Sermon Tone Analysis

Title: Controlling Desires

Theme: Beware of Becoming a Controlling Laborer

Series: Laboring Together With God

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.

So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

8 The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.

For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it.

But each one should be careful how he builds.

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

(1 Corinthians 3:6-11)

A God-loving, Word-filled disciple-maker will be more concerned about his spiritual heart than about any unpleasant circumstance that he may be in

A God-loving, Word-filled disciple-maker will be more concerned about his spiritual heart than about any unpleasant circumstance that he may be in.

He will welcome everything in his life that will enable him to grow in Christ, whether in success in ministry or trials or chastisements.

Ministry to the Lord is doing whatever He has called and gifted you to do.

You fit in one of these categories in regards to being a laborer, 1.)

An Undisciplined Laborer.

2.) An Controlling Laborer or 3.) A Trusting Laborer.

All true churches are made up of Christians who want to see the hand of God working first in their lives, so they can be made usable to Him.

Second, they want to be empowered by the Holy Spirit so they can fulfill their part in the “Great Commission.”

There are great men and women of God who have learned the joy of allowing God to examine their hearts during the first season of their ministry for the coming year.

For example, many great preachers and teachers of God’s word will spend most of the first month of the calendar year, January, inviting the Lord to do a work in their heart, before asking for direction for the rest of the year.

They have the heart of the psalmist who wrote, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

(Psalm 139:23-24)

They know the truth the apostle Paul wrote about in 1 Corinthians 3:6-10, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.

So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.

For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it.

But each one should be careful how he builds.”

(1 Corinthians 3:6-10)

“And each will be rewarded according to his own labor” and growth only comes from God.

Every child of God knows that his labors for the Lord must be done in a manner worthy of the gospel they preach.

If they are lazy they will see the results that sluggard gets.

If ministry it is done with a mean spirit, it will only set up huge stumbling blocks in the paths of those they hope to make disciples of.

Christians can fulfill their responsibilities in teaching and proclaiming the Word of God, but that does not mean that they are disciple makers lead by the Holy Spirit.

There are those who become “Controlling Laborers,” They do just as much harm to the work of the Lord as the “Undisciplined Laborer.”

Thus, the church that is going to be pleasing to the Lord and a blessing to the body of Christ will examine the Scriptures and ask the Holy Spirit to cleanse her own heart before she tries to deal with the fault of others.

I would propose to you that the condition of the sluggard and the controlling laborer is always destructive.

From these the church needs to be rescued by the reproofs of God’s Word.

It must be understood that what is in the heart of the sluggard is also in the heart of the controlling laborer, pleasing self.

Just what are the early signs of becoming a controlling laborer?

Since self is so destructive, both the sluggard and the controlling laborer need to face the truth about themselves and then surrender their hearts and lives over to the leading of the Holy Spirit

Since self is so destructive, both the sluggard, I spoke on last week and the controlling laborer need to face the truth about themselves and then surrender their hearts and lives over to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Just as there are character traits and consequences to being a sluggard, there are character traits of the controlling laborer.

His self-centered life births forth negative consequences as well.

Before we get into the character traits and consequences of a controlling laborer today in the church, home and work place, let’s take the advice of God’s Word.

There is a principle set forth in the New Testament that the Holy Spirit wants us to obey so we can see how God deals with sin, even among His chosen people.

The apostle Paul writes, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.”

(1 Corinthians 10:11) What Paul is warning about is not to become smug or arrogant in our stand for Christ or on Godly things.

Keep alert lest we fall.

(The Expositors Bible Commentary)

Whether Christians have the heart of King Saul or King David, they can become a controlling laborer and become displeasing to the Lord.

They can easily find themselves resting on their abilities to achieve and forget to stay in tune with the Lord and no longer truly trust in Him.

Consider with me some controlling actions of King Saul.

In doing this we must understand King Saul’s position with the Lord. 1 Samuel 10:1 says, “Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the LORD anointed you leader over His inheritance?”

(1 Samuel 10:1)

The story of Saul is a tragic one, yet one filled with important spiritual lessons.

Young Saul was an attractive personality.

But under the pressures of leadership he showed fatal flaws.

Saul’s story is designed not to frighten us, as if we were like him.

It is in Scripture to encourage us, for unlike Saul, Christians have the indwelling Holy Spirit who is able help them to maintain a trust in God which enables them to triumph where he failed.

(The Teacher’s Commentary)

The Prophet Samuel says, “the LORD anointed you leader…” It was by God’s hand that Saul would become king therefore, Saul must govern by God’s will and instructions and be totally dependent upon the Lord.

It was Saul’s responsibility to learn and order the affairs of God’s people aright and live as one who would give an accounting to God. (Matthew Henry Commentary; The New Bible Commentary) Saul represented the authority and power of God.

(The Pulpit Commentary)

The anointing was to symbolize that God was marking Saul, setting him apart for His special purpose and entering into a covenant relationship.

This relationship rested upon obedience to and a life expressing a trust in the Lord.

(Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary)

Samuel was careful to inform Saul that his anointing was from the Lord.

This is a word of encouragement and a strong reminder to all Christians who hold a place of leadership.

This refers to leadership in the home, work or at church.

Those who are Christians and who are hungry for God, seeking God and working to achieve God’s will may enjoy what Samuel told Saul, “…do whatever your hands find to do, for God is with you.” (1 Samuel 10:7)

Saul enjoyed the blessings of God, won battles, had valiant men whose hearts God had touched accompanying him and had public support.

(1 Samuel 10:26; 11) He had a son who was able to a win wars and deliver the people of God from their enemies.

(1 Samuel 14) Saul also knew the joy of having God get His heart ready for the task at hand 1 Samuel 10:9 says, “…God changed Saul’s heart…” (1 Samuel 10:9)

In 1 Samuel 9:21 we read that Saul could not understand how the people of Israel could ever put trust in Him as a leader (1 Samuel 9:21) for he considered himself small in his own eyes (1 Samuel 15:17) because he was from the tribe of Benjamin the smallest tribe of Israel.

(1 Samuel 9:21) God knew Saul needed another heart, one changed for that of farming and livestock to that of a statesman, a general and a king.

(The Pulpit Commentary; Matthew Henry Commentary)

That which probably gave Saul the greatest satisfaction was that God gave him immediately another heart.

A new fire was kindled in his heart causing his mind to begin thinking about dealing with Israel’s enemies, making laws, administering justice, and providing safety.

He roses to a pit of boldness and bravery.

Whom God calls to any service He will make fit for it by giving them the heart hungry to accomplish His will.

He will advance them into another station under His authority giving them the power of the Holy Spirit power to serve Him.

Many a born again Christian who is a hungry for God as Saul was at that time of his life, expresses a life of the sanctifying power of the Gospel.

David said that he would not raise his hand against God’s anointed when he was being pursued by Saul in the “Desert of En Gedi.” (1 Samuel 24:4) Even then it was clear that God’s promises to David were being fulfilled for his men said, “This is the day the LORD spoke of when He said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’ ” (1 Samuel 24: 3-7; The Pulpit Commentary; Barnes Notes; )

In 1 Samuel 24 there is a brief argument between David and his men.

Both believe that God had arranged matters so that Saul was at their mercy.

They were both right in believing that Saul was David’s enemy and deserved death.

There were two choices.

One would be allowed by God the other more pleasing.

The opinion of David’s men was to take control of the situation which was to do away with the constant pursuing of Saul and his men.

David’s suggestion was no, leave Saul in God’s hands and let Him be in total control for it was God who raised up Saul as king.

He would take Saul down from kingship in His time and way.

(Daily Bible Study)

In 1 Samuel 13 we read of what happens to a man who wants to be a controlling laborer.

The heart of a controlling laborer is really someone who does not have faith in God.

He is fully able to understand God’s will, but wants to take control because it satisfies self.

1 Samuel 13:7-14 tells what a controlling person Saul was and the results that come from that type of heart.