Work
September 5, 2004
Introduction
Tomorrow is Labor Day. From the Department of Labor website, we have this statement concerning labor day: “The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker.”
“The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day should take were outlined in the first proposal of the holiday — a street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations" of the community, followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families. This became the pattern for the celebrations of Labor Day. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civic significance of the holiday. Still later, by a resolution of the American Federation of Labor convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement.”
It needs to be remembered that it is God Who has blessed the work of the American worker. God warned the Children of Israel not to take credit for their blessings "Then you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.' {18} "And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. {19} "Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the LORD your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.” (Deut 8:17-19 NKJV)
It’s an election year. The number unemployed, and the percentage of unemployment become big issues as well as other matters. Employment is just a nice big word for work. Work is important for several reasons: 1) We have to work in order to have an income for our support, and the support of our families, 2) Work is important because that’s how we produce the things we have, 3) Work is important because it’s part of God’s plan for our universe. “But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working." (John 5:17 NKJV) 4) As with other things, work can get in our way of serving God.
Body
I. God said, early on, that work would be the way we earn our living.
(Gen 3:17-19 NKJV) Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it': "Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. {18} Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. {19} In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return."
A. Work is not the curse; it is the toil, the thorns and thistles, and the sweat.
1. Before sin, man was to tend the garden.
(Gen 2:15 NKJV) Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it.
(Gen 2:15 NASB) Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.
(Gen 2:15 NIV) The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
2. After sin, man’s work became more difficult – more problematic!
B. Dying is also part of the punishment.
(Gen 2:17 NKJV) "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
(Gen 2:17 Young’s literal) and of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou dost not eat of it, for in the day of thine eating of it—dying thou dost die.’
1. In other words, we experience the aging process.
2. Work becomes more difficult as we age.
C. We are to work to provide for our families.
(2 Th 3:10-11 NKJV) For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. {11} For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.
II. Does work ever become wrong?
On an unsigned questionnaire, this note was turned in, “He was out of a job, he took a job in a store selling beer. Quit coming to church, he explained to everyone at church. “I didn’t think he needed to, or should have quit coming to church.”
A. Does work become wrong when I sell something I feel I shouldn’t?
1. Sometimes we sell houses to people who are not married. I don’t like to, but selling them a house is not what causes them to sin.
2. I would not like to have a job working where beer was sold, but does that make it a sin?
3. There is a point where thinking something to be a sin does make it wrong.
(Rom 14:23 NKJV) But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.
4. Paul reminds us that to escape all association with evil, we would have to go out of the world.
(1 Cor 5:9-10 NKJV) I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. {10} Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.
5. If we have a job that truly concerns us, we can always ask God to help us.
a. Improve the job we are in.
b. Or get another job.
B. Work can become wrong when I cross the line on hours spent on the job.
(1 Cor 9:25 NKJV) And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
1. Excessive hours can take away time from my family.
2. Excessive hours can take away time from my time to worship God.
3. Excessive hours can take away time that God intended for me to rest and refresh my body.
(Exo 23:12 NKJV) "Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female servant and the stranger may be refreshed.
a. God expects us to rest our bodies.
(1 Cor 6:19 NKJV) Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
III. How do we determine the hours we work?
A. As with many things, it requires wisdom from God.
(James 1:5 NKJV) If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
B. What determines the hours we work?
1. It may be the company to some extent.
When I was at TI, I applied for a supervisor’s job. In the five one-hour interviews that followed, I decided they wanted more of my life than I was willing to sell.
2. Sometimes we have difficulty managing our money, so we have to work more to meet our obligations.
a. Sometimes we need wisdom to distinguish between wants and needs.
b. Sometimes we need to decide if we can keep our wives at home.
Conclusion
I. Our jobs are important.
II. May we ask for God’s guidance and help in our employment.
III. In our work, may we honor God by the way we work, as well as the hours we keep.
IV. There are many addictions today. Being a workaholic is probably the most honorable addition we have, but like other addictions, it creates problems.
A. It robs us of time to be with family
B. It robs us of time to study the word of God and worship Him.
C. It robs us of time we need to rest our bodies.
V. The most important work we haven’t discussed this morning: working in God’s kingdom. That’s a study for another time.
Scripture quotations marked "NKJV™" are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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