Jesus was visiting with a woman at a well, while the disciples went into the village to go to the market to get food. So they are looking after Jesus and they are urging him to eat.

Jesus says something cryptic. “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” They think surely no one has brought him something to eat. So Jesus reminds them his food is to do the will of God who sent him and to complete that work. He tells them to look around and see the fields are ripe for harvesting. He tells them the one who reaps the harvest is ready, the sower and the reaper are rejoicing together. He said he sent them out to reap for that which they did not labor. Others have labored and you have entered into their labor. (John 4:38)

Someone else labored, we reap from someone else’s labor. What a great scripture for Labor Day. When we sit down to eat, we can pause in gratitude for those who grew the food, for those who harvested the food, those who cooked the food, those who processed the food. Those who drove the truck to the grocer. Those clerks who checked us out at the grocery store. Lots of people made it happen. Because we do not live in an agrarian society, we are free to pursue other professions, while someone else provides for our food. We have all benefited from someone else’s labor. Someone invented the air conditioner. Someone else installed it. Someone made the pews where we sit. What a gift, even our comfort is part of someone else’s labor.

John 4:38 is one of the best Labor day scriptures for which we have. We have, just as the disciples have, reaped what others have sowed. We enter into the labor that has already begun.

A pastor friend of mine said to me last week, “It is great to be alive during this time.” He went on to talk about the ability to watch podcast and you tube videos of theologians he once had to travel to see or buy the book and read. We may complain about the difficult days ahead for the church for our world. But there are advantages that we did not even have pre-covid. We are reaping what we did not sow.

The harvest of our Lord’s work has begun. We are privileged to be a part of it.

Here we have a table full of symbols of our work. We have different parts, different jobs. All important. We contribute in many different ways. This day we celebrate you. All that you do. Just at the body of Christ is many parts, the world functions because we contribute our part.

A friend is very busy in her church. Someone said, “You do so much for the church and for the world.” She replied, “Yes, but I am tired.”

Jesus knows us, he just knows us. So, what did he also say, “Come to be all who labor and are heavy laden.” I hope you all have a day off tomorrow. Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden.
28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I humble and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30
Learn from Jesus. Why? Because he is humble and lowly …. That is why we are drawn to him. Take his guidance, learn from Jesus. He is humble and lowly in heart. There we find rest. Not putting more work on our weary bodies, but rest for our souls. The burden Jesus calls us to bear is light, not heavy.
I have a fond memory from my childhood. We had horses and a donkey. We would attach a red donkey cart to our donkey and ride him out in our fields. It was an area full of pine trees known as the big thicket. We would gather pine knots for kindling for our fire place. It was something our family did together. Donkeys are called beasts of burden because they can carry so much. Jesus used this as a metaphor when looking at trying to carry more than our bodies were ever designed to carry.
There is a fascinating scripture in the book of Galatians. To bear each other’s burdens is to fulfill the law of Christ. It also says a few verses later, “Each must carry his own load.” (Galatians 6:2 & 5)
Yes, we have to work. But we also can help each other. Knowing when to help and when to let go is no small feat. It takes prayer and trust in our good God.
We are benefiting from others labor in the harvest of the church. We are also often weary and there we find rest.
If I could say thank you to everyone for your contribution I would. And I hope to keep saying thank you for all you continue to do. Some of what we do goes unnoticed. Sometimes we get our feelings hurt if we feel others do not appreciate our part. It happens in families and yes it happens in church. Maybe Jesus was on to something when he said give and do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Labor and if you forget what contribution you have done, then we may just be on the right track.
There is a verse in the song, “They’ll know we are Christians by our love” that often gets forgotten. “We will work with each other we will work side by side. We will work with each other, we will work side by side, and we’ll guard human dignity and save human pride and they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”
Being able to work gives us dignity. A fair wage gives people who are laboring in ways that we reap, we benefit from their sowing, a dignity and a way to make a living. Media, PA is the first Fair Trade town! That is important and something to be proud about. You are probably familiar with Fair Trade. It is just that, a fair and just wage is given for goods and services.
Many of you are familiar with a hard and disturbing and yet fascinating parable. Jesus tells a story about a group of people who work one hour getting paid the same as those one who worked 12 hours. An interesting detail when asked why are you standing here not working, “Because no one would hire us.” Hmmmmm, interesting point. That parable needs a great deal of pondering. Yet, on this labor day as we long for those working to have dignity, let us remember that piece of information was no accident. Because no one would hire us. Unemployment is a devastating predicament for those longing to be hired. We will guard each one’s dignity and save each one’s pride.
What about sloth you say? Isn’t that one of the 7 deadly sins? Yes, it is. And doesn’t it say, in the book of Thessalonians: “anyone unwilling to work should not eat.”
Yes we can let scripture talk to scripture. But do not forget the next verse:
11 For we hear that some of you are living irresponsibly, mere busybodies, not doing any work. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13 Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.

So instead of complaining, being a busybody, about what is not getting done, do it quietly, earn your own living and not gossiping about someone else. There is work to be done in the church, let us be about it. It reminds me of one of the most human verses in the Bible. After the resurrection Peter looks at John and sees he will not have the kind of death and work he himself will have so he says, “What about him?” And Jesus answers, “What is that to you? You follow me.”

When I think of vocations I can’t help but think of Frederick Buechner’s words:
“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”

I am sure when you were a child many of you thought about what you want to be when you grow up. I hope you found fulfilment in work. We want to honor your work this Labor day. And now, in this stage in your life, if you are weary, take an inventory to see if you are carrying a burden you were never intended to carry.
For remember to come to Jesus. Jesus knows you. Knows what you have done and what you have not done. Jesus is gentle and lowly of heart. Know his burden is light. His yoke is easy.

Happy Labor Day. AMEN.