30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 24 50-53 THE BLESSING OF GOD 12 24May2022 Luke 24 50-51 Blessed to fill the earth
📖 Luke 24:50-53
12 – 24May2022 – Blessed to fill the earth - Luke 24:50-53 - THE BLESSING OF GOD - Bible reading: Colossians 3:23-24
“Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You have blessed us. You have desired for us to live in Your blessing and also be a blessing to people. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.”
Luke 24:50-51 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. (51) Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.
Our life here is a life of blessing.
Genesis 1:28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
We have considered what it is to be fruitful. We then looked at what it is to multiply. We now take on the third aspect of the creation blessing, which is to ‘fill the earth’.
What do we understand, when the Lord has blessed us to fill the earth?
The term, fill the earth is to occupy various professions, services as well as places. For the earth is the Lord’s as well as the people who live in it.
Psalm 24:1 A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD's, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.
We read a parable that the Lord taught in Luke 19.
Luke 19:12-13 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. (13) And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
The servants of the nobleman were to occupy or do business, trade, and work with the resource that was given to them. They were to occupy with the understanding that when the nobleman returns, he would take account of what they did with the investment that was given to them. The servants were to produce results for the nobleman, with the assets given.
Based on the performance of the servants, the nobleman rewarded them.
Luke 19:15-17 “And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. (16) Then came the first, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned ten minas.' (17) And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.'
The reward for the servants was to have authority with the nobleman in His new kingdom. When we compare the output of the servants with the reward that they received, there is no comparison. The position and responsibility for the servants in the new kingdom, far outstretched what they had done with the investment.
When the Lord returns, He will evaluate our productivity in our occupations. Based on our performance, we will be rewarded with positions and responsibilities in God’s kingdom, which is to come.
The positions and responsibilities that we will receive in the new kingdom of Jesus will far outstretch what we had accomplished here on earth. Every occupation, trade, business, work and service is God’s. We serve God in all our occupations.
I Corinthians 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Our occupations are a place of worship to God. We do not worship our work or our profession. It is God whom we worship, as we work and serve in our occupations.
Every field is sacred. There is nothing secular about our workplaces, which is an unfortunate dichotomy that we have created and thus confused ourselves. Let us be clear that we are all ‘full-time’ for God.
Genesis 2:15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.
The Hebrew word for “tend or work” is abad. The word ‘abad’ represents work, worship of God and service of God and mankind. The word for “keep” in Hebrew is shamar which is to keep God’s commandments and also to take care and protect. Work and worship are continuous. We worship God not our work.
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Our work and performance must characterise Jesus.
Colossians 3:23-24 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, (24) knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
We are to work heartily to the Lord, in our occupations. We see a precious example of this principle, in Daniel.
Daniel 6:1-3 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; (2) and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss. (3) Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.
Daniel was living out ‘abad’ and ‘shamar’ in his occupation.
Thought to ponder
Do you see your workplace, for your own success or do you see your workplace, to honour God?