Last night we looked at how the Lordship of Christ and the messageof the Gospel affect how a Christian works. Here’s theoutline:
First we looked at some issues many in our culture hae with work, such as thinking that work is “evil,” not having any desire to do work that’s not “fun” or exciting, wanting to escape work, and laziness leading to wasted lives.
God is Lord of Work
Gen 2:5 God is the Original Worker. (Work & Rest)
Gen 1:26-2:3, 2:15. We are made in His image, so we work.
Our work: exercising dominion— Extending God’s rule over the earth. Caring for and cultivating God’s creation.
Implications:
- Therefore, work is not evil. (it was pre-fall)
- Our work and our worship are intertwined—It is part of who we are. (We were made to do things.)
- We don’t work for God, or because He needs us. We work with God and as part of our design.
Gen 3:17-19 The fall twisted work. Now we work for survival, and it is painful and ultimately futile.
Ex 19:8-11 Even after the Fall God gives rest. Sabbath & Work.
God’s wisdom in the real (fallen) world: Proverbs 6:6-11; 10:4-5; 12:24; 13:4; 24:30-34.
The message of Proverbs is that it is foolish to try to live in this fallen world, where the earth works against you and you must work for food to eat, as if it were an unfallen world. We must live in reality.
The Gospel Transforms Work
Christ came (and worked! see John 5:17) and took on the curse (Gal 3:13), and redeemed those who believe. He will one day redeem everything (Rom 8) but for now, He has made everything in our life significant.
- The Gospel brings Christ’s rest (we don’t work for eternal life).
- The Gospel brings new meaning to our work. (Our lives don’t end at the grave. We have eternal significance).
- Now, we don’t only work to stay alive physically (eat & provide—temporary), but also to serve Christ (preach Gospel and work mercy—eternal). Both of these exercise dominion…
Rev 22:3 — In the redeemed earth, we will still work.
What God says about work for Christians: Col 3:17-24, 2 Thess 3:6-13, 1 Cor 10:31, 1 Timothy 5:8, Eph 4:28, Eph 6:5-8, 1 Tim 6:1-2, Titus 2:9-10, Acts 18:1-4, 1 Cor 15:10
Implications:
We must see our work as part of God’s work in the world.
It is how He provides for us.
It is how He promotes His kingdom. But these are intertwined: In working, we can glorify God and adorn the Gospel by how we work. Your work displays your God in His Image, and in your faith in the Gospel. And, we build relationships which He uses to spread the Gospel.
In work, our minds and bodies collaborate to accomplish God’s purposes for us and for the world.
Dominion in the sense of ordering and mastering our environment.
Dominion in the sense of God’s rule over people’s hearts.
Summing it Up:
- Our culture feels work is meaningless because there is no eternal.
- Nothing done outside of Christ is significant!
- But Everything a Christian does is significant! All of life belongs to Christ!