Community Covenant Church - Sermons

August 27, 2006

Work

Part #2 –“God’s Grace & the Purpose of Work”

Luke 12:22-34; 1 Corinthians 7:17-24, 1 Peter 1:13-25; Colossians 3:1-4; 22-25

Attention parents! Does this sound familiar?

“I’m bored!”... wait a minute, let me pronounce that again:

“I’m borrrrrrred! .... I have nothing to doooooooooo!”

While this cry is heard throughout the year, it is heard most frequently between the day after summer vacation begins, and remains strong until, Oh.. until next week when school begins again!

You can pick out those who are currently parenting children. They are the ones who look extremely worn out, but have that slight smile-of-hope on the corner of their mouths!

In writing about the boredom of his four children, Ben Patterson, author of Serving God, makes some very astute observations. Although parents can respond to their children’s cries of boredom with a list of things they can do, the usually response is “that’s boring too”.

That’s because, when a child says they’re bored, they are not saying they don’t have something to do. Rather, they are crying out to do something that matters to them. It may not be what matters to you as a parent, but what we are hearing in our children’s cries is that they, like us; like all human beings, want to have something to do that matters, really matters.

And certainly, children are not alone is getting bored. Adults get bored all the time and make changes, searching of something that matters. Adults get bored with their work, they get bored with their relationships.. even their marriages, they get bored with their lives, and they do some crazy things in search of something that matters.. something that will relieve their sense of boredom.

Today I declare my belief that “boredom” is perhaps the most obvious symptom of a world which has lost God’s intent for “work”.

Last Sunday I laid the foundation for a Christian understanding of work; saying that while God created us to experience work as a blessing and a gift, our sin has twisted work into a curse or penalty many people simply endure. But the good news we have been given to share with others, is that through Jesus Christ God offers as salvation & redemption from sin; and one of the most practical ramifications of God’s redemption is that we are given opportunity to once again experience the very work of our hands as a blessing and gift because the work God gives us matters.

We are invited, through God’s work of salvation in Jesus Christ, to leave the boredom behind.... to leave our silly “self-medicating” ways behind us and to discover fulfillment through our willful obedience to God through the work He will give to us. For as we remembered last week; after God created us he described our work, a very “high-level work, to partner in His work by managing His creation. This is our work. As Ben Patterson wrote:

“This is the vocation of every man, woman, boy and girl on the face of the earth. All our jobs, all the things we do to make a living and secure our daily bread, however small – driving a bus, painting signs, answering the telephone, programming computers – can be seen in the light of this command to manage the earth. When we discover that truth for ourselves, we discover both who we are and what is our true happiness.” Citation: Patterson, Ben, Work: Serving God by What We Do, IVP 1994, p. 12.

Next Sunday, in the middle of a three-day-weekend when our nation celebrates “labor”, I am going to stop reflecting on “work”, and emphasize instead our need to rest from our work; to observe Sabbath. Next Sunday we will remember God’s work of creation... six days of work followed by a day of rest; and I will guarantee you that “boredom” will be the last thing on our minds.

Have you ever sensed, when you read of God “resting on the seventh day” after 6 busy days of creating, that He must have been bored? Of course not! As a matter of fact, each day of creation God evaluated His work as “good”. And when the sixth day was over, the Bible tells us that God saw all He had made, and decided that it was “very good”. Is that what you conclude at the end of each workday, and at the end of your work week? Are you satisfied, fulfilled, and happy to take a Sabbath; to enjoy who you? Or, does the boredom of your present work dictate a weekend filled with business, activity, entertainment.... whatever seems to hide the boredom that you’re feeling?

God’s work is not boring, for it is filled with meaning and purpose and a sense of “well-done”. And being created in His image, that is what work can be for us as well, for today....

God calls us back to work which glorifies His image in us, and in so doing restores the blessings of work to human beings.

This morning I offer you a quick list of some of the blessings of such work described for us in scripture.

1. The blessings of purpose.

Esther was a young Jewish woman, born in exile. She had never been to Jerusalem nor worshiped in its Temple. Her family had raised her to know the living God; the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, but she lived in a foreign land among people who did not know God. Through God’s providence Esther becomes queen of this foreign land at a time when the future of the Jewish people looked very bleak. Knowing this, Esther had opportunity to save her people, but it meant risking her own life by going to the King uninvited. The truth of her situation was best described by a relative named Mordecai:

Esther 4:13b-14

...."Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

Would Esther accomplish the work set before her by God?

Would she participate in God’s great work of salvation, or would she leave that for another to experience?

Well, as you know, she did the work set before her. She risked her life and brought her needs to the King, and the Jews were saved by God through Esther.

What would you image Esther felt, after her fear changed to relief as she accomplished the work of God? What do you imagine was felt by:

- Abraham

- Moses

- Joshua

- Rahab the prostitute

- David

- Elijah,

- Peter, James & John?

What do you think was felt by people who participated in God’s work of salvation? It is the same thing we experience when we find ourselves reflecting on an experience where God has allowed us to accomplish His work. Maybe we just

- helped build a home for a poorer family,

- gathered food for the hungry,

- shared God’s love with someone feeling unloved,

- shared the good news of Jesus with someone needing hope,

- brought order into a chaotic situation so that a company can better use it’s resources, or students can better understand algebra, or a family can better understand it’s problems and begin to grow strong in an atmosphere of peace & security,

- helped a family of faith find their footing again in God’s Word; so that they can love God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength, and their neighbors as themselves!

How do we feel? How did Esther feel? We feel excited. We feel as if our lives have purpose. One of the gifts and blessings of working as God created us to work is that we discover we have purpose.... we were created to make a difference, a big difference, when we partner in God’s work.

We also experience

2. The blessing of respect

The Apostle Paul offers some practical advice when he writes in 1 Thessalonians:

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

11Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

Our desire to work to the best of our abilities, accomplishes more than simply “carry our own weight”; work also earns the respect of others. While there are certainly situations where God will provide for the financial needs of others aside from work, when we fail to use whatever great or small abilities God gives us, we fail to earn the kind of respect from others which is vital for life lived in community.

Consider, if you will, America’s dialogue about the “Welfare State”. While the needs of the poor are real, the reality that welfare often supports able bodied people to not work, generates disrespect for many receiving assistance... a disrespect that makes employment even harder. It’s a “Catch-22”, a vicious cycle problem that is obviously hard for today’s leaders to solve; how do you provide for legitimate needs while supporting a healthy work ethic?

(3. The blessing of helping meet the needs of others)

When we use the abilities God gives us to work, we are not only blessed with a sense of purpose and the respect from others, and blessed by self-respect in caring for ourselves, but we will also be blessed by financially participating in God’s work through helping to meet the legitimate needs of others. Paul offered this insight to the church in Ephesus:

Ephesians 4:28

He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

One of the ultimate expression of selfishness is a person willing to risk punishment by stealing something for their own good. But on the other hand, one of the ultimate expression of selflessness; a true reflection of God’s nature, is being willing to work harder so as to share with others in need.

As we are blessed when our work reflects the nature of God’s love for the poor and needy, we are also blessed as our work reflects healthy priorities.

4. The blessing of priorities which decrease anxiety and increase contentment

In a world so caught up in material security, Jesus’ words seem unrealistic, even silly:

Luke 12:22-34

22Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 26Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

27"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

32"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Did you hear Jesus’ calling to keep your priorities straight? Life and work are first and foremost about serving God’s Kingdom. When we do that, our own needs will be met by a God whose creation displays His loving care.

And did you also hear Jesus saying; “Do not worry.” and “Do not be afraid.”? Why? Why keep your eyes on the work of His kingdom, and not on your unmet needs? Because God knows your needs and will provide for your needs.

This same message shouts loud and clear in Jesus’ time of temptation in the wilderness:

Matthew 4:3-4

3The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."

4Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

For me, the Christian understanding of “work” is best summarized in these words of our Lord. When tempted to work toward those things which satisfy earthly cravings, remember to let God’s Word guide your every decision. Trust in Him and discover the blessings of priorities which decrease anxiety and increase contentment.

Finally, let me finish this abbreviated list of blessings we receive when our work reflects God’s image, by mentioning

5. The blessing of Integrity

All around us we see people waffling. So called “reality shows” on television highlight people who break their word, who stab their so called friends in the back in order to get the prize.

But a blessing of working for God is that we will stand out from that which is “real” or “normal” in our world these days.

We will be known as people of our word as we live as people of the Word.

That integrety which is seen by the world, which comes when we wholeheartedly and solely work for God’s pleasure is wonderfully described by the Apostle Paul in:

Colossians 3:17, 22-24

17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him...... 22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

In many ways the Church was at one time as guilty as their world of separating out the sacred from the secular; our spiritual lives from our physical lives. But God began calling his Church back through the 13^th century writings of Thomas Aquinas....a theology of work which was furthered by the Reformers. It lead church leaders like Martin Luther to believe that when we carry out our vocation (secular) in obedience to God’s commands (sacred), then God Himself works through us to accomplish His purposes.

This joining of the sacred and the secular means that God expects us to use our time and talents, our abilities and monies, to successfully and productively manage His creation. It was out of such an inspired theology that the great “Protestant work ethic” took shape, a force which powerfully drove the industrial revolution whereby the standard of living increased tremendously.

And while we are, today, a people blessed by that “Protestant work ethic”, we are also a generation greatly affected by the Enlightenment. Charles Colson gives a lot of thought to this matter in his book How Now Shall We Live, but let me summarize by saying that the Enlightenment replaced the biblical definition of humanity’s divine nature; to love and serve God and neighbor, with a vision that we are merely a part of nature, driven by self-interest and expediency. Today we see more and more that the once powerful Protestant work ethic has morphed from a Christian concept of proper stewardship and service to God, into a creed of personal success. Look around and tell me it’s not so. People are working hard.. they’re working like crazy, but are they working as stewards of God, or are they working solely for personal success?

No wonder people are bored.

No wonder people lack purpose.

No wonder so many fail to earn the respect of others.

No wonder so many lack self-respect.

No wonder people are filled with anxiety about tomorrow.

No wonder they cannot find contentment,

No wonder so many lack integrity.

We have good news to share with out world. God’s salvation has come to us in Jesus Christ, and our redemption includes our work. Today I invite you to accept God’s salvation; to see your work as the management of God’s creation, and to once again experience the blessings of work. AMEN

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (r).