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We are delighted with the sweet invitation, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour," &c. We sometimes forget that the same Saviour invites us also to labour. "Go, work in My vineyard."

I. WORK —

1. Strengthens faith (John 7:17). Christian experience fortifies against infidelity. The man of scientific ability cannot convince me, against my years of experience, that water is unwholesome, or that its Creator is a blunderer.

2. Strengthens spiritual life. The little child craves activity quite as much as food. Such a child may be never so well fed, and clothed, and sheltered, yet, if it have not opportunity to exercise, it will be a dwarf. So work is a means of spiritual development and growth to every child of God.

3. Purifies the life. Society is kept pure by activity, just as the ocean and atmosphere are kept pure by the winds and waves. The Church in which all minds and hands are busy planning and executing will not have time to criticise, complain, or gossip.

4. Employment and enjoyment go hand in hand. The working Church is the happy Church, and the happy Church helps to keep members from backsliding.

II. TOGETHER. We may say this is the difficult problem. There are so many wills and tastes — so great difference in culture and habit — that "working together" is almost impracticable.

1. And yet when we look at the Christian at the time of surrender, it will not seem so difficult. Every true convert begins the service of the Lord with the question, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? "and this becomes the first, middle, and ending question of the converted man's life. He becomes a member of the body of which Jesus Christ is head. As the members of a human body are controlled by the will — the head — so must be also the members of Christ's body. No jealousies between such members. No complaining one of another, but each bearing the burden assigned.

2. And then nothing will help to unite workers so much as a high appreciation of the work to be done. One soul is worth more than all the world beside, and millions perish daily for lack of the bread of life.

3. In view of the fact that Jesus prayed that His disciples might be one.

III. WITH GOD. No man has a right to engage in a work in which he cannot ask God's presence and blessing. Much more must we realise God's presence and blessing in the advancement of His kingdom. We may be sure that God will not allow the Son's mission to fail. "Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it."

(R. Moffett.)

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KJV: For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

WEB: For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's farming, God's building.