10 things every Christian should know about work part 2.

Introduction

1: Work is part of God's big picture.

2: The work we do matters to God both today and into eternity.

3: God gives each of us unique skills, gifts, talents, and more, calling us to particular activities.

4: Quality, character, and ethics are crucial to how we do our work.

5: Our work and identity are yoked to Jesus.

You remember the image of a yolk, when a farmer would want to get more power before there was John Deere horsepower he would put a log over the shoulders of two oxen and fasten both of them to this log so that they could both pull at the same time neither one could pull ahead of the other because they were attached to each other and so they could both pull to move the digging utensils forward this was called a yoke.

Everything we do as followers of Jesus Christ refluxed Jesus. When we work with quality and character we pull the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ forward and into more lives. When we compromise or act with laziness we hold back the capacity of the gospel of Jesus Christ to reach and encounter more people.

We must work with the understanding that we are ambassadors of Jesus. We must work with the understanding that the people we are is tied to the message of Jesus.

OK well that was a extensive review. Let's pivot from here to the next five pieces that we are going to unpack today.

OK today I want to be as clear as possible with these last five areas. I know the problem is that I'm just doing an informational dump on y'all. You have just as much opportunity with this method of communication to forget everything I've said and not allow it to affect how you work whatsoever so I need to figure out what I'm going to do about that. Because I want to equip you to be able to use and practice what's being said here. OK I'm going to work through these next five pieces with clarity and try to quickly share what's going on and then pivot to Some sort of applicational piece that you all can use today.

6: Our work should be others-focused... service-oriented.

From what we produce in terms of products and services in how we provide financial rewards and payments and opportunities we are serving all those. Our work is a fantastic opportunity to seek peace in our cities and communities and organizations. Our character needs to be marked by humility and love.

Remember what Jesus said the greatest commandment was? He commanded us to love God with our heart soul and mind and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Fundamental to our identity as believers is another focused love. We are called to love God and to love others.Let's take a look at a few scripture passages that kind of speak into this concept today

2 Corinthians 5:16–21 ESV

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

God has given us a ministry to represent Him to the world. One of the way we do this is by loving the people around us. We serve others and through service we introduce them to Christ.

And you know the coolest truth? When we make our work service oriented, we actually do better in our work. We succeed and profit by being service oriented.

7: God created us for a rhythm of work and rest.

Exodus 20:8–11 ESV

8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

God intends us to take regular times of rest for restoration. In the act of creating God chose to take rest to model for us what we should do. In the Old Testament the Jewish people were commanded by God’s law to take a day of rest every week called Sabbath. From the beginning this was supposed to be a day for restoration and considering your relationship with God. Especially in the early days of the Jewish nation everyone worked agrigculture related jobs. In that kind of situation and throughout much of the ancient world you needed to work almost non-stop to provide. Choosing to take a day of rest was difficult and an act of trusting God.

Isn’t that how rest is today? It’s extremely difficult and stressful at times for me to take time off. I so want to control everything that I want to be present all the time working on things. But taking time off, taking time with family takes a capacity to trust God.

So how about it, do you make time for a regular rhythm of rest with your work?

8: We should allow God to direct how we use our wealth.

1 Timothy 6:17–19 ESV

17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

God has given us everything we have, therefore we must live looking for His guidance with what He has given us.

Acts 2:45 ESV

45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.

The Bible has never taught that all Christians should just surrender all their money to God.

You need money to provide and love your family with.

The church has always had imperfect people leading her.

9: God works through relationships and through the church.

Deuteronomy 6:4–9 ESV

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

God works through people

Acts 2:42–47 ESV

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

God works through people.

10: God has given work to us as a gift.

Ecclesiastes 5:19 ESV

19 Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God.

Conclusion

2 Timothy 2:15 ESV

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV

18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.