The Christian at Work:

1
The Christian at Work

• Our Work and Gods Work

2
General Outline

• What does Gods Word say about our everyday work?
• What does Gods Word say about His Work?
• What is the connection between our everyday work
  and Gods Work?
• Group application/break-out discussion

3
What does Gods Word say about our everyday work?

• The beginnings of work Genesis 2
• and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on
  the earth b and no plant of the field had yet
  sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on
  the earth c and there was no man to work the
  groundGenesis 25
• The LORD God took the man and put him in the
  Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
  Genesis 215
•  To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your
  wife and ate from the tree about which I
  commanded you, 'You must not eat of it, Cursed
  is the ground because of you through painful
  toil you will eat of it all the days of your
  life. It will produce thorns and thistles for
  you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By
  the sweat of your brow you will eat your food
  until you return to the ground, since from it you
  were taken for dust you are and to dust you will
  return. Genesis 217-19
• Working was Gods intention for us, although
  through the fall, work now became a painful
  toil.

4
What does Gods Word say about our everyday work?

• The disillusionment of work Ecclesiastes 2
• For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge
  and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to
  someone who has not worked for it. This too is
  meaningless and a great misfortune.
  Ecclesiastes 221
• What does a man get for all the toil and anxious
  striving with which he labors under the sun? All
  his days his work is pain and grief even at
  night his mind does not rest. This too is
  meaningless. A man can do nothing better than to
  eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work.
  This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for
  without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To
  the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom,
  knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he
  gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth
  to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This
  too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
  Ecclesiastes 222-26
• Our work can seem meaningless, and overall IS
  temporary.
• Praise be to Gods name that He has more in mind
  than meaningless toil!

5
What does Gods Word say about our everyday work?

• A higher purpose for our work
  in the Epistles of Paul
• Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect
  and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as
  you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win
  their favor when their eye is on you, but like
  slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your
  heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were
  serving the Lord, not men, because you know that
  the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good
  he does, whether he is slave or free. Ephesians
  46-8
• So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do,
  do it all for the glory of God. 1
  Corinthians 1031
• Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,
  as working for the Lord, not for men, since you
  know that you will receive an inheritance from
  the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you
  are serving. Colossians 322-25
• Our higher purpose is to let your light shine
  before men, that they may see your good deeds and
  praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 516

6
What does Gods Word say about His Work?

• Gods first (recorded) work Creation
• In the beginning God created the heavens and the
  earth Genesis 11
• Then God said, Let us make man in our image, in
  our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of
  the sea and the birds of the air, and over the
  livestock, over all the earth Genesis 126
• God made our entire universe, including us! He
  made every living thing for His Glory, but our
  sin separated us from this perfect relationship.

7
What does Gods Word say about His Work?

• Gods continued work through His chosen people
  Israel
• Then the LORD said to Moses, I will rain down
  bread from heaven for you. The people are to go
  out each day and gather enough for that day. In
  this way I will test them and see whether they
  will follow my instructions.Exodus 164-5
• "I have led you forty years in the wilderness
  your clothes have not worn out on you, and your
  sandal has not worn out on your foot.-Moses in
  Deuteronomy 295
• So when the people broke camp to cross the
  Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the
  covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is
  at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as
  the priests who carried the ark reached the
  Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge,
  the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled
  up in a heap a great distance away, at a town
  called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while
  the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah
  (the Salt Sea b ) was completely cut off. So
  the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The
  priests who carried the ark of the covenant of
  the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle
  of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until
  the whole nation had completed the crossing on
  dry ground. Joshua 314-16
• After the fall, God repeatedly showed His love
  toward His people, even through their disregard
  and disobedience

8
What does Gods Word say about His Work?

• Gods Work through His Son, Jesus Christ
  Reconciliation
• But because of His great love for us, God, who
  is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even
  when we were dead in transgressions-it is by
  grace you have been saved Ephesians 24-5
• for all have sinned and fall short of the glory
  of God, and are justified freely by His grace
  through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
  God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement,
  through faith in His blood. He did this to
  demonstrate His justice Romans 323-25
• Gods redemptive work is the sacrifice of His
  Son, Jesus. Jesus did all the work necessary for
  us to be saved. We must have faith in Him to
  receive salvation.

9
What is the connection between our everyday work
and Gods Work?

• As Christians, we work with God to reach a dying
  and lost world
• For we are Gods fellow workers you are Gods
  field, Gods building 1
  Corinthians 39
• Its like a man going away He leaves his house
  and puts his servants in charge, each with his
  assigned task, and tells the one at the door to
  keep watch Mark 1334
• Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
  baptizing them in the name of the Father and of
  the Son and of the Holy Spirit Matthew 2819
• We are Gods redeemed, called out, adopted
  children who are to carry out His work in
  reverence and praise toward Him!

10
Group Break-out Gods Work and our work

• Good-news Drew
• Review Acts 183, 2034, 2024
• What occupation did Paul have?
• How did he bless others with it?
• What did Paul see as his 1 priority task?
• How does this apply to our lives today?
• Ransomed Rick
• Review Daniel 63, 64, 610
• What did Darius plan for Daniels promotion?
• What set Daniel apart from others in his
  position?
• How did Daniel respond to adversity?
• How does this apply to our work?
• Consecrated Nate
• Review Colossians 414, Philemon 123, Luke 11-4
• What was Lukes profession?
• What does Paul call Luke?
• How did Luke fulfill Pauls description?
• How is Lukes life an example to us?