1 Timothy: Doing Church God’s Way
North Coast Church
Message #9 September 16-17, 2006
Dr. Larry Osborne
Lunch Bucket Christians
Serving God in the Workplace
1 Timothy 6:1-2
Sermon Outline
Note: PowerPoints and Small Group Worksheets
for this sermon are available at www.northcoastchurch.com.
~ Read The Passage: “so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.”
GETTING STARTED:
Roman Slaves - Radical Christianity
1 Timothy 6:1-2/ Galatians 3:26-29
~ 1/3 to1/2 the population
~ Via Debt, Sold by parents, War, Choice, Birth
~ Radical Christianity:
Gal 3:26-29 ~ Equal in Christ
Illustration: Jim Spangler Nursery!
~ Today’s Wage Slaves
THE SEARCH
FOR THE PERFECT JOB
Genesis 3:17-19
It probably doesn’t exist.
It’s Adam’s fault!
IF YOUR BOSS IS A JERK 1 Timothy 6:1
Respect & Obey Anyway Because. . .
It makes God look good.
Titus 2:9-10 & 2 Corinthians 5:20
Titus 2:9-10 ~ Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.
2 Cor 5:20 ~ Ambassadors
~ It’s not all about us!
~ God’s reputation is more important than my rights!
~ People decide what they think of God based on what they think of us!
It will save your neck!
Proverbs 16:14 & Proverbs 20:2-3
Prov 16:14 A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, but a wise man will appease it.
Prov 20:2-3 ~ A king’s wrath is like the roar of a lion; he who angers him forfeits his life. It is to a man’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.
~ Only a fool riles a Rhino
~ Big, Dumb & Ugly But can do serious damage!
Illustration: Marie Hoffman I showed him!
It’s the best way to get ahead.
Proverbs 27:18/ Daniel 1
Prov 27:18 He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who looks after his master will be honored.
~ Daniel & Joseph ~ Brought success to Godless bosses!
It’s what God says to do.
1 Timothy 6:1/ 1 Peter 2:18-21/ Proverbs 3:5-6 & Proverbs 16:25
1 Pet 2:18-21 ~ with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.
Prov 3:5-6 Lean not on our own understanding
Prov 16:25 Seems right but leads to death
cf Retail: Treat the jerk with respect Not because they deserve it. Because it’s part of your job!
IF YOUR BOSS IS A BELIEVER 1 Timothy 6:2
Never take advantage of the relationship.
~ Why we don’t have a job directory
~ Customers expect a price break
~ Workers expect grace for a bad job
WHEN WORK ISN’T WORKING OUT
Two Key Questions
Am I being asked to do anything unethical?
Daniel 1 & 6/ 2 Timothy 3:12
If Yes: Obey God, not man – accept the consequences.
If No: Obey the boss.
Can I quit?
1 Corinthians 7:17 & 21-24/ Psalm 15:1-4/ Philippians 4:11-13
1 Cor 7:17 & 21-24 Bloom where planted but if you can gain your freedom – do so.
Ps 15:4 ~ Keep Our promises!
Phil 4:11-13 Content in prison!
If Yes: Move on.
If No: Make the most of it.
CLOSE: Goal: Everyone would want to hire Xtians
INVITATION? Everyone wants a job. Not everyone wants to work!
Available as a North Coast Church Podcast - www.northcoastchurch.com
Join us as we move out into our community to share the love of Jesus in practical ways. We are asking that each Growth Group participate in at least one service project this year. Let’s head out and see what the Holy Spirit does in our community!
Last year quite a few groups came up with their own service projects. That is awesome; keep it up! In order to facilitate connecting Growth Groups with service opportunities, we have contacted several organizations around our community. Visit our Website to find opportunities to serve and register your Growth Group for a service project.
Website: www.NorthCoastChurch.com/Service
If you have questions about how to connect your group with a service project, call Casey Yorman, Pastor of Community Service, at 760.724.6700 ext 165.
Service Opportunities include working with...
Bread of Life
• Serve dinner
Green Oak Ranch
• Fix-it projects
Michaelle House
• Dinner with residents
North County Solutions for Change
• Serve dinner
Pregnancy Resource Center
• Donate baby items
St. Clare’s Home
• Fix-it projects
Straight From the Heart
• Sort donations
Vista ROC
• Fix-up a home
North Coast Church Thrift Shop
• Sort donations
"You have put gloves and overalls on the Gospel, and your message is
spreading."
Carl Fielstra
Director of Green Oak Ranch
1 Timothy: Doing Church God’s Way North Coast Church
Message #9 September 16-17, 2006 Dr. Larry Osborne
Lunch Bucket Christians
Serving God in the Workplace
1 Timothy 6:1-2
GETTING STARTED:
Roman Slaves - Radical Christianity
1 Timothy 6:1-2/ Galatians 3:26-29
THE SEARCH
FOR THE PERFECT JOB
Genesis 3:17-19
IF YOUR BOSS IS A JERK 1 Timothy 6:1
Respect & Obey Anyway Because. . .
It makes ____________________.
Titus 2:9-10 & 2 Corinthians 5:20
It will ____________________!
Proverbs 16:14 & Proverbs 20:2-3
It’s the best way to ____________________.
Proverbs 27:18/ Daniel 1
It’s what ____________________.
1 Timothy 6:1/ 1 Peter 2:18-21/ Proverbs 3:5-6 & Proverbs 16:25
IF YOUR BOSS IS A BELIEVER 1 Timothy 6:2
Never take ____________________.
WHEN WORK ISN’T WORKING OUT
Two Key Questions
Am I being asked to do anything ____________________?
Daniel 1 & 6/ 2 Timothy 3:12
If Yes:
If No:
Can I _______?
1 Corinthians 7:17 & 21-24/ Psalm 15:1-4/ Philippians 4:11-13
If Yes:
If No:
Available as a North Coast Church Podcast - www.northcoastchurch.com
Growth Group Homework
For the week of September 17, 2006
Welcome to the Fall quarter of Growth Groups!
This week we kick off our Fall Growth Group quarter. Your first meeting will include a potluck dinner, time to get acquainted, as well as time to discuss your Growth Group Covenant. The homework has been shortened this week to allow ample time to accomplish this.
To prepare for this week’s meeting, take some time to focus on the questions below and be prepared to share your answers with the group. Have a great first meeting as you come together to connect and encourage one another to pursue a deeper relationship with God and each other.
GETTING TO KNOW YOU
1. If you had to eat one meal a day at the same restaurant and two meals a day at the same fast food chain for 30 days, which restaurant and fast food chain would you choose and why?
2. Describe one of your earliest paying jobs. How did it go and how did you get involved in it?
3. What do you personally hope to get out of your Growth Group this quarter?
SERVING GOD IN THE WORKPLACE
1. Looking back over your sermon notes, which particular point or passage of Scripture most challenged, confused or caught your attention regarding “Lunch Bucket Christians”?
2. Ephesians 6:5-8 is another biblical passage that deals with principles that can be related to an employee/employer relationship. What do these verses say about the attitude and actions of that relationship?
Which of these attitudes and actions do you find hardest to exhibit?
What challenges do you face in consistently exhibiting them?
3. Larry covered two questions to ask when work isn’t working out. Is there a time in your job history when you have had to ask one or both of those questions? If so, what was the result of how you answered the question?
