Sharpen Your Faith Serving God in our Employment Paul T. Quelet April 1, 2007 1
Work First Given by God In the very beginning, what do we note about God s actions and work? God was originally a creator in the beginning. Thus, since we are made in the image of God (Latin phrase: imago dei), we are creators of things. We are finite copies of an infinite God. It is intrinsic to us that we must keep creating, shaping, and 2 structuring things our entire lives.
Work in Genesis (cont.) When sin entered the world, what happened to the nature of work? B. The fall of humanity caused the and the ground to be cursed. Work became hard after the entry of sin. Note that the ground was cursed and not work itself. How can work be redeemed? C. Read 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 19 and Ephesians 2:10. 3 We are to take this broken world and set it right.
The Vocation Distortions Sometimes we have something called the Catholic distortion. This basically says that jobs in ministry are of a holier calling. Sometimes we have something called the Protestant distortion. This says that vocation is completely secular so that spiritual life is completely separated out from work. How do we see these distortions making their way 4 into our society?
It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred or secular, it is why he does it. A. W. Tozer 5
Limited Productivity? Overwork? The plain truth is, many Christian men miserably fail in their work ethics either because of sloth or overwork or, ironically both. R. Kent Hughes 6
Limited Productivity? Overwork? What are questions can we ask to know if we are keeping work balanced? What activities that we do match our priorities? What important things do we neglect at the expense of what is urgent? 7 What is vital? What is good?
Men, for the sake of living, forget to live. Margaret Fuller 8
Job Contentment When I was younger, I aspired to a big pulpit in a big city making a name for myself. What I got instead is a small pulpit in a big city, making lots of friends. Sometimes what we think we need isn t what we need at all. Phillip Gulley 9
Job Contentment How is job contentment related to our needs and wants in life? Job contentment comes down to not getting what you want,, but redefining what you need. There is a big difference between perceived 10 greatness and greatness through servanthood.
Job Contentment (cont.) How do we have integrity and consistency in ourselves and our work? The consistency and integrity in our job comes in when our eyes see our hands doing what God has put in our hearts. God always prioritizes who we are becoming before what we are doing because we only will be content when we are doing what is burdened on our hearts as vital. It has been said that there are certain parts of every job we will not enjoy. How do we overcome this? (Read Ecclesiastes 5:19) We need to let the part of our job that we do like shine through who we are, knowing we are serving God. One of the greatest gifts from God is the enjoyment of our work. 11
Nothing is work unless you d rather be doing something else. William James 12
Finding Your Job Calling A. Serve where we are gifted.. (Read Exodus 31:6.) We express faith that God has lead us to a job when we find that He has equipped us to do it well. God made us with a specific design, with personality, talent, abilities, interests, etc. that can be used vocationally. Since God crafted us in a unique way, the best job for us is where our design meets a job that needs our abilities. B. Pursue that which benefits others.. (Read 1 Corinthians 10:24) The most noble callings are those aimed at the common good, and not only our own good. C. Note the increase of your influence.. (Read Psalm 144:1) God gives us our strength to quicken and sharpen our job skills. God does not want to give us a calling and let us alone to struggle through it. If God has called us to a certain business, then He will 13 continue to expand our sphere of influence there.
The glory of God is man fully alive. Saint Irenaeus 14
Attitudes that Transform Work Read Colossians 3:22-25. 25. What kinds of things does the passage remind us about that we know? A. Going beyond expectations. If we do only what is required of us, we are slaves.. If we do more than is required of us, we are free people. Contentment means that we redefine our boss: God, then a person. B. Understanding job ownership. Contentment means that we redefine our role. We do not own our equipment, work, company, task group, etc. We are only 15 stewards of what God has entrusted to us.
Attitudes that Transform Work (cont.) C. Wholehearted service. (see Romans 12:11) The reason we should never only work when people are watching us is because we know God is always watching! work work with enthusiasm D. Enduring mistreatment.. (1 Peter 2:18-21) 21) Unfairness will come to us in this world. Mistreatment is to be expected for the Christian. What are we going to do about it? E. Humble service. (See Philippians 4:11) Being humble means that we don t flaunt our job success while also not grumbling when we are struggling. Contentment is a 16 deeply seeded trust in God.
There s no labor a man can do that s undignified if if he does it right. Bill Cosby 17
Ministering to Others in Employment See Daniel 1:3-20: 1. They walked with God first. 2. They built relationships with those around them. 3. They resolved to be the best so that they would be noticed. 18
Our task is to love our personal communion with Christ with such intensity as to make it contagious. Paul Tournier 19
Closing Exhortation Commit your work to the Lord, and then your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3. 20
When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece. John Ruskin 21
Weekly Sharpening Session Focus on walking by faith, building relationships, and being excellent in your work this week. Then see if you are able to invite a peer to Easter Sunday service!! 22