Best Day Ever - Work Up

Best Day Ever • Sermon • Submitted 7 years ago

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There are 24 hours in a day. That is 1440 minutes and 86,400 seconds that we can invest. Imagine if we invested our entire day in following Jesus. What would that look like? How would our lives be different? In this three- part series, DAY, Lead Pastor Mark Hunnicutt will build a biblical case for dedicating three parts of your DAY to Jesus in order to move into a more dynamic relationship with Him.

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Best Day Ever

Intro/Me: I’m loving this series. This is one of the most practical studies I’ve ever done. What does my day suppose to look like? I have 24 hours, 1440 minutes, 86,400 seconds in a day. How do I make every day my best day ever? How do I make my day count?

I’m a Christ follower. To follow Christ I understand that I’m to step with him every second, min, hour, day. My destiny and desire is to become like Jesus and the more I compete with that the more miserable I become and the more drama is in my life. The more I complement that process the more fulfilled and the more peace that I have and devotion is in my life.

So my day as a Christian is designed to look up not in. My BEST DAY EVER will be an upward stare not a downward spiral. I want to look at three segments of our day.

Wake Up

Work Up

Wrap Up

In my theological research this week about work I’ve listened to some country songs about WORK -

It’s 5 o’clock somewhere

Working man blues

Take this job and shove it

There doesn’t seem to be a lot of BEST DAYs EVERs that include work. When I wake up and get with God before I get with others it sets the pace and rhythm of my day.

The toughest part of my day is the working hours. The hours between morning and night. The hours when I bump into people and encounter situations beyond my control.

We: If we had a frustration meter that we could plug in at the end of the day and it read our frustration levels throughout the day it would read the highest for most of us during these hours. We can pretty much control the waking up and wrapping up hours. We can create nice safe environments and set up comforts and protection. But, the 9 to 5 seems to have encounters that frustrate us. Those times when it is most difficult to follow Christ.

This inward frustration leads to 2 wrong work views…

Pain Perspective – Life is just horrible because of work. If Painful Pam had a better job, then life would be better. Can’t stand the people, her position and really dreads getting up and going to work.

Party Perspective - This perspective see work as an means to an end. Party Pete shows up for work right on time and can’t wait for 5pm! And 5, 5pms equal the weekend! Whooo!!! Then this cycle starts all over again.

Both of these perspectives are whining perspectives. We are not created to whine.

At work we need to look up and when we look up we can have the right perspective which is…

Platform Perspective – Work is a platform to leverage the Good News. Platform Paul uses every opportunity to be a light for Jesus and serve others.

Arg: Easy for you to say preacher. You don’t know my work environment. You don’t know the people I’m around for 8 hrs. You’ve are out of touch with the real world.

Your right! But where do you put lights? In dark places to shine the light of Jesus. You have a platform that I don’t have. You were created to shine as a follower of Jesus. You should shine the brightest in the darkest places.

What do we need to do? We need to work up!

We need to worship at work.

We need to give God all 7 days. We don’t need to wake up, remember the principle get with God before getting with others, and then step out the door and look down and forget God. That seems to be a problem in some of our lives. It is easiest to go from 9 – 5 without really thinking about God if we are not carful. Every job that a Christ follow holds is a platform to build God’s kingdom. We all are exactly where God wants us at this time to bring Him glory and grow His Kingdom!

Our whole 24 needs to have an upward focus...

God: At the start of Jesus’ ministry in we see Jesus extremely busy. Jesus woke up with intent to get with God before He got with others.

35 Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.

Mark 1:35 NLT

35 Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.

We need to get our direction from God before getting with others. It increases the devotion and cuts down the drama.

Jesus’ incredible work was a result of this pattern and principle in his life. He didn’t depend on supplements He went to the source. Isolated = wilderness deprived of the aid and protection of others, especially of friends, acquaintances and kindred.

His work was a result of starting his day at the source of his strength. He didn’t go the temple, He didn’t have “Steps To Success” by Nicodemus tucked under his arm. He got to where it was just God. He drew every bit of his esteem and essence from God.

Supplements are good but Jesus didn’t rely on supplements. They will make your work weak. They will make your work shallow.

Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.

Psalm 143:8 ESV

8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

Trans: Three comprehensions will help us worship as we work. God is pre-work and wants us to be productive. God’s people have a purpose that should push our work day. God’s people have a perspective that should power our work day.

Principle – worship while you work.

God Is Pro-Work and Wants You To Be Productive

We need to understand biblical productivity. We are designed to be productive. We are not designed to be slugs but stewards. Our goal is not to see how little we can do it is to see how much we can do with what God has blessed us with.

He doesn’t want us to be materialistic consumers that just take up space on this earth He created. We have a place and a purpose and work is part of our journey.

There is a misconception floating around that work is a result of the sin of Adam and Eve. That the Garden of Eden was some kind of spa that they laid around all day and did nothing. , pre fall, explains that man was to cultivate the earth.

Because of sin, , work became harder and people used it to exploit and oppress others.

You are not working as a result of sin. The frustration is a result of sin. Bottom line: Work is not a sin!

This doctrine of work is dotted throughout the Bible…

Exodus 20:9 NLT

9 You have six days each week for your ordinary work,

23 Then people go off to their work, where they labor until evening.

Psalm 104:23 NLT

23 Then people go off to their work, where they labor until evening.

3 Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary…

Mark 6:3 NLT

3 Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.

10 Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.”

2 Thessalonians 3:10

2 Thessalonians 3:10 NLT

10 Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.”

2 Thessalonians 3:10 ESV

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.

If we are capable of work God intends for us to be productive…

Ill – Three men sitting in boat and an angel appears.

The first man had thick glasses that hindered his work. The angel told him to take off his glasses and throw them into the water. He did and the angel touched him and he had 20/20 vision. I can see I can go back to work.

The second man had a bum leg that hindered him from working. The angel told him to take his walking cane and throw it in the water. He did and the angel touched him and his leg was better. His leg was strong and he could go back to work.

The third man had on a back brace. The angel said take off the brace and throw it in the water. He looked at the angel and said, “don’t touch me I HATE work.”

App: it is not God’s will for you to sit around and do nothing 6 days a week. We are designed to be productive. We are made to work and then rest. As His creation He wants us to worship as we work.

Trans: Three understanding we help us worship as we work. Understand that God is pro-work and wants us to be productive in our work day.

2. Have A Purpose That Pushes Your Work Day

Mark 1:36 NLT

36 Later Simon and the others went out to find him.

Mark 1:

Jesus, after getting with God before getting with people, was confronted with a choice. His fame was building. He could have been a rock star. He could stay there based on materialism, fame and popularity or he could move on based on the bigger picture.

Jesus selfless purpose pushed his day. He decided to move on because of his purpose not popularity. Purpose pushed his actions.

Ill – What happens if you are driven by a selfish purpose? It leads to emptiness. King Solomon testifies to this wrong pursuit.

Ecclesiastes 4:4 NLT

4 Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:4 ESV

4 Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

App: If your purpose is selfish you can’t get enough. Whatever your job make sure it is not about you. If you are in the business just for you, you are in a mighty small business.

So I want my work day to end being productive in my priorities.

Jesus selfless purpose pushed his day. He decided to move on because of his purpose not popularity. Purpose pushed his actions.

Ill – What happens if you are driven by a selfish purpose? It leads to emptiness. King Solomon testifies to this wrong pursuit.

Trans: Three comprehensions will help us worship as we work. God is pre-work and wants us to be productive in our work day. God’s people have a purpose that should push our work day.

4 Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

3. Have A Perspective That Powers Your Work Day

Perspective is a powerful thing. Let me give you two concerning authority and attitude.

Do You Have The Right Perspective About Authority?

The church at Ephesus had the wrong perspective about authority. Paul corrects them with this word…

Ephesians 6:5–9 NLT

5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. 6 Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. 7 Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 8 Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free. 9 Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Don’t threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and he has no favorites.

Do You Have The Right Perspective About Attitude?

9 Slaves must always obey their masters and do their best to please them. They must not talk back 10 or steal, but must show themselves to be entirely trustworthy and good. Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way.

Titus 2:9–10 NLT

App - God is our boss! It doesn’t matter what man is placed in authority over us. God is the one we are working for! If I have a problem with authority then I have a problem with God. When I understand that it should readjust my attitude concerning work.

We can’t do anything about the people in authority over us. We can do something about our attitude.

Ill – A whining perspective says, “I hate my boss and making widgets.” People see us as God’s people and form the wrong opinion because of our wrong perspective. Being a Christ follow is not attractive because we are miserable just like they are.

A worshipping perspective says, “I love my boss, Jesus, and I’m going to be productive. People then see us and determine that there is something different and flavorful about our lives. Our lives become salty. This perspective about authority and attitude is very attractive.

Trans: Three comprehensions will help us worship as we work. God is pre-work and wants us to be productive in our work day. God’s people have a purpose that should push our work day. God’s people have a perspective that should power our work day.

Conc: In your 24 what is your work view?

Painful Pam – working but whining.

Party Pete – working for the weekend.

Platform Paul – worshipping while working.

Only one of these views works up. The platform view uses work to build God’s Kingdom. The worship view understands that we all have been place in the work place for a purpose and we need to have the right perspective.

Ill - The story is told of a man who was taking a walk down a road, when he came across a stone quarry in which a number of men were working. They were cutting stones for a building being built in town. He questioned several of them about what they were doing.

The first replied irritably, ‘Can’t you see? I’m cutting a stone with this pick.’

The second answered without looking up, ‘I’m earning a paycheck.’

But when the same question was put to the third man, he stopped, put his pick down, stood up, stuck out his chest and said, ‘If you want to know what I’m doing, I’m cutting stone that will be used to build a church .’

So it is a matter of perspective. The first man could not see beyond his pick, and the second beyond his Friday paycheck. But the third man looked beyond his pick and his paycheck to his purpose. He was co-operating with the architect. However small his particular contribution, he was helping to construct a building for the worship of God. Work is worship, provided that we can see how our job contributes, in however small and indirect a way, to the forwarding of God’s purpose for mankind.

Imagine how the Kingdom of God will grow if we all understand that we are to use our work as a platform to glorify God and grow His Kingdom. God has us placed all across this region to be attractive. He wants us to have the right perspective and to work on purpose and with passion. Let’s worship as we work.

When you park at work Tuesday - #BCCBestDayEver I’m going to worship while I work.

Next Move Prayer: Will you commit to a NEXT MOVE today. I desire to see you move into a more dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ.

First Move Prayer: For some of you your NEXT MOVE into a more dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ will be a FIRST MOVE. If you’ve never asked Jesus to be the forgiver of your sins and the leader of your life I want to give you that opportunity today. Sinner’s prayer. Repeat.

Would you lift your hand right now and say, “I asked Jesus to be the forgiver of my sins and the leader of my life.”