Blood, Sweat, Tears, and Oil | Zach Martin | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

Blood, Sweat, Tears, and Oil

Fresh Life Church • Oct 14, 2024 • 37 min

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Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

Culture constantly pressures believers to hustle, burn out, and strive on their own strength, but God designed work to be empowered by His Holy Spirit. While Old Testament priests worked tirelessly without rest, Jesus completely finished the work of salvation on the cross and sat down on His throne. Now, as God's royal priesthood, believers are invited to rest in Christ's completed work and slow down to walk in the anointed, good works God has prepared in advance.

Themes

Work and Divine PurposeHoly Spirit AnointingRest vs. HustleThe Finished Work of ChristRoyal PriesthoodRedemption of Personal Skills

Pastor's Points

1.

They had work to do

2.

Jesus finished the work

3.

We have work to do

4.

Welcome the finished work

5.

Welcome the good work

Key Points

1.
God intentionally designed work as part of human purpose before sin entered the world, making labor inherently good and built into our DNA.
2.
The fall in Genesis 3 corrupted humanity's experience of labor, transforming purposeful work into painful, exhaustive striving.
3.
Culture promotes burnout through relentless hustle, whereas Jesus invites believers into a light burden and an easy yoke.
4.
In Exodus 30, God provided a specific formula for sacred anointing oil, symbolizing the Holy Spirit's presence equipping His servants.
5.
In the Old Testament, priests performed continuous, unceasing sacrifices, but Jesus sat down at the right hand of God because His sacrifice fully finished the work.
6.
Through faith in Christ, believers are no longer ordinary people, but a royal priesthood called and unified to declare God's excellence.
7.

Sermon Moments

“God made the work first and then made Adam—God prepared the work for him to do and had just the right person for the job.”

“The Old Testament Tabernacle had no chairs because the priests' work was never done, but Jesus sat down in heaven because His work is finished.”

“Culture tells us to hustle and exhaust ourselves, but Jesus promises that His yoke is easy and His burden is light.”

“If an engine needs oil to prevent friction and seizure, we cannot expect to fulfill God's calling without the anointing oil of the Holy Spirit.”

“God redeemed Bezalel's craftsmanship skills—once used in Egypt—for the holy construction of the Tabernacle, showing God redeems our past experiences for His kingdom.”

“When fresh oil is poured on a road, a sign warns you to drive 5 mph; similarly, walking in the Holy Spirit requires us to slow down our pace.”

This Week

Slow down your daily pace to walk with Jesus and the Holy Spirit rather than constantly rushing through life.

Stop trying to achieve spiritual worth or salvation through endless hustle, and rest in Christ's completed sacrifice on the cross.

Inventory your background skills and experiences, trusting that God can redeem and repurpose them for His kingdom work.

Foster active unity in your local church community, recognizing that divine anointing flows through God's people working together.

Prioritize spiritual rest by mentally "sitting down" in the assurance of Jesus' finished work whenever anxiety or striving takes over.

Be intentional in daily interactions to notice, slow down for, and extend Christlike compassion to those around you.

Consciously welcome both the finished work of salvation in Christ and the specific good works God has prepared beforehand for you to walk in.

Remember This

Stop exhausting yourself in culture's hustle; instead, rest in Jesus' finished work on the cross and walk slowly with the Holy Spirit in the good works God has prepared for you.

A Challenge for You

Hold out your hands, take a deep breath in God's presence, and ask Him for the courage to slow down, walk in the Holy Spirit's oil, and rest in Christ's finished work rather than slipping back into the hustle.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.