Carrying our Own Weight

Bearing our own Weight
Judges 7:21
Introduction:
A. A courageous and valiant man Gideon
a. Standing there with his 300 hundred men preparing for battle
b. A great lesson of faith in God and the Power and awesome work of the Lord
i. With God on our side who can prevail against us?
B. The lesson we want to focus on here pertains from verse 21 of this chapter
a. The lesson of how the men that were with Gideon stood their ground
b. They carried their own weight
i. These men few in number against thousands of other people still did one thing
ii. They held their own ground by doing their own job
C. These men that were with Gideon carried their own weight still doing their own jobs even though they were low in number
D. As Christians that are in Christ there are many different things that we need to do and it requires carrying our own weight
a. Working in the vineyard
b. A working spouse
c. Raising our children in Christ (Eph 6:4)
i. Not relying on the government
ii. Or the TV
1. Or the child care system
iii. It’s a responsibility of us and requires our own physical input on raising our children in the Lord
d. It also is requires in our physical work
i. OUR hands shall be blessed (II Chr. 15:7)
1. This requires us doing our physical work with our own hands
E. We can also apply this to our spiritual lives as well
a. Obeying to God’s will (Matthew 7:21)
i. His will ONLY
b. It requires work
c. How we look on the judgment day?
i. We all will be held accountable for our own actions (Romans 14:12)
ii. The day will come and we will be asked if we carried our own weight?
iii. Do we do everything we could in service to Christ?
F. Will we hear these words of entrance? (Matthew 25:21)
a. Or will we hear words of eternal doom (Matthew 7:22-23)
G. We all have great responsibility of doing our share and load of work
a. We can’t rely on others and think that everyone will do it all for us
b. We need to the “I can” attitude
H. Let’s open our Bibles and study more on this matter
I. Does this describe you? (Read the sheet entitled “Wanted”)
A. Is this something that we can associate ourselves as?
a. This is one who understands exactly what it means to bear their own weight
b. This is one who carries their own weight in a holy and acceptable will of God (Romans 12:1-2)
i. Don’t let the world mold you and make you not be a worker for the Lord
1. Instead be one who is transformed through the knowledge of the scriptures
B. One that carries their own weight is one who is willing to make the proper sacrifices
a. Look at what Christ speaks of (Matthew 10:37-38)
i. Carrying the weight of the cross of Christ
ii. Being an example
1. The same example that Paul speaks of imitating (I Cor. 11:1)
iii. Carrying our own weight will make us be counted worthy
b. Jesus speaks to everyone to follow Him (Mark 8:34)
c. This is one that will not allow outside interferences bother their service to God
C. This all comes through looking ahead and wanting to constantly grow in spirit and truth (II Peter 3:18)
a. Constantly do good in the name of God (Col. 3:17) and we will reap great rewards (Gal. 6:9)
D. One that carries their own weight has a strong zeal for God and good works (Titus 2:14)
a. Ex. California Gold Rush
E. One that carries their own weight in service to God realizes that in order to be effective in this work we have to be of the same mindset as we try and lead others

II. Be a hearer and doer
A. There is a strong necessity to be one that carries their own weight
a. It is much more than just acknowledgement when it comes to service to Christ
i. Not just saying yes I believe in Christ
1. A true Christian or one that wants to be in Christ understands the need for more than just acknowledgement of Christ
ii. It requires action!
b. We can’t rely on others to do all the work
i. We all need to do our share
ii. The church will only be effective as its weakest member
1. We are a complete body (Eph 4:16)
B. There is a need to be a doer of the word and not a hearer only
a. Look at James 1:17-25)
b. Hearing is an important need for us all to have
i. Hearing in the Word more specified
1. The Word that was in the beginning (John 1:1)
a. And it was God’s word
ii. Following the Word through faith (Romans 10:17)
c. But this is not it
d. James wrote here about a need for being doers also
C. This requires efforts to maintain and keep the word and apply it to ourselves also.
D. This requires us all to be a worker for the Lord
a. In Service
i. Throughout the communities
b. To go and spread the gospel (Mark 16:15)
i. We are only as strong as the weakest member
ii. How will we be judged in the last days
1. Are we hearers and doers?
2. Or just Hearers?
3. Will be judged as a righteous worker in the Lord?
a. Or one that was just there to fill the pew?
4. These are questions we need to ask ourselves
Conclusion:
A. How will be judged in the last days
a. All will be judged (II Cor. 5:10)
B. Do you want to be worker for the Lord
a. Jesus is looking for reapers (John 4:35)
C. Do you want to be a worker for the Lord?
D. A Christian is one who is willing to make the proper sacrifices for God
a. We all need to carry our weight to be the most fervent and effective working member for Christ
E. We can help you start today in being this g worker for God
a. In the end the reward of eternal salvation (Romans 6:23)/Invitation