Righteously Driven | Nathanael Wood | Hillsong Church Online

so last week i spoke a message titled life in the steadfast lane specifically speaking about being righteously stubborn not just being stubborn anyone can be stubborn but being righteously stubborn this week today i want to speak to you about being righteously driven righteously driven one corinthians chapter 15 verse 58 it says therefore my beloved brethren be steadfast immovable always abounding in the work of the lord knowing that your labor is not in vain in the lord it says be steadfast immovable righteously stubborn but i love those two words always abounding always abounding see hudson taylor he said this god's work is not man working for god it is god's own work though often wrought through man's hands so come on let's pray father i thank you for the time that we have this morning and i pray in jesus name that your word would speak life and truth into every single person listening and watching father we thank you for all that you have in store for us so father we ask lord by your holy spirit that you would make things clear in jesus name amen you know there are several things that you can expect to hear when you're at most churches maybe right in the chat some of those things that you can expect to hear when you go to most churches i can think about love you're bound to hear something about love you're obviously bound to hear something about forgiveness or praying you're bound to hopefully in most churches if not all churches churches as pastor brian said you'd be hearing the bible you'll definitely be hearing something about giving or offering but you'll also hear references to the work of the lord to the work of the lord i remember many years ago when i was much much younger um having a vivid memory of asking my dad about giving to god for the work of the lord so i must have heard an offering message at a young age and they were talking about giving to god for the work of the lord and my young mind just couldn't comprehend how we got the money to god i just couldn't work it out if we were giving to god for the work of the lord how do we get the money if god's in heaven and we're here on earth how do we get that money to him and i remember picturing in my own young mind almost like throwing the offering up to him and hoping that he would receive it but you know if you throw it up it obviously returns to the earth but that's exactly where the work of the lord happens that's exactly where the work of the lord happens again 1 corinthians chapter 15 verse 58 it talks about always abounding in the work of the lord always abounding the amplified version says always excelling in the work of the lord always doing your best and doing more than is needed doing your best and doing more than is needed i love the message the message translation says this throw yourselves into the work of the master confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort so you might ask is it all worth it well can i emphatically say to you in this series and in this message today yes it is all worth it because nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort see this scripture has been in the forefront of my thinking over the past several months even more so in the last several weeks it seems to be firmly embedded in my spirit and it's my heartfelt prayer for you as my heartfelt prayer for us collectively as a church that we would be steadfast that we would be immovable always abounding in the work of the lord so if you'd allow me i'd like to simply encourage us all around that important part that we all play in always abounding in the work of the lord as i said the message is called righteously driven or if you want another title it could be a holy call of duty a holy call of duty see those two challenging words always abounding firstly always being relentless in our approach and unstoppable in our dedication and determination to the work of the lord and its advancement i love that unstoppable a relentless approach so many many people i can think about in our church right across our church that are relentless in regards to their approach to the work of the lord you just think about people that you admire the people that have gone before and this their determination and their relentless approach their unstoppable spirit to their dedication and determination the second is abounding so there's always second is abounding so let's consistently go above and beyond what are the messy the amplified translations say basically when it talks about excelling in the work of the lord always doing your best and doing more than is needed i think we can all agree that this type of attitude in general will take you and i places in life just that excelling always doing more than what's requested more than what's asked more than what is needed if we apply that to what we do in life especially if you're a young person if that becomes your ethos i can tell you right now it will take you places i love colossians chapter 3 verse 23 and 24 it says whatever you do work at it with all your heart as working for the lord not for human masters since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the lord as a reward it is the lord you are serving the message translation i love it it says and don't just do the minimum that will get you by do your best work from your heart for your real master for god see it stands to reason that those who love the lord also love the work of the lord they're passionate they're energized by it they're righteously driven those who love the lord it's to stands to reason that they love the work of the lord and those who love the work of the lord not only understand the significance of the work but the eternal consequence of that work i love that the eternal consequence of the work what that you and i do let's not look at just this person over here doing the work of the lord no every single believer collectively doing what they can to serve the lord and to carry out his work here on earth so it is always abounding the bible says always abounding in the work of the lord see this is a heartfelt commitment despite the circumstances it's a determination despite the difficulties it's a holy pursuit even in the face of opposition even in the face of persecution said the apostle paul he was no stranger to adversity but always was abounding in the work of the lord when he was facing severe restrictions when he was imprisoned when he was chained he was still writing letters to the church he was unstoppable he he had he not only was righteously stubborn but he was righteously driven romans chapter 15 verses 14 and 15. get his heart when he says this he says i need your help in carrying out this highly focused assignment god has given me this highly focused assignment he lived every single day with it burning on the inside that's why he was righteously stubborn steadfast and immovable that's why he was righteously driven always abounding in the work of the lord despite his severe restrictions at time there was a guy claiming to do the lord's work and he was standing on a busy street corner with a huge uh p um piece of cardboard with written on the cardboard um the sign said stop replying all to company-wide emails now i don't know about you if you're the recipient of the reply all you might be the reply all culprit who just always wants to reply all when there's 600 people in the email they're always replying all they can't just reply they have to reply all this guy thinks he's doing the lord's work and maybe he is all i know is that those who fix potholes in the road they definitely are doing the lord's work but the lord's work obviously means different things to different people the lord's work obviously means different things to different people so what is it what is the lord's work can we just go through a number of things that is the lord's work because the work of the lord is wide-ranging but it's also laser focused it's wide-ranging but it's also laser focused number one the lord's work it's the advancement of the gospel it's the advancement of the gospel philippians 2 verse 22 says but you know that timothy has proved himself because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel the gospel is work the work of the gospel the work of the lord is the advancement of the gospel number two the work of the lord is it's outworking the purposes of god it's the outworking of the purposes of god see noah he did the lord's work moses did the lord's work the apostle paul did the lord's work obviously jesus did his father's work and that's just to name a few see in other words it's the obedient outworking of his will here on earth that's what the lord's work is ephesians chapter 1 verses 15 to 19 in the message translation let me read it to you if you would it says i ask ask the god of our master jesus christ the god of glory to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally your eyes focused and clear focused and clear so that you can see exactly what he is calling you to do grasp the immensity of the glorious way of life that he has for his followers oh the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him notice this endless energy boundless strength i want to prophesy that over people this morning that in your life no matter what you're confronted with no matter what you're navigating that you would experience his endless energy and his boundless strength if you're going to always be abounding you're going to need some endless energy and some boundless strength hudson taylor he said this he said i used to ask god to help me then i asked if i might help him i ended up by asking god to do his work through me number three it's the expression of god's love through acts of kindness so you go i i work nine to five how do i get the time then i go home and i need to rest and with the family and how do i do the lord's work well you know what throughout the day we all have opportunities to express god's love through acts of kindness to not only help people in their own community but in the far distances of our globe yes the lord works in mysterious ways but it's no mystery that he works through people it's no mystery that he works through people number four the fourth thing that the work of the lord is is it's the discipleship of people which is very much a part of the great commission number five it's the equipping of the believers for works of service ephesians chapter 4 verse 13 it says and he himself gave some to his apostles some prophets some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints what for the work of the ministry ministry is not a cruise ship or a a whatever you want to put in there no it's the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of christ the niv says works of service works of service so charles spurgeon he said this he said if god calls you to be a minister which we all are according to ephesians chapter four if god calls you to be a minister don't stoop to becoming a king don't stoop to becoming a king no it's a high call to serve the lord it's a high call to do works of service it's a high call to do the work of the ministry it's a high call to do the lord's work number six it's the ministry of reconciliation this is the lord's work you might think the lord's work i've heard it before and we always attach it to this and that well this is specifically it's wide ranging but it's laser focused 2 corinthians chapter 5 verse 18 it says all this from god who reconciled us to himself through christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation again i love it in the message it says god has given us this task of telling everyone what he is doing where christ's representatives god uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences to drop their differences how um applicable and relevant is that in this day and age to drop their differences and enter into god's work of making things right between them we're speaking for christ himself become friends with god he's already a friend with you how awesome is that and finally number seven the work of the lord it's wide-ranging it's laser focused it's the building of the church it's the building of the church and ultimately it's the establishing of his kingdom here on earth pastor pastor bobby you would have heard her say many a time if not read her instagrams thy kingdom come and that's exactly what the work of the lord is it's the building of the church jesus said i will build the church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it i will build my church see jesus was all about his father's work even at a young age luke 2 verse 49 he says to his parents after they were looking for him when he was lost why did you seek me do you not know that i must be about my father's business even at a young age he was righteously driven driven to do what his father called him to do and maybe you're watching me sitting on a lounge somewhere young at age but something on the inside is stirring for you to be righteously driven to serve god with all of your life with all of your heart and soul and everything righteously driven john 4 34 jesus said to them my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to what to finish his work it's all work it's work it's labor but it's not a tiring work necessarily it's not necessarily a work that is burdensome necessarily no jesus says to walk with him and work with him watch how he does it it doesn't need to be a burden yes it's serious in nature and yes it's significant in regards to what we're a part of but can i encourage you that our food is to do the will of him who sent us and to also finish the work he's called us to so the church believers should be unapologetic when it comes to being righteously driven in the work of the lord unapologetic the church believers should be unapologetic when it comes to being righteously driven in the work of the lord the world will never understand it they just never will the media will never understand it maybe your loved ones who don't really have an understanding maybe they don't understand it but it doesn't mean we have to apologize for who we are or apologize for what we're a part of no let's be righteously driven in the work of the lord and be unapologetic about it it'd be unapologetic about our commitment to it be unapologetic about our heart to give generously toward it no come on let's be righteously driven in our passionate approach to it when i think about passion i can't help but think about this well-known atheist in our country here in australia and he was quoted as saying this for christians to believe what they believe and not be passionate about it must be the highest form of blasphemy come on let's not be let's not apologize for being passionate about what we're called to do let's not be let's not be let's be unapologetic when it comes to our prioritizing of it putting god first in your life don't apologize for it let's put him first and let's do it confidently let's not apologize for all these things let's be righteously driven in our urgency in it john chapter 9 verse 4 it says as long as it is day we must do the works of him who sent me night is coming when no one can work there's a sense of urgency to what we're about we're not joking we're not building a business even though your business might be attached to kingdom purpose we're not just building a charity though we do charitable things no we're building the church of the lord jesus christ and our call the work we have to do is a significant work and yes there is a time coming when no more work can be done so let's be perp let's be righteously driven in our determination to involve as many people as possible in this work and that's why i would encourage you especially at this time in this season no matter where you are maybe in this state across our nation maybe around the world yes we need you everybody together collectively doing what they need to do in the work of the lord only advances the kingdom only has the impact and the influence that it has if more and more people are a part of the effort see david livingston he said if a commission by an earthly king is considered an honor how can a commission by a heavenly king be considered a sacrifice i love i love love love that i really do a commission by a heavenly king be considered a sacrifice and right now now no matter where you are no matter where you're listening from you might be listening live you might be watching on youtube maybe it's three days later and you're watching this can i encourage you to do everything you can to be a part of the effort in the work of the lord i don't know about you but i could be even more focused and unflinching when it comes to the work of the lord the apostle paul was focused and unflinching he was righteously driven we see it in philippians chapter 3 verses 13 and 14 where he says i do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it but one thing i do forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead i press on toward the goal to win the prize for which god has called me heavenwood in christ jesus he was righteously driven he wanted to leave what was in the past and he was pressing on into the future and that's what we collectively need to do continue to be abounding always abounding righteously driven in the work of the lord so it's not time to draw back to think in bare minimums or to leave it to others to do let's all continue to press on toward the very same goal the very same goal it's always it's also seen um this righteously driven attitude to life and ministry is seen in paul's advice to timothy in 2 timothy chapter 4 verse 5. he says but you keep your head in all situations there's a whole message just here keep your head in all situations endure hardships do the work of an evangelist discharge all the duties of your ministry that's the holy call that's the holy call to judy see there's a good reason why we're encouraged to be steadfast and immovable prior to being encouraged to be always abounding in the work of the lord be steadfast immovable always abounding in the work of the lord there's a reason that that came first before the always abounding see in ephesians chapter 6 verse 11 it says put on the full armor of god so that you can take stand against the devil's scheme verse 16 says in addition to all this take up the shield of faith for which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one all the arrows of the evil one you know what the devil would love i don't want to use the word enemy i want to use the word devil the devil would love for you and our church for that matter to turn our wholehearted always abounding into a half-hearted sometimes abounding sometimes abounding sounds a little bit like this when it fits my schedule when it works with my budget when it helps with my conscience when it suits my preferences or what about when it pleases the critics no that's not us that's not hillsong church let's not allow this unusual and enduring season any opposing voices or antichrist agenda or an upside down world sit us down shut us up or hold us back we are always abounding righteously driven type of people we are a always abounding righteously driven type of church see the devil would love the devil would love to distract you to distract us from what we're called to the devil would love to divide our attention or our affections or to deceive you in your day-to-day to dictate your future ultimately to dilute your impact and your influence that's what he would love to do but let's decide that we will be righteously driven in the face of adversity and opposition in the face of intimidation in the face of ridicule in the face of personal challenge in the face of casualties even in the face of a twisted truth in the face of persecution 2 thessalonians 2 thessalonians chapter 1 verse 4 it says therefore therefore we speak of you with pride among the churches of god for your steadfastness your unflinching endurance and patience and your firm faith in the midst of all the persecution and crushing distress which you endure he's speaking highly about a church basically who is steadfast unflinching endurance and patience in your firm faith in the midst of persecution and crushing distress which you endure can i say that yes in the face of persecution let's continue to be righteously driven even in the face of spiritual battles which we know only well ephesians 6 let me remind you for our struggle our wrestle is not against flesh and blood it's not against people it's but it's against rulers against the authorities against the powers of this dark world against spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms that is where we need to be righteously driven in the face of see in the always abounding there's bound to be a lot of contending in the always abounding there's bound to be a lot of contending and as i close let me read colossians 1 29 hopefully living life in the steadfast lane being righteously stubborn being righteously driven something on the inside is just being strengthened something on the inside is just causing you to stand up strong and having done all to stand let me read it colossians 1 verse 29 to this end i strenuously contend with all the energy christ so powerfully works in me i love that to this end righteously righteously driven righteously stubborn to this end i strenuously contend because in always abounding there's bound to be some contending and i strenuously contend with all the energy christ so powerfully works in me can i encourage you to not to do it in your own strength can i encourage you to do it in his strength to allow him to energize you endless energy boundless strength the scripture says the irish tell the story of a man who arrives at the gates of heaven and asks to be let in and so peter says of course just show us your scars just show us your scars so peter says and the man says i have no scars i i have no scars and so peter says what a pity was there nothing worth fighting for what a pity was there nothing worth fighting for come on church we know we have something worth fighting for we know we have something worth fighting for so let's continue to fight this good fight of faith we are always an abounding righteously driven type of people we are an always abounding righteously driven type of church let's continue to give heart and soul to the cause of christ here on this earth and let me leave you with the wise words of corey temboom i love this i hope it goes into your spirit trying to do the lord's work in your own strength is the most confusing exhausting and tedious of all work but when you are filled with the holy spirit when the ministry of jesus when you are filled with the holy spirit then the ministry of jesus just flows out of you come on let's be righteously stubborn let's be righteously driven let's live life in the steadfast lane and let's believe for the work of the lord to continue to prosper in jesus name so father i thank you i thank you for your word i thank you for your example lord i thank you for all that you're doing in and through us lord no matter what season we find ourselves in no matter what personal challenges we're navigating father i pray that the holy spirit would fill our lives to the point that the ministry of jesus would flow out of us father i pray in jesus name lord that we would have lord the indignation on the inside to stand and having done all to stand father i thank you lord that you are taking up taking us upwards and onwards into all that you have for us in jesus name amen amen over to you jd amen and thank you nathaniel that was such an incredible message and i love i can see in the chat now i don't know what chat you're in but people are responding people are encouraged and i love that we are a righteously driven people and what i love is that it's not out of anything that we've done but it's because of who jesus is and what he did for us and we want to take a moment right now and give people an opportunity i'd love to pray with and for you for maybe people that have never really made that decision to accept the truth of who jesus is and because of what he did on that cross because he died but he rose again that we can actually find forgiveness from it for our sins our past our mistakes we have an opportunity to have a clean slate because of what jesus did accepting him and his righteousness means that we actually can understand that we're not here by mistake that god has put us here on this earth for a purpose and that we can live with his grace his love knowing each day that there's a peace that regardless of what we might have to walk through in life we're not alone in this so i want to ask have you ever prayed that prayer that accepts who jesus is have you ever embarked on this journey of doing life with and for god and if you're here right now wherever you might be connected and you honestly say that i've never truly accepted who jesus is and all that he's done for me i would love to pray with you right now and so if that's you you want to make this decision you're accepting who jesus is you're starting the journey of following him gaining his forgiveness his grace his love i want you to pray this after me so why don't you say wherever you are say jesus i thank you that you love me i thank you that you died on the cross and you rose again for me i'm sorry for the mistakes that i've made please forgive me come into my heart give me a brand new start i thank you that you now live in me and i'll follow you the rest of my days amen amen and if you just prayed that prayer we are just so excited for you i know for me i started this journey of following jesus from a very very young age and i'm so grateful that we're not in this alone and you're not in this alone not only do you have jesus to walk with you through life but you have your church if you want us to be your church that is and the one of the ways we'd love to help you get started on this journey if you just prayed that prayer we encouraged people to write in the chat right i prayed that prayer or maybe you're not in the chat but there can be a a function on your screen that you can connect with a pastor we'd love to help you get started on this journey and give you the word of god so you can truly begin to understand who god is and this incredible future and plan that he has for your life and maybe if you didn't pray that prayer but you're excited because somebody did why don't you say congratulations in that chat maybe put a really fun little emoji or do whatever you i see taya is on the chat always saying amen

Channel: Hillsong Church

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Length: 34min 12sec (2052 seconds)

Published: Sun Sep 19 2021