Emu Music

Working in God’s Vineyard

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments 
But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?
Matthew 20:13 ESV

We Are All Working For Jesus– Of course, we are not saved by works, but there is a work for the believer, that is to believe (John 6:29). When we come to work for Jesus, He tells us in advance what we will receive. The key word in today’s verse is friend. Jesus calls everyone who came to “work” in His vineyard His friend.

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Everyone’s Wage is the Same! Everyone who “works” for Jesus receives the same wage (salvation). At the day’s end, no one gets more saved and no one less. We each receive the silver coin, just as He promised when we answered His call. We are all saved by grace. No one will be impressed by how long we “worked” in His vineyard because we are all receiving infinitely more than we deserve!

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The Last Will be First – Being last in line, doesn’t mean that people who only believed for an hour are more important. They are first because when they receive their “wage” they are a greater show of God’s goodness. They come first because in them God is receiving even greater glory. “Are you envious because I am generous?” Matthew 20:14.

a) Instead of complaining hearts, let’s rejoice with God for the salvation of others

b) Instead of asking why we didn’t get more, let’s be amazed at the fact that we are all receiving infinitely more than we could ever deserve!

C) Instead of sour hearts, let’s rejoice that we got to work all day close to Jesus and at the end of the day He calls us friend!

Have a blessed Sunday everybody. I hope you will enjoy this wonderfully simple presentation by EMU music of the classic hymn, Hallelujah What a Savior!

Peace After the Storm

/ pastorpete51 / 7 Comments

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27 ESV

Last week we talked about having God’s peace in the storm. But we also need peace after a storm has passed. When things are calm and quiet we find the damage that the storm has left behind. Here in Florida today that means assessing damage, reopening roads so supplies can get in and beginning the very long road towards rebuilding.

Divorce, disability and death just to name a few of our spiritual storms also leave behind a wake of destruction. In those long weeks, months and years as we are being rebuilt, God will never leave us alone, but will join us in the work of restoration. If that is you this morning, listen carefully to the verse of this new rendering of a wonderful old hymn. “When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay!” In that moment when our hearts fail us. When we survey the devastation after the storm, we can rest assured that the Carpenter of Galilee will take up His tools and rebuild us again according to His perfect blueprint!

Longing to Know Him

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments

That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death – Philippians 3:10 ESV

Sometimes I have thought it strange that the Apostle Paul shares that He has a desire to know Christ. I mean of all the people, surely Paul knew Christ better than anyone. Yet Paul pauses in his letter to tell his friends that even after serving God for years, through both success and suffering, now locked in a Roman jail he still longs to really know Christ. How can this be? Did Paul not know the Jesus who had met him on the road to Damascus? Was this not the man who was spoken to by angels and had been used to spread the gospel to half the known world? If he didn’t know Jesus, then what about the rest of us? But I believe that what Paul is saying, is that he needs to do more than know – he needs to experience the power and presence of Jesus Christ. It is like when a child cries at night. He knows his parents are right in the next room, but he needs them to come closer. He wants them to come near enough to touch, near enough to remind Him again, that they are there and that he is their child. Paul in his prison cell, was that child. In spite of all he had accomplished for Christ and all He had seen in visions and dreams; Paul knew that he needed to know more of Jesus Christ. He needed to rest in His power and to take comfort that Christ shared in his sufferings. He longed to find there, right in that jail cell, the assurance that God was with Him and that he was right where he belonged. What do you need today? Jesus says to simply ask, and He promises that we will receive. When we really pray, God really listens, and He promises to come so that we can know Him more!