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I AM RESOLVED…

To Get Things Done

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    Have you ever had a day when you just did not get anything done?

1.      You may have had a list a mile long.

2.      You made plans.

3.      You got up early to start.

4.      The whole day was long and burdensome, but ABSOLUTELY NOTHING was accomplished.

 

B.      What feelings did you experience at the end of the day?  Frustration?  Confusion?  Hopelessness?

 

C.     All of us know that in order to be successful, fulfilled, and happy, we need to get things done.

1.      This is true in our individual lives.

2.      This is true when it comes to the body of Christ.

 

D.    This morning, I want us to focus on our theme for 2017, “I Am Resolved.”  The title of our lesson is:  “I Am Resolved…To Get Things Done.”

 

I.                   THE DEFINITION OF DONE

 

A.    In the Greek language, there are four words translated “done” in the New Testament.

1.      1096

a.      To become

b.      To be brought to pass

2.      2716

a.      To work fully

b.      To accomplish, finish

3.      4610

a.      To make or do

b.      Execute

4.      4238

a.      To practice

b.      To perform repeatedly

 

B.      www.dictionary.com:  to complete, finish, accomplish, achieve, to bring some action to a conclusion, attaining a desired goal through effort skill, and perseverance

 

C.     Example:  Jesus Christ

1.      At the tender age of twelve, Jesus knew that He was supposed to be about His Father’s business (Luke 2:49).

 

And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me?  Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?

 

2.      During His earthly ministry, Jesus noted that He had to finish the works His Father sent Him to accomplish (John 4:34; 5:36).

 

Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

 

3.      According to John 19:30, Jesus finished His work.

 

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished:  and bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

 

a.      His work was accomplished.

b.      He has achieved the goal.

c.       He brought His work to an end.

d.      He had completed the task.

 

II.                THE DYNAMICS OF GETTING THINGS DONE

 

A.    Prayer

1.      Prayer needs to be the first action we take to get things done.

a.      We need to solicit God’s aid.

b.      We need to ask for God’s wisdom.

c.       We need to request God’s blessings on what we want to do.

2.      One of the things Jesus needed to do during His earthly ministry was to select a group of men to be His apostles.

a.      In Luke 6:13-16, we read of His doing this.

b.      What is interesting is what we read in Luke 6:12.

 

And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.  And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples:  and of them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles.

 

c.       Prior to our doing anything, we would be wise to follow the Lord’s example and prayer diligently about our desired efforts.

 

B.      Decision

1.      After prayer, we must make decisions about “what” must be done.

2.      In our case, we must decide the “manner” in which things must be done because God has told us what we need to do.

a.      Evangelize the lost (Matt. 28:18-20)

b.      Edification of the saints (Eph. 4:12, 16)

c.       Benevolence (Gal. 6:10; James 1:27)

3.      Nehemiah determined that he must return to Jerusalem to build the city walls (Neh. 2:4-5).

 

Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou require?  So I prayed to the God of heaven.  And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favor in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, and unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchers, that I may build it.

 

C.     Doing

1.      To get things done, we must do.  We must put talent into action.  We must labor and toil.

2.      Things that are not enough:

a.      Wishing:  A wish is a result in the mind only.

b.      Talk:  Talk only moves a wish from the mind to the mouth.

c.       Planning:  Planning moves the wish from the mouth to paper.

d.      Scheduling:  Scheduling get the wish on the calendar.

3.      Examples of doing

a.      Noah was given a command and plans to build the ark.  For the ark to come into being, Noah had to do something (Gen. 6:22)

 

Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.

 

b.      Moses, too, was given a command and plans to erect the tabernacle.  The tabernacle was finished through diligent work.

1)      The work of building the tabernacle is recorded in Exodus 36-39.

2)      The word “work” is used 28 times.  The word “wrought” is used 4 times.

3)      Exodus 40:33

 

And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate.  So Moses finished the work.

 

c.       On the cross, Jesus said:  “It is finished” (John 19:30).

d.      In II Timothy 4:7, Paul wrote:  “I have finished my course.”  This was said after his life of faithful service to the Lord Jesus Christ.

e.       Paul’s words to the church at Corinth with regard to his plan for a collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem (II Cor. 8:11).

 

Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.

 

D.    Persistence

1.      We have to keep doing until we have reached our goal, until we have finished, until we have accomplished our task.

2.      Abraham Lincoln’s example.

a.      1816 His family was forced out of their home

b.      1818 His mother died

c.       1831 Failed in business

d.      1832 Ran for state legislature - lost

e.       l832 Lost his job - wanted to go to law school but couldn't get in

f.        1833 Borrowed money from a friend and in 1 year was bankrupt. He spent 17 years of his life paying off this debt.

g.      1834 Ran for state legislature again - won

h.      1835 Engaged to be married, sweetheart died

i.        1836 Nervous breakdown and was in bed for six months

j.        1838 Sought to be speaker of the state legislature - defeated

k.      1840 Sought to become elector - defeated

l.        1843 Ran for Congress - lost

m.    1846 Ran for Congress again - this time he won

n.      1848 Ran for re-election to Congress - lost

o.      1849 Sought the job of land officer in his home state - rejected

p.      1854 Ran for Senate of the United States - lost

q.      1856 Sought Vice-Presidential nomination - less than 100 votes

r.       1858 Ran for U.S. Senate again - again he lost

s.       1860 Elected president of the United States

3.      Two verses:

a.      Proverbs 24:16

 

For a just men falleth seven times, and riseth up again…

 

b.      Galatians 6:9

 

And let us not be weary in well doing:  for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.

 

III.             DOING VERSUS NOT DOING

 

Doing                                                                         Not Doing

 

Diligence                                                                     Slothfulness

Done                                                                           Undone

Victory                                                                        Defeat

Joy                                                                               Sorrow

High self-esteem                                                         Low self-esteem

Ready for a new task                                                 Still have old task to do

God’s pleasure                                                            God’s displeasure

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    God has given us plenty to do to keep us busy in His service.

1.      Increase our knowledge

2.      Be of service to others

3.      Evangelize the lost

4.      Benevolence to the needy

5.      Responsible member of the local congregation

6.      A soldier in the Lord’s army

7.      A good citizen of our nation

8.      A responsible family member

9.      A diligent employee at work

10.  One who seeks first the kingdom of God

 

B.      Three verses:

1.      Doing is important (Matt. 24:46)

 

Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

 

2.      If we do, the Lord will bless us (Matt. 25:21, 23).

 

His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant:  thou has been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things:  enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

 

3.      When we’ve done all, we are still unprofitable servants (Luke 17:10).

 

So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants:  we have done that which was our duty to do.