Working For The Lord

Working for the Lord (Acts 18:1-4, 24-26, Rom. 16:3-4, 1 Cor. 16:19, 2 Tim. 4:19) Chose a Focus? (Eph. 2:10) Family? Church? Prayer? Teaching? Stewardship? Listening? Service? (Mark 10:45) Being Faithful? Jesus? (Matt. 14: 25-33), God’s Kingdom? Spreading the Gospel? Saving souls? (Luke 19:10) Eyes on the prize How do you focus on something? Be still (Ps. 37:7, 47:10), look intently, ignore distractions Examples of Martha and Mary Consequences of Focus? The United States Women’s Softball team won the gold medal in Atlanta’s 1996 Olympic games. They lost only one game but from that loss came a remarkable story about perseverance. In the fifth inning against Australia, Danielle Tyler hit a home run over the center-field fence. The American third baseman floated around the bases with a rush of adrenaline. When she was greeted by a swarm of well-wishing teammates at home plate she let the excitement distract her focus and she did not touch the base. When all of the yelling subsided, the Australian team quietly appealed to the umpire who dramatically called Tyler out. Rather than scoring a run, Tyler’s blast over the fence netted her team an out. As it ended up, had the lady slugger stepped on home plate, her team would have won 1-0. Instead, after seven innings of regulation play the game was tied at 0-0. In extra innings, Australia emerged with a 2-1 win and the U.S. team took their only loss of the Olympics. That disaster on the diamond teaches us the importance of focus and not just focusing on anything, but focusing on what matters. You see, Danielle Tyler had hit a home run and as she crossed the third base her focus shifted from finishing the home run to celebrating with her teammates. What mattered was that she stepped on the home base but she lost focus. What causes us to lose our focus? Fear, anxiety Opening Your Home (Hospitality, Gen. 18:1-8, 1 Pe. 4:9, Rom. 12:13, Matt. 25:40) Refreshing/Supporting/Upbuilding (1 Cor. 2:3, Paul in a state of weakness & fear, Philemon 1:7)

The word "hospitable" comes from the Greek word, "PHILO-ZENIA". Which is a combination of twos "PHILOS", which means “Loving”, and "XENOS" which means “a Stranger”. Karen Burton Mains, author of Open Heart/Open Home, - one morning decided to read a novel instead of doing the house work, of course a person from church stopped by - the place was a mess - dishes in the sink, toys every where, last night’s newspaper all over the floor. As she went to the door she could hear her father’s voice, "Hospitality comes before pride" easy enough to say when your place is tidy. She swallowed her pride and let the person from church in. After they came in and got sat down her friend says "I used to think you were perfect, now I think we can be friends!" Distinction between entertaining and hospitality, Entertaining people is showing off your house, and your cooking abilities to them, Hospitality is opening your house to them. Entertaining really centers on self and begs compliments, Hospitality centers on the other, and on God. Working Beside Others Consequences? Fellowship (Grk. Koinonia), Bonding, encouraging, intimate knowledge, etc. What is “the Lord’s work”? Various contexts? Instructing others (Acts 18:26)