us about the Lord's work. H. Let us show from the Scriptures how . . . II. JESUS TAUGHT HIS FOLLOWERS TO WORK
A. Let us keep in mind that: 1. Jesus gave commandments to the apostles and spoke to them about things pertaining to God's kingdom (Acts 1:1-3) 2. Jesus instructed the apostles to teach everything He had taught them (Matthew 28:19-20) 3. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would help the apostles to remember the things He had taught them (John 14:26). B. Let us consider the Lord's teaching to the apostles and all of His followers about work and doing good works. 1. Matthew 5:14-16; Acts 9:36 2. Galatians 6:9-10 3. Ephesians 2:10 4. Colossians 1:10 5. 2 Timothy 3:16-17; James 1:25 6. Titus 2:11-14; 3:8, 14 Conclusion:
1. We have seen from the Scriptures that Jesus worked, and He taught His followers to work. 2. Let us follow the Lord's example and practice His instructions to the best of our ability.
