Matthew 20:1-7 says there is plenty of work for everybody. Jesus said the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. It is ripe. It is ready but what is stopping the faster progress of the work of God on this earth is shortage of laborers.

We have unlimited resources; the Bible says God gives His Spirit without measure. The power, blood and name of Jesus Christ has been given to us. It comes down to how many people will say yes to the call of God in their lives, go to His vineyard and work alongside Him.

Idleness is a place of temptation. If we are not actively engaged in the Kingdom of God, then we are at risk of temptation, (1 Timothy 5:13).

The reason people don’t mind their own business is they don’t have a mind and they don’t have a business. When your mind is unemployed and empty, you begin minding other people’s business.

Encourage, train, disciple and show by example what to do and how to run the race till the end. Apostle Paul did not retire. He said I finished the race. Even when Paul was in prison and couldn’t preach the Gospel as he used to, he changed his function and began to write the Gospel. Whatever season you are in doesn’t mean you have to retire and go to the side-lines; you can change your function but serve in the Kingdom of God.

King David retired when it was time for him to go to war. The bible says he woke up in the evening, idle, doing nothing and that’s when temptation came in and he saw Bathsheeba and fell into sin.

When we are idle, at best we do empty things, useless things, gossip, mind other people’s business and tell others what to do while we don’t do anything ourselves and at worst, as we continue down that path, the enemy will introduce temptations that will make us fall when we are idle.

The best way to avoid those kinds of situations you never thought you would be in is to constantly be in service to God and His people.

What can you do? 1 Samuel 6:7 says find whatever you can do and begin to do it. It might not be your passion but if there is a need and you can do it, begin to serve. There are two parts of this: do what you can do and do what the occasion demands.

Doing what you can do speaks of using your gifts, passion, talents and experience for God. Maybe you have a particular skill that cannot be utilised at the moment in church, then do what the occasion demands. The church always has an occasion you can be part of and a demand that needs to be met. Doing what the occasion demands requires humility.

Usually, those who criticize others for doing something are the ones doing nothing; those who think they know better but do nothing. To those who have committed to serve, serve wholeheartedly so that when you serve, we can give our best to God. Don’t give half-heartedly.

Let it be said of you that you have done all that you can, (Matthew 14:6-9). Bring your alabaster box and anoint the body of Jesus with your talent, prayers, effort, time, experience, and willingness.

There is a reward. Everything that we do for God and His Kingdom will be rewarded. Jesus told His disciples who had left everything and followed Him that they would be rewarded in this life and in the next. You will be rewarded, not necessarily for your work but your faithfulness and obedience.

Sermon by Pastor Ilya Parkhotyuk; blog by Edward Gardiner