Workers Of The Lord

1. Peter - The rock.

We all know the life of Peter. He was one of the disciples who spent the most time with Jesus. Peter got the chance to learn a lot from Jesus. Peter saw Jesus doing incredible miracles.

Many times when we look at Peter we see his power on the day of Pentecost, but we forget to see how he changed from being like a reed but became a rock.

John 13:1-17
1 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.
2 The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.
3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;
4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.
5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"
7 Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."
8 "No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."
9 "Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"
10 Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you."
11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them.
13 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am.
14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.
15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

From John 13:1-17, for Peter to change and become likes a rock, it took for him to have a soft and a broken heart. Today, let us focus on our heart.

When Jesus rebuked Peter, he changed his heart immediately.

He changed from being worldly to become Godly. His thoughts became spiritual immediately. He was willing to become the most humble in that group and say not just my feet but wash me fully. How is our heart today?

How do we respond to challenges today? Are we willing to be open and let people know who you really are? Peter was willing to be open.

When you get challenged, do you accept your sin immediately? Do you get tempted to defend yourself and prove that you are right and you don’t need that challenge?

However long we might have been a disciple it does not matter for Jesus. What matters is your heart. If you want to change from being a reed and become a rock, you open your heart and become like Peter. Be open for correction and your life can change.

2. Paul - The missionary.

Message of Christ was the only source of inspiration for Saul to become Paul.

Even though Paul is the only apostle who did not walk with Jesus, he was able to call people to follow Jesus by imitating His example.

The biggest challenge for all of us as missionaries is to keep up our missionary zeal.

2 Corinthians 11:16-28
16 I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then receive me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting.
17 In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool.
18 Since many are boasting in the way the world does, I too will boast.
19 You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise!
20 In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or pushes himself forward or slaps you in the face.
21 To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that! What anyone else dares to boast about--I am speaking as a fool--I also dare to boast about.
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I.
23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.
24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,
26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.
27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

Paul was able to take up all the sufferings that he faced in his missionary life joyfully.

The difficulties he faced in his daily life brought fruits for the kingdom.

Are you a missionary for Jesus? Do you preach the word daily?

What do you do when you face difficulties of many kinds?

Does your conviction for Jesus go down? More pain brings more fruit.

Every disciple is a missionary for Jesus.

If you have not borne fruits this year, assess your lifestyle today. Get a missionary zeal in your daily life. The challenge for all of us is to bear one fruit at least once this year.

Challenge

Let us decide to live a life imitating Jesus and his disciples.