Sermon for Sunday, January 4th, 2026 at First Presbyterian Church at Unionville, NY (BPC)
Old Testament Reading:
[Isaiah 43:18-21 ESV] 18 “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. 20 The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, 21 the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.
New Testament Reading:
[Titus 3:1-11 ESV] 1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. 9 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.
Gospel Reading:
[John 3:16-21 ESV] 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
Sermon Text:
[Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV] 1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience– 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ–by grace you have been saved– 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Introduction
I few years ago I was driving home late at night from Gardner, NY where I had met with our missionary Adam Gordon and the students of the All 4 Jesus ministry. And on the radio on that drive home I heard a song … and isn’t late night radio the best for finding something new! Well, this something new was something old. And it struck me. A great song! And it was a Biblical song. After I got home I made a note of the song.
It took me some time to figure out what the song even was, but eventually I found it online. It was an African-American spiritual called “I Want to Live So God Can Use Me” sung by a man named Willie Eason. He wasn’t the writer the of the song – maybe no one know who wrote it – but he’s the best performer of it that I have found.
It is called:
“I Want to Live So God Can Use Me”
and sometimes alternatives called
“I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me.”
And it repeats that title line with some variation, replacing “live” alternately with “Work”, “Pray”, and “Sing.” And emphasizes those desires, repeating the phrase “Anytime, anywhere.”
I want to Live, Work, Pray, Sing so God can use me, anytime, anywhere.
What a great call to the Christian. Putting ourselves to work for the Lord!
Indeed, we are CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS.
This “creation” is really referring to the “re-creation,” our New Birth, not our first birth. Indeed we have been literally created to be in God’s world, but then even more we have been RECREATED for good works; for good works only are done by those who have been recreated in Lord by His Holy Spirit.
So our sermon today is a call to good works.
I. Justification leads to Sanctification
Now, the Reformation occurred over the doctrine of Justification. And that doctrine – Justification – is the reason why we can never go backwards. It is the most important of doctrines. Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Solus Christus. Our justification is by the Grace of God Alone, through Faith Alone, by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ alone.
But, while this is a doctrine of the utmost importance, we ought not to stop there. Rather, Justification leads us onward. Having been re-created by God we are called to Good Works, great works indeed. So we should desires to live so God can use us, to work so God can use us, to pray so God can use us, and to sing so God can use us.
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Justification leads to Sanctification; and in Sanctification we are called to Good Works.
This is at least part of the answer to the question Francis Schaeffer once famously asked “How Should We Then Live?” You’ve become a Christian; now what?!
In Church History there have been times when it was perceived that other doctrines took exclusive preference and the Christian Life was forgotten about.
There was Pietism in Germany.
And the Great Awakening in America and Britain.
These movements weren’t all roses; there were issues with them no doubt.
But they hit hard on the truth that Christians are called to Good Works; we are called to live a CHRISTIAN life,
I like to say Good Works are GOOD Works. And when it comes to the Christian Life we are re-created FOR Good Works. We are not re-created to sit still, but to TAKE these truths of Christ and have it change our lives and others lives for the better.
II. The Spirit Working in Us
As we go forth doing good works we do not forget about Christ, but always are doing good works in light of Christ and by the power of His Spirit working in us.
Our confession rightly says of Christians: “their ability to do good works is not at all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ. … there is required an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit to work in them to will, and to do, of his good pleasure.”
But while the Spirit works in us, we are not “grow negligent as if not bound to perform any duty unless upon a special motion of the Spirit.” Rather, we “ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in us.”
That is to say, God has given us the opportunities and means to do good works.
So we ought to live so God can use us.
We ought to work so God can use us.
We ought to pray so God can use us.
We ought to sing so God can use us.
III. From Dead to Alive unto Good Works
In our text from Ephesians, Paul says “you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world.”
But God, he says, “made us alive together with Christ.” He indeed did it. “We are his workmanship.”
But this “aliveness” is not unto a stagnant life. We are brought from death to life, “created” in Christ Jesus for Good Works.
An alive person does things. He moves. He talks. He sings.
We Christians are therefore called to LIVE in accordance with that new nature.
A. We ought to live so God can use us.
This means, at least, that we ought to be AVAILABLE, OPEN to opportunities to be of service to the Lord and to man.
And then, not only to be available, but to actually HEED THE CALL. For it doesn’t do a business any good to merely put up a sign that says “open for business” if they don’t then follow through with any business!
Then, we also “ought to live” in such a way that we have reputations that we may be used of the Lord. This is the longest-term work; building a reputation. But it is that good reputation that allows people to trust you; and if they trust you they might listen to you when you proclaim the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
B. We ought to work so God can use us.
Then, we ought to work so God can use us.
Now that “life and reputation” are the longest-term avenues of serving the Lord.
But, not far behind that is work.
If you start work at age 20 and retire at age 65, you’ll have worked 45 years.
Many of us work more than that. I started working at age 14. A neighbor recently told me they started working at age 12. And I’ve got friends in their 80s and 90s that still work in some measure.
So “work” is a long-term avenue to be used of God.
And that is where we have to put our minds – work is a good things, and work is from the Lord. Not only does it provide for us and our families (and keep us out of trouble), we can be used of the Lord in that work. The products we make, the services we provide are all to be done with a Christian spirit, blessing others and glorifying God. What a difference that makes to go to work, knowing that we are working for the Lord.
Indeed I have heard pastors say “I have a great boss.” But we should not think that only workers of the church are working for the Lord, all people indeed when they are doing good works are working for the Lord. I often think of Hebrews 13:2 – “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” That should motivate us to think that our work can be used of God anywhere, anytime.
Even more, Jesus says [Matthew 25:40 ESV] ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
C. We ought to pray so God can use us.
Then, we ought to PRAY so God can use us.
One of the great things about prayer is that it can be done by anyone, anytime, anywhere.
Perhaps you are no longer working.
Or perhaps you’re reputation isn’t great, and might never be recoverable in this life.
Yet, that doesn’t stop you from praying. You can do much good in praying for others. If you are unable to anything else, you can still pray.
So praying itself is a good work.
But also we pray that can might use us for other good works.
And in those words of the song there is that word “so.” We ought to live, work, pray SO God can use us. That “so” helps us to emphasize the MANNER in which we do these things. We ought to pray FERVENTLY, we ought to work INDUSTRIOUSLY, we ought to live FAITHFULLY.
D.We ought to sing so God can use us.
There is one more in the song. We ought to SING so God can use us.
In Song, the Lord has given us a great way to praise his name.
We find enjoyment in music and all its elements. The notes, the tune, the rhyme, the rhythm, but especially in the words. Hearing the truths of the Lord proclaimed in Song is of great comfort to us, and great blessing to our Sanctification.
But there is again that word “so.” We ought to Sing SO God can use us. Sing fervently. This isn’t to say God can’t use us if we aren’t as passionate as another Christians, but it is to encourage us to Sing Unto the Lord and open ourselves to the calling of the Lord to do good works.
We have been blessed with Faith in Christ, but as James says, Faith is dead if it does not produce good works. Indeed those good works do not save us – Christ alone saves — but in our new nature good works are to come naturally, as a healthy tree produces good fruit.
CONCLUSION
Live, Work, Pray, Sing unto the Lord, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
We indeed should walk in them.
Matthew Henry here says “Works do not justify, but the justified man WORKS.”
So we must recognize that merely talking about good works is not doing good works. We ought to actually do them. Not to make excuses, but to carry out the plan of God in us. Indeed God has a purpose for us. He has work for us to do: good works.
The Grace of God frees us from sin, but it also frees us to live according to His Ways, to do Good Works. We are not saved to sit around as if dead, but we are saved to go forth and work mightily for our Mighty God.
God saves us to use us. How will He use you?
Look for those opportunities, live in those opportunities, seek them, pray for them. Do not look for excuses – I don’t have time to do anything for the Lord. I’m not a kind person. I’m busy with kids or a job. Someone else will do it. We are called to good works, period. Wherever we are. The opportunities abound; be Christians; take up those opportunities and do the good works of the Lord.
So let us SO do good works for the Lord all our days.