God Wants to Work Through You: Living as a River, Not a Reservoir
Picture two bodies of water. The first is a river like the Columbia, fed from a source high in the mountains, flowing hundreds of miles and bringing life to everything it touches. The second is a reservoir—pleasant enough for an afternoon, but still, stagnant, and man-made. It doesn't flow anywhere. The difference between the two comes down to a single thing: a source, and whether the water is allowed to move.
In this message from our Transformational Stories series, Pastor Josh used that picture to ask a question worth sitting with: are you a river or a reservoir? God doesn't just want to work in you—He wants to work through you. The real question isn't whether He desires to; it's whether you'll let Him.
The Parable: Workers in the Vineyard
The message walked through Jesus' parable in Matthew 20:1–16. A landowner goes out repeatedly through the day—early morning, mid-morning, noon, afternoon, and even at the eleventh hour—to hire workers for his vineyard. When it comes time to be paid, everyone receives the same wage, regardless of how long they worked. Understandably, those who started at dawn grumble. But the landowner answers:
"I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? … Are you so envious because I am generous? So the last will be first, and the first will be last." (Matthew 20:13–16)
From this parable, the sermon drew out three movements: God's invitation to work through us, a clarification about how grace relates to that work, and the right motivation behind it.
1. God's Invitation: Answer the Call to Go
Notice how the work begins in the parable. The workers aren't out hunting for the landowner—he comes and finds them standing in the marketplace. Likewise, God calls us first. We don't have to track Him down and hope He answers; He has already reached out. Our part is simply to say yes.
That means the qualification God looks for isn't a polished résumé or extraordinary talent. As the message put it, your greatest ability is your availability. And this working "for God" is, at its heart, about people. It echoes Jesus' final words to His disciples:
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:19–20)
Making disciples means helping people come to know Jesus, grow in Him, and then pour into others. You don't need a title to start—you start with your circle. The neighbor, the coworker, the family member who wandered from faith years ago—no one in your life is there by accident.
2. The Clarification: Grace Is Not Dependent on Works
Why did every worker receive the same pay? Because their wages were never really about their labor. It was all a gift. And that's the heart of grace—receiving what we don't deserve. The message named three ways grace changes everything:
It frees you from the pressure of self-salvation. Trying to earn your way to God is a mountain you can't climb. Grace moves you from "I have to earn it" to "I simply receive it."
It means you can be saved now rather than never. Whether you come to Christ as a child, in middle age, or at the very end, He saves. Think of the thief on the cross, who at his final hour heard Jesus say, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). It is never too late.
It leads to more good works, not fewer. Works aren't the foundation of salvation, but they are the fountain that flows from it.
As Paul writes: "For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age" (Titus 2:11–12). The key to godliness isn't grit—it's understanding grace. When you realize you were spiritually dead and God brought you back to life, the natural response is to want to live like the One who saved you.
3. The Motivation: A Humble Heart
The workers who grumbled had a problem deeper than fairness—they had pride. "I worked harder; I deserve more." But the sobering truth is that if we got what was fair, none of us would have anything to boast about. Everything is a gift.
Jesus described the right posture in another parable: "So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty'" (Luke 17:10). The temptation is to use God—to treat our obedience as leverage for the life we want. The invitation is to let God use us, serving out of gratitude rather than negotiation. As the message put it: don't be the number-one draft pick who complains about playing time; be the last pick who's simply glad to be on the team.
Only One Life
The sermon closed with the words of missionary C.T. Studd, who gave up fame and fortune to reach people who had never heard the gospel: "Only one life, 'twill soon be past; only what's done for Christ will last." You have one life, one chance to let God flow through you like a river rather than sitting still like a reservoir.
A Reflection Question
God wants to work through you—but is He? Where is one place this week you could stop consuming and start contributing—one person in your circle you could love, serve, or point toward Jesus?
If you're in Livermore or anywhere across the Tri-Valley and you're looking for a church family where you can know Jesus and be sent out to show His love, we'd love to meet you this Sunday.