1. INTRODUCTION:
   
   
1. SCRIPTURE: II Timothy 2:15 = "Study to shew thy self approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
   
   
2. THIS VERSE OPENS THE DOOR FOR SOME SERIOUS PERSONAL CONSIDERATION.
   
   
2. DISCUSSION:
   
   
1. THAT GOD EXPECTS ALL OF US TO BE "A WORKMAN".
1. Christ has never ceased to work from the beginning, and He wills that we all should be co-workers with Him in carrying out God’s Will.
1. Jesus at the age of twelve (Luke 2:42-52). Note verse 48-49, Christ is responding to a question asked by Mary His mother and says, "…How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business."

COMMENT: What was that business?

1. The salvation of the world. John 3:16-17 = "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."
2. Jesus finished His part. John 17:4 = Jesus said in His prayer to God, "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do."
3. Jesus left the continuation of the Lord’s business in the capable hands of those selected men known as the apostles. The four gospels of Matthew, mark, Luke and John gives us the calling of these men to follow him. There names are listed in Matthew 10:2-3; and
   Luke 6:13-16.
2. The apostles were to continue on with the Lord’s work, when Jesus returned to heaven after His resurrection, as the Word which God had given to Christ, He had given to them ( John 17:8 &
   John 17:14).

COMMENT: The Word give to the apostles by Christ was to be kept exactly as the Lord spake it, by the Holy Ghost whom the Father would send to them for that purpose (John 14:26). The Holy Ghost working with them to confirm that which they spake as "God’s power of salvation" (Romans 1:16); "…Which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the holy Ghost, according to his own will?" = Hebrews 2:3-4.

1. The church is God’s workshop in which His co-workers are:
2. Those which "…The Lord added to the church daily …" (Acts 2:47)
3. Those whose sins have been forgiven (washed away) (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16).
4. Those workman that have been raised from baptism to walk in newness of life
   (Romans 6:3-6, Romans 6:11-13).
5. Those that carry out God’s Will in his workshop "…handling aright the word of truth." (II Timothy 2:15).

NOTE: That means that in His workshop you do things His way:

1. "…Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven’ (Matthew 6:10).
2. There is not two masters in the Lord’s workshop. (Matthew 6:24).
3. If we are going to call Him Lord, then do the things which He says. (Luke 6:46).
6. It was for these also that Christ prayed. John 17:18-21 = "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me."
2. The Lord expects every disciple to do his duty, and that involves honest, diligent helpful work ; -- Work that the Lord has so many times pointed out to us in the New Testament.
1. God will give to every man according to his work. (Revelation 22:12).
2. Every man is to prove his own work (Galatians 6:4).
3. The work is be done "with your own hands" (I Thessalonians 4:11).
4. The effectual working together enables the body to be fitly joined together in love (Ephesians 4:16).

COMMENT: We could spend endless hours discussing the "Being ready unto every good work"
(II Timothy 2:21); And that the faithful will be dedicated workers for the Lord (James 2:14, James 2:17, James 2:20, James 2:26).

3. The Bible instructs us:
1. We need to "go on unto perfection" (Hebrews 6:1); which is possible only through the doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction of God’s inspired Word "that the man of God maybe perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works" (II Timothy 3:16-17).
2. This requires our "pressing (working) toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14).
3. We can not allow ourselves to become "…weary in well doing" (II Thessalonians 3:13).
   
   
2. THAT THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE OBSERVING OUR WORK:
1. This is implied in the words "…approved of God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, …"

Proverbs 15:3 = "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good."

2. We can not escape God’s notice of our conduct and work each day.

Revelation 3:15-16 = "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." (Read Psalms 139:1-12).

3. It is to our benefit that we are aware that God is watching, otherwise we very likely might not be working faithfully.

Revelation 20:12 = "And I saw the dead, small and great stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."

COMMENT: A person that does not recognize any judge, or overseer, of his work other than his fellow man, will lose the highest incentive of faithful service.

3. CONCLUSION:
   
   
1. THAT WE WILL NOT BE ASHAMED OF THE QUALITY OF WORK DONE.
1. I John 1:8-10 = "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."
2. Let us not be ashamed:
1. "Ashamed of the gospel" (Romans 1:16).
2. Ashamed to suffer as a Christian. (I Peter 4:16).
   
   
2. IF WE LET THE LORD ABIDE IN US, WE CAN HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO BE PROUD OF THE WORK WE HAVE DONE AT THE JUDGMENT.

Philippians 4:13 = "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

Galatians 2:20 = "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ which liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."

I John 2:24 = "Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father."

3. CONFIDENCE COMES ONLY BY BEING IN CHRIST.
1. Am I a child of God?
2. Am I a faithful child of God?
3. If I am not a workman in His vineyard, I will not receive any of his blessings (Matthew 20:1-16).
4. Only those that endure in the work unto the end "shall be saved" (Matthew 10:22).
5. The lord says, "…Be thou faithful unto death, and I will giver thee a crown of life"
   (Revelation 2:10).
   
   
4. HAVE I MAINTAINED GOOD WORKS?

Titus 3:8 = ""This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men."

COMMENT: Let us never forget our opening passage and we will never be an ashamed workman of God. II Timothy 2:15 = "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

 

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