Doing Good Work for God

MAIN IDEA: We’re called to work worshipfully, lovingly, and in the knowledge that we carry Jesus’ presence.

Head Change:To know that when we do good work for God, we’re not just offering Him the finished product; we’re including Him in our work from start to finish.

Heart Change: To feel grateful that there’s no limit to what God can do through us supernaturally, but that He knows our natural limits and still created us to do good work to bless others and glorify Him.

Life Change: To seek God’s help when it comes to the quality of our work and the way we offer it to others.

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Mark explains that there are two components to doing good work for God: the quality of the work itself, and the quality of the way we do the work and offer it to others. Both good work and good work done well matter to God and to the people we work for.

Which component do you naturally tend to focus on?

Have you ever scuppered a job well done because you delivered the work with a bad attitude?

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Obviously, we need to do quality work for God. Throughout scripture, we see God’s interest in things being done well.

Five times in Genesis 1, God evaluates what He’s accomplished at the end of His working day, and He gives himself a good.

And at the end of the week He looks at the completed project and pronounces it very good.

Would you give yourself a good, a bad, a very good, or an averagefor the work you did today?

Why?

Do you have a job description?

If so, how does that help you know what good (and indeed very good) work looks like in your industry?

Is there one thing you could start doing or stop doing this week to improve the quality of your work?

Whose good quality work are you particularly grateful for?

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Mark points out that if the work is difficult and requires high levels of skill, experience, or strength, then we begin to see big differences in how much work people are able to produce and big differences in the quality.

Do you think you’re good at your job or great at your job?

What does your boss think?

What does your spouse or best friend think?

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Mark retells the parable of the talents to assure you your work doesn’t have to be great to be pleasing to God – unless of course, He created you with the ability to produce great work and you just can’t be bothered.

God knit you together in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139) and while there’s no limit to what He might do through you supernaturally, He knows the limits of your natural ability.

Matthew 25:14–30 NKJV

14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ 26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Why did the Master in the parable trust one of the servants with much more than the other?

Do you think of yourself as a high-capacity person?

Why, or why not?

Share about a time when God worked through you supernaturally, despite your limitations.

Who or what has God used to show you the limit of your strength in a particular area?

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Mark says, ‘God knows how He has made us. The core issue about the goodness of our work is not actually our level of gifting; it’s about what we do with our gifting. And one of the surefire ways to make the most of our gifting is to ask God for His help and His strength as we do it.’

Do you habitually ask God for help on the job, or do you tend to wait for chaos or crisis before including Him in your career space?

What happens when we begin to ask God for His help in the things we can already do or when we’re not under any particular pressure?

Share about a time when God gave you remarkable wisdom, fresh ideas, or a groundbreaking technique for your work because you asked Him.

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Work is something we do for God.

It’s done in recognition of His supremacy and beauty.

It’s a response to His love and an act of worship.

Is this how you think of your job on your daily commute?

If not, why not?

How would you explain to a non-Chrisitan colleague that, for you, to work well is to work worshipfully?

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In Mark 12, Jesus sits down to watch the people bringing their offerings of money to the Temple.

Mark 12:41–44 NKJV

41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”

Whom does Jesus commend?

Why?

What kind of worship offering pleases God?

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We work worshipfully, out of love and reverence for God, and we also work lovingly.

How is the work you do an expression of your love for God?

How is it an expression of your love for your neighbour?

Would you agree that the quality of the relational experience you offer someone through your work matters as much as the quality of your work?

Why, or why not?

Which service provider in your community (barista, librarian, receptionist, doctor…) brings you particular joy and peace of mind whenever you engage with them?

Why?

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As we work worshipfully and lovingly, we also need to remember that the Holy Spirit lives in us if we’re believers in Jesus.

We carry the very presence of the God we work for into every situation.

God is with us, and He is our empowerer, just as He was with Joseph, giving him tremendous favour in Egypt (Genesis 37–50).

Are you aware of the ways God has drawn people to Himself through you, as you’ve manifested His presence in your workplace?

Do you know anyone like Mark’s colleague Ted, from whom God’s presence radiates like a ‘purity forcefield’?

If so, what could you do tomorrow to emulate the way they allow God’s presence to shine through even weakness and distress?

Conclusion:

Psalm 90:17 NKJV

17 And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.