Called To Work

Called to Work

2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

September 5, 2021

There was a really popular television show called The Office. The Office was about employees of Dunder-Mifflin, a fictional paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The show was called a mocumentary. There were unique times in the program when the characters looked into the camera and shared their thoughts and feelings about their job or co-workers.

The Office mocked issues like office politics, downsizing, inefficiency, sexual harassment, lame team-building exercises, and office romances. It's awkward, embarrassing, and occasionally inappropriate. Which is exactly why people liked it. It reminded them of how they really felt about work.

We all know what it's like to have an incompetent or demeaning boss, or to work next to someone who makes weird noises and locks up their phone so no one can use it. We know what it's like to have turf wars, to face impossible deadlines, to sit through boring meetings, and to deal with difficult people. We’ve all been bored or stressed out by our work, and have wondered why we’re there.

One of the points of the program is that for many people, work is absurd. They spend hours every day in a place they don't want to be, with people they don't like, doing a job they don't enjoy, for a paycheck that’s never enough.

Of course, we can remember the Tennessee Ernie Ford song, "You load 16 tons, and what do you get, another day older and deeper in debt." Work sounds glamorous, doesn’t it? Even the best job can lose its luster at times.

But, imagine heading to work each day with a sense of expectancy, instead of dread, and arriving home at the end of the day feeling satisfied. Imagine your work making you a better person instead of a bitter person. Imagine it deepening your faith instead of undermining your faith. Imagine the work you do making a real difference in the world, and having an eternal impact on people's lives. Work, when properly understood and performed is good.

With this being Labor Day weekend, I thought it was appropriate to talk a little about work. Labor Day celebrates the American worker, as it was passed by Congress in 1894. This is a good thing. The Bible speaks about work from Genesis to Revelation.

Even the early church was dealing with some work related issues. Paul addressed them in 2 Thessalonians 3. Let’s look at the words of Paul - - -

6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.

11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

Paul makes it very clear . . . we are supposed to work! He tells us that those who are idle, are lazy. They’re a slacker, a wayward. In fact, Paul makes this even stronger when he said in verse 6 - - - WE COMMAND YOU! But Paul makes this command not on his authority but in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

You see, a lot of people expected Jesus to return at any moment. So, if Jesus was going to come back in the next couple of days or weeks, then why work?

Well, they didn’t really know when Jesus was returning. We’re still waiting! Because they weren’t working, they had lots of free time and they were becoming more and more of a drain on the church. This was causing a number of issues in the church and Paul wanted to address this.

Paul reminded the people they’re supposed to work, just as he was working. He was a tentmaker and could have requested money and support from the people, but he didn’t. Paul wanted the people to imitate his work ethic. Paul worked so that he could plant churches. He wasn't dependent upon others. He didn't want to take advantage of his hosts. He wanted to be a model so people would imitate him.