Video Links For This Sermon
What More Could I Have Done? - Part One
What More Could I Have Done? - Part Two
What More Could I Have Done? Part Three
What More Could I Have Done For You, Than I have Not Already Done?
by Pastor Mark Taylor
What more could have been done to My vineyard, That I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, Did it bring forth wild grapes? Isaiah 5:4
Our Lord has described His relationship with you in many different ways. He has called you His friend. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” John 15:13-14. He has called you to a special position in His service. “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
In our text verse today, God is comparing you to a place He has invested a lot of time and work to receive something in return. God is asking a question: “What More Could I have Done for You, That I have Not Already Done?” to receive something good from you in return.
Many Christians today have disappointed God with the fruits of their lives. Instead of producing the fruit of the Spirit, they have produced sour grapes in their lives. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23.
Many people have given excuses on why they are not serving the Lord with their whole hearts which is a commandment we have received. “Jesus said, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment.”
Isaiah 5:4
Matt.22:37-38. Many others have failed to show their love for others in deeds and actions.
When God looks at your life, what does He see? He wants you to know that it really matters to Him. Actions such as reading your Bible, praying, attending Church, ministering to others in need, are good fruits that a Christian should always produce.
Jesus put it this way: “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.” Luke 6:45.
What more could God have done for you than to give you the desire and ability to bring Him good fruit?
He has provided a way for you to receive forgiveness of your sins through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. Do you know of anyone else that cares that much for you? “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:7-8.
“What More Could I have Done for You, That I have Not Already Done?”
What more could God do for you than to reveal to you the opportunity to receive eternal life? God has given you clear instructions in His precious Word - The Holy Bible. “Ifyouconfesswithyourmouththe Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9-10. This opportunity is offered to anyone who wants to follow God and will live a life pleasing to Him. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved” Romans 10:13.
What more could God do for you than to provide you with the ability to communicate with Him? “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Luke 11:9-10.
What more could God do for you than to give you other Christians to help you learn about the love of God? “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. I John 1:7. He has given you a Church, a body of believers who can encourage you to live for God.
What more could God do for you than to give you all the things you need? He has given you the resources of prayer and protection. “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:31-32
What more could God do for you than to provide for you an eternal place to be with Him? “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’shousearemanymansions;ifitwere not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14: 1-3. You will spend eternity some place. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be with God and all those people who love Him and are already with Him?
God has done a lot for you and in return He is expecting to see good fruit for all the time and energy He has put into your life. A relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit is more than just mentally believing that they exist. It is a relationship. “But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you not know, O foolish person, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:18-20.
God has given each of you gifts and abilities that can glorify Him and be a blessing to others. God has done His part and I don’t know of anything else He can do to show His love for you. The question then becomes: “God, What more can I do for you?”. Let that be your prayer and He will show you many ways to receive blessings from Him and be a blessing to others. Everything you do today for the Lord will count for Eternity. “Set your affections (mind) on things above, not on things on the earth.” Colossians 3:2
