Have you ever felt guilty about your lack of participation with church functions?
Sometimes its self-inflicted guilt, and other times it comes from church leaders expecting hours of participation in church events and programs.
I recently had a conversation with a good friend who was feeling guilty over his lack of participation in church functions. He is a busy guy in the Fall as a teacher, a coach a farmer, a father and a husband. He does a lot and thinking about adding something to the middle of his week that is church related seems overwhelming and impossible.
So I encouraged him with this, “Your work is very much a part of what it means to be a Christian. God doesn’t expect us to stop working when we become Christians; rather, He transforms our work. As a schoolteacher, you are pouring your life into your students and giving them a loving and patient example to follow. God’s Spirit doesn’t suddenly depart from you once you walk into the school building. They may legislate prayer out of the building but there is no law against the Spirit (Galatians 5). God is with you and you are bringing a loving witness to those students. As a coach, you are mentoring and caring for those young men and women in cross-country. You’ve invested in them and even mentored them in their studies to help them along. As a farmer, you are making food for our families. So, you love kids, mentor and care for them, teach them important discipline to succeed in life and provide food for not only your family but for many others as well. What did Jesus do again? But love kids and feed families?”
The purposes of church programs are to help in discipleship and fellowship. Our gathering together is of critical importance to our witness. But, we must also see that the majority of our weeks are spent in the midst of work or thinking about work. Is there a way that we should work that is Christ-like? I believe there is:
1. We work like Jesus is our boss
2. We work that we win the respect of outsiders.
3. We do good work, and help make the world a better place by what we do.
4. We work to have something to give to others, especially the family of believers.
Most importantly, as I consider all the various occupations that make up the church, I praise God that Christians are in the workforce.
I’m grateful that we have Christian Bankers who won’t give out ridiculous interest rates that bring more harm than help.
I’m grateful that we have Christian Schoolteachers who care for and love kids in a Christ-like way.
I’m grateful for Accountants who keep books knowing that God is their Chief Auditor.
I’m grateful for Christian Nurses who give endlessly to their patients.
I’m grateful for Christian Homemakers who give of themselves endlessly to their families in the humble work of laundry, dusting, cooking, cleaning, and teaching.
I’m grateful for Christian Doctors who know the true Physician and operate in honesty and integrity.
I’m grateful for Mechanics who are Christians who don’t lie and manipulate people who are ignorant of the vehicles they drive.
I’m grateful for Christian workers, who do humble work. For the factory worker on the line, providing for his or her family and building relationships with non-Christians. I’m grateful for their opportunity to pray with people I may never meet.
The church goes well beyond Sunday into every day of the week with the mission of God’s Kingdom. Our witness in our work is as a herald of God’s Will and offering a loving example of the Kingdom of God brought forth in Jesus. That is, we love the people we work with and the people we serve experience that love as well!
So the short of it is this, do your work in such a way to bring glory and honor to God. If it’s impossible to honor God in your work and do good for the world than you probably need to strongly consider making a change.
Here are my sermon notes from Sunday if you missed it:
Beyond Sunday - Good “Work”
“Work” in Scripture
Ecclesiastes 2:24 Isaiah 56:2 John 4:34, 6:27
Acts 20:35 Ephesians 2:10, 4:12,28
Colossians 3:23 1 Thessalonians 4:11
Blessed is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil. Isaiah 56:2
“Good” Work
Whatever you do, work as though for the Lord – Colossians 3:23
Work in an honorable way, it’s part of our witness – 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
You’re created for Good Work – Ephesians 2:10
Your hands are for Good, that we might have something to share – 4:28
Ways forward to find Good work
Faith – Trusting in God that we can do what He calls us to and at the same time meet our family and church’s needs.
Humility – Good work is often humble work. Nursing, teaching, gardening, farming, factory jobs…all have a degree of humility to them. Humility makes us good workers, not seeking our own selfish gain.
Doing away with Greed/Idols – When will enough be enough for us? What work could we do if we didn’t need to achieve a certain status?
Steps towards Good Work for EGCC
1. Budget, how much do you really need?
2. Work, we have to do it. No question in that regard. Perhaps you’re not doing what you want, or you’re doing what you love. The purpose of work is not though, whether we like it or not, it’s about seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness.
3. God seems more concerned with our integrity and witness than he does our job titles. What is my job doing to others and creation? Is your current job a contradiction of the gospel?
4. Ask God for guidance in work. Take time to consider God’s will, your passion, how they match and how God would provide for you through it.
Sometimes its self-inflicted guilt, and other times it comes from church leaders expecting hours of participation in church events and programs.
I recently had a conversation with a good friend who was feeling guilty over his lack of participation in church functions. He is a busy guy in the Fall as a teacher, a coach a farmer, a father and a husband. He does a lot and thinking about adding something to the middle of his week that is church related seems overwhelming and impossible.
So I encouraged him with this, “Your work is very much a part of what it means to be a Christian. God doesn’t expect us to stop working when we become Christians; rather, He transforms our work. As a schoolteacher, you are pouring your life into your students and giving them a loving and patient example to follow. God’s Spirit doesn’t suddenly depart from you once you walk into the school building. They may legislate prayer out of the building but there is no law against the Spirit (Galatians 5). God is with you and you are bringing a loving witness to those students. As a coach, you are mentoring and caring for those young men and women in cross-country. You’ve invested in them and even mentored them in their studies to help them along. As a farmer, you are making food for our families. So, you love kids, mentor and care for them, teach them important discipline to succeed in life and provide food for not only your family but for many others as well. What did Jesus do again? But love kids and feed families?”
The purposes of church programs are to help in discipleship and fellowship. Our gathering together is of critical importance to our witness. But, we must also see that the majority of our weeks are spent in the midst of work or thinking about work. Is there a way that we should work that is Christ-like? I believe there is:
1. We work like Jesus is our boss
2. We work that we win the respect of outsiders.
3. We do good work, and help make the world a better place by what we do.
4. We work to have something to give to others, especially the family of believers.
Most importantly, as I consider all the various occupations that make up the church, I praise God that Christians are in the workforce.
I’m grateful that we have Christian Bankers who won’t give out ridiculous interest rates that bring more harm than help.
I’m grateful that we have Christian Schoolteachers who care for and love kids in a Christ-like way.
I’m grateful for Accountants who keep books knowing that God is their Chief Auditor.
I’m grateful for Christian Nurses who give endlessly to their patients.
I’m grateful for Christian Homemakers who give of themselves endlessly to their families in the humble work of laundry, dusting, cooking, cleaning, and teaching.
I’m grateful for Christian Doctors who know the true Physician and operate in honesty and integrity.
I’m grateful for Mechanics who are Christians who don’t lie and manipulate people who are ignorant of the vehicles they drive.
I’m grateful for Christian workers, who do humble work. For the factory worker on the line, providing for his or her family and building relationships with non-Christians. I’m grateful for their opportunity to pray with people I may never meet.
The church goes well beyond Sunday into every day of the week with the mission of God’s Kingdom. Our witness in our work is as a herald of God’s Will and offering a loving example of the Kingdom of God brought forth in Jesus. That is, we love the people we work with and the people we serve experience that love as well!
So the short of it is this, do your work in such a way to bring glory and honor to God. If it’s impossible to honor God in your work and do good for the world than you probably need to strongly consider making a change.
Here are my sermon notes from Sunday if you missed it:
Beyond Sunday - Good “Work”
“Work” in Scripture
Ecclesiastes 2:24 Isaiah 56:2 John 4:34, 6:27
Acts 20:35 Ephesians 2:10, 4:12,28
Colossians 3:23 1 Thessalonians 4:11
Blessed is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil. Isaiah 56:2
“Good” Work
Whatever you do, work as though for the Lord – Colossians 3:23
Work in an honorable way, it’s part of our witness – 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
You’re created for Good Work – Ephesians 2:10
Your hands are for Good, that we might have something to share – 4:28
Ways forward to find Good work
Faith – Trusting in God that we can do what He calls us to and at the same time meet our family and church’s needs.
Humility – Good work is often humble work. Nursing, teaching, gardening, farming, factory jobs…all have a degree of humility to them. Humility makes us good workers, not seeking our own selfish gain.
Doing away with Greed/Idols – When will enough be enough for us? What work could we do if we didn’t need to achieve a certain status?
Steps towards Good Work for EGCC
1. Budget, how much do you really need?
2. Work, we have to do it. No question in that regard. Perhaps you’re not doing what you want, or you’re doing what you love. The purpose of work is not though, whether we like it or not, it’s about seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness.
3. God seems more concerned with our integrity and witness than he does our job titles. What is my job doing to others and creation? Is your current job a contradiction of the gospel?
4. Ask God for guidance in work. Take time to consider God’s will, your passion, how they match and how God would provide for you through it.