HE SAW THEM TOILING

Mark 6:46-48

Sunday Morning Sermon

September 6, 1998

Fair Avenue Baptist Church

You probably thought I was going to preach about Jesus walking on the water.  That is a wonderful story in the Bible and I’ve preached a message there at least once.

But this morning I want to encourage our workers.  I wish they could all be in here and most of them are.  I want you to see something that should bless your heart.

We have some of the best workers.  We have some of the most dedicated and loyal workers I have ever worked with.

Our Bus Captains,

Our Bus workers,

Our Bus Drivers,

Our Sunday School teachers,

Our Sunday School helpers,

Our Childrens Church teachers,

Our Childrens Church helpers,

Our Nursery workers,

Our Academy teachers,

Our Academy workers,

Those involved in special music,

These are some good people,

These are some fine Christians,

They are a blessing to my heart,

They are the heart and soul of this Church.

I love them,

I pray for them every day,

I pray for God’s guidance in their lives,

I am so proud of them,

And you should, too.

Notice VERSE 48 and the first part, “And He saw them toiling in rowing...”

I want to preach a message this morning entitled, “He Saw Them Toiling.”

The disciples were rowing hard,

Can’t you see them rowing and rowing?

Jesus saw them “toiling in the rowing,”

They were in a storm,

They were battling a strong headwind,

“...the wind was contrary unto them...”

It was a tough go,

I’ll bet they were working up a sweat.

But Jesus saw them,

He saw them in the storm,

He saw them working hard,

He saw them toiling,

And He came to their aid.

In some earlier verses in this Chapter they rested for a while.

I’m sure that they were tired,

They had been involved in the ministry of Christ,

They had been with Jesus for a while,

They had been in the synagogues,

They had seen the leper healed,

They had seen the men knock a hole in the roof and let their friend in to see Jesus,

They had even had other trips in the boat,

They had seen the demon possessed man of Gadara,

These men had been busy,

They were toiling,

Jesus had been watching them,

He knew they were tired,

He knew they were fighting the wind,

He knew they were toiling,

So, He went walking on the water and calmed the sea.

Bus worker,

I know you’re tired,

You’ve been working hard,

Toiling and toiling,

Working and working,

It’s been one of the hottest summers ever,

It’s certainly been one of the longest summers with temperatures reaching 100 in May and again in September.

Week after week,

Month after month,

Saturday after Saturday,

You’ve been faithful,

I know you’re wore out.

Bus drivers,

There will be a special reward in heaven for all bus drivers,

Here early and home late every Sunday,

Cold weather, hot weather,

Hotdogs, cookies, water balloons,

Gasoline, oil and water,

Jump starts,

Busted cables and hoses and belts,

Sweating the back of your shirt through,

Sweating almost through your underwear,

Stop and go driving,

Noisy buses,

Noisy kids,

We owe the bus drivers a lot.

Sunday School teacher,

I know you’re tired,

It’s been a long, hot summer,

It’s been rough,

It’s been hard,

I know you’ve been working hard,

I know you’ve sweated on Saturdays out visiting,

The kids have been to the lake almost every other weekend, and the other weekends they are out of town visiting dad,

It’s almost been discouraging.

The Childrens Church teachers and workers,

You have been busy,

Working in a hot fellowship hall that is under air conditioned,

Trying to corral a bunch of kids,

Keeping attendance roll,

Singing,

Teaching,

Watching,

You’ve been working hard.

Nursery workers,

A job that most of the time goes unappreciated,

Those nursery workers who are faithful to do their job,

Not much fanfare,

Not much applause,

Keeping care of babies and toddlers,

Changing diapers,

Wiping .... noses,

Rocking,

Walking,

Not the most coveted job in the church,

They work hard,

Week after week,

They most definitely toil.

Our Academy teachers and workers,

Underpaid and overworked,

A labor of love,

Hard work,

Reading,

Writing,

Arithmetic,

Chemistry,

Biology,

Geometry,

Algebra I & II,

Kindergarten,

Reading and more reading,

Checking and grading,

Another group that works in a hot fellowship hall with a bad air condition system,

Working hard to help our students,

Toiling,

Sometimes against a “contrary wind,”

Sometimes in a storm,

They are earning extra rewards in heaven.

He Saw Them Toiling.

And He sees you.

Hey, Sunday School teacher,

Jesus is watching,

He knows you’re working hard,

He sees you toiling.

Hey, Childrens Church workers,

Jesus is watching,

He knows you’re working hard,

Studying and preparing the lessons,

Singing the songs,

Dealing with those children about their salvation,

He knows it’s hot in there,

He knows it’s been a long, hot summer,

He sees you toiling.

Hey, Bus Captain,

Hey, Bus Driver,

Hey, Bus Worker,

Jesus is watching,

He sees you rowing,

He sees the sweat,

He sees the hard work,

He sees the toil,

He sees your work and labor of love.

Hey, Nursery workers,

Jesus has been watching you,

He has been seeing your work,

He sees your toil,

He saw that diaper,

He saw that baby throw up all over you,

He has watched you toil,

He has watched you.

Hey, Academy staff,

Jesus is watching,

He is watching your work,

He has been watching you toil,

He sees the “contrary wind,”

He sees your work,

He sees your sacrifice,

He is watching you.

Hey, ladies involved in special music,

Jesus is watching your work,

He sees the practice,

He sees the toil,

He has been watching you practice week after week to sing about Him,

He sees the nights when you stay late,

He sees the mornings when you come early,

He knows the times you stay late,

He sees the toil.

All of you fine people who work so hard to make this church what it is,

You fine people who work so hard day after day, week after week, year after year,

Jesus has been watching,

He has been watching your work,

He has seen you toil,

And He wants you know that He is going to help you,

He is going to calm the storm,

He sees the “contrary wind,”

He is going to make it a little easier,

He is there to help you,

Isn’t it great to know that He is watching us as we work for Him,

Because He loves you,

And because He loves your labor of love,

And because He loves it when we work for Him.