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Aug 17 '08
(A Series of Sermons on Financial Management)
Rev. Erik O. Garthe, Pastor - Edgemere Baptist Church
Message #4 ... August 17, 2008
“Work is Ministry”
Colossians 3:23-24
On May 1, 1991, pitcher Nolan Ryan threw his seventh no-hitter. His unprecedented achievement came at the age of forty-four. He struck out sixteen and walked but two in his nine-inning masterpiece. After the incredible feat reporters flocked to the locker room to hear his "secret." "The secret is that there is no secret," was Ryan's reply. He simply shared his belief in a strong work ethic that was handed down to him by his father. As the media questions continued, he politely excused himself and went to a stationary bike where he began preparing for his next start. "The routine never changes, that's all a part of this," said Ryan. When sports reporter and long-time friend Barry Warner called Ryan at 2:30 a.m., just four hours after Ryan finished his no-hitter, Ryan gave him a fifteen-minute interview. Ryan simply said, "Barry, it was just another day of work. It's 2:30, but I'll be back at the stadium by 9:30 in the morning to start my weight work." (He lifted 70,000 pounds of Nautilus and free weights in a given week and 100,000 pounds a week in the off-season.) The Ranger's pitching coach, Tom House, said, "He does three hours of preparation for every one that anyone else does." Ryan told Warner, "Just because you have a good night doesn't mean you change your routine." The secret of continued success is usually hard work! [Ibid, May 3, 1991, p. 1C]
Over a lifetime, the average person spends 100,000 hours working. Often this work carries some dissatisfaction with it. Understanding scriptural principles that relate to work will help you find satisfaction in your work. It will also place you in a position where the Lord can prosper you.
• God created work for man before sin brought a curse to creation:
In the sinless environment of the Garden of Eden, the first thing God did with Adam was give him work – Genesis 2:15
15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.
After sin entered the world through the fall of Adam, work became much more difficult – Genesis 3:17-19
17 “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. 18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. 19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat …”
What is God’s perspective on work?
a. Work is Necessary, Exodus 34:21
Work is so important that God gave this command: “Six days you shall work ...” And the Apostle Paul wrote, “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10)
b. Work Develops Character
One of the primary purposes of work is to develop our character …
“While the carpenter is building a house, the house is also building the carpenter. His skill, diligence, manual dexterity, and judgment are refined.”
A job is not just a task designed to earn money; it’s also intended to produce godly character in the life of the worker.
See Proverbs 12:24
24 The hand of the diligent will rule, But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.
c. We Work for Jesus, Colossians 3:23-24
Scripture reveals that we are actually serving the Lord as we work:
23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
o Consider your attitude toward work
If you could see Jesus Christ as your boss, would you try to be more faithful in your job? Well, you do work for Christ!
Since we work for the Lord as we labor in the workplace, there are responsibilities that we each bear. Consider a sampling …
I. God’s Responsibilities in Our Work
God gives us our job skills, Exodus 36:1
"… every gifted artisan in whom the LORD has put wisdom and understanding, to know how to do all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, shall do according to all that the LORD has commanded."
God gives each person unique skills and talents. Scripture does not elevate any honest occupation above another.
There is a wide variety of jobs represented in the Bible:
David was a shepherd and a king.
Luke was a doctor.
Lydia was a retailer who sold purple fabric.
Daniel was a government worker.
Paul was a tentmaker.
And Jesus Himself was a carpenter.
God gives us our success, Genesis 39:2-3
Joseph is an good example of God helping a person succeed.
2 The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand.
We have job responsibilities, but we need to realize that it is ultimately God who gives us any success we experience.
God controls advancement, Psalm 75:6-7
6 For exaltation [promotion] comes neither from the east Nor from the west nor from the south. 7 But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts [promotes] another.
As much as it may surprise you, people do not control whether you will be promoted. The Lord controls your success and promotions.
II. Our Responsibilities in Our Work
1. We are to work hard, Ecclesiastes 9:10a
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might ...”
Fred was one of those guys who never came to work late and he never cut out early, but people frequently wondered what he did all day. After extensive research and evaluation by the boss, it was determined that Fred actually did very little work so he was fired. A few days later, one of Fred’s colleagues stopped by to see the boss and said, “I’d like to apply for the vacancy that Fred left.” The supervisor replied, “Fred didn’t leave a vacancy!” [Living Obediently, Brian Harbour, 1992, p. 97]
Scripture condemns laziness, but encourages hard work. Paul was an example of a hard worker “[We] worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you … to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.” (2 Thessalonians 3:8-9).
2. We are not to overwork
Wayne Oates, a long-time professor at Southern Seminary, introduced the world to "workaholism." It was a word he coined in a 1968 article for Pastoral Psychology. A more recent discussion of the subject helps to further define the different types of workaholics:
o Identity Workaholic: work defines your life, so your best energy is spent there.
o The Perfectionist: long hours are required to make every task flawless.
o Approval Seeker: work piles up because you fear saying "no" to others' request for your time and energy.
o Situational Workaholic: long hours are perceived as only a temporary situation that will soon pass--there is always another situation looming, though.
o The Escapist: work provides an escape from painful relationships or other problems.
o The Materialist: an insatiable desire for possessions drives you to increase your workload.
Workaholism has many faces, but it’s still just work out of balance. [Baptist Standard, May 12, 1993, p. 8-10;]
Hard work should be balanced by the other priorities of life. If your job demands so much of your time and energy that you neglect your relationship with Christ or your loved ones, then you are working too much. See Exodus 34:21
21 "Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.
Is the Lord able to make our six days of work more productive than seven days? Yes!
(The Lord instituted weekly rest for our physical, mental, and spiritual health.)
3. We are to honor our employer, 1 Peter 2:18
Godly people always honor their superiors. 1 Peter 2:18 reads, “Servants [employees], be submissive to your masters [employers] with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.”
4. We are to respect fellow employees, Proverbs 30:10
10 Do not malign a servant [employee] to his master [employer], lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.
5. We are to be honest, Daniel 6:4a
4 So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault … nor was there any error or fault found in him.
During some desperate times, a zoo advertised for needed help. A well-built man was rather disappointed to find the only job left was that of impersonating a gorilla. The gorilla had died, and the zoo was expecting some VIP visitors so they needed an impostor. Money was tight, so he took the job. All went well for the first few hours--until the heat started taking its toll. As he tried to swing from one tree to another, he lost his grip and went flying into the lion's den. He immediately started shouting, "Help! Help!" The lion leaned over and said, "Stop that screaming, or we'll both lose our jobs." ["The Lostness of Humankind," Ravi Zacharias, Preaching Today, Tape 118]
6. We are to be faithful, Daniel 6:4b
“Because he [Daniel] was faithful;”
7. We are to pray, Daniel 6:10
10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
Review our primary text …
23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
Commitment: to learn to view Jesus Christ as your boss and be more faithful in your job, so that your employer and fellow employees will see Jesus in you. Other decisions?
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