What it means to work

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The story of the creation of the garden. In vs 7 God creates man and then the next thing that’s recorded is in vs 8 He creates the garden and puts man there. In vs 15 man is given the task of caring for the garden and in vs 18-22 we see the process of God creating a helpmate for man to assist him with the task of tending the garden.

1.      Since we’ve been tasked with work before the fall, it was a blessing.

2.      Since this is pre-fall man and woman would have eagerly done the work and would have enjoyed it.

3.      One of the purposes of man was to work

4.      To fulfill the Creator’s interests in that work

In a book called “Men Without Work” by Nicolas Eberstadt written in 2016 the percentage of men ages 20-54 who were not working and not looking for work

1.      1965 6% didn’t work

2.      2015 16%

3.      2016 20%

The work week has shrunk

1.      1880’s 60 hrs

2.      1920’s 48 hrs

3.      1940’s 40 hrs

94 million people are not working in the US

What does the Bible say about work?

4 Realities about work

1)     Work is a fact of life

a)     Women

1.      --to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.[1]

2.      

b)     Men

(1)  --         

(2)  --Is not man forced to labor on earth,

And are not his days like the days of a hired man?[2]

2)     Work is a gift from God

a)     

b)     

— Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his breward. Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God[3]

3)     Work is hard

a)     

--For what does a man get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the sun?    Because all his days his task is painful and grievous; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is vanity.[4]

4)     Work has a purpose

- Then I looked again at vanity under the sun. There was a certain man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a grievous task[5]

a)     –It is vanity and a grievous task to work without knowing the purpose.

So what are the biblical purposes of work?

5 Things the Bible says are the practical purposes of work

1)     To eat

a) --A worker’s appetite works for him, For his hunger urges him on.[6]

a)     --All a man’s labor is for his mouth and yet the appetite is not satisfied.[7]

b)     --For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.[8]

2)     To attain wealth

a)     --Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles, But the one who gathers by labor increases it.[9]

b)     -- In all labor there is profit, But mere talk leads only to poverty.[10]

3)     To provide for others

a)     -- He who must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.[11]

4)     So you will sleep well

a)     -- The sleep of the working man is pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep[12]

5)     To stay out of trouble

a)     -- and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you will abehave properly toward outsiders and cnot be in any need.[13]

b)     -- Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you bkeep away from every brother who leads an cunruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to afollow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you; not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example. For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good. If anyone does not obey our instruction ain this letter, take special note of that person band do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but badmonish him as a brother.[14]

People who will not work (from both Thessalonian references above)

·        Don’t behave properly

·        They’re needy

·        Laziness(unwillingness to work)

·        Stealing

·        Undisciplined life

·        Busybody

·        Disobedient

Points of Application

1)     Laziness is a direct affront to God’s design

a)      God put man in the garden to work

b)     Man messed it up by sinning

c)       God sent man out

d)      God drove man out

i)       Tells us that man didn’t want to go

ii)      Man is lazy, he doesn’t want to work

iii)    Prior to the fall, man would have been eager to work

e)     

f)      -- He also who is slack in his work Is brother to him who destroys.[15]

g)     --        “Proud,” “Haughty,” “Scoffer,” are his names,Who acts with insolent pride. The desire of the sluggard puts him to death, For his hands refuse to work; All day long he is craving, While the righteous gives and does not hold back.

i)       There’s a significant difference between the lazy person and the righteous person. The lazy person is a taker and the righteous person is a giver.

2)     Be careful about accepting cultural & political views about work.

a)     Work is a biblical issue

b)     It goes back to the design of the Creator.

c)      It’s not loving to shield people from the reality that if you don’t work, you don’t eat.

3)     Believers, I your work, you need to be excellent.

a)     -- Poor is he who works with a negligent hand,

But the hand of the diligent makes rich.[16]

b)     -- Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men[17]

c)      Evangelism at work starts with a strong work ethic.

d)     Give a full day’s work for a full day’s pay.

e)     Live a life of integrity.

4)     Do your work as to the Lord.

a)     Proverb 16:3-- Commit your works to the Lord

b)     And your plans will be established[18]

c)       & 5

d)     -- Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,[19]

e)     -- For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.[20]

f)       refers back to -- In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the csound doctrine which you have been following. But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.[21]

i)       For what do we labor and strive? Toward spiritual service and discipline.

[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[2] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[3] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[4] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[5] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[6] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[7] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[8] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[9] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[10] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[11] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[12] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[13] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[14] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[15] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[16] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[17] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[18] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[19] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[20] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[21] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.