Tests Faced By Employees
The Tests Of Life • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Over the last several weeks we have been looking at various tests we as Christians will face.
This evening we are going to take a moment to focus on something most everyone is familiar with or will be familiar with in their lifetime.
Today, we are going to look at “Tests Faced By Employees.”
Certainly, no one would argue that God has expectations concerning humanity and working?
From the first book of the bible to the last book of the bible we see God’s expectations concerning humanities work.
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”
Work is certainly something that is commanded by God.
10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
However, there is that age old question of Solomon that always hangs in the air.
22 What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? 23 For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity.
The answer to what it can feel like one gets from “all his labor” is a headache sometimes.
Being an employee can and often does bring about headaches.
Employers are worried about paying bonuses, benefits, liabilities, working conditions, and the like.
Employees are worried about living from paycheck to paycheck, getting along with co-workers and bosses, or how long they will be able to keep their job.
To be a Christian employee can have it’s own headaches for sure.
Worrying about how to cope with men and women that are secular amongst other things.
Statics show us that about 40 percent or more of people’s waking hours is spent on the job.
How Christians spend those ours, depends on them.
Are we spending them frustrated or having a sense of fulfillment?
Let’s take a moment this evening, now to dive into this important test we all face.
Work & The Old Testament
Work & The Old Testament
God Expected People To Work Back Then
God Expected People To Work Back Then
As I already pointed out God expected Adam to work even when he placed him in the Garden of Eden.
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
This didn’t change when he and Eve sinned and was kicked out of the garden.
17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Under the law of Moses everyone was expected work.
We see this implied in one of the ten commandments.
8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work
In the great book of Proverbs the lazy person is told to learn from and mimic the hard work of the ant.
6 Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. 7 Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, 8 she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.
Over and over in the proverbs, work is commended and laziness is condemned.
9 Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.
15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.
Work was not only expected under the Law of Moses but we see it was supposed to be a satisfying and integral part of one’s life.
12 Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.
23 In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.
22 So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?
Summary
Summary
In the Old Testament this is what we find but what about…
Work & The New Testament
Work & The New Testament
God Expects People To Work Today Too
God Expects People To Work Today Too
In the New Testament we find just what we found in the Old Testament concerning the expectation of working.
In fact, the apostle Paul would go so far as to say to the men…
8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
It’s no wonder Paul would tell the Christians in Thessalonica…
10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
I’m afraid to say that if the great apostle Paul was placed in charge of our social services here in America he would not be a very popular guy.
Now to be clear there is an implication here in “willing not to work” meaning that one is actually “able to work.”
Those disabled, sick, or elderly certainly are not expected in this commandment.
Now of the man that is “unwilling to work” who “could very well work” Paul says.
14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed.
It is one thing to know what God expects from us, but it is another to apply that knowledge considering the worrying and headaches that can occur as a result of working.
So with that in mind if we are at work…
How Do We Handle Trails With Our Job?
How Do We Handle Trails With Our Job?
By understanding who we represent as Christians at our job.
We are God’s representation to all of humanity.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
How else do we handle being a Christian employee?
By understanding we are seeking to please God not man.
Working for God means we work in such a way to be pleasing to God most importantly.
22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.
Working for God means we work in such a way as to be the hardest workers possible.
23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
Working for God means we work in such a way as to be as peaceful with our fellow laborers as possible.
18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
Working for God means we working with a good attitude even when things are tough.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
How do we handle being a Christian employee?
By understanding that we cannot escape reality; Christians are promised to suffer through trials and tribulations.
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted
Summary
Summary
Because we are promised trails will come our way, before we get bent out of shape, we should ask ourselves a question.
What lesson can I learn from the trial I am dealing with at work?
This not only puts these anxieties in perspective, but often reminds us who is in charge, who has our back “God,” and who we can count on during these times (Romans 8:31).
Conclusion
Conclusion
If you find yourself struggling at your job, no matter what your job is, remember that there is always an intended result of the trials we are going through.
If we are being unjustly treated at our job, maybe we need to learn how to have peace during difficult circumstances.
If we are board or discouraged at our job, maybe we need to learn perseverance.
If we are struggling with poor performance at our job, maybe we need to learn dependability.
Now, before we end this I want to point something out.
The work people do is not always the same, and the work expected of men is different than that of women.
With that said, everyone has a job or work we are expected to do and everyone is going to have trails in that job.
These principles will should help us all navigate these ups and downs of our jobs and help us work ever harder for the Lord.
Invitation
Maybe there is someone here tonight struggling with the proper motivation or dealing with various trials from their job.
Let this family be of help to you.
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent
33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
32 Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
